A moment later.
Sanguinius descended from the sky, gleaming with golden light.
The daemon world, which had gradually begun returning to normal under Blackstone suppression, now seemed somewhat sanctified by the Archangel's arrival.
The Primarch descended directly onto the forward position, roughly five hundred kilometers from the city-sized fortress.
As the bipedal Living Metal form slowly stepped onto the ground, every Astartes, Blood Thrall mortal auxiliary soldier, even the prisoners of war... all of them gathered toward the place where the Primarch had descended, kneeling on one knee to behold the sacred Primarch.
"My lord!" a Blood Thrall mortal auxiliary commander, overly excited at the sight of Sanguinius, shouted, "Now that you're here, will this war be over soon?!"
"Not soon. It will be over immediately." Sanguinius did not rebuke the mortal's impertinence and answered him quite amiably.
The Primarch's words sparked a wave of discussion. Both the Astartes and the mortals found them strange.
Then, what ended all discussion and silenced everyone was a flaming tornado that suddenly descended from the heavens.
Everyone present was seeing such a bizarre and terrifying phenomenon for the first time.
A tornado formed of flames extended directly from beyond planetary orbit to the planet's surface, just beside the position where the Primarch stood.
When the flaming tornado dispersed, a tall, humanoid transcendent being appeared amid the firelight.
Only those fortunate enough to have taken part in the Defense of Baal recognized him. He was the Burner who had once aided them against the Tyranids on Baal.
"He is right."
A voice brimming with pressure and rage echoed directly in everyone's ears. Though fire was the Burner's emblem, his furious voice rumbled like thunder.
Among everyone present, even the Astartes could not help lowering their heads to avoid meeting the Burner's gaze. The mortals