The heat waves behind the engine slowly died down, and the ivory-white warship stopped on the deck. The Qiexues stepped down to clear the way for the Khan.
The long braids tied up high swayed in the air. The dull sound of footsteps was heard and the Khan strode out. His Asian face was against the light and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.
Abaddon, who had come to greet the Primarch, hurried forward. The new favorite of Horus was now smiling flatteringly.
The Khan waved his hand nonchalantly and ignored the greeting Abaddon had prepared.
[I just want to come and see my brother, lead the way.]
Abaddon no longer wanted to waste time, so, led by the Son of Horus, the White Scars team went deep into the Vengeful Spirit.
—————
The Vengeful Spirit had… changed.
The Khan was silent, and the Primarch could feel his Stormseers nervously clenching the tokens in their hands.
The feeling of the huge ship changed, it became hotter and more cramped, and a faint stench wafted from the corners and lingered around them.
Behind the team, the great sage Trazyn, who insisted on following, made an uneasy mechanical sound.
They walked through long corridors and halls, and finally, Abaddon led the Khan into a private strategic room. The Son of Horus opened the door for him. Hot candlelight spilled out from the other end. Warhawk's eyes pierced in, and he saw Horus standing up from his throne and showing him a surprised expression.
The Khan smelled a strong smell of blood.
When the Primarch entered, Horus thoughtfully arranged seats for the Space Marines. The Khan sat down and waved to his Kexue and Storm Prophets to sit behind him.
Abaddon closed the door for them, and the Son of Horus walked over to the seat behind Horus and sat down.
Horus smiled.
[I knew you would come, Khan. I knew you were different from others.]
The Khan laughed at himself.
"I just wanted to check on you, brother," the Khan said. "You're not acting right."
Horus sat down. He could not wait to sit back on his throne. Like a tired man in urgent need of rest, he almost fell on his warm and bloody throne.
[If it is something within your legion, then I apologize. ]
Horus said sincerely, his eyes were red and moist, as if he had a serious illness.
[I just hope that the White Scars can help me stop the Raven Guard. I have no intention of causing chaos in your army - but you were not there at the time, and your warriors may have misunderstood my meaning.]
The Khan stared at Horus, his eagle-like eyes fixed on the Warmaster through his narrow eye sockets, the candlelight flickering in his black pupils, and he examined Horus as if assessing him.
Facing the Khan's transgression, Horus was not angry. The Warmaster smiled and waited for the Khan.
Chagatai raised his hand and waved.
[That’s all in the past.]
The Primarch said vaguely, "The guilty have been punished. We don't need to dwell on this topic."
[You are still so free and easy,] Horus said with a smile, [I really envy you.]
[There is a price to pay for being carefree,] the Khan said casually, [I just don't want to stay in the same quagmire for too long - so, what do you want to do, Horus?]
Khan continued, "Why did you stop the Raven Guard? Horus, I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation."
"I have no intention of getting involved in your dispute with the 19th Legion - but since you are the Warmaster, Horus, I expect an explanation from you.]
Horus' smile fell, the corners of his mouth drooped, and he sighed deeply, dramatically.
[I think Corax has betrayed me.]
Horus said sadly,
[I need to take the initiative.]
As Horus spoke, he thought of Corax's disappointing behavior, his latest returning brother vehemently opposing those in his Legion who supported Horus, as if the Warmaster's ideas and politics were some highly contagious incurable disease.
It was clear that Corax did not support Horus.
And Horus is the Warmaster. If Corax doesn't support him, who can he support
Horus had heard that Corax was on good terms with Guilliman - which made sense, since Corax also hoped to dismantle the Imperium and establish his own little kingdom ruled by foolish mortals.
The Khan stared at Horus,
[betray?]
The Khan uttered the word slowly and heavily, as if he were reciting a eulogy.
