Kaldor Draigo held his breath, his body tightening involuntarily.
And not just him. The other Grey Knights reacted the same way.
The Savior's desecration of the Emperor's skeleton instantly drove the atmosphere in the Throne Room to the breaking point.
"Savior, cease your blasphemous act..."
The Supreme Grand Master forced out the warning through clenched teeth.
The Emperor had fallen asleep once more. Now only the Grey Knights could protect the Master of Mankind's remains.
They were already preparing for battle, subtly arranging themselves into a daemon-hunting formation so they could channel their power into their Supreme Grand Master.
The Grey Knights knew full well how powerful the Savior was. Only by doing this could they hope to oppose him.
No matter how strong the Savior might be, there was no way he could withstand more than twenty senior Grey Knights!
Yet before the anti-daemon formation was even complete, Kaldor Draigo realized the Savior had vanished from the dais of the Throne.
It was a higher-order psychic teleportation, so fast that everything happened in the blink of an eye.
The being's soul-projection had not left the Throne Room. From that alone, it was obvious that the teleport's destination had to be somewhere among the Grey Knights.
"The Savior is attacking!"
Kaldor Draigo did not hesitate. He immediately unleashed the full extent of his psychic senses, trying to identify the node where the Savior had emerged.
Hum!
Realization hit him, and he spun around at once, only to be met by dazzling golden psychic light.
A figure clad in radiant golden armor, resembling the Emperor Himself, stepped out of the void and appeared directly before him.
They were so close that the pressure of that threat crashed over him head-on.
"Emperor!"
Only after Kaldor Draigo turned to face the Savior did the other senior Grey Knights react.
They wheeled around, found the Savior's position, and focused their gaze on him, utterly shocked.
Even the psychic arcs crackling across their armor wavered.
Using psychic power, the Savior had punched straight into the heart of the Grey Knights' daemon-hunting formation, going directly for the Supreme Grand Master at its core.
At such close range, they did not even have time to intervene.
Crackle!
Facing the Savior's threat, every hair on Kaldor Draigo's body stood on end as silver-white psychic force erupted from him.
In that instant, the power field of the legendary Titansword flared to life.
With psychic force amplifying his body, he drew the blade at millisecond speed, trying to launch a counterattack.
But before he could even complete the motion, he encountered crushing resistance. He realized he could not lift the sword at all.
A large hand wreathed in psychic arcs landed on his sword arm without warning, pinning it in place and forcing the Titansword back down.
"Young man, don't be so tense."
Eden appeared before the Supreme Grand Master as casually as if he were out for a stroll, lightly pressing down on the hand that was trying to draw the sword.
It felt as though a thousand tons had descended upon him. The blade was driven back into the floor, and the psychic force around Eden locked onto him completely.
"H-how is that possible?!"
Kaldor Draigo felt the pressure rolling off him head-on, and his body trembled despite itself.
His battle-hardened body was screaming a warning at him.
The golden figure before him was almost the most dangerous being he had ever faced, far beyond any warrior or daemon.
Even when he had once stood against the fallen Primarch Mortarion, he had not felt such terrifying pressure.
Kaldor Draigo knew he could not fight the Savior head-on. His only chance was to open the distance and use the boosted power of the ritual formation against him.
But before he could even begin to evade, his psychic senses screamed a warning and showed him a dreadful image.
It was a glimpse of what was about to happen.
His attempt to dodge would fail, and the Savior's terrifying fist, wreathed in golden arcs, would slam straight into his face.
It was horrifying.
That was the Supreme Grand Master's psychic intuition at work, the ability to catch an opponent's possible movements and gain an edge in battle.
Or rather, it was the combat instinct of a legendary warrior and high-level psyker.
Kaldor Draigo did not hesitate for even a moment.
He immediately aborted his evasive move, then threw up an arm to shield his face, bracing himself for the devastating blow to come.
