Emperor's Bane

Chapter 1015 Horus vs. Dorne (Part 2)

To be fair, Horus was genuinely sincere when he made this suggestion to Dorne.

He genuinely intended to let Rogdorn go, along with the pitifully few Imperial Fists around him.

By the Emperor's grace, these steadfast warriors appear to be reduced to less than two hundred men: this is even with the Imperial Fist within the entire Vox Fortress continuously being committed to the war.

In comparison, Shadowmoon Wolf is much more well-off.

Despite suffering roughly the same losses, Horus still had at least a thousand warriors under his command: no matter how valiant the sons of Dorne were, they could not erase this absolute numerical disparity.

This may sound harsh, but the fight has entered garbage time.

What remains is no longer a battle.

It was pure slaughter.

Horus disliked the word.

So he was thinking about how to preserve the last fig leaf for the two legions.

Now that victory is no longer an urgent need, it's time to show the composure of the stronger.

The Wolf God fiddled with his sharp claws.

He wasn't worried about the unimaginable consequences of releasing the hundred-plus Imperial Fists. Perhaps he had some concerns before the battle began, but the fight with Dorn completely erased those worries.

The situation is clear: Dorn is no match for him.

The Inviter was indeed very tenacious, and he did not make any mistakes in the battle, but the gap between him and the Warmaster was not something that could be changed by subjective consciousness: the gap came from the body and absolute strength.

Dorn did not receive the psychic power from the Lord of Mankind on Nicaea.

That was a great power that allowed Horus to fight against Morgan and Magnus.

Similarly, he didn't have fifty years to properly study this inheritance, to experiment and examine it on various battlefields, to fully understand this powerful spiritual energy, or even to develop new uses for it, such as strengthening the Wolf God's own physical body.

How can well-trained muscles compare to psionic energy?
A normal Horus is unlikely to absolutely overwhelm his Dornish brothers in terms of strength.

But a Horus who had been granted a great deal of psionic power by the Emperor and had used that power to strengthen his own body: Rogdorn seemed far too weak in his presence.

This is also why the Warmaster was able to remain calm despite the Terra Guard's sarcastic remarks.

Frankly, while using the great power his father had personally bestowed upon him to defeat his tenacious Golden Brothers, he also listened to the defeated Dorn rambling on about how the Emperor didn't trust him.

This scene made Horus want to laugh.

What a pitiful brother he was: he didn't even know whose power Horus had used to defeat him.

He was the one who was deceived the most.

Both the Warlord and the Spider Queen enjoyed their own privileges: but Dorne did not.

At least, his share wasn't that generous.

"..."

Thinking of this, Horus couldn't help but feel a little more sympathy for the Terra Guard.

He made the decision naturally: to ignore the bloodshed in this war and let Dorn leave.

From a military perspective, this is incorrect: this may be the only chance to capture Rogdorn alive.

But now, the war strategist doesn't want to talk about tactics anymore.

Like the golden flame in his heart, the source of psychic power bestowed upon him by his father, which spoke to him as Rogdorn suffered defeat after defeat before him.

What difference would it make if we let Dorne go?
He had no reason to refuse, did he?

That was the power left by his father; it was with it that he defeated Dorn, and it was also with it that he could let him go.

not to mention……

Horus withdrew his gaze and slowly adjusted his breathing, looking at Rogdorn, who was not far away.

Even if he is willing to show his compassion.

The Terran Guard might not accept the enemy's goodwill.

"..."

as predicted.

This was not unexpected by Horus.

Dorn did not respond to him.

He simply stood up, assuming a fighting stance.

For a moment, Zhan Shuai smiled helplessly.

He laughed out of anger.

"See, your answer is the same as mine, brother."

"We are all the same kind of people."

Horus spread out his claws.

He didn't know whether he was mocking his brother or admiring him: perhaps more of the latter.

"Even when facing a powerful opponent with absolute strength, we have an unwavering will."

"The only difference is that I possess both unwavering will and absolute power."

"Who told you that?"

Raising his tattered shield, the Terran guard's face showed signs of healing wounds that had scabbed over.

His words pierced the heart of the Wolf God.

"Could it be Magnus?"

"He is a being more intelligent than Magnus."

"That's really hard to guess: there are far too many candidates."

Dorn moved his sore and numb wrists.

"But if it were me, I would never boast of having absolute power, Horus."

"That's the difference between you and me."

When Horus spoke again, the muscles on his face and neck seemed to be writhing in an unnatural rhythm, as if he were brewing a power that even he needed to treat with caution.

Meanwhile, Dorn sensed a surge of psionic energy slowly building up within Horus.

He had only ever sensed the same aura from the Emperor, Macado, and Morgan.

Has the War General already reached the same level as them?

As Horus rambled on, the Terran Guard's mind began to race.

