40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 583 101. Interlude: Death with Lamp, Red Fool

Mortarion still remembered what it felt like to be alive.

Frankly, he missed it, but he never regretted losing it. It is true that life is extremely precious, but compared with some things that people call "norms" or "bottom lines", it can be discarded.

There is no concept of time in the High Sky, but Mortarion is still grateful that he has not broken his own rules. Although he lost his life, his spirit was reawakened by his father's power, and he was able to start fighting again in the golden flames.

His days as Primarch Mortarion were over, and now he was merely an avatar, an idea, the grim reaper that hovered over all enemies of Mankind.

It sounds serious, but the God of Death is actually playing chess with someone at this moment.

No, it would be a bit biased to call his opponent a human being.

The giant sitting opposite the stone round table was unusually tall, wearing blood-stained robes, and his skin was a dark red that was close to dried blood. His eyes were closed tightly, his eyelids were dry, and the cruel marks left by the blade were still clear.

His form is illusory, and the edges seem to be burning, distorting the laws here and making the halo blur.

"You're cheating again," Mortarion complained. "We have played a total of eleven games in these ten thousand years, and you end up cheating every time."

The blind giant ignored his words and just continued to push the chess piece in his hand forward. The pawn held a long knife and violently pushed a general to the ground and hacked him with all his strength.

When the general was removed from the chessboard, he spoke: "I admit that I cheat, brother, but I only cheated four times in total."

"Counting this time?" Mortarion crossed his hands and asked rather distrustfully.

"Count this time." Magnus nodded. "Other times you can't beat me just because your chess skills are terrible."

The 'Death God' smiled grimly, and the eyes under the hood narrowed in seeming pleasure. Then, he took the chessboard away and threw it out of here.

Magnus sighed, clasped his hands and placed them neatly on the table. The surrounding chess pieces slowly floated up and flew out together with the chessboard.

"You're such a terrible opponent on the chessboard"

"Better than you cheating bastard!" Mortarion roared. "If it hadn't been for my father's request, I would never have played this damn chess game with you!"

"Yeah, yeah." Magnus nodded perfunctorily. "Whatever you say, brother. Father asked. Ha, it's not easy for father just to continue to exist. Don't think I don't know about it."

"Does he still have the energy to talk to you? Don't be kidding me. Unless those three things end their covenant, he will never be able to say a word to you."

Mortarion stretched out his right hand and tapped the stone table with his index finger: "Believe it or not, he specifically asked me to tell you that he has never liked you."

Magnus sighed and said, "Really, brother? It's been so long since we met somewhere other than the battlefield, and you actually want to make up such a lie to try to anger me?"

Mortarion crossed his arms and shook his head slowly. Compared to Magnus's current terrifying appearance, he is much more normal, but his normality is limited.

His withered gray-white hair in the past is now exuding a faint golden light, and his eyes always maintain a high golden color, like two golden flames, beating endlessly.

He still wore the iconic hood, but the respirator was missing. The gloomy face had a sense of solemnity under the religious light that he was very unwilling to accept.

Magnus stared into his with dry eyes and smiled at him. Mortarion took a deep breath and placed his right hand on the edge of the stone table.

"Don't." The Fool immediately begged.

"What's wrong?" Death asked in a cold tone. "I'm not a child, how could I turn over your table?"

".Whatever, brother, let's get down to business. Do you agree to start the evaluation now?"

Mortarion snorted, took back his right hand, and nodded slowly.

Magnus opened his clasped hands, and a pair of tarot cards with a metallic luster appeared and floated around the two of them. Upon seeing this, Mortarion became dissatisfied again.

"Are you serious?" he asked in disbelief. "Tarot cards again?"

"Yes, tarot cards again - what do you think? I've improved them and they're quite interesting now."

Magnus answered calmly and then took out one. The metal suddenly began to hiss, and the blank card facing Mortarion was quickly outlined in the dark red light.

A man whose face could not be seen clearly appeared on it. He wore a crown of nothingness and a dark robe. He held a scale in his left hand and a sword in his right hand. He sat on a crude throne.

"Justice," Magnus said thoughtfully, placing the cards back on the table. "Well the fun begins."