To the other Grey Knights, it looked as though their Supreme Grand Master, facing the Savior, had not even managed to raise his sword and had instead lifted an arm to protect his head in sheer panic.
As if he were afraid of getting hit.
In reality, he and the Savior had already gone through several rounds of feints and counter-feints.
That was how battles between beings of such a high level worked. Every motion had purpose.
Any mistake could cost control of the flow of battle, forcing one into a disadvantageous position, or even inviting a fatal threat.
"Damn it!"
The moment Kaldor Draigo brought up his guard, the attack he had anticipated never came.
He instantly realized he had made a mistake, but there was no time to correct it. The opening in his defense had already been exposed.
It was a deadly weakness!
Of course, Eden had already predicted the Supreme Grand Master's prediction.
But instead of following through with another strike, he simply stuffed something into the other man's arms.
Then, through a psychic transmission, he expressed his view.
"There's no need to be afraid. This is just a misunderstanding. You're not some heretic traitor. I'm not going to do anything to you."
Eden had never actually intended to attack the Grey Knights. He merely wanted to intimidate these proud warriors a little.
It would make them easier to manage later.
These Grey Knights had already dared to ignore his orders, plan a surprise assault on the Palace, and draw their blades in front of him.
Who knew what they might try next?
In a situation like that, a little discipline and intimidation was necessary. At least for now, the results looked pretty good.
The Grey Knights had been cowed, and their attitude was much more obedient.
Without that sudden display of force, if they had really used their ritual formation to engage him, it would have been somewhat troublesome.
Especially the Grey Knights' Supreme Grand Master in front of him.
That man's strength was nearly on par with a Primarch, and with the support of the senior Grey Knights' Warp rites, he could dish out respectable damage.
It would have been more than enough to deal with some second-rate fallen Primarch.
Of course, there was still a sizable gap between that and Eden. Him being the strongest human warrior beneath the Emperor was not just talk.
Even if the old Emperor were still in His prime, Eden's fists would not exactly be harmless. Whether he could actually win was another matter. Too many other factors would come into play.
Besides, the Savior's true specialty was group beatings.
Once Kaldor Draigo sensed that the Savior had no hostile intent, he abandoned any further attempt to retaliate.
A trace of cold sweat appeared on him, like a man who had narrowly escaped death.
If that being really had attacked, he likely would have suffered grievous injury. Even with the other Grey Knights' support afterward, victory would not have been guaranteed.
More importantly, he could not keep fighting now, because what the Savior had stuffed into his arms... was one of the Master of Mankind's ribs.
The moment Kaldor Draigo realized what he was holding, his mind went numb all over again.
He carefully cradled the bone, utterly at a loss, afraid that even he might desecrate that sacred relic.
Having seized complete control of the situation, Eden began soothing his nerves.
"It's fine. The old Emperor won't blame you. Lord Malcador's bones have all been burned away, and the Grey Knights need a new medium to cast their rites.
"This is even better - a sacred relic-bone that can be used for psychic rites."
The old Emperor's bones were probably the finest psychic medium in the galaxy, several times superior to Malcador's remains.
Ridiculously potent.
Eden was unlike most figures in the Imperium. He was not constrained by so-called faith and worship.
He was a thorough pragmatist.
Forget the Emperor's bones. If necessary, he would dig up his own bones and use those too.
If he ever bit it by accident one day, he would probably leave behind instructions telling humanity to forge weapons from his bones and use them against the daemons of Chaos.
Put him to work one last time.
In short, with the old Emperor's top-quality bones just sitting there, not using them would be a waste.
Besides, if the old man ever did go dark, those bones might end up corrupted too.
Wouldn't that be even more wasteful?
Better to pull out a few in advance and keep them ready for emergencies.
When Eden saw that Kaldor Draigo and the others were still hesitant and uneasy, he raised a hand and patted the Supreme Grand Master on the shoulder.
"This is a necessary preparation for carrying out the Terminus Decree, and also a gift from the Emperor.