"My power does not come from anything else."

"It comes not from my army, my kingdom, my endless supporters, that I am able to rebel against Holy Terra and start this war itself."

“It comes from my past glory, from the moment I was commissioned at Ulano, and from the crown of war general that the emperor himself placed on my head.”

"It is not the violence you see, nor the power granted by others, but a prestige, a completely invisible asset, a miracle that can be used to overturn order and reshape the world: it is real power. And it is in my hands right now, and it is by virtue of this that I possess everything that belongs to me."

"Wolf God, Legion: and War General."

"……Ah!"

"Please forgive me for not being able to agree with that."

Rogdorn stared intently at his opponent, his resolute face still stained with dirt and blood. He felt his strength gradually returning, and although he had little interest in continuing to communicate with Horus, he was happy to stall for time to better prepare for the next conflict.

However, regarding Horus's declaration.

The Terran Guard has something to say.

When he stared intently at the Wolf God, the latter inexplicably felt a surge of tension.

It looks so alike, so familiar.

This is the look in his eyes whenever Dorn tries to stab him in the heart with words.

as predicted……

"You should know, Horus."

"You became a War Commander and stood in this position not because of the power you speak of."

How rare it is to see such a clear hint of mockery on the face of an Inviter!

"If the Emperor really did choose the so-called War General based on the power you speak of."

"You know."

"The one who should become the War General is Morgan."

"Not you."

"..."

Dorn continued, taking part in Horus's silence.

"Your strength is far inferior to hers, Horus."

“You know this, and you understand this: that’s why you’ve always avoided mentioning her name.”

Dorn slowly spoke, and one invisible blade after another pierced the heart of the Wolf God.

"The reason you have all of this is due to the Emperor's favor and your own hard work."

"One important reason is that Morgan has long since dismissed the things you value."

"What you see is still the Emperor's favor, but she is involved in what is truly important to our father, and is spying on the deepest secrets of the galaxy."

"You value her status in the Great Expedition, but that's just because she's unwilling to reveal her own reputation, unable to openly discuss the battles she participated in, and disdains your so-called number one in the Great Expedition."

"You see the love and respect of your brothers."

"what!"

Dorn smiled.

“Tell me, Horus.” “Forgrim, Mortarion.”

"Chagatai Khan always had his own ideas."

“Saint-Gilles was even unwilling to send troops.”

"And that so-called Omega."

"How can your friendship with them compare to that of Morgan and Johnson, Conrad, or Guilliman?"

“Johnson will entrust the legion to her.”

"Conrad would put his life in her hands."

"Even Guilliman would not hesitate to hand over at least 100,000 Ultra Warriors to Morgan and let her command them."

"Even Angron and Corax: do you think they wouldn't fight for their saviors?"

"If you can actually bring them into the fray, I'd be willing to acknowledge what you call half of the galaxy."

"But in fact, no, brother."

Dorn shook his head firmly, as if he hadn't seen Horus's increasingly hardened expression.

"Your strength is far inferior to hers."

"Your achievements are far inferior to hers."

"Your brother is far inferior to her."

"Even the War General you so desperately want is nothing more than a tool Morgan uses to please Johnson."

"She simply doesn't bother competing with you."

"Because while you are still vying for the right to be the first to kneel before the emperor, she is already standing beside the emperor."

"You should have known that back then."

"Between the two of you, whose father ultimately chose?"

He has already shown you the answer with facts, but you choose to ignore it: isn't that right?

……

For a moment, Zhan Shuai's face froze.

That once perfect demigod face was now occupied by a rage that was not human, but that of an abnormal being. Nobility was devoured by resentment and superiority, and his gloomy eyes were enough to engulf the raging waves of evil that filled everyone present: a power that even Rogdorn had to confront with caution.

But this loss of composure lasted only a moment.

In the blink of an eye, Zhan Shuai returned to normal.

Once again, he concealed his true feelings.

Regardless of what he truly thought, at least on the surface, he was still able to control himself: his thoughts and actions were still governed by his soul, not by the ethereal forces of the warp.

Without a doubt, he was able to do this partly thanks to the psychic powers bestowed upon him by the Emperor.

The Wolf God could even smile, maintaining his dignity in front of his coldest brother. Even though it was because of Rogdorn's hurtful words, this proper smile seemed to carry a sense of encouragement and support.

“You never show any mercy, Dorn.”

Horus abandoned his Worldbreaker and instead raised his claws.

"For a moment, I even felt a little nostalgic for what you said during the Great Expedition."

"Thank goodness you told me, I was just doing something so stupid: I shouldn't have been reminiscing about these things."

"You always manage to make me sad, brother."

"Because I showed you the truth?"

"Dorn asked."

"Do not."

