Horus musters his armada, Terra itself the object of his wrath. Seated upon the Golden Throne, the Emperor waits for his wayward son to return. But his true enemy is Chaos, a primordial force that seeks to enslave mankind to its capricious whims.

The screams of the innocent, the pleas of the righteous resound to the cruel laughter of Dark Gods. Suffering and damnation await all should the Emperor fail and the war be lost.

The age of knowledge and enlightenment has ended.
The Age of Darkness has begun.

Dramatis Personae

~ Dramatis Personae ~

Ultramarines

Roboute Guilliman, Primarch

Verus Caspean, Chapter Master of the First

Titus Prayto, Librarian

Turetia Altuzer, Shipmaster, Samothrace

Drakus Gorod, Commander, Suzerain Invictus Bodyguard

Iasus, Chapter Master of the 22nd, Destroyers

Junixa Terrens, Vox-officer, Samothrace

Nestor Lautenix, Lieutenant, Samothrace

Hierax, Captain, Destroyers

Lucretius Corvo Captain, Glorious Nova

Mnason, Destroyers legionary

Teosos, Destroyers legionary

Byzanus, Tech-priest

Kletos, Destroyers legionary

Aphovos, Sergeant, second squad, Destroyers

Gorthia, Sergeant, third squad, Destroyers

Antalcidas, Dreadnought, Destroyers

Empion, Chapter Master of the Ninth

Blood Angels

Sanguinius, Primarch

Carminus, Captain, temporary Fleet Master

Raldoron, First Captain, Equerry to Sanguinius

Mkani Kano, Librarian

Meros, The Red Angel, Herald

Varra Neverrus, Vox-officer, Red Tear

Azkaellon, Captain, Sanguinary Guard

Amit, Flesh Tearer, Fifth Company

Jeran Mautus, Lieutenant, auspex officer, Red Tear

Orexis, Sergeant

Vahiel, Sergeant

Dark Angels

Lion El’Jonson, Primarch

Stenius, Captain, Invincible Reason

Holguin, Voted Lieutenant, Deathwing

Lady Theralyn Fiana, Chief Navigator, Invincible Reason

Tuchulcha

Farith Redloss, Voted Lieutenant, Dreadwing

Vazheth Licinia, Mistress of the astropathic choir, Invincible Reason

Iron Hands

Khalybus, Captain, Sthenelus

Raud, Sergeant

Cruax, Iron Father

Seterikus, Legionary

Demir, Legionary

Kiriktas, Helmsman, Sthenelus

Raven Guard

Levannas

Word Bearers

Toc Derenoth, Unburdened

Grel Kathnar

Phael Rabor, Captain

Quor Vondor, Chaplain

Yathinius, Navigator, Annunciation

Nekras, Navigator, Annunciation

Others

Konrad Curze, Night Haunter

Eleska Revus, Colonel, Imperial Army commander, Episimos III

Madail the Undivided, Daemon

Prologue

Prologue

I sing the carnage of faith rewarded.

By verse of eight and chorus of four, with choir of bone and chords of pain, I am the celebrant of ruin.

By path of eight and praise of four, I bow to excess and to blood, to change and to plague.

With sight of eight, by command of four, I am weaver and reaper, the shaper of souls and their devourer.

I lead the congregation of slaughter. I bring the revelation of skulls. My path is deluge, my wake is holocaust, and my march is fealty. I am the servant. I am the priest.

I am the undivided.

The web of storms shakes and moans. Its strands convulse. Down their lengths, the prisoners struggle in bonds they do not truly perceive. Fate shackles them. By power of eight and will of four, they are caught in the design. It pulls them towards me. I take up the web. I gather it in. The prey rushes forwards, blind in the arrogance of false hope.