"Would you really refuse such a sacred blessing?"
As he spoke, he reached to take the Emperor's rib back.
"If you refuse this gift, then I'll have no choice but to hand it over to Librarians more worthy of this honor."
The Imperium did not have only the Grey Knights wielding psychic power. He could draw psykers from various Chapters and organize a dedicated psychic force of his own.
Their individual quality might not match the Grey Knights, but with special wargear, the difference would not be all that large.
In any case, he, the Emperor of the Imperium, would never allow an armed force inside the Imperium's structure to exist beyond his command.
That kind of thing could lead to far too many unexpected complications.
After all, a great many of the Imperium's most brain-dead disasters came from the various Legions and Chapters not being on the same page.
If the Grey Knights proved too slow to read the room, they would most likely be split apart and gradually marginalized, with the more sensible factions taking over their responsibilities.
Such as the Seventh Brotherhood.
"Savior, we... will not refuse the Master of Mankind's gift."
Hearing that, Kaldor Draigo and the others immediately tensed up. The Grey Knights' Supreme Grand Master clutched the sacred relic even more tightly.
They wanted to preserve the Master of Mankind's remains, not see that honor fall into the hands of some other Imperial armed force.
Besides, the Grey Knights genuinely did need a new sacred relic to venerate and to use in large-scale ritual arrays in the future.
That was part of the foundation of their existence, what distinguished them from other Imperial forces.
"Good."
Eden nodded in satisfaction, then looked at the Supreme Grand Master with concern.
"Is this enough? If not, I can go snap off a few more."
The moment those words left his mouth, the skeleton upon the Golden Throne seemed to realize what was being said. Psychic arcs burst from it as some power began building.
"That's enough, that's enough!"
Kaldor Draigo's face went pale, and he hurriedly answered, his voice shaking like a sieve.
That was a warning from the Emperor.
"As long as it's enough. From now on, if your Grey Knights need anything, just report directly to me.
"I'll help you carry out the Terminus Decree properly."
That was what Eden said.
The authority to interpret the Terminus Decree now rested with him. He had the right to decide when the Emperor had to be restrained or apprehended because of the risk of corruption.
"Now go to Titan. We still have some matters to adjust."
Eden's tone allowed no argument. After speaking, he turned and walked out.
The Grey Knight Grand Masters did not immediately follow. They looked at each other, then at Kaldor Draigo.
The Grey Knights had operated independently for ten thousand years. Their authority was second only to the Custodians. They could practically do whatever they wanted.
Now, suddenly falling under another being's control, they all felt distinctly uncomfortable.
"Your Majesty, Savior, wait a moment. I have something to report to you..."
Corwin did not hesitate. He hurried after him at a near-run.
...
Titan.
Supplies transported by the Savior's fleet were being delivered to the surface of that special world in a steady stream.
More ships were still arriving, bringing additional personnel from the Departmento Munitorum and the civil administration.
The departments of the new Imperium had formally moved onto Titan, ending the planet's long period of independent operation.
It would be linked into the psychic network and, like every other world, come under the jurisdiction of the central civil administration.
That was the Savior's order, and no one dared stand in the way.
Within the Hall of Purity, the Master of Mankind's bones had already been enshrined in a sealed chamber, shining brilliantly under candlelight.
A small banquet was underway in the great hall. The stone tables were laden with fine food and wine, and the senior Grey Knights had each taken their seats.
None of them looked particularly pleased. They still had not fully accepted the fact that the Grey Knights had lost the right to operate independently.
The Savior's control over Titan and the Grey Knights was even more severe than they had imagined.
Seated upon the central stone throne, Eden sensed the heavy, oppressive mood hanging over the hall.
He did not say much. He simply raised his glass.
"This is an important turning point for the Grey Knights. It means you will gain better development and be able to carry out your inborn mission more effectively."
"You're absolutely right. This is a good thing!"
Into the silence, Corwin was the first to raise his wine in response to the Savior, then empty it in one gulp.
