40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 262 33. Judgment Day (2)

Alkas Farr watched as their Primarch ascended the dais.

The podium made of obsidian and steel is heavy and broad, with undulating arcs like a mountain. Corvus Corax stood behind it, but was not obscured.

The original body's eyes were darker than obsidian itself, and the slightly dim light illuminated him, making everything hazy, like in a dream.

In fact, Alkas really hoped that he was dreaming.

He lowered his head bitterly, waiting for the primarch to speak.

He stood between his brothers, who were all here. Underground on the alien planet is the gathering place of another legion. It's wide, cold, and so quiet that you can't even hear the machinery running.

The blade emblem of the Midnight Blade is still shining on the ground made of cold steel, but the people standing here are not the Night Blades. But there are other people, other people who are similar to them but completely different.

Sixty-five thousand three hundred and twenty three people stood in the entire hall. The Raven Guards stood shoulder to shoulder. Some were wearing military uniforms, some were wearing formal uniforms, and others were wearing power armor.

Their breathing was so quiet, like another creature far beyond human beings. Corvus Corax looked down at all this, and a pain that only he knew flashed through his heart.

No one dared to speak. he thinks. Why not? I'm not that Horus Luperkar.

"The celebration is over."

He spoke slowly, his tone as straight as ever, without any ups and downs. People couldn't understand his true thoughts and couldn't grasp the key points of his words, so they were forced to continue listening.

"It's perfect. I shouldn't have summoned you after this, but I had to. Some things need to be resolved after all."

The Primarch stopped talking, looked around, and stared at some of the Crow Guards who finally raised their heads for a moment. In this way, he continued.

".On the day I returned to the Legion, I once said something to you. When I talked about it, you looked at me like a stupid child, but I still have to say it again. "

"I don't like to live as a conqueror, oppressor or even a ruler. I hate conquerors. For the sake of vain ambition, parents and children are separated forever, and husbands and wives are separated. What is more hateful than this?"

"I also hate the oppressors. I grew up witnessing the beatings of the oppressors. I don't have the talent of a ruler. I am a child raised by workers. I eat and live with them, accept their culture, Their upbringing makes them adults.”

"Therefore, I can never be any of those things you expect me to be."

"I'm not good at running the legion. A year has passed and I'm still learning its basic operations. I'm a liberator, a born rebel. In the current environment of the empire, my ideals, character and even origin are all not welcomed."

"But I am willing to take on this responsibility. My father showed me his ideals. He made me understand that if you want to reach a bright future, you must fight. And I have this ability, I will lead More people will fight for this until the light shines on the galaxy."

Corax stopped, he wanted to say more, Khalil could see in the shadow. But the original body did not do this. He looked at the silent Crow Guards and shook his head slowly, his voice becoming softer.

"But you are not who I expected you to be," he said. "You can't be."

Someone in the audience finally shouted and refuted their original body. Some people looked at him in shock, with extremely unfamiliar eyes, as if they couldn't recognize who the speaker was.

"You are wrong!" the man shouted. "We have inherited your blood. This is a connection that transcends everything! We will become what you expect!"

"How to change?"

Corus Corax looked in that direction and read the name of the speaker without any thought. His voice was still soft, but his hands on the podium were clenched.

"How, Straden Beinart? You are almost a collection of the things I hate, and you have no intention of repenting."

Straden Beinart froze, and after a few minutes he waved his arms in despair.

"You hate us?! But - in what way?"

"All of them." Corvus Corax ignored his own pain with extraordinary determination and spoke coldly.

"Most of you are the sons of slave owners. You despise the common people, despise the legionnaires, and call the Imperial troops who fight alongside you incompetent. More than once, I have heard you call their names weak or stupid with contempt. Ahead.”

"But, the original body"

On the other side of the crowd, Shadow Captain Nerat Keeling spoke tremblingly. He had not fully recovered from his injuries, and his voice was unclear. It was unclear whether his trembling was due to his injuries or something else.

"This is true for mortals. Most of them cannot understand us, and the few who can communicate with us regard us as monsters. The imperial army is completely unable to bear your evaluation of them. They are not fighting alongside us, but They are following us to gain merit.”

"Really? But the battle report shows that most of them walked in front of you. In other words, they died in front of you." Corax answered in a low voice.

Now, his voice almost sounded like he was scoffing.

"Taking merit? And you call them mortals? Well, Nerat. Let me ask you a few questions. Who are you without mortals? Where does this inexplicable Astartes supremacy come from? Come? Don't look down, Nerat, look at me."

