The final instalment of Black Library’s 2016 Advent Calendar, Chris Wraight’s Horus Heresy short story The Last Son of Prospero follows on from The Path of Heaven with Revuel Arvida finally having succumbed to the flesh change after guiding the White Scars back to Terra. While one war is fought deep within Terra, Malcador the Sigillite battles to save Arvida from his legion’s curse at the request of Jaghatai Khan. While the White Scars primarch feels honour-bound to help the Thousand Sons legionary, Malcador’s aims and motivations remain obscure, as ever.
After The Path of Heaven’s emotional climax it’s easy to forget about Arvida and his sacrifice, but it’s clear that the sorcerer still has a part to play. Here we get a glimpse of what form that might take, in a story with more than a little resemblance stylistically to John French’s Ahriman series as well as links to Heresy stories both old and recent. It’s portentous stuff, with plenty of the usual teasing Heresy hints but also a strong sense of how dark things are looking for Malcador and his Chosen; desperate times, and all that! It’s also a welcome reminder that the Heresy series hasn’t run out of surprises yet…
Click here for an overview of the Black Library Advent Calendar 2016.
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