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Fel Zharost

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Fel Zharost[4]

Fel Zharost was the Night Lords Chief Librarian, during the Great Crusade and took part in the Horus Heresy[1]

History

Zharost was born on Terra, in the prison sinks beneath Albia. As a Terran born member of the Night Lords, Zharost noticed how his Legion changed, once they were reunited with their Primarch Konrad Curze and began recruiting from his Homeworld Nostramo. A poison born from that world began to degrade the Legion, as its numbers swelled with new recruits, and Zharost saw how these new Night Lords began to inflict torture and death for its own sake; rather than to advance the cause of the Great Crusade. He was not alone in this and a wedge formed between those Night Lords born on Terra, who argued for the Legion to return to what it once was, and those on Nostramo, who didn't consider these guardians of nostalgia to be part of their Legion[1].

Not all of the Terran Night Lords felt that way, however. Some instead chose to embrace the Nostramos, like the Librarian Vathras Kell. He was among Zharost's favored students and was being mentored by the Chief Librarian, when their differences about the Nostramos came to a head. Kell argued with Zharost on why he felt the culture and traditions of Albia's prison sinks, were superior to those of their Primarch's Homeworld. For Kell, though, it was their birthplace, Albia had no hold on him and the Librarian saw no reason not to embrace Nostramo. Zharost could see this and warned Kell against doing so or the Nostramos' culture would corrupt him as well. Kell refused to do so and this led to a falling out between them and the end of Zharost's mentorship of his fellow Terran[2]. As the Crusade wore on however, the number of Terran born Night Lords dwindled and they were replaced with Nostramo recruits - ensuring the path the Legion was set on, could not be changed. By the time the Edict of Nikaea was given, there were few of the Terran Night Lords left and Zharost sadly noted that even they had begun acting just like their Nostramo counterparts.[1]

This all weighed heavily on Zharost's mind as he met with Jago Sevatarion, to determine his fate and those of the rest of the Night Lords' Librarium, after it had been disbanded following the Edict given by the Emperor. Sevatarion was not interested in making that judgement however, and showed little interest in the fate of the Librarians. Zharost would not be swayed though and persisted that Jago make a decision, as with their Primarch away being disciplined by his Brothers, Sevatarion was the highest ranking member of the Legion present and had no choice but to decide. Eventually Zharost's persistence angered Sevatarion to the point that he struck the former Chief Librarian, knocking him to the ground, and told him he would wear the sinner's red gauntlets and be cast out of the Legion. As Zharost picked himself up he was filled with anger, not at his fate, but at how far his Legion had fallen since being reunited with its Primarch. In his anger Zharost gave voice to this displeasure and told Jago of what their Legion had once been, but Sevatarion dismissed this as nostalgia from an old Terran Night Lord and turned his back on him. This dismissal enraged Zharost and he suddenly used his psychic powers to repeatedly strike Sevatarion; all while screaming that the Nostramos and their poisoned world, had killed the Legion. His attacks ended with a flash of power though, as Sevatarion used his hidden psychic abilities, to hurl Zharost away from him. The former Chief Librarian was not killed for his attack however, as Sevatarion simply told him to leave and never return.[1]

After being cast out from the Night Lords, Zharost returned to his birth home beneath Albia and hid himself away there from the Imperium. Years passed this way, until he was confronted by a Space Marine, who told Zharost he had come looking for him. Believing that the Space Marine was there to kill him, Zharost used his abilities to show his executioner his entire life, so that he could be properly judged for his actions. When he was done, he simply asked to able to see the light from the Sun one last time and once again used his powers to read the Space Marine's mind. What Zharost found in the Space Marine's memories shocked him, as he saw the end of the Great Crusade and the beginning of the Horus Heresy, which threatened to destroy the Imperium. Zharost let go of the Space Marine's mind and was told he was not going to be killed, but instead brought before someone who would determine what would become of him. Knowing now why the Space Marine had come for him, Zharost willingly left with him, to accept what he knew would be his fate.[1]

Spoiler!
This page contains spoilers for: Eater of Dreams (Short Story)

Zharost would then meet with Malcador the Sigilite and was given the choice of joining his Knight-Errants and fighting for the Imperium once more. If he did so, Zharost would be given the chance of ending the threat of his former comrade Vathras Kell, who was conducting a Chaos ritual on Malec'Nar. Doing so, Malcador claimed, would give Zharost the needed closure on his painful past with the Night Lords. Zharost accepted and his fellow Knight-Errant Macer Varren, joined him aboard the Achlys as it traveled to Malec'Nar. While Varren would aid Zharost in this task, he warned the former Night Lord, that he was charged with killing Zharost, should he betray the Imperium. Once they arrived, Zharost could sense that the corrupted Malec'Nar, was giving off a singular song of agony. When they landed, it became clear that the world's Blackstone deposits were being used to amplify Kell's ritual. The two Knight-Errants then fought their way through, the world's corrupted population to reach Kell. The Sorcerer was not alone, however, as he had a group of Night Lords who were aiding him. This included Cyfan, Dimav and an unnamed Night Lord. While they were strong, however, they were nothing compared to Kell's psychic might.[2]

Their reunion allowed Kell to rage at Zharost for abandoning him. It had been a personal betrayal to the Sorcerer, who then claimed it was Zharost's fault, for what befell their Legion's Librarians after he left. As without the former Chief Librarian's presence, they were at the mercy of their fellow Night Lords. Despite the Edict of Nikaea against the use of Psychic powers, Kell and the other former Librarians were still mistreated and became traded like cattle within their Legion. Kell blamed Zharost for the Librarians' fate and had developed a deep hatred of the former Chief Librarian. When the Horus Heresy later began, Kell joined his Legion in betraying the Imperium. After hearing this, Zharost apologized - before suddenly attacking the Night Lords with Varren. The first to die, was the unnamed Night Lord Sorcerer who fell at Zharost's hands. Dimav was then killed by Varren, as Zharost clashed with Kell. Despite his increase in power since they last met, though, Kell proved to be no match for Zharost and was struck down. Before he died, however, Zharost told Kell that his death was not justice for the Sorcerer's actions, but vindication for Zharost's warning to him. By embracing Nostramo, Kell had become corrupted and lived a life without purpose or meaning. With the Sorcerer dead, only Cyfan remained and he had Varren at his mercy. Before the Sorcerer could kill the Knight-Errant, though, Zharost killed Cyfan with his psychic powers. With that, Zharost completed his task of killing Kell and the Sorcerer's death freed Malec'Nar. Without Kell to maintain the ritual, the Warp fled from the world's Blackstone deposits and Malec'Nar was silenced.[2]

It is likely that Zharost later ultimately became Khyron, a Night Lord who became a founding member of the Grey Knights.[3]

See Also

Sources