Sanguinius’s Resolve

"Clearly, this was nothing more than a stone structure built by primitive humans. It was an altar to the foul Dark Gods, and the objective of our expedition. There were not even any living people left on this planet—only a dead, silent wasteland."

"Then what we needed to do was simple. Let me put an end to this damned mess, then we could go reinforce Terra."

Almost out of habit, the Lion made the decision once more. The crimson button that controlled Exterminatus had practically been polished glossy by the Lion King’s touch.

"Stop, Lion. Don’t tell me you’ve become addicted to Exterminatus." Guilliman’s large hand seized Lion’s wrist. The Hand of Dominion scraped against the Lion’s armor, erupting in a harsh metallic clash.

"Has your naivety and stupidity flared up again, Roboute? Our target is right before us. The warships can fire at any moment. What else do you want to do?"

The Lion’s profound gaze fixed upon his brother, visible fury and rage burning within it.

Lox sensed an unfamiliar distance about Lion now. He seemed unable to bear this stifling atmosphere any longer and wanted to bring the matter to an end as quickly as possible.

Guilliman was no less hot-tempered. He flung Lion’s arm away, then stepped forward until his chest nearly pressed against the Lion King’s.

They stood almost face to face. Guilliman did not understand why Lion was being so impulsive. What if Exterminatus destroyed the temple on Davin, yet the Ruinstorm still did not stop?

He did not believe this would end so easily.

For the moment, holding their position and preserving that temple would instead leave them more room to maneuver. At the very least, they had to wait until he had gathered all the clues before commencing the bombardment of destruction.

"We’ve already subjected so many planets to Exterminatus. Would one more really make a difference?" The Lion could not understand. The solution was plainly before them, so why was his brother being so stubbornly pedantic?

"Do you remember how many worlds in your Five Hundred Worlds refused to submit and had to be bombarded with Exterminatus before they surrendered?" Lion asked sharply.

"Thirty-eight. Thirty-nine, if Angron’s Nuceria is included."

Guilliman answered without hesitation, then countered, "If you need me to, I can recite all their names for you right now."

Lion cursed Guilliman’s damned memory inwardly. In truth, every primarch could remember anything they had experienced, but almost no one actually did so.

Only Guilliman. Damned Guilliman. He was practically a cogitator computer wearing human form.

At such a tense moment, neither Lox nor Sanguinius could continue to watch the two men argue. Given their tempers, it would not have been surprising if they actually came to blows.

Of course, Lox did not think his close friend could gain any advantage against Lion.

That was Lion El’Jonson, after all—one of the most formidable warrior primarchs.

"Both of you, calm down. Stop arguing," Lox urged.

"I veto Exterminatus, Lion, in the name of the Regent of the Second Imperium." Sanguinius pressed his palm against the strategy table. At once, Lion and Guilliman stopped and turned toward their Emperor.

"I can tell you that the temple below—the structure called Delphos—is a gateway. It leads to the path that will solve this problem. If we order Exterminatus, we will instead sever our path to setting everything right."

Lox was surprised by Sanguinius’s certainty. The Angel seemed utterly convinced that he was right. Had his miraculous foresight come into play again?

He spoke up and voiced his support for Sanguinius’s decision.

"The trial before us cannot be resolved through brute force alone. Everyone, calm down first. The long journey and the incomprehensible things we encountered along the way have left us exhausted in body and spirit."

The Plague Garden they had encountered in the Warp, the skull planet at the edge of the Davin system, and the isolated temple on this planet.

Each possessed its own symbolic meaning rather than being merely physical entities.

"The Ruinstorm was a great wave stirred up in the Warp by the Word Bearers through sacrifice. Matters of the Sea of Souls clearly cannot be solved through simple physical means. Those enemies are symbolic in nature, so naturally, our methods of attack must carry symbolic meaning as well."

"This war has long surpassed the realm of reason. Why did we assume that destroying Davin could resolve the Warp storm? Could this be a trap laid by the enemy, a habitual pattern of thought they imposed upon us?"

Guilliman fell into thought, while Sanguinius was pleased that Lox had voiced the thoughts in his heart.

This was where Horus had fallen, and where everything had begun. That was its symbolic meaning.

"I think you’re all imagining things, brothers. Victory lies ahead of us." Lion remained stubbornly committed to his own view. He was too confident, too eager for success.

Sanguinius looked at his brother, who had lost his composure, and said evenly, "Lion, when Horus came here, he was as confident as you are. He did not believe anything could threaten him while he was surrounded by the Sons of Horus."

The Angel used Horus as an example to refute Lion, immediately provoking the Calibanite’s intense displeasure.

"Horus? You mean that fallen Warmaster who betrayed the Emperor?"

When he said the word "Warmaster," Lion’s tone became unmistakably sarcastic. It was something he had always held against Horus.

"I have no intention of excusing him, but we must admit how exceptional Horus once was. He was the undisputed Warmaster. All our brothers acknowledged that, and none of us ever imagined Horus would betray us—not even Father."

"Any lapse in vigilance or carelessness can bring defeat. I will retrace the path Horus once walked and see what caused his fall. Prepare a drop pod for me. I will lead the Blood Angels in an orbital assault on Davin."

When the Angel revealed his majesty, no one dared contradict him. Not even Lion could prevent Sanguinius from acting.

Azkaellon held the Spear of Telesto in both hands, while Sanguinius personally gripped the Blade Encarmine. Accompanied by the Sanguinary Guard, he disappeared into the ship’s corridors.

Sanguinius found it difficult to describe what he had seen. The prophecy told him that he had to go to that planet and face the thing destined for him, or nothing could be resolved.

He could defy fate. As long as he did not go down, the events in the prophecy would not happen, and Sanguinius would not have to die by Horus’s hand. But the Angel’s answer was—"No!"

He had to come to that inevitable moment, to the place where the threads of fate intertwined. With his own strength, he would carve out the path to survival he desired.

The Blood Angels, already standing by, answered their gene-father’s command. They swiftly entered their orbital drop pods. Once the deck restraints were released, one Blood Angel after another departed the New Caliban through orbital descent.

They were like falling meteors, scraping violently through Davin’s atmosphere and leaving long trails of flame that stretched to the heavens.

Lion’s face turned livid. Sanguinius’s actions were incomprehensible to him. Why? Why were his brothers being so unreasonable?

"You’re leaving too, Guilliman?"

Beside him, the Lord of Macragge had also put on his helmet. Fully armed, Guilliman clearly intended to take the initiative and strike.

"Yes, Lion. We cannot let Sanguinius go alone. I believe he is right."

"You’ve become too extreme. Perhaps you need to rest for a while and ease the pressure on your mind, don’t you?"

Lox merely shrugged helplessly, speaking with his back to Lion. He followed after Guilliman alongside Curze, who was imprisoned within an Iron Man. As the person who understood Guilliman best, he was worried that Guilliman would once again lose his head and rush in recklessly without regard for anything else.

Only Lion El’Jonson remained before the strategy table.

Both hands braced against the table, he stared fixedly at the shifting projection of Davin and at the Blood Angels who had already descended.

Holguin and Redloss stood guard in a corner nearby, while the Lion radiated a deeply oppressive aura, as if a mountain too tall to see the summit of had crashed down upon them.

Lion looked at the crimson button he so often used, murderous light swirling in his eyes.