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The Horus Heresy: Primarchs #Short Story
Child of Chaos
A Word Bearers story
In the deserts of Colchis, the events that led to the Horus Heresy began. Key among them was Erebus. Yet little is know of this arch-traitor's origins and motivations. Prepare to learn the truth behind his lies…
READ IT BECAUSE
Discover the true story of Erebus – beloved character and reviled traitor, one of the architects of the Horus Heresy itself – in his own words.
THE STORY
Whisper the name Erebus, for it is a curse and a beseechment to the dark gods. It is perhaps true that evil does not start out as such. Some tragedy, some error of judgement… Not so with Erebus. His evil has ever been ingrained. On Colchis, his story begins, the arch-heretic who turned his face from the Emperor to embrace the pantheon of Chaos.
In the deserts of Colchis, the events that led to the Horus Heresy began. Key among them was Erebus. Yet little is know of this arch-traitor's origins and motivations. Prepare to learn the truth behind his lies…
READ IT BECAUSE
Discover the true story of Erebus – beloved character and reviled traitor, one of the architects of the Horus Heresy itself – in his own words.
THE STORY
Whisper the name Erebus, for it is a curse and a beseechment to the dark gods. It is perhaps true that evil does not start out as such. Some tragedy, some error of judgement… Not so with Erebus. His evil has ever been ingrained. On Colchis, his story begins, the arch-heretic who turned his face from the Emperor to embrace the pantheon of Chaos.
25 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 25, 2020
10 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Chris Wraight
218 books380 followersChris Wraight is a British author of fantasy and science fiction.
His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting.
He is based in the south-west of England.
His first novel was published in 2008; since then, he has published books set in the Warhammer Fantasy and Stargate:Atlantis universes, and has upcoming titles in the Warhammer 40K setting.
He is based in the south-west of England.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 26, 2020
Another thing did become steadily apparent. The violence we were unleashing was a danger to our enemies even as it brought the known galaxy under the heel of Terra. The deaths were mounting, the pain increasing. Across such vast distances, that had an effect. I began to feel that the old Powers were closer to me than they had ever been, and that if I could simply reach out, extend an armoured finger ahead of me, I might somehow touch them.
I have never lost that feeling. The pantheon has remained close to me ever since, whatever lies you may have heard from my many enemies. I have never been their stated champion, not like Horus, but I have always been their servant, their counsellor to the mighty, their assassin, their adviser, their deliverer of souls.
Not just a short tie-in to Chris Wraight's Lorgar Primarchs novella, but an excellent Erebus secret origin tale with an unexpected twist that is going to make you much more love and hate one of the most despicable villains ever and one of the true architects behind the Horus Heresy.
Because Erebus did nothing wrong and his work is still far from being done yet.
Just watch.
.
May 20, 2024
May 2024 Read using the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order Omnibus XX Shadows of the Warmaster IV The Dead and the Dying (https://www.heresyomnibus.com/omnibus...) as part of my Oath of Moment to complete the Horus Heresy series and extras.
With this story I complete this omnibus and all of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order prior to the Siege of Terra Series itself! A perfect end to a phenomenal endeavour!
This story is Erebus in his own deliciously deceitful and sacrilegously self-aggrandising words. He tells his life story, from playing with scorpions until they stung him as a kid and going back for more, to playing with the biggest scorpion in the galaxy, Horus Lupercal. We see him on Davin for the first time and learn how he came to find and never lose his faith. And his unshakeable belief in himself and almost invincible reasoning as to why he is the Hand of Fated.
It's also a perfect reflection upon and cap on Erebus' journey and the Heresy, as well as a incorporating and explaining, not necessarily with specifics, the physical state of Erebus and where he's been since dramatically losing face and falling out of favour with Horus and Lorgar in Betrayer.
My Initial review before this complete reading really shows why I never feel like I can trust past me's tepid or even explicitly negative takes on art and media because I'm essentially Tinkerbell with chronic mental and physical conditions so much of me experiences are hugely coloured by mood, pain, fatigue, etc. This is funny as I am having such a rough patch right now that I went for a lay down last night with a migraine mask, put the wrong story on to listen to, and promptly fell asleep and slept through to this morning, waking up still feeking awful. BUT I loved this!
I still question why stories like this aren't Horus Heresy Character stories or just Horus Heresy ones, rather than Primarchs, but it doesn't matter at all.
I really don't know what to say about this behond it being incredibly Wraight, who is funny that I mentioned other unfavourable reviews of his when he has become one of my favourite Black Library authors, and that is deliciously Erebus in every way.
