The Wayward Son

As Seiras and Ferrus walked side by side behind Melisara, the librarian took the time to explain a brief overview of what the Inquisition was.

"Explain these Ordo sub-categories to me in more detail," Ferrus requested.

"Of course my lord. The Inquisition is divided into three main sub-categories. There's the Ordo Malleus which specializes in killing daemons and dealing with chaos. There's the Ordo Hereticus which primarily hunts down renegades, traitors, mutants, and heretics to the Ecclesiarchy. Then there's the Ordo Xenos which I'm a part of. Their primarily role is combatting alien forces. I am on what's called a Kill Team which is a squad of Astartes from the Deathwatch consisting of marines from various chapters that are uniquely specialized for the Kill Team's needs. However, I'm currently under the command of the Ordo Malleus since my Kill Team had a reputation for killing chaos marines almost as much as aliens. It's this reason that the Ordo Malleus requested my Kill Team as backup. They usually don't work with Deathwatch, but we're what's called an Umbra Kill Team...which is a Kill Team specialized for dealing with chaos threats the Ordo Xenos may encounter. There's usually only one or two Umbra Kill Teams per Watch Fortress. Many were taken by the Ordo Malleus recently since the Grey Knights are stretched then. I was with Inquisitor Atia Castilla of the Ordo Malleus and her fleet before I got captured by the dark eldar as I previously mentioned earlier." Seiras answered.

"So Grey Knights are a special order of Astartes that work for the Ordo Malleus? What makes them so uniquely suited for that?" Ferrus asked.

"Every Grey Knight is a psyker, and even their regular marines are usually superior to seasoned librarians. They don't have a primarch either...supposedly their gene-seed is derived from the Emperor himself like the Custodes. They're a rather special chapter. Although their existence is usually kept secret by most people. Only some Astartes and high ranking Imperial Forces even know they exist. I know very little about them other than that," the librarian answered.

Ferrus looked at him curiously, "So they were created specifically for fighting daemons then? Who founded this Inquisition?"

"Well the early history is all classified and locked away, so most people don't know. Thankfully, I was allowed to access Inquisitorial records at several of my Watch assignments. Apparently, Malcador the Hero established the Inquisition back during the ancient heresy. By his decree, an Inquisitor has supreme authority over all imperial forces, and they are above the laws of politicians. Even the Lords of Terra can't tell them what to do, though the two rarely ever challenge each other officially. An Inquisitor supposedly answers only to the Emperor…but since the Emperor isn't present to be their supreme authority, most Inquisitors just do whatever they want. Many abuse their power for personal reasons. I was originally assigned to the Watch Fortress Doombreak which is at the border of Segmentums Ultima, Tempestus, and Solar. The Inquisitor that recruited me was named Jena Orichiel. I primarily worked for her but was sent with my Kill Team to work with other Ordo Xenos inquisitors when she allowed it. Lady Orichiel had a fascination with xenos cultures and weapons…particularly the Eldar. When she found out about my expertise on Eldar technology, culture, and other things, she sent word to my chapter that she would be conscripting me for the Deathwatch. If an Inquisitor wants an Astartes, their chapter has no choice but to send them. My chapter master at the time didn't approve of it, but many of my brothers saw it as a great honour since only a dozen in our history have ever been selected. When one joins the Deathwatch, we are given the silver pauldron of the Inquisition on our left shoulder and we paint our armour black. Mine still retains a bit of blue so I can be distinguished as a librarian. Though we repaint our armour, we keep our original chapter's colour and heraldry on the right pauldron. The only exception to this is if one is a blackshield. They area Astartes who have forsaken their former chapter," Seiras trailed off as he then began to think about Omegon.

"That is interesting to hear individual Astartes from all over the Imperium work together. I actually approve of that type of thing. You mentioned Malcador the Hero created this Inquisition? Don't you mean Malcador the Sigillite? What ever happened to him?" Ferrus asked.

"Well while the Emperor battled Horus, Malcador had to hold the Golden Throne's warp tear at bay. It ended up killing him. Most people don't know that, but I've been able to gain access to a lot of classified knowledge thanks to my good relations with my inquisitors," Seiras briefly explained.

Ferrus gave an emotionless stare into the distance, "The Lord Regent of Terra is gone…so who rules the Imperium officially then if the Emperor isn't able to? You mentioned Lords of Terra?"

"The Senatorum Imperialis…more commonly called the High Lords of Terra. They consist of an elite supreme leader from all twelve major factions of the Imperium. They are the Lord Commander Militant of the Imperial Guard, the Master of the Administratum, The Inquisitorial Representative…likely a Lord Inquisitor, the Ecclesiarch of the Adeptus Ministorum, the Fabricator-General of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Grand Provost Marshal of the Adeptus Arbites, the Paternoval Envoy of the Navigators, the Master of the Astronomican, the Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum, the Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, The Abbess of the Adepta Sororitas, and the Lord High Admiral of the Imperial Navy. Those are the main twelve. They have lesser lords and special reserved spots for things like the Custodes Captain-General, the Lord Commander of Segmentum Solar, Commandant of the Schola Progenium, and so on so forth. They essentially run the Imperium and are kept under close watch by the Inquisition or other high lords," Seiras explained.

"I don't even know what some of those organizations are. So this council has no primarch or Astartes representative?" Ferrus asked.

Seiras shrugged, "No…though I can't think of any space marine that could tolerate such bureaucracy."

"I can…that sounds perfectly suited for the Ultramarines," Ferrus noted.

