"You go first, Axis," Guilliman said with a smile.
"Very well. The matter I wished to discuss with you concerns Lorgar," Axis began. He then laid out his entire proposal for Guilliman, explaining the importance and concept of establishing a state religion, as well as his plans for the Grey Knights and a new force of Paladins.
Guilliman listened in complete silence, not uttering a single word until Axis had finished. Only then did he slowly begin to speak.
"First of all, Axis, I can agree to your desire to establish an Imperial Cult and gather the power of faith for our Father. I will support you in this," he stated calmly.
"As for the Grey Knights and the Paladins, having these two forces operating within the Imperium, one in the light and one in the shadows, to combat the daemons of Chaos is an excellent idea. You will have my full support in that endeavor as well."
He paused, his expression hardening slightly. "However, I object to allowing that traitor Lorgar to pen the scripture of this new religion. If you are lacking someone to compose such a text, then I shall undertake the task myself."
Guilliman thought to himself, how difficult could it truly be to write the tenets and doctrines of a state religion? Was it a task that truly required a traitor? He, Roboute Guilliman, was more than qualified. It would take him but a few days to complete.
"Heh," Axis chuckled. "I am afraid it is not as you imagine. You, Guilliman, are a man of profound knowledge, wisdom, and reason. But your thinking is entirely too rational, too academic.
"What you would write would be a rigorous dissertation, a grand political treatise. It would not be a prayer of piety that brings tears to the eyes and makes a man cry out 'The Emperor protects!' in praise of the God-Emperor."
Axis paused, allowing his words to sink into Guilliman's mind.
"Faith requires fanaticism," he continued, his tone turning sharp and precise. "It requires an irrational appeal, a resonance that reaches the deepest, most primal fears and desires of the soul! These are things that you, a primarch so steadfast in your reason, inherently lack.
"But Lorgar is different!
"He was born for this! A fanatical devotion to the concept of 'godhood' flows in his very bones. You all remember how blindly and ardently he once revered the Emperor. He has an unparalleled gift and instinct for constructing systems of belief, for using words, rituals, and miracles to inflame the hearts of mortals.
"He knows how to sculpt a leader into a supreme deity. That talent is etched into his soul; even his betrayal could not completely erase it. We need that gift. We need that instinct."
Guilliman was undoubtedly brilliant, but he could never replace Lorgar in this specific capacity.
"If you insist, then so be it," Guilliman conceded after a moment of thought. "But any scripture written by Lorgar must pass my personal review. And under no circumstances is he to be released."
He had other, more important matters to discuss with Axis and did not wish to sour their relationship further. As long as Lorgar remained imprisoned and his writings were censored, he could accept the arrangement. Besides, Guilliman doubted Axis could even convince Lorgar to cooperate.
"That would not be a problem," Axis said. "And even if Lorgar refuses to write anything new, we can simply use the Lectitio Divinitatus he wrote long ago."
He found that persuading Guilliman was a relatively simple task, even easier than it had been with Sanguinius or Magnus.
"Do as you see fit. This is the mission our Father entrusted to you," Guilliman said, moving on. "Since the three of you have made a decision, I will offer my unconditional support. Now, let us speak of the reason I came to find you."
"I am listening," Axis replied with a nod. "Speak your mind."
"It is like this, Axis," Guilliman began. "After we have thoroughly defeated the Rangda and torn their species out by the roots, I intend to enact a major military reform for the Imperium."
"A military reform?" Axis asked. "What sort of reform did you have in mind?"
So it begins, Axis thought to himself. The Thirteenth Primarch was about to propose the downsizing of the Astartes Legions, to break them into Chapters.
"I plan to completely reorganize the Space Marine Legions," Guilliman explained, "This great betrayal has inflicted unimaginable damage upon the Imperium. To have a single primarch in command of an entire Legion presents a significant danger to our future. Therefore, I propose that we break the Legions down into a great number of Chapters. The size of each Chapter will be fixed at one thousand Space Marines. This way, even if an entire Chapter were to turn traitor, the damage would be contained."
A knowing look appeared on Axis's face. Guilliman was already seeking to implement his great demobilization.
"I object, Guilliman," Axis said firmly. "Have you lost faith even in your own brothers? Every one of us surviving primarchs is loyal to the Emperor. A measure like this is dishonorable."
"This is not a move to weaken the authority of our brothers, but for the good of the entire Imperium," Guilliman replied with a sigh, looking as if he had expected this exact reaction. He then began to explain the benefits of the Chapter system in detail.