I really enjoy these confessional type character stories and the amount of added flavour, detail, to his character and the series, as well as links to 40K are all wonderful.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read* all 54 Horus Heresy main series novels (+1 repeat), all 25 novellas (+2 repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 3 Characters novels, and 142 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 10+ repeats). Plus, 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
*My tracking consistently proves shoddy, but I'm doing my best.
***
Initial Review: 3/5
Immediately after finishing this I am left with so many questions. Why is this a The Horus Heresy: Primarchs™ story and not just a Horus Heresy™ story? It even says "A Word Bearers Story" on the cover! Lorgar is referenced offscreen once. This is a story about one sneaky, sardonic Astartes. Other questions include, how are stories about this character always so mid when he is such a great bit part? (There's a reason why the Spider in ASOIAF/ GOT is such a great character, but would never get their own spinoff). Does the editor of Lupercal's War have a sadomasochistic relationship with Chris Wraight? There's a lot of his work in here, but the positioning is almost always setting them up for harsher critique. This after Little Horus is brutal, although I seem to be in the minority on this.
And, most pressingly, why did you write a story purely to put in a fun twist on a character, but not one necessarily big enough to be the foundation of a story, which is then padded out with...nothing?
An unnamed colchisian charlatan recounts the story of how he came to be a Space Marine and a schemer.
***Spoilers below, but the twist happens very near the beginning and is very obvious, and everyone else has already spoiled it, some with pictures!***
I love to hate Erebus. He is a wonderful embodiment of the evil advisor and schemer trope. I have yet to read a short story in which he is the star, especially if he is the narrator, that lives up the hype of a character like Erebus. The Subtle Knife training montage was pretty good, but I've yet to come across a banger. I think this is largely because the role he plays is not the to be in the spotlight and stories like The Shards of Erebus work better because there are other players and the contemporary plot and training are both interesting things to focus on that aren't just the Hand of Destiny at an open mic night trying out new gear.
I feel like I am being really mean to Wraight recently, and I want to reiterate that I think he's a good writer who can knock it out of the park with the right subject and narrative. The thing that puts him in my crosshairs is that my unique cocktail of neurodivergences hyperfixate on missed potential and the uncanny valley. This isn't a bad story at all. In fact, especially with the narration, everyone understands the assignment that Wraight is going for. I just don't think it does anything good for the character or telling a better than decent story. It really is just over half hour of Erebus saying how sneaky and clever and cool he is, while everyone around him is a loser, especially those stinky, dirty Davinites. Like, we get it. We've seen all this before and it's better when it comes up in a more narrative context when Erebus can run into the apartment of whichever legion he is living opposite at the time to a standing ovation from the Rembrancers in the live audience as he takes a big swig of behind the fridge and faces Russ with a big ole mjod mustache *The Remembrancers laugh so hysterically that four faint and three birth daemonettes with their mirth swansong*.
I just need more to get my teeth into and less of this essentially a clips show edited to make a new episode.
*** The Twist Spoiler***
The twist is actually really fun, if very Shyamalan. The idea that Erebus is just an even more sketchy dude who robbed the actual Erebus (human preacher on Colchis) and assumed his identity to profit and get an in with Lorgar, and thereby be the Apostle of Doom on the back of a criminal prank is just good clean fun. I mean funny, is funny. I'm sarcastic, but it is actually pretty funny and good, actually. Just not enough to base this story on. A character focused piece that was all about this nameless sketchy fucker and the devout priest Erebus with maybe a little Tell-tale Heart going on would be amazing.
We have Erebus at home...
I'm sorry, I am mean when I come from a high to a mid and when I haven't slept because of health stuff.
With this story I complete this omnibus and all of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project Reading Order prior to the Siege of Terra Series itself! A perfect end to a phenomenal endeavour!
This story is Erebus in his own deliciously deceitful and sacrilegously self-aggrandising words. He tells his life story, from playing with scorpions until they stung him as a kid and going back for more, to playing with the biggest scorpion in the galaxy, Horus Lupercal. We see him on Davin for the first time and learn how he came to find and never lose his faith. And his unshakeable belief in himself and almost invincible reasoning as to why he is the Hand of Fated.
It's also a perfect reflection upon and cap on Erebus' journey and the Heresy, as well as a incorporating and explaining, not necessarily with specifics, the physical state of Erebus and where he's been since dramatically losing face and falling out of favour with Horus and Lorgar in Betrayer.