The Blood Raven shook his head, "Well I hear Lord Guilliman recently returned to the Imperium. He's the first primarch that's been seen in thousands of years. I imagine nobody on that council would try to command him at all. As for the Astartes, chapters pretty much operate above the jurisdiction of the High Lords…so long as we're approved by the Inquisition and we don't directly contradict their decrees."

"Roboute is alive? Well at least that means I don't have to fix this mess all by myself. That much bureaucracy sounds like my personal nightmare. I look forward to asking Guilliman more about these things in detail," Ferrus said approvingly.

"I'm certain he will welcome the help as well. It can't be easy coming back to find he's the only loyalist primarch left," Seiras frowned.

"What ever happened to Dorn, Lion, or Vulkan? What about Corax or Khan?" Ferrus wondered.

Seiras shrugged, "Nobody knows. The Imperial Fists told me Dorn died. The Dark Angels don't tell anyone anything, but most people assume the Lion is dead too. Vulkan, Russ, Corax, and Khan all were MIA thousands of years ago and haven't been seen since. Well…we saw Leman Russ, so it's possible some of them are alive too."

Ferrus scoffed, "Corax and Vulkan abandoning the Imperium…that sounds about right. Well at least Guilliman is there. I would pick him over any of my brothers to fix this bureaucratic mess. If Lion was there, he would have executed everyone who questioned him and usurped the Imperium and this Inquistion."

"Well honestly, I can't imagine a normal human would ever question a loyalist primarch. You are the Emperor's sons after all and are regarded as mythical saints. They even named a holiday after Sanguinius on the Solar anniversary of his death. It's called Sanguinala and is on the first day of Candlemas. I believe the Terran date is December 25th. It usually involves lighting candles, eating great feasts, watching parades, singing, and gift exchange to celebrate the unity of mankind. The last day of Candlemas is called Emperor's Day and it marks the end of a Terran Solar year." Seiras explained.

Ferrus rose a brow disbelievingly, "I don't understand this Sanguinala holiday. They celebrate on the day of Sanguinius' death?!"

"It's primarily a celebration of the Emperor's victory in the great heresy and is also treated as an annual memorial of the great angel's sacrifice. Most people don't really know much about the heresy, but they see it as a time of mankind's reunification under the Emperor. While every world has its own customs regarding Candlemas, most people across the Imperium will wear red and gold on Sanguinala as well as badges. Astartes don't really celebrate it, but many pay respects to Sanguinius on that day. Some chapters march in the parades of local hiveworlds as well if they're not tied up in battle or other duties. I marched in a few on a hive world called Meridian. They would pay us with supplies to partake in it," Seiras elaborated.

"That sounds unusual, but I don't really have an issue with the normal citizens venerating the sacrifice of my brother and father," Ferrus trailed off.

"There's also a holiday named after you as well. It's called Iron Day. Some places also call it Saint Iron's Day, Gorgon Day, or the Festival of Iron. Usually it involves sporting events on heavily populated worlds, titan parades on forgeworlds, live prayers and concert performances, and in some places an Iron Joust at the end. That last part is what it's best known for since it involves Imperial Knights dueling in a tournament. It's far more popular in Segmentum Solar because that's where the jousts usually take place. Though any sub-sector with a Knight World will undoubtedly have one. From what I understand, the Imperial Knight that comes in first place in Segmentum Solar is given a specially made attachment for their Knight by the Mechanicus called the Gorgon Crown. It's essentially a giant iron halo made from a fractured STC. It bears the iconography of your legion, the Mechanicus, and the Knight's homeworld. If a knight has a Gorgon Crown, they are held in the highest reverence by all Imperial Forces. They are given the right to call upon titan legions, Astartes chapters, and even the Imperial Guard and Navy. Not only that, but winners usually become Kings or Queens of their respective planets and Sub-Sectors as well. I don't understand the holiday's purpose, but it's especially relevant to the Mechanicus." Seiras followed up.

"Hmm…I didn't realize Imperial Knights thought that highly of me. I was not the most accomplished primarch," Ferrus said disbelievingly.

Seiras shrugged, "I think it's more to do with how much the Mechanicus reveres you. Knights are usually closely allied to the Mechanicus or to Terra…and you're the Emperor's son to some and one of the Omnissiah's greatest creations to others. Nevertheless, I doubt even the Inquisition would try to question you if you asked titan legions or Knight Worlds to come with you."

After blankly staring ahead for a moment, Ferrus spoke again, "So this Inquisition has full authority over most of the Imperium and answers only to the Emperor supposedly? I think recruiting them should be the first and best decision upon my return."

"Many Astartes chapters would follow you regardless of what they said anyways. Though the Inquisition would be invaluable to have as an ally," Seiras replied.

Ferrus narrowed his gaze, "You keep referring to chapters…and not legions. Why is that?"

Seiras looked down for a moment, "There technically aren't astartes legions anymore my lord. They were disbanded after the heresy into thousand-man chapters."

"What?! Who would disband the legions, and why?!" Ferrus gawked.

"Lord Roboute Guilliman wrote a tome called the Codex Astartes. I'll spare the details on all of the tactical reformations it created and encouraged, but essentially it decreed that the legions be split into chapters and assigned sub-sectors throughout the galaxy to patrol and defend. The Inquisition also supported this at the time as they did not want another full-scale uprising on the scale of the heresy ever again," Seiras elaborated.

The sound of clanking metal echoed as Ferrus cracked his fists. He looked mad at the news, "So you're telling me that my sons among all other legions were divided into tiny chapters because the survivors were afraid of another civil war? That's ridiculous! It just makes them easier to kill off!"

