This was a joke.
It was not the eight-versus-four engagement that Rogal Dorn envisioned, but the one Horus Lupercal had engineered.
If the Second Primarch also turned traitor, the odds would plummet to nine against three. This was a catastrophic disadvantage.
Axis knew that if he did not intervene, the Dropsite Massacre on Isstvan V would unfold exactly as it had in the original. And even if his involvement in the timeline had changed things, he couldn't be certain until he eliminated the risk factor.
But if he went, the traitor Astartes Legions would be utterly insignificant. In his presence, as sheer numbers lost all meaning when confronted with overwhelming power.
He would not even need to use his Super Saiyan 4 form; a simple Super Saiyan transformation would be enough for Axis to slaughter his way through their ranks.
"This strategy is perfect, Axis!" Rogal Dorn insisted, "I know you are furious about Horus's betrayal, but you must consider the greater good. The Rangda xenos are our greatest threat right now. If you do not go, Lion El'Jonson and Leman Russ could be killed in battle. You have no idea how powerful those C'tan shard-weapons are."
"Axis, I think Rogal Dorn is right," Magnus added, "You should head to the western front. The other Primarchs can deal with Horus and his cohorts."
"The Lion and Russ can hold out for now," Axis countered, "There is an old saying that to resist foreign enemies, one must first bring peace from within. Therefore, crushing Horus's rebellion is the highest priority. There is a reason Horus has tried every means possible to avoid a direct confrontation with me. He does not want to face me, which is precisely why I must go and face him."
"We must focus on the greater good, Axis," Dorn argued again, "Horus's combat prowess is not exceptional. He could not withstand an assault by two Primarchs, let alone eight. Our forces will engage in pairs, two against two. Horus stands no chance. If we can contact Sanguinius and Guilliman, the Ultramarines, the Blood Angels, and your Golden Legion could also join the fight."
Axis's mouth twitched at his words.
He turned and gave the Emperor a meaningful look, a silent message that some truths could not be revealed to the other Primarchs just yet.
He and the Emperor knew that half of the Primarchs would betray them, but Rogal Dorn was ignorant of this fact.
That was why he saw an advantage where, in reality, there was none. These things could not be spoken aloud, for the sharp intellect of the Primarchs would allow them to easily deduce the truth.
His brothers were simply too intelligent.
"Dorn, first go and meet with the loyalist Space Marines Axis brought back. They possess firsthand intelligence on the rebel forces," the Emperor said, waving a hand dismissively, "You can confer with them. It will help you refine your battle plans."
The Emperor had decided to keep the matter of the wider betrayal a secret for now. The impact on the Primarchs would be too great.
Rogal Dorn glanced at Axis, then nodded to the Emperor and turned to leave. As the Emperor's most loyal son, he knew what to ask and what not to ask. If the Emperor had a secret he did not wish for him to know, Dorn would never pry.
"Magnus, you should go and rest as well," the Emperor continued, "Starting tomorrow, you will join me on the Golden Throne to repair the Webway. It will be a monumental undertaking, and you must be at your absolute peak."
"I understand, Father. Axis, I leave this in your hands," Magnus said with a nod before departing.
Soon, the great hall of the Golden Throne was empty, save for the Emperor, Malcador, and Axis. All others had been dismissed.
"Axis, I know your concerns," the Emperor began, "Do you believe that there will be traitors among the Primarchs we are sending to quell this rebellion?"
"It is not a possibility, Father. It is a certainty," Axis declared, "I can vouch for my loyalty and that of Magnus. Rogal Dorn is loyal. The Lion and my adoptive father, Leman Russ, are loyal. As for the others, Guilliman, Sanguinius, and my son… what are your thoughts?"
The Emperor nodded, largely agreeing with Axis's assessment. The loyalty of those Primarchs was indeed certain for now.
"I cannot guarantee Guilliman," the Emperor admitted, "As for Sanguinius, though he keeps some secrets from me, I believe he remains a loyal son. And your son, my grandson, will undoubtedly be loyal to me. I have no doubts on that point."
"Exactly!" Axis said, "Think about it, father-in-law. Why did Holy Terra and all the worlds of the Imperium lose contact with each other at the start of this, only for some communications to be restored the moment we returned? And the only Primarchs we can reach are these few, while those with the most powerful forces, the Golden Legion, the Ultramarines, and the Blood Angels, remain cut off. Even a fool could see this is Horus's scheme. He has surely laid a massive trap on Isstvan V, a chance to annihilate a large number of loyalist Legions and cripple the Imperium's strength."
