by Guy Haley
‘We are at bay. Horus could destroy us a thousand times over,’ said Sanguinius. ‘A comet strike, asteroid bombardment, a concerted salvo from his guns only. Any one of a dozen methods would render Terra into rubble.’
‘That is not his intent,’ said Dorn. ‘If Horus wished Terra blasted down to the smallest atomic component, it could have been done weeks ago. Terra is not his target, only his battlefield.’ He pointed his finger at the globe turning in its shaft of light. ‘Throughout all this war, one thing has concerned me. Why this rush? Why does Horus speed to confront us? Were I to conduct this war,’ he said, in a way that suggested he had spent a great deal of time contemplating the matter, ‘I would have delayed. Horus has left too many of our forces intact behind him. His initial strikes at Isstvan and Calth threw us into disarray, and weakened the loyal Legions, but we retain billions of men under arms from hundreds of thousands of untouched systems. He spent little time securing his conquests. I saw early a pattern emerging in his so-called “dark compliances”. The planets he invaded were chosen deliberately to supply his advance. This was no war of conquest – everything he did was to facilitate this rush for Terra. There are many good reasons why he would do this, but the surest path to victory if he wished to usurp our father would have been a longer war, time spent to subdue the galactic east, circumvent Terra via the Segmentum Solar to dominate the west, and isolate the seat of Imperial government. While we reeled from his treachery, he could have redoubled his efforts to finish Guilliman off – instead he left Lorgar and Angron to fumble the attempt. Now he is here with Guilliman at his back. And yet even now he could win this war at a single command.’ Dorn paused. ‘He does not.’
‘He will not,’ said Malcador. ‘He must confront his father. That is the purpose of this attack.’
Dorn nodded. ‘This is the conclusion I came to myself. This lack of a decisive bombardment of the Throneworld confirms it.’ Dorn looked at the Imperial Regent. ‘You speak of the warp?’
‘I do,’ said Malcador. ‘Horus wages a war that goes beyond the material realm. There are factors at play here that are beyond your understanding.’
‘Attempt to explain them then,’ said Dorn. ‘Repeatedly Horus’ use of sorcery confounds me. I cannot fight this war with such poor schooling.’
‘My boy,’ said Malcador wearily, ‘you cannot understand because matters of the spirit were not given you to understand by your father. I could explain them at length and you most of all would never comprehend. Do you not think if it were possible that I or your father could have explained them already, that you would have been told of the threat in the warp from the very beginning?’
‘I deeply regret that it was not done,’ said Dorn.
‘The results would have been disastrous, believe me,’ said Malcador.
‘Not telling us was arguably worse,’ said Dorn.
‘Was it?’ said Malcador softly. ‘Very well. Let us take you, Dorn. You were made to command the material realm. Nothing in this world is beyond your grasp. But understanding of the warp would have eluded you. Being a man who desires mastery of all things, you would have been drawn to study it, and in doing so, you would have fallen. You are resistant to the dangers in the dark, but no one is immune.’ He paused. ‘Only one of you had the mettle to resist the whispers of the gods at the start. He was told.’
‘Who?’ said Dorn in surprise. ‘I thought this was kept from all of us?’
‘Which one could have known?’ said Sanguinius. ‘Jaghatai?’
The Khan shook his head. He was not so concerned as his brothers at his lack of forewarning. ‘It was not I.’
‘So much pain could have been avoided!’ said Sanguinius.
Malcador fixed Sanguinius with a serious look. He seemed to grow, like a fire flaring in an unexpected breeze. ‘Do not think for one moment that your trials would have been any less arduous had you known in advance. I know you have been tested, Sanguinius. There is space in the hells of the gods for more than one red angel.’
Sanguinius blanched, causing Dorn some dismay.
‘Malcador,’ said Dorn evenly. ‘You overstep yourself.’
The Imperial Regent sank back into himself with an audible sigh.
‘I am sorry. These are testing times. Even I have limits. You know all of you that you are as good as sons to me. I merely seek to make a point.’ He looked to Sanguinius. ‘Forgive me.’
‘I understand,’ Sanguinius said. ‘Peace, uncle.’