"That was a point I think…with the Emperor entombed in the Golden Throne and a lot of the primarchs gone, a legion of renegade space marines could easily conquer Terra or other vital locations. I've never seen a space marine legion, so I don't really know what it would be like. Although it does seem a logical decision for the time. First Founding Chapters are the core remnants of the former legions and they keep the same name. However, many maintain close ties with one another in case they ever need to join up with more Astartes. I know the Dark Angels and Ultramarines usually keep close relations with their successor brother chapters," Seiras explained.

"Pfft…I'll need more than a thousand space marines if I'm to do anything relevant upon my return to the Imperium. I'll talk to Guilliman about this Codex Astartes, and I will be taking command of all of my sons again," Ferrus said sternly.

"Well we are in the middle of a Black Crusade. If ever there was a time to reform legions, it's certainly now," Seiras nodded.

"Black Crusade?" Ferrus tilted his head in confusion.

"It's what we call it when Chaos leaves the Eye of Terror and tries to conquer and destroy their way to Terra. This is the 13th one since the heresy. They're led by Abaddon the Despoiler in most cases. He's the Warmaster of Chaos," the librarian elaborated.

"Horus' first captain is the leader of Chaos? What about Fulgrim, or Angron…none of the primarchs are in command?" he asked.

Seiras shook his head, "No, surprisingly…though most of them became Daemon Princes. In fact I think all of them did except Alpharius, Curze, and Perturabo. I met an Imperial Fist Librarian at the Watch Fortress Doombreak who confirmed to me that Perturabo wasn't actually a daemon prince despite the rumors around the Inquisition. As for Abaddon, he has been the Warmaster of Chaos for over ten millennia now."

"I remember Abaddon quite well. He was a great space marine and certainly one of Horus' best sons. Though considering my once closest brother Fulgrim is a daemon now, I shouldn't be surprised by this grim news," Ferrus sighed.

"What was likable about Abaddon the Despoiler?" Seiras wondered.

"He was charismatic, and he was empathetic to his brothers. He truly embodied the essence of brotherhood and he was well liked by many marines from other legions. I told my own sons to emulate his example of leadership. I suppose he's still a great leader in his own twisted way considering he leads the traitor marines now," Ferrus shrugged.

"According to Fabius Bile, Abaddon is halfway respectable because he doesn't worship the Chaos Gods and has no aspirations for daemonhood," Melisara joined in the conversation.

Ferrus rolled his eyes, "Fabius Bile…I can't believe that disgusting maniac is still alive or that he was able to clone me. The twisted ironies of this universe never cease. Something I don't understand though is how do I have my Iron Hands again?"

"I recreated them with necrodermis…it's the same material necrons and C'tan shards are made out of. The Wyrm you killed was made out of Necrodermis as well. It's an alien metal with malleable properties. I can educate you on how to use necrodermis better. I noticed you only used it properly when you forge," she explained.

The primarch looked confused, "Necrodermis? So that's what it is? You're saying you put xenos metal on my arms and throat?!"

"Well I wanted to make sure you were able to be your true self once again. Plus the bit on the neck was just so you wouldn't get decapitated again," Melisara chuckled.

Ferrus didn't approve of her humor as he moved with blinding speed to grab the haemonculus by the throat. He held her off the ground and growled, "You think that's funny, do you?!"

Despite her predicament, Melisara seemed calm. She spoke with an apologetic tone, "Forgive me, that was rude. I just had some left over and decided to put it there."

Ferrus glared at her, "I never wanted these iron hands…you had no right to do this to me! I was actually thinking about having them removed before Fulgrim betrayed me!"

"I am aware of that...but you underestimate their capabilities. Plus it would be foolish to return to the Imperium without your iconic iron hands, Ferrus. It's what you're known for and in today's age, symbolism is very important to the Imperium." Melisara noted.

"Is that right?!" he scoffed.

"I don't understand, Lord Ferrus…aren't your iron hands the most famous thing about you? Why would you want to remove them?" Seiras asked.

The primarch shook his head, "The Emperor already created me the way he intended…I don't need xenos tampering or artificial enhancements! Unlike my sons, I never wanted to be a machine more than a man."

"Aren't your sons obsessed with cybernetics…they aspire to emulate your iron hands do they not? They quote you all the time and say that 'The Flesh is Weak.'" Seiras added.

Ferrus let go of Melisara's throat and looked at Seiras, "My sons take everything too literally. When I said 'The Flesh is Weak'…I didn't mean the Astartes form was weaker than machines. I meant our mortal shells are weak in comparison to our minds. Real strength is willpower and spirit. Unlike our bodies or machines, the undying belief in one's cause is far more powerful. Our ideals and our legacies...these are things are not so easily destroyed or killed."

'Well the Iron Hands have certainly misinterpreted a lot then…' Seiras thought to himself.

"I agree with you Ferrus," Melisara nodded.

He looked at Melisara dangerously, "What are these necrons exactly?"

"They're ancient aliens that warred with the Aeldari millions of years ago. They're all completely machines with their former races' souls long gone. Necrodermis is what their bodies are made of. It's a nearly indestructible liquid metallic compound capable of reforming and healing itself. The creature you killed on Medusa was covered in Necrodermis and it smelted onto your own arms after you strangled it in the lava. I recreated the process by smelting necron shells and putting it back on your arms. Due to your Immortis gland, you were able to heal from the burns and your cells regenerated so fast that the Necrodermis became a part of you. They're exactly the same as before," Melisara interjected.

The Gorgon sighed, "You know far too much about me…I find it strange an Eldar would be so obsessed with the Emperor and the Imperium. I always thought the wyrm I killed was ancient human tech…not xenos. I don't approve, but I'll need these hands if I'm to reforge a proper weapon. I don't like the idea of becoming reliant on them, but I suppose that can't be helped now."

