Warhammer 40: Doom

Chapter 216 Alpharis

When I opened my eyes, I saw a golden, shimmering entity that lifted me from the scorching sand and wrapped me in a robe to cover my body.

He took me back to his home, raised and taught me.

Those creatures who resembled him called him "the Emperor".

Although the emperor looks like them, and I look like them, I know that we are fundamentally different.

He made me call him "father," representing the parent-child relationship of the "human" race, a sacred blood connection.

Because I inherited his genes, I should rightfully call him my father.

Therefore, I addressed the Emperor as Father, thus establishing our relationship.

My imperial father gave me a name—Alpharis.

Alpharis, son of the Emperor, one of the twenty-one Primarchs.

“You have twenty brothers.” When I heard this from my father, I was overjoyed, as it proved that I was not alone in the “human” community.

As the emperor's son—the Primarch—I roam freely within the palace I built, exploring this magnificent architecture without hindrance.

I have a natural passion for exploration, for seeking out surprises hidden in the shadows and secrets shrouded in layers of darkness.

But I also have my own secrets.

I don't know why, but I feel like I'm not complete; there's always a void deep inside me.

It was so empty, so desperately wanting to be filled.

I don't know how to fill the emptiness in my heart, so I feel even more urgent and need anything that can satisfy me to fill it.

Secrets are one of the ways to fill the void.

As my knowledge and experience grew, my body developed rapidly, and I also discovered many extraordinary talents.

To a certain extent, I can change my physical appearance and disguise myself as someone else.

According to Macado, this is a gift bestowed upon me by the Emperor, a talent unique to the universe.

Who is Makado?
An immortal old man, who looked withered and always wore a linen robe and held a burning eagle scepter.

Don't be fooled by his frail appearance; that's just a facade that Makado uses to cultivate the image of a respected elder.

He is very strong, possesses powerful psychic abilities, deep wisdom, and many secrets.

My father, the Emperor, made Macardo my teacher, and he did indeed teach me a lot.

I was molded into the image the emperor envisioned, becoming a "keeper of secrets" who disregarded vanity, forsaken ordinary glory, and kept secrets.

I prefer to be an "explorer" rather than a "keeper of secrets".

But I, Alpharis, cannot disobey my father, so I became the Keeper of the Secrets.

During my time in Terra, I never revealed my true form to anyone, and very few people knew of Alpharis's existence.

Constantine Waldo was one, along with his Imperial Guard.

They were the Emperor's father's bodyguards, responsible for protecting the safety of the human ruler.

Despite racking my brains, I still can't figure it out—why would a powerful being like a god need a group of weaklings to protect it?

Despite their numerous security vulnerabilities, they still fulfill their duties.

And I, Alpharis, will one day teach the Imperial Guard a profound lesson.

What makes the Censorate even more detestable is that they always block my path of exploration and prevent me from delving into the secrets of humanity's home planet.

As the original genus, I grew very quickly, taller and stronger than anyone else.

I still use my talent to hide myself, remaining ordinary, learning and observing human knowledge.

Through Makado's teachings, I have come to understand more deeply the mission of the Primarch.

I joined the war, donned heavy armor, and disguised myself as various individuals to fight against the Terran warlords.

Witness the fury of the Thunder Warriors, fight alongside them, and foresee their tragic fate.

He also witnessed the rise of the first "Angel of Death," and how his brothers and sons built an army, becoming the new emperor's sharpest weapon.

I participated in the Thunder Warriors' purge and also tried to uncover the secrets of the Doom Warriors.

He witnessed, and even personally experienced, all the major events that happened in Terra.

Then came the Great Expedition, where my genetic offspring went into hiding, infiltrating various legions to act as spies and informants.

Alternatively, they could travel to various worlds aboard covert warships, operating behind enemy lines to gather intelligence on the enemy.

My legion has no honors or awards, but all legion honors are earned through the participation of its offspring.

The 20th Legion, like myself, is hidden in the most concealed place, doing the most concealed things.

