Emperor's Bane

Chapter 184 Father and Daughter and Fear
It wasn't until their conversation continued to a certain point that the Lord of Humanity really realized a problem:
Morgan, his daughter, his second creation, was perhaps a little trickier than all her blood relatives.

She may not be a character who can please and appease by a single means.

It seems that it will be a very difficult task to crack open the thick shell of caution and hostility in her heart: it is so difficult that it exceeds all the imagination, planning and expectations of the Lord of Humanity before.

And when the Lord of Humanity wants to understand this simple truth, he will discover another reality almost at the same time:
It was too late for him to understand.

He had stood before his only genetic daughter, in the darkness and colder light, overlooking the lonely Primarch, like a god without sorrow or joy, turning the glare of winter's light into nothingness. Emotionally refracted onto the faces of mournful believers.

He has already seen alertness and fear on that beautiful and pale face: it is not a human emotion, but a kind of small carnivore in the forest, which will only be revealed when facing more terrifying and powerful beasts The most instinctive retreat.

That wasn't something that could be undone in a word or two: apparently, his daughter had seen strands of the truth before his empire found her, and had been tortured by it.

The torment produced powerlessness, powerlessness urged the pain, and the pain accompanied the slow passage of time, bearing a vicious fruit in her heart, making her indifferent and selfish, allowing her to be in the state of a beast, To see the cage of civilization.

Emotions used to be her flail, but now, she held a part of the flail that bound her in her hands, and endured the pain of the rough steel grinding her flesh, giving herself the ability to protect herself in the darkest void .

Emotion was once her talent.

But it became her bondage.

But now, emotion is the weapon she trusts and relies on the most. In her heart, she firmly holds on to this few sense of security, watching the silent lord of mankind from afar.

The Emperor didn't move immediately, he just looked at Morgan, at her eyes full of anxiety hidden under the silver hair.

He might be able to erase these false emotions, let his light and heat slowly melt the ice of guard, fear and mistrust: it would not be difficult.

But it takes time.

It takes a long time.

To accompany, to pay, to use countless practical actions to prove his sincerity, integrity and original intention, to use actions deeper than blood and steel to shoot down the vicious fruits.

For the emperor.

It's actually not that difficult.

……

But he can't.

------

He's out of time.

He never has time.

The patchwork hegemony, patchwork planning, and contradictory empire are already the best answer he can achieve in this mere hundred years, and he doesn't have the time to accompany every one of his heirs , to become a real father.

Only a few were able to wait for his kindness and time: Horus was the luckiest one, Vulkan got another preferential treatment because of his speciality, and as for the remaining primarchs, they could get Yes, it will only be a night of long talk, a box of gifts, or a month of tolerance.

But for Morgan, and for the importance of his only daughter in the heart of the Lord of Humanity, even one night is an absurd waste of time, he is destined not to stay by Morgan's side for too long , he doesn't really need a master of the second legion who is grateful to him.

Even if it is a little utilitarian: even if Morgan resents him, so what?
His daughter knows the cruel truth of this world, and the insurmountable gap in strength between them: as long as this gap symbolizing strength still exists, Morgan will not have the mind and courage to challenge him.

Resentment is terrible, but resentment without power is nothing more than that.

As long as his strength is still enough to make Morgan feel the horror of extinction, then the Lord of the Second Legion will be a smart person who can put his mind at ease.

This...seems pretty good too?

Such a cold and ruthless thought drew a black track in the heart of the Lord of Humanity, and was suppressed to the bottom. When the emperor looked at his daughter's silver hair, he just sighed softly.

If he could have discovered Morgan earlier, or if he could have predicted all this earlier, then there might be room for redemption:

But there is no if in reality, the real fact is that he discovered it too late.

It is not because the Master of Men is dull and slow-minded: he is certainly not such a fool.

This is simply because: the Lord of Humanity has fallen into a certain kind of trap, a wonderful cage called empiricism. Throughout the ages, countless great miracle workers have fallen in this inconspicuous gully, including The identity and face of the emperor in the past.

The Lord of Humanity also has experience in welcoming back the Primarch: on the surface, he has already retrieved fifteen offspring, and except for those special ones, the process of encountering most of the offspring has been smooth. are similar.

Maybe it will be a challenge from a stranger, maybe it will be a rescue from the sky, and more often than not, his descendants will feel his coming, and they will know this encounter well: in the dry In the desert, in the noisy royal court, on the steep cliff, he will descend in front of them, reveal his real body in the golden light, and then introduce himself.

After he introduced himself, or even before, his children would bow down deeply, even kneel on the ground, let go of their long-standing pride, and call him "Father".

