Mare was dead, and the filth he had controlled lay piled at Leman Russ's feet.
The Space Wolves' Primarch fell silent. His sons did not dare ask what troubled the Wolf King. It was Magnus, who had never gotten along particularly well with him, who broke the silence.
"This thing... isn't normal."
Magnus spoke, and his words concealed much information, but Leman Russ could hear what lay beneath them.
These things carried the scent of their world. Every time he made a Warp jump, every time he crossed that chaotic, lawless realm, Leman Russ could smell that deep, indescribable scent.
"Magnus, my brother." Leman Russ was rarely so sincere. Kneeling on one knee, he raised the Magnus at his waist level before him. "You need to tell Father about these evil things. Something is changing here, and I feel I no longer have the strength to stop it."
"I..." Magnus blinked. "If I leave, what about you?"
"I'll lead the Legion onward with the attack. Don't forget what our mission is this time. Even if these disgusting things had not appeared, we would still have to destroy their Wild Magic."
"How can you manage alone? Our war has already slaughtered too many living beings. Perhaps they have already gathered enough souls. If anything happens to you, wouldn't the Legion we committed here be wiped out?"
"Hahaha..." Leman Russ laughed freely. He had always used laughter to brush aside questions that were difficult to answer. Yet now, he merely stared into Magnus's single eye, no longer so brilliant for lack of psychic power. "The key to this offensive is speed. If we withdraw now, or even proceed steadily and cautiously, we will only fail more completely. There is only one thing I regret now..."
"What do you regret?"
"That I did