The Downfall of the Sons of Horus
In the aftermath of Horus’ severe wounding by Russ, the Warmaster’s soul was left vulnerable to the whims of the Chaos Gods. As his guidance faltered, the war effort began to unravel. Primarchs refused to listen, and Horus Aximand and Falkus Kibre proved indecisive and stubborn despite Maloghurst’s best attempts to hold the Legion together.
A Desperate Bid for Restoration
At Heta-Gladius, the Vengeful Spirit itself faced destruction under Aximand’s leadership. In a desperate bid to restore Horus, Maloghurst enacted a ritual that would ultimately prove fatal. However, thanks to his sacrifice, Horus’ soul was restored, and the Sons of Horus arrived at Ullanor for the general muster of traitor forces before the move on Terra.
The Conquest of Cthonia
Meanwhile, the Sons of Horus’ own homeworld of Cthonia was besieged and conquered by the Imperial Fists. A large splinter force, led by Captain Vheren Ashurhaddon, remained loyal to Horus but believed that the Legion was losing itself to the influence of Chaos. This group, known as the “True Sons of Cthonia,” would eventually attempt to retake their homeworld.
The Solar War and Its Aftermath
The traitors struck towards the Sol System, bringing closure to the Solar War. The Sons of Horus deployed new, hastily created Space Marines known as the “Newborn.” However, Horus’ mental state began to deteriorate, and he became increasingly withdrawn from the day-to-day affairs of the siege. In a bid to end the war, Abaddon and the Mournival led a subterranean assault on the Saturnine Gate, but the assault failed, and all the Mournival save Abaddon himself died.
The Fall of Horus
As the war drew to a close, Horus was slain by the Emperor in a final, brutal duel. The Sons of Horus were devastated, and their morale was broken. They launched a costly counter-attack to retake their fallen Primarch’s body but were ultimately forced to retreat from Terra.
The Aftermath of the Heresy
In the aftermath of the Heresy, the Sons of Horus were left leaderless and without direction. They regrouped on the world of Maeleum inside the Eye of Terror, where they built a fortress-tomb for the safe-keeping of Horus’ corpse. Many Sons of Horus venerated their dead Primarch as a god, believing that he would eventually be resurrected to return them to greatness. However, others rejected this devotion outright, leaving Maeleum and deciding that they would never again bow down to anyone.
The Long Road to Redemption
The Sons of Horus dedicated themselves to the service of Chaos, constantly shifting their allegiance to whatever god suited them at the time. However, this came at a terrible cost, as the Legion was constantly dwindled in number. Eventually, the desperate experimentation and research by the Legion’s Sorcerer-Librarians uncovered a method of possession that did not destroy the mortal host, saving the Legion. The Sons of Horus began to regrow in strength, but their journey to redemption would be long and fraught with peril.
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