25.12/019.M33
[Ascension of Sanguinius]
[00:00 am]
The Chapter Master of the Blood Angels, Amit the Flesh Tearer, exhaled a breath. He watched coldly as the cold air in the dungeon turned his breath into mist.
He stood in silence. Behind Amit was the dungeon where the Primarch Mortarion was imprisoned.
In the dungeon with layers of encryption, the Blood Angels are responsible for guarding the innermost layer.
[00:05 am]
The palace was brightly lit at this moment.
On the towering dome, countless exquisitely carved angel reliefs are lifelike, with starlight falling on them. The angels stretch out their hands and hold up a crystal lamp that is emitting flowing light.
The beautiful string ensemble was blocked out by the door, along with the nervous people. Sanguinius leaned against the table, his head resting on his arms, his wings drooping limply.
The light from the crystal lamp shines on the white feathers, and a faint golden light appears on each feather.
[You should probably take a break.]
Guilliman sat upright opposite Sanguinius, and the Regent was holding a government tablet, tapping on the tablet at an astonishing speed.
Unlike Sanguinius, whose face had remained almost unchanged, or even more majestic and handsome, Robert Guilliman had aged, and his hair was a transition between white and gold - instead of the dazzling and even somewhat aggressive gold it once was.
Fine wrinkles crept up the face of the Imperial Regent, and because of the makeup, Sanguinius could not see the dark circles under Robert Guilliman's eyes.
Sanguinius sighed softly.
[This is the last step. I don’t want to fail. ]
Guilliman's hand paused for a moment.
Guilliman said carefully.
[Some are too brutal.]
Sanguinius blinked and fluttered his wings. Beside him, Angron, who was holding a large comb, called out,
[Hey! Be careful or I'll pluck your feathers, birdman! ]
[You should find another hobby, Angron.]
Sanguinius said calmly, but he did not stop Angron's actions. The Lord of the Red Sands preened his feathers in a rather rough manner.
The nail had been removed long ago, and the scar climbed up Angron's head in a very hideous manner.
[Amit is good, he is a qualified Blood Angel,] Sanguinius said, [I have a feeling... that he is the one.]
Guilliman did not even raise his head. He seemed to have fallen in love with the government board.
[Have you regained your ability to predict the future? ]
[Never.] Sanguinius said, absolutely certain. [Conrad took away my prophetic powers.]
[Then you should be more vigilant.]
Guilliman said, without looking at his companions.
[The Inquisition recently impeached Mortarion to me again.]
Neither Sanguinius nor Angron spoke. Guilliman seemed to be talking to himself.
[They have sufficient evidence to prove that Mortarion has an affair with the Eldar and another alien race named "Dead Spirits".]
“That proves nothing,” Angron said, and he took the thin gold and silver chain from his wrist and put it on the angel’s wing. The teardrop-shaped ruby on the chain gleamed.
Angron said, and he repeated it casually.
So I gave them a lecture.
Guilliman said, "I told them to get some work done."
[Then] Guilliman sighed, [Then they joined forces with the Ministry of the Interior and the Assassins' Court and submitted a total of 5,550 pages of evidence - including the use of extermination orders without sufficient evidence, false reporting of the number of chapters, interception of merchant ships, assassination of state church personnel, tax evasion, interception of black ships, harboring Chaos elements, harboring aliens...]
[…]
[Of course,]Guilliman said,[the greatest crime is the assassination of the Pope.]
[When did Mortarion offend so many people? ]
Angron muttered,
[He has been like this since the beginning.] Sanguinius said calmly, [Before this - from the beginning, I asked my bishops to ignore all reports about Mortarion and the Death Guard.]
The archangel shifted his stance, and as he raised his wings, a look of patience came over Sanguinius's face.
The scars never healed.
In that nightmarish assassination, for just a few moments, everyone thought that the tragedy had happened again.
The three Primarchs were silent for a moment, then Roboute Guilliman spoke:
[Perhaps you should rest, Sanguinius.]
said Sanguinius,
Sanguinius looked at Guilliman and suddenly asked,
[What is Sevita doing recently?]
Guilliman replied calmly, "As usual, doing what he has to do - he has been too close to the Inquisition recently."
Guilliman swiped his hand and crossed out an entire government report.
[Do you have any new nominations, Sanguinius?]
No, Sanguinius said. Just curious.
Guilliman shook his head, then nodded, "They are all good people, but they are a little ambitious. Let's rest for a while, Sanguinius."
