"This is the greatest honor of my life."
"I wrested the right to face the enemy first from Astralan's hands."
"My life has been spent walking in darkness, concealing my existence beneath layer after layer of the Inner Circle. But now, perhaps I have finally waited for the chance to step into the light openly."
On the deck of a Void Annihilation-class battleship patrolling the edge of the Eye of Terror, Garad, a Dark Angels Inner Circle veteran, spoke before a holographic projection. The pride and joy radiating from him were impossible to conceal.
For an Inner Circle veteran who had lived since the Great Crusade, such loss of emotional control was exceedingly rare. Most of the time, they kept their feelings hidden, burying their emotions along with their weaknesses.
But at this moment, Garad felt there was no need for that anymore.
Even the most elite Dark Angels had already stepped across death's threshold simply by standing at this point on the battlefield.
The Void Annihilation-class battleship under Garad's command carried a full two thousand elite Dark Angels, tens of thousands of war-model Iron Men, and over two hundred thousand elite auxiliary troops.
Around this flagship, dozens of battleships, destroyers, and cruisers formed a small but complete combat group.
"I truly envy you, brother."
"The Black Templars under my command have been assigned by Lord Lion to the third line of defense, personally commanded by my primarch, Rogal Dorn."
The one speaking with Garad over long-range communications was none other than Sigismund, the Black Knight, one of the three greatest figures of the Great Crusade and a strong contender for the title of strongest Space Marine.
"But I must correct one mistake you made." Sigismund's face resembled cold, hard marble. In temperament, he bore more than seventy percent resemblance