‘Who the Emperor told is not important. Even now it is better that you do not know,’ said Malcador. ‘To name the powers in the empyrean is to invite their attention. The knowledge alone is corrupting – that is all you need to know now, and far more than you needed to know then.’
‘I still say more knowledge would have benefited us. I, for one, would never have disbanded my Librarius if I had known what we faced,’ said Dorn. ‘I upbraided Russ for his refusal to follow the ban of Nikaea. The Khan here and I have also exchanged words on the matter for his refusal to do so.’
‘Father is not always right,’ said the Khan evenly.
‘Spoken as you were meant to speak,’ said Malcador.
‘Perhaps,’ said the Khan. ‘But perhaps also He should have looked beyond His intended uses for us, and should have trusted us. He is a distant father.’
‘Look how his affection was repaid.’ Malcador struck his golden staff upon the floor; the flames wreathing the eye at the top burned brightly. ‘Fate builds to this moment. The war in the warp, the webway and the materium are facets of a larger struggle. Your brother understands.’
Sanguinius’ mind went back unwelcomely to Davin and Signus, where he had faced raw Chaos in its many forms.
‘I do,’ Sanguinius said. ‘Whether father made a miscalculation or not, the truth is we are where we are, fighting a war that is not solely of the flesh.’
‘That is the only kind of war I know how to fight,’ said Dorn. ‘These creatures from beyond, the nightmares that wrack the populace… How can I plan for that?’
‘You cannot, but the war of bullet and blade must be fought, as must that of soul and sorcery,’ said Malcador. ‘You must perform your part. I shall perform mine when the time comes.’ As one of the few men in all existence who could look into a primarch’s eye without flinching, Malcador met the gaze of each of the three loyal sons in turn. ‘All of you have your parts to play in this struggle.’ He smiled sadly at Sanguinius, and the Angel looked aside. ‘They are not the parts your father wrote for you, but you are well suited all the same – the Angel, the Praetorian and the Warhawk.’ He gave them a father’s proud look. ‘Three champions. The Emperor and I have absolute faith that you can do this.’
The primarchs fell silent a moment.
‘Faith will be insufficient,’ said Dorn. ‘Our vox communications are unreliable. The turmoil in the warp prevents astrotelepathy. We are alone. Whatever happens beyond the orbit of Luna we will be ignorant of. I anticipate that the fringe fleets will survive for several months yet. Among the last messages to reach us were communiques from Admiral Su-Kassen. The remainder of our ships have gathered in force, including many of your Falcon fleets, Jaghatai.’
The Khan inclined his head.
‘In force by any measure but Horus’. His void assets dwarf ours. We should have retained the Phalanx here,’ said Sanguinius, referring to Dorn’s immense flagship, sent away under Su-Kassen’s command to form the core of the fringe fleets. ‘Alone, it would have bolstered the defences greatly. We could have dealt Horus a painful blow.’
‘And then it would have been lost, along with every other orbital and ship,’ said Dorn. ‘We have insufficient strength to oppose the armada Horus has gathered around Terra. That is why I sent our remaining warships away. The Phalanx leads them until the time is right for them to strike.’
‘That is not why you withdrew it,’ said Sang
uinius.
‘I made my decision,’ said Dorn firmly. ‘It stands.’
‘Very well,’ said Sanguinius. ‘But I am unsure that this strategy of keeping the Phalanx as an escape vector for the Emperor will succeed.’
‘If Terra falls, the Emperor must survive,’ said Dorn. ‘We all agree that the Emperor, not Terra, is Horus’ objective. The Phalanx represents our best chance of effecting His escape. Only my flagship has any chance of fighting in and out of the system to carry Him away. In all other cases, the perimeter ships will remain out of engagement range until Roboute approaches,’ said Dorn. ‘Su-Kassen’s standing orders are to clear the way when the Eastern fleets break warp. Perturabo and his bastard sons have yet to come into the system’s inner spheres. If he remains true to form, he and his Legion will be fortifying the outer reaches against Guilliman. We cannot allow any ring of iron they might deploy to delay our rescuers. Su-Kassen will break it.’
