Forerunners flagship, Ark of Will—main corridor junction
Time seemed frozen amid molten metal and drifting psychic residue.
The shattered corridor resembled the wound of some colossal beast, dangerous arcs of electricity flickering across it. At the heart of the wreckage, two mountains symbolizing humanity's glory and fall finally faced one another after ten thousand years of hatred and betrayal.
Magnus's immense daemonic body leaned forward slightly. His armor, covered in blasphemous runes, flowed with a dim azure sheen. His enormous single eye, burning with psychic fire, remained fixed upon the black figure at the end of the corridor, filled with warped delight and bone-deep hatred.
"Lion El'Jonson..." Magnus's voice was like the echo of countless souls shrieking within a Warp storm, heavy and piercing enough to make the remaining metal structures hum. "The Lion of Caliban... I never expected us to meet again like this after ten thousand years. What surprises me even more is that you would become a watchdog for xenos..."
His words dripped with mockery. His massive staff lightly tapped the ground, and the enormous eye at its head pulsed like a living thing as it surveyed the Lion.
The Lion stood unmoving.
"Meet again?" Lion's voice swept across the corridor like an Arctic wind over an ice field, carrying killing intent cold enough to freeze the soul. "No, Magnus. This is not a reunion. This is a reckoning. A reckoning for your monstrous debt of blood—for betraying the Emperor, betraying humanity, and betraying the blood of your brothers! A reckoning for your folly in offering your soul and sons to Tzeentch, the Lord of Lies! A reckoning for your arrogance in attempting to lay hands upon the Imperium's allies today!" Every word struck the stagnant air like a warhammer.
"Betrayal?!" Magnus let out a deafening roar,