'You wish to hear of our mission.'

'I do. All of it. Start at the beginning.'

'From the beginning?'

'That's what I said, isn't it? See, Bjorn,' said Russ to a saturnine, dark-haired warrior stood at the left of his throne. 'I told you this one was slow.'

'Forgive me, my lord, have you not had Bror and the others tell you of what occurred?' asked Loken.

Russ rolled his head until his neck cracked. 'Ach, he has, he has! They have! I made them all start at the beginning, and I want to hear your version of events the same way. It's important. From hearing all accounts, the skjalds! he pointed out a mixed group of standard humans and legionaries stood at the side of the room, 'will fashion a telling of events that will be sung into the sagas of the Legion. An Adeptus Astartes legionary might remember better than a human, but he is still fallible. In collective remembrance, a truer account can be found.' Russ kicked his feet out and sprawled further into his throne. 'So go on, speak. Tell me of your adventure.'

So Loken spoke. He told of how he and Malcador's Knights Errant had infiltrated Horus' flagship, the Vengeful Spirit, at the height of the Battle of Molech. With a heavy heart he relayed the tally of the dead, how one by one noble heroes had been snatched from life, until finally they had been captured, and taken before Horus himself.

'Five of eleven of us died, my lord,' he said. 'Three of the others were mortally wounded. If it had not been for Banu Rassuah's actions, we would all have died, or worse.' He looked down, unable to hold the eye of the primarch. 'We were caught before we could map the Vengeful Spirit fully. I expressed my regret to Bror that we failed the task you set us.'

'We did not fail,' said Bror. 'I have said this to you. A lot.'

'And I have said a hundred times, my brother, that I cannot agree.' Loken held up his hands apologetically. His pauldrons shifted back on their mountings with a soft hiss. Only in the silence of Russ' hall, where the assembled lords of the Space Wolves listened so attentively, could such a quiet little sound be heard. 'I am sorry, but it is true. How can we call what we did a success?'

Russ breathed heavily, deep in thought. 'Success, no success. Bah. Tell me more of my brother. Tell me how powerful he seemed.'