Chapter 359: Evidence
Outside the Thousand Sons' Lounge, Nikaea Theatre
Hades arrived at the exact moment when the psychic turbulence was at its most chaotic.
He hoped he had come precisely in time—or perhaps he had already arrived too late, for Hades could feel that sudden cutoff in the psychic storm.
Hades could not tell whether that abrupt end was a clean withdrawal, or simply the calm before an even greater tempest—but from the look of it, Magnus' condition was far from good. In the Black Domain's sight, Magnus' soul looked as if it could erupt into flame at any moment.
If Magnus truly exploded, Hades would have no choice but to compress the Black Domain even further—close enough to engage Magnus in melee. A psychic Primarch's projection in the Warp was far larger and far brighter than that of any other Primarch.
Still, the Emperor was present. Even if Magnus did suddenly lash out, Hades believed the Emperor would teach Magnus the meaning of true fatherly discipline.
A Thousand Sons warrior stepped out of the lounge, completely ignoring Hades—arms crossed—and the row of blanks standing guard outside. He walked straight to the Custodian and signaled that Magnus was ready for the council to resume.
Hades stared at the Thousand Son, deep in thought.
Magnus' unstable psychic output alone was not enough to use as the decisive evidence to condemn him. This type of prophetic psychic instability was common among seer-type psykers—Sanguinius and Konrad Curze suffered the same.
Standing there, Hades used the thinnest, most diluted form of the Black Domain to confirm that Magnus' condition had stabilized. He sighed, lifted his weapon Obituary, and signaled the Sister of Silences to finish their work.
Magnus' state was just too unstable… he needed punishment. Even if he could not be exterminated, he needed surveillance and restriction.
But because the Thousand Sons held such a unique position regarding psychic use—and because several Librarius-friendly Legions, as well as most Imperial psykers (including the Astropathic Choir and the Navigator Houses, both vital to the Imperium), were watching this Legion closely—if the Emperor punished Magnus without proper cause, the cooperation between psykers and the Imperium could be severely damaged.
No matter how much psykers were disliked or feared, they were still an essential part of the Imperium—arguably humanity's only bridge to utilizing the Warp.
Thus, Hades needed to give the Emperor a legitimate and irrefutable reason to punish Magnus.
His first thought was the off-worlder Hawser, and the fact that a Custodian—Amon—had once been possessed by a Tzeentch daemon. Did the Emperor know this? Or did He know only vaguely, unable to perceive every single raindrop as it fell?
And now, the events had already diverged so wildly from the expected path—would Tzeentch even show up anymore?
The Death Guard had allowed the council to continue as well. Frowning, Hades followed the Sister of Silences and the Magos toward the main hall. He had to attend, but he also ordered the guards to keep a close watch on Hawser's chamber. He tried to contact them.
The reply was: the Wolf King and Fulgrim were there, though the Sister of Silences had been urgently pulled away.
But when Hades reached the main hall, he saw the Wolf King and Fulgrim already back in their seats—the two Primarchs, like him, had returned to continue the council.
Hades' frown deepened. With the Emperor and Malcador standing upon the grand dais before all, contacting them was inconvenient. So he immediately dispatched yet another squad of blanks to Hawser's location.
But that side, at worst, could only escalate into a minor commotion. Even if a Custodian had truly been possessed, the ultimate result would simply be the Emperor punishing Magnus.
Which Hades would gladly welcome.
Everyone took their seats. The Head of the Silent Sisterhood sat in his place, hands resting on his weapon. In the haze of shadow, crimson light fixed itself upon Magnus as he walked slowly onto the stage.
Magnus requested to speak.
Hades wondered, How should I put him to death?
Perhaps… he didn't even need evidence from the Death Guard or the Space Wolves.
The noose that would hang Magnus might already be in the Crimson King's own hands.
Hidden, ambiguous gazes fell upon Hades—probing, curious, wary…
Hades silently reinforced his Black Domain.
The darkness swept away the uninvited visitors.
. . .
Nikaea Theatre – Upper-Level Antechamber
Vorx blinked and stepped aside as Custodian Amon silently approached the two Tech-Priest.
"Silence, honored Magos. While awaiting the Witness, you are to maintain decorum."
A smiling face flickered across the screen of Jin's helm.
"My apologies for the unsightly display."
Then he spat Korklan back out. Vorx could swear he heard a ptoo!
Though disheveled, Korklan sprang up full of life—and the two Magos immediately resumed their duel—no, not physical combat this time. Now they were locked in electronic warfare.
At this moment, the Magos saw nothing but the heretic standing before them, ignoring everything outside their private battlefield.
Vorx wasn't a Techmarine. He had no idea what any of this meant. He only heard Bjorn sigh in disappointment. Meanwhile, Custodian Amon gently helped Hawser down from the examination bed, seemingly trying to ease the nerves of the poor mortal who was visibly overwrought.
"May I speak with you alone?"
Amon said to Hawser. Vorx stepped back silently, moving into a corner as far as possible from both the dueling Tech-Priest and the Custodian. Bjorn let out a grunt and stomped straight out the door.