My Initial review before this complete reading really shows why I never feel like I can trust past me's tepid or even explicitly negative takes on art and media because I'm essentially Tinkerbell with chronic mental and physical conditions so much of me experiences are hugely coloured by mood, pain, fatigue, etc. This is funny as I am having such a rough patch right now that I went for a lay down last night with a migraine mask, put the wrong story on to listen to, and promptly fell asleep and slept through to this morning, waking up still feeking awful. BUT I loved this!
I still question why stories like this aren't Horus Heresy Character stories or just Horus Heresy ones, rather than Primarchs, but it doesn't matter at all.
I really don't know what to say about this behond it being incredibly Wraight, who is funny that I mentioned other unfavourable reviews of his when he has become one of my favourite Black Library authors, and that is deliciously Erebus in every way.
I really enjoy these confessional type character stories and the amount of added flavour, detail, to his character and the series, as well as links to 40K are all wonderful.
Through the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project and my own additions, I have currently read* all 54 Horus Heresy main series novels (+1 repeat), all 25 novellas (+2 repeats), as well as the Macragge's Honour graphic novel, all 17 Primarchs novels, 3 Characters novels, and 142 short stories/ audio dramas across the Horus Heresy (inc. 10+ repeats). Plus, 2 Warhammer 40K further reading novels and 1 short story...this run, as well as writing 1 short story myself.
I couldn't be more appreciative of the phenomenal work of the Horus Heresy Omnibus Project, which has made this ridiculous endeavour all the better and has inspired me to create and collate a collection of Horus Heresy and Warhammer 40,000 documents and checklists (http://tiny.cc/im00yz). There are now too many items to list here, but there is a contents and explainer document here (http://tiny.cc/nj00yz).
*My tracking consistently proves shoddy, but I'm doing my best.
***
Initial Review: 3/5
Immediately after finishing this I am left with so many questions. Why is this a The Horus Heresy: Primarchs™ story and not just a Horus Heresy™ story? It even says "A Word Bearers Story" on the cover! Lorgar is referenced offscreen once. This is a story about one sneaky, sardonic Astartes. Other questions include, how are stories about this character always so mid when he is such a great bit part? (There's a reason why the Spider in ASOIAF/ GOT is such a great character, but would never get their own spinoff). Does the editor of Lupercal's War have a sadomasochistic relationship with Chris Wraight? There's a lot of his work in here, but the positioning is almost always setting them up for harsher critique. This after Little Horus is brutal, although I seem to be in the minority on this.
And, most pressingly, why did you write a story purely to put in a fun twist on a character, but not one necessarily big enough to be the foundation of a story, which is then padded out with...nothing?
An unnamed colchisian charlatan recounts the story of how he came to be a Space Marine and a schemer.
***Spoilers below, but the twist happens very near the beginning and is very obvious, and everyone else has already spoiled it, some with pictures!***
I love to hate Erebus. He is a wonderful embodiment of the evil advisor and schemer trope. I have yet to read a short story in which he is the star, especially if he is the narrator, that lives up the hype of a character like Erebus. The Subtle Knife training montage was pretty good, but I've yet to come across a banger. I think this is largely because the role he plays is not the to be in the spotlight and stories like The Shards of Erebus work better because there are other players and the contemporary plot and training are both interesting things to focus on that aren't just the Hand of Destiny at an open mic night trying out new gear.
I feel like I am being really mean to Wraight recently, and I want to reiterate that I think he's a good writer who can knock it out of the park with the right subject and narrative. The thing that puts him in my crosshairs is that my unique cocktail of neurodivergences hyperfixate on missed potential and the uncanny valley. This isn't a bad story at all. In fact, especially with the narration, everyone understands the assignment that Wraight is going for. I just don't think it does anything good for the character or telling a better than decent story. It really is just over half hour of Erebus saying how sneaky and clever and cool he is, while everyone around him is a loser, especially those stinky, dirty Davinites. Like, we get it. We've seen all this before and it's better when it comes up in a more narrative context when Erebus can run into the apartment of whichever legion he is living opposite at the time to a standing ovation from the Rembrancers in the live audience as he takes a big swig of behind the fridge and faces Russ with a big ole mjod mustache *The Remembrancers laugh so hysterically that four faint and three birth daemonettes with their mirth swansong*.
I just need more to get my teeth into and less of this essentially a clips show edited to make a new episode.
