The Angels Apocalypse

[Inquisitor Rosenadel]

The legend of the Horus Heresy is shrouded in mystery and controversy. The average Imperial citizen does not even realize its magnitude, or that it even truly happened.

There are those that know more, however. The Inquisition knows that Horus was corrupted by Chaos, and turned against the Emperor. He virus-bombed Istvann III, and crippled three loyal Space Marine legions on Istvann V. He managed to corrupt nine Space Marine legions, including his own Sons of Horus. He fought his way to Terra, and assaulted the Emperor’s palace in an attempt to usurp his power. He nearly succeeded, but the Emperor prevailed. The Emperor had to be interred in the Golden Throne to be sustained, and the Age of Imperium began. But Horus and the nine Chaos Legions were not the only Space Marines to spit on their vows of loyalty to the Emperor…

The Primarch Lion El’Jonson was stricken with grief at the Emperor’s pyrrhic victory. He decided to return, with the Dark Angels that followed him on his campaign, to his homeworld of Caliban to reunite with the rest of his legion, who had guarded Caliban from further Chaos incursions. Upon the Primarch’s return, however, a massive planet-based blast lashed out at his fleet. He discovered that his comrade, Luther, has grown jealous of the Lion’s victories, and corrupted the rest of the legion on Caliban. The Lion and the loyal Dark Angels fought against Luther and his Fallen Angels. The Lion eventually confronted Luther personally, and their struggle was great. As El’Jonson was on the brink of victory, he hesitated, not wanting to destroy his once-brother-in-arms. But Luther showed no such compunction, and unleashed a devastating psychic attack, and mortally wounded the Lion. But as he stood over his brother, he erealized all he had betrayed, all he had done, and repented, falling into a gibbering heap. The Chaos gods roared in rage at their second loss, and called forth a whirling storm that scattered the Fallen Dark Angels throughout space and time, and destroyed the rest of Caliban, which was already weakened by the loyalist bombardment. Luther and the Lion disappeared, and the Fallen escaped, and are now hunted by the Dark Angels. Their Chaplains force the Fallen they capture to confess, and then deliver the Emperor’s Mercy. In this way are their souls saved, and the Dark Angels approach redemption. Or so the Dark Angels believe…

But the truth is much different. When Lion El’Jonson heard of Horus’ betrayal, the legions he won to his side, and the Massacre on Istvann V, he did not rush to the Emperor’s side. He stalled for time, and stalled the Space Wolves with him. He sent word through his most powerful Astropaths to Caliban: they were not to enter battle on either side, but wait for word from him. He sent word to Horus that he was coming to support him. Horus called upon the Dark Angels on Caliban to come to his aid. But the Dark Angels never came. Horus was defeated by the Emperor, and the Emperor ascended to the Golden Throne. No one knew of the Dark Angels’ betrayal…

When the Dark Angels with El’Jonson returned to Caliban, his fleet was met by a fusillade from the Dark Angels who refused to aid Horus in his treachery, but stayed on Caliban to destroy the traitorous Lion. El’Jonson’s fleet answered with a thunderous barrage that inflicted severe casualties on the loyal Dark Angels. The Lion then launched a devastating assault on the planet. He stormed the huge Tower of the Order, and confronted Luther, who had kept faith in the Emperor. They dueled, and it was Luther who had beaten down the Lion, and hesitated for the fatal second, in which El’Jonson called upon Chaos to aid him, and unleashed a devastating attack, knocking Luther backward, and mortally wounding him. As the Lion came in for the fatal blow, Luther used the last of his strength to severely wound El’Jonson. The Lion turned and ran, and his Dark Angels assisted him. He called upon Chaos to unleash their full wrath on the planet. In response, a warp storm appeared, which split the planet in two. El’Jonson’s barrage was brutal, and did not even specifically target the loyalist Dark Angels, but rather caused wholesale damage. Thus, Caliban broke apart, and only the Tower of Angels remained. The loyal Dark Angels we sucked into the storm, and dispersed throughout space and time.

Aboard the piece of Caliban now called “The Rock”, the Lion realized that his wound, dealt by Luther before the Lion killed him, was not healing. Before he disappeared, to go into stasis, he addressed his warriors. He told them to find all the “Fallen” Dark Angels and eradicate them, so that their treachery might never be known. Only then could they be “redeemed”, and no one would ever know of their betrayal.

The Fallen were now dispersed. Many succumbed to the Ruinous Powers because of their despair, becoming bitter and cruel because the Emperor abandoned them. What most do not realize is that hope remains…

If the Lion sword could be brought to the Golden Throne, as a sign of the Lion’s betrayal, the Fallen Angels would be justified and the Dark Angels forever damned and destroyed. Many believe that Cypher is the member of the Fallen who now carries this responsibility. Those who do have been deceived. Cypher is not a member of the Fallen at all. He is a Dark Angel who will redeem the traitorous half of the legion if he succeeds. However, most Fallen do not realize this, and some even flock to his banner.

But one Fallen knows the truth. He knows that no member of the Fallen could escape the Dark Angels’ clutches alive, and never as many times as Cypher has. He knows that this is only to given the Fallen a false hero to cling to. He has told several Fallen he has come across of the truth, and they continually seek more to tell. They instigate Cults of the Apocalypse, for they know that the revelation of Lion El’Jonson’s betrayal would be the complete ruination of the Dark Angels. They also track Cypher, and try to take the Lion sword from him, so that they might present the sword as its true meaning. They seek out Voice of the Emperor cults in the hope of finding Cypher. But the Dark Angels have placed many Cypher imposters, and even Fallen Angels, believing that Cypher must reach the Golden Throne, have become imposters themselves in an effort to aid his cause. Thus, their task is nigh impossible. They have come close, but the true Cypher has always eluded their grasp. Though their task is difficult, they do not waver in their resolution, for if they fail, they are doomed…

The Angels Apocalypse despise other types of Fallen. They despise those who wish merely to put all past behind them and live amongst humanity. The Angels Apocalypse see this as apathy for their own well-being, and a failure to bring the forces of Chaos to justice. They despise those who have fallen to Chaos, for they have become the very thing they once despised.

No one knows why the Lion wished to betray the Emperor. Imperial scholars know that Horus was seduced by the forces of Chaos, corrupted by the local warrior coven on the planet. But Lion El’Jonson did not have close ties to Horus. Before the Lion’s betrayal, he had not received any special praise from Horus, or even been in his vanguard. Horus did not do El’Jonson any special favors. The Lion and Horus did not seem to be very close at all. They were reputed to barely speak to each other. Scholars have theorized that the Emperor’s exaltation of Horus by naming him Warmaster made the Primarchs consumed by jealousy. Lion El’Jonson may have been driven over the edge by this. However, this would mean that all the Primarchs were jealous of Horus’ promotion, yet other legions, such as the Space Wolves, Imperial Fists and the Blood Angels remained loyal. They also point out that if the Lion was jealous, he would not have pledged his support to Horus in the first place. So the Lion’s betrayal remains a mystery… to most who know of it… some believe that Horus had no part in El’Jonson’s betrayal, and that neither Horus, nor Lorgar, was the first Primarch to fall to Chaos… some even think that the warrior coven Horus was corrupted by was merely a lie to mask the true corruption…