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’But there is an even darker tale you ain and took another deep breath This was the point of no return What he was about to say would change them forever ’You have been told the naions e hate and shall hunt whilst even one of them still draws breath: The Emperor’s Children, the Thousand Sons, the World Eaters, the Alpha Legion, the Word Bearers, the Iron Warriors, the Death Guard, the Night Lords and the Sons of Horus; you reion whose name is not recorded on that roll of abhorrence It is the naels’
The others sat in shock; Boreas could see the confusion written on their faces He kneell the thoughts and eh their minds The sudden emptiness, the doubt, the denial It was Damas who spoke first
’I do not understand, Brother-Chaplain,’ the veteran sergeant said, his brow creased with thought ’How can our Chapter be counted ast the traitors?’
’I am as loyal to the E quickly, his fist clenched to his chest
’We are all loyal warriors,’ agreed Hephaestus ’How can you accuse us of such a thing?’
’Your purity and loyalty is beyond question,’ Boreas told the down from the pulpit to stand in front of them ’But the seed of heresy resides within us all’
’Is this a test?’ Thu at the others ’It is a test, isn’t it?’
’Our lives are a constant test, Brother Thumiel,’ Nestor said calator-Chaplain’
’Listen!’ hissed Boreas, waving Zaul to seat himself The Space Marine returned to the bench reluctantly, eying Boreas suspiciously ’Listen, and you shall gain wisdoels did not fight at the battle of Terra? Why did we not stand at the walls of the Imperial Palace beside the Imperial Fists and the White Scars?’
’We were delayed fighting the forces of the Warmaster,’ Hephaestus answered ’We arrived after the battle on Or are you saying this is another lie?’
’It is not a lie, but a half-truth,’ Boreas replied ’We indeed fought those who had turned against the Eainst our own battle-brothers who had sided against him When the Lion returned to Caliban, it was his own Space Marines that attacked him’
’But that does not reatest of the Legions, ould any of us bow to Horus?’
’Who can say ent on in the depraved minds of those who turned upon their battle-brothers?’ That was an outright lie, for Boreas knew full hat had turned the Dark Angels upon the was not required here, merely obedience ’They were corrupted by a reat skill ords, whose bitterness he hid behind a falsehood of friendship with the Lion It was El’Jonson’s own adopted kin who turned on him, Luther the Betrayer’
’Luther was like a father to the Lion,’ snorted Darievous act?’
’Because we expunged them,’ Boreas replied brutally ’Because the truth is too dangerous to be left unfettered Because the knowledge of it is a corruption in and of itself Because you, my battle-brothers, must think with purity and clarity, and the tiuity’
’You lied to us, treated us like children’ Thuround ’You doubted us and kept this from us’
’No!’ snapped Boreas ’It is because this legacy of sha It clouds the est-willed, only the uilt that lies upon us for this heinous deed at the tie to face the darkness within our own souls can strive to restore honour to our Chapter I believe you are ready for that fight, and I tell you this not to cause you harth to prose­cute your duties with zeal and vigour’
’And why now, Interrogator-Chaplain, do you decide to reveal this information?’ Nestor asked quietly The others looked at him sharply and then turned their atten­tion to Boreas, nodding in assent
’Because the opportunity for our rede to pace up and down in front of them ’This is the vile foe of which I speak The Lutherites, the Fallen Angels, may be here, in the Piscina systeasped Zaul ’How can you know that? How can we trust anything you say?’
’For centuries you have all trusted in the Chapter, heeded the words of myself and the other Chaplains,’ Boreas pointed out ’We never lied to you, not directly We sought to protect you, guard you against the stain of our history It has been this way for ten thousand years Do you not think I felt this hen I learnt the truth? Do you think I took leeful of what I then knew, and what you no? I asked hts I sought h reatest test as Dark Angels But it is not a test that you can pass or fail, there are no set standards It is a test for you to judge in your own hearts how you deal with the truth The truth is hard to bear, and now you are ast your battle-brothers knowing that which drives us while they do not That is what it ?’ Hephaestus asked ’What connection do the Deathwing have with the Fallen?’
’All those who are or have been in the Deathwing knohat you have been told,’ Boreas explained ’You are all now, by the very fact of what you knoarriors of the Deathwing They are one and same, the honour of the Chapter and the shale soul’
’I’hed Thumiel ’Just like that, I become a member of the First Company, the elite of the Chapter?’
’There are ceremonies, there are oaths to swear, and your ar in front of the battle-brother, laying a hand on his head ’But yes, you are now Deathwing, there is no other way An ordi­nary battle-brother cannot knohat you have been told, and so I shall induct you into the Deathwing, and instruct you in the secret knowledge of our Chapter’
’I ask this again, Interrogator-Chaplain, why now?’ Nestor asked
’The Fallen are in Piscina!’ Boreas repeated ’We hunt their ship as I speak I declare crusade on this ainst the o from here and prepare for battle We shall not rest, we shall don our armour and our weapons and they shall not be laid down until the ene that has waited a hundred centuries, and our vengeance is at hand You see, this is the true purpose of the Dark Angels This is the real mis­sion of the Chapter Whilst a Fallen still lives unrepentant of his sins, we can gain no true honour, we cannot truly serve the Eht do is ultiive us our rievous wounds of the Horus Heresy can we start to build again’
’I feel the pain burning insidea hand to his chest His eyes ide, his muscles taut He fell to his knees at Boreas’s feet ’I understand, Interrogator-Chaplain! Forgivemy life purpose I swear that I will follow you into the Eye of Terror itself to expunge this deed fro before the Interrogator-Chaplain Nestor hesitated for aat the others, and then knelt at the end of the line Pride swelled within Boreas’s heart as he walked down the line, touching each of them on the scalp His doubts seemed to dissipate like awarriors Zaul was right Here was purpose Here hat he had been seeking these last two years They were ready to fight to eradicate the shaht, to eradicate the memory of Astelan and his own personal shame