The Dark Angels' mobile fortress-monastery, The Rock, floated silently in the vacuum of space.
Deep within the dormant consciousness of Lion El'Jonson, the colossal, city-sized Warship, his mind was suddenly awakened by a gentle yet familiar Energy.
This Energy, warm as golden sunlight, permeated every cell of his being, rousing his thoughts that had been silent for ten thousand years.
His consciousness reconnected to the lighthouse in the endless darkness of the Immaterium.
In the midst of his chaotic thoughts, the Lion saw a blurred but comforting figure: his father, the being who had created him.
"Father... is that you?" The Lion wanted to call out, but his voice was trapped.
As more memory fragments pieced themselves back together, he slowly regained some sensation.
He found himself lying in a kind of special Medical Pod, surrounded by warm Nutrient Fluid. Countless tiny Energy Pulses were repairing his broken body.
The memories before his coma gradually resurfaced: the Horus Heresy, the betrayal among brothers, the treachery of his sons, the battle on Caliban, and the sacrifice of countless loyal Warriors.
These memories of blood and fire stabbed his soul like knives. Endless Rage, the Primarch's Sense of Mission, and urgency flared within him.
"I must... wake up..." The Lion desperately tried to open his eyes, to stand up again and lead his Legion.
However, his broken body refused to cooperate, unable to perform even the smallest movement.
Just then, a seductive voice quietly whispered.
"Why struggle? Give up... eternal sleep..."
The voice was velvety smooth, yet carried an undetectable malice—the whispers of the Immaterium, attempting to infiltrate his vulnerable mind.
"No..." The Lion roared in the depths of his consciousness. "I am the Lion of Caliban, I will not fall!"
Every attempt was like lifting a mountain, every struggle like fighting the entire world.
Yet, the Lion's Will was like Immortal Gold; even in the darkness, he never yielded.
He tried again and again, failing repeatedly.
His shattered body consistently refused to respond to his consciousness.
Sorrow and Disappointment began to erode his resolve, but he still did not give up, for this was the Primarch's Responsibility.
Just as the Lion was about to exhaust his last shred of Power, an unprecedented golden Energy suddenly surged in, washing over his consciousness like a flood.
This light contained a familiar and powerful force—the Emperor's Power, yet slightly different.
This Power was more surging and purer than what he remembered.
"Father has truly returned..."
As the Lion's mind grew more active, the readings on the Instrument Panel began to fluctuate wildly, and alarms blared throughout the Compartment.
Dark Angels Medical Officers dropped their work, and Tech-Priests rushed over, their faces filled with incredible joy and surprise.
"Life signs increasing!" a Medical Officer shouted.
"Brainwave activity frequency increasing!" another Tech-Priest added.
Everyone gathered around the massive Life Support Tank, holding their breath and watching.
Inside the Tank, various rare Medicines and Energy Fluids were being rapidly absorbed. As the Lion's conscious Fluctuation became more intense, the liquids, which required countless resources to refine, visibly diminished.
"A miracle has happened! The Primarch is about to awaken!" The chief Medical Officer, who had served this Tank for three centuries, yelled excitedly.
This Life Support System was the culmination of ten thousand years of effort by the Dark Angels.
To gather the necessary Materials for its creation, they had traversed the most dangerous corners of the Galaxy, battled countless Xenos, and excavated long-lost Technology from abandoned Golden Age Ruins.
The Tech-Priests worked day and night, solely for the arrival of this moment.
"The Lion is about to awaken!" a Dark Angel knelt on one knee, his voice trembling with excitement.
The surrounding Warriors also fell to one knee, their eyes flickering with fanatical light.
Among these Warriors, the youngest had already served for several centuries, and some had even witnessed the horrors of the Horus Heresy firsthand.
They had waited for this moment for too long.
"Don't be overly optimistic," the Tech-Priest cautioned. "The Primarch's Injuries are too severe. Even with these signs, full recovery might still take decades."
Just as everyone was both hopeful and anxious, Space suddenly warped. A golden Portal appeared out of thin air in front of the Tank, without any warning.
"Alert! Protect the Primarch!" a Dark Angel Warrior yelled.
Before his voice could fade, a giant hand composed of pure golden Energy stretched out from the Portal, grabbing directly at the Medical Tank containing the Lion.
The palm was immensely huge, as if it could easily crush a Warship.
"Heretic!" the Dark Angels roared in unison. A Terminator Squad instantly formed a Defense Formation, their Boltgun muzzles aimed directly at the Portal.
A portion of the Dark Angel Warriors drew their Chainswords. The roaring sound filled the air as they prepared to fight the Invaders to the death.
Just as the conflict was about to erupt, a golden Phantom suddenly appeared before everyone.
The Phantom was tall and majestic, radiating endless Divine Radiance.
"Children, stand down!" The Phantom spoke, its voice booming yet gentle and loving.
At the sound of this voice, all the Dark Angels froze in place.
They recognized that voice; it was a memory engraved deep in their Gene-Seed, the most sacred brand upon every Dark Angel's soul.
"Your Majesty!" The Guard Captain knelt down, trembling, and the others quickly followed suit.
"Don't be afraid, little Angels. We're here to save your Primarch," another voice chimed in from beside the Portal.
Another Phantom emerged, its form seemingly defying logic, appearing to be composed of countless tiny Cubes.
This was the legendary New God, the entity that had shaken the entire Galaxy.
Ian looked at the nervous Dark Angels, thumped his right fist against his chest, and said in a lighthearted tone: "The First Legion has no secrets. Nothing happened on Caliban!"
This sentence was like a curse, instantly freezing all Dark Angels where they stood.
Their eyes flashed with Horror, Shock, Rage, and Shame.
That phrase touched the Dark Angels' deepest secret, the Black History they themselves never wanted to mention.
While the Dark Angels were plunged into Confusion, the golden giant hand had already firmly grasped the Lion's Life Support Tank. The Portal began to shrink, and the figures of the Emperor and Ian gradually blurred.
"Wait!" The Guard Captain snapped back to attention and charged toward the Portal, but it was too late.
The Portal completely closed. The Phantoms of the Emperor and Ian vanished without a trace, and with them, the Gene-Father who had been sleeping for ten thousand years, Lion El'Jonson.
The entire Medical Compartment fell into a deathly silence. The Dark Angels present exchanged bewildered glances, unsure how to explain any of this to the rest of the Legion.