Chapter 456 Kneel down
"We arrived at Terra with the knowledge of weather magic. When we joined the expedition, we returned to the supreme capital where Tianchuan looked at us. Unexpectedly, we got a huge lie. 'There is no such thing as a god in the world. Demonic laws, only material truth can be found and investigated. How sad that we are rejected by the truth. My Great Khan tells us that he would rather be a wandering barbarian than burn the world in the temple. Only the so-called civilized people who believe in righteousness should be together. "
"In the past, the master said that lies will eventually come to light, and the truth must be revealed. This is the righteousness that we have believed in since we fought with the empire. "Nikaea, the White Scar has received the answer we have been waiting for for centuries."
You looked at Yesugei standing in the middle of the long carpet, nodding slightly to the Imperial Sky Eagle behind the host, with his cloak behind his back. It hung down freely, not straight but not loose either. It was as if the wind from Gauris was still blowing past him, and the smoke floating in the sky was brightly rolled into the fine fluff of the cloak.
People with white scars have always had such an extraterrestrial spirit. Their thoughts are very consistent and very inconsistent with what you believe in. If you had asked him if the Emperor was a Tyrant, the admission would have been a long, sarcastic laugh.
You understand, these people have seen the truth that the Emperor represents, but they insist on making a bloody mockery of the truth. They are not ignorant, but they have abandoned the destiny that they should surrender to. And you know that this will separate the paths of your destiny to two sides. As for the consequences of this, you still can't explain it yet.
Look at you, claiming to serve the Emperor, yet unwilling to offend even a disobedient brother.
“Our suggestion is as follows: The Imperial Truth should recognize the objectivity of psychic energy and the danger of subspace storms, and then it should be the scope of the Nikeaian Codex.” Yesugei smiled freely and retreated briskly into the shadows. , if there is a horse beside him, he will mount it and gallop away.
You stared at him, knowing early on that your hopes would be in vain. As for whether this answer was rational or brought about by the resentment accumulated over the years, you couldn't tell for a long time. You only know that Chagatai Khan, who claims to be the most frank and innocent, does not propose to recognize the identity of the true god of the emperor. You only know that the most promising person is also half-hiding the truth in this hall.
Of course you hope that everyone in the world will recognize that the Emperor is the only true God, and that every brother knows that the Emperor's love and the Kingdom of Heaven are selflessly given; but you have been walking on this road of faith alone for almost Two hundred years later, your buried resentment quietly surfaced, fearing that the situation where you were the only one on the right path would change and someone else would overtake you by chanting duplicitous prayers.
Then you scolded yourself for your narrow-mindedness, reluctantly realizing that your complaint was sparked by the look Perturabo gave you.
The Emperor's Children's custom of not having a think tank has continued. The one who arrived here today to speak for Fulgrim is Julius Kaisoren.
Listen to what he is saying. He said that although the Emperor's Children firmly believe that the Emperor's creed was perfect two hundred years ago, time is like water, and the sword of perfection should also change with the trend. Today The empire was about to succeed, and it was no longer necessary to abide by the regulations that applied two centuries ago.
He spoke tactfully and beautifully, as polished as his clean face flowing with the blood of the emperor, but behind every byte of his words there was a plan that had been well prepared. It was a long-term strategy that had been planned in the old days of interaction between the Iron Warriors and the Emperor's Children: How many brothers did Perturabo hold in the palm of his hand?
Even you, and his brilliance blinded you, making you acquiesce and acknowledge his actions.
You watched the primarch move towards the party that recommended him one by one, and you were even the first brother to support him in ascending to the position of Warmaster.
He didn't even move a finger. He just relied on some means that transcended time to seize a city and capture you.
Do you remember his expression?
Isn’t there a hint of ecstasy in his calm and solemn expression that he finally succeeded? Aren't his solemn light blue eyes rolling over as coldly as glass marbles, crushing you majestically?
But you didn’t see it until today.
You are the witness to their arrogance about the emperor, and you are the promoter who watched them step by step to reach Nicaea. Gathered under the command of Perturabo, who had replaced the Emperor, they all discussed in private, behind the Emperor's back, the abolition of the laws he had personally established. You didn't know it until this moment.
