The Great Fleet, directly subordinate to the Lord of Humanity, was not too far from the Tacus System, though they still had to continue their warp jump through the Immaterium for some time.
Even the mighty Emperor could not change this: he could not change the fact that even as his Primarchs struggled in endless purgatory, he could not immediately rush to their side.
There were always those who considered the Lord of Humanity to be a god by nature, an omnipotent being, and so they were disappointed by his occasional indifference and inaction, deeming it a manifestation of his vile nature.
They never considered that perhaps, even such a powerful figure was not omnipotent. Even though the Emperor himself emphasized this again and again, many still blindly believed in the invincible idol they had imagined.
After all, the galaxy never lacked fools: powerful fools, simple fools, clever fools, and conceited fools.
The Emperor no longer intervened. He always had more important matters, darker secrets, and greater sorrows and difficulties. Most of those to whom he could confide had already dispersed, with only one still steadfastly by his side.
"Malcador."
When the Lord of the Human Imperium called out to his only trusted old friend on the Emperor's Dream, his voice held a weariness that no one would have believed. Even the Custodian Guard would have been shocked to their core by this sight: their omnipotent Lord now slumped in his golden throne, the fatigue on his face as evident as the scars on his soul.
Accompanying the Emperor's call, the Sigillite's light faintly flickered from the projector. His aged yet still bright gaze first cast an emotion of immense concern upon the Lord of Humanity. Only after confirming his well-being did the Sigillite let out a long sigh of relief.
"You should not be so reckless, my Emperor. Even if you must rush to the front line, please do not depart again immediately after exiting the Webway, as you are doing now."
The Sigillite's voice was unreserved, and the Emperor was accustomed to it. He merely offered an equally aged smile. After the divine radiance dissipated, he appeared only slightly more robust than the Sigillite.
"I have no time to rest, my Malcador. There is trouble within this species called Randan, enemies that my Primarchs cannot contend with. Only I can truly eliminate it."
"But even so, you should not have opened the catacombs of Mars so hastily, especially in your weakened state. Any mishap could lead to severe consequences: we can afford to lose a few more star systems, but we cannot afford any mishap to you."
The Lord of Humanity offered no further explanation to his trusted friend. He merely waved his hand slowly, a certain expression returning to his face. When Malcador noticed a familiar aura spreading through the Lord of Humanity, he knew his persuasion had to end.
At this moment, the Lord of Humanity, or rather the Emperor, would not tolerate any defiance. He had reverted to the most authoritative, cruel, and indifferent monarch from the Primarchs' incubation chambers. His will was so real and powerful that it often gave the Sigillite illusions.
Whenever the Sigillite saw this bloodless, tearless tyrant, he would, in a trance, feel that this was the Emperor's true form.
"Opening the catacombs of Mars was a necessary step, Sigillite. I can foresee the outcome of the battle taking place on Tacus. If this opponent named Randan indeed possesses its own path to hegemony, then my Primarchs alone cannot contend with the commander of the Randan Xenos."
"This fact will not be swayed by a change in numbers. Even three or four of the Primarchs I created cannot stop it."
"Only I can kill it."
"Therefore, I must go."
He spoke all this, and then fell into a silence. After a long while, he slowly began to speak again.
"I will kill it. This will not be a contest with suspense. When I cut off its head, this war will be declared over, and we will have time to deal with other matters."
"To deal with... my Primarchs."
As his words fell, the Sigillite looked up.
He could feel a change in the Emperor's aura: even though Malcador was on Holy Terra, separated from the Emperor by countless stars, their long cooperation, companionship, and sincere friendship allowed him to subconsciously ascertain the Lord of Humanity's every condition.
Sure enough, when the Emperor spoke again, his voice had changed from cold indifference to a certain hesitation. He once again sat in his seat, revealing weariness and conflicted feelings.
"You say..."
"How should I face her, Malcador?"
"Like just now?"
"..."
The Sigillite did not answer the question immediately.
——————
"I cannot ascertain more of her current situation, Malcador, but I can confirm that the mark I left on her has not been truly touched."
