Editing Cardinal Knights (section)

=== Traitors from within ===
'Heart Taker' is the 9th Chapter Master of the Cardinal Knights. Their 8th chapter master was Alma Escura, who lead the chapter for some 3 centuries before he started to hear a voice in his head telling him to seek out certain hearts and giving him advice that always lead to victory. Little did he know that the voice was in fact a daemon of Khorne, who planned not only to use the chapter to allow him to enter reality once more, but also turn them into his own personal army.

For over 40 years the daemon guided them, pointing Escura in the directions would benefit him and his lord, and after a while, it began to slowly enter into the body of the chapter master, waiting for the moment to emerge whilst drinking the souls of those slain by the chapter.

Not all within the chapter, however, were convinced of the purity of their goals. The Master of Sanctity, Puro Corazón, in particular, found the battles the chapter fought in to be interesting, and so began to try and find a pattern within their deployments. He noticed certain things in his research.

He noticed how the chapter would go to worlds that didn't seem to need aid, only for them to arrive just in time for them to meet some foe of the Imperium and catch them unawares, leaving them easy pickings for the chapter.

He noticed how, though they did battle with the numerous agents of chaos, very rarely did they face the servants of the Blood God, and when they did, it seemed to be only when others were in need of their aid to finish off the minions of Khorne.

He noticed how their chapter master had grown in combat prowess, how none could match him in the sparring cages, how no foe seemed to be able to do much but slow him down on the field of battle, and how he had recently taken to drinking the blood of his vanquished foes.

He noticed how many times the number eight came up in battle reports, be they numbers of guard regiments they fought beside, the total number of troops they deployed or even the total death toll.

He noticed the patterns the chapters deployments seemed to make, patterns that looked unusual to Corazón.

He saw all these things, things that may just be coincidences, but if the High Chaplain knew one thing it was this: coincidences take a lot of planning.

And so he began to seek out other brothers in important positions who where uneasy about the chapters victories: Epistolary Via, who had felt something prodding at his mind for some time now; Techmarine Cámaras, who had become concerned by the instructions he was given regarding the hearts meant for Escura and his closest subordinates; and Chief Apothecary Sangue, the oldest member of the chapter, who was troubled by the refusal of some of their brothers to allow their gene-seed to be tested and the chapter master's refusal to allow him to force them to submit to testing.

With these members of the chapter with him Corazón began to find those he deemed loyal to the chapter, and began to plan the downfall of the man he now believed to be in the clutches of Chaos.

Unbeknownst to Corazón however, the daemon's plan was reaching its endgame. Alma Escura announced a great celebration was to be had to commemorate 48 years of glorious victory. Each side, unknowingly, were planning to reveal their hands at this gathering.

At the height of festival, Escura stood to make a speech. He spoke of the battles they had fought, the hearts they had taken, and the glories that they had won, most of them alone. Alone, he spoke, because that was how the chapter was best, away from the Imperial Guard, away from other Space Marines, away from the Imperium entirely. And what thanks, he asked, had they gotten for these acts? None. Sure, the worlds they battled on were grateful, but what could they offer ones as strong as they were? What could anyone in the Imperium offer them, really? The Imperium was dying, and why should they fight for the losing side, when there were other causes they could serve, with masters that would have greater rewards, gifts fitting of warriors of their standards. It was then that Corazón spoke up.

He stood and questioned who Escura's masters were, what these gifts they could give them whre, and just how he came to know of them. When no answer came, he pushed onwards, throwing all the evidence he had gathered in his eight years of research out into the open. He demanded that Alma Escura answer him one question: why did he secretly collect the skulls of his enemies? Corazón declared there was only one reason he would do so-- that he served the Chaos God Khorne. The Chaplain decried the chapter master of the Cardinal Knights as a heretic, a traitor and a willing daemonhost. He gave the assembled marines an ultimatum: stand with this villain and sell their souls to Chaos, or side with him and strike down this traitor to the chapter and the Imperium. The response was instantaneous.
Brother turned on brother as the feasting hall descended into anarchy. Corazón was struck by the number who fought in his favour outweighing those who turned their backs on all they had stood for. Seeing what he had caused, the Chaplain raised his Crozius and charged his former chapter master. But the daemon, fearing its host would perish here, chose this moment to ascend. Though their spirits may have merged long ago, it was only now that they fused in body. The traitor's form warped and twisted into a Champion of Khorne, a form Escura felt could finally allow him to feast on all the blood and hearts he could want. 

Corazón would not allow this heresy to continue. Though a lesser man may have balked at the sight of this beast, the Chaplain was consumed with a fervour unlike any other. Though the daemon was far stronger, it was still in a new body, and this was an advantage that could be used. The battle only lasted minutes, but it felt longer to Corazón, who pushed his body beyond what even he though he was capable of as he dueled with this beast of the Blood God.

Finally the creature grabbed him, crushing his torso as it did, and lifted him into the air. The thing laughed, and said that the Chaplain had picked the wrong side, that he should have sided with Chaos, and how he was fighting for a dead master in a dying empire. And it was in this moment of gloating that Corazón struck.

Activating the device that Via and Cámaras had created, he watched as the former chapter master staggered back, brought low by the null-field projector they had created. Broken, with both hearts punctured, Corazón knew what he had to do. He got to his feet, staggered over to the daemon, and plunged his power fist into the foul creature's chest, ripping out the thing's still beating heart. He took the organ, ripped it free from the tubes connecting it to Escura's body and with his other hand, struck the beast in the head with his Crozius, killing the weakened creature as the null-field had sapped most of its strength. 

Now came the tricky part.

Taking his weapon, he cut a great rip in his chest and forced the demonic organ into the hole, knowing that with both his hearts ruptured, he had moments to live otherwise.

The heart seemed to squeeze itself into the hole, as though eager to take hold of the Chaplain. With his foe slain and his prize taken, Puro Corazón allowed himself to fall into the blackness of unconsciousness.