Emperor's Bane

Chapter 167 The End and Death

Torture, pain, death can not.

It seems that every living being has such dark imaginations at the first second when they have wisdom and consciousness: they can't help imagining, fearing, and trying to figure out the most terrible torture they can imagine, and in the In some kind of darker corner, one would secretly look forward to it, expecting it to land on the heads of other creatures, causing mourning and wailing.

They do it in the dead of night, when anger and malice dance freely.

But even the most terrifying and darkest delusions in every life's heart can never imagine how painful the real eternity will be.

Simply stepping into the [Engine of Destiny] is the most torturous challenge that can exist in the mortal world: even the God of the Furnace who built this eternal cage with one hand, I am afraid that he will not know how many cruel people are imprisoned here. Slaughtering, tyrannical souls who died in endless resentment and anger.

In order to create an unprecedented decisive weapon, the entire northern galaxy was wiped out by Ran Dan's butcher knife. Dozens of hundreds of star regions were transformed from a prosperous hive world into a scorched land of death. Since the Great Expedition, the total number of sacrifices paid is still rare compared to the huge number of souls imprisoned in the [Engine of Destiny].

And now Randan's Emperor stands in this cage of eternity: now this is his cage.

The sea of ​​resentful spirits, which can submerge everything, completely tore its skin and flesh from the very first moment it walked in, and countless ghosts and monsters scrambled to pounce on its flesh and blood in howls of vengeance. Soul, every inch of bone is eaten bit by bit, every sliver of soul is shredded bit by bit, like tens of millions of carnivorous insects devouring a living life bit by bit , let pain and struggle become the only memories and senses before death.

Vengeance, malevolence, curses, or downright insanity.

Driven by such emotions, countless souls committed unimaginable atrocities on the alien emperor: they drilled into its eyelids and corners of lips, wantonly biting the fragile nerves behind the eyeballs and teeth; Its flesh and blood, let the invisible cold wind turn into a bone-scraping steel knife, scraping bones and tendons over and over again; in the heart, in the brain, in every fingertip and every inch of skin, and even in its soul In every piece of pure land, vicious souls are like swarms of locusts, everywhere.

And this kind of torture is just what happened in the first moment, compared to the ensuing madness, it is simply too easy.

They tried to swallow it alive, and then tried to keep it alive, collapsing under endless resentment and torture.

Any life, no matter if it is an ordinary human, a powerful Astarte, an arrogant Randan overlord, a belligerent flay, or the oldest and most vicious Comorian dignitary, they will not be able to stand before this scene. Would there be any difference: the spirit of such people is completely broken at the first breath, everything they see is enough to kill them, and they don't even feel pain, because after they are completely Before the earth was torn apart, their spirits had already died: for any ordinary life, this place was death.

However, for the alien emperor, here is eternity.

It is in the most terrifying torture machine in the entire galaxy at present, this machine is so vast and crazy, even those deep eyes in the deepest part of the subspace can't help but shift their attention here for a short time, witnessing it is How to operate and distribute your own coolest and wonderful art.

Ran Dan's emperor died. The first second he entered here, his mortal body had already died. His skin and flesh were torn from his bones by the violent hurricane. The bones, internal organs and nerves were eaten away in the next instant, and before it felt more pain, it was already a dead person.

But in the next moment, before its heart started its second beat, it came alive again in the very center of its pain.

Strong vitality and stronger will support its body, and its flesh and bones are growing tenaciously: then more and more souls blow away with the icy cold wind.

Grow, scrape, grow, scrape...

Every second is the most painful torture between life and death.

Every second, this kind of torture may have to be repeated countless times.

But this, this physical torture and pain is even far less than one ten-thousandth of the mental one.

Souls, vicious souls, all souls, they poured into Emperor Ran Dan's sea of ​​souls, eager to destroy it, but only here is the last country where the alien emperor must never abandon even an inch of land.

