Menes Kalliston, captain of the Thousand Sons' Fourth Fellowship, had hundreds of bruises and abrasions covering his skin.
Even an Astartes' superhuman body had been battered beyond recognition by Kharn's countless tortures.
Menes breathed softly and weakly, a dull pain throbbing through the chest supported by his rib plates.
His primary heart had long since stopped beating, but his secondary heart still pumped, slowly repairing his injuries.
"You—you—aren't—" His dry lips resembled wrinkled parchment.
"You don't carry—the damp, sour stench of those old hounds."
The Pavoni Cult Thousand Son's consciousness spread weakly through his surroundings. "You aren't like—those beasts panting for breath."
"I am Hasik of the White Scars. He is Togon."
Hasik studied the Thousand Son seated in the chair. He had a crop of dark brown hair.
His refined, aristocratic nose sat squarely between his gaunt cheekbones, while a marking on his right temple traced the outline of an owl.
That was the rune mark of the Pavoni Cult.
Looking at the man whose appearance matched the Black Emperor's decree, Hasik knew that this was the target they had come to rescue.
He swung his combat knife. The four iron hoops snapped apart one after another and fell to the floor.
"You are Menes Kalliston, captain of the Thousand Sons' Fourth Fellowship."
"That is me," Menes replied.
"We have come to save you on Lord Nimrod's orders."
"Lord—Nimrod—" Menes repeated doubtfully.
Because of the friendly relations between the two Legions, he knew quite a bit about the White Scars, who operated beyond the Imperium.
He knew that Hasik was the foremost of the Noyan Khans, and that his khanate commanded the largest number of White Scars.
Alongside Togutai Yesugei, the chief Stormseer, and Qin Xia, leader of the Keshig, he was one of the three highest-ranking men under