Then, there would be a light conversation between them: in most cases, the first item of conversation would be the Primarch's home planet, and he would marvel at the lovely little business his children had built, And it is reasonable to extend the topic to another place: the endless galaxy, and the truly great career he created in the galaxy.

When the subject gets to this point, it will not be long before the Imperium of Man has a new Primarch and the Emperor a new Son, and a Legion of Astartes will be called up to join them The genetic father completes a touching, or dare touching reunion.

This has always been the case, which even makes the Emperor somewhat path dependent.

It wasn't until he didn't hear the phrase "Father" that he took for granted that the Lord of Humanity really realized:

This time, things don't seem quite right.

------

【You look a little disturbed, my daughter, the master of my Second Legion. 】

When Morgan's pupils flickered with unknown colors, the Emperor naturally captured this moment: in the perception of the Lord of Humanity, even the Primarchs, their every move, their demeanor and thoughts are too Slow and obvious.

And the emperor's actions and words did not stop because of these resisting emotions, he slowly withdrew his hand, and in this simple movement, countless emotions and tones flashed in his mind, used to Thinking about his next sentence.

He stepped back, almost slowly taking a step back, creating a safe distance between him and his daughter. He knew that this was what Morgan needed most now: a sense of security.

The Emperor knew all this, he knew how to proceed, it was ancient knowledge to him.

[No need to be disturbed, no need to be afraid, my child, my power will only release my anger on the enemies of mankind, and you are my heir, my creation. 】

The words of the Lord of Humanity oscillated back and forth between the gentleness of his father and the strength of the monarch. He took great pains to grasp the attitude required for each sentence, and finally stayed at a point that satisfied him. These hard-won words were used as bait, and they were thrown at the daughter who was hiding in the shadows.

The effect is good.

When she realized that the situation could not continue in such a stalemate, Morgan silently swallowed the Emperor's kindness. After the Emperor took a step back, she leaned forward and counted her steps carefully so that her body could Appeared in the light of the Lord of Men.

【Father. 】

she says.

This sentence is so serious that it can be regarded as a real obedience.

Morgan didn't kneel down, nor did she bend over exaggeratedly. She performed a standard etiquette, and no one could pick out more questions. When she straightened her back again, her eyebrows were still lowered. Yes, without the coldness and majesty of the past, there is only a line of sight symbolizing submission and respect, which radiates from the blue pupils and is captured by the emperor.

The lord of humanity nodded.

When he saw his daughter exuding an air of peace because of this retreating compromise, letting her silver hair fall behind her ears, revealing her complete pale face in the icy light of the Lord of Humanity, He actually recalled some things, some things from ten thousand years ago, the ancient fragments returned to his mind along with the long-lost memories, and gradually overlapped with the darkness and scene in front of him.

The Emperor remembered: in an age that the oldest history books will not record, when he was still a rough mortal, he walked through a dense forest in the dark of night, and under the faint moonlight, he met a uninvited guest.

It was a big cat, a lynx, or some extinct cat.

But that didn't matter: he encountered the creature in the moonlight, wounded and neighing defiantly at him, hidden in a shadow save for its shaggy face, full of beasts. Wary and restless.

The more it barks, the more manic it is, the more restless it is and the less courage it has to attack: Only a quiet big cat is a dangerous big cat.

He tamed it, and then lost it after leaving without saying goodbye. The specific details of this have long been forgotten by the Lord of Humanity, but he does remember the matter itself clearly.

The Lord of Humanity only smiled lightly as this ancient memory combined with reality in the shadows.

He waited patiently, waiting for Morgan to finally stand in the light, and he thought about how to proceed: maybe, he should be more gentle?Let the atmosphere that has finally eased down continue.

This is a step in the right direction.

The Lord of Humanity thought so: He may never be able to make his daughter a perfect offspring like Horus, but he can let her know from the bottom of her heart that he is different from the gods in the warp.

He can be trusted: at least part of the trust can be entrusted.

Thinking of this, the emperor smiled, and his smile even caused the handprinter at the side to have an illusion for a moment: the lord of mankind may have found the right way to conduct this conversation.

Sure enough, when the emperor stretched out his hand again, palm up, and spread it out, showing a friendly attitude, he adjusted the light around him in a timely manner, dimming the dazzling golden light, and allowing his true image to appear In front of Morgan.

He opened his mouth.

