@Avenging-Angel "Hm, it's just as well, think I've had enough of the Warps influence for one day anyway." Zuriel said with a weak smile as he cocked his head towards his new found wings. In truth, he hated them, wretched mutations that insulted his Father. But removing them now would be pointless, possibly even incapacitate him, so he would use them to finish this fight. And face the consequences afterwards. Upon looking forward again, the Viceroy was met by an unexpected sight, Claudius and his band of Traitors, each looking deadly, and each looking ready to bring them death. They could very well try, but Zuriel would see them all dead before his last breath. @TeamPrimus But it hadn't reached that point, not yet at least. Zuriel held up his fist, signalling for the Kill Team to hold their fire as he walked forward, standing at the halfway point between the groups as he awaited his brother to join them. @matt23 This meeting had been a long time coming. Since they first met the two Astartes had butted heads, whether by outdoing the other on the field of battle, stratagem, and even philosophy at times. And now here they were once more, except now they possibly held the fate of the Imperium on them. "Greetings Brother Aurelius. I see you've found a new team to lead. I must say I'm curious as to what end. Even more curious to know what drove you to this so of Guillimann. You abandon your brothers without a word, attempt to murder two hundred of my kin, and took the life of Alderson. A man you fought beside, shed blood with. Does Brotherhood mean nothing to you now?" This last statement wasn't an accusation, but rather a sincere question as the Sanguine Templar stared at him, his face contorted in a mixture of biting sorrow and mind numbing rage. Despite everything, they were brothers, and Zuriel would have the truth, know if he was truly lost before he shed a brothers blood.
Webway Jacen had tensed when they suddenly appeared in front of Claudius' team, the Rampager lifting his bolter to his shoulder but keeping his finger away from the trigger. He may have failed to stop the traitorous Ultramarine in the hanger bay but when the talking broke he'd make sure Claudius and the threat he posed would be ended.
"Abandon would be far from the correct word. You are all capable individuals, so your use of abandon makes it sound insulting to the squad itself. As for your 'sacrificing' comment, what is two hundred of your chapter, my chapter, or an entire chapter when trying to bring back to life the Emperor of man? That is what the Orb was made to do, that is why so many strong warriors have been sacrificed, to give him life once more. This is the same thing I have told, brother Jacen, but he attacked me without answer. If I had to chose between my own father, Guilliman's life and the Emperor, as much as I hate to say it, I would give up my father to save the Emperor. This is the loyalty that has brought me to this point. A storm is coming, the likes of which has not been seen since the Battle of Terra, and man needs its true leader to see is through it. And what you could not know, is that Golbez was a false name to a Salamander that you may have known very well, Tur'tes Shen. What would you have done, Zuriel, when faced with a choice between potentially saving the Emperor or saving two companies worth of Astartes?"
Tul bristled at what he heard. Once the identity of a Salamander was mentioned he broke his silence. "You are deluded." He stepped forward, apart from his squad. "Taken the lies of the enemy as truth." "Our Emperor is dead, he has left this realm we inhabit. No orb, no prayer, no warpcraft can bring him back to us. You are a coward, Claudius. No souls no matter how many in this whole universe can ever be equal compared to Him. You are just afraid to face the truth that we are alone in our plight." Tul hefted his borrowed bolter and pointed it towards Claudius. "And you have taken the role of the enemy."
@Wata "Our Emperor is not dead, yet anyways. That is why he requires the sacrifice of thousands of pysker souls. A dead man does not eat. So I find your argument invalid, and if you truly feel so strongly about the Emperor being dead, well this Webway leads to Terra where you can tell the new church to Him and the High Lords they are wrong," he said pointing ahead. "I will not be lectured by one whom has never even seen his power, or even laid eyes upon him for that matter. You have no idea what the Emperor is capable of, for you were born in a time where Primarchs and the Emperor are spoke of like myths or fairytales. So you were raised on lies and myths and the conviction and beliefs you have based your life upon, are built on the same lies. So do not dare judge me when you do not know the truth."
@matt23 Tul did not flinch or express any great emotion. He merely shook his head. "Fools...all fools." he muttered quietly seeing how adamant this man was in his course. No words that Tul would say could convince him otherwise.
Bargov chimed in, "He can be forgiven for believing in myths and fairytales. we are all shaped by our time. What makes yours unforgivable is how easily you believe the words of a man who raised his bolter against the Emperor's domain. whose to say that whoever started this has no intention of saving the Emperor, and those who took on that damn orb all fell for a lie?" The Devastator still had his heavy bolter aimed on their former squad leaders newest "Companions". (@matt23 ) "If we destroy that orb and stop Golbez or whoever's plan, this ends today. But if you're wrong and it doesn't bring back the Emperor..." the pondering was left open intentionally for Claudius to give his answer.
@seabass Claudius shook his head with a slight laugh, "Destroying this Orb does not end it. Do you believe the power of the thousands of warriors contained within will just disappear? I should think not. It will have to go somewhere, or to put it correctly, to someone. The mere fact that I have not tried to use it to make myself stronger speaks to my loyalty... Do not preach to me about believing the words of man so easily, brother Bargov, for that is what the entire Imperium of man has done with this new -church-. I seek to restore what once was, while the rest of the Imperium has become complacent and content to devour the lies of a church that blasphemously uses the Emperor's name and teaches against what the Emperor's -true- words were. So, forgive me if 'what ifs' and open ended statements do not sway me, for we all now witness what fear reduces man to."
Bargov spoke, "You have yet to answer my question, Ultramarine. What if you're wrong, what happens then?"
"If it does not work, then I assume I shall be killed without question by the Adeptus Custodes. The power within the Orb will be wasted and do nothing for the Emperor, and you all shall continue on with the great fight. However, what if I am right and this does work? Surely, I shall be killed for my actions, which I have come to terms with. But what if the Emperor returns to his people, what would happen then, Bargov?"