‘What of Guilliman’s strength? Have we any further word on his progress?’ asked the Khan.
‘None,’ said Dorn. ‘We must trust that he continues to push on Terra and that his forces have not been depleted. The Iron Warriors litter the fastest void routes like contact mines, and when all other obstacles are overcome, Roboute must break through whatever rearguard Horus has left in place at Beta-Garmon before he can gain the Solar System.’
‘He will do so,’ said Sanguinius surely. ‘Horus brought most of his armies here. Roboute’s forces are formidable. When I left him, he was busy sending orders that Ultramar and all the Ultima Segmentum be emptied of men. More forces flock to him on the way, including elements of Vulkan’s and Corax’s Legions we thought lost. When he arrives, it will be at the head of a force the near match of Horus’.’
‘The Great Muster stole much from him,’ said Dorn. ‘He will miss the assets we lost there.’
‘It is unlike you to express regret,’ said Sanguinius.
’Not regret,’ said Dorn. ‘A fact. If I regret anything it is that the circumstances of this war force so many unpalatable choices on us. The Great Muster was costly, but necessary.’
‘I did what I could at Beta-Garmon,’ said Sanguinius. A little strain entered his manner.
‘Do not be defensive, brother. I meant no insult,’ said Dorn. ‘You delayed the Warmaster. You bled him. That is what I asked of you. You did all that could be done. Every task we set ourselves now is about delay.’
‘What of the others? Is there any word from the Wolf, or the Raven?’ asked Jaghatai. ‘Do Russ and Corax live?’
Dorn’s lip curled at the mention of Leman Russ, primarch of the Space Wolves, prompting Sanguinius to speak quickly.
‘None. The last I heard of Leman was during the campaign at Beta-Garmon,’ said Sanguinius. ‘Abaddon’s and Alpharius’ honourless sons had him at bay at Yarant.’
‘But did they catch him or did he slip their net?’ the Khan asked. ‘And does the Raven survive?’
‘We cannot be sure, but I do not believe either are dead,’ said Sanguinius quietly. ‘I think I might know were it so. My soul has become more sensitive of late.’
‘Then good tidings for us if they live!’ said the Khan.
‘Alive or dead, they can do nothing for us here, as I said to Russ before he left,’ said Dorn. ‘Nor can the Lion.’
With a tired sigh, Malcador rose from his stool. His staff’s light danced around the room.
‘The Lion does what work he can.’
‘His harrowing of the traitor home worlds is premature vengeance,’ said Dorn. ‘He should be here.’
‘You have not seen what I have seen,’ said Sanguinius. ‘I know you fought a daemon on board the Phalanx not many days ago, but you have been insulated by your walls and your guns from the horrors that stalk the stars. What you witnessed is but a taste of the dark magics that upend rationality. This has become a war of sorcerers, like nothing we fought during the crusade. Every traitor world scoured of life by the Dark Angels is a blow to the plans of our enemies.’
‘It is purely symbolic,’ growled Dorn.
‘Symbols have power,’ said Malcador. ‘Do you see how you fail to understand, Rogal?’
‘Then where is the Lion now?’ said Dorn. ‘There has been no word since his destruction of Barbarus.’
‘Who can tell? If we do not know, then the enemy does not either,’ said the Khan. ‘There is something in what Sanguinius says. I have faced the Neverborn myself. You know they do not follow the logic of our realm. They are wild. Mortarion’s fleets have yet to arrive. Perhaps the Lion’s activities can be thanked for that. If battle luck favours us, the Death Guard may never come.’
‘Could Mortarion have had a change of heart?’ wondered Sanguinius aloud. ‘I am certain few of our brothers expected to find themselves allied with daemons. Mortarion least of all – you know how much he hates the warp.’
Dorn’s eyes narrowed. He thought momentarily of Alpharius. When the twentieth primarch infiltrated the Solar System, he had spoken with Dorn, and what he said could have been interpreted as contrition. Dorn had not listened, and had slain Alpharius at Pluto, a fact he still kept from his brothers.
‘None of them will change,’ Dorn said. ‘They are corrupt, traitorous. All of them. We cannot save them, and they do not deserve saving.’