[Betrayal, you think Corax betrayed? ]
[Yes,]
Horus said seriously, "The situation is very serious now. The traitor is definitely not just Corax. Look, we have the Second God-Emperor Sanguinius, and his Second Warmaster, Lion Jonson. This is his Inquisitor, Conrad Curze. There is the Second Emperor Angron, and the treacherous minister who helped him to the throne, Robert Guilliman. Then there is Mortarion, and Malcador—I knew we shouldn't trust that psyker. This is not the first time he has done this kind of thing.]
After Horus finished speaking, he began to feel heartbroken about so many betrayers. How did his father do it? Did the Lord of Mankind know that he had raised so many insects? Did he know that his beloved offspring treated him like this
He was immersed in the grief of betrayal. The whole room became quiet. The burning candles flickered brightly, and a sultry silence enveloped the place.
While Horus was reciting those long and convoluted words, the Storm Prophet behind the Khan coughed imperceptibly.
The Khan's slow, distorted voice came,
[Horus, do you know what you are talking about? ]
Horus, who was immersed in thought, came out of his fantasy, laughed loudly, looked at the Khan,
[My brother, I was negligent. You don’t understand the current situation.]
[The Star Torch went out.]
[And our former brothers, our brothers and sisters, after realizing that our father no longer responded to them, decisively abandoned our father's empire and established themselves as kings. ]
Horus smiled bitterly, but the Khan clearly saw the twisted hatred on the Warmaster's face. [They betrayed the Empire.]
The Khan pondered.
[Perhaps you should ask them yourself, Horus.]
I went.
Horus said with absolute certainty, "I have spoken to each of them... but the results pain me."
[I hope you won't, Khan.]
The Khan slowly turned his gaze away, staring at Horus.
You are sick.
The Khan said bluntly,
[Horus, you are ill, you... ]
[I need to rest.]
Horus looked at the Khan in amazement, and then he burst into laughter.
[Rest?] He said, [Thank you for your advice, brother, but how can I rest now? The galaxy is torn apart, our father is isolated and helpless, and the monsters of darkness are watching. How can I rest?]
Horus kept talking for a long time, then looked back at the Khan, his face flushed as if he had a fever.
I need you.
Horus said solemnly,
Khan spread his hands, [What do you want me to do? ]
Horus' eyes sparkled. "I have already contacted the existence in the warp. Let's go to Cadia and unite the seal of the warp to kill that monster. Then we will return to Terra, light the Astronomican, regroup our army, launch a new expedition, and kill all those traitors."
The Khan was silent.
[Monster? You mean the Master of the Order of Silence?]
Horus became serious.
[My brother, it was this being that deceived our father—it was this being that caused Prospero to fall into the sea of fire, and it was this being that disintegrated the Fifteenth Legion.]
…Magnus.
The Khan thought, "I was not present at the Council of Nikaea, but I did hear of Magnus's folly."
Horus shook his head.
[We all know that Magnus is merely... naive, but he is not guilty of capital murder.]
[Magnus supports you now? ]
The Khan suddenly asked,
Yes, he supports me.
Horus smiled again, "I am glad to see our brother free from his cage. The Wolf King was too savage for a prisoner. Magnus the Wise has finally escaped from his cage - I swear to you, you will see him soon. He still has some unresolved matters."
[I hope this is not an illusion, Horus.]
The smile on Horus's lips turned cold.
[You still think so, Jaghatai Khan? After all I've shown you, you still think I'm kidding?]
[Yes,]
Chagatai Khan replied calmly, his hand resting inconspicuously on his sword.
[First, you still haven't explained why you want to attack the Raven Guard - I don't see any signs of "betrayal" from Corax. Second, I don't think Magnus can break free from the Wolf King's cage. Our father would not allow such a thing to happen.]
[unless…]
Khan said slowly,
[Unless Magnus, like you, has been exposed to Tengri too much.]
[Brother, those who do not believe in the road to heaven and those who are overly superstitious about the road to heaven are all fools. ]
[Which one are you?]
The candle flame flickered violently, and the temperature in the room suddenly dropped. Frost climbed up from the corners of the wall, like Horus's cold face.