"I'm merely being honest, Ferrus. I had no reason to tell you or Seiras this much about everything. I did it because I'm actually trying to help. Ask me whatever you want, and I'll tell you about it. I'm not withholding any secrets from you," she remarked.

Ferrus stared at her intensely, "Vulkan hated your kind…he despised you dark eldar more than anything in this galaxy. He would find your 'generosity' impossible. I myself still can't decide whether or not to let you live."

"Well it might be a good idea to reconsider killing me...or attempting to. I am the one with the ship after all. I'm unique among my kind because I actually care about the future. My immortality means nothing if the galaxy falls into chaos and ruin. I'm not going to pretend like I'm some virtuous being. By your human morality I would certainly be considered evil or malicious. Look past that and consider all I've done to prove my sincerity in this situation. I did help the Emperor did I not? I convinced a traitor marine to give me his last clone of you. I convinced Seiras to resurrect you as well. Believe me when I say my intentions are a genuine effort to restore order to the Galaxy," she reminded him.

"You've made your point…I'll let it go for now. Where is this ship? How much longer till we're there?" Ferrus asked impatiently.

Melisara smiled, "Khaine's Gate isn't far now. We just have to pass through the Gate and into the Chasm of Woes."

"Let's get out of this forsaken realm…" he said distastefully.

Trying to distract himself from anger, Ferrus looked back at Seiras, "I have another question librarian. What happens if an Inquisitor becomes corrupted? Who has the authority to stop them?"

"Only an Inquisitor Lord or another two Inquisitors can really reprimand an Inquisitor out of the line of duty. Usually the Ordo Hereticus sends Inquisitors in pairs and they will sometimes investigate other Inquisitors and each other for the Inquisitor Lord. The Ordo Hereticus tends to work with the Ecclesiarchy as well," Seiras remarked.

"How much authority does an Inquisitor have over space marines? Are chapters completely bound to do their every bidding? They seem more susceptible to corruption than Astartes are if they're only regular humans. That sounds dangerous." Ferrus said dryly.

"They don't actually have direct command over most space marines, but almost all chapters would obey the Inquisition as they have the authority to allocate resources to a chapter or condemn a chapter as traitors or heretics. Granted they can't really condemn a chapter without proof, and it's almost unheard of for an Inquisitor to reprimand a First Founding Chapter. A good example is they tried to kill civilians that witnessed chaos when helping Space Wolves fight a daemon threat once. The Space Wolves got angry about this and the two sides fought each other. Under normal circumstances a chapter would be deemed excommunicate traitorus and purged…but the Space Wolves had diplomatic immunity as they are universally trusted and respected by most of the Imperium. Plus all of the First Founding Chapters would openly rebel if the Ordo Malleus tried to purge Fenris for no valid reason. The only full authority Inquisitors directly have over space marines is if the Astartes are Grey Knights in the Ordo Malleus or Deathwatch Marines like me in the Ordo Xenos," he answered.

"You mentioned it earlier, but what is this Ecclesiarchy I keep hearing about? It sounds like some religious organization…" Ferrus trailed off.

Seiras felt slightly worried as he spoke up, "Well…it is. They worship the Emperor as a god. In fact most Imperial citizens do."

"What?! The Emperor forbade the worship of him! He even burned Monarchia, Lorgar's pride and joy to the ground for disobeying the Imperial Truth. You're telling me the Imperium worships the Emperor now?! Does that include the space marines?" Ferrus looked even angrier than he did about the news of his legion's disbandment.

"Well most Astartes don't worship the Emperor…we merely see him as a sacred ancestor and the one true paragon of mankind. There are some chapters that do, but I'm not of that belief. Astartes don't exactly get along with the Ecclesiarchy despite how we're seen by the regular citizens of the Imperium. Many people among the Imperium truly believe that Space Marines are the 'God-Emperor's' holy angels, but there are also some purists among the Ecclesiarchy that think we're mutants. It's complicated to explain, my lord," Seiras reluctantly continued.

"This sure doesn't sound like the Imperium of Man. Just a twisted shell of what it used to be. When did this start?" Ferrus said almost horrified.

Seiras detached a data-device slab from his armour and handed it to Ferrus, "Millennia ago, but that's a digital copy of the Lectitio Divinitatus…it's the holy scripture according to the Ecclesiarchy."

Ferrus read over it for a few seconds before his face soured into hatred and disgust, "So the modern Imperium worships the Emperor as a god and Lorgar's own book is their holy scripture?! This is beyond insulting to the Emperor. Lorgar must be laughing in the warp at the irony!"

"Wait…Lorgar wrote that?!" Seiras gawked.

"Yes he did. Many of us read it after his chastisement by the Emperor out of curiosity. It is a nonsensical and ignorant fantasy he sought to project upon our father. Lorgar was always weak…he desperately craved something to believe in because he was too weak to believe in humanity or himself. And now he worships daemons…this is disgusting!" Ferrus spat as he roughly handed the data device back to Seiras.

Seiras sighed, "Well if what you say is true, then it must be extra difficult for Lord Guilliman to stomach. Didn't the Ultramarines burn Monarchia on Colchis? I don't know much about it…I've only heard the story from the Ultramarines."

"Guilliman hated religion as much as I did. His legion slaughtered people on Lorgar's homeworld and purged many of the systems they conquered because of it. I can't even imagine how he's taking this or how these religious zealots must see him. If they seriously think space marines are actually angels, then what would they think of primarchs!?" Ferrus said distraught.

