Chapter 274: Hades, I Choose You!
[Attention must be sincere, never contrived.]
[——Guilliman, Notes, 73.44.liv]
This was a small receiving room aboard the Macragge's Honour. Compared to the chamber Hades had visited earlier, this one was clearly more private, yet carried just the right touch of casualness.
Guilliman stood, pulled a thick notebook from the shelf, then turned and sat down behind his desk.
He raised his head, looking at Mortarion seated across from him.
At the only door of the room, Hades sat on a sofa, his cloak draped over him, the black scythe in his hands barring the way.
A faint sense of discomfort hung in the air, something Guilliman found unpleasant. But according to Hades, this was simply the natural trait of his untouchable domain—it caused revulsion in any being bearing a projection of the Warp.
Guilliman was ready. He drew out his pen and spoke evenly:
[My brother, I have many questions.]
Mortarion's deep voice answered him:
[And you have plenty of time to ask them. In the field of guarding against psykers, we have gone far enough that I can resolve most of your doubts.]
Guilliman fixed his gaze on Mortarion's eyes, hoping to discern something within the eyes of the Lord of Death. Unfortunately, Mortarion remained utterly calm.
[Then explain it to me once more—how did the Death Guard uncover Absyrtus' betrayal, and know that they would strike on the day of the negotiations?]
[And about those two phantoms. My Chief Librarian told me that the first blue apparition was an exceptionally powerful malignant psychic entity, but beyond that he could not say—especially regarding the second entity, the one that nearly left him unconscious.]
Mortarion's respirator hissed:
[Next time, keep your Chief Librarian away from the Death Guard.]
There was a trace of mocking amusement in Mortarion's tone:
[The Death Guard possess certain anti-psyker weapons. Ordinary warriors may feel nothing more than discomfort, but for psykers, they are lethal.]
[I imagine you wouldn't want to see your Librarians harmed by accident.]
Guilliman spoke, pondering the source of Mortarion's peculiar hostility:
[Then you should have warned me beforehand.]
Beneath his mask, Mortarion smiled derisively. He had already given his warnings, but his brother clearly lacked sensitivity to the veiled matters of the Warp. He was about to say more when—
A rustling sound came from the doorway.
It's the sound of Hades shifting his grip on the scythe.
Mortarion mocking words veered suddenly:
[…If there is a next time, I will make sure you know directly.]
This reply drew a kindly smile from Guilliman, who seemed to believe their relationship had eased somewhat.
Mortarion chose to ignore Guilliman's sentiment.
[As for how the Death Guard detected Absyrtus' deceit—this civilization was built by sorcerers. Its rulers, its people, every one of them were sorcerers. And sorcerers excel most at deceit.]
[Never trust the words of a sorcerer. Never.]
Mortarion cast a sardonic glance at the Lord of Ultramar, wrinkles gathering at the corners of his eyes:
[Guilliman, my brother.]
[You demand that a civilization of sorcerers abandon the very foundation of their being. It is like asking a man who breathes air to stop breathing. And when they show not a trace of resistance, you see no cause for suspicion?]
The quill's tip bled a small black blot on the parchment. Guilliman's expression did not change as he stared at Mortarion.
[Until now, I had never encountered a civilization made entirely of psykers, nor did I know their primary means of attack. They disbanded all their armies, redeployed everything that could be considered a threat.]
[And when they yielded and compromised, they were also vying for advantage. In negotiating the terms, they truly were trying to secure the greatest benefit for their world, while at the same time seeking ways to cooperate with the Legion.]
[From the perspective of this civilization, war was clearly unnecessary. Even if they truly wished to start one, it would never have been on the day of the accord. Their plans would have been far more cautious.]
Guilliman stared intently at Mortarion. He could tell that the brother who had just been sneering was now beginning to falter.
Because Guilliman was right. Even now, the logic behind that civilization's sudden betrayal had not been made clear.
So Guilliman spoke with a sincere voice:
[Will you now answer my doubts in earnest, my brother?]
Mortarion gave a muffled reply. He suddenly realized that Guilliman's words had cornered him.
For indeed, the civilization had not wished to rebel. They wanted to integrate into the Imperium, to act like a festering wound—slowly corrupting it from within.
But the Death Guard had forced their hand, igniting their rebellion prematurely.
And to explain this truth to Guilliman would mean admitting both the Death Guard's deliberate provocation, and that the civilization truly had not intended to revolt on the day of the accord.
Mortarion might appear outwardly indifferent toward all of his brothers, but in his dealings with Guilliman he had come to realize something—this blue-armored man valued people more than anyone he had ever met, valued hope, and everything positive and upright.
Mortarion hesitated.
[My commander was the one who first discovered the anomaly. Perhaps you can ask him for the details.]
And, as though suddenly uneasy with his own words, he quickly added:
[Hades is also the Head of the Imperium's Silent Sisterhood. His study of anti-psyker methods runs deeper than anyone's. On matters concerning psykers, his perception is absolute.]