Mortarion's eyes twitched, he resisted the urge to curse, and retorted in a low voice: "What's so interesting about this?! We all know who this card is talking about!"

The blind fool paid no attention to his words and just continued to speak in a serious tone. It just fell into the ears of Mortarion, who had heard it eleven times, and it seemed a bit scripted.

"Just, sensible, emphasizing morality, friendly, standing firmly on the side of the weak. Partial, reckless, too harsh."

Mortarion waited for him to finish, then quickly drew the second card before he could, and the metal hissed again. Magnus shook his head, took the cards from his hand and placed them on the table.

"Devil." He pronounced the word without further explanation. He just tapped it lightly with his fingers. A monster with a bird face and a human body slowly appeared on it, holding a long staff with a sarcastic look on its face.

Immediately afterwards, the card suddenly began to change. In just the blink of an eye, it changed from a demon to a bright moon hanging in the dark night. The moonlight was almost light blue.

Magnus snorted: "Moon."

Mortarion frowned and pulled out a fourth card. This time, the metal surface did not hiss again. He turned it over and saw a tower of pure white struck by lightning.

Magnus spoke appropriately: "The Tower - this does not bode well, Mortarion."

He took the card meaningfully, covered it on the moon, and then sighed again.

"The tragic destruction, huge impact, and approaching darkness. This is probably inseparable from Robert's Five Hundred Worlds. After all, our justice is staying there now, and this evaluation is based on him as the starting point."

He clasped his hands, stood up, and walked slowly along the edge of the round table.

Mortarion ignored his brother and just looked at the remaining cards around him in silence, intending to carefully select the last card.

Counting this time, they have conducted twelve assessments so far. Although Magnus's little trick that incorporates his numerology is a bit unflattering, it is still a small speculation about the real universe.

Moreover, judging from past results, these speculations are not very different. That's why this thing is called an assessment, not a prophecy or some ridiculous tarot card game.

"Choose quickly." Magnus said suddenly, his tone a little sad.

A loud horn sound came from the distance, as loud as thunder, accompanied by the beating of war drums. Death stood up solemnly, knowing in his heart that this brief meeting was coming to an end.

The war in the Supreme Heaven is eternal, and their temporary separation does not mean that it has ended. This war will continue until the destruction of the galaxy or the fall of the evil god.

Mortarion hesitated no longer and drew the last card. On it is an angel wearing armor with wings on his back, holding a sword in one hand and a trumpet in the other, about to blow.

"Judgment." Magnus laughed. "Looks like we don't have to worry anymore, brother!"

Mortarion let out a sigh of relief and placed the cards on the table. The golden flame flashed suddenly, a sickle fell into his hand, and a lantern emitting golden light was hung on his waist.

Magnus nodded to him and walked alongside him. He was still bare-handed and unprepared.

The horn sound representing war began to get closer and closer, until at a certain point, the world in front of them suddenly changed. As if a bubble had been burst, or witnessed the sun rising, a bloody battlefield appeared in front of them.

Demons of decay, fanaticism or joy, warriors wearing burning armor, and the dead trapped in madness forever in the black flames. As far as the eye can see, there are such nightmarish scenes.

Mortarion tightened his grip on his scythe, ready to march into battle, but his brother held him back.

"Father."

"Um?"

"Did father really say something to you?" the blind fool asked seemingly indifferently.

Mortarion nodded slightly.

"At first, it was just wails of pain or cries of grief but not anymore, he's getting better, I can tell. His mind is coming back together, man."

Magnus closed his eyes, violating the rule of drawing only five cards for the first time. He spread his right hand and placed it in front of Mortarion. The light danced, but it was not a dark flame, but a pure spiritual light.

Mortarion glanced at him in surprise, but did not hesitate. From the light, he drew the sixth, or rather, the first tarot card.

It does not have a solid structure and shape like the previous cards. It is very illusory, but the pattern on the card is still clear.

It was an old man who was tied up by thorns and hung upside down. His white hair was gray, his eyes were tightly closed, his face was sad, and tears as red as blood flowed down.

"The Hanged Man," Mortarion muttered.

Magnus smiled, snatched the card, and jumped into the war. Mortarion roared in anger, followed closely, and the lantern on his waist suddenly lit up.