The Great Crusade continued, and in a world called "Cosonia," the Mechanicus found a lost brother and brought him back to Terra. I stood beside my father, disguised as a member of the Royal Guard, and witnessed my brother's return.

Horus Lupecal. I remembered the name of my blood brother.

He became the first Primarch to return to the Empire openly, staying by his father's side in a legitimate way, making Shadowmoon Wolves the envy of other Legions.

I scoff at this, and even feel a little sorry for my brother.

Horus Lupecal, living in lies, lies woven for him by his imperial father.

He is not the true "son of the first," Alpharis is. I have never even left Terra.

I pity this brother, yet I am smug and unaware of the truth.

Horus followed the emperor day and night, learning about the empire and yearning for his father's approval and love.

In order to gain his father's approval, he devoted himself to handling affairs every day, striving to do his best.

Poor Horus, overwhelmed by a massive amount of documents, chose to shave his head and connect to a brain-computer interface to handle his affairs.

Seeing my brother so exhausted, I couldn't bear it.

He then ordered his sons to intensify their search for their other brothers during the Great Expedition.

We must find the other brothers as soon as possible to share the burden with Horus and to share the "love" that comes from our imperial father.

Okay, I do have my own selfish motives.

I'm particularly curious about the fascinating expression on Horus's face when his other brother was found.

As their descendants tirelessly searched, they discovered an individual highly suspected to be the original gene in a dead world called "Fenris".

I couldn't wait to board the spaceship and head to Fenris to confirm the individual's identity.

After some investigation, I am quite certain that the barbarian named "Leman Russ" is my brother.

Although Riemann Russ's appearance is unexpected, he is indeed my blood brother.

With anticipation, I instructed my offspring to inform Terra so that their father could come and claim his brother.

But an accident happened.

As the Emperor prepared to come to Fenris, another of my brothers found his way home through the void.

He returned bravely, alone from the vast starry sky.

Honestly, I admire that brother from the bottom of my heart; he returned from the void by relying on his own strength.

I deeply regret not being in Terra at that moment, to witness Horus's indescribable expression.

I guess he must have been very conflicted, reluctant to part with his father's love, yet forced to set an example as the first son to return home by generously welcoming his brother back.

Reluctantly, I parked my spaceship in Fenris orbit and waited for my father and brothers to arrive.

During this time, a speedboat belonging to the 20th Army Corps brought me footage of my father welcoming the 21st Army Corps.

Doom Norwick – King of Warriors, Doom Slayer, Lord of the Stars of Nur.

The halo above my brother's head deeply moved me; he accomplished a great feat in the void, reuniting the shattered civilization.

His power made Mars tremble, and he ceded more benefits to the Empire.

The Emperor granted the Dhomm equality, rather than placing him under the Empire, which was a great recognition.

Meanwhile, I also observed Horus's unpredictable expression as he laughed heartily in his private room on the warship.

With excitement in my heart, I waited among the Legion's offspring, who were clad in Fifth Legion power armor, and boarded the Imperial Dream.

Inside the gilded palace of the spaceship, I saw my valiant and extraordinary brothers, even more awe-inspiring than in the images.

His gaze swept across the crowd, and I felt that Doom saw right through me.

Despite it being just a fleeting glimpse, I remembered my extraordinary brother as he left the Emperor Dream and embarked on his great expedition.

The Legion's expeditions are clandestine. The Twentieth Legion excels at intelligence gathering, conducting asymmetrical warfare, and silently conquering world after world.

It just so happened that the eccentricity of the Second Legion's leader, Moribas Solas, piqued my interest. I seamlessly infiltrated the Second Legion to conduct a secret investigation.

This misfit brother, after ending his battle alongside Horus, immediately headed to the Morse system.

That was another battlefield, where Doom Norwick led a large army to fight against Randan.

The Morse system was littered with debris, and I was surprised to find the Space Wolves' fleet. Those battle-worn warships immediately made me realize the brutal war my brothers had experienced.

At a banquet in the garden of the flagship of Durm, a maid poured me a drink, and the message hidden in the glass shocked me.

It turns out that the king-level brother had already seen through my disguise.

(End of this chapter)