Inquisitor Eisenhorn investigates, and finds that the trail laid by this unassuming servant of the Imperium leads to unexpected places and a dangerous showdown.

    When the traitor’s Primarch – the Night Haunter – issues a challenge, Lion’El Johnson of the Dark Angels descends to an abandoned world for a final confrontation with his treacherous brother. But the Night Haunter has a darker purpose...A short story from the Age of Darkness anthology.

    But one of their number remains loyal to the Emperor, and battle is joined on the fortress-world.READ IT BECAUSELoyalist traitors! Iron Warriors battle Iron Warriors, and Barbaras Dantioch, a very important character in the Horus Heresy, is introduced.THE STORYYears ago, the Iron Warriors left Barabaras Dantioch, a crippled warsmith, on the world of Lesser Damantyne. Now, having declared their allegiance to the traitor Horus, they have returned. As the planet's garrison prepares for war, Dantioch must choose between loyalty to his legion or to the Emperor.This story is also available in Age of Darkness, book XVI of the Horus Heresy series.

    And more miraculous still is the instrument of his resurrection, the arcane technology of the Armour of Fate. More than mere battleplate, the Armour of Fate keeps the primarch alive, holding at bay the wound he sustained at the blade of his erstwhile brother. But Guilliman cannot remove the armour – or so he was told. Now, after years spent trapped within the Armour of Fate, he wishes to test the truth of this statement, and seeks out old allies who he hopes can give him aid. Read It Because It's a look into the mind of Roboute Guilliman by the author of Dark Imperium, delving deep into his fears and desire to be free again – and featuring a deeply surprising guest star…

    Equipped by the Ordo Xenos of the Inquisition, Deathwatch Space Marines possess war gear purposely designed for the destruction of all aliens. In the gauntleted fists of these black-armoured warriors does the sanctity of mankind rest, in their hearts the iron will to vanquish every alien predator and wipe them from the face of the galaxy.Deathwatch: Xenos Hunters is one of our classic Direct Exclusive anthologies containing 11 short stories about the Deathwatch Space Marines, and now includes Last Watch by L J Goulding. Machine Spirit by Nick Kyme The Infinite Tableau by Anthony Reynolds Headhunted by Steve Parker Rackinruin by Braden Campbell Weaponsmith by Ben Counter The Vorago Fastness by David Annandale Fearful Symmetries by Rob Sanders A Sanctuary of Wyrms by Peter Fehervari Exhumed by Steve Parker The Alien Hunters by Andy Chambers Last Watch by L J Goulding

    On the world is a cathedral, ancient and run down – but with an icon at its heart, a warrior-woman with a bloodied rose on her chest. Is this a symbol that Saint Mina, founder of the Order, once walked on this world? Augusta is determined to find out…

    Founded on the worship of the God-Emperor of Mankind, it guards the sanctity of the Imperial Creed and protects the celestial truth of the Emperor’s divinity. Its ideals are enforced by the bolters and flamers of the Orders Militant of the Adepta Sororitas – the Sisters of Battle. After two millennia, the warp storms raging around the Hollos star system have abated, allowing the isolated planet of Hollos to reconnect with the Imperium. When a mysterious messenger contacts the Orders Militant, Celestian Miriya must travel to Hollos and pass judgement on the world. Will she find a world embracing the Emperor’s truth or one in need of cleansing? Her decision will liberate or condemn an entire planet.

    Unearthing a den of corruption, Spinoza learns what it means to fight alongside the Emperor’s Angels, and vows to prove herself worthy of this honour or die in the attempt. Read it because It's not often we get to see Space Marines through the eyes of a servant of the Inquisition, and seeing the contrast between their different methods of serving the Emperor is quite fascinating.

    But the war will be decided by Morkai himself as he challenges the aliens' sinister leader to single combat.

    They are embodiments of the warrior nature of the eldar, and each walks his own path. The first, and greatest, is Asurmen, the Hand of Asuryan. Since he led his people from destruction at the time of the Fall, he has guided his children, the Dire Avengers, in defending the remnants of the eldar as they plan their rise back to galactic dominance. A superlative warrior and peerless leader, Asurmen is one of the greatest hopes of the eldar race.The Phoenix Lords of the eldar are legendary, pure embodiments of their warrior nature, and Asurmen was their first. This novel presents a dual narrative – the founding of the Dire Avengers during the fall of the eldar, and the story of Asurmen as he now stands, fighting the forces of Chaos that threaten to overwhelm Ulthwe. This is a tale of heroism and the resolve of a warrior raging hard against the dying of the light.A stunning 224-page A5 hardback novel presented in a lavish dustjacket with internal colour section, this book is a fantastic insight into the creation of the first Warrior Aspect, as well as a snapshot of Asurmen’s current struggle against Chaos. Strictly limited worldwide to 1,000 copies and exclusively available via blacklibrary.com, it features a beautiful full-colour section with character vignettes and wargear descriptions. The savage grace of the eldar’s plight has never been represented quite so elegantly before.

    Realising it’s time to reward his master with a hot cup of recaff, Jurgen, his faithful servant, heads off to seek refreshment, but finds rather more than he bargained for in the heart of the defeated cultists’ stronghold.A short but sweet little tale that thrusts Commissar Cain's malodorous sidekick into the limelight as he faces the last holdouts of a Chaos occupation all by himself...Previously published in Hammer and Bolter: Issue 20

    But traitors within the Sacristans have other ideas and a shocking act of betrayal sets the stage for one of the bloodiest battles of the Horus Heresy…This story is a prequel to Graham McNeill’s epic Horus Heresy novel Vengeful Spirit, and first appear in The Imperial Truth.

    Desperate for a chance to redeem himself, he grasps at any hope for peace. But in the Dark Millennium, the Gods offer nothing but horror.... Listen to it because: It's dark, atmospheric, utterly terrifying and a perfect audio horror experience, compellingly written and thunderingly performed. The story: The wind screams. The dark night is freezing. Vossk, a Vostroyan Firstborn, shrinks into a rock against a howl of memories. Having disgraced himself by deserting his post during a terrifying encounter, Vossk had resigned himself to penal servitude, though he's yearned for the chance to redeem himself. But in the 41st Millennium, such dreams are hollow when a man's reality has been shaken to his core. Found in the shadows of a pitiless cave, Vossk relives his tale to his rescuer. But trauma stalks the weary, and in the face of an even greater horror, it grins at those whose courage has failed them once before....

    What manner of daemon or xenos could cause such horror?READ IT BECAUSEIt's a bit of a horror tale and a bit of a mystery as the men of Mordian try to uncover the true cause of the rebellion sweeping an Imperial world.THE STORYThe 114th Mordian Iron Guard, pride of their world, renowned for their heroic actions at the Siege of Defure, are deployed to the mining world of Belmos VII, unaware that a terrible affliction plagues the local populace. As the Guardsmen attempt to track down the source of the corruption, panic spreads and the brave men of Mordian soon find themselves surrounded by enemies, both from within the Belmosian population and from without…

    The Warmaster’s case is presented by an iterator, a master of persuasion. The Imperium has sent the Space Marines. Heka’tan and Arcadese must set aside their warlike natures and learn to be diplomats, or risk losing the world. But Horus wants the world, and a plan is in motion to ensure that the Space Marines fail in their task...A short story from the Age of Darkness anthology.