Chapter 747

"High Marshal! We're almost there."

A voice reached his ears. Helbrecht opened his eyes, but he did not answer at once. Instead, he devoutly finished his prayer. Only then did he rise to his feet.

"Evran, you seem rather pleased," he said to his standard-bearer. "That is rare for you."

He turned around. Evran—the weathered battle-brother—was looking at him with delight in his eyes. "Forgive me, High Marshal. I cannot keep calm. He is a Primarch, after all!"

Helbrecht showed a fleeting smile. He knew why Evran was like this. After all, the one who had issued the summons was a genetic son of the god-emperor. A reverence bordering on awe began to stir within him.

"It is nothing, Evran. I am the same as you. I hope we may catch a glimpse of Holy Terra after our talk is over. The god-emperor must surely be watching us from there."

He still did not know what had happened on Holy Terra. That was only natural. After all, only three years had passed since the defensive war ended. But setting that aside, another emotion began to rise in his heart.

The scriptures within the Black Templars made no attempt to hide the conflict between Guilliman and Dorn. The brothers had been at odds. Though Dorn had compromised in the end, the arguments between them had been real. He could not help beginning to wonder whether this summons from the Regent had some other intent. After all, Guilliman had always been famed for his brilliant political skill.

He soon overturned that conclusion himself.

Helbrecht was no fool. He knew that the Black Templars' conduct, faith, and traditions differed greatly from those of a conventional Astartes Chapter. If Guilliman truly wished to condemn them, he would not need to go to such effort;