Aboard the *Endurance*.
Now.
Hades strolled alongside Mortarion through the narrow corridors, their pace leisurely, unhurried to reach their next destination.
Mortarion walked in silence, allowing Hades the space to contemplate.
Hades's mind was still reeling from Mortarion's recent words.
Even if these Terran veterans had sworn allegiance to Mortarion, he would not easily trust them.
It wasn't Mortarion's paranoia; in fact, every Legion's old guard would inevitably clash with the newly arrived Primarch and recruits.
For instance, the Ultramarines of the 13th Legion, where Roboute Guilliman disapproved of the Terran veterans' excessive violence. Or the Raven Guard of the 19th Legion, where Corax disliked the Terran veterans using the Eldar as war bait.
If a Primarch had a strong personal charisma or exceptional political acumen, the integration of old and new would be smoother.
A prime example was the 13th Legion, the Ultramarines, where Roboute Guilliman continuously used his wisdom to guide the veterans onto a new path.
Or the 9th Legion, where the saintly Sanguinius redeemed the soon-to-be-fallen Blood Angels.
But there were also negative examples, like the 14th Legion, the Death Guard.
Mortarion's approach was simple: use his superior war tactics to make the old guard submit.
Then, through high-casualty warfare, weed out the old guard, effectively renewing the Legion.
Some stubborn veterans, clinging to their past glories, would volunteer for suicide missions.
Others would fully trust their Primarch, letting go of past achievements.
In fact, if one didn't consider the integration of old and new, Mortarion's methods might be seen as highly efficient.
This would allow him to quickly insert his loyalists into the Legion, consolidating his power.
Some might wonder why, since the Terran-born Dusk Raiders had already pledged loyalty to Mortarion. But in reality, rather than being loyal to the Primarch, they were loyal because the Emperor demanded it.
These Terran Dusk Raiders, many of whom had witnessed the Emperor's majesty, saw the Primarch as a gift from the Emperor.
With a Primarch, a Legion would become stronger. But even without one, the Legion would continue to operate in its own way.
Moreover, Mortarion's return was relatively late in the Great Crusade. After him, only Angron, Corax, and Omegon were yet to be found.
This led to the Dusk Raiders' sense of independence.
The old Dusk Raiders, compared to the 12th Legion, the War Hounds, who envied the glorious returns of Guilliman and Sanguinius, had long realized that a Legion could thrive without a Primarch.
The most extreme veterans might even mockingly watch to see if the Primarch could improve the Legion.
They held their heads high, proud of their achievements.
These veterans, who had weathered most of the wars alone, silently traversed the cosmos. While other Legions celebrated the return of their Primarchs, the Dusk Raiders silently battled in every corner of the galaxy.
When Sanguinius knelt before his sons, when Guilliman rebuilt the glory of the Ultramarines, when Dorn returned with his vast pocket empire,
The Legions without their Primarchs could only watch from the sidelines.
Some Legions envied, hoping their Primarch would be as noble as Sanguinius, as glorious as Guilliman, as proud as Horus.
Every Space Marine yearned for the father connected to their genes.
They hoped their Primarch would be the best, the most unique, and lead them to the greatest glory.
But there were always exceptions.
Like the original 14th Legion, the Dusk Raiders.
They had their own culture, their own history.
When a planet's point of attack silently rotated to the boundary of light and shadow, the 14th Legion's assault had just begun.
Riding the twilight, they launched massive ground assaults. The dim, enchanting light obscured the grey power armor of the Space Marines, and the ancient Albian tactics still played their part in the cosmos.
They were the brave warriors from Terra, the Emperor's steadfast right arm.
Thus, they earned a unique title — the Dusk Raiders.
They had their pride.
Interestingly, the Dusk Raiders' pride, independence, and resilience, their refusal to rely on superiors, in many ways, made them true sons of Mortarion.
The towering figure of the Primarch continued to walk the corridors of the *Endurance*. Hades looked at Mortarion, wondering how he was getting along with these old soldiers.
Personally, Hades hoped for a smooth integration between the old and new.
Firstly, he respected these battle-hardened veterans. Secondly, a Legion with many veterans would be more formidable.
Thirdly, if Mortarion ever chose to betray, these Terran veterans would be the last loyalists of the Death Guard.
Sometimes, confronting certain issues can be challenging, as one might not want to face them directly.
Hades knew that even though he had successfully resolved one of Mortarion's inner demons, the whims of fate were still unpredictable. He preferred to have a backup plan.
As for Typhon, Hades would find a way. If persuasion was possible, he'd try.
But if not...
He'd kill him.
But what worried Hades was, even if he killed one potential traitor, would a second or third emerge?
Moreover, even without any traitors, would Mortarion still fall to Nurgle's designs? Furthermore, even without Nurgle's influence, in the original storyline, Mortarion chose betrayal due to Horus's persuasion.
For now, killing the Xenos Lord Necare was just a minor detail in the vast tapestry of Warhammer's fate.
As a minor player in the grand scheme, how much could Hades truly influence?
The future was too uncertain, and individual power seemed too insignificant.
Based on current information, Hades couldn't make a definitive decision.
To flee? To fight? To change the tide? Or to hide from fate?
The mysteries surrounding him were still unresolved.
Hades needed to observe more, to think more.
He would find his answers.