The Primarch walked out of the obsidian podium, jumped down, walked into the crowd and caught the Shadow Captain.

His hands didn't use any force, but they were still able to firmly hold the captain's shoulders like iron pliers. He lowered his head, bent down, and almost pressed his forehead against the captain's forehead, leaving no room for dodge in Nerat Keelin's eyes.

Just like that, he looked into his son's eyes and slowly asked.

"Mortals drive your battleships and transport planes, mortals make the weapons you rely on to kill your enemies, mortals cultivate crops and raise animals so that you have something to eat, and mortals raise your future brothers."

"Mortals, mortals, you speak of mortals as if you have transcended them completely. Open your eyes and look, Nerat. What is the point of the existence of the Astartes if there are no mortals? Do you think the Emperor Why were you created after us?”

The Primarch's voice finally became agitated, but still within a certain range. His words still sounded like arguments rather than rants. However, who dares to say that he is not angry? However, after a few seconds, Corax let go.

"...I came back too late." He said softly.

"If it had been earlier, maybe there was still room for saving the matter. But it can't be done now. Now, you are not the people I want to fight alongside. I'm afraid you don't like me either. The mark of Horus Luperkar is on you It's so deep. I can hardly tell whether you are the Raven Guard or the Moon Wolves with special fighting methods."

Alkas Far's lips trembled a few times. He wanted to defend himself and speak, but it was too late. Corvus Corax disappeared into the darkness in the next moment, completely disappearing before their eyes, only his voice remained.

".This is a trial," Corax said sadly. "It's also a trial. I don't need those high-ranking people in my team."

As soon as the words fell, darkness came.

——

Khalil raised his head and looked at the sky. He saw a bloody and blazing red. Bombers and transport planes dragged white flames and stayed in the sky, refusing to move. It was completely strange.

He lowered his head again and saw the cracked ground and large swaths of human corpses. All over the place, stuck between two huge metal walls, almost forming a third wall.

The smell of blood that was so strong that it was more terrifying than the real thing came from the pile of corpses, and the dead began to slowly stand up. They picked up weapons, arranged their military uniforms, and put on their tattered armor neatly.

Their faces were pale, and some even had no faces. Darkness mixed with scarlet flames wrapped around their bodies. Khalil waited patiently. Soon, a woman with half her body missing and a bloody mess came to him and performed the aquila salute.

"Major Safiyo Sisi of the Sorosian Point Regiment reporting to you. Any instructions, sir?"

"There is no instruction, and I am not your commander." Khalil replied softly. "Just take revenge, Major. Good luck to you."

".I see."

The major silently bowed again, then turned and left with her team. The dead began to march in formation over the desolate and broken land, heads held high, as proud as when they were still alive.

Khalil watched them go away until they completely disappeared, then he looked back. He turned around and, not surprisingly, saw Corvus Corax.

"You spoke your truth," Khalil said. "I admire that courage."

The Lord of Crows slowly shook his head: "It's not important anymore."

He was silent for a moment and turned his gaze to the top of Khalil's head. There, a broken crown was gathering, with scarlet light surging, pulling the ferocious black fragments. It seems that it is about to close, but it also seems that there is still a long way to go.

"What is this?" Corax asked.

"It's just the price of war." Khalil said nonchalantly. "Everything has a price, doesn't it?"

"Just like Alkas Far chose to cooperate with Horus in order to continue the 19th Legion, but the price was quite high. Their numbers were deliberately maintained by Horus, and they were treated more like legions. A company or chapter rather than a separate legion and a very obvious Grand Astartes doctrine that goes hand in hand with the identity of the descendants of slave owners."

"You are changing the subject." Corvus Corax clenched his fists and shook his head. "I will resolve the matter between my legion and Horus later. But, what does this crown represent?"

Khalil Lohars did not answer the question.

Let me explain to you, I am not in Black Horus, but this is the fact. In the official history of HH, Horus is a very complex and very charming person. He's both sides of the coin, and he does this to more than just the Raven Guard. For example, White Scar, kissed Horus to the point of internal mutiny. In a sense, this is also part of his personality charm?

Well, actually I am asking for trouble. I didn't have to write something so complicated and real. It would be nice to write a few random strokes to fast forward the plot, but I just can’t help it. Most of the characters of the Primarchs are complex. Just like when I wrote Luojia, it would be fine to simply portray him as a stupid villain. However, if I write it this way, I always feel that something is missing.

Ok, that’s it, the update is complete and will be updated tomorrow.