You listen to them fanatically express their dissatisfaction with the truth of the empire one by one. In the past, they were so quick to obey any order given to you by your father, but now, they may not be aware of it, or they may know it in their hearts but not With great emotion, they all impassionedly criticized their father's holy words.
As you can see, this thing can actually happen under the bright blue sky. The fifteen sons took turns on the stage, either directly or indirectly, using their well-prepared words to rebuke their father. , and pretended that he was loyal to the empire and worried about his father.
No one even asked the Emperor or the Emperor's right-hand man whether he really agreed to let them talk here - no one even knew where the Seal Bearer Malcador had gone, or where the Commander of the Imperial Guard Waldo had gone. Where is the state of the sleeping Horus - no one even asked, how is the Emperor? Can the father show up?
You feel like you are surrounded. In the fog of the commotion in front of you, you look at faces that are either familiar or unfamiliar.
You think you should say something. You are Lorgar Aurelion, the True Speaker, and you should uphold the words that the Emperor has left in the galaxy.
But your timidity locks you in your limited auditorium, unable to catch up with all the hustle and bustle happening right now.
You identify each of your brothers behind those dark curtains of shadow. This curtain blocks all outside detection, but your heart gives you the answers you need.
On the far left sideline, Rogal Dorn and the Imperial Fists were there. Akanmus once walked up to the stage and spoke briefly, expressing his love for Perturabo in every move. support.
Rogal Dorn, the Imperial Guard of Terra, the builder of the Royal Palace, how many people believe in his loyalty, even the high-ranking Imperial Army recognizes Rogal Dorn's stubborn determination, but he is not just Here, "Looking at the facts, we must admit the limitations of imperial truth"?
Why was it necessary? Was he trying to lure humanity out of the shelter the Emperor had so painstakingly created?
When you think of this, you know how deluded you are, just as you blindly allowed the Word Bearers to be poisoned by Erebus for so many years.
Your eyes moved over, and of course there was no need to mention Magnus. You could faintly see his red-gold brilliance from behind the black curtain, which was in the same vein as his firm optimism and liveliness when he first came on stage. , beating continuously.
You realize the nature of his behavior. A man who keeps saying he hates psychic witchcraft finally writes a book full of witchcraft wisdom.
You continue to look to the side, and you see another splendid curtain hanging in the air, the deflected light blocking out all the brilliant light, but you know that Sanguinius is there, wearing a bejeweled suit. Wearing a beautiful robe of flowers, with light decorations hanging on the wings, she leaned against the elegant fence and watched boredly as Perturabo presided over the meeting of Nicaea, with a bit of his innate puzzle-like indifference—— The Archangel flies aloofly high in the sky, using his shadow as his entity for others to worship.
You think of that day in Ullanor, the hidden hints in Sanguinius's words, and you think of how everyone gathered in Ullanor for Horus Luperkar, but not even the Wolf Goddess could be seen.
You heard Sanguinius's words brushing against your ears like fluff. "Among the brothers here, Perturabo is the most suitable," Sanguinius said to you. Suddenly he turned his head and looked directly at you, staring at you closely, his long golden hair twisted around your neck, his eyes The gray teardrop drawn below is flowing, and he says to you, "But Horus is not here."
You take a deep breath and feel the pain in yourself with a sharp and desperate terrible attitude. The scars bleed.
As a Word Bearer at this time, you should take action against all the heretics in the room who are aware or unaware of it, but you are still hesitating. You are ashamed of the emperor. "He's wrong," you hear them say silently, as far as they can say if they're bewitched or willing, they're mesmerized and seriously confused.
On the high platform, the giant in brilliant clothes sat under the two heads of the sky eagle, happily welcoming the perfect situation he had led.
He allows other companions to get close to him, close to the heroic image he created, and reflects the shortcomings of others through his purity and perfection. In other words, this collective pride is given value by self-injury. And in this trusting relationship, mutual blind plunder is indispensable and relied upon.
However, is it really so? You trembled and closed your eyes. After your anger dissipated a little, you were shaken again. You couldn't believe that there was a fundamental fallacy in the truth that you had believed in for more than a hundred years.