A thousand-man fighting force would be easier to manage and far more flexible to deploy. Furthermore, smaller Chapters could better utilize the resources of a single world. A planet supporting a Legion versus a planet supporting a Chapter were two entirely different prospects. Even if a large-scale engagement required a massive concentration of forces, it would be a simple matter to mobilize multiple Chapters.
"The founding Legions will be preserved, of course," Guilliman added. "Their names will live on as the first Chapters, though their numbers will be reduced."
"On this matter, I support Guilliman," Malcador the Sigillite interjected, siding with the primarch. "Breaking the Legions into Chapters would indeed be more beneficial for the Imperium. The Astartes Legions were created by the Emperor for the specific purpose of the Great Crusade. In an era of peace, when the Imperium is no longer expanding, maintaining the Legions will be an immense drain on our resources and an administrative nightmare. The Chapter system is an excellent solution."
"I imagine I am not the only primarch who will object to this," Axis countered, "Breaking the Legions will wound the pride of our brothers. Are you suggesting that in the future, we primarchs will hold a status equal to that of a common Chapter Master?"
Just then, a voice of divine, immense authority echoed in Axis's mind. The message it conveyed was simple: agree with Guilliman.
The Imperium now needed smaller Chapters, not vast Legions. The voice belonged to the Emperor, who, even upon the Golden Throne, could still communicate with Axis in secret.
In truth, Axis had analyzed the situation rationally himself. He knew that breaking the Legions into Chapters was indeed better for the future of the Imperium, but it could not be done in such a ham-fisted way.
A primarch could not be made equal to a Chapter Master, and that so-called Codex Astartes of Guilliman's would require significant revisions. This time, Axis would ensure the changes were made according to his own terms.
"Of course not," Guilliman assured him. "The station of a primarch will remain unchanged. So, Axis, what is your decision?"
This was a matter that required Axis's consent. If he chose to oppose it and brought Magnus to his side, things would become exceedingly troublesome, even with Malcador's support.
More importantly, he could not force Axis's hand, for the simple reason that he could not win that fight. Axis and his son alone were strong enough to overwhelm all the other primarchs combined. Negotiation was his only path.
"I have considered it," Axis said slowly. "I can agree to the creation of Chapters, but the First Founding Legions must retain their legionary titles. And their commanders must remain their respective primarchs."
"What you say has merit," Guilliman allowed. "A primarch's status certainly cannot be on par with that of an ordinary Chapter Master. Their station will naturally be more revered, and they are the gene-sires of all successor Chapters. In that case, what if we set the number for a First Founding Chapter at two thousand men? That is more than double the size of any other Chapter."
"What real difference is there between two thousand and one thousand? It does nothing to reflect a primarch's status," Axis scoffed. "Add more. I think thirty thousand is a more fitting number."
"Impossible!" Guilliman's brow furrowed. "What would be the difference between that and a full Legion?"
"So your intention is to show me no respect?" Axis's voice turned to ice, "If that is the case, I am about to lose my temper."
He let out a cold snort, and a golden aura of pure energy erupted around his body. He transformed in the brilliant light, and a terrifying pressure bore down on Guilliman.
Guilliman was speechless, and even Malcador shook his head. Of course, they would've guessed something would go wrong the moment Axis remained rational.
"You! Axis! Do you mean to incite another civil war within the Imperium?"
"Don't you dare pin that lofty accusation on me," Axis snarled. "I have agreed to your proposal to form Chapters. I am merely fighting to preserve the rightful status of all primarchs. If you continue to refuse, I will be forced to beat some sense into you."
Guilliman's chest heaved as he fought to suppress his fury.
"Thirty thousand is out of the question," he ground out. "The absolute maximum is five thousand. All other forces must be broken down into Chapters." At present, most of the Legions, aside from his own and Axis's, were shattered remnants.
Some could not even muster thirty thousand men. How were they supposed to form new Chapters from nothing? This great reform was primarily aimed at himself and Axis, whose gene-sons now accounted for more than half of all living Space Marines.
"Do not mention the number one thousand to me again. It is an embarrassment," Axis replied. "Fine. I will concede another step. Let us make it twenty thousand."
"You… Axis, I am doing this for the entire Imperium. You must understand my position," Guilliman said, his voice laced with exasperation.
"I understand your position perfectly, which is why I agreed to form Chapters at all," Axis shot back. "But a First Founding Chapter must maintain a strength of at least ten thousand."
"Ten thousand!" Guilliman declared, "That is the absolute limit. Ten thousand, and not a marine more. If you refuse, I will resign my position as Lord Regent. Let someone else have the title who wants it."
"Now that is more like it," Axis said, the golden aura around him receding. "Then it is settled. The First Founding Chapters will maintain a strength of ten thousand, and all surplus forces will be reorganized into Chapters of a thousand."
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ps?