"They likely view Guilliman as a god-prince or some kind of divine saint. I mean even Commorrites call you primarchs god-princes and we're mostly atheistic in Commorragh. A few of the religious humans I've tortured before prayed to various primarchs. I believe the term 'Archangel Sanguinius' was used by one," Melisara mused.

Ferrus glared at her, "Even as ignorant as that is, I don't approve of you torturing humans…"

"Relax, I haven't to do that in a while. I'm immune to soul decay so I don't really 'need' to torture slaves anymore. I just mostly save it for the ones I don't like. Usually the super religious ones," Melisara laughed.

'Like Sylea…I sure hope she doesn't do anything to her,' Seiras thought to himself.

"And here I thought the Age of Strife was the lowest humanity had ever fallen. This modern Imperium of Man is the greatest insult to the Emperor and humanity that I could ever imagine. It is an empire of religious and ignorant zealots that hasn't accomplished anything on its own despite father's belief that humanity could lead itself. It would seem he was wrong…we primarchs will have to save these mortal humans from themselves. Endless bureaucracy and religious fanaticism never leads to progress," Ferrus sighed.

"Sadly you're correct Lord Ferrus…though I have nothing but respect for the men and women that have endured and held humanity together for these many millennia. It's an unfortunate reality, but their religious dogma and ignorant zealotry has safeguarded mankind against fracturing into splinter factions or falling into the darkness of chaos worship. The Inquisition, while radical, has also protected the Imperium more than hurt it. I agree that the entire system is flawed and corrupt, but these things are some of the few pillars of order that keep mankind held intact," the librarian noted.

"There is wisdom in your words, librarian…I suppose I can't deny that inconvenient reality. Nevertheless, I will entrust Guilliman to handle that issue. I am better off leading a Crusade fleet and helping with mechanical problems. Bureaucracy and religion is the last thing I want to deal with. I was built for war and that's where I'm suited," Ferrus trailed off as he began to contemplate various things.

"Lord Ferrus, I have a question of my own. Forgive me if it's inappropriate, but what do you know about the Thunder Warriors?" Seiras asked the primarch.

"Why are you asking me about that? I've never seen one. I only heard the stories that they died in the last battle for Terra," Ferrus replied blankly.

"How, though?" the librarian said distantly.

The Gorgon shrugged, "Mostly through attrition. From what I learned, the Emperor stopped making them halfway through the Unification Wars on ancient Terra and they eventually just died out. That being said, some of my brothers had different theories on what happened. Perturabo once told me he had a vision of massive human warriors being slaughtered by Custodes on a mountain…it's possible that he saw the surviving Thunder Warriors being culled."

"Perturabo had a vision of that?! So then…the Emperor really could have killed them off? Maybe it was just a vision that chaos was trying to show him?" the librarian tried to explain away the possibility.

"I honestly don't know. Fulgrim said as much when he tried to convince me to join Horus. It was one of his driving points about why we should turn against our father. Horus convinced him that Astartes and primarchs would suffer the same fate. As insane as it sounds, I had heard these things long before the Heresy broke out. Several primarchs believed this to be true, and not all of them were traitors. Magnus, Perturabo, Lion, and Guilliman all personally believed the Thunder Warriors were culled. Each of them confided in me about this even before Ullanor. Considering how different they all are, I am inclined to believe it's at least partially true. Most Thunder Warriors probably died out and the rest could have been purged." Ferrus stated blankly.

"So it is true?" he said uncertainly.

Ferrus gave him a sharp stare, "It doesn't matter whether it's true or not, but I'm willing to believe it is. With that being said, understand this, Seiras…the greatest lies are framed in half-truths. We don't know the Emperor's side of things, and we can't trust daemons weren't trying manipulate us by seeding lies into true statements. Many of my brothers were easily manipulated because their egos blinded them to our father's vision."

Seiras looked distraught, "You are of course correct my lord, but if it is true, then what do you think the Emperor's side of the story is? Why would he kill the Thunder Warriors? Weren't they loyal heroes?"

"You're quite bold to even speak of such things, space marine. It is not my place or yours to question my father's decisions. I am certain he would not have done so without good reason. I learned from the Mechanicum and the gene scientists in the labs of Terra that Thunder Warriors were not built for longevity. They had short human lifespans unlike Astartes or Custodes. They were highly unstable, prone to genetic degradation, they suffered organ failure commonly, and were usually undisciplined. The Emperor likely saw that they had no place left in the future he was trying to build, and they were too dangerous to keep alive. I can't imagine a force like that would be useful in conquering the galaxy. His logic behind their removal was likely one of pure pragmatism and nothing more. Unlike Astartes, they did not have progenoids, and their gene-enhancements could be mass replicated in a lab if acquired. Knowing that was a dangerous liability, makes it easier to accept it as a rational decision. Regardless of whether it's true or why it happened, none of us know the Emperor's burden as the Master of Mankind. It would be petulant and arrogant to condemn him for any decision he deemed appropriate." Ferrus remarked.

"So a lot of the traitor primarchs truly thought the Emperor was going to cull the legions?" Seiras asked.

"Yes, they did. That might be the main reason Perturabo also sided with Horus during this Horus Heresy. He didn't tell anyone except for me and Magnus, but Perturabo had visions of the Eye of Terror and the warp ever since he was young. He That is likely why he was so paranoid all the time. He told me he could always see it and always feel it. Like all of the primarchs, he was psychic to a certain extent. His gift was different than the foresight of Curze or Sanguinius, but it was also similar. He was what Magnus called a psychic empath…he can sense darkness and evil, warp energy, and people's emotions. I imagine he knew Horus was corrupted but chose to follow him anyways. I have no doubts that his decision was one based around his paranoia. His poor relations to the Emperor likely caused him to believe in his twisted visions...regardless of whether they were wholly true or not," the primarch explained sternly.