Amon paused, as if waiting for Vorx to leave the room entirely.
Vorx hesitated… then decided to obey.
He quietly stepped out—and immediately found Bjorn crouched on the floor outside, rubbing his foot against the ground.
Vorx stared at the Space Wolf.
The Space Wolf bared his teeth back at him.
Finally… Vorx also crouched down silently.
Inside, Amon turned his attention to the two Magos.
They seemed to have disabled each other's sensory systems and were currently fighting under their second-layer firewalls; the victor would lock the other's motor controls.
Amon shook his head slightly and instead focused on Hawser.
"Greetings," he said. "What is your name?"
Hawser scratched his head and muttered,
"M-My lord… I'm Kasper Ansbach Hawser."
Then he heard the Custodian whisper—like the voice of a demon—
"Names hold their own power… My first name was Amon…"
A strange light slid over the Custodian's armor.
…
"VORX! ENEMY ATTACK!! THE CUSTODIAN—"
Vorx shot to his feet as Korklan and Jin's alarmed voices shrieked across his private channel.
. . .
Nikaea Theatre – Grand Hall
"In the name of the countless martyrs who gave themselves to illuminate the darkness, I swear: all I speak is truth, without a trace of deception."
Magnus lifted his arms high.
The golden light of the stage flowed across his massive frame, his crimson skin gleaming.
He remembered the moment in his vision—arms raised at the crossroads of fate—declaring to the world that he was a true great man, one who had given all for humanity's civilization.
The darkness before him was nothing but fleeting prejudice, Magnus thought. The Emperor would understand him. The prophecy had already shown his victory.
Even if Magnus' mind shuddered for a brief moment when it touched the thought of Hades—
Even if the cold, nauseating sensation from the lounge had not fully faded—
He forced himself to breathe calmly and spoke, voice deep and resonant:
"Humanity must progress."
The Crimson King strode slowly across the stage, revealing the sincerity of his heart.
He told them of the beauty of the Immaterium's psychic sea.
He told them the story of the first man who emerged from the cave to see the light—only to be slain by his ignorant peers.
Psychic power was no sin; it was a treasury overflowing with gold. Humanity merely needed to discover the proper method to open it.
The Warp was neutral. Humanity must uncover the good within it, the beauty within it!
Magnus shone with vigor.
He could feel the Warp supporting him, encouraging him—like thunderous applause in his mind.
"Knowledge demands sweat and blood, yet it grants rich harvests. We must not cling to ignorance and stand still—humanity must march forward, explore, and step onto a greater stage!"
Applause washed over him like a tide.
Magnus knew his speech far outshone the Death Lord's.
He lifted his head high, radiant with pride.
But then, from the corner of his eye, Magnus saw a figure rise.
His soul flinched.
Darkness was staring at him.
Under the astonished gazes of the assembly, the darkness slowly receded, revealing Hades in the light.
Half of him a handsome commander, half of him a grim mechanical construct—the man stood calmly, staring straight at Magnus.
"So young…?" Fulgrim murmured under his breath.
But the vast majority of the hall remained utterly silent, all eyes fixed on the two men at the center of the storm.
"I object." Hades said.
"You are permitted to question, Head of the Silent Sisterhood—Hades."
Malcador's voice descended from the dais without the slightest ripple.
Hades held Magnus' gaze.
"You just claimed the Warp possesses benevolence toward humanity—that it is a treasure welcoming us."
Hades stared so intensely that Magnus swallowed involuntarily.
The Lord of the Nulls gently shook his head.
"The Warp contains no benevolence."
"The Silent Sisterhood has fought for years against countless psychic breeds, and even fouler things. I have never encountered a benevolent entity."
"I can testify to that."
A voice no one expected sounded abruptly.
Angron rose. The hall turned in shock—this Primarch appeared so rarely, and the recent intrusion of the World Eaters was already scandalous enough.
"I can testify as well."
Another voice followed instantly.
The Lord of Death stood.
"Count me in!"
The Wolf King barked, baring his teeth as he slammed up from his seat.
In the spectators' gallery, Fulgrim covered his mouth in surprise.
Dorn frowned deeply.
The Angel said nothing, as if waiting for something, though his expression was far from pleasant.
The Emperor's face remained unchanged.
Hades had not expected this turn—but it did not interrupt him.
He did not turn toward his allies; he kept his eyes locked on Magnus.
He knew exactly what he had to say.
A smile touched Hades' lips.
For a moment Magnus thought he saw a smile eerily similar to Malcador's—and that was never a good sign.
He wanted to step back.
He forced himself not to.
"Primarch of the Thousand Sons," Hades said, "I have presented my evidence. If you do not believe it, we may submit it to the Master of Mankind."
"Therefore—you must present your evidence. Proof that benevolence exists in the Warp."
"Otherwise, you stand guilty of deception, Magnus."
Magnus twitched—almost imperceptibly.
The psychic power that had filled him only moments before seemed to drain away all at once.
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