Belial

Belial is Grand Master of the Deathwing, the First Company of the Dark Angels Space Marine Chapter, and a member of the Chapter’s Inner Circle. He wears bone-white Terminator armour and carries the Sword of Silence, one of the Heavenfall Blades. He was born on Bregundia, a feudal world ruled by knightly orders, into the nobility of the Society of the Ebon Star. Defying his father, he entered the tournament that chose the society’s aspirant in disguise and won it, then fought Chaplain Lamorak rather than reveal his face. Lamorak beat him but accepted him for testing. As a battle-brother Belial won the rematch in under a minute.

Belial served in the 3rd Company, where he was known as a perfectionist who imposed penance on himself and his squad for the smallest error. During the Black Crusade of Furion, in the ruins of the Temple Saturnis on Durga Principe, Master Nadael was killed. Belial, as senior sergeant, took command, covered the company’s withdrawal, and killed Furion in single combat. He returned to the Rock as Master of the 3rd Company and received the Sword of Silence from Azrael; one account says instead that the victory brought him command of the Deathwing. In 960.M41 he fought on the asteroid Malefus Murex during the Pandorax Campaign.

In 997.M41, at the Battle of Piscina IV, he commanded the 3rd Company in the defence of Kadillus Harbour. Ghazghkull Thraka defeated him in single combat and nearly killed him, but the wounded Belial held the company together for about two weeks until the rest of the Chapter returned. He was later on Piscina IV again with Azrael, urging Exterminatus to end the continuing Ork war. When Grand Master Gabriel was killed aboard the space hulk Charnel Shrine in 999.M41, the Inner Circle named Belial his successor. He led the Deathwing back aboard and destroyed the hulk after seventy-three days of fighting. Under his command the Deathwing won victories on the marshes of Crassia II and routed the Violators on Terraq, both near the Eye of Terror.

Belial works with Grand Master Sammael of the Ravenwing in the hunt for the Fallen. During the Siege of the Rock, shortly after the Great Rift opened, he saved Sammael from the daemon prince Marbas by cutting off one of its hands, though Marbas escaped into the warp. In the Arks of Omen, Azrael gave him overall command of the defence when Vashtorr attacked the Rock. At the Battle of Idolatros he led the Deathwing in the boarding of Wyrmwood, where the daemon primarch Angron badly wounded him. To survive he crossed the Rubicon Primaris and became a Primaris Space Marine.