The first alarm aboard the Talons of Terra was silent.
No klaxons echoed through the Battle Barge.
No warning runes flashed across the primary displays.
Only the crimson sigil of Authentication Failure appeared upon the bridge consoles.
Veteran Sergeant Marius looked at the message twice before speaking.
“Chapter Master…” “The phrase was incorrect.” Corven’s face became as hard as stone.
“Confirm.” Marius nodded.
“Brother Lucan answered…” He swallowed.
“…’From shadow…we advance.'” Corven closed his eyes for the briefest moment.
Every Scout of the Hidden Talons learned the authentication litany before earning his power armour.
It had never changed in nearly five centuries.
“From shadow…” “…we strike.” It was more than a password.
It was a promise.
Someone aboard his flagship did not know it.
“Seal every deck.” The bridge crew sprang into action.
“Lock internal bulkheads.” “Deactivate civilian access lifts.” “Recall every Chapter serf to protected shelters.” “Activate Defence Condition Obsidian.” Throughout the Battle Barge, massive adamantium blast doors slammed shut.
Ancient turret servitors awakened from centuries of dormancy.
Combat servitors armed with heavy bolters took up firing positions throughout the corridors.
The Hidden Talons had never before declared Defence Condition Obsidian.
It had been created after the Chapter’s founding for one purpose alone.
An enemy already inside the ship.
Brother Tiber stood alone in Corridor Seventeen.
The elderly Chapter serf leaned heavily upon his walking cane.
His heart pounded inside his chest.
He had served the Hidden Talons for sixty-three years.
He had watched boys become Space Marines.
He had buried heroes.
He knew every warrior by voice alone.
The figure walking toward him looked exactly like Brother Lucan.
Yet it was not Lucan.
Brother Tiber knew it.
The creature smiled warmly.
“Brother Tiber.” “You seem frightened.” The old man smiled back.
“I’ve seen Orks.” “I’ve seen Tyranids.” “I even survived a boarding action by the Red Corsairs.” He quietly placed himself between the creature and the nearby shelter entrance.
“At my age…” “…fear becomes less important.” Dozens of frightened Chapter serfs hid behind the reinforced door only metres away.
The creature looked past him.
“I know.” Its smile widened.
“They’re inside.” Brother Tiber gripped his cane tighter.
“Yes.” “They’re family.” The creature tilted its head.
“Family.” It spoke the unfamiliar word slowly.
Testing it.
Learning it.
Brother Tiber suddenly realised the truth.
It wasn’t mocking him.
It genuinely didn’t understand.
Deep beneath the Merciless Death…
The battle continued.
Brother Agastus fired another sustained burst from his assault cannon.
Hundreds of shells tore into the Witness.
Liquid silver erupted from fresh wounds.
Yet every injury slowly closed.
Captain Alaric watched carefully.
“It’s slowing.” Brother Cassian nodded.
“It can heal.” “But not instantly.” “Keep the pressure on.” Praetor Nemeon suddenly appeared beside Alaric.
“The Guardian.” Alaric turned.
The ancient being stood motionless in the centre of the chamber.
Its silver halo had stopped rotating.
Cracks spread slowly across its obsidian body.
Brother Leon stared.
“It’s damaged.” The Guardian looked toward the Witness.
“Not damaged.” A pause.
“Dying.” Silence fell.
Captain Alaric stepped forward.
“Can we help?” The Guardian looked directly at him.
For the first time…
Its voice carried unmistakable emotion.
“You already are.” The Witness attacked again.
Not physically.
Every Hidden Talon suddenly saw the same vision.
Deliverance.
The home world of the Raven Guard.
The towering black fortress of Corax.
The Primarch himself stood before them.
He smiled.
“My sons.” Brother Remus instinctively took a step forward.
Brother Cassian shouted.
“Don’t!” The vision shattered.
Corax’s face peeled away like smoke.
Beneath it…
Waited the featureless face of the Witness.
Brother Remus stopped just in time.
The creature’s talons closed on empty air where his throat had been.
“It learns hope…” Cassian whispered.
“…not just tactics.” Aboard the Talons of Terra…
The impostor finally moved.
Brother Tiber stood his ground.
“So.” The old serf smiled sadly.
“You’ve learned our words.” The creature nodded.
“I’m learning.” “You’ll never understand them.” “Explain.” Brother Tiber looked toward the shelter door.
“My family knows I’d die for them.” “You only know the words.” The creature considered that.
Then…
It stepped around him.
Brother Tiber swung his cane with surprising speed.
The heavy iron head struck the creature’s temple.
It barely noticed.
The old serf laughed.
“Didn’t think that would work.” The creature almost smiled.
“No.” “But it was…” It searched for the word.
“…brave.” Brother Tiber slammed his palm against the emergency release beside the shelter.
A slab of adamantium crashed into place, sealing dozens of serfs safely inside.
The creature looked at the sealed door.
Then back at the old man.
“You sacrificed yourself.” Brother Tiber nodded.
“That’s what family does.” The Witness stood silently for several seconds.
Then…
Without a word…
It walked away.
Leaving the old serf alive.
Brother Tiber slowly sank against the wall, tears filling his eyes.
“It still doesn’t understand…” On the bridge, the security pict-feed suddenly changed.
Captain Lucien Voss pointed.
“There!” One corridor camera showed three Hidden Talons walking together.
A second camera farther ahead showed the same three Marines walking in the opposite direction.
Impossible.
Corven zoomed the image.
The duplicate Marines mirrored every movement perfectly.
Like reflections in broken glass.
“It’s dividing.” Master Hadrian spoke quietly.
“It doesn’t need one body anymore.” Every officer fell silent.
Back in the lower vault, the Guardian finally turned toward Captain Alaric.
It extended one six-fingered hand.
Floating above its palm appeared a map of the entire Merciless Death.
Thousands of passages glowed silver.
One chamber burned gold.
Another burned black.
The Guardian pointed toward the black light.
“The Witness was never the prisoner.” Captain Alaric felt his blood run cold.
“What?” The Guardian looked toward the immense abyss beneath the vault.
Its voice became almost a whisper.
“It was…the jailer.” Every warrior froze.
Praetor Nemeon’s face lost all colour.
Brother Cassian slowly lowered his force staff.
“If the Witness is the jailer…” Captain Alaric finished the thought.
“…then what was it guarding?” Before anyone could answer…
The entire ship lurched violently.
Not from within.
From outside.
Master Decimus’ urgent vox transmission burst across every command channel.
“Chapter Master!” “Warp translation detected!” “Multiple vessels entering the system!” The hololithic map above the Guardian shifted automatically.
Green Imperial icons.
Hundreds of them.
An entire fleet was emerging from the Warp around the Merciless Death.
The lead vessel transmitted a single identification code.
Ordo Xenos.
The Inquisition had arrived.
And they had come prepared to destroy everything.