40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 325 45. People trapped in the past

Akudona held his eviscerating saber.

"Continue." A cold voice gave the order from the high platform. "I want to see if the Emperor's Children's First Swordsman is really that skilled."

After the words fell, the square iron door slowly rose, and four Astartes walked out. There was no training armor, they were all bare-chested, and they all had ferocious wolf heads tattooed on their chests.

Akudona was already used to this kind of similar tattoos. When the Sons of Horus were just Luna Wolves, they were famous for their very prosperous warrior guild culture. The four men had identical tattoos, meaning they were from the same warrior society.

It doesn't matter.

He held the knife tightly and slowly raised his right hand. The edge of the blade touched his face, and the coldness and the stickiness of blood bloomed in his perception at this moment. The warrior braid is wrapped around the neck, as always.

He took a deep breath of air, without any unnecessary words, and the bloody battle began immediately.

The first man lost his life seconds into his charge, miscalculating the speed of Acudona's swing - something many would pay a heavy price for.

The second man was so enraged by his brother's death that he swung his lightning claws and tried to rip off his face and entire head.

Akudona didn't give him this chance. He took a slight step back, calculated the distance by a hair's breadth and dodged the blow. He cut off the right hand that attacked him with his backhand, and then struck again with a knife.

No mercy, no hesitation.

This is no longer the so-called warrior competition or legion exchange, but a real fight to the death.

The boning saber literally cut through the left shoulder, cutting the man in half. Blood spattered, but the third man's attack had already arrived.

He chose to attack Akudona's free left hand and legs. Akudona spotted the blow out of the corner of his eye, and even saw the trajectory of the sword's upcoming swing in advance.

He understood that if this blow was carried out, it would be quite cruel. After that person succeeds, he will immediately spin his wrist and swing the next sword to kill him. The steps and the posture of his upper body all indicate this.

So Acudona pulled out the second sword with his backhand and blocked the blow.

He is a dual-swordsman, but few people can let him hold two swords at the same time. This man did it. Although it was a sneak attack that was despicable, he did it.

"Your name?" Akudona asked this question gently at the moment when death passed by.

His warrior braids were flying in the air, stained with blood, but still beautiful. Unfortunately, the man didn't answer, he just laughed ferociously and chased after him.

The fourth man also slashed at him with a giant ax in his hand. The Emperor's Son narrowed his eyes, raised his shoulders slightly, and the saber began to dance, turning into death itself in an instant.

With the first blow, he chopped off the hands of the third man. With the second blow, he beheaded him. With the third blow, he chopped off the fourth man's knee. The giant fell suddenly, and before he could scream, Akudona's fourth sword had already arrived.

A head rolled to the ground again.

"It's wonderful." said the person on the high platform. "I admit it, you do have the ability to be called the number one swordsman, Akudona."

This title has nothing to do with you, traitor.

Akudona muttered these words and lowered his head.

He didn't want his hateful eyes to be seen by that person, and he didn't even want to call this person by his name. The name he was known by was the polar opposite of the man sitting on the dais.

He held the knife, waiting for the next battle to come. He knew very well that this death battle would not continue like this. Even if he did not die today, more people would challenge him tomorrow.

"Go back and rest." The man on the high platform laughed, and his laughter sounded almost like a dark echo.

There was silence all around, nothing to do with the battle field in Akudona's memory. Even the Sons of Horus did not choose to make any sound, as if they were also afraid of the person who spoke.

Akudona still stood there with his head lowered. A few seconds later, one of the four iron doors slowly opened. Only then did he raise his head and take a look. There was deep darkness inside, and a putrid smell hit his face.

Akudona threw down his sword, found the magnetic shackles from the sidelines, put them on himself, and returned to his cell with his head held high. He did not want the so-called Sons of Horus to touch his body.

With his back against the cold steel, he slowly sat down, his naked upper body covered in blood and sweat. At this moment, he thought of Fulgrim.

To be precise, he recalled the battle between Fulgrim and Horus Luperkar on the Vengeful Spirit three days ago.

It was that battle that brought the Emperor's Children to this point, and it was also that battle that caused the Emperor's Pride to suffer great humiliation. It was the first time they were jumped into a gang, and just like them, they were completely defeated for the first time.

