Editing Sigismund (section)

===The Scouring===
After the Heresy and the Iron Cage business, what remained of the Imperial Fists Legion was divided into five Chapters, in accordance with the [[Codex Astartes]] reforms. Dorn placed those now ex-Imperial Fists that were still [[rage|burning with the need]] to [[rip and tear|tear traitors multiple new orifices, barehanded if necessary,]] under Sigismund's command. They became the [[Black Templars]] Chapter, while the third and fourth Chapters (formed from the more conservative/level-headed Marines and those more accepting of the Codex Astartes) were the [[Crimson Fists]] and [[Fists Exemplar]]. Those Astartes who had fought on the walls of the Imperial Palace became the [[Excoriators]]), while Rann would have to wait until the Third Founding before his head-takers got their big break and became the [[Executioners]]. Considering that the Black Templars are a Chapter of Space Marines that wants nothing else than to purge traitors, aliens and heretics with [[Imperial Cult|religious fervor]], they promptly set out on their eternal Crusade vowing to never stop hunting down the enemies of the Imperium. And they are true to their word, too. Ten thousand years, and they're still going strong, kicking heretic and xenos ass left, right and centre!

Sigismund would fight in the First [[Black Crusade]], where by that point he was just shy of one thousand years old, having fought and killed everything the galaxy could throw at him (and given that it's ''40K'', that's a lot). Unlike most Imperials, he still believed the Traitor Legions would return, making the Black Templars the only Imperial force ready when the [[Black Legion]] invaded. Sigismund later faced [[Abaddon]] himself in battle during the First Black Crusade; the outcome was long unconfirmed, but as of the recent Black Legion books, we can finally say for certain that Abaddon killed Sigismund in single combat. The two were at a stalemate at first, with Abaddon being stronger and better armored, while Sigismund was quicker and more controlled. Over time though, Siggy's age started catching up with him, and his body slowed. When he realized he couldn't win, Siggy did his best Excalibur impression, except here Abaddon's torso was the stone the blade was plunged into, like that old Emperor's Champion art with the ork. You know the one. To match Siggy's final moment of badassery, Abaddon inflicted a mortal blow of his own, slaying the old warrior - Sigismund had realized he would only kill Abaddon by exposing himself, and he did it without hesitation.

BADASS.
Abaddon's lieutenant felt that the playing field was only evened out by Sigismund's age bringing him down to the level of other Astartes. Even with this handicap Sigismund still put up a tremendous fight, almost killing Abaddon outright. The Black Knight came closer to killing the Despoiler than anyone else has (except maybe [[Thalastian Jorus]]). Best of all, the Black Legion high command treated him with the utmost respect in death. Abaddon cleaned him up as much as possible (he was kinda torn in two), and had his corpse sent back to Terra with the message that the Black Legion had arrived and declared its [[Long War]] against the God-Emperor. They didn't even [[Blood Ravens|steal]] the ''Black Sword'', but returned it along with Sigismund's body.