[01:15 am]
Amit stamped his feet, gestured to his comrade standing guard beside him, then turned around and went to the dungeon to check on the imprisoned criminals.
Amit checked the three stasis devices and after confirming that they were all safe, he stood in front of the stasis devices.
Amit looked at the suspended black stone buildings in the dark room - in order to imprison a psychic Primarch, Terra used anti-psychic technology. The funny thing was that these technologies were actively shared with the Empire by the Pale Lord during the Great Heresy.
And among the countless buzzing black stone structures, iron chains covered with spells were stacked layer upon layer, tightly wrapped around the giant beast in the room.
Amit raised his head and stared at the Primarch hanging in the middle of the room without any concealment. He was certainly not a new soldier who trembled at the mention of the Primarch. Back then, he had pointed his gun at that madman Conrad Curze.
The black stone chains locked Mortarion like a spider web, and the Primarch was tied to the web in a cross shape, with his wings broken and drooping along with his rag-like cloak.
The Pale Lord's pale face drooped, making it impossible to see his expression.
That was the Primarch of the Death Guard himself.
"Everything is fine."
Amit reports.
[02:32 am]
Above Terra, in the dark night sky, countless points of light were twinkling at this moment, red, green, and gold. Countless pilgrims' ships were anchored above Terra, even blocking out the stars in the sky.
In fact, they came from those stars.
Today is destined to be a bright day that will go down in history.
[03:05 AM]
“I always had a feeling something was going to happen.”
Inside the house, Sevatar glanced out the window. The Prince of Crows' dark eyes reflected the night sky.
"The God Emperor will wake up," the old man behind him coughed, the fire crackling, "That's it. I am already very satisfied to be able to see the God Emperor revive before I die."
Sevatar frowned and turned to look at Vincent.
"You're dying."
Vincent shook his head. "My child will take over my position. There will be no trouble. Under the glory of the demigod and the leadership of the Imperial Regent, it has always been like this."
Sevatar sneered, his pale face reflected in the glass. He never had any respect for the Primarchs... except Mortarion.
Behind him, Vincent curled up in the old man's chair, looking at Sevatar with his cloudy eyes.
“… I heard that Conrad Curze himself is also very good at prophecy,” Vincent said softly, “Did you see the prophecy too, Sevatar?”
Blood oozed from his neck. Vincent raised his head slightly. A dagger was pressed against his flesh. The old man's breathing was still steady.
"Don't waste the goodwill your ancestors have accumulated with me."
Sevatar said calmly,
Vincent looked Sevatar in the eye.
"Do you believe Mortarion is guilty?"
"Conviction is the business of the Inquisition," Sevatar said. "I am only responsible for the execution."
"I'm too tired today," Vincent said. "Can Lord Sevatar take care of the affairs of the Inquisition for one day?"
"What do you want to do?" Sevatar frowned. "Sometimes I can see through you, and your desires are simply base - but sometimes, I can't see through you, Vincent."
Vincent shrugged wearily, his age-spotted hands clutching the blanket.
Sevatar's dark eyes almost devoured the old man in front of him.
"You are from some higher being, right?"
Sevatar said softly, "You played me before."
Vincent shook his head. “I wasn’t born before that. That’s my father’s business.”
The old man trembled as he took off a necklace from his neck. The skull symbolizing the Inquisition was staring blankly at Sevatar.
Vincent gave the necklace to Sevatar.
"Time is running out," the old man said. "If you hope to make up for your previous inaction... Sevatar, you need to act quickly."
The next moment, Sevatar disappeared. The old man looked at his severed hand calmly and smiled.
"Have fun, kid."
His words were lost in the crackling fire.
[04:17 AM]
[Storm Star Region]
The endless fleet gathered beside a mining star under the Graeae Forge World, waiting for the final moment.
Together with an Eldar with the mark of the Cerberus on his face, the two-faced man Vorx stood beside a mine. The light of the webway was faintly illuminating Vorx's scarred armor.
He received some message. Vox shook his head impatiently and said to the channel,
"Tell Phaos to let them go back."
"They should be focusing on real hope right now - not here, where other people are in charge."
"If they really wish to repay Pluto... build the ship - build the ship quickly, before the war is over, while there is still time."
[05:49 AM]
The cries of crows announcing death rang out in the dungeon.
When he reached the deepest part of the dungeon, he saw Mortarion standing there, slowly stretching his arms and legs.
In the dark dungeon, a tall and thin figure slowly stood up. At a certain moment, Sevatar felt creepy.
Next to Mortarion stood two people.
