Galaxy in Flames

by Ben Counter

  'I am the Warmaster and I do not back down from a battle!' shouted Horus. 'There are goals to be won in the Choral City that you cannot compreВ­hend,’

  Horus was shaken from his memories by the chiming of the communications array fitted into the arm of his throne. This is the Warmaster,’

  A holomat installed beneath the floor projected a large square plane on which swirled an image, high above the Warmaster's temple. The image resolved into the face of Lord Commander Eidolon, eviВ­dently inside his command Land Raider. The sound of distant explosions washed through the static.

  Warmaster,’ said Eidolon. 'I bring news that I feel you should hear,’

  'Tell me,’ said Horus, 'and it had better be good news,’ 'Oh, it is, my lord,’ said Eidolon. 'Well, don't drag this out, Eidolon,’ warned Horus. 'Tell me!' We have an ally inside the palace,’

  'An ally? Who?' 'Lucius,’

  The aftermath of a battle was the worst part.

  An Astartes warrior was used to the tension of waiting for an attack to come, and even the din and pain of battle itself. But Loken never wished for a time without war more than when he saw what was left after the battle had finished. He didn't experiВ­ence fear or despair in the manner of a mortal man, but he felt sorrow and guilt as they did.

  Angron's latest attack had been one of the fiercest yet, the primarch himself leading it, charging through the ruins of the palace dome towards Loken's defences. Thousands of blood covered World Eaters had followed him and many of those warriors still lay where they had fallen.

  Once this place had been part of the palace, a handsome garden with summer-houses, ornamenВ­tal lakes and a roof that opened up to the sun. Now it was a rubble-strewn ruin, its roof collapsed and only an incongruous decorated post or the splinВ­tered remains of an ornamental bridge remaining of its finery.

  The bodies of the World Eaters were concenВ­trated on the forward barricade, a line of heaped rubble and metal spikes constructed by the Luna Wolves. Angron had attacked it in force and Tor-gaddon had relinquished it, letting the World Eaters die for it before his Astartes fell back to the defences at the entrance of the palace's central

  dome. The ruse had worked and the World Eaters had been strung out as they charged at Loken's position. Many had died to the guns Tarvitz had stationed above the barricades, and by the time Loken's sword had left its sheath it was only momentum that kept the World Eaters fighting –victory was beyond them.

  Luna Wolves were mixed in with the World Eaters' dead, warriors Loken had known for years. Although the sounds of battle had faded, Loken fancied he could still hear echoes of the fighting, chainblades ripping through armour and volleys of bolter rounds splitting the air.

  'It was a close run thing, Garviel,’ said a voice from behind Loken, 'but we did it,’

  Loken glanced round to see Saul Tarvitz emerging from the central dome. Loken smiled as he saw his friend and battle-brother, a man who had come a long way from the line officer he had been back on Murder to command the survivors of Horus's treachery.

  'Angron will be back,’ said Loken.

  'Their ruse failed, though,’ said Tarvitz.

  They don't need to break in, Saul,’ said Loken. 'Horus will whittle us down until there's no one left. Then Eidolon and Angron can just roll over us,’

  'Not forgetting the Warmaster's Sons of Horus,’ said Tarvitz.

  Loken shrugged. There's no need for them to get involved yet. Eidolon wants the glory and the World Eaters are hungry for blood. The Warmaster

  will happily let the other Legions wear us down before they strike,’ 'That's changed,’ said Tarvitz. What do you mean?'

  'I've just had word from Lucius,’ explained Tarvitz. 'He tells me that his communications specialists have broken the Sons of Horus communiques. Some old friends of yours are coming down from the Vengeful Spirit to lead the Legion,’

  Loken turned from the battlefield, suddenly interВ­ested. 'Who?'

  'Ezekyle Abaddon and Horus Aximand,’ said Tarvitz. 'Apparently they are to bring the Warmaster's own wrath down upon the city. The Sons of Horus will be playing their hand soon enough, I think,’

  Abaddon and Aximand, the arch-traitors, men Loken had admired for so long and the heart of the Mournival. Both warriors stood at Horus's right hand and possibilities flashed through Loken's mind. Deprived of the last of its MourniВ­val, a crucial part of the Legion would die and it would start unravelling without such inspiraВ­tional figureheads. 'Saul, are you certain?' asked Loken urgently. 'As sure as I can be, but Lucius seemed pretty excited by the news,’

  'Did this intercept say where they would be landВ­ing?' demanded Loken.

