Editing Rogerius Merrill (section)

===The Hektor Heresy===

<span>''"I brought Merrill to the negotiations because he is more than just another Primarch to me. He is a promise of violence, pain and death to my enemies."''</span>

-Hektor Cincinnatus, when asked about Rogerius Merrill's presence on a diplomatic mission

After the Voidwatcher's assault on Terra and Hektor's subsequent call for diplomacy at Ostium, Merrill swiftly sped towards his brother's moot. While traveling, he received a second signal from Hektor. He would have a special assignment. He watched the debate between Tiran Osiris and Hektor with cold ambivalence. Politics held no interest for him. Only the decision mattered, and Merrill knew the decision the council would come to. As Tiran left the Council halls, Hektor made a gesture which Rogerius recognized as his signal. This development made him slow. He and Tiran had never been particularly close, but Tiran was also one of the few Primarchs with which Merrill shared no ill will. His voyage to Diamat was one of the longest in his memory.

Merrill was no less consoled by the time of his arrival at Ostium. But he knew that his duties required silencing his own misgivings and forging forward. He had done it many times in the past and this would be no different. With a single decisive engagement he crippled Tiran's naval abilities and forced them to ground. The Scale Bearers fought well, but they were surprised and off-balance from the Iron Rangers' attacks. Merrill ensured his orders would be carried out amongst his troops with one specific caveat: Tiran would be left for Merrill himself. Merrill made an exception from his normal standards for Tiran. The Primarch was a good man and deserved to die respectfully.

The two Primarchs clashed in a fight that would be recounted for the ages. Blows strong enough to pierce plasteel and shatter rocrete were exchanged. When the dust settled Merrill stood wounded but victorious, the broken tip of his spear driven through his brother's chin. Merrill stood over the corpse of his brother for several seconds waiting for him to stand back up and continue the fight. But he lay there unmoving. As realization of Merrill's deeds dawned on him he let out a primal cry of many hues. Those who heard it said it was of anger, resentment, despair, hopelessness, remorse, and victory. The Iron Rangers froze in confusion from the sudden outburst of their gene-sire. Some of the less shaken Scale Bearers used this to push them back enough to retrieve their Primarch and reconsolidate into small squads. But the Iron Rangers' task was complete and Merrill recalled his dogs. After the battle he sat for a long time in the isolation of his own private quarters.

Hektor's war continued raging without him for some time. In his absence, the Iron Rangers were forced to work under the guidance of Merrill's second-in-command, Cellweirwyr. When he finally returned from his chambers, he was different. Gone was his calculating nature. Now he was a true agent of Chaos. The longer the campaign continued, the less lucid the Primarch became. By the time Hektor arrived at Terra, Merrill no longer cared for the success or failure of the war or his men. He instead viewed the invasion as the galaxy's greatest hunting grounds. Little was seen of him on the lines his men fought. Merrill instead stalked the shadows of the hives and parapets slaughtering nobles and bodyguards. He hunted down the most dangerous men and women he could find and killed them in cold blood. Only when the Imperial walls were breached would Merrill rejoin the host to hunt and kill the Custodes now that they were fighting openly. Many believed he wished to slay the Emperor before Hektor had a chance. But that battle never came.

When the Warmaster fell, Merrill was amongst the first to withdraw his forces. Though many attribute it to cowardice or his known pragmatism, those closest believe his retreat was spurred because he believed there was no further need to stay attached to the traitorous forces.