[30k to 40k, some semi-apocryphal content, no female protagonist, loyalty, not a "wish fulfillment" story]"

Hermes: "Horus, my friend, death is not the end!"

"We were never soldiers... In their eyes, we were made to be the personification of rage. In their eyes, we must exist only for destruction. But we were once his companions. We were the ones he trusted. We were his advisors, his artisans. We were a glimpse of what this species could become if guided correctly, freed from its own malice and weakness. Of course, we were also taught how to fight. He knew that war was coming. It was a necessary step for ascension.