False Gods (45 page)

T
HE
W
ARMASTER
’
S
SANCTUM
was dimly lit, the cold glow of the bridge instruments the only source of illumination. The room was full, the core of the Warmaster’s officers and commanders gathered around the table. The Warmaster sat at his customary place at the head of the table while Aximand and Abaddon stood behind him, their presence a potent reminder of his authority. Maloghurst, Regulus, Erebus, Princeps Turnet of the Legio Mortis, and various other, hand picked Army commanders filled out the rest of the gathering.

Satisfied that everyone who needed to be there had arrived, Horus leaned forwards and began to speak.

‘My friends, we begin the next phase of our campaign among the stars soon and I know that you’re all curious as to where we travel next. I will tell you, but before I do, I need every one of you to be aware of the magnitude of the task before us.’

He could see he had everyone’s attention, and continued. ‘I am going to topple the Emperor from his Throne on Terra and take his place as the Master of Mankind.’

The enormity of his words was not lost on the assembled warriors and he gave them a few minutes to savour their weight, enjoying the look of alarm that crossed each man’s face.

‘Be not afraid, you are amongst friends,’ chuckled Horus. ‘I have spoken to you all individually over the course of the war with the Technocracy, but this is the first time you have been gathered and I have openly spoken of our destiny. You shall be my war council, those to whom I entrust the furthering of my plan.’

Horus rose from his seat, continuing to speak as he circled the table.

‘Take a moment and look at the face of the man sitting next to you. In the coming fight, he will be your brother, for all others will turn from us when we make our intentions plain. Brother will fight brother and the fate of the galaxy will be the ultimate prize. We will face accusations of heresy and cries of treason, but they will fall from us because we are right. Make no mistake about that. We are right and the Emperor is wrong. He has sorely misjudged me if he thinks I will stand by while he abandons his realm in his quest for godhood, and leaves us amid the destruction of his rampant ambition.

‘The Emperor commands the loyalty of millions of soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Astartes warriors. His battle fleets reach across the stars from one side of the galaxy to the other. The 63rd Expedition cannot hope to match such numbers or resources. You all know this to be the case, but even so, we have the advantage.’

‘What advantage is that?’ asked Maloghurst, exactly on cue.

‘We have the advantage of surprise. No one yet suspects us of having learned the Emperor’s true plan, and in that lies our greatest weapon.’

‘But what of Magnus?’ asked Maloghurst urgently, ‘What happens when Leman Russ returns him to Terra?’

Horus smiled. ‘Calm yourself, Mal. I have already contacted my brother Russ and illuminated him with the full breadth of Magnus’s treacherous use of daemonic spells and conjurations. He was… suitably angry, and I believe I have convinced him that to return Magnus to Terra would be a waste of time and effort.’

Maloghurst returned Horus’s smile. ‘Magnus will not leave Prospero alive.’

‘No,’ agreed Horus. ‘He will not.’

‘What of the other Legions?’ asked Regulus. ‘They will not sit idly by while we make war upon the Emperor. How do you propose to negate them?’

‘A worthy question, adept,’ said Horus, circling the table to stand at his shoulder. ‘We are not without allies ourselves. Fulgrim is with us, and he now goes to win Ferrus Manus of the Iron Hands over to our cause. Lorgar too understands the necessity of what must be done, and both bring the full might of their Legions to my banner.’

‘That still leaves many others,’ pointed out Erebus.

‘Indeed it does, chaplain, but with your help, others may join us. Under the guise of the Chaplain Edict, we will send emissaries to each of the Legions to promulgate the formation of warrior lodges within them. From small beginnings we may win many to our cause.’

‘That will take time,’ said Erebus.

Horus nodded. ‘It will, yes, but it will be worth it in the long term. In the meantime, I have despatched mobilisation orders to those Legions I do not believe we can sway. The Ultramarines will muster at Calth to be attacked by Kor Phaeron of the Word Bearers, and the Blood Angels have been sent to the Signus Cluster, where Sanguinius shall be mired in blood. Then we make a swift, decisive stroke on Terra.’

‘That still leaves other Legions,’ said Regulus.

‘I know,’ answered Horus, ‘but I have a plan that will remove them as a threat to us once and for all. I will lure them into a trap from which none will escape. I will set the Emperor’s Imperium ablaze and from the ashes will arise a new Master of Mankind!’

‘And where will you set this trap?’ asked Maloghurst.

‘A place not far from here,’ said Horus. ‘The Istvaan system.’