Betrayer (Novel)
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Betrayer redirects here. For other uses of the term, see Betrayer (disambiguation). |
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| Author | Aaron Dembski-Bowden | |
| Performer | Jonathan Keeble | |
| Publisher | Black Library | |
| Series | Horus Heresy Series | |
| Preceded by | Angel Exterminatus | |
| Followed by | Mark of Calth | |
| Released | March 2013 | |
| Pages | 416 | |
| Length | 14 hours 9 minutes | |
| Editions | 2012 hardcover ISBN 9781849702805 2012 audiobook 2013 paperback | |
Betrayer is the 24th novel in the Horus Heresy Series written by Aaron Dembski-Bowden. The hardcover edition was published in December 2012, with the trade paperback scheduled to be published in March 2013.[1] It was later included in "The Novels: Volume 5" eBook collection.
Contents
Cover Description
The Shadow Crusade has begun. While the Ultramarines reel from Kor Phaeron's surprise attack on Calth, Lorgar and the rest of the Word Bearers strike deep into the realm of Ultramar. Their unlikely allies, Angron and the World Eaters, continue to ravage each new system they come across - upon the garrison planet of Armatura, this relentless savagery may finally prove to be their undoing. Worlds will burn, Legions will clash and a primarch will fall.[1]
Plot Summary
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The following paragraphs contain spoilers for: | Betrayer (Novel) |
Isstvan III, 005.M31. Destroyer Sergeant Skane of the World Eaters' Eighth Company signals Apothecary Kargos that he has found their his Captain, Khârn, holding on to life impaled by a Land Raider's dozer blade.[3b]
Part One: Armatura, the War-World
~007.M31. Aboard the Fidelitas Lex, Lorgar Aurelian and Magnus the Red discuss the latter's possible joining of Horus Lupercal's rebellion, and Angron's increasingly deteriorating state. As the ship and its armada exits the Warp close to the Ultramar war world Armatura, Lorgar reveals the two Abyss Class Battleships he had commissioned along the Furious Abyss.[3c] On the Conqueror, Khârn and Argel Tal discuss their respective Legiones' characters and the upcoming assault against Armatura. Angron comes in to prepare for planetfall and goads Argel Tal into attacking him, insulting the memory of Cyrene Valantion. Khârn and the Word Bearer have one last exchange: Angron is broken, and none of his World Eaters feels kinship with their primarch.[3d]
While Khârn handles the breakdown of cohesion on Armatura due to the Butcher's Nails, Flag-Captain Lotara Sarrin shares his concern over Angron's worsening condition. Lorgar decides to make planetfall as well, sensing that Angron needs help.[3e] Indeed, he has been buried under rubble and only manages to orient himself towards the surface thanks to the Communion, a psychic gestalt of the XII's few remaining Librarians. As Lorgar teleports in and starts digging his brother out, loyalist Titans approach.[3f] Lorgar is brought down by the Warhound Ardentor's plasma weapon but is saved from being crushed under its feet by Angron, who just emerged from the soil to halt the Titan's step.[3g] The primarchs are rescued by the Legio Audax Warhound Syrgalah, and Khârn orders a tech-priest to recover the remains of the chainaxe Gorechild, discarded by Angron.[3h]
The Conqueror chases the fleeing Praetorian Truth, forcing it to give a last stand. The Ultramarines ship sends boarders as it dies, but the World Eaters flagship's contingent of Astartes defenders has made unauthorized planetfall. Khârn is forced to lead a charge into a XIII Legio shieldwall.[3i] Horus contacts Lorgar, who informs him of the Shadow Crusade’s progress.[3j] The Dreadnought Lhorke is awakened along with other veterans of the War Hounds to lead the defense of the Conqueror. Syrgalah is brought down, her princeps slain, and its remaining crew is saved from loyalist troops by Argel Tal.[3k] The boarders are dispatched, but not before slaughtering most of the command crew on the Conqueror's bridge. Khârn duels Captain Orfeo, whom Angron decides to finish off.[3l]
As Princeps Audun Lyrac takes Syrgalah's Moderati away for debriefing, Sarrin challenges Delvarus of the Triarii for abandoning his post. Skane and Codicier Esca prevents things from turning into a bloodbath, and Delvarus is consigned to his quarters. Erebus warps aboard the Fidelitas Lex.[3m] The primarchs decide to split their fleet to keep laying waste to Ultramar, after bombarding Armatura into a lifeless rock.[3n]
Part Two: Nuceria, the Homeworld
Three days later. As Argel Tal pays his respects to Cyrene's tomb, Erebus comes to warn him that Khârn will be betrayed and only his friend can save him.[3o] During transit, Sarrin receives confirmation from Vel-Kheredar that the Nails are killing Angron.[3p] Khârn assists Argel Tal in retrieving Cyrene's corpse from the fanatic followers deep in the bowels of the Fidelitas Lex. In the fighting pits, Delvarus is reminded of the paramount importance of brotherly trust among the XII.[3q] At Argel Tal's request, Erebus brings Cyrene back to life, restoring her sight in the process.[3r] Lorgar tells Angron they are headed for Nuceria, and explains that Leman Russ was the true victor of their confrontation of Ghenna. After another 24 days of fitful warp transit, the traitors reach the Nuceria system.[3s]
