In the ninth month after the fall of Pluto, in the ninth month after the extinguishing of the Astronomican,
A Second Empire was established.
This marks a major victory for regional stability in the Empire since the galactic tear.
—————
The magnificent sun of Baal casts golden rays upon the earth.
On the platform, in the only shadow, Conrad swayed uneasily, but maintained the necessary silence.
here we go.
The sound of golden boots hitting the ground could be heard.
[His followers, my people!]
The archangel's majestic voice resounded throughout the area. He stood on a high platform in front of the church. Below the platform, tens of thousands of warriors lined up, and the engines of countless Titans, Knights, and Storm Birds were humming anxiously.
In the cathedral behind him, countless white statues were looking down at this beloved, with stone silk hanging from their curved smooth arms.
People looked at him, those eyes that had suffered so much were looking at him, in their hands they held either the golden double-headed eagle statue or the simple statue of the archangel, and they couldn't stop muttering,
For the Emperor,
The archangel with wings spread out, each wing glittering with colorful light, shouted,
[I know that you have tried your best just to stand here and to maintain your purity.]
As the Archangel spoke, the wind began to blow violently.
[I know that you came here, to Baal, to the protection of the Legion, hoping to find a corner where you can spend the rest of your life in peace.]
Sanguinius's broad wings were lifted by the wind, and naturally, the Archangel ascended into the air.
In a trance, everyone on the ground seemed to see the teardrop sparkling with golden light on the archangel's cheek.
But I can’t help but tell you,
Sanguinius sighed.
[I cannot promise you a safe future—the galaxy is burning, wars that could destroy an entire planet are raging all the time, and evil beings are hiding in the darkness, watching us all the time.]
The people who were originally praying in low voices began to become agitated, but they did not speak. Instead, they huddled together like even more uneasy lambs, conveying their anxiety with their eyes.
[Yes,]
The Archangel sighed.
[For humans, this is hell.]
[I saw the devil with my own eyes, I saw that blasphemous existence, hell does exist, they are just as described in the oldest myths, evil and disgusting.]
[They wantonly torture our souls and take pleasure in the corruption of pure people. Our pain is the best nutrient for their growth and expansion.]
[They are the demons that embody our most secret desires.]
The wings of the Archangel gleamed in the sky like the morning sun of Baal, and every white feather was bathed in the light of golden light.
[I should…]
The Archangel lowered his eyes, as if looking directly into everyone's soul, gently asking them if they were still pure.
How can I save you
Sanguinius spoke softly, his voice seemed to dissolve in the wind, but everyone heard it clearly, the voice was ringing beside their souls,
How can I save you
The archangel asked again, his tears slid down, blossomed into a crystal flower in the wind, and then disappeared in an instant.
[This is a battle about whether we are still pure. I need the most heroic warriors not to indulge in the battlefield, the most compassionate doctors not to be greedy for life, the most knowledgeable wise men not to be old and white in classics, and the most rigorous artists not to linger in research - I want you to put aside the joy, anger, anger, and ignorance in your hearts, I want you... ]
The Archangel's voice gradually faded.
This is too cruel.
A sigh shattered in the wind.
[This is too cruel. I can't convince myself that I can do this.]
Tears flowed drop by drop, as if Sanguinius wanted to shed all the tears in his life, all the resentment, pain, and anger, and in the end, only the archangel without sorrow or tears was left.
[I can't do it, but... But I know this is the best way I can offer you.]
Sanguinius opened his arms, as if wanting to embrace those who loved him and were willing to give their lives to him.
Sanguinius, they are willing to give themselves to you, why don't you dare to offer yourself for them
You should blend yourself into that huge sea of people and never see yourself again.
Let faith reshape you.
[Be firm in your loyalty as a human being, and stick to your original soul - this is the only way for us to survive in this hell. I ask you to lose a lot, we lose a lot, and those things we give up will be exchanged for our final dignity as a human being.]
We are human beings.
Sanguinius trembled as he spoke, and it seemed as if these words drained all his strength.
[God above, He has given us the power of natural purity and natural freedom. We are human beings, and we should not be slaves. ]
[Those blasphemous, those frenzied, those whispering in our weary souls, they want us to abandon our purity, they want us to degenerate into demons - to become their slaves. ]
[No,]
The Archangel said firmly,
[No, I look at each of you, every human who comes to Baal, and I see your souls shining, and I can't... I can't tolerate seeing the corruption of your shining white souls. ]
[I saw that no human soul, whether rich or poor, clear-minded or insane, complete or incomplete, could accept the truth after the fall. It was an evil beyond the imagination of the mind.]
The Archangel was silent, his tears sparkled,
[But I can’t bear to do it…]
He murmured in a low voice,
So, I ask you,
Sanguinius spoke softly, patiently, as if he were not the archangel. Normally, people of this status would not say such words to civilians and refugees.
But he is not a man, he is Sanguinius, he is an archangel,
Only the Son of God could be so compassionate, so merciful.
Under the wings of the Archangel, the people huddled together thought,
[I ask you to keep your purity, keep your loyalty, keep your...human pride.]
The archangel's whisper floated down lightly, just like the archangel descending from the strong wind, and the strong wind began to dissipate and turned into a gentle breeze.
The toes of the golden boots touched the ground silently.
The archangel folded his wings and looked at the people gently.
[Whether you can do it or not, whether you stubbornly stay on the pure path or unfortunately fall, but at this moment, I am looking at you, looking at your persistence in this, I will send you my most sincere blessings—]
The archangel took a step forward and walked to the edge of the platform.
[May the Emperor protect you.]
As soon as the words fell, there was dead silence, utter dead silence. People stared at the archangel blankly, their faces already covered in tears. They felt something stuck in their throats, but they could not utter a single sound.
Any voice, any vow, was eclipsed at this moment.
The archangel raised his hand and casually wiped away the tears that had long since fallen and no longer existed. A bright smile reappeared on his face.
Azkalon stepped forward and handed the Archangel his spear of Bigong. The Archangel raised the spear.
[Now, in order to ignite the last spark of fire in this hell, and to keep mankind pure forever, I declare that the Second Empire is established today! ]
What responded to him was thunderous shouts and vows.
The archangel smiled, a smile that seemed to come from the heart. He tilted his head slightly, and two other giants stepped out beside him.
But at this moment, everything pales in comparison to the golden glow emanating from Saint Guinius.
Lion Jonson pursed his lips. He stepped forward, glanced at Sanguinius without saying a word, then looked away with restraint.
His neatly combed golden hair reflected the light, and the lion sword in his hand was silent and serious.
The Knight Commander stood on the right side of the Archangel, becoming his most powerful sword.
Konrad Curze hid himself under his hood and shadows. He stood on the left side of Sanguinius, trembling slightly, without saying a word, as if he was completely immersed in his own world.
But at least he didn't go crazy again.
The Judge stands to the left of the Archangel, serving as his most demanding scale.
Under the halo of the archangel, this unreliable, shaky triangle seemed to have a more stable outline.
They will continue to stagger and struggle to survive.
On the other side,
[Mortarion, your wings are pressing on me.]
Angron, who was responding to the cheers of the crowd, winked at Mortarion. The Pale Lord did not respond to this.
Then Guilliman felt with horror that something huge moved behind him, like some kind of insect. Angron beside him stumbled slightly.
[Hey!]
Angron exclaimed in a low voice.
[Quiet-]
Guilliman whispered, "Emperor, thank you for the shouts of thanksgiving for the provisional government, which drowned out their whispers.
[Oh my god - can you at least give me some face and deal with this political situation? ]
Guilliman whispered, realizing with despair that none of the other two Primarchs present, except him, had any political awareness of this politically significant scene.
And now, the three of them stood back to back - just to cover up Mortarion's damn big wings!
The Emperor is above!
No more, yay!
(End of this chapter)