Its spiritual vision must be maintained, its rationality and thinking must exist, its soul must be alive, even if it is just like the most pathetic withered bones, it must also be kept alive: not for itself, but for this powerful and The power of disorder does not descend upon its subjects indiscriminately.

So it struggled, it resisted.

it howled.

No one can hear its most painful and mournful wail, because it does not echo in the real universe at all, but keeps setting off layer after layer of never-ending bloody rain in the sea of ​​souls.

The soul is furious, those wills that are already crazy because of being deprived of their lives are tormenting every inch of its nerves and wills in an increasingly distorted posture, loudly ordering it to surrender and fall, to fight with them Never resting for a moment, the torment with them never subsides.

Piercing to the bone, everywhere, the anger of anger and revenge has turned into the most greedy and gluttonous beast, as long as it escapes the most terrible torture in the world, everything it cherishes will fall apart in an instant.

It even heard laughter, beyond the countless roars and curses, the same endless laughter: they came from the place where the king of the real universe, from the eternal kingdom of chaos and longing, from the most The profane will and their loyal servants: they dress up, they are ready for battle, and they use a fanatical attitude to cheer and applaud for this rare performance.

Applause, sarcasm, whispers, and endless promises mixed with pain, assaulting its spirit and will, forcing it to reach them with all its strength, resisting the most beautiful contract in these galaxies: each of them It is what it desires most: the future, beauty, hope...

and relief.

But, it can't.

It cannot do this.

It raised its head, howling.

It can only howl.

It wailed, ordering itself to resist all erosions, ordering its body to persevere in futile resurrection and existence in the endless erosion of life and death.

Until it can take it all.

Until it can resist it all.

Until it can accept them, can accept these wild souls, can let them absorb all of them on its body, greedily devour and replace its flesh and blood, and use its will and reason as wonderful food.

Until it has strength, enough strength and wildness, to sustain it all.

To sustain the hope of its race.

It must do this, it must step into and become the engine of destiny, and hold the final destiny of its own race in its own hands.

It has time to do so, because in the engine of fate, the flow of time is so slow and sluggish, perhaps the most inconspicuous moment in the outside world is the ten thousand years here.

ten thousand years.

ten thousand years.

Another ten thousand years.

------

It doesn't care.

------

The empire is in retreat.

Ran Dan is advancing.

Victory is revealed.

But Skanderbeg, didn't care.

The No. [-] person of the entire Ran Dan Empire just stood loyally on the side of the [Fate Engine], like a most ordinary humble servant, waiting for the return of his master.

It doesn't know how long it will have to wait, it just lets the passage of time, the footsteps of war, and the end of everything.

After the cruelest confrontation, the human fleet finally began to evacuate slowly. This was an absolutely helpless move: even though Ran Dan's rear fleet had already disbanded a lot under its command , but the remaining army is still enough to crush the few remaining imperial fleets in number.

The defense line was breached, the fortress was captured, and the key nodes that once shed countless blood without giving up an inch are now just discarded useless garbage, no one cares about them, and the alien fleet once again came to the Turks [-] The orbit of No. [-] star once again dropped a vast landing army, and once again let the flames of war be ignited by everyone.

This time, they were unstoppable.

The most seriously injured imperial fleets have disappeared from the battlefield unknowingly, and those well-organized mortal auxiliaries have also boarded transport ships at unknown times, and under the cover of the salamanders, began to made his own retreat.

Maybe there are still millions of imperial warriors stuck by the alien army and abandoned by the fact of helplessness, but there are also more warriors and hope that have been preserved and have become the new flesh and blood of the empire.

But all of this, the victories, honors, and gains and losses that all of this represents, Skanderbeg doesn't care, it closes its eyes tightly, and throws all the battles to the marshals and admirals who survived the war, and It just stood there, like a black iron statue without beauty.

And beside it, behind it and in the distance, in the darkness and dim light that spread all the way to the horizon, there were figures doing the same movements as it.

They stand, they are silent, they wait for the return of their only master, no matter how long they have to wait.