[Morgan, my daughter. 】

[You don't need to worry. 】

[I am not a monster, nor are those vicious wills who call themselves gods. I am your father, your protector, an ordinary person who brought you into this world and will fulfill my responsibilities because of it. 】

[You, your blood relatives, and any mortal you have ever seen are not fundamentally different. What power brings is only the most superficial difference. In essence, whether it is you or me, we are all the same. The same, they are all part of mortals. 】

[No need to fear, no need to worry, my daughter, I am your father: this is my identity and responsibility, my desire and shackles, my past and future, I brought you into the world as a father, And as a father, I am also looking forward to my future with you. 】

He spoke with sincerity in his words.

The lord of humanity waved his hand lightly, brushing away the psychic light covering him, allowing his image to clearly appear in Morgan's eyes.

[Look, my child. 】

【Look at it with your eyes. 】

【Under this light, under this phantom of psionic energy, is my real appearance, and also the shadow that has always existed in your heart. 】

[It's not special, and it's not dark, maybe there are some differences between you and me, but in this crazy galaxy, the tiny differences between us are negligible hairs, yes In front of our common adversary, that close bond. 】

【My daughter, you don't need to regard me as your father. I know that I am ashamed of you and not worthy to be called a truly qualified father. 】

[You don't need to consider me your friend. After all, friendship is the most precious wine in the galaxy. It is a blessing to have a true friend in your life. 】

【You don’t have to think of me as your king. I never thought of being loyal and followed by anyone. The worship of kings and gods is the most stupid thing in the galaxy. I always think so. 】

[You just need to remember. 】

[Morgan, my daughter. 】

[In this galaxy of madness, amidst the malice and depravity that permeates every world and kingdom, before the most vicious wills that cease to desire to destroy us and enslave us every moment. 】

【You, me, your blood relatives, and every real human being you have ever seen. 】

[We are the same kind. 】

[We can hate each other, we can be enemies of each other, we can fight each other in those comfortable times. 】

[But I only hope that when you face real evil and tribulations, you will remember my words and you will make a real choice. 】

【I look forward to your choice. 】

[But I expect more...]

It was a sigh.

[All this will never happen. 】

------

When the words of the lord of mankind are like clanging iron, resounding on the ground, what it leaves behind is only the quietest breath.

In this unprecedented silence that represented victory, Malcador put down his withered palm: a smile returned to his face.

Facts have proved that in many cases, the Lord of Humanity is indeed worthy of trust and expectation.

At the very least, at this moment, Malcador believed that he could look forward to it: when he raised his head and looked at Morgan, the stamper saw with satisfaction that the reserved silence was pried away by the words of the Lord of Humanity The unshakable bond of flesh and blood between the Emperor and the Primarch made these simple words exert endless power and miracles.

The emperor's daughter is still doubting, worrying, and trapped in pain and selfishness, but under the kinship of flesh and blood, even the most indifferent Morgan raised his head involuntarily, and stretched out tentacles of trust tentatively .

After all, Morgan is also a Primarch: No Primarch can resist the sincere words from the Emperor. Maybe in the future, they will return to a dismissive attitude, but when they face these words, they It is the emperor's child.

Flattered child.

Macado thought so, and then he continued to observe Morgan's reaction.

The pupils of the Spider Queen shone with colors that had never been seen before: it was a suppressed curiosity, which urged Morgan to muster all the courage to truly face her sincere genetic father and take the first step. step.

She looked up, she watched.

Malcador was also watching, and showed a reassuring smile.

------

But, the next moment.

The smile froze on his face.

------

In the eyes of a thousand people, there are a thousand kinds of human masters.

Morgan had heard the narrative long ago.

She heard this mysterious truth from Jonson's mouth, and the Primarch of the Dark Angels did not forget to show off to his blood relatives: the Emperor he saw was the real Emperor. The Secret Keeper under the hood and black robe.

From that day on, Morgan actually had some small expectations: In her eyes, what would the Emperor look like?

And in the combination of the sincere words, the reassuring faint light, and the friendly hand stretched out before her, this anticipation welled up here.

Maybe that's a lie.

Morgan thought so, but she still raised her head slowly, her fingers trembling forward, trying to touch the kindness and light from the father of genes.

And at the moment when they were about to meet, Morgan finally saw: in her eyes, the emperor's appearance.

……

……

……

fear.

Fear occupied her heart for the shortest moment.

that……

that……

What the hell is that? !
------

The Lord of Humanity in Morgan's eyes is actually quite normal at first glance.

Standing in the shadows, he has a not too tall but very muscular figure. His appearance is very handsome, but within the scope of common sense. He looks high-spirited. Recognizable greatness.

But a second look reveals something creepy.