As Nucerians struggle to find the proper way to respond to an unknown force's arrival, Angron visits the battlefield where his fellow rebel slaves were slaughtered. He then goes to Desh'ea, where he learns that the slavers claimed he had fled the last battle, and orders the planet's population to be eradicated.[3t] Six days later, as only the city of Meahor still stands, an Ultramarines armada reaches the system's edge. The World Eaters charge towards the city while Sarrin attempts to prevent the loyalists from making planetfall. Aboard the Fidelitas Lex, Cyrene is approached by the Perpetual Damon Prytanis, who wants to recruit her into the Cabal but is burned alive by her bodyguard.[3u] As the Fidelitas Lex is being finished by the XIII, Prytanis reappears and the Conqueror is being boarded. On Nuceria, the first loyalist troops drop into Meahor: the Legio Oberon with its Imperator Titan Corinthian, and the Ultramarines with their primarch Roboute Guilliman.[3v]
Guilliman duels Lorgar, and Argel Tal struggles to keep Khârn alive. Angron joins the primarchs' duel, leading to Guilliman crushing one of the rebel slaves' skulls.[3w] Syrgalah and her pack incapacitate Corinthian, enabling ground troops to besiege it. Blood begins to rain on the battlefield and Angron is racked by energies of the Warp. The Communion is extinguished trying to thwart Lorgar, and Lhorke engages the XVII primarch in combat.[3x] With Corinthian now in the traitors' hands, Erebus kills Argel Tal because he would have prevented Khârn from falling to Chaos. Still in the throes of metamorphosis, Angron saves Lorgar from Lhorke. The XIII retreat, leaving a nearly wrecked Conqueror behind.[3y]
The Ruinstorm now cuts the galaxy in twain, and Lorgar tells Khârn who killed Argel Tal. The World Eater faces Erebus in the pit and nearly kills him, but the chaplain warps away. Deep in Angron's confinement chamber, Khârn is ordered to build him a throne of skulls.[3z]
Dramatis Personae
- Warmaster Horus Lupercal — Primarch of the Sons of Horus.[3a]
- Angron — Primarch of the World Eaters.[3a]
- Lorgar Aurelian — Primarch of the Word Bearers.[3a]
- Magnus the Red — Primarch of the Thousand Sons.[3a]
- Roboute Guilliman — Primarch of the Ultramarines.[3a]
- Vorias — Lectio Primus, Librarius Division.[3a]
- Esca — Codicier, Librarius Division.[3a]
- Khârn — Captain, Eighth Company and Equerry to Angron.[3a]
- Kargos — Apothecary, Eighth Company.[3a]
- Jeddek — Standard bearer, Eighth Company.[3a]
- Skane — Sergeant, Skane Destroyer squad, Eighth Company.[3a]
- Gharte — Sergeant, Marakan Tactical squad, Eighth Company.[3a]
- Delvarus — Centurion, Delvarus Triarii squad, 44th Company.[3a]
- Lhorke — Dreadnought, Contemptor-pattern.[3a]
- Neras — Dreadnought.[3a]
- Argel Tal — Gal Vorbak, Commander of the Vakrah Jal.[3a]
- Erebus — First Chaplain, Dark Apostle of the Word.[3a]
- Eshramar — Vakrah Jal, Sergeant, Eshramar Immolation squad.[3a]
- Lotara Sarrin — Flag-Captain of the XII Legion warship Conqueror.[3a]
- Ivar Tobin — First Officer of the XII Legion warship Conqueror.[3a]
- Feyd Hallerthan — Officer of the XII Legion warship Conqueror.[3a]
- Lehralla — Scrymistress of the XII Legion warship Conqueror.[3a]
- Kejic — Vox-master of the XII Legion warship Conqueror.[3a]
- The Blessed Lady — Confessor of the Word.[3a]
- Vel-Kheredar — Archmagos Veneratus, representative of Kelbor-Hal.[3a]
- Venric Solostine — Princeps Ultima, and Princeps of the Command Titan Syrgalah.[3a]
- Toth Kol — Moderati Primus, Command Titan Syrgalah.[3a]
- Keeda Bly — Moderati Secundus, Command Titan Syrgalah.[3a]
- The Ninth — Mechanicum Adept, Command Titan Syrgalah.[3a]
- Audun Lyrac — Princeps Penultima[3a]
- Maxamillien Delantyr — Princeps, Titan Ardentor.[3a]
- Ellas Hyle — Moderati Primus, Titan Ardentor.[3a]
- Kei Adaras — Moderati Secundus, Titan Ardentor.[3a]
Others
- Tybaral Thal'kr — Praxuary, Imperial Magnate of Nuceria[3a]
- Oshamay Evrel'Korshay — General of the Thal'kr Kin-Guard[3a]
- Damon Prytanis — Perpetual[3a]
See also
Sources
- 1: Black Library (last accessed 23rd January 2022)
- 2: Aaron Dembski-Bowden: Betrayer Cover (for real this time…) (saved archived page, 26 March 2023, last accessed 31 July 2024, original link: https://aarondembskibowden.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/betrayer-cover-for-real-this-time/)
- 3: Betrayer (Novel)
- 3a: Dramatis Personae
- 3b: Prologue
- 3c: ch. 1
- 3d: ch. 2
- 3e: ch. 3
- 3f: ch. 4
- 3g: ch. 5
- 3h: ch. 6
- 3i: ch. 7
- 3j: ch. 8
- 3k: ch. 9
- 3l: ch. 10
- 3m: ch. 11
- 3n: ch. 12
- 3o: ch. 13
- 3p: ch. 14
- 3q: ch. 15
- 3r: ch. 16
- 3s: ch. 17
- 3t: ch. 18
- 3u: ch. 19
- 3v: ch. 20
- 3w: ch. 21
- 3x: ch. 22
- 3y: ch. 23
- 3z: Epilogue
- 3aa: Enhanced Edition Internal illustrations