Seiras shook his head, "Perturabo was a psychic empath? I've only heard the tales of him, but I was under the impression he was unfeeling and purely logical. That doesn't make much sense. Psychic empaths are usually very emotional."

"Perturabo was very emotional, but none of our brothers knew how he truly was beneath his cold and logical demeanor. I believe he acted this way and instilled bitter stoicism in his sons to quell his own emotions. He could have been trying to purge himself of doubts and weakness. There's no telling how it affected him or why he did the things he did. I only learned near the end of the Great Crusade what he was truly like…he was like me in many ways. The only main difference was he believed he was more important than what the Emperor created him for. He believed he had a destiny beyond warfare. He was also too paranoid to trust that the Emperor had a role for him at the end of the Crusade. On our way to Aeon, we spoke a great deal about his issues towards the Great Crusade, the Emperor, and other things. Perturabo told me that he could sense the feelings of disdain and disgust from Malcador and the Custodes. He claimed that Malcador and the Custodes hated Astartes and the primarchs, but he could not sense the Emperor's feelings…and that bothered him. The Emperor elevating many other primarchs above him only made things worse," Ferrus explained.

"Why would Malcador the Hero or Adeptus Custodes hate Astartes and primarchs? That doesn't seem logical…" Seiras said doubtfully.

"I don't think it was hatred…it was merely dissociation and pride. We were not nearly as important as they were. It is likely the same way a space marine might view a soldier in the Imperial Army. To the Custodes, Astartes were mass-produced and expendable warriors that took too much pride in fulfilling their roles as soldiers. As for Malcador, he didn't like any of the primarchs or astartes from what I could tell," Ferrus shrugged.

The Blood Raven was shocked to hear that. He spoke disbelievingly a moment later, "Why though?"

"I asked him if he disliked us primarchs once and he told me this: 'You're all arrogant superhuman children to me…vying for attention, throwing tantrums, and questioning your father's decree. I have no issue with you personally Ferrus, but I believe you primarchs would have been better off being females. Unlike the Custodes, most of you believe in your own glory more than the Emperor.'"

"What?! Females? Why would Malcador the Hero say that? How could you have been female?" Seiras remarked with disbelief.

"I believe it was meant to imply that the Emperor could have made us female if he wanted to and that we weren't inherently special despite our creation. Nevertheless, Perturabo was right to a degree about Malcador. The Lord Regent definitely had some inherent bias against all of the primarchs and our Astartes. He spoke to us as if we were disposable grunts and he trusted very few of us. That is hypocritical and ironic to me because Perurabo treated humans the same way. They called the 4th legion the Corpse Grinders because they had no regard for the human or Astartes lives spent in battle. Regardless of whether or not he was correct, Perturabo did not do himself any favors by his actions," Ferrus elaborated.

Seiras went silent again before he glanced back up at Ferrus, "So Custodes really thought they were better than primarchs too?"

"Not physically, but in purpose they did. The Custodes' views on us primarchs was far more complicated than their opinions on Astartes. Unlike Astartes, we primarchs were created to be even superior to the Custodes. Despite this fact, they saw some primarchs as defective and arrogant mistakes. They treated Magnus, Perturabo, Guilliman, Khan, and Fulgrim with suspicion and contempt because they believed those primarchs sought to be more than what the Emperor made them to be. They despised Mortarion, Lorgar, Angron, Curze, and Alpharius the most though. As for Astartes, I know they didn't like Fulgrim's legion because they got to wear the Aquila and were braggadocios and flamboyant to put it mildly. As far as I'm aware, the Custodes only liked a few of the primarchs such as Sanguinius, Vulkan, Russ, and myself. They liked us because we never questioned the Emperor and because we shared their undying loyalty to our father. They tolerated Dorn, Corax, and Lion, but I don't think they trusted them entirely. To sum it all up, the Custodes believed that they were the Emperor's true sons, and we primarchs and our Astartes were his creations," Ferrus said stoically.

"So do you think the Emperor valued his Custodes more than you primarchs?" Seiras found that hard to believe.

"Perhaps more than some. He certainly had no kinship towards Angron, Mortarion, or Lorgar. However, the Emperor's opinion wasn't one in the same with Malcador and the Custodes. Unlike them, he truly trusted Horus, Fulgrim, Dorn, and Lion. He later came to trust Guilliman and Corax as well. When I tried to explain this to Perturabo, it only made him more bitter. He believed the Emperor hated him and his legion and it was one of his justifications for disregarding their lives. His bitterness blinded him and he was too proud to accept his role like I did," the Gorgon sighed.

"That's strange, but it makes sense I suppose…" Seiras trailed off.

Ferrus had the composure of a statue as he responded, "I don't believe the Emperor intended to cull the legions. My brothers should have trusted that our father had humanity's best interest in mind. Malcador was right about a lot of things. Many of my brothers were far too childish in seeking glory and status."

"What would you have done if the Emperor did cull the legions though?" Seiras couldn't help but ask.

"I would have accepted it, since it would mean the Emperor no longer thought I was useful. I would never give him any reason to doubt that I was one hundred percent loyal to his vision and to mankind. They could take my life, but they couldn't tarnish my honour or loyalty," Ferrus remarked. A quiet tension soon broke out as Seiras wasn't quite sure how to respond.

"So, what is your opinion on female primarchs, Lord Ferrus? I've never considered something so impossibly outrageous." the librarian changed the subject.

Melisara perked up, "Ah yes…female primarchs. That would certainly have been interesting."