  'It did,’ smiled Lucius. The Mackaran Basilica, just beyond the palace. It's a big temple with a spire in the shape of a trident,’

  'I have to find Tank,’

  'He is with Nero Vipus, helping Vaddon with the wounded.'

  'Thank you for bringing me this news, Saul,’ said Loken with a cruel smile. 'This changes everything.'

  Lucius peered past the bullet-riddled pillar, scanВ­ning through the darkness of one of the many battlefields scattered throughout the ruins of the palace. Bodies, bolters and chainaxes lay on the shattered tiles where they had been dropped and many of the bodies were still locked in their last, fatal combat.

  It had not been difficult for Lucius to slip out of the palace. The biggest danger had been the snipers of the recon squads the Warmaster's forces had deployed among the ruins. Lucius had spied moveВ­ment in the ruined buildings several times and had taken cover in shell craters or behind heaps of corpses.

  Squirming through the filth and darkness like an animal – it had been humiliating, though the sights, sounds and smells of these battlefields still filled his senses in an arousing way. He stepped warily into the courtyard. The bodies that lay everyВ­where had been butchered, hacked apart with chainblades or battered to death with fists.

  It was an ugly spectacle, yet he relished the image of how intense their deaths must have been.

  'No artistry,’ he said to himself as a gold and purВ­ple armoured figure detached from the shadows. A

  score of warriors followed him and Lucius smiled as he recognised Lord Commander Eidolon.

  'Lord commander,’ said Lucius, 'it is a pleasure to stand before you once more,’

  'Damn your blandishments!' spat Eidolon. 'You are a traitor twice over,’

  That's as maybe,’ said Lucius, slouching on a fallen pillar of black marble, 'but I am here to give you what you want,’

  'Ha!' scoffed Eidolon. What can you give us, traiВ­tor?'

  Victory,’ said Lucius.

  Victory?' laughed Eidolon. You think we need your help to give us that? We have you in a vice! One by one, death by death, victory will be ours!'

  'And how many warriors will you lose to achieve it?' retorted Lucius. 'How many of Ful-grim's chosen are you willing to throw into a battle that should never have been fought at all? You can end this right now, right here, and keep all your Astartes alive for the real battle! When the Emperor sends his reply to Horus's treachery you will need every single one of your battle-brothers and you know it,’

  'And what would be your price for this invaluable help?' asked Eidolon.

  'Simple,’ said Lucius. 'I want to rejoin the Legion,’

  Eidolon laughed in his face and Lucius felt the

  song of death surge painfully through his body,

  but .he forced its killing music back down

  inside him.

  Are you serious, Lucius?' demanded Eidolon. 'What makes you think we want you back?'

  'You need someone like me, Eidolon. I want to be part of a Legion that respects my skills and ambiВ­tion. I am not content to stay a captain for the rest of my life like that wretch Tarvitz. I will be at Ful-grim's side where I belong.'r />
  'Tarvitz,’ spat Eidolon. 'Does he still live?'

  'He lives,' nodded Lucius, 'although I will gladly kill him for you. The glory of this battle should be mine, yet he lords over us all as if he is one of the chosen.'

  Lucius felt his bitterness rise and fought to maintain his composure. 'He was once happy to trudge alongВ­side his warriors and leave better men to the glory, but he has chosen this batde to discover his ambition. It's thanks to him that I'm down here at all.'

  'You ask for a great deal of trust, Lucius,’ said Eidolon.

  'I do, but think what I can give you: the palace, Tarvitz,’

  "We will have these things anyway,’

  *We are a proud Legion, lord commander, but we never send our brothers to their deaths to prove a point,’

  'We follow the orders of the Warmaster in all things,’ replied Eidolon guardedly.

  'Indeed,’ noted Lucius, 'but what if I said I can give you a victory so sudden it will be yours and yours alone. The World Eaters and the Sons of Horus will only flounder in your wake,’

  Lucius could see he had caught Eidolon's interest and suppressed a smile. Now all he had to was reel him in.

