The Wailing Chapter's Commander teleported from the Astral Engine to Cadia's High Command. Creed had already begun delivering a broadcast, rallying the people of Cadia to the promise of imminent victory. Qin Mo stood beside him, eyes fixed on an invisible point as though contemplating some profound enigma. Only when Foros approached did Qin Mo finally shift his gaze, murmuring, "Go to Baal."
"Baal?" Foros shuddered. Baal was the homeworld of the Blood Angels, the birthplace of all the sons of the Ninth Primarch, Sanguinius—of whom even the cursed progeny, the Wailing Chapter, counted themselves as kin. Though none among them had ever seen Baal, in their hearts, it was home.
"I, too, wish to return," Foros replied, "but…"
The Wailing Chapter's history of hardship and ostracism was not without cause. Their origin lay in the cursed 21st Founding, a chapter born under a shadow, forever marked. Most who knew their name saw them as akin to the corrupted chapters that had strayed into darkness. Foros couldn't be sure what their kin, the true sons of Sanguinius, thought of them—or if they'd even be allowed near Baal. Torn, he feared being cast out or, worse, tainting Baal's sanctity.
"All sons of the Angel share a flaw: the Red Thirst and the Black Rage," Qin Mo remarked.
Foros nodded solemnly. The Red Thirst drove their kin to unspeakable bloodlust, while the Black Rage summoned the torments of their primogenitor's agony, madness haunting their veins. Foros recalled a mission in the Badab sector, where rumors among the populace spoke of a horror—that warriors bearing the angel's sigil drank the blood of innocents.
"Yet the Wailing Chapter is rarely touched by the Thirst or the Rage," Qin Mo continued, "and that should interest your brothers on Baal."
Foros pondered and then nodded. Though not untouched, the Chapter had been mostly free from these afflictions, and for the sons of the Angel, such immunity was indeed a priceless boon.
"Your mission at Baal isn't just a reunion," Qin Mo clarified. "There's a swarm of Tyranids attacking your homeworld. You'll be aiding your brothers in breaking the siege." He handed Foros a decree of supplies. It authorized the Wailing Chapter to resupply at Tyron I with ample terminator armor, plasma weapons, and melta guns—enough to equip three chapters.
"Thank you." Foros accepted the order, bowing deeply to Qin Mo. Gratitude shone in his eyes, for since encountering the Lord of Tyron, the Wailing Chapter had grown strong, gaining not only arms but even a flagship—without ever being forced to serve under Tyron's command.
"When you arrive, make a grand entrance," Qin Mo jested. "Let it be known that when the hour was darkest, the Wailing Chapter appeared."
Foros gave a resolute nod, chuckling, "Of course."
The two shared a brief silence, each wrestling with unspoken thoughts. At last, Foros murmured, "We may not meet again for years—maybe decades."
"Naturally," Qin Mo replied. Baal would be a grueling war, a conflict that would last decades, and news of the battle's conclusion might take years to reach Tyron. In the vast galaxy, time was fleeting.
"For Sanguinius," Foros declared, bowing as he turned to depart.
Qin Mo watched him go, then dispatched a command to the Tyron system. By this timeline, Cadia should have fallen, the Eye of Terror erupting to cut the galaxy in two. Now, with the Eye's energies quelled, the Blood Angels and Wailing Chapter would face the Tyranid swarm without any psychic backlash to aid them. Qin Mo couldn't predict victory, but he had done all he could, sending a fully-armed Chapter to defend Baal—and a Leviathan, filled with countless Iron Men. This Leviathan would battle the Tyranids, adapting and evolving in the crucible of war.
***
Aboard *Daughter of the Storm*, the Chapter members gathered on the bridge, where Tessa awaited their orders. "Where to, Commander?" she asked with a respectful bow.
"To the Ultima Segmentum, to Baal, the homeworld of all sons of the Angel," Foros commanded.
"Understood!" Tessa immediately began the warp calculations, expertly charting the course to Baal. The warp engines began to hum.
"Commander, an Inquisitor seeks permission to board," a captain reported.
Foros's impression of the Inquisition was grim, but they had fought side-by-side on Cadia, so he granted the request. Soon after, a shuttle brought the Inquisitor aboard: a woman with white hair, scarred face, and a single tear-shaped mole.
"Bellona," she introduced herself, meeting Foros's gaze. "I have a way to help the sons of Sanguinius defend Baal. It's simple—just bring me there."
Foros hesitated.
"I know you warriors of the Adeptus Astartes don't trust the Inquisition," Bellona replied, "but why not give it a chance? If I succeed, Baal stands; if I fail, you'll carry on as you would have. There's no risk in trying."
After a pause, Foros gave a quiet nod.