Emperor's Bane

Chapter 587 Horus' Turn
(My hand got cramped when I was writing the last paragraph, so just refresh the page if you see any garbled text)
"Interest is the first step to depravity."

“Because of interest, we care, pay attention, worry about gains and losses, and lose our original rationality and persistence. We compromise because of powerful forces, take risks because of unknown mysteries, and lose the original color of life because of those interests that we should not have.”

"In the end, those who desire power will become slaves of power, those who desire knowledge will become puppets of knowledge, and those who desire senses will become instruments of senses: in the eternal chaos of the warp, only the tragic end of the greedy will never change."

"Only the fate of fools is eternal."

"This is the principle you need most, and it is also the first sentence you must remember: remember it firmly, and swear never to betray it, never to offend it. Then, you can open the next chapter, and I will take you deeper into the subspace and take you step by step to understand its true nature..."

"fear?"

"Interesting point, Morgan."

Horus-Lupkar, the wolf-shepherd of the Lord of Mankind, the Primarch and father of the Luna Wolves, sat upon a throne made of black iron and marble. The smile on his face was enough to conquer a thousand worlds without even shedding a drop of blood.

The Primarch had a well-defined face and deep sea-blue eyes. He wore pearly white power armor, and the most eye-catching decoration on his body was the huge eye on his chest that could gaze at everything: both this armor and this decoration were selected by the Emperor himself for the Wolf God.

The Lord of Mankind even generously allowed Horus to use the symbol of the eagle and lightning, which was the only symbol that could represent the Imperium of Man and the Emperor before the banner of the double-headed eagle was raised. Only Horus could wear it, just as only Fulgrim could enjoy the Imperial Sky Eagle.

This bit of favor made Horus satisfied with his position in the empire, but it also made him most resistant to what happened next: because at this time he was on his way to the Draco region to resist the greenskin empire of Ullanor.

And at the close of this campaign, his Gene-Father, the Emperor of Mankind, would rest from his duties in the Great Crusade and return to Holy Terra to enjoy his throne: a fact that struck all the Primarchs simultaneously, but that struck Horus most deeply and most obviously.

How obvious is it?

Even the 10th Captain of the Legion, Gaviel Loken, who was standing before him, was solemnly warned not to mention this matter, or the reality that the Emperor was about to leave, before coming to meet the Gene-Father.

The Luna Wolves remained silent about the tragedy of the Emperor's impending departure. They did not want to see the loss and forced smile on the face of their Gene-Father: even Loken was actively maintaining this falsehood.

But what really concerned Loken was not these things, but the reason why the Primarch suddenly summoned him alone: ​​although he had just been promoted to captain of the 10th Company, he had not yet had time to lead the company to achieve results, and naturally did not deserve the Primarch's special attention.

However, this did not prevent Loken from standing solemnly in front of the Gene-Father, waiting for Horus to take the time to talk to him and tell Loken the reason why he came here.

He hoped it would be an order: the newly born Tenth Company was eager for honor.

Loken didn't wait long.

Horus was leaning on the throne, focusing all his attention on the book in his hand. Loken recognized that it was the latest volume of the "Scripture of Psionics" written by the famous Lantern Goddess, the Primarch of the Dawnbreakers, Lord Morgan. He heard that it was a special edition only provided to high-level psykers, teaching them how to explore deeper into the Warp.

The most powerful think tanks in the Luna Wolves also have such books, and almost everyone has one: they protect these books as if they were their own hearts, and anyone who wants to touch them will have a violent reaction.

But the [Enhanced Edition of the Psionic Codex] in Horus's hand was obviously newer and looked even better: The Wolf God had just begun reading the book. He had only flipped through about seven or eight pages, but it was obvious that he had been deeply attracted by the contents.

Locke was a little surprised. He never remembered that his genetic father would be someone who cared too much about the psychic field.

Horus noticed this surprise

"People change, Gavial."

