Chapter 917 - 916: Nareth Is Insignificant. You Will Become the New Master of Mankind.

"What happened? Why did the tower fall? Where is Nareth?" Horus Lupercal asked "Sejanus," his expression dark.

"You have witnessed the truth. Now, on to the next." "Sejanus" redirected Horus's attention.

Horus looked around. He was in a vast circular plaza, surrounded by towering spires and magnificent marble buildings.

Tens of thousands of people surrounded a collection of statues.

Around the statues' perimeter, warriors in gleaming power armor flanked eleven colossal figures.

At the center stood a figure in shining golden armor, holding aloft a blazing torch whose radiance illuminated all.

Horus understood its meaning: He brings light to his people.

His gaze was drawn to a statue of black obsidian beside the golden one, a black-armored, golden-winged figure, clearly depicting Nareth.

On the other side stood his close friend, Sanguinius, his wings spread. Beside him were Rogal Dorn with his winged helm, Lion El'Jonson, Leman Russ, and Corvus Corax.

Following the row of statues, he saw Roboute Guilliman, Ferrus Manus, Vulkan, and Jaghatai Khan beside Nareth.

In the center was his father, the Emperor of Mankind.

But why only ten brothers? Where were the other nine?

A corpulent official, shrouded in a golden robe and crowned, stood on the plinth of the statues.

Numerous cherub-like relics floated above him, their silver trumpets broadcasting his words across the plaza.

"The God-Emperor blesses you."

"This is a pilgrimage world-" Horus couldn't believe such a world, so blatantly defying the Imperial Truth, could exist.

The pilgrims seemed unaware of their presence, shuffling forward in prayer.

"Sejanus" approached him, his voice mocking. "Indeed."

"This is a shrine world. The entire world is dedicated to worshiping the God-Emperor."

Horus roared. "The Emperor is not a god! He spent centuries freeing humanity from the slavery of religion."

"Impossible, it seems. But if you let the Imperium develop, this is its future," "Sejanus" warned.

"The Emperor has prophetic powers. He knows of such a future."

"Why?" Horus asked, incredulous.

"He destroyed other faiths, ensuring His own church would be humanity's only object of worship," "Sejanus" explained.

"My father denies all divinity forced upon Him." Horus shook his head.

"He once said that the teachers of ancient Terra were like torches, and priests were like fire extinguishers. He would never extinguish the truth."

"Father, look around you. This entire world is His temple." "Sejanus" spoke.

"And this is not the only one."

"There are more worlds like this?" Horus stared.

"Thousands," "Sejanus" said with a sneer.

"Impossible. The Word Bearers erected statues of the Emperor, and He punished Lorgar for it," Horus argued.

"Sejanus's" silver eyes flickered with flame. "He had not yet fully conquered the galaxy then. He was not yet ready to accept worship."

"Think, Father. What will the Emperor do once He has conquered the galaxy?"

"What else would be worth His effort, besides becoming a god? His return to Terra is preparation for that."

Horus looked at the official, now recognizing him as a priest.

His chanting was unending. The pilgrims shuffled around their god's statue, praising the God-Emperor.

Horus looked around. Every stone was carved with devout prayers. Kilometer-high ossuaries held gilded remains. Marble monuments were covered in the deeds of saints.

Fanatical believers knelt by the road, one lashing himself with a prayer-whip.

Massive prayer-ships drifted over the shrine city, their bloated hulls trailing long prayer-banners. Suspended speakers, shaped like black skulls, broadcast piercing hymns.

An angel, with alabaster skin and bronze wings, suddenly swooped down on the crowd.

It snatched a pilgrim, rising into the air. Four tittering, winged infants surrounded it.

Their flapping bone-banners clicked. Their trumpets echoed with funereal dirges.

Amidst the onlookers' fervent praise, the pilgrim was dragged into a dark tomb.

Horus saw a reverence for death in every door and every stained-glass window of the tombs and surrounding buildings.

His gaze returned to the Emperor's statue. Looking at Nareth and Sanguinius, he asked, "I am His chosen Warmaster. I have fought for Him thousands of times."

"My sons died for him, yet he has completely erased me as though I never existed."

Horus rubbed the little finger of his right hand.

There was nothing there.

"The Emperor has abandoned you and soon He will soon abandon His people entirely."

"We have all been deceived. He appointed you Warmaster only because He needed you then. But when the time came, He didn't want you to share His power and glory."

"While we fought in His name, He was gathering power in the Warp."

"No!" Horus roared, leaping.

Bang!

His fist struck the chanting priest. An invisible barrier shattered, and the preacher was reduced to pulp.

Horus charged into the plaza. The crowd parted for him, then turned back to gaze with fervor at the God-Emperor's statue.

No one noticed him. Horus stopped, feeling lost. He found that "Sejanus" had vanished. He was utterly alone.

No one around him showed him reverence or love. They didn't even know who he was.

Every mural, every portrait, every relief, none of them depicted him.

Didn't they know who had bled and fought to win the battles, to free humanity from xenos enslavement?

"Father, why have You abandoned me?"

A wolf-howl sounded. An oval of light bloomed before him.

The statues collapsed, crushing the pilgrims into paste.

Horus walked into the light, finding himself in a vast, gleaming laboratory.

He looked at "Sejanus," waiting for him. "Where are we?"

"The dawn of a new age."

They walked through a steel corridor, entering a wide chamber.

A central causeway ran the length of the hall. Ten spindle-shaped storage tanks stood on either side, each bearing a serial number.

Horus's gaze shook. He recognized them.

"This is the Emperor's gene-laboratory. Your birthplace."