  'Speak,’ commanded Eidolon.

  'I'm coming with you, Garvi,’ said Nero Vipus, walking into the only dome of the palace not to be ruined by the siege. It had once been an audiВ­torium with a stage and rows of gilded seats, where the music of creation had once played to the Choral City's elite, but now it was moulderВ­ing and dark.

  Loken rose from his battle meditation, seeing Vipus standing before him and said, 'I knew you would wish to come, but this is something Tarik and I have to do alone,’

  'Alone?' said Vipus. That's madness. Ezekyle and Little Horus are the best soldiers the Legion has ever had. You can't go up against them alone,’

  Loken placed his hand on his friend's shoulder and said, 'The palace will fall soon enough with or without Tarik and me. Saul Tarvitz has done unimaginable things in keeping us all alive as long as he has, but ultimately the palace will fall,’

  Then what's the point of throwing your life away hunting down Ezekyle and Little Horus?' demanded Vipus.

  We only have one goal on Isstvan III, Nero, and that's to hurt the Warmaster. If we can kill the last of the Mournival then the Warmaster's plans suffer. Nothing else matters,’

  'You said we were supposed to be holding die traitors here while the Emperor sent the other Legions to save us. Is that not true any more? Are we on our own?'

  Loken shook his head and retrieved his sword from where he had propped it against the wall. 'I don't know, Nero. Maybe the Emperor has sent the Legions to rescue us, maybe he hasn't, but we have to assume that we're on our own. I'm not going to fight with nothing but blind hope to keep me going. I'm going to make a stand.'

  'And that's what I want to do,’ said Vipus, 'at my friend's side.'

  'No, you need to stay here,’ said Loken. 'Your stand must be made here. Every minute you keep the traitors here is another minute for the Emperor to bring the Warmaster to justice. This killing is Mournival business, Nero. Do you understand?'

  'Frankly, no,’ said Nero, 'but I will do as you ask and stay here,’

  Loken smiled. 'Don't mourn me yet, Nero. Tarik and I may yet prevail,’

  You'd better,’ said Vipus. 'The Luna Wolves need you,’

  Loken felt humbled by Nero's words and embraced his oldest friend. He dearly wished he could tell him that there was yet hope and that he expected to return alive from this mission.

  'Garviel,’ said a familiar voice from the entrance to the dome.

  Loken and Nero released each other from their brotherly embrace and saw Saul Tarvitz, framed in the wan light of the auditorium's entrance. 'Saul,’ said Loken.

  'It's time,’ said Tarvitz. 'We're ready to create the diversion you requested,’

  Loken nodded and smiled at the two brave warriors, men he had fought through hell for and would do so a hundred times more. The honour they did him just by being his friends made his chest swell with pride. 'Captain Loken,’ said Tarvitz formally. 'It may be that this is the last time we will meet,’

  'I do not think,’ replied Loken, 'there is any "maybe" about it,’ Then I will wish you all speed, Garviel,’ 'All speed, Saul,’ said Loken, offering his hand to Tarvitz. 'For the Emperor,’ 'For the Emperor,’ echoed Tarvitz. With his farewells said, Loken made his way from the auditorium, leaving Tarvitz and Vipus to organВ­ise the defences for the next attack.

  Surviving tactical maps indicated that the Mackaran Basilica lay to the north of their position and as he made his way towards the point he had selected as the best place to leave the palace he found Torgaddon waiting for him. You saw Vipus?' asked Torgaddon. 'I did,’ nodded Loken. 'He wanted to come with us,’ Torgaddon shook his head. 'This is Mournival business,’ That's what I told him,’

  Both warriors took deep breaths as the enormity of what they were about to attempt swept over them once again.

  'Ready?' asked Loken.

  'No,’ said Torgaddon. 'You?'

  'No.'

  Torgaddon chuckled as he turned to the tunnel that led from the palace.

  'Aren't we a pair?' he said and Loken followed him into the darkness.

  For good or ill, the final battle for Isstvan III was upon them.

  'You dare return to me in failure?' bellowed Horus, and the bridge of the Vengeful Spirit shook with the fury of his voice. His face twisted in anger at the wondrous figure standing before him, strugВ­gling to comprehend the scale of this latest setback.