One is Garo who has long been dead, and the other is Amit the Flesh Tearer.
Sevatar opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but was speechless.
The Pale Lord looked at Sevatar, seemingly not surprised by Sevatar's arrival.
[I still have some conscience.]
Mortarion said that the Primarch did not expect Sevatar to react. Mortarion turned his head and looked at Garro, who was shining with golden light.
[Go back.]
Jia Luo nodded and instantly evaporated like a phantom.
Sevatar felt his throat tighten. He had too many questions to ask. Even as an Assassin, there were too many things he didn't know—especially about Mortarion.
"He... is that the power of the God Emperor?"
[Yes and no,] Mortarion said calmly. The Primarch tore off the chains on his body one by one. When the Blackstone chains came into contact with Mortarion's hands, a foul smell wafted from them.
[The old man is not that strong now. After today, he will gradually recover.] Mortarion said, [Only Garro, because he should have been mine.]
[He is my son, mine.]
"Then..." Sevatar's gaze shifted to the Blood Angel Amit. He was still shocked, but that didn't stop him from showing a sarcastic smile, "You defected?"
The old soldier was silent, "The blood thirst is gone."
Sevatar's smile disappeared.
"Back when we were trapped in the dark side," Amit said, "you were responsible for cleaning up the scum. You couldn't have been unaware of the bloodthirst."
Bloodthirst is a genetic defect unique to the descendants of Sanguinius. In battle, as the intensity of the battle increases, the Blood Angels will gradually succumb to their inner anger and pain - until the savagery completely devours their humanity and turns them into lunatics.
"I thought the Archangel kept these things hidden."
Sevatar said dryly, but Amit, who used to rudely provoke him, just looked at him sadly.
“No,” Amit said, “one day on the dark side, it disappeared.”
"Otherwise my father would not allow the Blood Angels to expand their military on a large scale."
"So?" Sevatar said.
"So... my father's condition might not be... right."
"Then why didn't you say it earlier? Why didn't you say it then?!"
Sevatar slammed into Amit. He looked at Amit angrily, and Amit bared his fangs at him without hesitation.
"How dare you say that to me? Sevatar?! Have you forgotten the time you were a mad dog for that guy Conrad?!"
[Be quiet, little ones.]
Mortarion's tired voice sounded, and Mortarion grabbed the back end of Sevatar's armor, lifted Sevatar up, and then slowly put him down.
Sevatar fell silent instantly, and so did Amit. Mortarion bent down, and his insect-like eyes glanced between the two Space Marines. No one dared to look directly at Mortarion. Over the long years, Mortarion became more and more inhuman. His eyes had long been shrouded in some kind of white, becoming larger and more like an insect.
His joints also became thinner and longer.
[In fact,] Mortarion said slowly, [Amit just chose the right side... It seems that the Archangel is not as hopeless as I thought.]
Amit swallowed, he was getting agitated again, craving for blood.
The Flesh Tearer sneered.
"I am the last warrior to know the Blood Angels' past - I have been through hell, and I know... something is... wrong."
[Go ahead, fill in the last link of my confusion—why is Sanguinius okay? Why is he a special case?] Mortarion said casually, [We still have time, I need to rest here for a while.]
Mortarion looked at Sevatar, "I think you can ensure that the dungeon will not be disturbed for the next few hours."
The necklace Vincent gave him lay quietly around his neck, and Sevatar nodded.
After receiving a positive answer, Mortarion sat down on the hill made of countless black stone chains, closed his eyes and remained silent.
Amit's voice continued to echo in the dungeon.
"In fact, during the Great Crusade, the Blood Angels did not advocate perfection as they do today."
Amit took two steps uneasily. "We believe in the Golden Angel and the Black Angel. Every Blood Angel has two angels in his heart, one bathed in light, and the other soaked in blood. If we want to become a qualified Blood Angel, then we need to be both at the same time."
"That's what the Legion did in the beginning. The entire Legion faced the Empire with the light side, but within the Legion, we also did not shy away from our imperfections. I once symbolized the bloodlust and darkness of the Archangel, while Azkalon was the light."
"My father had us fight each other so we could learn from each other's battles."
"You mean, the balance is broken now." Sevatar pointed it out directly.
"Yes," Amit said, "At first, I thought we had... lost the Black Angel, lost the bloodthirsty side."
[but?]
Mortarion suddenly spoke up.
"But I am not dead, my lord," Amit said. "It is Azkalon who is dead."
Amit recalled that before Sanguinius returned to the Legion, the Blood Angels were the most notorious ghouls in the Legion.
