Homecoming

Astinax knelt before the Primarch, head bowed in veneration. None would ever mistake him for a handsome man, and it is doubtful that he would have been handsome had his body been allowed to develop naturally instead of being subjected to the process by which the Legiones Astartes were made. His one remaining eye was closed, the other having long since been replaced by an augmetic eye after being lost to the blade of a traitor of the VIIIth Legion in the Battle of Tsagualsa. The replacement eye glowed a deep mechanical blue within a metallic frame from which several small wires ran down into his armor. The flesh of his exposed head was a mass of scars and re-grown tissue, mostly discolored. The broad nose bore the signs of having been broken on multiple occasions, and upon his brow were two implanted studs, one a silver Aquila and the other a bronze skull. Once a youth on Macragge, he had served within the XIIIth Legion since the Primarch was discovered by the Emperor. He had foregone having any additional studs implanted since the Second Founding had taken place and he had left the XIIIth Legion to lead his own Chapter.

He cradled his helmet in his right arm and from beneath the cloak that covered his left side a scabbarded sword was held, armored hand resting upon the pommel. Both the cloak and transverse crest of the helm were the deep crimson that signified the officers within his Chapter. Though the left pauldron was covered by the cloak, the right was visible and upon its dark crimson field was a golden Aquila within a silver laurel, the insignia of his rank as Chapter Master. The rest of his armor was a pale yellow. Upon its surface were various silver carvings and inlays, the decorations telling the tales of his battles while covering the scars of those battles at the same time.

The last time he had knelt before the Primarch was a century prior. Then, too, he had held the title “Chapter Master,” though his armor had been cerulean blue instead of the pale yellow that he now wore. On that august occasion the sword he now held had been bestowed to Astinax, a symbol of the bond between Primarch and Chapter Master. The weapon originated from Talassar and the decorations upon the ruddy scabbard commemorated the victory of the Legion over the Orks upon Glaudor, a campaign in which Astinax had lost his right arm in single combat against a hulking Ork.

There was no conversation with the Primarch on this occasion, however. The Primarch’s unmoving form lay in stasis, a mortal wound across his neck from the blade of one of his demigod brothers. Ignoring the honor guard of Ultramarines terminators that surrounded the Primarch, Astinax looked upon his Primarch like a dutiful son grieving over his father.

Others waited within the Temple of Correction, patiently keeping their distance. As Chapter Master, it was Astinax Megaeros’ prerogative to pay reverence before the other members of his Chapter. To the rear of the temple stood the senior officers of the Chapter, including the Chapter Warden and the High Chaplain. These officers, too, had fought alongside Roboute Guilliman as members of the Ultramarines Legion, and now fought in the colors of the Accusers Chapter under their chapter master, the Custodian, Astinax Megaeros. These Adeptus Astartes stood respectfully and silently, stoically waiting for the chapter master to complete his viewing.

When Astinax finally completed his reverie, he stood slowly, releasing the scabbard to hang at his side. He then turned and walked to an alcove while his officers approached the dais in order to pay their own respects to the Primarch. His gaze fell upon the delegation that awaited him. There were five of them, each an augmented transhuman member of the Adeptus Astartes. Two were dressed in simple white robes while three others wore power armor from different chapters. Astinax bowed his head as he reached the group, and one by one each of the five bowed his in return. For long moments the six silently regarded each other, the gravity of the situation palpable.

Finally, one of the robed figures spoke, “It is good to see your ugly face again, brother, even if it is under these circumstances.”

Astinax suppressed a grin, “You were always too pretty for fighting, Antilochus. Tell me, brother, who will lead the Ultramarines now?”

Antilochus shrugged his broad shoulders slightly, “I don’t know, brother. The Chapter Council is consulting the Codex Astartes. The choice seems obvious, but we obey the teachings of the Primarch even in these days.”

“And the Legion?” continued Megaeros.

“My brother, the Legion is no more. Our father disbanded the XIIIth Legion into the Chapters so that the Warmaster’s treachery could never be repeated. Though we have fought together since that day, I suspect that Tsagualsa and similar events will not be repeated.”

At the mention of the attack on the Night Lords’ world, Astinax reflexively reached up with his free hand to touch the metallic housing of his augmetic eye. His gauntlet clenched into a fist a moment later and he lowered it to his side. Astinax looked to his Primarch again, remembering the puissant lord’s brilliance at that momentous battle. After a few moments Astinax continued, “They will pay for this. My brothers and I will not allow those that did this to our father to go unpunished.”

“Patience, brother,” cautioned one of the others. “Your devotion to the Primarch is well known, but this is not the time for rash actions.”

Astinax turned to regard the new speaker. This one, too, was in battle armor, though of a blue and white quartered livery with a haloed skull upon the shoulder. “As always,” answered Astinax, “your words are filled with wisdom, Lucretius. Have no fear. My brothers and I will not rush headlong into a fight we cannot win.”

Astinax looked back at the Primarch. By this time, the senior officers of his chapter had finished. The rest of the chapter was filing by in turns, starting with the veterans of the First Company. As each squad of warriors reached the viewing point, they faced the Primarch, removed their helmets, and knelt in unison. They remained kneeling for a period of time, heads bowed and eyes closed in reverent silence. Once completed, they stood, faced about, donned their helms, then marched away as the next squad moved into position. Astinax and the other chapter masters watched this sequence of events unfold several times. Throughout, Astinax mouthed a silent litany, keeping perfect time with his battle-brothers before the Primarch.

After several iterations of this ritual, Astinax spoke to his fellow chapter masters. “Do you see the battle-brothers of my chapter there, brothers?” At this, Astinax gripped the scabbard of his blade in his left arm and raised it so that his fellow chapter masters could see it. “Each is renewing the vows he swore upon this blade; the same vow I swore to the Primarch when he gave it to me a century ago.” He paused to watch more of his battle-brothers enact the ritual then turned to face his brother chapter masters. “I have been the custodian of this weapon since that day, and the brothers of my chapter call me by that title, “Custodian” in recognition that I am merely the instrument of our Primarch’s teachings and the Emperor’s vision. While I lead the Accusers, greater loyalty is owed to the Primarch and the Emperor. The Accusers will not rest while our treacherous brothers go unpunished.”

He turned to face the other chapter masters before saying, “Tonight we grieve for our fallen Primarch. On the morrow we will grieve no more and at dawn the Chapter fleet will depart for the Maelstrom where we have located one of the hidden bases of the Twentieth Legion. This sword,” he said, raising the weapon high, “will be the tempest of the Primarch’s wrath upon those that know no loyalty.” At these words, the countenance of Astinax became set with grim fury and all those assembled knew that there was no further point in trying to restrain their bellicose brother. All had sworn similar oaths, the only real difference being in how each intended to pursue the vendetta against the traitors. One by one, each acknowledged the pledge by making the sign of the aquila – the chapter master of the Silver Eagles first, followed by Nemesis, and so on until each had saluted their brother of the Accusers Chapter. Accepting the salutes of his brothers, Astinax lowered his weapon and turned without a word to once again watch his chapter pay its respects to the Primarch.

Little did Astinax Megaeros of the Accusers Chapter know that when his chapter departed the next day, he would never again see the planet of his birth, Macragge.