[Antioch Zero][Epilogue]

Written by ZeusLegion. Edited by Auspex Turmalis.

Table of Contents

Epilogue

With Sevorak dead and his mysterious Xel'Nagan weapons defeated, the surviving Scionists surrendered to us almost immediately. I have yet to comprehend what it was he was trying to accomplish on that dead world.

Jepok, battered and bewildered, could not care less about why and how. Infuriated by the Scionists' expectation that he should show them mercy after what they had so callously done to the thousands of people of Teross, he chose to strand the Scionist survivors on Umbra with no technology and no transportation. A fate much worse than death, I believe.

When we returned to Aiur with Nannoth/Taeradun in stasis, however, Jepok could not find it within himself to execute Nannoth for Taeradun's crime and, with Nannoth's agreement, ordered the Archon to be secretly sealed alive in an abandoned temple to the north of Antioch. A most horrible fate. I am still at a loss to understand Taeradun's betrayal or how Sevorak was able to corrupt him.

As for the strange weapons Sevorak commanded, to which I have found vague references in the Archives which call them the "Eyes of the Xel'Naga," only one was recovered. No one can explain the disappearance of the other. Jepok believes the Scionists must have taken it. He has theorized that the devices act in unison and cannot function separately, and has taken the device to be hidden away on Aiur in hopes that by doing so, he will make certain they are never used again. Although it appears to have been completely drained of its power, its potential for further destruction is far too great to allow it to be kept in the Archives.

Days after our return to Aiur, Jepok was ordered to address the Conclave, and in his report of the events on Umbra, he was more than kind to Nannoth/Taeradun, hailing the Archon as a great hero who died in the battle to defeat Sevorak.

Moloch flew into a maniacal rage when he heard this untruth and spoke out against Jepok's version of history, which said nothing at all of poor Kuldarus and his grisly murder. I tried to calm him but the guards attempted to restrain both of us. Moloch began fighting them viciously, like a crazed animal. Surrounded by twenty more guards, we were both beaten severely and taken into custody on charges of blasphemy, among others.

During the formal hearing that followed, it came out that I had taught Kuldarus tolerance and understanding of the Dark Templar. Aldaris was the first to accuse us of heresy, and leaned on the Judicators for harsh punishment, stating that we might have corrupted his own student, Verana, and that perhaps Kuldarus deserved his fate. Moloch, who has been growing more and more out of control, tried to take Aldaris' head off.

I believe Aldaris did what he did in fear of the Conclave discovering that he had shared his memories with a "heretic," a criminal act in the eyes of the Conclave punishable by execution, regardless of whether he had known what I had done. Explaining this to Moloch was a waste of time. I can barely communicate with him any more through his mania. When not in a rage he is usually catatonic, or continues to blame himself for Kuldarus' death.

Durial the trial, Jepok came to our defense and rekindled the tale of Adun. It was decided that we, like our dark brethren of old, would be banished.

Surprisingly, news of our banishment has inspired a movement of young Templar who have chosen to go with us rather than live under the law of the Conclave. The youngest of these is Khrillian, a Shelak survivor from Teross. A most promising disciple, I have chosen him to be my apprentice-scribe.

We leave tomorrow aboard an unarmed shuttle. Undoubtedly, there will be a great ceremony of humiliation so that others can witness our shame and see how righteous the punishment of the Conclave is.

Barred from traveling to any world under jurisdiction of the Empire, I have decided that we will journey to the world where our dark brethren currently reside. With the help of a Dark Templar named Khashigal, whom I have secretly spoken with several times over the past few decades, I have made arrangements for us to reside in a province ruled by a wise and trusted leader of Khashigal's people — a Prelate named Zeratul.

I can only hope that he may be of some help in restoring Moloch's mind.

Lately, I have had terrifying visions of future events. I have recorded them in this journal to the best of my ability and it is my sincere hope that someone will be able to make sense of them and use them to prevent the horrors I believe await future generations. The most horrible is one I have dubbed "The Prophecy of Baphomet."

I must rest for tomorrow's journey. For now, my tale is done.

—Laurioch

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