The Arch Angels: The Iron Plague Legion.

Chapter 21.

Back with the remembrance.
"So, did he witness the moment when Partaqlus took you away from that fortress?" inquired the remembrance. I nodded in response, but I felt no need to provide a more elaborate answer to her query. She sat in silence, seemingly giving me the space to respond, but I chose to remain quiet. After a brief pause, she broke the silence and posed another question, "And what about your new weaponry? How did it feel to receive your new power armor?" Receiving those gifts was truly an honor, something I never anticipated. However, considering what awaited me at Aetherium IX, I am immensely grateful," I replied.

"What do you mean?" She inquired, unable to hide her excitement. I paused, studying her for a moment, before responding, "Do you believe Ragnar sought Partaqlus' aid without cause? Oh no, my dear, the situation on Aetherium IX had reached a critical point. And the majority of the Astartes from the 2nd Legion, whom we had left behind on the planet, perished." Her eyes widened, a look of disbelief crossing her face. I was taken aback, surprised by her reaction, and questioned if she had truly paid attention during the conversations we had all shared in the room when I first encountered Ragnar after i believed him to be dead.

She responded by affirming that she truly paid attention to my words, but her focus was primarily on the news of Ragnar's survival rather than the content of his message. "I can understand that," I replied, acknowledging her perspective. "To be honest, I had underestimated our adversaries as well. If I had known the immense power McScythe had been given from the rounius powers, I might not have been as eager to leave the Angelic Grace."

With her eyes wide open, she gazed at me intently and burst out, expressing her strong desire for me to carry on narrating my tale. I couldn't help but chuckle and flashed her a mischievous grin, assuring her that I was more than willing to proceed with my story.

Chapter 21.
As Ragnar and I advanced towards the hangar, our footsteps echoed in the silence. After a brief period of silence, Ragnar finally spoke up, his voice filled with something that sounded like boredom. "Where was I? Yeah, I was complaining about the never-ending cleaning. It feels like it was yesterday. Once we had finally restored order to the fort, which we proudly named Angel's Fist, we devoted ourselves to strategizing and preparing for the relentless assaults from the Iron Plague Legion. It became a cycle of constant battles, with no end in sight." Ragnar fell silent, his hesitation palpable, as if he were pondering whether to share something important.

"Eric, do you know what the worst thing is when it comes to fighting the Iron Plague Legion? They defy death itself, they are transforming the majority of the world's inhabitants into relentless, infected undead beings that are a nightmare to battle. And the noise, Eric, the noise these cursed creatures make is utterly horrifying," he paused, his words fading into silence. We carried on walking, enveloped in a heavy silence for some time.

"Now picture this: they have the ability to do the exact same thing to us Astartes. This fucking enemy, there's something unique, unreal and fucking wrong about them. I can't wrap my head around how they manage to pull it off!" Ragnar burst out unexpectedly. I shifted my gaze towards him, and in an instant, his arrogant facade and apathetic demeanor vanished once more. For a brief moment, I caught a glimpse of the person he must have been before he joined the ranks of the Emperor's Astartes."

Lost in the depths of my own thoughts, my mind wandered to the truth I had been told. I pondered the knowledge I possessed, knowledge that surpassed Ragnar's understanding. Yet, I was bound by a solemn oath to withhold the truth from him. Our legion bore the burden of the primal four hidden within the warp, a secret entrusted to us. Though forbidden to divulge this knowledge, we stood as the Emperor's vanguard against the relentless chaos. However, a sharp pang of anguish pierced my heart as I witnessed the weight of uncertainty burdening Ragnar's soul.