‘I spoke with Mortarion in the ruins of Prospero,’ said the Khan. ‘His hatred of the Emperor goes too deep. He is fixated on our father’s death. He will come.’
‘So they will not have a change of heart,’ said Sanguinius. ‘Where, then, are the rest of our fallen brethren?’
‘I have spent the night examining the disposition of Horus’ fleet,’ said Dorn. None of them had slept for a long time. Primarchs rarely did so, but all were wearied by their burdens. The hololith’s light deepened the lines under Dorn’s eyes.
‘We know that Perturabo is here,’ began Dorn. The map zoomed out to encompass all of Sol’s system. Dorn gestured at a point of light. ‘His last confirmed position was at the Battle of Uranus. We have no indication that he has come out of the First Sphere. If he follows his usual patterns, the Iron Warriors will be fortifying the Elysian and Kthonic Gates. That is not a task his pride will allow him to delegate, but his hatred for me is such that he will come to Terra eventually, if only to watch the walls I have built fall and name himself my better.
‘Angron’s flagship is here,’ he said, his finger moving over billions of kilometres of the void, ‘near the Vengeful Spirit, on the far side of Luna, where half of the traitor fleet waits. We must assume that where the Conqueror goes, so too does Angron. There were contradictory reports concerning the Pride of the Emperor, but they are numerous enough that we should also expect Fulgrim’s presence in the coming battle. I suspect he is with Horus. Alpharius is unaccounted for.’ Dorn ignored the look Malcador gave him as he spoke. It was patently obvious to the primarch that the old man knew Alpharius’ fate. It was impossible to hide secrets from the Regent. ‘Magnus is possibly dead,’ he continued, ‘though the opening of the in-system rift has all the hallmarks of his sorcery.’
‘Magnus is not dead,’ said Malcador.
‘And you state this so surely how?’ said Dorn.
‘His soul is too bright a thing to hide entirely. It is known to the Emperor that his essence persists, and so it is known to me,’ said Malcador. ‘I am sure Magnus the Red marches with the Warmaster.’
‘This news is poor,’ said Sanguinius. ‘I had hoped, if he survived, that he would stand aside from the conflict.’
‘He took his punishment badly,’ said Malcador.
‘At least we can account for Curze,’ said the Khan. ‘Because you pushed him into the void, Sanguinius.’
‘I have confirmed sightings of the Nightfall and perhaps a dozen or so other capital ships,’ said Dorn. ‘His sons are here even if he is not.’
�
�What of Lorgar?’ asked the Khan. ‘His Legion is large, but the numbers present in the Warmaster’s armada suggest only a portion of his strength is here.’
‘Is he, too, absent?’ wondered Sanguinius.
‘What is not known cannot be assumed,’ said Dorn. ‘If he is not present yet, it does not mean he will not come later, or that he is not waiting to ambush our brother Guilliman. We should prepare ourselves for both his and Mortarion’s eventual arrival. For the moment, we must count ourselves fortunate that they are not here yet.’
‘The others announce themselves,’ said the Khan. ‘They make displays of open challenge. Angron, riding upon the hull of his ship. Fulgrim’s coyness is a statement – and if Magnus did not want us to know he was here, then we would not.’
‘He hides himself only enough to show his presence,’ said Malcador. ‘His psychic might remains unbroken.’
‘Fulgrim, Perturabo, Angron, Magnus. And not forgetting, of course, the most treacherous of them all, our dear brother Horus. The Warmaster.’ Dorn bit the title. ‘Arch-traitor. Five primarchs, some changed by the things they serve, and in all likelihood a sixth on the way.’
‘Six against three,’ said Sanguinius. ‘Where are the rest of those loyal to the Throne?’
‘The Lion, incommunicado as always,’ said Dorn. ‘Roboute Guilliman, on his way. Corax, lost. Headstrong, foolish Leman Russ, lost. Ferrus Manus, dead. And Vulkan, dead. We are short of allies.’
‘So six against three,’ repeated Sanguinius. ‘With two more coming.’
‘Horus was always the most charismatic of us,’ said the Khan drily.
‘There are more of you than you think,’ said Malcador.