"You mean there are traitors among them?" the Emperor mused, "Among the eight Rogal Dorn has chosen?"
"There absolutely will be," Axis stated firmly, "And if I am not mistaken, since Horus has allied with Chaos, Angron will also join the battle."
The Emperor nodded grimly.
It was a foregone conclusion that Angron would join the traitors.
"Chancellor Malcador," Axis said, turning to the Sigillite, "you had the Officio Assassinorum monitoring some of the more dangerous Primarchs. What do you have to report?"
Previously, the Emperor and Malcador had initiated surveillance on several high-risk Primarchs. Surely, it had borne some fruit by now.
"Perturabo, Primarch of the Iron Warriors, and Konrad Curze, Primarch of the Night Lords," Malcador began, "Both harbor very dangerous ideologies. The Iron Warriors have been engaged in constant high-intensity warfare, and the entire Legion's mental state is unstable. As for the Night Lords, Konrad's homeworld of Nostramo is a pit of villainy. The planetary governor went so far as to send criminals directly into his Legion, resulting in substandard recruits that even the Primarch himself dislikes. I believe if Horus were looking for allies, these two would be highly likely to join his cause."
The Emperor nodded in agreement. Just as Axis had said, it was very likely that these two Primarchs had already turned, even if they had not yet revealed their true colors.
"You have forgotten one," Axis added, with a heavy heart, "Lorgar, Primarch of the Word Bearers. He is also extremely likely to betray us."
In truth, Axis knew his brother was the first Primarch to fall, even before the razing of Monarchia. Before that, he had been the Emperor's most devoted son, worshipping him as a god.
But ever since the destruction of Monarchia, everything had changed.
"Lorgar? That seems unlikely," the Emperor said, a flicker of disbelief in his voice, "Although I destroyed his Monarchia, I only leveled the symbolic structures. The civilian population had been evacuated beforehand. I just wanted to give the boy a warning. I left his homeworld intact, and ever since that incident, he has carried out his duties in the Great Crusade with diligence, never once showing any sign of delay."
He had only given Lorgar a minor warning.
Monarchia was destroyed, but there had been no casualties. The Emperor found it difficult to accept that Lorgar would betray him over such a light reprimand. They were all centuries old.
Did he need to be coddled like a child? Besides, he had sent warnings multiple times before, but Lorgar had refused to listen.
"Are you so certain, Father-in-law?" Axis challenged, "When a religious zealot's faith shatters, anything can happen. He used to see you as his god, but you refused to be one. He would surely seek out a new god to worship. So, who do you think he would find to take your place?"
"Emperor, I believe Axis has a point," Malcador interjected, "Lorgar is also a security risk. His potential for betrayal is even greater than that of Perturabo or Konrad Curze."
"This is indeed a serious problem," the Emperor conceded, "You are right, Axis. You must take part in putting down this rebellion. But how will I explain this to Dorn?"
"That is simple," Axis replied, "Rogal Dorn will understand your intentions. If you do not wish to tell him something, he will not ask. He will execute any command you give him."
"Very well," the Emperor said after a moment of contemplation, "I hereby appoint you as the supreme commander of this punitive action. You will lead the eight Primarchs to suppress the rebellion. Should anyone among them reveal themselves as a traitor, I authorize you to execute them on the spot."
"This is the right course of action, father-in-law," Axis said with satisfaction, "As for supporting the Lion and Russ, we must find a way to contact Guilliman and Sanguinius. I have also asked the Eldar Harlequins to help locate my Golden Legion. They can be dispatched to reinforce the Imperium's western front."
"No, Axis," the Emperor said, his tone heavy, "The burden of both fronts will likely fall upon your shoulders. If you can recall the Golden Legion, it is best they return to Holy Terra. A far more important fight awaits your sons here."
"Holy Terra? A more important war?" Axis asked, "Could it be the Webway?"
"That is correct," the Emperor confirmed. "The breach in the Webway has connected it to the Warp. I can feel the four Chaos Gods tearing at the wound, trying to widen it at every moment to unleash more of their daemons into our world."
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Bonus chapter!