Warhammer 40k: Shattered Steel Soul

Chapter 438

The rain of Sifus blew across Lorgar Aurelion's face that was raised forward, and he looked to the north.

As John Grammaticus said, there is a man coming from the end of the skyline.

To be precise, he came riding a four-hoofed animal.

The glass-like four-legged animal has a long neck and a long face, and its interior emits a color that is like scattered colorful light. The translucent chestnut mane on its neck flows down like river valley water, its hooves tap on the soft rain mud on the ground, and its tail swings like a soft whip behind it. All the broken lightbulbs, stretched glass cables and derailed land locomotives are very different.

The misty rain formed a blanket close to the ground, paving a separate and wide path for it, allowing it to be the only bright object in this gray and black world.

Aurelion had only heard of that animal from Jaghatai. "A true horse," the Khan said, eyeing his Chogoris steppe, "as good as any you'll find on Terra." It’s different, you can recognize it when you see it.”

Lorgar stood up from the ground. As the rider drew closer, his features became clearer.

He was a man of calm and steady demeanor, with a loose demeanor and a posture that showed that he had received a good education and rich experience.

He wore a coat with wide sleeves, a gray vest with silver buttons, and a shirt made of silk. The color was slightly darker than the light yellow of primrose. The cuffs and collar were embroidered with exquisite embroidery. The decoration looked like an entangled combination of snakes and eagles. . A leather water bottle and a small pistol holster were tied to his saddle, and a sword full of decorative ancient carvings hung around his waist. The rain falling on his dark golden hair and ivory skin seemed to turn into tiny glittering crystal sequins, creating an ethereal halo.

The leather strap of the cross hanging around Luojia's neck suddenly broke. He quickly caught it and held it tightly in the palm of his hand. This dispelled the irrational light rising from his soul.

He didn't say anything, he just stared at the man who came here on horseback and the magical creature. However, a wave of turmoil was already swirling in his already hesitant mind.

The visitor looked at Lorgar Aurelion with a cold expression that might have been called a smile. His voice was loud and struck like a bullet through the rain, even though his gun was still holstered.

"Lorgar Aurelion," the visitor said, reining in his horse lightly and raising his chin, "I have heard of you, the seventeenth son of the Emperor, the loyal Word Bearer."

John recognized the very recognizable voice: the voice seemed to come from behind a thick velvet curtain, a little hoarse, with a kind of cold pressure, and each syllable was carefully crafted, causing a slight tremor in the humid air. tremor.

"Mentor?" John said doubtfully, unable to believe his ears.

This was the first time he saw this mentor since he joined the Illuminati, and with just one glance, he knew who this mentor was and why he rarely showed up.

"What about you?" Lorgar walked forward, the Word Bearers faithfully following behind him, "Who are you?"

The visitor caressed the body of the crystal horse and jumped down gently. The thick-soled riding boots made a crisp sound as they ground on the bouncing water drops. Then, the crystal horse turned into rainbow light and circled away towards the sky behind him.

"What do you think?" he asked, but they both already knew the answer. The outline of the face brought by the same blood, the curvature of the bridge of the nose and the eyes as clear as glass marbles are enough to explain the identity of the visitors, not to mention their heights when they look at each other.

"The eleventh son of the Emperor, the only lost son among us who wanders away." Lorgar said as calmly as possible, his mind was buzzing, and he heard the rain trembling along his body and clothes. The ground flows down. "You fell into the Holy Grail Expansion?"

"Ah... it's not quite accurate, but it's roughly the same." The visitor sneered, with an expression that Luojia couldn't understand, as if it was an innate indifference that was only revealed with a tired expression.

He came closer, his gun holster left in the saddle, his precious sword still at his waist. Loyalty to Lorgar and the Emperor outweighed the Word Bearers' reverence for the Primarch, and several flamethrowers were raised.

The visitor noticed this series of muzzles, but his expression did not change at all. He just took off the sword, discarded it casually, and threw it in the mud, as if that thing was no more precious than a light tube on this abandoned planet.

"Where's your name, No. 11?" Luojia asked.

"You already said it, 'Eleven'," Eleven said, "or 'Mentor'. I already have two codenames. Don't create a third one for me, I'm not interested."

He was still looking at Lorgar's face, staring directly at him: perhaps he was looking at another face from the same origin as his own, or perhaps he was looking through this face, which bore a peculiar resemblance to the Emperor, Looking at his father's face.

Lorgar didn't like this look. Even if He existed within each of them, it would still be an act of offensive arrogance to speculate on the whole of Him through any single individual.