The Primarch called out the name of his offspring, adjusted his sitting position on the throne, waved his hand, and dismissed the Gastalins at the edge of the room: they silently left the throne room, and only the Wolf God and Loken were left in the empty hall; even their breathing was so clear.

And Abaddon, who would have stood beside Horus as a guard, was now serving as the vanguard of the fleet in another galaxy: He didn't know if it was an illusion, but Loken always felt that the Primarch was training their ability to lead independently, and each captain of the Luna Wolves had been given more opportunities to go beyond Horus's command range and think alone.

Loken thought this was a good thing, but he was concentrating on Horus' words: the wolf-god was expressing his attitude towards psychic power.

"A few decades ago, I didn't pay much attention to psychic matters, because I knew I was not a genius in this field. Many psychic books seemed like incomprehensible books to me. But now the situation has changed."

“It’s changed a lot.”

The wolf god stood up and walked to Loken's side. During this time, Loken discovered that there were actually several other books on the side of Horus' throne, and they seemed to have been read many times.

Loken recognized the top one as the one written by Guilliman, the Primarch of the Ultramarines, on his experience in governing a territory. It was a gift he had given to all his brothers, but only a few of them finally accepted it.

Next up was Lorgar's Words, the least read of the books, and it looked like it had been roughly treated: Horus probably didn't like what was in it, or at least he didn't welcome Lorgar's views.

The next few books were all from Morgan's Psychic Codex series. They were kept neatly organized, and there was even something like a notebook stacked next to them.

At the bottom of this fortress of knowledge is a book signed by Conrad: The Lord of Nostramo published some of the criminal cases and torture methods he had encountered. Although he emphasized that this was only the mildest part of them, the book still became the shadow of the Great Crusade. Few Primarchs would admit that they knew of the existence of this book, but Horus not only read it, but it was also read the most times of all the books.

Loken only had a few seconds to observe these surface details, as the Primarch soon occupied his field of vision, and when Horus stood before him, Loken lowered his head willingly: although the Wolf God seemed to want a more relaxed father-son meeting, his child still completed all the solemn etiquette in a very formal manner.

This made Horus feel helpless.

"You don't have to be so serious, my Gavial. This is not a public place."

"The difference in occasions is not a reason for us to let our attitude go, father."

This answer made the Primarch raise an eyebrow.

"You think this is serious?"

"Do not."

Locke looked up and smiled.

"If this were really serious now, I would call you Sir."

The father and son looked at each other, and lighthearted laughter echoed in the room.

"They all told me you had no sense of humor: especially that fellow Ezekiel."

Horus waved his hand

"Wait until the next time we meet, I can make fun of my ignorant child."

Loken did not answer. He seldom talked with his genetic father in private, so he did not know how to continue the topic. He could only passively wait for Horus's move: until the shepherd wolf god stuffed the enhanced version of the psionic scripture in his hand into his hand.

"Perhaps you should take a look at this, my Gavial: not this one, but its more basic sister version, which I believe will be of benefit to you."

"It's hard, father..."

Locke looked embarrassed.

"I am not a psyker. The Librarians did not detect my psyker talent."

"I know."

Horus waved his hand again.

"But innate talent and acquired effort are two different things. And just like I told you just now, Gavial: I used to have no interest in psionics because I knew my talent was not in the warp, but Morgan's book changed my view."

"After reading it, I found that I was able to understand the mysteries of the Warp: thanks to the potential of my Primarch, my psychic power quickly surpassed most of the Librarians in the Legion. Now I can even read this enhanced version without worrying about the backlash of the Warp."

Horus stretched out his hand and pointed to the books that Loken had just looked at.

"This incident also inspired me from another perspective, my Gavial. I began to collect the works of my brothers because I realized a problem that I had overlooked before: since all of us are Primarchs, all of us are strong people standing at the same level, and we excel in different areas, then their knowledge can definitely be used by me, and they can definitely be my teachers in the areas where they are good at."

"So, I began to learn from the experiences and lessons learned by each Primarch."