You can’t believe the possibility of Perturabo being disloyal, you can’t believe that Perturabo lied to you...
Right above Perturabo, the eagle It seems that I have seen your thinking and reasoning, and realized that you are the only one paying attention to the Skyhawk itself and not Warmaster Perturabo.
The Sky Eagle reminds you on time: "What if my enemy enters my service on the eve of the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven, uses my name to disrupt my laws?"
Your heart that has just been wandering will fall, sinking infinitely and endlessly into the unimaginable depths.
And your eyes are illuminated by black light, surrounding you. You are completely occupied by the new black light. There is no space to think about other things. Too many things are heading towards you one after another. Coming, like metal shards falling from the sky, hitting you and cutting out raging fire.
You see where it all began, the city of steel built in Perturabo's name. You thought that city was in the name of the Emperor, but it wasn't.
You see the clues he uses to lure people, you see the Olympian immigrants above Prospero, you see the Olympian star cluster that is independent from the empire, you see the erratic and unbelieving night ghosts and some kind of strange things. People and things are approaching, seeing Rogal Dorn taking over the construction rights of the Royal Palace of Terra, seeing Fulgrim having his arm broken in Olympia, seeing Mortarion and Magnus getting closer and closer, seeing Jaghatai being defeated Khan was brought back to Terra by the craftsmen around him, and saw the last day of the Battle of Randan, when he received the Holy Light of the Emperor - only Perturabo was not there, and only the Lord of Iron did not dare to be anointed...
And recent events. The recent denial of you. For your equivocation. Malicious pity for the rebels of Colchis.
Note that these things all happened to the same person.
And he is your Warmaster, and this was promoted by you yourself.
"Perturabo," you heard yourself suddenly speaking from the cubicle, your hoarse voice spreading far, "Perturabo."
Standing on the platform below The Astartes on board endures his interruptions in confusion, which makes you realize there's hope for them.
They are all your brothers, but they were taken out of their respective bookcases by Perturabo. In the process, the paper on which they were written was destroyed, and was violently damaged and smeared, so that There is an indiscernible and ever-changing deviation from their true appearance.
You read them again, identifying each one anew, hoping that your own caution has allowed you to get a word or pattern right, to nail down the right highlights, brushstrokes, and carvings. You feel a little more at ease, knowing that many people still have a way back, extending all the way to their feet. You can light the torches along the way to greet them. If they want, they can be guided back and return to the Emperor's black sun. Down.
“What do you think, Aurelion?” Perturabo answered you, his voice broke through the curtain that you had raised. In fact, that voice broke through something more illusory. Something hit you directly, causing you to grip the railing at hand.
“You can come down from there and come to the podium.” Perturabo reminded you. He sounded sincere, but the torrent of his words almost washed you away.
You stared at him stiffly, and then there was the aquila behind him. The aquila stared at you with burning eyes.
You were encouraged again and your back straightened up. You walked into the passage, thinking about what you were going to say all the way until you stepped into the light again, facing the person who had trusted you for more than a hundred years.
You were willing to do anything for your trust, but your trust was based on the assumption that Perturabo was a loyal heir to the Emperor.
At the moment when Perturabo planned to overturn the truth of the Empire, maybe earlier, maybe when he stopped you from destroying Interrex, and scolded you for destroying Colchis, maybe at the time when his old enemy Blade The moment it was stolen, the moment Horus was assassinated, the foundation of trust was gone.
"Perturabo," you said loudly, "I object to everything that happens here. I object to your slander of the Emperor's shallow wisdom. This is an open insult to the Imperium of Man."
< br>Perturabo looked at you calmly, as if he were evaluating a piece of impurity-laden steel, estimating how to reforge you, a piece of scrap metal that he didn't like, so that you could become a workable material again.
Under the bright attire, under the eyes of the Sky Eagle, the Lord of Steel becomes cold and deadly in an instant, staring at you with unpredictable eyes, which is incompatible with the Imperial Sky Eagle full of honor. .
You find that you are not proud of yourself for standing up. You just feel that your heart is being squeezed and held by the palms of your hands under heavy pressure, making you unable to breathe. Even if you defeat Perturabo, you will not feel happy about it. On the contrary, you will burst into tears, and your heart will say don't do this. Whether true or false, you don't want to break with your brother, no matter what. You both refused to believe that you had to object to that face that showed contemplation.