There is only one issue that concerns him most.

"Have you betrayed me, Eleven?"

Eleven blinked: "What, Luojia?"

"Have you betrayed the Imperium of Man, betrayed the Lord of Mankind?" Lorgar asked, as if reciting a brief litany, "Going against the Emperor's vision, separated from your creator and blood relatives." ”

He paused and asked forcefully: "Is the birth of the Nightmare Sun related to you?"

"Nightmare Sun?" Eleven repeated the word, responding perfunctorily to Luojia's strong tone.

"I'm used to calling it the Tyrant Planet, but if you insist..." He shrugged his shoulders, "This is the most interesting statement I have heard recently, Aurelion. A man who has called the Nightmare Sun to the real universe several times. People, in turn, have to question the person who intends to hinder its coming, whether the other person contributed to the birth of Komos."

"Explain what you said," Lorgar snapped, but his intention was mainly to delay.

It is hoped that his priests can understand the meaning behind this scene and dispatch more mechanized devices to the surface, whether they are tanks, aircraft, motorcycles and heavy weapons.

The Primarch was not indestructible, especially not a solitary one in a silk shirt.

Luojia secretly regretted it. If he had remembered to be wearing a battle armor, this hidden traitor who was talking nonsense would have been pushed to the ground by him.

He acted suspiciously and abused witchcraft, not to mention that he refused the Emperor's grace - how dare he refuse! This alone made Luojia not want to hear another word from him.

Eleven's absence from the entire expedition toward its conclusion desecrated his birthright.

Whatever his birth, the one who will hear his excuses for his absence from the Great Crusade will be the Emperor who can judge all, just as the Lord of Mankind has always done.

"Destruction, death, pain, fear...these belong to it." Eleven said softly, walking forward in a slow manner. There was no smell on his body, and even if there was, it was not better than the rain.

"Whoever creates the most ends hastened the birth of Komos. Like that moon in the Davin system... sixty years ago? The painful destruction caused by the Word Bearers' own hands, its echoes in the soul The projection of Komus was summoned from the sea. I can only go and finish it, No. 17."

"Are you implying that you saved Perturabo and I - harmed him?" Lorgar asked in disbelief.

"I don't, and I don't want to argue with you." Eleven said calmly, which made him look older than Lorgar, who had been bored early due to the complicated joys and misfortunes he had experienced. "Let me give you a necessary reminder. You'd better kill less people, or not kill people unless necessary. In recent years..."

Luojia grabbed his tie, interrupting Eleven's words. The ivory-carved face was pulled closer. If there was any surprise or a twinkle of lies in those light-colored eyes, Luojia could see it. It sees clearly.

However, these factors were not there, much to Lorgar's dismay.

"Leave all this to the Emperor, Number Eleven," Lorgar interrupted, "The Illuminati exists independently of the imperial government. Your organization has the potential to threaten the stability of the empire and must be subject to strict scrutiny. "

"My organization? That's not my organization, and I don't think... I have anything to review."

Eleven said, raising his head and adjusting his cuffs, adjusting the edge of his shirt to reveal the width of his coat.

"First of all, you are a user of sorcery," Lorgar sneered. "If it were not for the Primarch, you would have been on the stake or the gallows."

"Isn't your emperor the greatest user of witchcraft in the world?" Eleven stung Lorgar almost deliberately, and smiled with satisfaction at the effectiveness of his words. Lorgar Aurelion could not imagine a plausible smile. Can be so disgusting.

He couldn't help shouting loudly: "Shut up! How dare you speak to tarnish the sacred glory of the Lord of mankind? Do you know that there is a world of difference between miracles and witchcraft, and prayers and incantations show the boundary between piety and depravity! Your words are The blasphemy against the supreme Emperor is a betrayal of faith and a trampling on the glory of mankind. Such a heinous act will never be tolerated! If you dare to continue to tarnish the dignity of the Emperor, I will definitely..."

"Sorry." Eleven said decisively, "But you can say whatever you want. I sincerely advise you, Lorgar, to create less destruction. This is not a bad thing for the empire: it is good for its reputation, and it can also delay the Tyrant Star- —The arrival of the Nightmare Sun."

Lorgar heard the roar of the Storm Eagle flying through the clouds, and his frantic heart became calmer.

"Furthermore, you have abandoned the Great Crusade, failed to live up to the duty for which you were born, and are guilty of this. You must face trial, and you have no excuse for this."

