"I truly hadn't expected that after defeating the Ghoul Star Ork Empire, there would come a day when we had to assemble the entire army and march several Legions to the same battlefield."
Inside the command chamber, Luther, clad in military uniform, gazed at the countless flickering green points on the holographic display and sighed softly.
Every point represented a warship, along with the tens of thousands of mortal crewmen and Dark Angels Astartes aboard it.
And when those points converged, they would unleash an invincible force.
"Isn't that a good thing? The Caliban battle planet was only recently completed. She needed the strongest enemies to demonstrate her worth."
"Like a finely forged sword—if it could not drink deep of enemy blood upon the battlefield and was instead displayed in a collection as an ornament to be admired, how tragic would that be?"
"Perhaps I'm old, Astellan. Compared to the bloody brutality of the battlefield, I prefer remaining in the rear and directing all personnel and materiel for war."
Hearing Luther's response, Astellan of the Dark Angels merely shook his head calmly.
"There is no one in the entire Legion who makes me admit inferiority, but among those I regard as equals, you unquestionably count as one."
"If I had to rank them, you, Luther, would certainly stand first."
"Neither Corswain nor Alajos carries as much weight in my eyes as you do."
"In certain respects, even the primarch might not surpass you."
"You know it. Our primarch's strengths and flaws are both painfully obvious."
Luther's lips twitched. In the past, hearing such praise from Astellan, one of the Dark Angels Legion's old guard, would surely have filled him with pride.
After all, this was Astellan—a mighty warrior who had once fought alongside the Emperor during the Unification Wars. In