Set during the Shadow Crusade on the Imperial world of Kronus, Gav Thorpe’s short story Inheritor is the latest in the Heresy Series to return to the 500 Worlds, but this time the focus is on the fragile bond between the Word Bearers and the World Eaters. Under orders from their primarchs, Eliphas of the XVII and Eres of the XII Legion have forged a tenuous alliance in pursuit of a common goal, in spite of their clear differences. Despite its billing on the Black Library website, this isn’t a story of outright conflict between legions but rather an exercise in tension as the ties between them are tested.
The Word Bearers get the brunt of the story here, as Eliphas contemplates his grand work and the glory it will bring, clearly planning on making use of the savage World Eaters in the completion of his work. In contrast Eres takes a pragmatic view of the situation, well aware of how the Word Bearers see him and his brothers. While Eliphas’ musings are little dense at times, Eres’ unusually measured thoughts on his legion’s defining trait, and Gav’s intriguing take on the Butcher’s Nails, make for fascinating reading and lead nicely into a short but brutal confrontation with some unlucky Ultramarines. There’s lots to like here, especially for World Eaters fans, and it ties nicely into the wider arc of how the Word Bearers still in Ultramar deal with their role in the overall conflict.
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