Azrael - A Determined Novitiate: Dark Angels forswear all past life and allegiances, forgetting the worlds of their birth, forsaking all kinship and former friendships to become warriors of the Chapter. Through long rituals and inculcation into the traditions and teachings of the Dark Angels, each takes on the mantle of a righteous soldier of the Emperor and remembers little of his origins.The same is true of Supreme Grand Master Azrael; if he recalls anything of his childhood, he tells nothing. Yet in the vaults of The Rock, there exist ancient records of recruitment, guarded by the Chaplains and kept safe by vigil and lock.Here, even the beginnings of a lord of the Chapter as great as Azrael can be found. Though the Chaplains discourage idle rumour and gossip, tales circulate amongst the battle-brethren of the circumstances that brought their commander to the Dark Angels.Azrael's beginnings are a mystery, although rumours persist that he was inducted into the Chapter from the tribes of wild headhunters who called the icy Feral World of Kimmeria home, but he shows none of his forebears' predilection for anti-social tendencies.Before reaching even thirteen Terran years old, he was marked for greatness. The trophy stakes outside the lodge of his family held two dozen heads taken by the young fighter in raids and battles, and leadership of the clan was certain when he grew older.The Emperor's servants had other plans for the youth that would become Azrael, for Kimmeria is a recruiting world of the Dark Angels, and on one of their visits to the planet, the Chaplains were drawn to the boy. Along with a handful of other promising candidates, he was taken by the Chapter, body and soul tested near to breaking point.Alone amongst those recruited at that time, he passed these tests, meaning that there are no others amongst the Chapter who share any deeper knowledge of his lowly origins. Whatever the truth of his background, he foreswore it, as do all new inductees into the Dark Angels.Once inducted as a novitiate into the 10th Company, the youthful Azrael performed above expectation. As his body was crafted into that of a noble warrior of the Adeptus Astartes, so too was his mind honed.It was not the physical deeds of the young Scout Marine that drew attention, though they were as considerable as any Dark Angel, but his surety of purpose and dedication to the teachings of the Chapter.On Daenyth Secundus, that mettle was tested gravely. Elements of the 10th, 6th and 3rd Companies were fighting Aeldari pirates that had been preying upon the people of Daenyth Secundus for many solar decades. Against such swift-moving, elusive foes, the Scouts were essential in locating the enemy.One night, two solar weeks into a frustrating campaign that had seen the Aeldari avoid open battle, the Scouts located an active Warp Gate -- an Aeldari portal to one of the alien ships hiding in orbit. The Sergeants were ready to communicate their discovery to the Force Commander when a small group of pirates emerged.Caught unawares, the Aeldari were swiftly slain. It was Azrael that realised that the Aeldari would soon miss their reconnaissance party and urged the Sergeants to lead an attack back through the portal before it was closed.Swayed by the Scout's conviction and recognising the logic of his plan, the Sergeants acceded to his impassioned request. Passing through the portal, the Scouts found themselves aboard a xenos pirate ship above the world. They wreaked havoc in the heart of the enemy starship, managing to disable its engines so that a Dark Angels rapid strike vessel could bring it to battle.Before the ship was destroyed, the Scouts were saved by a daring Thunderhawk extraction. On returning to the Chapter, Azrael was awarded his first laurel of victory -- one of only six individuals in ten thousand Terran years to have earned such honour before becoming full battle-brothers.By the time Azrael took his titled name and ascended to the ranks of the battle-brothers, it was thought he would join the Chaplaincy, such was his knowledge of, and aptitude for, the lore of the Dark Angels. However, the course of his life was to take a different turn.