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From Warhammer 40k - Lexicanum
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'''Zaxos the Enlightened''' was a [[Dark Apostle]] in the [[Word Bearers]] [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]], during the [[Horus Heresy]].{{Fn|1}}
==History==
In the [[Horus Heresy|Heresy]]'s fifth year, Zaxos sought to [[Gilden's Star Campaign|conquer]] the [[Imperium]]'s [[Gilden's Star System]], due to its resources and large population. Before he struck, the [[Dark Apostle]] sent forth his [[Chaos Cult|cultist infiltrators]], fanatics and [[Demagogue]]s to embed themselves within the [[System]]'s warlike military aristocracy. Their honeyed words worked upon [[Noble]]s who had come to resent the constant demands the Imperium requested of their worlds. By the time Zaxos arrived with his Word Bearers, the rulers of the Gilden's Stars' worlds willingly handed them over to him. Soon the Dark Apostle began sacrificing some of the [[System]]'s population to the [[Chaos Gods]], while also fully corrupting others to serve the Word Bearers. However a [[Loyalist]] garrison on the [[Capital World]] [[Gilden Prime]] sent , was able to send out a warning of what had occurred, before all contact with the Systemwas lost.{{Fn|1}}
The first [[Imperial]]s to receive the warning, was a nearby [[Blood Angels]] strike force led by [[Praetor (Rank)|Archein]] [[Alcetas Castael]]. He became incensed upon learning of the [[Gilden's Star System|Gilden Star]]'s fall to [[Heresy]], as it was his [[Space Marine Legion|Legion]] had brought its worlds into [[Compliance]], during the [[Great Crusade]]. Castael then decided to reconquer the [[System]], though he was unaware that the [[Word Bearers]] had been behind its betrayal. For his part, Zaxos had known the Imperium would try to reclaim Gilden's Star, once it learned what had occur ed, and had prepared ambushes to destroy any invading Imperial forces. When Castael invaded the System's capital [[Gilden Prime]], the [[Dark Apostle]] lay in wait with a large force of Word Bearers and the world's corrupted population. Zaxos then attacked, after the Archein had split his forces into groups in an attempt to quickly seize the world. What followed was a massacre, as the Word Bearers blocked the Blood Angels' communication equipment, preventing the groups from contacting each other or their fleet. Now forced to fight alone, the Blood Angels began to be overwhelmed by Zaxos' forces. The Word Bearers' [[Order of the Procurators|Procurators]] also began summoning [[Daemon]]s, by desecrating the bodies of dead or wounded Blood Angels as sacrifices.{{Fn|1}}