These beings, these warriors, these ruthless killing machines that the soldiers of the empire would call the [Randan Imperial Army] in awe, there are tens of thousands of them, and against the contrast of their pure black helmets that are neither sad nor joyful, they are [Engine of Destiny] That never-ending scarlet light.

And so they wait.

I don't know how long I waited.

Until the Emperor returns.

Or the end of all things.

------

How long has it been?

It does not know, it cannot know.

Its will, its spirit, every inch of its rationality and noble emotions that it was once proud of, have all disappeared, completely worn out, and have been tortured and tortured for perhaps countless years. re-existed.

No... one more point.

And...and...

It grits its teeth, gnashing the teeth that have been devoured long ago, imagining its own persistence and pain, and taking it as persistence.

Another point!
It has to stick!
Ran Dan!

It thinks of the word.

The word has power, has the power to get it back on its feet.

Ran Dan!

It looked up, it saw.

It can see everything. In the bone-chilling wind that no one can bear, the broken fragments are like broken lenses, piercing into its non-existent eye sockets one after another, bringing its memories and vision .

it can see.

It can see the starry sky, the light of the stars pierced the thick clouds, just like the tears of the gods poured on the black sand, turning into the most wonderful pearls, it saw, it saw that day, that day A day that will never be forgotten: it stands under the stars, on the cliff, and the cold light from thousands of miles away wraps its body, casting its shadow on every leaf in the forest.

starry sky.

At that moment, it thought so.

Then, it knew, it knew everything about itself: mission, persistence, belief.

Starry sky, beautiful starry sky.

What should belong to Ran Dan, the starry sky.

It belongs to them, to its people and race, as it should.

At that moment, it knew, and it [woke up].

It used to have its own name, its own family and stories, but in front of this starry sky, they are insignificant.

On that day, under the starry sky, an ordinary life passed away.

An [Emperor] appeared.

Ran Dan's emperor.

It witnessed, it felt the non-existent tears slowly dripping down in the non-existent eye sockets, causing the innumerable unborn in the warp to laugh wildly.

It weeps?Maybe not.

It's just screaming, howling.

in see.

It saw its own footsteps, saw its figure, 1000 years ago, its shadow dragged its armor and robes, set off its steps, in every inch of land, every inch of Randan mother planet On the wasteland, without a single stop, it started its own work.

It gets some buddies.

It gained some trust.

It gets some troops.

It has gained some following.

It scored some victories.

It has lost some dear friends.

It loses some camaraderie.

It gets some titles.

It loses some of its smiles.

……

Destiny is like a flood, but in the blink of an eye, it is year after year.

It saw its high spirits, it saw its smugness, it saw countless statues and temples lined up with bursts of cheers, it saw the first warship belonging to the race penetrated the distance of time and space , sent back his message.

It saw, saw the death of an empire, and a galaxy in chaos.

That's opportunity, that's danger, that's their time.

it thought.

So, it pulled out its sword and pointed to the starry sky above its head, and the flames of war began to burn.

it's time.

Let the starry sky become theirs.

it thought.

------

then.

It wakes up.

------

It is more dazzling and terrible than a thousand brilliant stars, more absurd and depressing than ten thousand dead worlds.

As it steps out, its broken mind thinks so.

It walked out, I don't know how long it took, it walked out of the [Destiny Engine].

No, it should be said.

It became, 【Engine of Destiny】.

------

It saw its mate, its last mate, it saw the faithful Skanderbeg, Randan's hero, its left hand and its right hand.

The number two person of the Randan Empire raised his head. He saw his master, his true appearance, and what kind of existence he was at this moment.

With just one glance, endless madness and disorder attacked its brain, and the will accumulated in 1000 years of conquest and struggle was almost wiped out in front of this [existence].

It lowered its head, and in an instant, countless beads of sweat appeared on its forehead, more than what had appeared in the past 1000 years combined.

No, stick with it.

Skanderbeg said to himself.

That is [Randan], the emperor of the Randan Empire, its master, its only master.

