The surface of Baal.
The wind and sand never ceased. Accompanied by the roar of plasma engines, a shuttle bearing the emblem of the Iron Hands descended slowly from the sky. Outside, the characteristic red storms of Baal howled past, grit and dust clattering against the shuttle's ceramite hull. Finally, with the heavy hiss of pressurized air, the shuttle landed at its destination—Arx Angelicum.
As the monastery of the Blood Angels, a First Founding Chapter, Arx Angelicum sat within a dormant volcano on Baal. The volcano's flanks formed part of the fortress, making its terrain extremely defensible. When Ferrus stepped out of the shuttle, he looked up to see the magnificent Angel's Dome. Flecks of red sand drifted down, settling on his heavy power armor.
"This place hasn't changed at all," Ferrus remarked.
He had visited Baal during the Great Crusade, and from what he could see, ten thousand years had not altered the planet. This brought the Primarch a sense of relief, mixed with a touch of helplessness. Baal and its two moons were classified as habitable by Imperial standards, but the primary planet's ecology was far harsher than its satellites. Its surface was covered in red deserts, where tribes often fought violently over water sources.
In later years, because Baal was where Sanguinius had landed, the Emperor granted the planet significant autonomy for the sake of His son. Even when Imperial Truth was the dominant ideology, the people of Baal were permitted to maintain their faith in the Angel. Ten thousand years later, this remained unchanged.
"Please follow me."
A Blood Thrall gestured forward. His eyes shone with excitement at the honor of guiding such a distinguished figure, and with delirium at the fact that a son of the God-Sanguinius had reappeared in the world. Ferrus was familiar with these Chapter servants. He nodded and followed the thrall, his gene-sons marching behind him into the Great Hall of Arx Angelicum. The massive gates closed behind them, sealing out the howling red sands.
"Your presence brings great honor to the Blood Angels. It is our privilege to receive you."
At this moment, Dante had removed the Death Mask of Sanguinius, revealing his ancient face. He dismissed the thralls and personally poured a cup of Baalite blood-wine for Ferrus. This was one of Baal's few exports, a wine famous across the galaxy for having a texture and color strikingly similar to blood.
The leadership of the Blood Angels was gathered in the hall. Beside Chapter Master Dante stood High Sanguinary Priest Corbulo, Chief Librarian Mephiston, and Third Captain Tycho. The appearance of a Primarch on Baal was an unprecedented event. Because of this, Dante had even allowed Mephiston—the Lord of Death who had mysteriously returned from the Black Rage during an expedition and was still under scrutiny—to be present.
Ferrus tasted the blood-wine. After noting its strange flavor, he set the cup down and nodded to Dante. "It is a pleasure to work with you, warriors of the Empire."
"Your arrival is the supreme glory of the Blood Angels," Dante said, his face looking exceptionally aged in the torchlight. "However, I must admit... your visit was quite unexpected. The Iron Hands liaison did not mention your presence when announcing this visit."
He spoke tactfully, but everyone caught the subtext. The news of Ferrus Manus's resurrection had circulated through astropathic messages, but most people treated it as a false rumor. After all, one returning Primarch was already incredible. Lord Guilliman had at least been in a stasis field and wasn't truly dead. But the return of a Primarch who had definitively died made people suspicious.
Despite Dante's polite phrasing, the Iron Hands standing behind Ferrus glared at him.
"Yes," Ferrus's voice was as deep as striking iron. "I am Ferrus Manus. By a miracle, I have returned from death. And I shall once again save the Empire."
He spoke every word with steady power, as if stating an ordinary fact. Yet it was this flat delivery that made everyone hold their breath. Dante composed himself. In his long service, having witnessed the Empire's glory and decay, no one had ever taught him how to address a Primarch. Although he had led the Blood Angels for longer than his gene-father ever had, the shock of seeing a Primarch in the flesh left him momentarily at a loss.
However, relying on his intuition, Dante sensed something. The Primarch of the Iron Hands had not traveled all the way to Baal merely to announce his return.
"Then, Lord Ferrus," Dante said, his voice echoing in the hall as he weighed his words, "what is the purpose of your visit to Baal?"
Ferrus Manus did not hesitate. His character was like a warhammer forged of steel, never deigning to use embellishment or preamble.
"I am going to resurrect my brother," he said, each word ringing with authority. "Your gene-father, Sanguinius."
Dead silence followed. Like a depth charge exploding on the seabed, the hall erupted in a silent storm of shock. The Blood Angels recoiled, their shock visible even through their power armor. Veterans of countless wars stood frozen, their hands trembling at their sides as they struggled to restrain themselves from drawing weapons or to force themselves to believe it.
Even Mephiston, known for his cold composure, could not hide his shock. The air around him distorted violently due to his emotional fluctuations, and the torchlight flickered, casting swaying shadows on the floor. Ferrus watched calmly, his iron-grey eyes showing no surprise. He knew exactly what this news meant to the Blood Angels.
"Forgive me," Dante's voice finally broke the silence, carrying a tremor he didn't even notice. He steadied himself, trying to regain a calm tone. "The news you bring is... a bit too sudden."
He opened his mouth as if to say more, then hesitated. Ferrus had noticed the strange atmosphere from their reactions earlier and said, "It seems I may have arrived at an awkward time."
His meaning was clear—is there something going on here that I don't know about?
Dante remained silent for a moment. He looked up, meeting Ferrus's gaze, and finally let out a heavy sigh. "Yes, we are indeed facing some issues. Or rather, your timing is indeed... complicated."
He paused, his voice turning raspier. "A situation has arisen within the Blood Angels Chapter. Briefly, one of our battle-brothers named Arkio was wounded in a battle against Chaos while leading three companies on an expedition. When he woke, the accompanying Inquisitor and Sanguinary Priests declared him the reincarnated vessel of our gene-father. They wish for him to prove himself worthy of that honor. Therefore, Arkio is about to embark on an expedition rare in Imperial history."
"Oh?" Ferrus's brow furrowed slightly. His silver metal fingers interlaced on the table, creating a sharp clinking sound.
"A reincarnated vessel?" His voice was low like thunder. "How interesting."