“So far, this may be the most profound learning I have ever had.”

“Glad to hear all that.”

Locke nodded, feeling proud that the Father of Genes was becoming increasingly powerful.

"I understand, father, I will lend this book to the think tanks: although I still cannot guarantee my success."

"It's ok."

The Wolf Shepherd God shook his head.

"Even if you cannot master psionics, being able to learn about its threats and importance so that you can better fight against the alien wizards we will encounter in the Great Crusade is a good thing. You will become stronger."

"You must become stronger as soon as possible, my reliable Gavial: I have an important task for you."

coming!

Locke straightened his spine unconsciously, and he didn't notice that his pupils were glowing.

A mission from the Primarch himself: this is what every Luna Wolf dreams of.

The Tenth Company would cheer for their Captain who had brought the Primarch's mandate.

"I will do my best, my lord!"

The resolute voice echoed in the throne room of the Wolf-God, and even the great wolf skin on Horus' back trembled: this seriousness made the Primarch feel helpless again.

Locke's seriousness is a good thing: but what he wants more is a friendly parent-child talk.

Just like Ezekiel: it’s okay to argue with him.

(Yes, Abaddon was able to argue with Horus: the value of the Warmaster)

But the Wolf God ultimately did not say anything to correct Loken's serious attitude, because the Luna Wolves had different personalities, and Horus had long since learned to tolerate them: the Primarch turned around and returned to his throne, freeing his hands to move the books away, then sat down, seemingly observing Loken seriously for the first time.

The Wolf God noted with satisfaction that his Gaviel had strong Xonian blood, rough features, short blond hair, grey eyes and a slightly freckled and pale face: most of the recruits recruited by the Sixteenth Legion from Xonia were like this, they had rough but resolute souls, and a face that could be highly similar to Horus.

Thinking of this, Horus thought of the Dawnbreakers and the Emperor's Children: the Second and Third Legions were recognized as the two most handsome legions in the Empire. After all, there were still some overly bloody warriors under Sanguinius, and their bloody taste largely obscured the beauty of the Blood Angels, leaving only the Dawnbreakers and the Emperor's Children to compete for this useless crown. Fulgrim's heirs had no doubt about their rights in appearance, and the Dawnbreakers also received gifts from their mother: in addition to the low fertility rate, Morgan's seeds brought countless benefits to the Dawnbreakers, and generally handsome faces were just one of them.

After all, even putting aside her gender, the Spider Queen is recognized as the best-looking Primarch, almost without a doubt. She can beat Fulgrim's fancy dress without any unkempt appearance, and only Sanguinius can rival her: comparing the looks of these two has always been a hot topic among the mortal servants, as there has never been a conclusion to the argument for decades.

At the very least, it was difficult for Horus to assert the answer to this question: Sanguinius and Morgan were both beautiful, and they displayed different aesthetics in Horus' eyes, but both were what the Wolf God was unwilling to give up.

Morgan possesses a temperament that the Wolf God has pursued for decades, because she is a symbol of peace and prosperity, representing a perhaps better future: Horus will see his dreams come true in Morgan's face, and Morgan will always be what the Wolf God wants to see, no matter what their relationship is.

As for Sanguinius?

In a word.

At any time, a smile from Sanguinius could take away everything from the Wolf God.

This is no joke.

Horus laughed, showing his bitterness at Loken's confusion, before solemnly apologizing to his scion for his distraction in neglecting Loken: in return, the wolf-god mentioned the most respected man.

"You know what, Gavial."

Horus leaned forward.

"It was Hastur who recommended you to me."

"Sir Sejanus?"

Loken was a little surprised: Hastur-Sejanus was his most admired battle-brother, and could even be said to be his idol in some ways. He was the second soul among the Luna Wolves, the undisputed chief of the Council of Four Kings, and even Abaddon respected his words from the bottom of his heart.

"Yes."

The Shepherd God nodded.

