Arkos the Faithless - Last Stand of the Faithless: As the final Imperial siege of the Citadel ground on, the battle began to turn against the forces of Chaos with the arrival of the forces of the Ordo Malleus and another Space Marine Chapter. The Angels of Absolution had come at the behest of Supreme Grand Master Azrael of the Dark Angels, their force ferried to Vraks by the Battle Barge Liberatorii Delictum, the Strike Cruiser Repentant and their two escorts. The Angels of Absolution were a Chapter with close ties to their progenitors.At the supreme grand master's request, the Dark Angels' Interrogator-Chaplain Belphegor was attached to the strike force alongside the Angel of Absolution's Company Master (Captain) Yafnir. The strike force presented themselves before the Inquisitor Lord Hector Rex, the new commander of the Imperial forces on Vraks Prime, who permitted the strike force to make an attempt to capture the Traitor Arkos the Faithless after the Astartes of the Unforgiven had narrowly failed to capture him during their mission to Vraks nine standard years earlier.The Inquisitor had some misgivings, as he felt that an asset like a high-ranking Alpha Legion commander -- with all the sensitive intelligence he could reveal -- would best serve the Imperium by remaining in the hands of the Ordo Malleus. He feared that once captured by the notoriously independent and secretive Dark Angels, Arkos would vanish into the depths of The Rock and never be heard from again.With their explicit orders from the Supreme Grand Master of the Dark Angels and the Chapter Master of the Angels of Absolution, Interrogator-Chaplain Belphegor and Master Yafnir remained determined that if captured, Arkos must be returned to the Rock, otherwise Yafnir would be forced to withdraw his vessels and battle-brothers from the Vraks theatre.No Inquisitorial interference would be tolerated in pursuit of their mission. Eventually, Hector Rex relented and allowed the Unforgiven strike force free reign to plan and execute any operation they deemed necessary.Master Yafnir's battle-brothers launched a Drop Pod assault directly into the Citadel, then Belphegor and his Battle-Brothers descended upon the forces of the Archenemy in a lightning strike.Their target was the Basilica of St. Leonis, the heart of the Citadel. The Liberatorii Delictum and the Repentant began their own operation to find and destroy the Anarchy’s Heart, wherever it was hiding in the Vraks System.The Faithless were one of the last lines of defence for the forces of Chaos within the Citadel. Interrogator-Chaplain Belphegor led the Sternguard, the Veterans of the Dark Angels elite 1st Company, the Deathwing.It was they who intended to face down Arkos. Though the Chaos Lord's warband had been much reduced by the Long War, the potent Traitor Marine officer remained a dangerous opponent even for these vaunted Space Marines. The Angels of Absolution's squads spread out and began their search of the rubble, looking for any sign of the Arch-Traitor, but the Basilica was vast.The Loyalist Space Marines fought on, capturing as many of the The Faithless' Chaos Space Marines as they could. Even those Traitor Marines who had been grievously wounded were kept alive by the Angel of Absolution’s Apothecaries until they could reach The Rock for interrogation.Most of The Faithless died during the fierce fighting. Driven on by their master and the Interrogator-Chaplain, the Angels of Absolution hammered at the surviving Traitors and cut them down.In the midst of the battle, Master Yafnir finally found his target, surrounded by the last remaining Chaos Space Marines of his warband. Though sorely wounded, Arkos still grasped his Dark Blade in his armoured fist. A puncture in his chest plate seeped blood.Bellowing his defiance, Arkos cursed his enemies as the Angels of Absolution moved in, surrounding their dangerous foe, bolters levelled and ready for the order to attack. Arkos stood little chance. Trapped with nowhere to run, the Chaos Lord attacked the servants of the False Emperor in a rush.Master Yafnir and Arkos met one another in vicious close-combat. Master Yafnir was sorely wounded as the devious Arkos rammed his blade forwards and upwards as fast and deadly as a snake into Yafnir's face plate. Standing over the wounded and barely conscious Yafnir, the Chaos Lord killed any who attempted to rescue him.As Arkos stood over the bleeding Yafnir, Chaplain Belphegor finally arrived at the scene. The last two survivors of Arkos' warband flanked him, blood-spattered Chainswords in hand.The interrogator-chaplain ordered the Chaos Lord to yield, but he flatly refused. Raising his fell blade in challenge, the chaplain stepped forwards, and beside him came the Dark Angels Sternguard Veterans, ready to spring into action.The two champions met once again, for it was Belphegor's intervention at the Vraks starport that had saved the life of Supreme Grand Master Azrael from Arkos nine Terran years earlier. Arkos showed no sign that he recognised his old foe as he bellowed his defiance at Belphegor.The interrogator-chaplain immediately launched his attack, as the Angels of Absolution closed in about the two remaining survivors of Arkos' warband. Though Arkos fought fiercely, the Emperor was with the chaplain as the Dark Gods were driven from the Citadel.With a vicious blow from his Crozius Arcanum, Belphegor struck Arkos full in the face, staggering the Chaos Lord, and then the Chaplain slammed his crozius down, cracking Arkos' skull.The Chaos Lord sank to his knees, his tainted blood pouring down his neck and onto the floor. The interrogator-chaplain ordered his Sternguard Astartes to seize the vile Traitor, as he saw that both Arkos' surviving Traitor Marines had also been cut down.Though the strike force had succeeded in capturing Arkos, the victory had come at great cost. Master Yafnir died from his wounds, bleeding out before he could receive any kind of medical assistance.Their mission complete, the Angels of Absolution disengaged and withdrew, their prize in tow, to be handed over to the interrogator-chaplains of The Rock. The final fate of Arkos the Faithless remains uncertain.