That healthy skin is actually not a perfect appearance: under his earlobes, in his eyebrows, and even around his neck, there are countless smallest cracks, and all kinds of disgusting things: it looks like Corpse spots, like other scary things.

His appearance is perfect, but there is a feeling of incongruity, a little too fake and distorted, like something is covered with a layer of human skin, swaying and lurking among the crowd...

Do not……

it's not like that.

Rather... as if there was something lurking inside him: maybe it was a vicious seed, or something like a monster's embryo and egg, which undoubtedly grew in his body, Uncontrolled savage growth, waiting for the day when it breaks out of its shell.

She saw the monster, but she couldn't tell what it was: a mass of indescribable horror, something that smelt like the blue and purple evil god in her head... something.

It existed within the Emperor, and the Lord of Men seemed unaware: but if one looked closely, there seemed to be a trace of pain in his countenance, which seemed to prove that he was suppressing something within.

But Morgan didn't have time to think about it, because when she took another look at the monster that existed in the Emperor's body, she realized...

The monster was also looking at her.

It laughed.

That smile actually made Morgan feel...

kind.

------

Just like a small beast being hunted down by a ferocious beast, Morgan retreated into the endless darkness in panic.

Her face showed the most sincere fear, and even the Lord of Mankind and the Handprinter felt real confusion, and in this confusion, they heard the voice from Morgan.

The voice was weak, almost pleading, begging the Emperor's light to shine again.

The human lord didn't do this right away, but when he found that his daughter had returned to the state of bowing her head again, he could only helplessly let the dazzling golden light envelope Morgan again.

This time, Morgan squinted his eyes and actually showed a calm attitude.

The emperor hesitated a little, he really did not expect that there would be a problem at this step.

[What did you see, my daughter? 】

[...It's nothing, father. 】

After a while, Morgan slowly emerged from the shadows.

[I saw something that I couldn't understand, and it scared me. 】

fear?

The Emperor frowned, even the Lord of Humanity couldn't figure out what this so-called fear was, and Morgan obviously didn't have the courage to continue talking.

The conversation seemed to be bogged down in a dilemma, one that the Emperor could not easily untangle: what the Lord of Men needed, then, was the simplest solution.

------

Malcador felt the gaze from the Lord of Humanity, and there was a kind of helpless and even resentful expectation in that gaze.

He sighed: sighed for the third time.

But in the end, he still clenched his scepter and walked out of the shadows.

"fear?"

"Never fear, Primarch."

As he spoke, he walked, and soon came to Morgan's side. When the Spider Queen's eyes shifted to Malcador, she actually felt relieved: at least it made her feel at ease compared to looking at the Emperor.

This made the human lord frown slightly.

[Palmprinter. 】

Morgan remained polite.

Macado nodded, and made a simple hello to Morgan.

"Why are you afraid, Lord of the Second Legion? What you see is what you expect and think in your heart."

【…】

[That's what scares me, Handprinter. 】

Malcador blinked his eyes, in the ocean of will, he turned his head to look at the Emperor, with confusion and questioning.

And the Lord of Men was watching him.

Innocent face.

"..."

Sigh for the fourth time.

The handprinter stepped forward and patted Morgan on the shoulder.

"Morgan—please allow me to call you that, you don't need to be afraid."

"Fear is not something unsolvable. The root cause of any fear is the anxiety caused by lack of strength. I know that you are facing some truths in the galaxy. It is not easy to face them, even for It's normal for a Primarch to feel weak."

He whispered softly, in the old words, there was actually a stability and firmness that was more reassuring than the voice of the emperor.

"But you needn't worry, Morgan."

"Your genetic father, your lord and father, brought you a gift. The gift he personally selected represents his importance and affection for you."

"That is a gift to the Primarch, and that is enough power to make you feel at ease."

"Look forward to them, and soon you will have no fear: because of his love for you."

The hand-printer whispered softly, like a most patient elder, slowly waiting for Morgan's sight to emerge again: that sight avoided the emperor himself, wandering between the hand-printer and the light.

【…】

【……Gift? 】

"Yes, gift."

"A gift from a father to his daughter."

"The term may sound a little strange to you, but that's okay."

He said, smiled, and then slowly looked at the Lord of Humanity.

Macado suddenly remembered something.

In fact, he didn't know what gift the Lord of Humanity had prepared for his daughter: the sealer was too busy to care about it.

But presumably...

should……

Will not have any problems?

Facing the palm-printer's eyes, the Lord of Humanity looked at his best friend and showed a smile trying to reassure him.

……

Anxiety came to Malcador's heart.

(End of this chapter)