It gritted its teeth, and raised its head again. It witnessed everything in front of it, and used its tenacity to resist all the madness.

It will follow it no matter what the hell happens, no matter what it becomes.

Then it heard cheers.

Countless cheers, they come from Ran Dan's forbidden army, from countless Ran Dan's legions and fleets, from every Ran Dan's overlord and warrior, from every Ran Dan's soldier.

They cheer for their lord, even though they can't see its appearance at all: the endless scarlet light has now completely enveloped the alien emperor, and no one can see its real situation, but just looking at it is better than the human empire. The mightiest Titans are still taller and more powerful, and no one doubts that their emperor has become stronger, just like every miracle that happened before, like all the stories they have been taught since childhood Same.

The Emperor is still alive.

It works wonders.

It brings victory, and the future.

The cheers are erupting and continuing, spontaneously in the chest of every Ran Dan soldier, without any words or encouragement at all, when the light like a god appears on every Ran Dan through naked eyes and countless projectors When he was on the battleship, all the depression and discouragement disappeared, and endless courage and divine will re-occupied everyone's hearts.

Ran Dan once again launched an attack.

Winning offense.

This time.

They won.

------

Won.

No need for more decorative words, just the simplest: won.

The alien warships wrapped in black flails mercilessly crushed the last star castles and defense arrays loyal to the human empire, and on the barren surface of Star Taxus [-], void shields one after another were also there. It fell under the wave of the second offensive, and countless indestructible fortresses were exposed to the gunfire of the alien warships, and they couldn't even survive the first attack.

The defense line was shattered, the world fell, and all the pride and persistence turned into a real failure in a moment, springing up in the hearts of every imperial soldier: but this did not make them fall into madness and anger, most of the surviving human warships They had already retreated to the transition points reserved in advance in an orderly manner, and the mortal auxiliary army and the space wolves were the first to withdraw: because of their position in the war, the sons of Leman Russ paid a difficult price. Given the imagined casualties and costs, when the wolf king inspects his troops again, he will have to promote at least eight new wolf masters at once.

After that, there is the strongest and most flexible fleet of the Dark Angels, and the Salamander Legion who voluntarily stayed behind: the Fire Dragon Lord and his sons are inspired by the spirit of every comrade who has fought here, They deeply know that every resistance and sacrifice they make can allow more mortal warriors to safely retreat to a safe rear.

The most powerful [Indomitable Truth] and [Flame Casting] became the final and most absolute core, and around them were more flexible warships, and outside of these high-speed warships were Countless warships had been destroyed and jumped gangs long ago, and countless alien warriors swarmed on them, cheering for their hard-won victory.

This is the last scene of the Battle of Turks, the last moment of countless confrontations between humans and Ran Dan.

Blood and tears are flowing, the bitterness of failure and the long laughter of victory are constantly echoing under the same sky, the world is collapsing, the stars are dying, and the subspace attracted by countless impacts and collisions seems to be the only one. The winner, in endless laughter, devours the world wantonly.

Until the scarlet light, the almost invincible Emperor Ran Dan, randomly dispatched a small force of his own, and after Ran Dan's army retreated, he tore the entire Taxus [-] star into pieces, Let the disintegrating vortex and magma swallow everything that once existed.

This war has come to an end.

Ran Dan, got its victory.

------

But is that really the case?

On the shattered battleship and in the burning fortress, Ran Dan's flag was flying high and high without restraint, but it could never cover up the crimson light brought by the firing of the light gun.

On every human warship that was torn apart and captured by aliens; on every dying fortress that was trampled by cavalry, even on the fragments of those broken worlds, countless fires, countless gunshots, and countless battle cries : Although no one cares, they still exist.

The war is over.

Alien wins.

But the resistance is far from over.

There are still aliens falling, there is still blood flowing, and there are still indomitable battle cries echoing in every battleship and fortress that has long been unable to evacuate.

There will always be someone who will hold out and resist.

There will always be people who scorn death.

