"Clang! Clang! ... Clang!"
As the transport ship reached Terra's orbit,
clear, lingering peals of bells echoed across all of Terra.
Even the ships in space could hear them.
This strange phenomenon surprised even Iax, but Iax did not know that the tolling had pierced the void and spread throughout the Imperium Sanctus.
The great bell began tolling the moment the transport ship reached orbit, then rang a full ten thousand times.
Everyone who heard it was overcome by an inexplicable sorrow, even though most Imperial citizens did not know what it meant.
On countless worlds, Ministorum Priests and bishops left their lavish churches and began walking through the hive cities, preaching the doctrines of the Ecclesiarchy and the Emperor's will.
They told everyone that the tolling was a miracle bestowed by the Emperor, an expression of the great Emperor's sorrow.
Meanwhile, beneath the Imperial Palace, a single tear slipped from the corner of that withered corpse's eye.
The Adeptus Custodes on duty witnessed the sight.
Just as the heart of the Imperium descended into confusion and began investigating why the Lost Souls Bell was tolling,
the Glory of Fire returned once more through the Warp Route in space.
Guilliman had brought Lion El'Jonson back to Terra from the dark side.
Even in the Warp, both of them had heard the clear tolling.
Lion El'Jonson had felt the sorrow from above the Empyrean with particular clarity.
Just as Guilliman and Lion El'Jonson reached the landing field outside the Imperial Palace, the Men of Iron's heavy Transport Aircraft happened to land at the same time.
A group of Imperial Fists sentinels stationed on Terra stood guard over the landing field.
No one knew what these Iron Clanks were delivering; they had merely announced that they were coming to Terra with a