The Hermit wore neither his Word Bearers power armor nor the suit of armor the Ultramarines had customized for him. He was simply draped in a gray-white linen cloak, completely enveloped by the fabric.
Lox watched the Hermit with some concern. The Word Bearer stood around two and a half meters tall, much like an ordinary Astartes, yet he looked even thinner than Lox.
His shriveled skin outlined the contours of black carapace and bone. His muscles had atrophied beyond recognition, making him resemble a walking skeleton.
"Why put yourself through this? The Emperor never doubted your loyalty. You remained devoted to the Emperor even while surrounded by traitors. That only proves your steadfastness all the more."
"You should be proud, not blame yourself. Lorgar and the Word Bearers Legion chose betrayal for themselves. The Emperor will not forgive them, but you are different, because you never betrayed him at all."
Lox truly could not understand how these religious fanatics treated tormenting their own flesh as a standard for atonement. If physical suffering could wash away sin, then why not simply produce a batch of clones and have them atone for sins on an assembly line?
The Adeptus Mechanicus possessed well-established cloning lines. In fact, many priests and magi had not been naturally born at all; they had come from cloning laboratories within the Mechanicus.
"Because it makes me feel better, Lox." The Hermit was restoring his strength, drinking an energy porridge made from highly concentrated nutrients mixed with ceramite particles, one of the foods most commonly consumed by Astartes.
"I cannot tolerate the stain that once tainted my faith. Led astray by Lorgar's mistakes, I turned away from the Emperor's expectations. Even if it was only for an instant, it was unforgivable."
The Astartes' powerful digestive system swiftly disposed