Emperor's Bane

Chapter 871 Terra Crisis - Stealing the Sky
Even by hive standards, the Terran Palace covers an unusually large area.

The emperor's palace was founded on an ancient city called Kathmandu, and expanded outward layer by layer over hundreds of years.

Thanks to the Empire's current strength and the Lord of Mankind's god-like and unshakable status, the area of ​​the Terra Palace had naturally expanded to millions of square kilometers as early as the end of the Great Crusade. Even from low-Earth orbit, the luxurious veins inside the city walls are still clearly visible.

At least Horus could see clearly.

Although he didn't need to see clearly.

He only needed to close his eyes to draw a clear map of the entire Terra Palace without any mistakes. Even the best surveyors in the Ministry of the Interior would be inferior to him: because he had lived on this land for thirty years and did not need reality to tell him what had happened here.

He knew: he was the master.

To the Warmaster of the Empire, the meaning of Terra in his heart is completely different from that of Terra to other Primarchs. He spent the most important time of his life in this world. Compared with Cthuniya, the Warmaster is more willing to admit that this misty hive world in front of him is his true home planet.

That's natural, isn't it?

He is the Warmaster of the Empire, the master of the Luna Wolves and the entire Wolf Kingdom. His hometown should be Terra, which carries the blood of glory and the location of the Emperor's Sanctuary revered by millions of people, rather than an old mine on a lifeless gangster world.

The king's hometown will not be a barren hill.

Of course, perhaps his Corax brothers would not think so. Horus could understand his feathered relatives. After all, he had gained family-like affection among those workers, and it was natural for him to regard that exiled world as his home planet.

But Cthonia?
Apart from a period of humiliation, that world left nothing for the Wolf God.

But Tyra: It’s different.

Every inch of land here, every ray of scenery, every breath of haze mixed with ashes, will only make the Wolf God feel deeply familiar. When he walks on the corridor with floor-to-ceiling windows of the Spirit of Vengeance, the Warmaster will unconsciously stop his steps, move closer to the porthole, and observe the land that raised him from an angle he has never had before, eagerly.

Those familiar names are so pleasant to the ears.

Look, the first thing he saw was the palace of the Lord of Mankind, a royal city surrounded by mountains. He grew up on this land and used to walk and study carefree in the inner and outer courts. At that time, the Seal Holder was just a tutor with a rather strange temper in his eyes.

Following the movement of the ship, he saw more.

The Eternal Gate, where every hero of the Empire longs to have his name engraved: no one is allowed to pass through the main gate of the Imperial Palace and enter the Emperor's sanctuary, but the bravest are proven to be qualified to defend it, and Horus hopes that his name can be among them.

If there could be a statue symbolizing the Shadow Moon Wolf standing at the gate of the imperial palace, the Wolf God would no longer envy anyone.

Next are those buildings whose importance and status can be understood by just saying their full names: the Imperial Senate, the Central Office of the Ministry of Military Affairs, the Lion's Gate Airport, the Sanctuary Library, as well as the City of Wishes and the City of Vision, which are the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior and the Star Whisper Court respectively.

He saw the Tower of Hegemony, where the arrogant Custodians planned their plots, and the Fortress of Bab, a building older than the Empire, given to Rogal Dorn by the Emperor. Then, his eyes swept across the Forum of Heroes: where the statue of the Primarch was, Horus' favorite corner.

He must find time to go and see it again.

The Wolf Shepherd God made up his mind secretly.

He stroked, gazed, and his greedy eyes swept over the land beneath his feet again and again, like a primitive caveman stepping into a glamorous modern metropolis for the first time. But when the broadcast that the Spirit of Vengeance was about to arrive at the anchor point finally resounded in every corner of the Queen of Glory-class battleship, even the Warmaster had no right to stay any longer.

He had to set off. If he, as a core role, could not stand in his unique position before the curtain opened, Horus could not imagine how much chaos and rumors would erupt: the Warmaster's short rest time was fleeting, and when he thought about it carefully, it seemed that he had not had time to do anything just now.

Now, the Wolf God finally understood a little bit what Morgan had said to him.

If you choose power, you will lose yourself.

His only sister was always smarter than he expected.

It's a pity that he doesn't have enough means or interests to win her over to his side.

I just hope that if things go well on Terra, then the power left by the Sigillite and the hereditary throne of the Far East will attract Morgan: Compared with Guilliman, Horus hopes that Morgan will come to Terra to help him stabilize the empire that has begun to show signs of chaos.

In return, he did not mind granting the Lord of Avalon a dignity second only to his own, and it was okay for him to be on equal footing with him. If the Emperor back then could entrust the entire empire to Malcador, then Horus believed that he could do it too, and he would do better than his father.