"It would have been wasteful. If the primarchs were all created female, then the gene-seed of their Astartes would likely require females. The process of gene-seed implementation already requires genetically perfect aspirants. It would weaken the human gene-pool and sterilize selected females with good genetics. They are far more valuable as normal breeders and aren't as psychologically attuned to obedience and sacrifice like males are. There's also the possibility of a mutation occurring which would allow them to reproduce as Astartes or primarchs. That would have been disastrous. There is no way the Emperor would have gone through with something so dangerous. If anything the Custodes would have been better suited to being female since they are all individually crafted," Ferrus noted.

"I'd love to make a female Custodes…" Melisara perked up with eagerness at the idea.

Ferrus glared at her, "I would never allow that."

"What do you think a female Astartes would look like?" Seiras wondered.

"It just depends on how their primarch is built. Fabius Bile often experimented with female aspirants in secret. Those that survived initial attrition often changed genetically to match the regular male Astartes aspirants. Their voices deepened, their breast tissue disappeared, and their reproductive organs changed. I'll spare you the details there. For some reason Fulgrim's pure gene line didn't kill them outright. I never saw any past initial implants, but it's entirely possible some of Fulgrim's legionaries were originally female before they became Astartes. Fulgrim's legion was desperate to replenish its numbers during the early years of the Crusade. Still...I never confirmed an actual example since I immediately commanded it to be stopped. If any did become full space marines, they would be indistinguishable from their brother Astartes…especially since Fulgrim's marines were very androgynous and feminine already. Considering Fabius Bile was able to clone me, I wouldn't put it past him to succeed at it. If such experiments did continue, I was not trusted with seeing them after that. However, if the primarchs were created female, their Astartes would look more female. That would have been counterproductive in many ways. Why make a three-plus meter-tall woman into a weapon of war and require female aspirants for warriors? There is a great deal of sexual dimorphism in regular humans, and female superhumans would have not only been wasteful, but also biologically inferior unless they were created to look and function the same or even superior to male versions. The entire ordeal would have taken longer, used far more resources, had more risks of mutation, and would have been rather pointless overall," Ferrus explained.

"I agree with that statement, Ferrus, but I believe certain primarchs would have been better suited to a female body. Some of you could have been female…especially the ones with pure gene-lines," Melisara spoke up.

Ferrus sent her a disapproving glare, "Such as?"

"Guilliman and Fulgrim are the best examples. Their gene-seed was remarkably pure for a reason. Corax might have made a good female too since he's all about infiltration and stealth. Plus, you neglected to mention the part where Malcador told you Fulgrim was initially intended to be female but later changed." Melisara pointed out.

"How do you know that?!" He demanded angrily.

Melisara chuckled, "I've seen every one of your memories…remember?"

Ferrus' eyes widened into fury, "Literally everything?!"

"Yes," she nodded simply.

"You keep giving me more and more reasons to kill you…" Ferrus threatened her darkly.

She shook her head, "Must I remind you again that I am not out to sabotage your Imperium? I gave the Custodes a map of the webway...that's practically sabotaging my own species. Relax, Ferrus...I'm not going to say anything."

Seiras briefly zoned out as Ferrus and Melisara argued for a moment. He thought about his conversation with Ferrus and about the Emperor's opinion on primarchs and Astartes. In a way it almost made him sad as he had until recently believed the Emperor actually cared a great deal about the primarchs and the Astartes. To think the Emperor only saw them as tools was a bit disheartening. Even though regular indoctrination always instilled the stoic acceptance of being a weapon, Seiras still hated to think that was all they were. What was the point of doing this then?

'Why would the Emperor save me or Ferrus if he didn't care though?' the librarian wondered with distant melancholy.

Ferrus seemed to sense that Seiras was experiencing some mental issue and looked at him, "Are you mentally stable right now, marine?"

Melisara was quick to intervene as she spoke for him, "Forgive Seiras, he's had a lot of exposure to the warp recently. It might have troubled him slightly. It'll take a while before his sensitivity to the warp diminishes. It's miraculous he didn't spontaneously mutate. He'll be back to normal once we get out of here."

"I'm fine, Lord Ferrus. I was just thinking about my purpose and what the Emperor thinks of me personally after all of this." the librarian responded.

"He likely sees you as a useful space marine considering he helped you resurrect me," Ferrus said with a blunt stoicism.

Seiras nodded, "He's helped me before when I had to navigate a ship through the warp. I just wonder if he has some grander plan for me. I don't consider myself very special or important even as a librarian, but what would he think of me or my chapter after bringing you back? Does my life have any inherent value to him? Do I have some greater purpose beyond this?"

"While I have no wish to belittle your feats and achievements, I doubt it would have been possible without him. It is obvious he wanted you to succeed and that he sees your life is useful. If you're asking me whether or not you think you're special or chosen in his eyes, then I don't know. Personally, I would say you're not any more important to him than a regular human. I've actually seen the way he interacted with space marines. They weren't special to him or better than a civilian farmer or a ship engineer. The best comparison I can make is how you would see the difference between a bolter and a food harvester. They're both important, and they're both necessary for the grand scheme of progress. He saw humanity as a whole…and we were merely it's weapons and armour. My brother Fulgrim and I both talked about this once after his legion received the Aquila. The Emperor's Children truly believed that they were special in the Emperor's eyes. Fulgrim and several of the other primarchs also bought into this delusion. But there were those of us who saw the truth in our roles and were willing to accept it such as Russ and myself. But of course, many of the traitors could not cope with this very well. That is why they were so susceptible to corruption. See to it you don't fall into that mindset," the primarch responded blankly.

"I know you said Perturabo thought the Emperor hated him, but what did you see in the Emperor that the others didn't?" Seiras wondered.

