Greetings, Inquisitor. How are you this day? I understand what you are here for so I shall make your job easy. I am Brother Chaplain Ordapheus of the 3rd Company. I have served the Emperor for 468 years already and can boldly claim to be as good a warrior as the Blood Angel Chapter can offer. I have battled our dark Chaos Brethren and their Daemon spawn. I have faced many a tide of greenskins head on. Even the Dark Eldar and their vile methods of war bring no fear to me for the Emperor's will guideth me. But blessed Sanguinus, what I have witnessed on Thor IV feels me with such dread such that I cannot describe. I know what I am about to say borders on heresy, but I must say it no less for I am unable to live any longer with the nightmares in my head.

32 days ago, the 3rd Company of the Blood Angels was dispatched to Thor IV to deal with a Chaos Uprising. The prime culprit was suspected to be the Cult of the Moon, a cult that the Adeptus Ministorum had declared as heretical only a few days before. It was believed to be involved in Chaos worship, more specifically the worship of the vile Chaos God of Pleasure, Slanesh. They had already overrun the local militia and defeated the Imperial Guard force sent to quell their uprising before we the Blood Angels were summoned in. When we arrived however, there was to be no uprising to quell. The main city of the planet we dropped into had already been razed to the ground with all signs of the cultists or the Imperial forces supposed to be there eliminated. As my battle brothers dug in with the efficiency as would be expected of the Emperor's finest, we received news that there were Eldar forces already present. Within hours, we received an invitation from one of the Eldar Farseers, the one they call Kaihedrin, to negotiate.

Kaihedrin arrived soon after in a Wave Serpent with a five other Eldar Warriors dressed in long flowing robes and carrying spears or blades that seemed to beam with unholy energy. From my lessons on the aliens in the Imperium that we know today, I guessed they were Warlocks, Eldar warriors who were able to manipulate the warp in times of battle. Kaihedrin himself was a Farseer, one of the higher-ranking Eldar whose powers were supposed to be even more powerful than those of the Warlocks. Though I have no love for this alien race, I could not but help feel a sense of respect for this creature that though was not human, had so noble a demeanor. As he removed his helmet, I noticed that his face was that of a young Eldar. However, his black locks were mixed with huge portions of flowing white. I myself know not what could have made so young a warrior bear such signs of old age. As a Chaplain, I was entitled to participate in the negotiations. I learned that the Eldar had already eliminated the Cultists and they wanted us to leave the city or 'face their wrath', if the interpreter drone was to be correct. Such absurdity! Did these alien scums think they could order the Emperor's warriors about? The Company Captain, Brother Raphael gave the aliens a flat refusal as should have been. Never did the alien Kaihedrin's expression change a single bit though. It was as if he knew the outcome already. He simply put on his helmet, turned his back to us and walked out to the Wave Serpent. In minutes they were all gone, leaving us as even more stupefied than we were before. I have fought the Eldar before and this was surely another of their insane plans. The arrogance of this aliens...

That night, all the Chaplains proceeded to conduct the rituals of war. That very night, Sanguinus' rage burned uncontrollably in us as whole squads of battle-brothers succumbed to the Black Rage. The numbers of the Death Company quickly swelled to twenty-eight as my fellow Chaplains quickly gathered those who were in delirium. It would be a great loss for our Chapter, but the glory they would bring would be comfort enough. After the Death Company was armed and given their ceremonial armour, we proceeded to finish our prayers. I was given the honor of leading the Death Company that day with the sacred duty of protecting their personal honor. In this I would not fail.

As dawn broke, my brothers hid themselves in cover in preparation for the Eldar advance. We were not to be disappointed for in minutes we saw Eldar banners rising over the horizon. In an instant, Wave Serpents and all forms of Eldar Grav vehicles were speeding across the plains straight into us. Suddenly, red Eldar warriors in insect-like armour materialized in the midst of the devastator squad supporting our left flank. A white blur poured forth from their weapons engulfing the entire squad. A minute later, all that was left of the Devastators was mincemeat and small pieces of armour. This surely had to be the Eldar Aspect known as the Warp Spiders. Filled with anger at this loss, I guided my charges straight into the alien abominations. Screaming cries that were beyond human comprehension, the Death Company tore into the Warp Spiders. With a cruel efficiency matching their own, the Warp Spiders were literally torn to shreds in a couple of minutes. I myself struck down their Exarch with a single crack of my Crozius Arcanum.