Without giving Guilliman a chance to respond, Mortarion rose sharply, striding to the door and motioning for Hades to take his place.
Thus Guilliman now found himself facing a taciturn Mortarion at the doorway, and beside the chair where Mortarion had sat moments before, Hades stood with an unreadable expression.
Guilliman fell silent.
In his heart, he quietly raised Hades' standing yet again. It seemed the title of Head of the Imperium's Silent Sisterhood was more important than he had realized—perhaps Hades was even responsible for direct liaison with Terra.
"Forgive me, may I sit?"
Hades offered an awkward yet polite smile. He remembered that before boarding the Macragge's Honour, it had been agreed that Mortarion would explain everything to his brother.
Perhaps he should never have trusted Mortarion's eloquence.
Guilliman immediately gestured for him to sit.
[Of course.]
Hades took his seat, and as he turned to face Guilliman it was as though he instantly donned the mask of a statesman. Guilliman couldn't help but let out a small sigh in his heart.
"Lord Guilliman, in truth, we cannot apply ordinary reasoning to the actions of these sorcerers."
Hades spoke with utmost seriousness:
"The disposition of armies, the construction of defensive lines—before the power of the warp, such things are irrelevant. Or rather, they are not the points that demand our focus."
"For sorcerers, what matters most are special meanings, those vague qualities that lie beneath the surface."
"For example, the day of the accord—it carries a particular significance. Compared to other dates, the Day of Accord is far more likely to stir ripples within the Warp."
"Any special date, special location, even particular objects or individuals—all of these may hold a special significance within the Warp. And those significances in turn grant them power."
"A single altar, a single significant date—those alone can grant them the power to stir storms, to cut off enemy communications, to shroud fleet signals, to cloud the minds of enemy warriors until they strike at their own allies. All of this is possible."
"Lord Guilliman, this is why the Death Guard were so vigilant of the Day of Accord—because the date itself is already a signal for war."
Hades' words drove Guilliman into contemplation.
He had indeed heard vague and similar descriptions from his Librarians, but they had not been certain of them, nor able to establish a clear pattern.
[So what you are saying is that the Absyrtans intended, on the Day of Accord, to unleash some kind of psychic ritual against the Imperium?]
Hades nodded.
[Yet even so, their sorcery did not—]
Guilliman's voice grew quieter.
[Because the Death Guard stopped them?]
Hades smiled.
"That is correct, my lord. I led the Death Guard in striking down their plot, though we were ambushed in the process."
[You have my gratitude.]
"It was nothing more than duty."
The two fell into an exchange of pleasantries, while Mortarion, standing at the doorway, sank into thought.
So, it could be told this way.
Beneath the shadow of his hood, Mortarion cast a long look at Hades, who was now fencing words with Guilliman in a calm, polite rhythm.
Just how many falsehoods had Hades spoken that Mortarion himself failed to notice?
"—And then there were those two apparitions."
Hades swallowed, becoming serious once more.
"As Head of the Imperium's Silent Sisterhood, I would prefer that the Ultramarines forget them—or at least diminish their significance."
Guilliman's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He was about to speak, but Hades raised a hand, signaling him to listen through.
"Lord Guilliman, I wish to know—when you first saw that blue apparition, what was your very first thought?"
The light shone brightly in the chamber, yet Guilliman felt the oppressive pressure only growing heavier.
[What is that—that was my first reaction.]
Hades' face showed astonishment.
"Only that? No other emotions?"
Guilliman began to think, letting his mind sink back into that memory of the moment he beheld the great blue phantom.
[To be precise, I was shocked. I wanted to understand what was happening, and I wished to order the Ultramarines into Defensive Formation Five.]
"…And nothing else?"
[Nothing else.]
Hades' lips parted. Could he say—as expected of Roboute Guilliman?
[But as for the second black apparition, I felt discomfort. I did not want to look upon it—that was my first reaction.]
Hades let his hands fall limply.
"The first apparition was a kind of grand sorcery by the enemy. Its effect is to shake the heart, to awaken the darkest desires within. Only those with the firmest of minds can resist it. And even recalling it in memory can still taint the heart."
[So you want me to watch for any inappropriate thoughts among the Ultramarines who fought that day?]
Hades nodded. Speaking with Guilliman was always so efficient.
Guilliman thought for a moment.
[Very well. I will keep a close watch on the Ultramarines who fought in this battle.]
"As for the second apparition—that was one of the Death Guard's anti-psyker weapons. For now, the Death Guard prefers not to reveal its nature."
From the doorway Mortarion coughed twice. The timing nearly made the smile twitch off Hades' lips, but he held it in.
Fortunately, Guilliman did not notice. He merely answered Hades with a solemn nod.
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind paying $5 each month to read the latest posted chapter, please go to my Patreon [1]
Latest Posted Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 351: The Onlooker Sees More Clearly Than the Player[2]
Link to the latest posted chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/145213204?collection=602520[3]
https://www.patreon.com/collection/602520?view=condensed[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/145213204?collection=602520
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/145213204?collection=602520
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/602520?view=condensed