'If we are talking about defence, then maybe it is,' said Russ. 'And in defending, we will come close to victory, and we will fail at the last.'

Dorn gripped his stylus tightly. 'Then what would you do?'

Russ sighed in regret. 'I will not be joining this effort at Beta-Garmon you have planned, my brother. I have business of my own to settle with the Warmaster, and I will do so in person.'

Dorn glared at him. 'Explain yourself.'

'Do I need to? I made my intentions known the moment I arrived here. The time has come. I am taking my warriors, and I am leaving,' said Russ. 'Can I make it clearer for you, praetorian? I am the Emperor's Executioner, I will perform my duties. I never said otherwise.'

'I thought you would see sense.'

'If that is sense, then no, I have yet to glimpse it.'

'Have you heard the rumours about what has happened to Horus?' said Dorn. 'He will kill you, and you will lose us this war.'

'He has grown powerful, my brother,' said the Khan.

'If Jaghatai cautions you, then you should listen,' said Sanguinius. 'Of all of us, he is most akin to you in mind.'

'Jaghatai must follow his own path, as I must follow mine,' said Russ. 'And my path leads me to the Warmaster. That is my wyrd, as it always was. Nothing has changed.'

'Everything has changed! You cannot kill him alone!' said Dorn. 'You are throwing your life and your Legion away. This is madness.'

Russ tapped his chest with his armoured hand. 'My life. My Legion.

'I will return to Fenris, where my priests will question the spirit of my world and learn Horus' vulnerability. He will have one, every monster does. I will exploit it, and I will strike him down before he comes within a light year of Terra.'

Dorn snorted.

'You think me a fool, brother?' said Russ, with dangerous innocence.

'I think you are reckless. I think you are in danger of treading the same road as Magnus, or Lorgar, cavorting with priests. Where has your conviction gone? Where is the wolf who spoke at Nikaea?'

This stung Russ, and his smile dropped. 'Nikaea was another trick. Another manipulation. Why do you think our enemies duped us into abandoning the Librarius? Why do you think I was tricked into killing Magnus?'

'You express regret for that now?' said Dorn. 'Last I heard you I were crowing about it.'