  'Do you even understand what I am trying to do here?' raged Horus. 'What I have started at Isstvan will consume the whole galaxy, and if it is flawed from the outset then the Emperor will break us!'

  Fulgrim appeared uncowed by his anger, his brother's features betraying an insouciance quite out of character for the primarch of the Emperor's Children. Though he had but recently arrived on his flagship, Pride of the Emperor, Fulgrim looked as magnificent as ever.

  His exquisite armour was a work of art in purple and gold, bearing many new embellishments and

  finery with a flowing, fur-lined cape swathing his body. More than ever, Horus thought Fulgrim looked less like a warrior and more like a rake or libertine. His brother's long white hair was pulled back in an elaborate pattern of plaits and his pale cheeks were lightly marked with what appeared to be the beginnings of tattoos.

  'Ferrus Manus is a dull fool who would not listen to reason,’ said Fulgrim. 'Even the mention of the Mechanicum's pledge did not-'

  You swore to me that you could sway him! The Iron Hands were essential to my plans. I planned Isstvan III with your assurance that Ferrus Manus would join us. Now I find that I have yet another enemy to contend with. A great many of our Astartes will die because of this, Fulgrim,’

  'What would you have had me do, Warmaster?' smiled Fulgrim, and Horus wondered where this new, sly mocking tone had come from. 'His will was stronger than I anticipated,’

  'Or you simply had an inflated opinion of your own abilities,’

  'Would you have me kill our brother, Warmaster?' asked Fulgrim.

  'Perhaps I will,’ replied Horus unmoved. 'It would be better than leaving him to roam free to destroy our plans. As it is he could reach the Emperor or one of the other primarchs and bring them all down on our heads before we are ready,’

  Then if you are quite finished with me, I shall return to my Legion,’ said Fulgrim, turning away.

  Horus felt his choler rise at Fulgrim's infuriating tone and said, 'No, you will not. I have another task for you. I am sending you to Isstvan V. With all that has happened, the Emperor's response is likely to arrive more quickly than anticipated and we must be prepared for it. Take a detail of Emperor's ChilВ­dren to the alien fortresses there and prepare it for the fin
al phase of the Isstvan operation.'

  Fulgrim recoiled in disgust. 'You would consign me to a role little better than a castellan, as some prosaic housekeeper making it ready for your grand entrance? Why not send for Perturabo? This kind of thing is more to his liking.'

  'Perturabo has his own role to play,' said Horus. 'Even now he prepares to lay waste to his home world in my name. We shall be hearing more of our bitter brother very soon. Have no fear of that.'

  'Then give this task to Mortarion. His grimy footВ­sloggers will relish such an opportunity to muddy their hands for you!' spat Fulgrim. 'My Legion was the chosen of the Emperor in the years when he still deserved our service. I am the most glorious of his heroes and the right hand of this new Crusade. This is… this is a betrayal of the very principles for which I chose to join you, Horus!'

  'Betrayal?' said Horus, his voice low and dangerВ­ous. 'A strong word, Fulgrim. Betrayal is what the Emperor forced upon us when he abandoned the galaxy to pursue his quest for godhood and gave over the conquests of our Crusade to scriveners and bureaucrats. Is that the charge you would level

  at me now, to my face, here on the bridge of my own ship?'

  Fulgrim took a step back, his anger fading, but his eyes alight with the excitement of the confrontaВ­tion. 'Perhaps I do, Horus. Perhaps someone needs to tell you a few home truths now that your preВ­cious Mournival is no more.'

  That sword,’ said Horus, indicating the venom-sheened weapon that hung low at Fulgrim's waist. 'I gave you that blade as a symbol of my trust in you, Fulgrim. We alone know the true power that lies within it. That weapon almost killed me and yet I gave it away. Do you think I would give such a weapon to one I do not trust?'

  'No, Warmaster,’ said Fulgrim.

  'Exactly. The Isstvan V phase of my plan is the most critical,' said Horus, stoking the dangerous embers of Fulgrim's ego. 'Even more so than what is happening below us. I can entrust it to no other. You must go to Isstvan V, my brother. All depends on its success,’

  For a long, frightening moment, violent potential crackled between Horus and the primarch of the Emperor's Children.