"Next, you must listen carefully to what I say... Listen carefully, Mortarion, understand?"
Makado sat in the armchair, his sunken eyes red as if he had a fever.
The old man came out and came to his room on the Endurance - the only room with a lot of useless decorations. The old man sat on the patterned chair in the middle of the room, with his scepter flat in front of his legs.
Mortarion stood, staring at the seated Malcador - in the past, even if Malcador repeatedly reprimanded him, or even used his psychic power to physically persuade him, he would never sit and talk to him - except for the Emperor, everyone needs to respect the Primarch.
Mortarion's eyes moved, but he finally stood silently in front of Malcador and responded casually.
Malcador looked at Mortarion in silence.
There was a long silence, so long that Mortarion began to get impatient, before Malcador withdrew his meaningful gaze.
"I'm afraid this time it's going to be very dangerous."
Malcador said the first sentence calmly. Mortarion was shocked, but he showed no reaction.
Malcador raised his hand, interrupting Mortarion's attempt to speak. The Imperial Regent continued weakly,
"One for one, it's a good deal, no need to feel sorry for me anymore."
[Replace the deceased? ]
Malcador nodded slightly, while Mortarion frowned.
[Value is not equal.]
The Pale Lord pointed it out without hesitation. Malcador was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"So I need other powers!"
The old man shouted, laughing all the time, but his laughter sounded bitter.
After laughing enough, Makado took a deep breath
"I really don't know whether it is a blessing or a curse that I end up with you by my side."
Mortarion folded his arms. [I am only stating the facts.]
"Fortunately, the Empire doesn't need you to handle government affairs, and I don't need to improve your non-existent political literacy and interpersonal skills."
Malcador waved his hand, deciding to let the subject go, and his expression turned serious again.
Mortarion wanted to say something to refute, but he remembered the current situation, moved his mouth, and finally said nothing.
"But you have to listen carefully next,"
Machado said, "I can't follow you all the time. There are things you have to do."
The Imperial Regent paused and looked at Mortarion, who gave him an affirmative answer, so Malcador continued,
"Now," Malcador said, his staff gleaming with purple light.
"The Dead is in the Palace of Slaanesh - while the other three have reached a brief tacit understanding with the Emperor."
"We need to bring the Dark Domain of the Dead back to the vicinity of his physical body,"
[Not in his body?]
The Pale Lord caught the subtle difference.
"Not in his shell."
Malcador confirmed Mortarion's question, "The true location of its arrival will be the Vengeful Spirit."
Mortarion frowned, but said nothing.
"The reason why it is not above Cadia..."
Malcador whispered, "First, it is not just the Empire that can bring back the Dead. Second, once the Dead return, the war will start all over again. Then, you can use the Dead's special qualities to your advantage."
"Second, ..."
The old man stared into Mortarion's eyes.
"When the [Dead] descends as a vengeful spirit, I will go to Cadia and remove the seal on the [Dead]'s body."
[I'll go with you.]
Mortarion answered without hesitation.
[My psychic power is not inferior to yours at all. ]
"no!"
Malcador shouted in a decisive tone, but then he realized that he had lost his composure. After taking a deep breath, Malcador continued to speak, emphasizing each word and speaking seriously.
"Until then, you must stay aboard the Vengeful Spirit."
[Delay Horus? ]
Makado nodded.
"Yes and no,"
The Imperial Regent said, "Hold Horus... Hold the Four, hold the Dead."
Mortarion was silent, his amber eyes flickering beneath his hood. Finally, Mortarion whispered,
[It is quite difficult. ]
But then, Mortarion looked away indifferently.
[But I like it.]
Malcador laughed and coughed.
"It will only take a moment—until I remove the arrow."
[Yes,] Mortarion said. [Got it,]
[I will go to the Spirit of Vengeance and hold them all back, and then you go to Cadia to rescue the dead.]
Mortarion was silent for a moment, then said in a relaxed tone,
[If I risk my life, I can make them all suffer. ]
Malcador smiled at Mortarion. "It is not as simple as you think - I understand why the Death Guard leadership is so politically savvy."
Machado continued,
"Did you see Horus' fleet? He assembled more than an army from the dark side of the Imperium. Fleets, Knights, Titans... The Khan was allowed to board his ship before because Horus allowed him to do so."
[The Death Guard fleet is not a weakling either,] Mortarion said, [and the White Scars fleet, if we just storm, we can reach it after paying enough blood.]
"No," Malcador waved his hand again, "we will board the ship without incident."
Mortarion narrowed his eyes. There were two things in Malcador's words that he didn't understand. One was "smoothly boarded the ship" and the other was "us".
Machado continued to explain patiently,
"As I said before, the Emperor has reached a temporary balance with them. The three gods who are eager to bring back the Dead will allow us to board the ship smoothly. The Spirit of Vengeance will then become a shining psychic landmark."
"But after that..." Malcador trailed off. "You and the Khan must hold out until Guilliman and the reinforcements arrive."
"You are holding Horus back, so that he cannot escape and attack Cadia."
Mortarion says.