"I saw them."
Once everyone had taken their seats, those were the first words Konrad Curze spoke. His face was as pale as ever, but Corax saw something in it.
The Lord of the Ravens turned to look at the angel of Baal, who answered his question with a quiet, bitter smile.
"Who?" Angron asked, short and clear. "Where? How many?"
"They have not yet arrived. But I can hear Its breathing." Curze closed his eyes and spoke slowly in a soft voice. "It is waiting."
"Be clearer, Konrad Curze."
The Lion spoke, sternly, his voice almost a reprimand, yet there was concern in his eyes. After saying it, he fell silent for a moment, as though he had realized the problem with his tone, then said something else in an even drier voice.
—He could state his feelings outright, but he did not want to.
It would undermine his dignity.
". . . If you find it difficult to bear, then, Sanguinius, could you relate it in his stead?" the lion asked slowly, still keeping up his airs.
The Archangel smiled helplessly, and it was hard to tell whether he was smiling at Lion El'Jonson's dignity or mocking himself for being so trusted by him.
"Lion, my talent in this regard is not much better than Konrad's—he can hear Its breathing, while I . . . I merely saw a smear of green light."
"So it is Nurgle," Dorn said calmly.
"Then we need to begin acting according to Protocol Four. Distribute the Flame Runes. If there truly aren't enough, have the soldiers use Promethium Flamers. Central Hub, immediately activate the Surveillance Arrays within the Solar System, and at the same time connect to the Glyph Array Internal Network—"
"—Don't rush just yet."
Guilliman rubbed his brow and interrupted