"Control transformation? Mephiston, are you thinking—?" Dante suddenly realized something, grabbing Mephiston with a warning glare.
But Mephiston looked back with determination—this was their only hope.
"Lord Rhodes, perhaps your special brain-core organ could greatly help us. Our Chapter has a major genetic flaw—have you heard of it?" Mephiston asked.
Rhodes had mentioned that Belisarius Cawl was tasked with studying Primaris Marines and had received the Red Grail, so he likely knew their secret.
"I know your problems—two flaws: the innate thirst for blood, and the Black Rage, which appeared after Sanguinius's death," Rhodes nodded.
These were no secret to Rhodes.
"Exactly! The thirst and Black Rage have haunted us for millennia. Both increase our power, but your special brain-core might help us control them. Your sons' berserk transformation is similar to our symptoms, right?" Mephiston asked.
Rhodes fell silent. His special brain-core could probably control the bloodthirst, which was like a vampire transformation.
But the Black Rage was different—a psychic illness, not a gene mutation, originating from Sanguinius's wrath after being killed by Horus, and passed to his sons through Warp power.
It caused his sons, in extreme battle, to hallucinate that they were Sanguinius reliving his final battle.
It was a spiritual disease, very hard to cure.
"Your thirst is a special transformation. With my special brain-core, it can be controlled," Rhodes said.
Dante and Mephiston were relieved, but Rhodes continued, pouring cold water on them.
"But there are two problems. First, your bloodthirst transformation is actually into an ancient Terran creature called a vampire—sharp fangs, blood-drinking, pale, and elegant. All traits match the Blood Angels," Rhodes said.
Dante and Mephiston were tense.
"Lord Rhodes, we are the sons of Sanguinius, the Great Angel. How could we be cursed with such a thing? Was it a Warp curse?" Dante asked.
"In ancient Terra, there were legends of angels and vampires. One theory was that vampires were humans cursed for offending angels, or mortals unable to bear angelic power. Another was that angels, as God's messengers, were tempted and betrayed by humans, and their children became vampires," Rhodes explained.
In the oldest scriptures, the first vampire wasn't Cain—that was a modern fabrication. Some say fallen angels became vampires, or those unworthy to bear angelic power.
The souls of the 20 Primarchs were made from fragments of ancient human demigods. Guilliman's soul likely came from Roman gods, Russ's from Norse gods, and Sanguinius's from angelic fragments in the Bible.
Angels have two sides—holiness and the potential to fall. Fallen angels are even more terrifying.
That the sons of Sanguinius became vampires was, in a way, natural.
You can control the transformation, but you will become vampires, not angels.
Rhodes told Dante and Mephiston everything.
"So that's it! There were such terrifying beings in ancient Terra, and our gene-father was connected to them. No wonder we have this curse," Dante said, horrified.
The Great Angel was so holy, yet had a terrifying fallen side. The curse didn't affect him, but it did his sons—humans couldn't bear angelic power, so they became vampires.
"As long as we can control the transformation, it's better than losing control. Since we can't escape the curse, why not accept it?" Mephiston said.
Dante opened his mouth, then nodded. Mephiston was right—it was better to control it than be controlled by it.
"Lord Rhodes, what's the second problem?" Mephiston asked.
"The Black Rage is a psychic illness from Sanguinius, not a transformation but spiritual pollution," Rhodes said.
"Lord Rhodes, the Black Rage has been sealed in me by our father, as I told you. So, we only need to control the blood curse. As for Black Rage, the special brain-core should help suppress it," Mephiston said.
Rhodes agreed to give them the special brain-core to control the bloodthirst but warned:
"This is an irreversible change. If you use the transformation too often, you will permanently become a vampires. That's the key—you will become legendary vampires," Rhodes said.
"I understand, Lord Rhodes. As long as we can control the power, that is enough. I will order that it be used only in dire need, and if anyone becomes an uncontrollable monster, I will execute them myself," Dante said.
Better than the Death Company's fate. With control, the curse could be managed.
"But this isn't up to you two. I need to discuss it with your gene-father and hear his views," Rhodes said.
"You can contact our gene-father?" Dante and Mephiston asked in shock.
Rhodes nodded.