Quoted By:
The two of them traveled about the place through a series of secret passages and tunnels that TalOS did not even realize existed. When TalOS thought back to his sons he quickly realized they were by far more in the open than whatever realm they were now entering.
The Imperium’s dark secret, one of their dark secrets.
TalOS knew for a fact that this was only one of them.
They came into a massive chamber which appeared to be filled with so many wards that it places the Astronomicon’s defenses to shame. If TalOS was correct they were in one of the chambers which laid below the Astronomicon, meaning that whatever was here was being combated by the presence of such a powerful tool.
Malcador put in a series of codes that told the Machine Spirit of a chamber door to let them through, and in doing so TalOS saw something he did not want to see.
About the chamber were hundreds of stasis chambers. Each and every one of them were arranged neatly row by row as if this was some sort of tomb dedicated to an Emperor’s army. They got closer, close enough for the Primarch to see what was within the container.
“Malcador…” TalOS’s felt his voice shaking as he felt terror creep into his bones, “Why is a Warp Abomination made from the flesh of an Astartes.”
“Because that is their curse to bear.” Malcador announced as he placed a hand above the sarcophagus, “This is the Flesh Change, a curse which infected the Fifteenth Legion Thousand Sons roughly twenty five years ago. By the time you became part of the Great Crusade they were locked away only to be used when need was absolute.”
TalOS stared at the abomination that was sitting within the time-coffin before him. The creature was no longer that of a man but a series of feathers and beaks that were arranged in a meaningless style that only hinted towards insanity. There was a good chunk of the body which was still man, but the only accessory that was permitted for him to remain was a pendant around the Marine’s neck.
“They have been inflicted by our great enemy.” Were the first words TalOS said to describe the condition these Astartes were suffering, “I have seen Psykers from other races become afflicted like these men. How does it have such a grip upon them?”
“We have been trying to determine that for some time.” Malcador said as he gave a long sorrowful sigh while looking up towards another, “There you are, Ahriman.”
