Both sides arrived at the Council Hall.
Evan and Pons Izak looked decidedly outnumbered before the other side's impressive lineup.
Chapter Master Hiber, a seven-man Salamanders Honour Guard, Guilliman, Calgar, Titus, the Victrix Guard, and representatives from other Chapters entered the meeting hall and completely surrounded Evan. He looked like a suspect sitting in the defendant's bench before a vast jury.
Lady Euten was stopped outside. It was not an insult; the powerful anti-psyker field would destroy her frail body.
Although the gathering looked intimidating, most of the Astartes leaders were actually there for the gossip. They mainly wanted to hear how Guilliman had directed Evan to infiltrate the traitors alone, work hard, climb the ranks, earn better pay, make it all the way to the top, and lead the entire army out of darkness and back into the light.
Once both sides were seated, Evan and Guilliman exchanged a knowing glance, roughly sorting out what they could reveal. Naturally, Evan would have to start spinning the lies.
"Gentlemen," Evan began, "I know you have many questions. Fortunately, we have plenty of time today, so let me explain everything in detail."
Calgar considered this outrageous. With the Lord Regent right beside him, how dared he speak before the regent did?
But when Calgar looked at Guilliman, his expression was even more solemn than when he had spoken with the Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum.
"This all began with a prophecy from a very, very long time ago."
Guilliman's head was already starting to hurt. Prophecies aren't reliable. How are you going to convince everyone with that?
"During Abaddon's Fourteenth Black Crusade, both we and the Lord Regent received a terrifying prophecy. A mighty force would invade Terra, and humanity's future would hang by a thread. At that dark moment,