"In fact, a long time ago, Sejanus once suggested to me that I could find a replacement for him in the legion in case of emergency. Of course, we all know that he is still alive and well today, but he still recommended you to me."

"He told me that you are qualified to join the Council of Four Kings to replace him."

"But...I..."

For the first time, Locke was at a loss.

"You think you can't?"

The Wolf Shepherd God asked with a smile.

"Don't be nervous, Gavial. I know this is a crazy suggestion."

"More than crazy?"

The bitterness that the Primarch had felt earlier now shifted to Loken's face.

"That was Lord Sejanus: the best man ever to wear Mark IV Power Armor."

"I think so."

The Wolf Shepherd God nodded proudly.

"But Hastur used his words and your past achievements to convince me, Gavial: Maybe now, you cannot join my Council of Four Kings immediately, but I think we can give you a chance. I will give you a very difficult task. It is brand new and you may not even be able to find anything that can help you from the past war records of the Moon Wolves."

Locke nodded, eager to take on the task.

Whatever it is.

"Don't rush to answer yet."

The wolf-shepherd god laughed.

"Listen to me first."

Horus sighed, as if he really didn't want to mention what was coming next.

"Gavial, you know that the Emperor will soon leave us, right?"

“…That’s right, father.”

Loken nodded cautiously, noticing how lost the Primarch looked.

"There is nothing we can do about it. My father insisted on doing this and even delegated more power to us. For example, he gave me a large territory in the north of the Hazy Star Region and the Far East Star Region, which is even larger than the Five Hundred Worlds. He wanted me to establish a wolf kingdom belonging to the Shadow Moon Wolf."

"I know that."

Loken nodded: The Kingdom of Wolves is the most popular topic in the Legion recently, and many Luna Wolves excitedly regard all this as the Emperor's reward to the Sixteenth Legion, which proves that the Lord of Mankind has not forgotten the bloody battle of Horus and his descendants.

“But this brings up new problems.”

The Wolf Shepherd God looked at the star map not far away.

"The conquest is going smoothly. Hundreds of star systems have already fallen to our feet. Many of these worlds are so important that we need to allocate special forces and energy to manage them. I am trying hard to learn all of this, but I obviously need an assistant to share my worries."

"You mean..."

Loken took a deep breath, he guessed the Primarch's intention.

"That's right, Gavial."

Horus nodded.

"Hasta recommended you to me. He said that among all the captains, you are the most friendly to mortals. Perhaps I can trust your ability in this regard. I hope you can manage the Wolf Kingdom..."

"grown ups!"

Before he finished speaking, the voice of a Gastalin interrupted everything, causing Horus to frown deeply: The Wolf God knew that his personal guards would never disturb him easily unless something very urgent had happened ahead.

For example...

"The vanguard fleet led by Captain Abaddon encountered an unknown and powerful enemy."

Gastalin took a few quick steps and stood next to Loken, his voice anxious.

"Strong enemy?"

Horus became interested.

"Is it an alien?"

"No, it seems to be a loose fleet composed of pirates and refugees."

"that's it?"

The Primarch was surprised.

"A few beggars in the galaxy can become powerful enemies of Ezekiel?"

"Do you need me to send some city managers to assist him?"

"Not that, my Lord."

Gastalin gasped.

"Those fleets are not worth mentioning, but their commanders are frightening: Lord Ezekiel said in his letter that the enemy commander's size and strength are comparable to that of a Primarch, or that he is actually a Primarch, a new Primarch who does not exist in the Imperial records!"

"..."

The room fell silent.

"interesting."

A few minutes later, the wolf god's laughter reached Loken's ears.

"Come on, Gavial, come with me and see what this is all about."

"Understood, my lord."

Loken lowered his head, and Horus had already set off like a whirlwind.

He was eager to try.

"You know what, my child."

"If I'm lucky: today might be the day when the brothers can be reunited."

"I think my father will like the presents I bring to Ullanor for him."

(End of this chapter)