There will always be people, even if the world shatters and burns before their eyes, even if the will of end and death stirs in their hearts, they will hold their steel guns tightly, facing this universe that has never been kind, the world that has never been kind.

Make your own roar.

------

end, and death.

and roar
roar.

It heard the roar.

How familiar.

Pain invaded its mind, twists gnawed at its body, but it could still hear.

can see.

can feel it.

As it walks, it no longer needs any warships and vehicles. It is wrapped in pure pain and suffering, and cannot get even the most basic rest for a moment. It hides in the most dazzling light, like a moment Unscrupulous stars travel through the void.

It can hear, can hear those arrogant laughs, they are watching it, seducing it with the most playful attitude, waiting for its death and humiliation, bringing a moment of joy to their boring eternal life enjoy.

...let them go.

It thinks, advances, and fights.

Fighting, it can't even be called a real battle, it has forgotten a lot of things, the moment it walked out of the [Engine of Destiny], it forgot a lot, it abandoned a lot of things, a lot of wisdom and Pride, to save the most important ones.

But it still knew how to fight, even though it was just casually tilting the countless souls wrapped under its body.

It triumphed, it shattered the impenetrable world, it repelled those who tried to resist it: they jammed in front of Mandeville Point, eager to create their own miracles: it knew them, it Knowing that they are the Primarchs of Humanity.

What a powerful and beautiful creature.

Perhaps, it should also build some, it should have built some, maybe that way, the possibility of its victory will be greater.

No...it won't do that, it won't steal those false flames arrogantly like that human being: that's drinking poison to quench thirst, he can't control them all the time, he will burn himself in the end.

So it thought, and it even thought of another man it remembered, another Primarch, a cold-blooded monster whose name it had forgotten: even the wildest and most ruthless Randan warrior was more like that monster. It is a living life, he is so cruel and ruthless, even let it be deeply remembered.

It still remembers their bargain: though there was no conversation between them, even though they had been inseparable for years on the battlefield called the Galaxy, they still made a deal, a tacit understanding brought trade.

It remembers: how that cold-blooded man swaggered to the deepest stars in the northern part of the galaxy with everything he needed and his puppets.

That was its price, it guaranteed him unhindered access, and in return it was...

That legion, the ignorant Astartes Legion, the legion that was abandoned by their father, they became bargaining chips in their ignorance, became abandoned children, and were labeled as "incompetent", Ravaged and slaughtered wantonly by its legion, it finally turned into a blood mist and dissipated in the world they had sworn to defend to the death.

It remembered the scene, and when it did, it was facing some innocuous resistance.

Resistance came from those Primarchs, and the babes who walked with them, babes enough to make him jealous.

They stayed on a battleship full of explosives, eager to stop its pace and will: it had to admit that they could indeed have this confidence.

That [Soul Drinker], that terrifying existence that its people speak of with fearful words, how delicate her power is, though she is so weak, she is really causing trouble for it, stirring up It worked hard to control everything until it used one move to evade the unavoidable attack, causing her to withdraw from this disparate battle for a short time.

The blond warrior, who commanded those bloodless and tearless war machines, dragged its footsteps, and it could even hear his every word and order: although it was crying endlessly, it could already distinguish, What an excellent military master that is, and the wisdom contained in each of his orders is a height beyond the reach of its best subjects.

And that pure black dragon, that scarlet-eyed monster, when his sledgehammer slammed into its legs that didn't exist long ago, it even felt a little false. Painful, he is a god of war, he is an invincible person, he can easily tear any of its subjects, without the slightest suspense.

It thought of Skanderbeg, but then it denied it: Skanderbeg was by no means equal to them, by a hair, by any means.

Not to mention, its other subjects.

……

……

...Is this a human being?

Is it its opponent?

Is it its race, the enemy of its dreams?
It is what it has longed for and planned, how to defeat, human beings?
The once glorious, once rising, once dominated the world, let his will and greed plunder the entire galaxy, and caused countless aliens and civilizations to spin and disappear along with their emotions... Human?
Although it has been an enemy for so long, at this moment, it really began to feel this problem.