"She is well-behaved, or rather, obedient and intelligent. She understands my intentions; she hasn't crossed my bottom line. As for what she does to the Xenos, I don't care. I deliberately amplified her hatred for the Xenos, and this is trustworthy."
"Lion El'Jonson's overall evaluation of her is also quite good. He frequently mentions her name in reports concerning Randan. I believe Lion El'Jonson is not someone who can be swayed. No one can truly sway a beast."
"Lion El'Jonson needs nothing; he has no weaknesses."
The Emperor's words made the Sigillite touch his neck. After a brief hesitation, he spoke.
"My Lord, do you remember the original role and purpose of the Second Primarch?"
"Others might not be able to deal with a Lion of Caliban, but that doesn't mean she cannot."
"Of course I remember, Malcador. She is the one who tames beasts for me. She possesses the presence to make even the fiercest figures bow. This was my gift to her, and I have never truly stripped it away."
"But I also remember that I destroyed one of the necessary conditions for these abilities to truly manifest. I purged her emotions, though not completely."
"If emotions are the abundant pastures in everyone's hearts, I merely cut all the blades of grass, leaving only a layer of slowly growing roots. But I also left fragments in her memory, letting her know what a lush pasture would look like."
"In my original plan, she would grow up by my side, as a unifying agent among her brothers. I even made her the most humble of all my creations for this purpose. I planned to accompany her for at least twenty years, until the emotional pasture in her heart grew lush again, and during this time, I would teach her what truly correct emotions would look like."
"But, as you know, my Malcador, this plan was disrupted."
"She had to grow up alone, but she appears to be healthy enough."
At this point, a simple, arrogant, ignorant pride appeared on the Emperor's face.
"It's worth celebrating, isn't it?"
"I turned the tide against those evil entities from the Immaterium. I successfully prevented my daughter from being enslaved by them. I knew she would be assailed by intrusions from the Immaterium, just like Lion El'Jonson and Sanguinius, but it is clear that, like them, she did not succumb to this power."
"Perhaps it's merely a disguise, my Lord. We all know that the powers within the Immaterium are most adept at disguise and deception."
"Any disguise would be seen through by my child, and Lion El'Jonson did not bare his fangs at her. That is the best answer."
"Moreover, the influence of those Dark Gods on Sanguinius was even greater. Do you know how surprised I was when I first arrived on Baal?"
"Wings, a pair of wings, a pair of wings that allowed him to fly with the aid of psychic energy. For a moment, I almost gave up on him, but he proved his reliability to me with his actions."
"I have several Primarchs who clearly have connections to the Immaterium, but none of them have disappointed me: Sanguinius, Perturabo, and Magnus the Red. I trust them; their loyalty is evident."
"Perhaps, we can expect great things from her, Malcador. The gods within the Immaterium are not unconquerable. I can feel her enduring pain, distortion, and trials, but she has not crossed my bottom line."
"You can feel it, my Lord?"
"Yes, I can vaguely perceive her every pain."
"Then... have you ever thought about intervening? Like you intervened with the Thirteenth Primarch?"
This question silenced the Emperor for a moment. After a long while, he let out a low whisper, like a sigh.
"Some things, Malcador, can only be overcome by her own perseverance and resolve."
"I cannot help her. Futile help would only increase her inner despair."
"Perhaps even a gesture, my Lord, could change many things."
"A gesture destined to fail? That changes nothing, Malcador."
The Emperor's stubbornness led Malcador into his own silence, until he heard another sigh from the Lord of Humanity.
"However... perhaps you are right, Malcador. I do need to make some gestures, or listen to her thoughts."
"I... I will try my best."
"But this cannot take up more time and energy. We still have more important matters to attend to. The intelligence returned by the Eleventh Legion worries me. My failed son seems to have learned of the Webway, and some things within it, from some dark corner."
"I made him hate the Immaterium, but that hatred seems to have ruined him."
"...What things, my Lord?"
"..."
This time, the Emperor's silence was exceptionally long, even the air around him and the rustling of the wind were quiet, as if escaping something.
——————
"Something I encountered, learned about, and confronted in the Webway."
"Something that made me miss most of the battles with Randan."
"Malcador, my friend, have you heard of..."
"...the Dark King?"
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