For various reasons, very few knew the truth about Horus. Only the Emperor, Rhodes, Guilliman, Elena, and Magnus were aware. Lion, newly returned, and Vulkan, didn't know.
The plan had been to keep Horus hidden among Chaos forces, but with the Webway open, secrecy was hard to maintain.
Sooner or later, Lion and Vulkan would learn that Horus was alive.
Vulkan, stable as always, would handle it. But Lion's notorious temper was another matter.
"You usually don't care about this stuff. Why now?" Rhodes asked, putting his arm around Elena.
"I'm a Primarch now too, and want to share your burdens. Also, I have the most gene-daughters," Elena replied.
She was no longer a mere figurehead—her Sisters of Battle force was now a power to be reckoned with, outnumbering even the Space Marines. Their strength, after surgery and upgrades, rivaled the Primaris Marines.
"Honestly, when we first came to Terra and repaired the Golden Throne, I discussed this with the Emperor. I was against reviving Horus, but the Emperor insisted—he said the Dark Giant's power was best for Horus. So I agreed, but we both knew Horus could never rejoin the Imperium openly. The plan was for him to lead part of the Chaos forces as a distraction. That's worked out," Rhodes said.
Blame the Emperor for this mess—he was the one who insisted on reviving his good son.
Anyone with sense would want Horus dead. Even calm Guilliman nearly killed him on sight.
Unlike Magnus, Horus' story was a tragedy, but not one that could be forgiven—not by the Imperium or the countless dead.
"We can't just ignore this. Lion will find out eventually. Once he knows the Emperor brought Horus back, he'll go berserk," Elena said.
"That's for the Emperor and Guilliman to handle," Rhodes replied.
"Come on, think of something, or talk to the Emperor?" Elena pressed.
"Let's rest for now. Lion needs time to learn about this new era and the power of cosmic phantom beasts. The Emperor will have a plan. If he needs me, he'll ask," Rhodes said.
No point worrying—he was sure the Emperor had it covered.
In the following days, Lion spent his time mastering his new power and meeting his Fallen sons, forgiving them and allowing them to return to the First Legion.
The Dark Angels, after meeting with their Primarch, were energized and went off to serve their penance in the Deathwatch.
Before leaving, their father's forgiveness and the chance for redemption inspired them to fight the Imperium's enemies with renewed zeal. Fresh chapters posted on 𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗅•𝖿𝗂𝗋𝖾•𝗇𝖾𝗍
Lion also met his old friend Luther in private. No one knew what was said, but after their talk, Luther knelt in his room for an entire day and night.
On the second day, he led over 500 penitent original Space Marines on a penitent crusade against Chaos.
After Luther's departure, several successor Chapters of the Dark Angels arrived via the Webway to rejoin the First Legion.
A psychic broadcast announced to the galaxy that all Fallen Angels not aligned with Chaos could return.
Everything seemed to be going well—until Lion learned the truth.
The secret couldn't be kept forever. News that Horus was alive came to Lion via returning Dark Angels.
Upon hearing this, Lion went into a frenzy. That day, a colossal White Tiger—over a kilometer tall and two kilometers long—appeared above Holy Terra, roaring thunderously.
The gates of the Imperial Palace were violently flung open as Lion strode in, knelt before the Emperor, and said:
"Father, I've received confirmed news from the Imperium's shadow—the traitor Horus is alive, leading over a hundred thousand Chaos Marines. I request permission to personally hunt him down, destroy him utterly, and return his head to you!"
Lion was fervent, eager to end the traitor himself.
"I've known for a while. When my Custodians brought you back, I already knew about the shadow. I just kept it from you, but it seems your sons told you anyway," the Emperor replied.
"Why didn't you tell me? I should have been the one to judge that traitor," Lion said.
"You wish to judge Horus, but is your Dark Angels Legion fully rebuilt? Horus commands over 100,000 Chaos Marines, and his influence is growing. To succeed, you'd need two or three full Legions, and yours is barely at 10,000," the Emperor said.
"Primaris Marines are far superior to the originals. Even Chaos-enhanced traitors can't stand up to them. I believe I can lead my sons to defeat the traitor," Lion replied.
In the past, he couldn't match Horus, who, empowered by the Chaos Gods, rivaled the Emperor. But now, with the White Tiger and his god-soul awakened, Lion felt confident.
He even considered taking on Horus' entire army alone.
"I thought you'd matured, Lion! As a true commander, you shouldn't act rashly. To attack Horus, you'd have to use the Webway, which is controlled by the Eldar. Defeating Horus isn't a one-man job. This must wait until the new crusade's first phase is complete," the Emperor explained.
Horus was a headache, but the Emperor planned to stall for time—perhaps a century or two—while other priorities were handled.
But things rarely go according to plan, and surprises always come unexpectedly.