It was silent, it howled, and he felt a kind of hopeless silence taking root in its heart, and in the blink of an eye, it had become a towering giant tree. The roots of this tree were filled with countless pains, deeply rooted. Pierced into its soul, even the never-ending torment from the [Engine of Destiny] cannot compare to one ten-thousandth of this pain.

human beings...

It attacked, it roared, it rampaged among the mightiest of the Primarchs like a terrible dragon whose minds were twisted by madness.

It beat them all.

no doubt.

no doubt……

It stood still, it destroyed those ruthless war machines, it watched the existence named Soul Drinker struggling to return to the battlefield, grabbed its own two companions who were lying on the ground, dying, and then A dagger emerged from the palm of his hand.

Her face is ferocious, the purest anger.

She cut her own throat, drew a small scar, and let a drop of blood flow from her snow-white neck: accompanied by this insignificant drop of blood, her whole person seemed to dim in an instant.

It did not stop its attack.

The drop of blood began to burn and roar before the mortal onslaught arrived.

A hurricane, a hurricane capable of disrupting its attack, appeared in front of it. When it was furious and smashed the hurricane completely, there was nothing in front of it.

Primarchs, machines, those last fleets and humans, have disappeared without a trace.

It was silent, standing there without any movement, allowing itself to struggle in endless pain.

------

Keep going.

In a trance, Skanderbeg seems to have heard this command: it is broken, it is twisted, it is sung by countless hoarse throats in endless curses.

And this order was carried out.

------

end, and death.

And... humans.

Before it cheered its victorious people to the next galaxy, it struggled with the meaning of these words in its remaining sanity.

It thought of its race, its beloved Ran Dan, and every Ran Dan soldier who was squandered by it at will.

It thought of them, of their rise and brilliance, of how they gnawed at the remains of human beings, and completed their rise in this great galaxy at a speed that even they couldn't predict.

Then, there is ambition, there is expansion, there is war.

is destruction.

It is the destruction of the galaxy.

The dead empire once again started its own roar, reorganized its own legion, regained its own territory, and crushed all opponents under absolute power.

It used to think that it was only one step away from its dream, and that the only thing to worry about was the terrifying existence in the subspace, until the overlord it thought was dead stood up again and walked in front of its race .

They want their lives.

Nothing but destruction.

Thus, war broke out.

Then, they lose.

Without any suspense, I lost.

Finally, the last territory of the Tax system has been completely swallowed up by the increasingly unscrupulous subspace. Storms and vortices have occupied this place, forcing Ran Dan's fleet to abandon this boiling hot land.

In endless pain, the alien emperor took one last look at the battlefield on which he had given his all.

It was victorious, defeating three legions of men: but it knew that there were sixteen more of them.

They also have stronger power, more fleets, and more terrifying ambitions and confidence to persist in war.

It just gave its all and repelled a human hand: not even an all-out hand.

It closed its eyes.

Let yourself be drowned in pain.

The pain felt more like a relief than a waking reality.

------

until.

What does it feel.

light.

That is, light.

It opened its eyes, and it felt light, a cold light.

He was waiting for it, in their next destination, in the next galaxy, that nameless place that didn't even have a name, that most inconspicuous corner of the galaxy.

Nice to end a story, no?
It thought, it watched, it allowed its own fleet, its own people, and its own strength to slowly flock there, flocking to the icy sun, those golden ruthless legions.

They are waiting for it.

They are preparing everything.

They are preparing for the end.

It seems that as long as it defeats them, it can get everything of its own.

When its brain is filled with this absurd idea, when it witnesses the icy sun and the metal dragon surrounding that sun, it will think so.

It can be felt.

------

end, and death.

It thought of all this again.

Then, in endless pain, in eternal torment, in the most remote and distorted ecstasy of the gods.

The alien king smiled.

(End of this chapter)