But the Sky Eagle speaks to you, it speaks to you wordlessly, making you understand, causing you to be reprimanded and warned, making you regain your rationality.
Sky Eagle said: You should be loyal to your faith.
So you speak, suppressing the cry in your heart, O man of truth, you must declare loudly in front of everyone, like a street prophet who no one pays attention to.
"I support Imperial Truth," you say.
The commotion around you gradually expanded, and countless worried faces looked at you, but no one stopped you. Either they feared revealing their disloyalty to the Empire, or they adhered to the superficial etiquette of the cult and allowed a true believer to voice his disapproval of their blasphemy. You're a little surprised by this, not all morality is lost here.
"I also support the Imperial Truth," Perturabo answered him, "but we need to revise it so that it continues in the new era."
"No." you said, " Imperial truth is inspired by the Emperor and is useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness. You cannot modify its text without permission."
You felt strangely calm as you spoke. , just like you are just an empty carrier, a simple conveyor of the scriptures of the God-Emperor. You are content with that, after all there is no glory in brotherly debate.
Perturabo narrowed his eyes slightly. The surprise and disappointment he concealed were undoubtedly a scam he performed for you, luring you into his camp at the smallest cost, and using your wavering and pity to unintentionally lead you into a downward spiral. the way. This is essentially his incomplete pride, for only false pride can turn timidity into cruelty and guilt into viciousness in order to exert hegemony over his companions.
“The first important thing is to know that none of the prophecies in the Bible can be interpreted according to personal opinions, because the prophecies are man’s narration of His words.” You continue to say that the Imperial Truth is His revelation, not human beings Or the creation of angels. You don't understand why everyone here thinks it can be modified.
“I testify to everyone who hears this book: If anyone adds anything to this book, the disaster that is in it will be upon him; if anyone takes anything away from this book, the emperor His portion will be taken away from the tree of life and from the holy city which are written in this book. "You are destroying it, Perturabo, by calling upon your brothers to tamper with it."
You paused, and in order to explain to your other brothers, you continued to explain: "You can re-study and interpret it to respond to current problems. You can use existing teachings to discuss and solve what you think Lack of justice, and the incomprehensible meaning of truth. But you cannot modify the truth of the Empire, Perturabo."
"Do you think I did this without permission?" asked Perturabo, sitting alone. In the seat where the emperor should be.
"Why do you do this?" you demanded, staring into Perturabo's face. "Why do you destroy the truth of the Empire, add deletions to it, add your own stamp to it?"
"Here Everything that happened was with the Emperor's permission, Aurelion."
"With the Emperor's permission?"
"On Terra— —"
"Why would the Emperor leave the power to determine His laws to you alone, Warmaster Perturabo?" You shook your head, glaring at the still expressionless face, "I Seeing no evidence of you, no evidence of what you have done, and unable to bear your misunderstanding and belittling of Him, I will return to Terra, and I will inform the Emperor himself."< br>
"Inform the Custodes of your request, Aurelion," said Perturabo. "If you can prove to the Emperor that I am telling lies, or that I am unjustly belittling your faith, then of course I will obey the Emperor. "It's too late," you shook your head, your palms began to hurt, "Brothers! We have discussed too many things against the Emperor without knowing the Emperor's attitude. The remarks discussed too many refutations and blasphemies of the imperial truth!
“How many of you dare to say that you put forward your exegetical suggestions completely selflessly and opened up your heart without reservation! ?
“I hear that your words have their own merits, but they all prioritize their respective positions! I hear your selfishness beating in your chest, and every modification you plan to make to the truth of the empire comes from you. The need to gain personal or Legion benefits from it!
"I hear you borrowing the name of the Emperor, waiting for this long-awaited opportunity, in the future gap after the end of the Great Crusade, when the Empire is about to enter the next future! At the critical juncture, they plotted their own plunder instead of sacrifices, and selfish interests instead of righteousness.