*** The Twist Spoiler***
The twist is actually really fun, if very Shyamalan. The idea that Erebus is just an even more sketchy dude who robbed the actual Erebus (human preacher on Colchis) and assumed his identity to profit and get an in with Lorgar, and thereby be the Apostle of Doom on the back of a criminal prank is just good clean fun. I mean funny, is funny. I'm sarcastic, but it is actually pretty funny and good, actually. Just not enough to base this story on. A character focused piece that was all about this nameless sketchy fucker and the devout priest Erebus with maybe a little Tell-tale Heart going on would be amazing.
We have Erebus at home...
I'm sorry, I am mean when I come from a high to a mid and when I haven't slept because of health stuff.
June 22, 2020
Very interesting into the background of Erebus, with a very interesting twist!
Not yet sure whether I'd read this pretty much as a first book going into the Horus Heresy series or immediately prior to the Siege of Terra, when the narration takes place (I'm closer to the first than to the second, having read roughly only 17 books of the series, in publishing order, and not having passed the Shadow Crusade in terms of the storyline across all of those).
Not yet sure whether I'd read this pretty much as a first book going into the Horus Heresy series or immediately prior to the Siege of Terra, when the narration takes place (I'm closer to the first than to the second, having read roughly only 17 books of the series, in publishing order, and not having passed the Shadow Crusade in terms of the storyline across all of those).
May 30, 2020
You hate Erebus or not, he speaks to you and you will connect. This is a new side of Chaos. Well done Chris Wright.
September 22, 2024
Warhammer 40k is riddled with complex and nuanced characters, hero, villain, whatever Ciaphas Cain counts as, are all built around their flaws. Patience versus anger, kindness and envy, humility and pride, temperance and gluttony ext. A running theme is that most characters are just barely able to commit themselves to righteousness or wickedness but this distinction was made by a hairs breadth. Had things gone just slightly differently faction lines would have been redrawn dramatically. The greatest tragedy in the Warhammer universe is that do overs are less common than convincing false messiahs and very nearly the entire pantheon of godlike characters regardless of faction, pine for what could have been.
Hither comes Erebus! Not a spiral, not a checkmark! His character arc is as flat as a washboard! Hes just good old fashioned "kick the baby" evil! That he throws the first pebble that causes the cascade failure of *checks notes* all of reality lol, is pretty funny. That he regrets nothing afterwards is downright hilarious.
In real life it only takes one sociopath whos fetish is to attack the trust based bonds that allow society to function to ruin lives, and while its hackneyed and cliche to have a number of such villains in books, its not really so tawdry or unreasonable to have one or two.
As far as short stories go, this is pretty good! Its also an excellent primer to get a rough summary of the overall 40K premise. That said, Erebus isn't a good gateway character to bring in new readers. His “””arc””” being a list of atrocities he narrowly avoided comeuppance for and his lack of gradation as a character are probably what a lot of non Warhammer fans suspect 40K is in a general sense and if they got the impression that every character was written like Erebus is here they'd probably be run off.
Hither comes Erebus! Not a spiral, not a checkmark! His character arc is as flat as a washboard! Hes just good old fashioned "kick the baby" evil! That he throws the first pebble that causes the cascade failure of *checks notes* all of reality lol, is pretty funny. That he regrets nothing afterwards is downright hilarious.
In real life it only takes one sociopath whos fetish is to attack the trust based bonds that allow society to function to ruin lives, and while its hackneyed and cliche to have a number of such villains in books, its not really so tawdry or unreasonable to have one or two.
As far as short stories go, this is pretty good! Its also an excellent primer to get a rough summary of the overall 40K premise. That said, Erebus isn't a good gateway character to bring in new readers. His “””arc””” being a list of atrocities he narrowly avoided comeuppance for and his lack of gradation as a character are probably what a lot of non Warhammer fans suspect 40K is in a general sense and if they got the impression that every character was written like Erebus is here they'd probably be run off.
October 4, 2020
There are many evil characters in the Warhammer 40k and Horus Heresy settings, but I sincerely doubt if there is any other character as universally hated as Erebus. So, naturally, when I learned about this short, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible.
This one was a bit different from what I expected. While this short didn’t reveal any hidden truth into the mind of the real harbinger of the heresy, it did give us a bit of insight into his psyche and his cunning personality. Erebus himself knows he is not a hero or even any great evil either, but he knows of his unique place in the eyes of the ruinous powers.
Chris Wraight is no ADB, but he knows what the reality behind Erebus is and also his unique characteristics and his sense of perspective. It was quite easy to grasp the weight of the plot upon the overall setting, but it also gives a simplistic view of the straightforward path that Erebus has chosen for himself. And he had prepared for his role in the grand scheme for a long time indeed.
I really enjoyed this short yet poignant glimpse into one of the most significant designers of the ‘Horus Heresy’.