[I do not understand,]
Horus whispered, "Until now, the Star Torch has gone out, brothers have betrayed, everything has changed, everything has been turned upside down, but you are still so stubborn, my brother."
[Sticking to the old ways may not be a bad thing,]
Khan said, holding the hilt of the White Tiger Knife, [You have gone too deep into the path of heaven, Horus.]
[What else?]
Horus smiled bitterly. He raised his hand nonchalantly. The Sons of Horus behind him stood up. The Khan did not move. Keshik Qinxia and the Storm Prophet behind him also stood up.
[The origin of all this is the subspace, brother, I need to find a way out.]
[Alpha has embraced them, as well as Magnus, and Fulgrim is about to complete his transformation. I know, I know this is different from what we previously advertised - but in the face of enemies on all sides, we need allies from the warp, just some leverage... some means to facilitate the passage of ships in the warp. ]
Horus whispered, "And the Imperial Truth... you and I know it well."
Although I did not see Magnus and Fulgrim with my own eyes,
Khan said calmly that he could feel that the Storm Prophet behind him was ready, and he felt a familiar breath.
But I saw you and Alpha with my own eyes,
The Khan said, he stood up and drew his White Tiger Knife, [This is something I cannot accept. ]
[Horus, you need to rest. ]
The Khan spoke earnestly, but Horus remained seated on his throne. The Warmaster smiled and opened his hands.
[You can't beat me now, Khan.]
He swore, "I drew fire from the Warp - just as our fathers did."
[Yes,]
Khan said casually, "I know I may not be able to defeat you now."
[But—]The Khan changed his tone, [Maybe you should meet him.]
His storm prophet Yesugei suddenly chanted a spell, and the candles were instantly extinguished. Frost spread from under their feet. In the dim room, Horus stood up instantly.
[he?!]
Horus roared in anger and rushed towards Yesugei, trying to interrupt the spell, but the Khan drew his sword and faced the enraged Horus.
throat!
The claws of Horus collided with the White Tiger Blade, splashing sparks. In the firelight, Khan saw Horus's expression twisted with anger, and behind him, Abaddon's horrified expression.
[We are not the only ones here, they are coming soon,]
As the Khan spoke, he turned his hand away from Horus's claw. A piercing scream broke out, and Horus's strength became extremely great. The Khan felt his knuckles were numb from the shock.
Can't you feel him
As the Khan spoke, the eyes of the war eagle shone brightly in the darkness. Wisps of white mist began to flow out from Yesugei's body. Soon, a thin layer of mist accumulated on the ground.
[You don't want to believe me—but you are willing to believe Mortarion?!]
Horus roared, [What's the difference between this and me?! ]
[I can still distinguish between borrowing power and my own power. ]
As the Khan spoke, the mist continued to rise, and the space here seemed to begin to tremble. He heard roars, roars coming from a distant garden, and it sounded as if he had interrupted some process.
He heard grim laughter and groaning - he wondered why these powers became fearful, they seemed to be afraid of Mortarion, was Mortarion's power already so strong? Or was the Pale Lord in charge of something that made them fearful
It seemed that Mortarion's powers had arrived here easily, by some mystical connection - his powers were similar to some of those borrowed by Horus, but not identical.
The Khan continued, smiling slyly,
He has been trying to contact my Stormseers, and perhaps he has tried to contact you - our brother seems eager to come here, so - why not give him his wish
[you!]
Horus roared and swung his claws at the figure in the mist.
[Why would you rather believe him? !]
But this time, a giant scythe stretched out from the fog stopped him.
+Because I don't look that stupid,+
Mortarion's tired, even lazy voice sounded, and a giant beast with a little fluorescent light was moving in the fog.
+Moreover,+
Mortarion said, +At least, I had long conferring with the Khan alone in order to achieve my goal. +
+More
Mortarion almost spoke in a whisper, "Guilliman asked me to be the second warmaster. How could I know that the title of warmaster means betrayal?"
No more, yay!
(End of this chapter)