"You have seen the Emperor's ultimate goal. Now, see how He will begin His plan of apotheosis."

Horus frowned. "Using the Primarchs?"

"Exactly. He created the Primarchs as generals to conquer the galaxy for Him." "Sejanus" said.

"He needed beings of transcendent power to lead the Astartes."

"Their martial prowess was second only to the Emperor's, and each possessed unique abilities."

"To conquer the galaxy for humanity," Horus repeated his father's aspiration.

"Sejanus" denied it. "Not for humanity. For the Emperor Himself."

"You have already seen the fate that awaits you. When he abandons all others and ascends alone to godhood, you too will be abandoned."

"Nareth, Sanguinius, Guilliman, the Lion, why were they not abandoned?" Horus asked.

"They are all blind followers of the Emperor." "Sejanus" said with contempt.

"They will never see the truth."

"That makes no sense." Horus pressed. "Why would Nareth hide his achievements? If he is loyal to our father, he should have proven his worth."

"Sejanus's" silver eyes shifted. "He has self-awareness. He knows he is only a weapon, while you are the commander the Emperor favors. He must rely on you."

"Recall the Emperor's decisions. Has He ever truly cared for others' opinions? He has always pursued His own plan."

"But His plan has changed."

Horus was captivated by "Sejanus's" words, his gaze deepening.

"An accident scattered us across the galaxy, until our father found us one by one."

"Sejanus" shook his head. "No accident."

"Look at the protective runes carved around you. No accident could have breached these defenses."

"Is it coincidence that every Primarch fell on a historically significant human world, rather than an uninhabited one?"

"Think again. If the Emperor could create Primarchs by Himself, why not create a hundred, a thousand Horuses?"

"Sejanus's" eyes blazed. "The creation of the Primarchs was a bargain."

"The masters of the Warp are as much your fathers as the Emperor."

"No!" Horus roared. "The Primarchs are my brothers. They are the Emperor's sons."

"He is, in part. But where did that power come from?" "Sejanus" continued.

"He bargained with the gods of the Warp, taking some of Their power and infusing it into you."

"Gods of the Warp?" Horus asked, stunned.

"Hastur, do you know what you're saying?"

"I do." "Sejanus" raised his head.

"War."

"Change."

"Decay."

"Sensation."

"All of these belong to the domains of the gods of the Warp."

"Their power flows in your blood, granting you transcendent abilities."

"The Emperor bargained with them, but He betrayed them. He stole Their power."

"So, we were tainted by the Warp from birth," Horus said, his voice low.

"Not tainted," "Sejanus" said.

"Your transcendent abilities allow you to command the power of the Warp."

"You will punish the Emperor for his betrayal."

He pointed toward the gestation chambers.

"Justice will be done!"

Horus looked. A brilliant vortex erupted in the laboratory, swallowing him.

"Sejanus's" voice echoed in his ears.

"The Gods will grant you great power. You will command Their strength."

"Nareth is insignificant."

"You will achieve deeds beyond anyone who has ever lived."

"The False Emperor will fall. You will become the new Master of Mankind, bringing a bright future to humanity."

Countless images flashed before Horus's eyes: foul xenos once again dominating vast swathes of the galaxy, humanity penned in a corner.

Imperial departments bloated like tumors, billions of inefficient, corrupt administrators, countless people living out dark lives of eternal oppression.

His father, a rotting corpse-god, indifferent to humanity's suffering.

Horus declared, "I will never allow such a future!"

The visions of the future, shown by the beings of the Warp, vanished.

A wolf-howl. A pack of red-furred wolves emerged from the shadows.

"Wolf Lord!"

"What are you?"

"I am your brother." Golden light burst from the lead wolf. Its hind legs straightened, its body shifting, becoming humanoid.

Bronze skin replaced fur. A single eye blazed gold.

"Magnus."

"Yes, my brother." He strode forward, embracing Horus.

They parted. Horus asked, "Are you dying too?"

"No. I am not dead."

"But my time is short. My thralls are dying every moment to break through the barrier."

"Father, do not trust him." "Sejanus" stepped from the shadows.

"He is a shape-shifting monster of the Warp, a devourer of souls."

"He wants to consume you, to stop you from returning to your body."

"He lies!" Magnus shouted.

"Horus, you know me."

"He is not Hastur Sejanus. He is dead."

Magnus pointed at "Sejanus." Silver lightning leaped, striking him.

Horus watched as a grey-stone-armored figure was revealed in the blinding light.

"Erebus!"

Erebus felt his charred body rapidly restoring itself.

He looked mockingly at Magnus, "You are too far away."

Then he turned toward Horus and bowed, "Yes, Warmaster."

"I came to you in Sejanus's guise to save you, and to help you see the truth."

"Horus, do not listen to him." Magnus warned. "The fate of the galaxy is in your hands."

"Indeed." Erebus moved to Horus's other side.

"The Emperor intends to abandon the galaxy and ascend to godhood alone."

"You must save humanity."

"The future is not set. Erebus may have shown you one possible future, but that is all it is, a possibility." Magnus's eye blazed gold.

Erebus's tone was fervent. "Of course, the future can be changed. And you are the one who will change humanity's fate."

Horus laughed. "Erebus, if you think your cheap tricks can fool me into your schemes, you must take me for a fool."

He looked away from Erebus's crestfallen face, towards the smiling Magnus.

"You and Erebus are both the same."

Horus announced, his head held high. "Neither of you is worthy of trust. You will not manipulate me."

"No one will ever decide my path again."

"I am Horus."

"I am the Warmaster."

"And my destiny will be decided by me alone!"

....

If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.

[email protected]/DaoistJinzu