Rating – 8.5 out of 10.
Find other reviews and stuff for 'Black Library' fiction on my blog - https://theoctedpath.wordpress.com/
This one was a bit different from what I expected. While this short didn’t reveal any hidden truth into the mind of the real harbinger of the heresy, it did give us a bit of insight into his psyche and his cunning personality. Erebus himself knows he is not a hero or even any great evil either, but he knows of his unique place in the eyes of the ruinous powers.
Chris Wraight is no ADB, but he knows what the reality behind Erebus is and also his unique characteristics and his sense of perspective. It was quite easy to grasp the weight of the plot upon the overall setting, but it also gives a simplistic view of the straightforward path that Erebus has chosen for himself. And he had prepared for his role in the grand scheme for a long time indeed.
I really enjoyed this short yet poignant glimpse into one of the most significant designers of the ‘Horus Heresy’.
Rating – 8.5 out of 10.
Find other reviews and stuff for 'Black Library' fiction on my blog - https://theoctedpath.wordpress.com/
July 15, 2025
“Blessed is the mind too small to doubt.”
One of the greatest villains of the Heresy speaks directly to the reader to make an account of his origins on the dusty desert world of Colchis.
Sometimes an origin is better left unknown, it can detract from the actions of the present. But in this case it only adds to the vileness and despicability of Erebus. He is genuinely such a fun villain to hate. Truly unredeemable without a single virtue.
Erebus is who he always has been. He is no turncoat for his loyalties never altered. As he waits for the Siege to begin, he is no different than the boy playing with scorpions on Colchis. And it is his self-awareness that is so delicious. There is no self-doubt, he does not whisper lies to soothe his mind, he knows who he is and embraces it.
One of the greatest villains of the Heresy speaks directly to the reader to make an account of his origins on the dusty desert world of Colchis.
Sometimes an origin is better left unknown, it can detract from the actions of the present. But in this case it only adds to the vileness and despicability of Erebus. He is genuinely such a fun villain to hate. Truly unredeemable without a single virtue.
Erebus is who he always has been. He is no turncoat for his loyalties never altered. As he waits for the Siege to begin, he is no different than the boy playing with scorpions on Colchis. And it is his self-awareness that is so delicious. There is no self-doubt, he does not whisper lies to soothe his mind, he knows who he is and embraces it.
July 17, 2025
A welcome insight into Worst Boy, Erebus.
He's bit of a black hole in most of his appearances, the thoroughly unlikable and obviously evil advisor, that people somehow listen to, and while this story doesn't make me understand why anyone would choose to be in the same room as him, let alone the likes of Horus (at least Lorgar has a clear pattern of imprinting on terrible men), it elevates Erebus from Evil Plot Device Man, to more of a fun villain.
...actually he just goes "Yes, I am Evil Plot Device Man and I enjoy it, screw every last one of you", but that self-awareness does add to the character, so I'll take it!
He's bit of a black hole in most of his appearances, the thoroughly unlikable and obviously evil advisor, that people somehow listen to, and while this story doesn't make me understand why anyone would choose to be in the same room as him, let alone the likes of Horus (at least Lorgar has a clear pattern of imprinting on terrible men), it elevates Erebus from Evil Plot Device Man, to more of a fun villain.
...actually he just goes "Yes, I am Evil Plot Device Man and I enjoy it, screw every last one of you", but that self-awareness does add to the character, so I'll take it!
November 28, 2022
For some reason this is probably the most interesting character study I've encountered in the 40K lore so far. The paired certainty and depravity of the marine known as Erebus was very effective and very chilling. I think other versions of this story would have painted Erebus as a earnest seeker gone wrong... but no, this is a man who knew what his place in the universe was from his childhood in a dustball village.
Read
June 28, 2024Warhammer 40,000’s “The Talented Mr. Ripley”. I’d wondered out loud what Erebus’ whole deal was the other day and got this recommended to me. Interesting little character study, as so many of the LW antho stories are. I do love that the answer to that question is just, essentially, “he’s a little shithead”. Of course there’s more to dig into but him going “no yeah I am a shithead”… oh, buddy.
November 16, 2022
Ooooooh Erebus has competition 😲
June 16, 2024
If you ever needed a reason to not like Erebus, this will definitely give you one.
January 9, 2026
Oh Erebus, who doesn't hate you at this point?
A lovely disclosure from the biggest bastard in all of 40k. And that's saying something!
A lovely disclosure from the biggest bastard in all of 40k. And that's saying something!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews