Emperor's Bane

Chapter 103 A Loyal Timeline (Morgan X Horus)

you are the first.

They all say so.

She would say the same.

------

"you are the first."

Do you still remember Cthonia, the home planet that you never chose to go back to? The ruins, avoiding the gray cumulus clouds that never leave the world.

But you know, you can't avoid it, just like you can't avoid batch after batch of new blood from Cthonia inheriting your genes and strength, coming to your legion, and telling you with the most admiration Those Cthonian natives, calling you father and lord, fought and died for you.

Of course you can’t let them down, you treat everyone in the Legion as equally as possible, and when you look at the tattoos on their arms and backs that symbolize gangster culture, you will also think of your past.

When you were not so powerful, when you were a little boy who had just left your home planet, when you came to the radiant holy Terra with tension and anticipation, everything you saw was It was so wonderful and dreamy. Although you can't remember more details now, you know that the time was good.

Thinking of this, your brain feels a tingling pain, which is an irrelevant dull pain, as if someone is holding a delicate silver needle, trying to make you feel pain or even a little bit of torture.

Do you think of the too shimmering golden light, the radiant figure standing on the dunes, or between his courts?You can't remember.

Wearing that suit of armor, with what looks like a genuinely happy smile on his face, he walks up, stepping quickly, pats you on the shoulder affectionately, and calls you his son.

You still remember how you hugged him with great excitement, and even the light of the stars shining on the world became more brilliant because of the reunion of father and son. You remember that those lights shone on his armor, which looked too much dazzling.

In fact, you didn't see his face clearly.

Then, he put his arms around you and introduced you to the person next to him. This time, you saw clearly: it was a silver-haired woman, a little shorter than you, with a pair of blue and blue Color pupils, she looks at you like a spoiled young lady watching his father bring back a pitiful puppy from outside.

There is no malice, but no respect, instead, a natural desire to guide and protect occupies one part of her pupils. She seems to be trying hard to make herself look more serious, but when that lazy aura is still Captured by you.

She is so calm, as if she has already seen through you.

You think so, then smile, and reach out.

She held out her hand, too, and her fingers were slender and fragile compared to yours, not the palm of a warrior: it makes you proud.

Admittedly, you're a bit bummed that you're not really your father's firstborn, but that doesn't stop you from greeting her with a smile.

The two hands were clasped together.

"Horus."

"Morgan."

She smiled at you, a lazy smile, but more likely to make people feel friendly.

"Congratulations, my brother."

"you are the first."

She seemed to say something again, but you didn't catch it.

You can only feel that there is something beautiful about her smile.

Although her hand was cold, it also made people feel at ease.

------

You joined the crusade, and you joined it immediately, and your offspring flowed across the stars to be reunited with you, and before that they had earned themselves the prestigious name of the Luna Wolf, a name you are content with.

Your father is busy, he is always busy, he has endless things to do, endless plans, he travels between different galaxies in a hurry, although he often fights side by side with you, for example in Ruili Si, he protects the unfortunate injured you until the arrival of reinforcements.

But after that, he left, and you heard rumors of other brothers from the stars: Leman Russ, or Ferrus, you've seen them, they were either pure barbarians, or There is a shrewd and capable but unlikable atmosphere.

But fortunately, some people stayed behind.

Morgan, she's been with you the whole time.

You thought she would never leave.

The Second Legion and the No.16 Legion are the closest comrades-in-arms. She is your blood relative, comrade-in-arms, teacher, and think tank. You have conquered countless worlds and kingdoms, shuttled between galaxies one after another, and witnessed the brilliance of meteors. The death of a star.

She teaches you to learn various languages, and teaches you to observe the trajectories and lives of stars. When you hear countless words from countless people, you will always think of the knowledge she told you, and she tells you With thousands of emotions that human beings can have, she confides completely without any concealment: you can feel that she has no secrets, and her words are always lazy, but they are always sincere.

Sincerity, you like sincerity.

You have traveled through galaxies and worlds, war and death are always necessary, but more often than not, you can witness the surrender of your heart and soul, you can stand on the top of the battleship, overlooking another world into The territory of the empire has been broken, and the great rejuvenation of mankind has taken another solid step.

In those days, the sun was always warm, everyone in the legion could laugh out loud, death and sacrifice were proudly mentioned and remembered, you and she always liked to stand at the highest place to observe your children and discuss They, list the best ones, compete with each other, you are always the one who wins the game, whenever this time, her cheeks will become puffy, whispering softly about what you committed when you just returned Embarrassing thing, she seems to know everything you have been through with her, which makes you proud.

Those days seem to never end. The two legions are marching forward in the galaxy. She often lives on the Vengeful Spirit. You specially built a house for her with the same specifications as yours. Similarly, on her flagship On the ground, you also have the same treatment. The soldiers of the two legions are used to encountering another Primarch. Some bold guys will even joke about it. You like these little brats.

Those were good days.

It's been like that for 30 years... like 20 years.

Wait, it seems to be 19 years.

Headache, you have a headache again, when you want to recall those specific numbers, the needle-like pain begins to harass your senses stubbornly.

You felt irritated, and slapped the giant palm, smashing the throne on one side. Your eyes caught Masherot being frightened by this scene. He was never so timid before.

But you still opened your mouth, apologizing softly like the most sincere father, but he froze in place, as if he heard something strange from your words.

Forget it, since some time ago, he has been like this, maybe he is really not suitable for this position.

You also saw warriors and mortals walking around the corners of the room, and some of them approached Masherot and talked to him.

They seem to call him Agnes?What a ridiculous mistake.

You smiled, but did not refute, because some people were shocked by your smile, they knelt on the ground, trembling, not daring to make the slightest movement.

But you only felt a faint sour taste in your mouth, which made your irritability increase day by day, and you seemed to hear a vague laughter echoing between the battleship and the corridor, which made you frown.

You solemnly opened your mouth, ordering Masherot to settle the matter, and his footsteps after receiving the order were so hurried and flustered, as if fleeing from a roaring beast.

You smiled again, and ignored him, your eyes once again penetrated countless times and spaces, and returned to the most beautiful time.

You forget when that was, anyway, in just a few short years, your brothers returned to the Empire one by one: Fulgrim, Vulkan, Dorne, and Magnus , she took Vulkan away and left Fulgrim to you. When you watched her flagship and fleet disappear at Mandeville Point alone, you froze for a long time until your heir took you wake up.

It feels like the child walked out of the house and walked into the distance alone.

You feel alone, maybe a little excited.

In any case, you start to get used to being alone, start teaching Fulgrim, and start trying to remember how she taught you, and you always go to the room you prepared for her to stay quietly for a while, reminiscing about the past .

You like this.

Your brothers are still coming back, they are all so strong and wise, you can feel your father trying to emphasize your status, he always tries his best to bring you when he welcomes his son back, you like So, because this is the time you can be reunited with your father, and Morgan.

The three of you stay together, just like in the old days.

There are brothers around her: Vulkan, Dorn, Perturabo...

Oh, and Robert, Robert Guilliman, your most ambitious brother, he is entrenched in his five hundred worlds, plotting his own conspiracy all the time, you always remind yourself in your heart, remind I want to prevent Guilliman's actions against the empire because of his ambition and calculation. You know, it will be a matter of time.

After all, he is jealous of you, he looks at everything about you with greedy eyes, at the Warmaster position in your hand, at your close relationship with Morgan: Guilliman always wants to break everything, so he Encourage her to build her own kingdom, and keep looking for her to discuss the strategy of governing mortals.

Damn it, why didn't he go to other brothers to discuss the governance of mortals and political planning, and what exchange and study plans he wanted to make, so as to stamp the mark of Ultramar in Morgan's kingdom.

Headache, the headache is getting more and more obvious, you can't help covering your forehead, your expression may be a little hideous, because you heard many people kneeling beside you one after another, you even heard the sound of spitting out dirt .

Maybe they were really intimidated.

You want to apologize to them, but the headache stops that.

You decide not to think about Guilliman, after all, that kid can never do anything, he will always make a wrong calculation inadvertently, and the execution of the eloquent plan will turn into a disaster.

He is a perfect bureaucrat, nothing more.

Speaking of this, you can't help but think of the rare differences between you and Morgan. You still remember how she laughed and commented on Guilliman in front of you that day, and you laughed at her conclusion.

A person who created five hundred worlds, how could his wish be to be an old farmer?He wasn't Mortarion.

You seem to have been arguing for a long time, you have never argued for so long, you still remember that Sanguinius sat next to you just after returning, holding a fruit plate, and said a few words when the atmosphere was heated, you forgot that he was When did you integrate into your small circle, but you don't hate him, who would hate Sanguinius?
Since that day, you two always seem to be arguing, a rational and controlled argument, you don't hate this time, after all, she is living on the Vengeful Spirit again, and her room is too empty. It's been a long time, but fortunately you have maintained the habit of cleaning it.

So, you, Morgan and Sanguinius, a perfect combination, a perfect time, you seem to have returned to the days when you walked among the stars, but this time, the war is inevitably too much.

You chatted in the long night under the moon, you miss that peaceful time, most of the time, you are the one who talks, Sanguinius always has little constructive speech, and Morgan somehow, likes to speak in your language The feeling of jumping left and right in the logical loopholes, that teasing smile is always accompanied by the corners of her mouth, as if the days away from you are too long, and she wants to make up for it all at once.

But anyway, it's a good time, and that's the second time you think the days are going to go on like this.

You smiled, you could feel your smile, and at this moment, you found that your chin was a little wet, you lowered your head, only to see some viscous liquid dripping on your breastplate, you You frowned, and called the attendants to come over to clean them, but maybe your voice was too gentle, they just lowered their heads and said nothing.

Maybe you need a new batch of mortal servants, even if they are a little more clever.

You complain in your heart, but you don't get angry, you consider this poor guy: the war has been too long, long enough to destroy the sanity of these mortals.

But that's okay, you'll be able to end it in no time.

------

In the 100 years of the second half of the Great Crusade, it seems that all you can remember is the war.

Sanguinius left, and Morgan also left. She led her legion to the edge of the galaxy to participate in a war against Ran Dan. You tried to persuade her not to intervene in this kind of thing, but the result Just the first real fight between her and you.

You even remember her sarcasm.

"what are you worried about?"

"What are you worrying about?"

"What are you jealous about?"

"My Horus, do you feel uneasy when you avoid this war, but witness other brothers commanding multiple legions? Does it make you feel a sense of unnecessary threat?"

You didn't speak, you were neither willing to refute nor face it, you silently watched her fleet disappear into Mandeville Point again, when she appeared in front of you again, it was already 30 years later.

Scarred and exhausted.

You give her a hug, as if that's all you can do.

You feel her head on your chest, and the two of them standing silently are worth a thousand words.

But this is not the beginning of a reunion, just a fleeting glimpse.

Next, she went to another remote corner. It is said that she accompanied and taught that midnight ghost for 20 years, but you don’t think it’s of any use, those guys from the Eighth Legion are still performing their own actions Art, just likes to bring a code compiled by their genetic father, read the above regulations and instructions with sacred belief, and disembowel those who meet the conditions.

Then Angron, she spends a long time on that crazy brother, but you still feel that it is useless, after all, Angron looks like his son and Space Wolves in the end, and the world It can be seen that what little sanity he has left is doomed to perish under the passage of time.

But she is still the same, running around among the stars, becoming more and more like your father, although you still maintain the closest relationship with Morgan and your father, and you are still fighting side by side when conditions permit, but for She becomes the exact same figure as her father, and you feel only an instinctive resistance.

This resistance reached its peak after Ullano.

After you know she backed Jonson as the Warmaster, you were really pissed off, and you almost left your mission and work all the way to her flagship.

You walk through the corridors, through the rooms, through the soldiers of the Second Legion that you are no longer familiar with, everything here seems to make you strange, but when you push open the last door, you enter the once Where you discuss it together, it doesn't seem any different than it did a few decades ago.

Familiar, you feel familiar.

She's waiting for you there, with wine and a few books on the table, and the two of you may be furious at this moment, at least you are, but when you sit down, the past can't help but emerge with this action. in front of their respective eyes.

You smile and she smiles too.

You drank and talked about Jonson and the Warmaster, and you still disagreed with her a bit, but that didn't hurt.

Anyway, the Warmaster is yours.

And the other things you want, are also yours.

------

Thinking about it now, Ulano seems to have happened only a few decades ago, maybe 20 years?
You have another headache.

Finally, you stood up and walked slowly to the tactical projector. You witnessed the slowly rotating planet in the projector. You looked at it for a long time, until someone whispered to remind you .

"Warmaster, this is the situation on Terra..."

Ah, yes, this is Terra.

The beginning and the end of everything.

Also your next loot.

But it won't be the last.

You look at it, look at its riddled surface, watch the huge legion rampage on its land, watch the army of Dorne and Sanguinius block in front of the palace in vain, waiting Impossible miracle.

How could there be a miracle again?

What are they waiting for?
Waiting for Jonson and Curz?Their two legions have long been bewitched by their own instigation, those loyal to his midnight lords provoked a war between the two legions, his brother judge is a poor manager after all, if it weren't for the one named Sevita The stubborn bastard, he has already controlled the entire Eighth Army.

As for now, they may have broken through their own storm in the Ghoul Sector, and the combination of the two Primarchs could indeed do that, and they may go to Guilliman and spend more time on his folly. Time, in short, they can't keep up with this war, whether it is the Dark Angels, the Night Lords or the Ultramarines, they are destined to be absentees.

Thinking of this, you can't help but feel melancholy. If you could have sent another brother to bring Angron back, maybe your legion would have entered the palace by now. Fulgrim is a fool, he messed up everything , and lost himself.

You felt a headache, an unprecedented headache, and you patted your head, but vaguely heard some kind of sound echoing in the room, like the most terrifying monster roaring in a low voice.

what a pity.

You think so.

If she could have been on your side, you would have won it, maybe three years ago.

But this is bound to be delusional.

You invited her, you approached her almost the first moment you made up your mind, and she didn't explicitly refuse or agree, but you know, this is rejection.

then……

Then, she died.

Died in Isstvan.

You remember how she died, after all, you killed her yourself and destroyed her legion, you remember the way her blood ran on your paws, and the last time her eyes looked at you, that There is no hatred in it.

Everyone was screaming, especially Fulgrim, Perturabo, and Lorgar, who were about to charge up and turn against you, but there were also people laughing...you forget who.

Headache……

and many more……

is she dead

She didn't die, she didn't die in Isstvan, she died in Prospero, Magnus killed her...

No, it's not there either. You seem to have killed her in Betangamon and cut off her head. Now it's on your right side...

No, did you kill her?
That skull, seems to be Ferrus?
Magnus seems to have said that she and her Legion are fighting in the Webway?
The headache became more and more violent, you took a deep breath and closed your eyes tightly.

One second, two seconds, three seconds.

You open it again and the headache goes away.

You overcome it, just as you have overcome countless challenges and difficulties before.

The smile comes back to your face.

You're still bothered, but you don't care anymore.

Even if she does die, you will have her back to you when this is over.

She is no longer allowed to leave your side.

And if she is alive, then you will inevitably feel a little sad. After all, at this point, she still refuses to recognize the real reality in this world and comes to your side.

but it does not matter.

You're about to end this.

Whether it's Jonson, Curze, Guilliman, or Sanguinius and Morgan, when you kill the false emperor, they will know how wrong they are.

They'll kneel down and ask your forgiveness, and of course you'll forgive them, after all the galaxy is so vast and you need your brothers to rule with you, and you don't mind being a merciful master as long as they recognize your power.

Of course, some people, or she, has no future, and she must be by your side, and you will not allow her to leave.

She will obey.

You have such power.

also have such ability.

After all, you are the first.

(End of this chapter)