"That the Emperor valued us for the reason we were created…to be his weapons and generals. I accepted this reality and that even though we are his sons, the Emperor knew we were just as disposable as the trillions of men and women in Imperial Army. Despite some of us primarchs reaching the same conclusion, we all handled it in different ways. The only difference between Perturabo and myself is I accepted the reality that none of us are special or destined for anything other than our purpose. We are all nothing without the Emperor. My father and you bringing me back to life isn't seen as act of compassion or favor in my eyes. It isn't some grand destiny or anything nearly as special as you might believe. To me it is the reforging of a trusted sword to use in battle once again. If he thinks that of me, then I regret to inform you that you're likely the same. Do not let this bother you, librarian...do not let it weaken your resolve in any way. I'm simply trying to explain to you that the Emperor only expects you to do your duty as a space marine and safeguard humanity. That is our purpose and we should take pride in it as the Emperor's weapons," Ferrus lectured.

Seiras tilted his head, "I have no objection to your logic, Lord Ferrus. Please forgive my lack of discipline and bearing."

"I find your lack of discipline and your inquisitive nature unusual for a space marine. Though many of Magnus' sons behaved as you do. Your indoctrination was clearly defective, and you're quite brazen to even ask these questions. Nevertheless, you've earned the right to voice your concerns to me. Answering them is the least I can do to compensate you for your deeds here today. Unfortunately, they are questions I cannot answer nearly as well as Guilliman could. Perhaps you'll get the chance to ask him after you explain my resurrection." Ferrus replied.

"You want me to explain that to Lord Guilliman?" Seiras found that unsettling.

Ferrus nodded, "Yes, I do. You will have to explain this situation to Guilliman when we see him. You also have Russ' rune crest, so he'll certainly believe Leman's involvement if he sees that on you. Our first objective after this escape will be to find Guilliman. If he allows it, you can ask him questions. He would explain the Emperor better than I can. I'm sure this goes without saying, but do not go around discussing these things with others."

"I won't Lord Ferrus. I appreciate you answering my questions," Seiras bowed his head respectfully.

The primarch gave him a curt nod, "I am trusting you with this insight because you are to assume the role of my new advisor and honourguard. Your knowledge and expertise in this new age will prove useful to me. Plus, given the circumstances of my resurrection, I am positive that you are loyal."

"I am honoured my lord, but you'll have to talk to the Inquisition to release me from Deathwatch," Seiras explained.

"They will do as I say," Ferrus stated simply.

'Well I certainly look forward seeing that conversation with Atia,' Seiras couldn't help but approve of the possibility.

"Regardless of any objections, I intend to make you an honourary Morlock. That is the honour afforded to the first company of my legion and my honour guards. It is a role that I trust you to fulfill and a position I expect my gene-sons to respect," Ferrus stated distantly.

Seiras' eyes widened, "Won't your sons disapprove of an Astartes from another chapter receiving such an honour?"

"My sons might not approve, but they didn't go to this length to resurrect me…you did. While I don't like your lack of discipline or overwhelming curiosity, I respect the fact that you can think for yourself and you see things differently than most Astartes. The concerns you have are worth addressing and they were problems during the Great Crusade that we shouldn't have ignored. You're an interesting foil to my own thoughts. I don't need an army of yes men agreeing with everything I say or blindly venerating my existence like I'm some mythical god-prince. I need objective opinions and good counsel. I don't know much about your chapter, but I intend to recruit them into my new joint legion as well. I also intend to recruit the Mechanicum, any Imperial Army and Navy forces that'll follow me, and other chapters," the Gorgon stated with determination.

"I will honour and respect this position and do my duty…whatever that entails," Seiras nodded.

"What chapters are you interested in recruiting Ferrus?" Melisara spoke up.

"All of my sons, Seiras' chapter, and the Space Wolves are the only current ones I know about. I'm more interested in getting the Mechanicum and this Inquisition to follow me first, however. They will have the resources necessary for me to equip a legion. Imperial Knights and Titans would also make good allies, but I will have to appeal to them first," he answered.

"Just so you know, the Mechanicum is now the Adeptus Mechanicus. Mechanicum is usually synonymous with the Dark Mechanicum these days," Melisara pointed out.

Ferrus sighed, "I don't care what they call themselves. They will be joining me."

As the trio nearly reached the gate, they were soon stopped by a massive blue bird landing in front of them. Seiras recognized it as the Architect…which he now knew was actually Tzeentch.

"Well done, Seiras! You succeeded. I had foreseen your success in several scenarios…though I didn't expect the Anathema's direct intervention in most of them. Nevertheless, do not think this is over…oh no, this journey has only just begun," the bird cackled.

"What is this thing?!" Ferrus demanded.

Melisara looked a bit appalled by it as well, "It's a daemon…and it knows Seiras."

The Architect glanced at the Melisara, "I didn't realize you were there, haemonculus…Melisara the Immortal Revenant. It has been amusing watching you aid Seiras in Commorragh."

"What?! How are you able to watch me?" She asked a bit surprised.

"Those pylons in your lab might shield you against Slaanesh or the Aeldari, but not me. No…I see everything. I know everything," the daemon said grimly.

"It's that stupid staff in my lab isn't it? I'm getting rid of it," Melisara immediately figured out.

"I thought the Emperor banished all of you daemons…how are you here, Tzeentch?! And what do you want?!" Seiras demanded.

"Ohohoho, so you finally realized, did you? I am not so easily banished by the Anathema…especially within the warp itself! Do not think this little…victory means much in the grand scheme of my plan or your fates. The wheel of time turns again, and a new age will soon be upon us all," Tzeentch replied.