He and Morgan would get along fine.

No matter what the Spider Queen wants, the Wolf God will choose to give it to her with both hands.

Over the past fifty years, through close contact with Morgan, the Warmaster has determined that his sister is one of the best of all the brothers and that Morgan deserves the richest reward because she always delivers perfect results that match her.

not to mention……

Horus raised the corner of his mouth.

A little secret gradually surfaced after many contacts and transactions with Morgan: the rumors about the Spider Queen's weakness are of course wrong, but not entirely wrong. Instead of tough threats, perhaps showing one's goodwill and sincerity, as well as a reward that can satisfy Morgan, can better persuade the Lord of Avalon.

Respect and sincerity: the first two seem to impress Morgan more than interests.

She is not a woman of bad mind.

Of course, if you are sincere enough, Morgan doesn't even mind lowering the price a little bit: after all, she can always find a way to make her money back.

Now, Horus no longer doubted why his sister had been able to build up such a huge force in the Far East within a century. She was indeed an almost perfect ally. By learning Morgan's way of governing the Far Eastern border, Horus and his Wolf Kingdom had benefited a lot.

So, he will get along well with her.

It's not just for friendship, but also for more tangible immediate benefits.

In other words, he and each of his blood brothers would get along well: after the affairs of Terra were resolved, all he had to do was to meet each brother, listen to their wishes and satisfy them, and in the future, govern the entire empire together with them, just like the emperor and vassal kings in ancient times [sharing the world].

After all, if the Emperor's legacy is to be preserved for all eternity, the Warmaster must work in cahoots with his best brothers.

Together they will rule the galaxy: for this is how their father shaped them.

They will take care of their responsibilities while their father is away, and when he returns, the Lord of Mankind will be proud of his sons.

Oh, and my daughter.

The wolf shepherd god smiled.

He was also curious as to why he always inadvertently forgot Morgan's more special identity. Perhaps it was the Spider Queen's ability that made her look no worse than the stronger brothers around her: when a person is good enough, then his excellence itself is his greatest characteristic.

The Warmaster was convinced of this, and he believed the same applied to himself.

Thinking of this, more heroism filled the Wolf God's chest, which was originally a little timid. He stood up, left the corridor that he used to relax, and walked towards the bustling place: Horus's incident was over, and next, it was the turn of the Empire's Warmaster to speak.

"Terra..."

"This time, I am your conqueror."

As he walked and whispered, the Primarch couldn't suppress a smile on his face.

"You seem happy."

When the Warmaster pushed open the secret door at the end of the corridor, the man who had been waiting there naturally did not miss the smugness that remained on the corners of the Primarch's mouth.

This made Horus silent for a moment, then he shook his head helplessly.

"do you know?"

"Sometimes, I really doubt that you have infiltrated my Vengeful Spirit like a sieve, my dear brother Alpharius."

“It’s not that exaggerated.”

The Lord of the Hydra smiled, and his smile made Horus feel very uncomfortable: probably because the Alpharis were as their name suggested, his pupils were as dead white as a snake's, and although he had eyeballs, people could never remember their specific color.

Horus remembered it was a light cyan blue, and he saw the same result with his own eyes.

"How long have you been waiting for me here?"

“Not long: I’m a spectator who only likes to arrive three minutes early.”

Alpharius stepped back a few steps to make way for the Warmaster, and he took the initiative to lag about half a body length behind the Wolf God, and started the conversation with a more humble attitude: they still had a few minutes to talk before they pushed open the secret door of the main aisle of the Spirit of Vengeance.

"Did you see who has arrived?"

The Warmaster asked the question: although Alpharius claimed to have been waiting here for him, Horus knew his brother: even if he was not present, the Lord of the Hydra would know what he wanted to know.

"Most people have already arrived. Some are discussing the changes in Terra over the years and questioning whether the tithe is used in this regard, while others are thinking about how to communicate with the high lords. Although you are the one responsible for speaking, it is clear that each of your guests has some ideas of their own and is willing to express them."

"That's good, isn't it?"

Horus winked at his brother.

"One ideology cannot manage the entire galaxy. If Terra, Chemos, Macragge and Avalon are arbitrarily placed under the same management, it will only lead to unprecedented tyranny: My brothers have their own ideas, which are the foundation of a better future and the guarantee of long-term stability."

“An impressive statement.”

The Hydra Lord sighed.

"Do you need me to spread it for you?"

"No need."

"There are already enough stories about me: I'm almost becoming an idol, brother."

Horus joked with himself, and Alpharius said along with it.