By now however, the Eldar Vehicles had devastated our front line. With our heavy support eliminated, we were almost helpless to stop them. The Wave Serpents had already reached our lines and were disgorging huge amounts of Eldar Aspect Warriors, which I recognized as Striking Scorpions, Howling Banshees and Fire Dragons. We Blood Angels revel in hand to hand combat, but we could not deny the prowess of the Eldar elite as they tore into our lines with such efficiency that even we Blood Angels could learn to respect. As we engaged the closest squad of Striking Scorpions, I saw Captain Raphael's Land Raider and the company's four available Rhinos smash into the thick of the Eldar advance. Captain Raphael and five Terminators of the First Company emerged leading the counter-attack of the other assault marines that had already exited their Rhinos. For a moment, it appeared as if the tide was turning, then I saw a Wave Serpent with elaborate runes join the fray. Eldar Warlocks immediately joined the fray summoning bolts of raw energy to clear a path before them. Another Eldar warrior leapt out which I immediately recognized as Kaihedrin. Raising his blade, he summoned forth a bolt of intense heat which engulfed Captain Raphael. As Captain Raphael staggered from the blast, bolts of energy burst forth from the Farseer's head into the Captain's helmet. The Captain stood still for a while before he suddenly fell to the floor. A Howling Banshee Exarch slipped her blade into the Captain's chest to ensure his demise. For now I could do nothing but meet the present enemy, the Eldar Scorpions.

After we dispatched the Scorpions, I counted twenty of the Death Company left. As we were about to rush to our Captain's fallen body, a bolt of pure hot magma shot past me, engulfing a Death Company marine and instantly incinerating him. I turned and saw a huge figure that dripped real lava wielding an enormous blade that screamed as if it was in pain and its left hand was a gauntlet that dripped fresh blood. I know it was blood for its smell was so strong and so fresh that for a moment, the Black Rage almost overcame me. I immediately knew I was facing the Eldar Daemon entity called the Avatar. Before I could even say anything, the Death Company had already used their jump packs to propel them straight into combat with the Eldar abomination. Surely with the Emperor's blessing, we would bring the creature down. These were not just ordinary marines, they were blessed with Sanguinus' rage. In a way, they were a smaller incarnation of Sanguinus' power. However, as I saw the Avatar cut them down with ease, for once in my life I felt a twinge of fear. After all the Death Company had fallen, only I was left. Raising my Crozius Arcanum, which was crackling with energy, I expelled the fear out of me and charged the creature. With reflexes one would not expect of something so enormous, the Avatar swung his blade in my direction and ran me through. With even greater speed it pulled its blade out and with its bloody hand grabbed my neck and raised me to its face. I could feel the life force slipping out of me and the intense heat which seared my insides. Ahhh, I waste Sanguinus' blood…. As I stared into its eyes, I felt empty, hopeless. Where was the Emperor? Blessed Emperor, have you abandoned me? As if it understood my question, the creature's mouth twisted into an evil grin. Emperor, where was the damn Emperor now? Have I not served you faithfully enough? That was the last I remembered as I slipped into darkness.

Inquisitor, please tell me… You serve the Ordos Malleus and you duty is to ensure we do not deviate from the Emperor's will. But are you sure the Emperor exists? Can you prove your faith is not unfounded? That day, why was it as I stared into that Daemon's eyes I could not sense the Emperor's presence? Why was his light turned from me? What does the Emperor's Tarot say? Sanguinus save my soul, but is Emperor you died for still alive today? * At this point, speaker begins to ramble incessantly *

Commander Dante, I am Inquisitor Nore. The subject I interrogated has been exterminated. His crime, heresy. I will send you proof of his heresy if you so desire, but I assure you his crimes were genuine. Such a stain should be eliminated from the honor of the Blood Angels, and as a servant of the Emperor, it was my duty to do so. The Emperor commends the faithful service of your loyal Chapter so far. But let no one doubt the Emperor, for it is doubt that sows the seeds of Damnation...

By Ian Gabriel Li