"I hate this word," Eleven suddenly stared at Luojia with intolerable eyes and raised his voice, "Duty at birth? What do you think that is? Are you talking about it in front of me?"

"Our duty when we were born is to serve the Lord of mankind, the Father of all things, and serve everything for his ideals," Lorgar declared in a deep voice, with a sense of joy in judgment.

Fighter planes hovered high in the sky, and the Ring of Ashes was also ready to go. The Word Bearers Legion's strength had been replenished, and whether it was out of arrogance or other factors, Eleven stayed too long, giving plenty of time for this to happen. This madman who makes random excuses and slanders the emperor!

"So...where will I be tried?" Eleven seemed to give up all excuses, his expression went blank, and he read his next words flatly, "I really regret coming here today. I have to go Terra? Go to your throne world to meet the Lord of Humanity?”

This reminded Lorgar that even though Ullanor's good news was spreading frequently, and a great victory in the Tianlong Sector had just been announced, the battle with the Orc Empire had not yet come to an end.

An astrological transmission would reach the Emperor's Dream, but the very presence of a Primarch was a harbinger of danger, and if he needed to be captured, it could not be in Ullanor.

"Terra Shadow Prison will be your destination, Eleven." Lorgar said coldly.

He had never imagined that he would have to shackle his brother when he first met him, but if there was a man who needed to accomplish this, he would never shirk fate - and he firmly believed that fate was also the Emperor's s arrangement.

Before he punched, Eleven raised his empty hands casually.

"Okay," he said. "It just so happens that I've always wanted to see the Emperor."

"Then you should have chosen to surrender a hundred years ago."

"You're right, Seventeen." Eleven responded to Luo Jia's whisper, looked closely at Luo Jia's cold eyes, slowly put down his left hand, blocking Luo Jia's hand from grabbing his tie, "One last suggestion. You Feel its power, don’t let it come to you.”

"What does it have to do with the Emperor?" Lorgar asked, his heart racing.

"You're too pious to believe it." Eleven avoided his gaze and looked up at the dozen or so fighter planes hovering in the sky, looking at the turrets of Hell's direct missiles.

"Daniel," Lorgar took a step back, "you will escort No. 11 back to Terra Shadow Prison, and I will go to the battlefield of Ullanor."

Daniel was surprised to receive this mission, "Yes, Aurelion."

Eleven curled his lower lips, "Then so be it, Seventeen."

Lorgar watched Eleven board the transport plane, and everything went smoothly.

When Daniel was about to follow, he stopped him.

"I'm going back to Terra," said the Truespeaker, "and you go to Ullanor to deliver a message to the Lord of Mankind. Even if Eleven is suspected of betrayal and malfeasance, it does not diminish his power. His behavior is suspicious, Only the Primarch can spy on the Primarch, and he is a foul user of sorcery."

Daniel breathed a sigh of relief and bowed his head respectfully to Lorgar: "I understand, Aurelion. If there is a war on the way, we need to——"

"Kill when necessary," Luojia warned. "Don't listen to the nonsense of the instigators. Only fire and blood can cleanse the impurity of paganism."

"Yes," Daniel answered.

Lorgar boarded the second transport plane. When he stepped onto the gangway, the rain in Sievers gradually dissipated, and the weak star cast a ray of blue light.

Both the Three-Headed Serpent and the Nightmare Sun had returned to the Warp, and he could still feel the shadows of both - especially the Three-Headed Serpent, which was not far away. Maybe it's an illusion, maybe it's the truth brought about by his keen perception.

What is the answer to the question Eleven refused to answer?

Lorgar thought, recalling the parallels he felt between the Emperor's power and the Nightmare Sun, and a thought came to his mind.

What if the Emperor and the Tyrant Planet share the same origin? Or, both of them—

He shook his head and decided to read again the sacred scriptures that had been with him when he was born to find the answers he needed. Over the past hundred years, whenever Luojia had doubts about his faith, he could always get prophetic answers from the scriptures.

——

"I like this design," said Magnus, filling the sides of Perturabo's broad hospital bed with Olympian reports, "this green park. I'd like to stuff this kind of park in Prospero's too. Over there in Old Tizka City, they'll like this place... Oh, good evening, Morse, you--you're back?"

"The Shadow Wardens will do their duty," Morse said, physically entering Perturabo's hospital room. The Iron Lord is still not fully awake, but it's only a matter of time before he recovers. "Are you talking about the Olympia report?"

+Magnus read the text to me,+Perturabo said patiently,+It would be inefficient but better than putting things on hold. +