Worlds are burning. At Isstvan V, Horus dealt a vicious blow and three loyal Legions were all but destroyed. War was begun, a conflict that will engulf all mankind in fire. Treachery and betrayal have usurped honour and nobility. Assassins lurk in every shadow. Armies are gathering. All must choose a side or die.

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 ~

The Emperor

Rogal Dorn, Primarch, Imperial Fists

Jaghatai Khan, Primarch, White Scars

Malcador the Sigilite, Regent of Terra

Sanguinius, Primarch, Blood Angels

Constantin Valdor, Custodian Guard

Ezekyle Abaddon, First Captain, Sons of Horus

Horus Lupercal, Primarch, Sons of Horus

Knights Errant

Garviel Loken

Bror Tyrfingr

Space Wolves

Leman Russ, Primarch

Bjorn the One-Handed

Ogvai Ogvai Helmschrot, Jarl of Tra

Lufven Close-Handed, Jarl of For

Amlodhi Skarssen Skarssensson, Jarl of Fyf

Skunnr, Jarl of Sesc

Hvarl Red-Blade, Jarl of Sepp

Baldr Vidunsson, Jarl of For-Twa

Sturgard Joriksson, Jarl of Tra-Tra

Laughing Jaurmag of Tolv, Previous Jarl of Tolv

Scarred Oki, Jarl of Tolv

Jorin Bloodhowl, Jarl of Dekk-Tra

Kva, 'Who-is-Divided', Rune Priest

Grimnr Blackblood, Huscarl

Freki and Geri, Wolf-brothers of Leman Russ

Fith Godsmote, Battle-brother to Bjorn

Denizens of the Underverse

The Erlking, Malevolent psychic echo

Amarok, Guesting daemonkin

Bror Tyrfingr's pack

Blind Ragner

Himmlik

Enrir the Fat

Chattering Flokr

Gren the Happy

Mechanicum

Friedisch Adum Ship Qvo, Tech-Acolytum

Belisarius Cawl, Tech-Acolytum

Hester Aspertia Sigma-Sigma, Magos Domina of the Trisolian Taghmata

Tez-Lar, Cawl's pet servitor

Benician Mendoza, Viceroy Extractatorian of the Trisolian Forge World

Sota-Nul, Emissary of the True Mechanicum

Kelbor-Hal, Fabricator-General, Martian faction

Diort, A skitarii

Prologue

Prologue

Firstborn Child

'I have something for you, Horus.'

That was the message the Emperor sent to Horus Lupercal. That was the beginning of the end of his solitude.

Soon after, Horus found he had a new brother.

Horus guessed something momentous was coming. The Master of Terra had disappeared on a mysterious errand He would not speak to His first son about. Horus knew the Emperor had made twenty sons. It did not take a man of Horus' genius to put together the pieces, but he had only known with certainty that the first of the others had been found when the Emperor's fleet broke warp and approached his own. He felt it then. He could feel him.