"But not everyone is here. The kid from the Conrad family has been wandering around in your ship these days. I don't know what he is looking for. And Morgan, Jonson, and Guilliman's representative, they haven't arrived yet, but there are rumors that they are on their way, but it seems that they have to delay for some reason."

"Please forgive me."

The Wolf God was not surprised by this.

"I know Morgan. Lana should be going to get the gift prepared by the Lord of Avalon."

"She always likes to give others some benefits, and then use this as an opportunity to get more benefits back."

"Really? That's a really enviable habit."

The Hydra murmured in agreement, and Horus was not sure whether he was merely flattering himself or whether he meant what he said, but after that he heard no sound from Alpha's direction: his youngest brother followed him quietly until they reached the hidden fork in the road.

The Wolf Shepherd God stopped and looked towards the room at the end of the fork in the road: before leaving, he needed to go in there alone.

"So, I'm a bit redundant?"

Alpharius immediately saw what the Wolf God was thinking: To be honest, Horus was already a little scared.

"Everyone has secrets, don't they?"

The wolf-god could only smile, while Alpharius saluted in an exaggerated manner.

"I certainly understand, Warmaster: is this why you have such concerns?"

"What do you mean?"

"Deep inside of you."

Hydra pointed to his chest.

"You seem a little... dissatisfied?"

"I want to know: Who is it directed at?"

"..."

The Wolf God was silent for a moment: he decided to answer the questions raised by the Hydra truthfully.

"Tyra."

"Because of the Emperor?"

"No, something else."

The Wolf Shepherd God raised his head and snorted softly. He was indeed feeling depressed in his chest.

"Can you understand this feeling? This is your home, and you and your loved ones set out from here to benefit the world, but when you return here, you are treated as a guest, an unwelcome guest, a group of strangers who now live in your home, but take this land for granted as their own."

"It's not that I'm angry: this is such absurdity that it doesn't even make me angry."

"I'm sorry I can't understand."

Hydra laughed, but there was no sarcasm in his voice.

"After all, I don't have a home planet."

“That may not be a bad thing.”

The wolf-herding god patted his brother on the shoulder.

“Sometimes, the person who carries less can actually accomplish more.”

"Unlike me, who would hesitate, be timid, and be afraid of whether I am ready even when standing at the door of my own home."

"You don't think you're ready?"

"I just can't be sure."

Horus shook his head, and his figure slowly disappeared at the other end of the fork.

"Really?"

"Or: Can't tell the answer now?"

The Hydra's voice silenced the Primarch. "..."

The Wolf Shepherd God sighed.

He glanced at his brother: especially at his light blue-green, almost white pupils.

"This is my own business, brother."

"I understand."

The Lord of Hydra smiled, and his figure disappeared earlier than his voice.

"OK then."

"I'm going where I'm supposed to be, Warmaster."

"Also: I will be there, waiting for you to make your final choice."

"I will make my choice, too."

"And fulfill my...role."

"..."

"A choice?"

Horus' voice slowly echoed.

This time, no one responded to him.

------

"Peace of mind."

"It's just their own fault."

"If they had remembered to restrain themselves back then, they wouldn't have ended up like this."

"Lord Guilliman, there is absolutely no need to blame yourself for what happened in Badab."

"What does this have to do with him?"

When Prince of Crows was the last one to arrive at the banquet hall of the Spirit of Vengeance, he first lurked in the shadows in the corner, and then came to the only place on the warship that could accommodate him. Before he had time to find a seat, he heard Lana and Gage discussing loudly there.

And Coswayn waved at him.

"What are you talking about?"

As a fellow warrior from the Far East, Sevatar approached without any hesitation.

"Badabu's matter."

Rana glanced at Sevatar: and Koswain had already moved a seat.

"Sit down and talk."

"it is good."

Sevatar nodded, and the four Astartes formed a small group. They watched the Primarchs talking while discussing their own affairs.

"What happened in Badab?"

Sevatar swallowed hard. He looked like he had just experienced intense exercise, with traces of sweat clearly visible on his neck. Costwain glanced at him suspiciously but did not ask any more questions.

But he noticed that the Prince of Crows' eyes were constantly patrolling the entire banquet hall, especially when he passed Alpharius, Sevatar's gaze became a little fierce: like a shrike sizing up its potential prey.

"nothing."

Lana holds an antique box.

"Badab is still the same. Ever since the Five Hundred Worlds left, it has become a no-man's land. Terra is out of reach, and the surrounding Primarchs dare not invade the land there. In recent decades, Badab and its surrounding universes have been in chaos and infighting year after year."

