Part 2 of 4 in The Fallen
Betrayal and Destruction: The Dark Angels’ Darkest Hour
The Horus Heresy, a time of great upheaval in the Imperium, saw the Dark Angels Legion torn apart by treachery and destruction. At the heart of this turmoil was Luther, second-in-command of the Legion and once the closest friend of Lion El’Jonson, the Primarch.
A Traitorous Act
Luther’s descent into treachery began when he attempted to harness the power of Chaos to quell the rebellion on Caliban. However, his actions were seen as a betrayal by Jonson and the rest of the Dark Angels. The consequences of this perceived treachery were devastating.
Battle and Devastation
As Jonson and the Dark Angels launched a sustained bombardment of the traitor positions, Luther unleashed a furious psychic attack that left Jonson mortally wounded. The battle between the two adversaries raged on, with the monastery around them being reduced to rubble. Meanwhile, the planet itself began to break apart under the strain of the bombardment.
The Shattering of Caliban
As the battle reached its climax, a warp storm of unprecedented fury engulfed Caliban, causing the planet to shatter into countless chunks of dead and dying rock. The ‘fallen’ Dark Angels who had served under Luther were sucked into the warp, scattered throughout space and time.
The Aftermath
The Dark Angels Chapter was left to pick up the pieces, with only a select few knowing the full story of the events that had transpired. The truth about Luther’s betrayal and the destruction of Caliban was hidden, even from the majority of the Chapter.
A Causal Loop
Unbeknownst to those at the time, the Warp storm on Caliban and the subsequent scattering of the Fallen throughout time was the result of a causal loop in the 41st Millennium. This loop would have far-reaching consequences, shaping the course of history for the Dark Angels and the Imperium.
The Legacy of Betrayal
The legacy of Luther’s betrayal continues to haunt the Dark Angels Chapter to this day. Rumors of a large number of Fallen mustering in the darkest recesses of the warp-shrouded Imperium Nihilus have sparked fears of a new and devastating threat. Supreme Grand Master Azrael suspects that Luther himself may be leading this gathering of Fallen, freed from his hidden dungeon during the invasion of The Rock.
A Dark Future
As the Imperium teeters on the brink of collapse, the Dark Angels Chapter must confront the darkness within their own ranks. The fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance, and the outcome is far from certain. Will the Dark Angels be able to overcome their internal struggles and emerge victorious, or will the legacy of Luther’s betrayal prove too great to overcome?