All of these events, including the deaths of his brothers, echoed in Akudona's mind, and then, once again, he thought of Fulgrim.

——

"You are no longer my brother," said the phoenix of Chemos in despair. "You are just a shadow, a twisted monster"

He pulled out the flaming sword tremblingly but firmly. The masterwork forged by Ferrus Manus burst out with unprecedented brilliance at this moment, almost lighting up the dark hall of the Vengeful Spirit.

Faced with such a threat, Horus Luperkar, who was still sitting on the throne, let out a dull chuckle from his changed armor.

He stood up slowly, and the eyes on his pale face were no longer as friendly as before. They were a pair of scarlet eyes, and just a glance at them was enough to make people shudder.

"You don't understand, Fulgrim," he said in a gentle tone. "At least you still don't understand that the Emperor and his lies are still at work in your heart. Both he and it are affecting you, making you unable to see the truth."

"Think about it, proud Phoenix, how many lies has he told us? I should have known it long ago, from the time he ordered the killing of our two brothers without hesitation, that he was just a careerist, He's not a 'father' at all."

"Their deaths are necessary." Fulgrim suddenly changed his tone to a cold tone.

"What they did led to their ending. War is cruel, and the Great Crusade is a collection of countless cruel wars. A father can be a father, but he must be the emperor. You are still the same as before, trying to help him Seek love in yourself. You won't get what you want, Horus."

"Really? So in your opinion, what will I get?"

"Death." Phoenix said.

He raised his sword, his hands no longer trembling, only steady.

Horus laughed and rushed towards him, the cold light of the lightning claws already beginning to surge.

——

Akudona slowly woke up from his memories and heard the sound of footsteps. He raised his head and saw a familiar figure through the cold cell window.

"Fabius Bayer." The Emperor's son read the name in an aria-like tone. Only cold hatred escaped from his lips and teeth, and there was no longer the brotherhood of the past.

"Acudona." Fabius Bayer, who was wearing a pharmacist's robe, lowered his head and greeted. "You played well today."

"You did well too, Bayer. You betrayed us."

"I don't."

"Really? How did Horus and his mongrel dogs get the key to boarding the ship within five minutes of the start of the battle?" Akudona sneered. "Don't say it wasn't you, Bayer. I may be tired, hungry, and full of hatred, but I haven't lost my mind yet. I know it's you, all of us know it."

Fabius Bayer was silent for a few seconds without giving any answer. He seemed to be older, which was almost impossible for an Astartes, and the silver hair inherited from Fulgrim seemed to be more white at the moment.

And Acudona continues.

"I will kill you," he said. "Everyone, everyone involved in this will die, Bayer. And I will watch you die, and I will look you in the eyes and tell you what you really are."

"Fulgrim is not dead," Fabius Bayer said suddenly. "He's still alive."

Before the words could even be finished, a violent collision suddenly sounded in the darkness, almost comparable to thunder. Acudona roared and approached the cell door, staring into Bayer's eyes through the viewing window: "You have no right to mention his name again!"

"You do not understand."

"Shut up! Traitor!"

"Listen to me, Akudona, I-"

"——Shut your mouth full of lies and go join the dogs of Horus!" Acudona sneered and swore.

"Damn it, listen to me!" Fabius Bayer also roared and swung his left fist, punching the cell door. The alarm was triggered, but strangely, no guards came.

The air inside the Vengeful Spirit exudes a rotten smell, and in the deepest part of the darkness, something casts its gaze towards this place.

"Fulgrim is alive!" Fabius Bayer repeated. "He is not dead, Horus did not kill him! He asked me to treat him. He said he would persuade Fulgrim to change his mind and stand on the same side as him. He said he had seen these things, do you understand? "

"What on earth are you talking about? Have you seen it?" Akudona took a few steps back, and at least half of the anger surging in his heart suddenly dissipated. "Are you crazy, Bayer?"

"I didn't." Fabius Bayer took a deep breath. "You are the one who doesn't understand. You don't understand what the Warmaster can do. He revealed a future for me. In that future, we - forget it."

He exhaled the cold air, took a few steps back, and opened the cell door.

"Follow me, and I will take you to see Fulgrim." Fabius Bayer turned around and left.

There is one more chapter.