The impulse from their genes turned them into devils, into guys who feed on cannibalism... and even enjoy it.
This was a hobby given to them by genes—from Sanguinius himself.
With the passage of time and the passing of those who knew the story at that time, these past events gradually became nothingness.
But Amit still remembered, he remembered clearly that he was one of the ghouls back then, who liked to eat corpses, and was about to be destroyed by the Empire - until the Legion found Sanguinius, and Sanguinius rescued them.
Even so, in isolated moments throughout history, Sanguinius himself had felt the urge for flesh and blood.
[Hypocrisy,] Mortarion said. [I already know that.]
[Sanguinius is two-faced.]
Mortarion opened his eyes, his eyes were dull, and he said calmly, "I should have thought of it earlier."
[He did not collapse, did not become horrible, inhuman, or distorted...]
[No... His other side has long since changed beyond all recognition.]
Mortarion said, [Only one more chance...]
Just like two cups connected at the bottom, when water is poured into the pure white cup, the other bloodstained cup will also be filled up.
That's why Sanguinius was able to outlast Mortarion... he needed double the Warp power.
That is why his other side is becoming more and more perfect, Sanguinius is consciously making himself a golden angel.
Mortarion was silent.
He had... had a glimmer of hope, even though he didn't think it was possible. But what if, what if Sanguinius was right
What if Sanguinius really did show the Pale Lord a possible, better path
Mortarion has been searching for a way to maintain his own identity, and he hopes to find a true solution.
"So the Pope will be ritually corrupt?"
Sevatar asked,
[right.]
Mortarion said.
Amit gritted his teeth. "Can we stop the ritual before this happens? I don't want—I don't want—to let this happen."
"No," said Mortarion. "I have come to rescue the Emperor, not Sanguinius."
"What—I don't understand, you're T—"
Bang!
Just as Amit was about to shout, the Flesh Tearer fell to the ground and became unconscious.
Sevatar felt a drop of cold sweat sliding down his head.
"I need to remind you," Sevatar said stiffly, "Amit will report to Sanguinius himself from time to time, but the interval between reports will not exceed one hour."
"It's time to go," Mortarion said, slowly rising to his feet, looking extremely tired.
Sevatar stared at Mortarion. "I wish I was sober."
Mortarion glanced at Sevatar.
[You are nothing like Conrad in this respect.]
Mortarion said: "You only need to remember one thing, Sevatar, the Warp is garbage."
[And the power of the subspace... is also garbage.]
The negative power that the state religion has accumulated in the Lord of Mankind must be released in part... It's too late... We must release some of the power as soon as possible to reduce the pressure... At this moment, the injured Saint Guinius is the best choice.
Mortarion will seize the moment of Sanguinius's fall and seal Sanguinius, along with the chaotic power of faith.
It's a pity that they didn't listen to Mortarion at the beginning... If Hades had been introduced earlier, they wouldn't have to face the current situation.
And now the strength of the power of faith above Terra... The Soulless cannot summon the Underworld alone and cannot complete an effective diversion.
Mortarion was silent. Perhaps if he had persisted a little longer, he would have succeeded...
But just as the power of faith is a double-edged sword for the Emperor, will too much faith harm Hades
Unfortunately, there is no way out now.
Mortarion was silent. Angron and Guilliman might have been influenced to some extent... Sanguinius should not have included the Primarchs in the Codex.
"Wait," Sevatar said, thinking, "If you won't answer me, then I have another question."
[ask,]
"How much do you know about the Inquisition, my Lord?"
[A bunch of guys who impeach me every day,] Mortarion said impatiently, [How should I know, this is your Terra’s business, it’s not Guilliman’s business…]
Mortarion's voice became quieter, and he slowly turned his head to look at Sevatar.
[… Someone is targeting Guilliman? ]
Suddenly, Sevatar realized a terrible fact. He felt that he almost lost his voice.
He gave an ugly smile.
"My Lord, I mean - if you have no connection with the Inquisition, and have nothing to do with what is about to happen - then, is there any possibility that some forces are trying to dethrone the Primarchs?"
"Especially," Sevatar licked his dry lips, "let Lord Guilliman, who supports the operation of the entire empire, step down."
Mortarion turned his head suddenly and picked up Sevatar with one hand. The next moment, Sevatar felt a white mist covering him.
[No, there is no time for this,] Mortarion said irritably, [The priority now is the Emperor and Sanguinius. I don't think anyone can play politics at this juncture - only a lunatic who is power-hungry would do that.]
(End of this chapter)