Horus shook his head arrogantly and firmly.

"Because you never truly understand me: your perception is stuck in a pathetic past."

“Fifty years have passed, and you’ve been stuck in the position of Terra Guardian. I’ve let go of the idea of ​​Warmaster, but you’ve never done so, Dorn.”

"So, you don't know those important things."

"You still think you can hurt me with words like that?"

"And you also don't know..."

Halfway through his sentence, the Wolf God moved.

Without warning or a roar: it was almost a stealthy sneak attack.

Horus lunged forward, his sharp claws stabbing fiercely at Rogdorn's chest.

But Dorn was prepared for this. He bent down, raised his great shield, leveled his sword, and intently observed where the Warmaster's claws would suddenly turn next.

To his surprise, Horus did not bypass his shield. Instead, he grabbed it directly with his famous Claws of Horus, just as a leopard would grab its prey by the throat with its claws.

The commander's second half of the sentence came late in the evening.

"The power of Morgan that you boast about."

"I have it too."

In Rogdorn's astonished eyes, a flame, almost pure black, which he had never seen before, rose from Horus's claws.

It was a taboo that was enough to make Primarchs like the Terra Guardians wary. It wasn't any color on the spectrum that he could understand; it was black, but so pure that it emitted a light that wasn't light, an incomprehensible illusion: it was definitely not something real.

It was only a small wisp, no more luxuriant than a single hair of Dorne's, but the moment this pure black flame descended along Horus's claws and touched the shield in the hands of the Terra Guardians, this shield, broad enough to withstand a powerful blow from the Wolf God, began to melt like a glacier under the blazing sun.

So fast, so fragile.

It's so fast that people can't even react.

In the blink of an eye, Dorn's symbol of composure was reduced to a pool of molten iron on his tactical glove.

He had only one sword to face the Wolf God and the chilling black flame in his palm.

The War General simply smiled.

"Do you know that, Dorn?"

He said.

"When you mock my ignorance."

"But you never considered that this war was never as pure as you imagined from the very beginning."

"..."

No, I know.

Dorn gripped the hilt of his sword with his other hand.

Without looking to the side, he feinted a step, and his sword once again pierced towards the heart of the Wolf God, until it was blocked by Horus's Claw.

This time, it was Zhan Shuai's turn to frown.

Because he clearly saw that a bright white flame was rising slowly on Rogdorn's sword.

Dorn's voice echoed in my ears.

"I knew it from the very beginning."

Taking advantage of Horus' fatal pause, new power surged from Rogdorn's wrist. He gritted his teeth, pried off Horus's claws, and then almost abandoned all defense, launching a second attack with incredible speed: this time, the blade pierced straight into the Warmaster's chest.

This is a devastating blow, no matter who it is.

A devastating blow that made Dorn want to breathe a sigh of relief.

But to his surprise, Horus did not dodge the attack that he should have dodged.

He was somewhat numb as he watched Rogdorn's chainsword pierce his armor and the bright white flames begin to sizzle and sear his flesh.

The general's calm demeanor was frightening.

"You do know something."

Shepherd Wolf nodded.

But: that's not enough.

The next moment, even more black flames, not only on Horus's claws, but also at the wounds, inside the armor of the Wolf God, and within his flesh, twisted out almost out of thin air.

Under the astonished gazes of Dorn, the flames, like hungry wolves, engulfed the sword embedded in Horus's armor, tearing and melting it with abandon. In the blink of an eye, the sword, capable of slicing through hair, melted and broke in the black flames at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Dorne's prized white flames were as fragile as sheep before these black counterparts, who were ruthlessly preyed upon and devoured, vanishing completely in an instant.

Dorn could sense an absolute crushing power from the level of strength: his psionic fire was powerless to resist in the battle.

At least in terms of psionic power, one Horus is better than ten Dornes.

What's even more frightening is that the wound on Horus's chest, which originally marked a severe injury, healed imperceptibly at the same time as the eerie black flames appeared, as if what Rogdorn pierced from the beginning was not Horus's true body, but an indescribable, equally unharmable pure black fire.

Or perhaps, the Imperial Warmaster's mastery of the warp is so exquisite that he can transform his mortal body into a higher form when necessary.

“Look, Dorn.”

Seeing the surprise in the eyes of the Terra Guardians, Shepherd Wolf smiled smugly.

"I told you so."

"You should have brought a good sword."

Having said that, Horus held nothing back.

He loathed the fight.

Only at this moment did he unleash the power that a Primarch should unleash in a life-or-death battle.

He took a step forward, quickly closing in on Dorn, so fast that even Dorn himself could barely see him: the two Primarchs' gazes met in an instant, and at that moment, they were less than an arm's length apart.

For the Worldbreakers, this is truly a good time to hunt their prey.

(End of this chapter)