"I see you standing above the people of the Empire, thinking that you are destined to achieve the highest position, and exercising excessive power in advance, but aren't we the servants of the Imperial humanity? We are not the people under the Emperor's rule. Attendants and assistants? "
"The truth of the empire protects mankind, and you are destroying it, my brothers, you are carving your monument in private."
Stop down and let it go. Look around at all the mysterious black curtains around you. Your will allows you to see countless hidden emotions. Are they really unwavering? No, that's not the case. Some of them know you're right, or at least partly right. Their remaining consciences are questioning their selfishness.
Just as not everyone is accustomed to obeying a Warmaster. Convening the meeting consumed the prestige that Perturabo had accumulated, and this was the price he had to pay.
Perturabo tapped the table lightly.
"Aurelion," he reminded again, neither you nor him raising their voices, both you and he could hear each other clearly.
He said: "The Emperor knows what is happening here. He is watching you, watching us. He just has not come, not closed his eyes."
"You must Do I accuse you of lies that you cannot prove, Perturabo?"
Perturabo stood up and raised the eagle scepter. In full view of the crowd, the eagle body of the scepter shone with light. Fiery light came suddenly, accompanied by intense pain that penetrated the soul. You were blinded for a moment and almost fell to the ground. You stand reluctantly.
You see a bright golden shadow, with no specific shape, just a simple and incomparable light, shining in front of you. You stare into the bright light until your eyes are filled with tears.
"Lorgar Aurelion," the divine rebuke like bells came from the golden light, "Why are you so stubborn?"
"But-" you spit out a syllable, like a bird that is confused at night. A confused bird, or a lifeless moth, is teetering on the edge of fluttering towards the light source.
“Do I have to order you to kneel down?” The emperor’s voice turned cold.
"Father——"
"Kneel down." The golden light ordered.
There is no tolerance in it, and it is difficult to discern thoughts, but it is by no means devoid of thoughts. His great thoughts are higher than the existence of anyone, higher than all the vulgar morality and narrow-minded evil in the universe, and he uses this voice to order you from thousands of miles away without any mercy.
You chose to obey in an instant, kneeling before the Emperor's glory, without even understanding what you were doing. Your head hits the ground like a rumbling bell.
All the brothers are looking at you, sixteen brothers, from Leon El'Jonson to Alpharius, their cruel eyes are staring directly at your crawling back, like the bite of a poisonous snake.
Kneeling helplessly in the middle of the blood-red carpet, you meet everyone's eyes and let out a desperate whimper from your instinct.
Here, on the icy ground, the cold was even more unbearable than the long dead sand of Colchis. There you are, here on your knees, held captive by a simple command.
Right here, you kneel down.
Your soul shrank cruelly in the cold, and all dignity and the memories you had of living with the Emperor were squeezed out bit by bit. You touch the glow that the Emperor has left in your memory, and then you are pushed away and thrown into a cold, narrow cage shaped by an upright kneeling posture.
You are kneeling.
There is only silence. Sixteen brothers, seventeen legions, tens of thousands of narrators, all of them are watching your kneeling in silent silence.
The silence continues.
ten years. century. a century. A whole generation rolled by. Continuing, prolonging.
Continue until the golden light gradually leaves.
Until your will returns to you from the ruins in your soul that burned with Colchis.
Until you raise your head and pursue the Emperor’s flash of glory from the annihilated air and fading marks around you, looking for His divine radiance, His form, His voice, and what He possesses All, and a little mark given to you from all of it.
Then, you saw it.
You see a tiny ray of black light flashing in the eyes of the eagle, mixed with the depth of golden light, swirling like a nightmare and dancing like a ghost.
“Stand up,” said Perturabo, turning her head away from him. "It's enough."
"Yes, it's enough." Lorgar Aurelion said slowly, his eyes staying high.
His eyes regained the quiet gentleness and tolerance, and all the brilliance that could be called resignation, as if his eyes were just a pair of amethyst niches holding the statue of the god, so pure.
He turned around, no longer saying anything, no longer defending, and walking along the scarlet carpet, step by step, he walked out into the eyes of tens of thousands of people. He stepped out of his old shell, leaving behind all the brooding, gloom, and anger he had gained in it, leaving behind the echoes and shadows of his words, and stepping away from the glory days of the Great Crusade. leave.
(End of this chapter)