The Arch Angels: The Iron Plague Legion.

Chapter 6.

Back with the remembrance.
"Gods of Chaos? Actually true gods, like the ones woven in tales and myths?" questioned the remembrance, arching an eyebrow. I met her gaze, choosing silence over further words. Minutes passed, enveloping us both in contemplative silence before she spoke again.

"But what you propose contradicts everything our Imperium upholds!" she exclaimed, her disbelief evident. I remained silent, maintaining eye contact with her. After a few more moments, I asked if she had experienced the dreadful siege on Terra. Confirming her presence, she confessed her memories of that dark time were murky, perhaps deliberately suppressed.

"Do you recall those abhorrent creatures who fought alongside the traitors?" I asked her. A sudden wave of anguish washed over her, her gaze turning vacant. Then, her voice quivered with terror as she recounted, "I remember... I witnessed the great angel, Sanguinius, locked in a celestial battle against a demonic force in the heavens..."

"That creature that the noble Sanguinius fought against was once the Primarch Angron, leader and gene-father of the 12th Legiones Astartes, the World Eaters. I don't know how he turned into that monster we saw, but he wasn't the only one of the Emperor's sons who turned into horrible, vile, and evil creatures," I said with a dramatic tone. She quickly asked which more of the Emperor's sons had turned into monstrous demons. I looked her coldly in the eyes and replied, "As far as I know, there are two more: Fulgrim and Mortarion." She gasped for breath and blurted out, "I knew both the Emperor's Children and the Death Guard had joined Horus, but for Fulgrim to stoop so low, I don't understand how!" I chuckled a little at the despair and surprise in her voice. "Do you want me to continue my story?" I asked her. She nodded mutely in response.

Chapter 6.
"My lord," I gasped, struggling to comprehend what I had just witnessed upon touching the elusive book. Confusion clouded my mind, rendering my thoughts in disarray and preventing me from finding clarity. The revelation that gods existed, and that they appeared to possess malevolent intentions, shattered the very foundation of my perception of reality. Partaqlus observed me with a lingering sympathy in his eyes, his expression unchanging from before.

"The book contained a repository of memories and experiences," Partaqlus explained, reaching out to retrieve the book and returning it to its rightful place. As he settled back into his seat at the work table, he gestured for me to join him in the chair opposite him.

I settled into the chair across from Partaqlus, my mind still in a jumble. Trying to untangle my thoughts, I searched for a coherent path to follow. Partaqlus remained silent, patiently waiting for me to resume our conversation. Finally gathering my thoughts, I mustered the courage to ask, "How can this knowledge be perilous?"

Eric, Partaqlus responded, his voice calm yet tinged with a hint of mischief, "It's deceptively simple. Consider Khorne, the god of blood, chaos, and war. Each kill, each drop of blood, each act of violence grants him strength. But it intensifies even further if the perpetrator is aware that their actions empower him." He paused briefly before continuing, "Imagine this, every time you spill blood or commit an act of violence from this moment on, you inadvertently fuel Khorne's power. Now that you are aware of where that energy flows and how it strengthens him, the connection becomes even more profound."

"Can we not find a solution?" I exclaimed, my desperation evident as I glanced at Partaqlus. The threads of my thoughts were unraveling, and I felt as though I was losing control. "No, Eric, it's not a lost cause," Partaqlus reassured me. He then posed a question, asking if I knew the purpose behind the creation of our legion of astartes. I shook my head, admitting that I was unaware of anything beyond what the rest of the legion had been taught. "Eric, do you know who your gene-father is?" Partaqlus inquired, though the answer was already clear. It was Partaqlus himself whose gene-seed birthed the 2nd Legiones Astartes Arch Angels. Partaqlus chuckled, acknowledging that his wording could have been better. "Yes, that is undeniable. But do you know what events shaped me into the person I am today?" Partaqlus asked, a hint of amusement dancing in his eyes.