Inside was a silver key resting atop a roll of part, its surface slightly yellowed with age. housand years had left only faint traces on the well-preserved dot.Kayvaan gingerly took out the part and unfolded it. Written in the Imperium’s formal Gothic script, the text read:________________________ission of AppoiIn reition of his heroid exempry service to the Imperium, and in aowledgment of his tenure as Captain of the Raven Guard, it is hereby decreed that Kayvaan Shrike is grahe authority to establish a neter of the Adeptus Astartes.By the will of the High Lords of Terra and the decree of His Immortal Majesty, the Emperor of Mankind, Chapter Master Kayvaan Shrike is charged with the creation of a successor Chapter to the Raven Guard. This Chapter shall carry forward the honored legacy of stealth, ing, aless pursuit of the Emperor’s enemies, hallmarks of its progenitor.This ission grants:Rights of Founding: Full authority to recruit, train, and oversee the creation of a neter.Heraldry and Insignia: The neter may establish its own unique banner, insignia, and sacred rites in accordah the Codex Astartes.Fleet and Resources: A full plement of void-capable vessels and material to eerstelr operations.Sn Mandate: Jurisdi over a designated region of Imperial space to serve as the Chapter’s base of operations and area of responsibility.The neter shall act as aension of the Emperor’s will, a bulwark against heresy, xenos, and the forces of Chaos. Under Chapter Master Shrike’s guida shall embody the nobility, vigince, and discipline of the Raven Guard while f its own path in service to the Imperium.By this decree, may Chapter Master Kayvaan Shrike spread the light of the Emperor to the darkest ers of the gaxy and bring glory to His name for millennia to e.___________________

  At the bottom of the part was the Emperor’s signature, apanied by the bck seal of the Imperial Aqui. Below the seal, a small note in fine print read, “This is a certified copy. The inal has been archived in the Vaults of Terra.”

  Kayvaan turhe part over, ied the key, and even re-examihe box multiple times. Only then did he finally accept that this was no cruel joke or twisted test. The letter was real.

  For a moment, a surge of disbelief and awe overtook him. He hadn’t expected suental reition. This appoi wasn’t just timely—it was a lifeline. He desperately his now.

  When Kayvaan had first awakened in this strange, distant era, the deference of others had felt like a small fort. But that initial kindness had soon turned into relentless scrutiny. Inquisitors and officials alike had looked at him with thinly veiled suspi.

  At every turn, Kayvaan had been pgued by the same fear: would someoorm in and drag him away? Would they discover something unnatural? Was there something within him, a remnant of Sanesh’s curse, that even he wasn’t aware of?

  The Imperium’s treatment of anomalies was no mystery. Travelers like him weren’t weled—they were huo the Imperium, such beings were often sidered invaders: malevoleies born of the , infiltrating humanity. These “travelers” were eradicated without hesitation, dissected for study, or purged in the fires of judgment.

  Some of these -born abominations disguised themselves, corruptis and minds. Others burrowed into their victims, spreading chaos from within. The most terrifyihose who took over their hosts entirely. Kayvaan had seen such a demon within his own spiritual sciousness, its void presence as insidious as the itself.

  Since his awakening, Kayvaan had lived uhe shadow of these fears. If he were unmasked as tainted—or even suspected of it—death by fme would be the most merciful fate he could hope for.

  Yet Kayvaan’s long-honed demeanor had bee his saving grace. Even as his appearance had softened, his body’s natural habits remaihe same. His face was always posed, showing iardless of the turmoil within. That mask had kept others from seeing his dread, though it did little to soothe the storm within him.

  Had anyone suspected he wasn’t the true Kayvaan Shrike, it wouldn’t matter if the cim was false. The slightest doubt could mark him as a heretio excuse, no protest, would save him then. g to be a lost traveler from another world? That would only add to the suspi.

  But this—this ission—was a shield. With the authority to form a neter of Space Marines, Kayvaan had not only a mission but also a defense against doubt. It gave him legitimacy, a reason for his existence. For the first time since his reawakening, he felt a flicker of hope. Yet, even as relief began to settle in, his thoughts turo the moal task ahead. A heavy sigh escaped him, his iurmoil momentarily spilling out. Still, his outward posure held. With a shake of his head, he forced a faint smile as he prepared to examihe Emperor’s reward more closely.

  Before he could act, Darius suddenly stood to attention. His boots clicked sharply together as he straightened, rigid as steel. The sharp sound echoed through the room. “Stand at attention!” Darius barked, his voice firm and unwavering. Raising one hand in salute, he decred loudly, “Darius, a loyal servant of the Imperium, formally applies to Captain Kayvaan Shrike for permission to join the Marine Corps you are about to establish!”

  With that, he withdrew a white envelope from his coat, stepped forward, and pced it oable with both hands, bowing slightly. “You… you already prepared an application?” Kayvaan asked with a wry smile, though he couldn’t hide his surprise. “You knew what was in this box all along, didn’t you?”

  “Lord, I swear my family never opehis box,” Darius replied early. “The Alen family has safeguarded this reward feions, as ordered by His Majesty the Emperor. However, it wasn’t the only one issued. Thirteeical issions were granted during that time. Of those, seven were opened immediately, revealing their tents. Each tained a issioical in nature, differing only in the name of the appoi wasn’t difficult to ihe tents of this one.

  “My areatest wish was to help you—his Lord—rebuild the Marines. For that goal, he deed tless promotions, choosing io fight on the frontlines and accumute merit. But even so, he never lived to see your awakening. Serving under your and is not just my ambition—it’s a dream my family has carried feions.”

  Kayvaan leaned back, his smile tinged with mencholy. “It’s not that simple,” he said, shaking his head. “You’re still young, Darius. You don’t uand what it takes to form a Chapter. Even a small-scale force is a moal uaking now. housand years ago, I wouldn’t have hesitated to don my armor and sail into the stars. But now…”

  He trailed off, his gaze distant. This gaxy was no lohe one he remembered. housand years had reshaped everything. The dreams of his past felt like echoes from another life, and a single ission, no matter how sacred, couldn’t bridge such a vast divide.

  Darius, still standing, hesitated before asking, “Lord, does this mean you’ll dee the ission?”