“Coups, crises, betrayals: it’s like an invisible hand of doom is constantly manipulating things from behind.”

"So, our Lord Guilliman considers this his responsibility?"

Sevatar wiped the sweat from his forehead. Although he had no ill intentions, the mocking tone of the Prince of Crows, which had become a habit in his body, still made Gage raise his eyebrows in dissatisfaction. However, the four of them were familiar with each other, and the Extreme Warrior also knew that Sevatar did not mean it.

On the contrary, he knew very well that the Prince of Crows was actually a pretty good person.

For his friends.

"You know, Lord Guilliman has always been like this."

"He will habitually regard the misfortune in front of him as his own responsibility: even though it has nothing to do with him."

"Perhaps this is the mentality of the Saint King."

Sevastata and Koswain looked at each other and smiled, both feeling a little confused.

Their original leader was not like that either.

"So, what does he want to do?"

"In the short term, it seems that the Five Hundred Worlds can only send out some humanitarian aid, but who can predict what will happen in the future?"

"It depends on what Terra does here."

"It depends on what Horus does, right?"

Sevatar smiled.

"Also: What's in this box of yours?"

"nothing."

Lana held it closer.

"Before I set off, Lady Morgan personally handed me this box. Inside was a gift she had specially packed to thank the Master for his help before. Don't touch it! Mother said that no one can touch the things in the box."

"You are so stingy."

Sevatar reluctantly withdrew his hand.

"Very expensive?"

"Psychic stuff..."

Rana didn't finish his words, but Sevatar had wisely extinguished the thought in his mind.

Psychic?

Whoever wants to touch it can do so.

"But then again."

As soon as Sevatar closed his mouth, Koswain looked over again: exploring other people's secrets seemed to be the nature of the Dark Angels.

"Where have you been, Sevatar?"

"Walk around: it's really disgusting to be in this banquet hall."

"Any new discoveries?"

"temporary……"

Sevatar secretly glanced at Alpharius who was standing in the distance.

"Not yet."

"But I have heard some interesting news."

"Tell me?"

"I heard from those mortal crew members that before the ship arrived in the solar system, some of them saw the shadow of Malohurst, the twister beside the Warmaster, in the shadow of the Spirit of Vengeance. They were very sure it was him."

"impossible!"

Gage simply waved his hand.

"Everyone knows that the Warmaster only brought his attendant, Agnes, with him this time."

"Malohurst is still on Baimon, helping the Warmaster run his kingdom. How could he be on this ship?"

"But that's just what the Warmaster of the Imperium and the Luna Wolves themselves say, isn't it?"

"In fact, no one knows whether Maluhurst has stayed on Baimon Star."

"so what?"

Lana glanced at him.

"What can one person accomplish in this vast solar system?"

"Why, did you leave just now to verify this rumor spread by the mortal?"

Sevatar lowered his head.

"Yes, but I didn't find Malohurst."

"It's normal."

Rana nodded: Even Coswayn didn't think there was anything unusual.

"Mortals often mistake people for others."

"Maybe."

But those who said these words were all veteran sailors on the Spirit of Vengeance.

Sevatar just nodded, and it seemed like he wanted to say something else, but not far away, the sound of the door opening extinguished all sounds in the banquet hall.

Horus is coming.

"The protagonist has appeared."

Lana stood up first and unconsciously walked to the front position among the four.

"finally come."

"But does this mean..."

Sevatar muttered something, then casually touched Koswain with his shoulder.
"When are we going to the Phalanx?"

------

"I'll be off right away, I promise."

Horus nodded kindly to the Terran liaison officer who had been waiting for him, and after sending the grateful mortal away, the Warmaster saw his brothers who were coming one after another.

Ah, the first one is Alpharius.

"haven't seen you for a long time."

The Wolf-God made a witty remark, but the Hydra did not seem to understand. He simply hugged Horus and said the usual nonsense, but before leaving, the Warmaster of the Empire suddenly remembered the question that had no answer and the words that had no response.

Fortunately, the Wolf Shepherd God has now come up with a perfect answer.

So, before walking towards the next brother, the Primarch deliberately turned his head and looked directly into Alpharius's deep blue, almost black eyes.

"That's right, brother."

"what happened?"

"Now, I'm ready."

Horus solemnly placed the answer in front of Alpharius, and then walked towards Sanguinius and Fulgrim.

But he didn't notice that when he left the answer to the question and was proud that the conversation a few minutes ago had finally come to an end, Alpharius, who was left there, lowered his head and fell into silence.

A hint of sincere doubt flashed across the deep blue pupils of the Hydra Lord.

"..."

"Horus..."

"What is he saying?"

(End of this chapter)