43: Late Judgment (16, Triple-Length Chapter)

In Zabriel's memory, Aldurukh Fortress Monastery had been a magnificent, solemn structure.

The banners of the Dark Angels' companies and expeditionary fleets covered the ceiling of the entire first-floor hall. These battle standards were not decorative replicas, but bloodstained proof brought back from actual battlefields.

The blood of enemies and battle-brothers had soaked every banner, while damage from bullets and bombardments still marked their surfaces. They had never been repaired, and simply hung above everyone's heads. Beneath those banners, Dark Angels recruits listened to the teachings and experience of their predecessors, learning the price of victory and the meaning of honor.

For this reason, the newly raised Calibanite Dark Angels regarded this place as a sanctuary of supreme glory. The Terran veterans may have held different views, but they too acknowledged its ideals of honor.

But all of that was long gone. It was almost funny—he was clearly in the "past," yet he had no way of connecting the fortress monastery from his memories with the one before his eyes.

Bright lights, extravagant floors of pure marble, even gold inlaid within them... Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of the corridor, a crimson tide surged. Ripples spread, casting a racing, unsettling glow across Lion El'Jonson's face.

The young primarch stood calmly where he was, waiting for Zabriel's answer in this primitive version of the monastery.

How was he supposed to answer?

Behind his lenses, Zabriel glanced at Midris. The latter was studying him with mild confusion. That was good. For now, it was only confusion, but there was only a wall between confusion and suspicion. He could not allow it to develop any further.

"Zabriel." He dipped slightly, raised both hands, and crossed them before his chest, introducing himself directly. "Bone Angels."

Midris's brow relaxed a little. The suspicion that had been