The Grand Master of the Seventh Brotherhood took the lead in raising a toast, openly echoing the words of the Emperor of the Imperium.
By now, he already knew who the Grey Knights' true decision-maker was, and that same person also held the Terminus Decree.
He had to keep pace if he wanted to move forward, and that too was for the sake of carrying out the Grey Knights' mission more effectively.
As for his battle-brothers saying he was laying it on a little thick, so what?
Anyone else who wanted to suck up still did not even have the chance.
Of the supplies and wargear the Savior had delivered to Titan this time, half had gone to the Seventh Brotherhood.
There was even a new hell-grade weapon powerful enough to blow an entire Chaos domain lord to pieces!
What Grey Knight, what daemon hunter, would not want wargear like that?
Just thinking about it made Corwin excited. He wished he could charge into the Chaos Warp that very moment and test the new weapons himself.
If a little flattery could get him all that, then he would gladly lay it on even thicker and make the Seventh Brotherhood dominate daemon-hunting operations by a mile.
With favor like that, what was the harm in praising the Savior a little?
Loyalty!
Corwin raised another glass and praised the Savior again.
"Corwin is a loyal daemon hunter of the Emperor. Very good."
Eden nodded in satisfaction.
Then his gaze swept across the others, stern and imposing.
Wherever Eden looked, the senior Grey Knights all raised their glasses one after another, not daring to show too much resistance.
Including Kaldor Draigo.
Some even drank two cups in a row. They were among the Grey Knights more inclined to side with the Savior.
They wanted to advance too. They wanted powerful hell-weapons like those given to the Seventh Brotherhood.
Before this Savior, this Emperor of the Imperium, even Grey Knight Grand Masters and the Supreme Grand Master had to rise and drink in his honor.
Host and guests alike were all smiles, at least on the surface.
Not long afterward, Eden cheerfully exchanged a few more pleasantries with the Grey Knights, then took his leave.
But the moment he turned away, he could no longer suppress the darkness in his expression.
Something had gone wrong.
The experiment involving the Golden Throne restoration facility had failed completely. It had not produced the result they needed.
Worse, even after the Emperor's temporary repairs, the Throne was only on borrowed time. At most, it could hold out for three months.
That meant the Imperium's most vital contingency measure had failed. In three months, total collapse would begin.
"What else do you need? Is there any way to salvage this?"
Eden drew a deep breath. He kept his tone steady as he questioned Archmagos Belisarius Cawl.
"We need more advanced technology, especially advanced human technology. Fortunately, we have already found one lead that may solve the problem."
Cawl, unusually, was perfectly serious. Clearly he understood the severity of the situation.
"The Mechanicus has detected traces of the Eternal Soul within the Warp. If we can secure that vessel, and recover the perfect technology aboard it from humanity's Golden Age,
"then we may still have a chance to attempt another experiment."
"Good. I'll bring it back personally."
That was Eden's answer.
He had searched for that special vessel from humanity's Dark Age of Technology, the Eternal Soul, for more than a century.
Now he had finally caught its trail, and this same ship might also save their current crisis. In a way, that was its own kind of good fortune.
Perhaps this was destiny itself favoring mankind.
Eden decided to go into the Warp in person and seize the Eternal Soul. Only he could pin down that slippery voidship inside the Warp.
As for how to deal with the ship's machine-spirit, that would depend on his own dear daughter, the Machine Goddess Webby.
Before long, Eden arrived at the Lion's Gate Spaceport and met with Rogal Dorn, the Praetorian and supreme commander of Terra's defenses.
He explained the current situation to his brother and asked him to guard the Solar System during his journey into the Warp, especially Holy Terra.
Rogal Dorn radiated confidence, his gaze unwavering.
"Brother, I will not allow Father to face any threat.
"No matter how many heretics or xenos come, even if the Siege of Terra itself happens all over again, I will hold the line without yielding a single step."
(End of Chapter)
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