The air became eerily quiet.
The noisy Players were as if under a spell, standing still in place.
None of them moved, fearing they would make a sound and become the scapegoat.
"Who am I?"
"Where am I?"
"What am I supposed to do?"
In a matter of seconds, Senior General Tura had pondered the meaning of life and the universe countless times.
To be honest, he didn't want to face this terrible Reality.
The dignified Senior General of the Custodes was sent flying by a God Chosen and slid so far on the smooth ground!
If it got out, where would the Senior General of the Custodes put his face?
But Reality is Reality; it won't disappear because you avoid it.
After a moment of hesitation, Senior General Tura scrambled to his feet, looking a bit disheveled.
The Custodes and Players next to him just watched, no one making a sound.
The scene was terrifyingly quiet.
Only the whirring of the servo-motors within Senior General Tura's armor echoed in the air as he moved.
The Players subconsciously took a step back.
Senior General Tura looked around at these God Chosen, sighing inwardly.
Where did His Majesty find these living treasures?!
After organizing his thoughts, Senior General Tura put aside what had just happened and began the quest dialogue in a solemn and serious tone.
"God Chosen, are you here to accept a mission?"
"The brutal Webway War drained the Webway forces of their blood; their bodies are still left within the Webway to this day."
"As long as you can bring back the bodies of the fallen Imperial heroes, you will gain the friendship of the Custodes and a reward."
"I'll sign up." Warmaster was the first to step forward, "It is my honor to serve the Custodes."
After speaking, he clenched his fist and struck his chest, making a thud, symbolizing the offering of his heart.
This action made Senior General Tura nod in satisfaction, "Thank you for your dedication, God Chosen 'Second Empire Warmaster'."
Senior General Tura didn't quite understand the meaning of that name; he merely pronounced it phonetically.
The other Players, seeing this scene, were immediately pained and showed indignation.
That guy beat them to it again.
Looking at Senior General Tura's expression, he must be very satisfied with him.
Warmaster is simply an NPC succubus!
Any NPC he interacts with always has their affection maxed out!
The other Players also stepped forward one after another.
"Senior General, I want to accept the mission too."
"I will never betray your expectations."
"We're family, there's no need for formalities. Choosing me is definitely the right choice."
"Um, Senior General Tura brother, I want a mission too, I also want to experience the work of the Custodes."
"Kill! Kill! Kill! Slash! Slash!"
"Blood for the Golden Throne, skulls for the God-Emperor! I will give my all for the Emperor."
…
The words of the God Chosen echoed in Senior General Tura's ears,
making him at one point suspect he was facing a bunch of Cultists, so smoothly chanting various blasphemous slogans.
After some commotion, Senior General Tura assigned the mission.
Watching the Players leave joyfully, not forgetting to say thank you before they left, Senior General Tura suddenly felt a sense of unreality.
To have the God Chosen go into the Webway to retrieve the bodies of fallen heroes, and as a reward, let them experience a day of Custodes work,
they wouldn't just not complain, they would even thank you.
Senior General Tura had originally thought the Saint was joking,
but he didn't expect these God Chosen would actually thank him.
The Players who received the mission quickly sprang into action,
recruiting personnel, planning, and discussing how to cooperate.
The scale of the Webway War was not small.
Aside from the Custodes and Sisters of Silences, there were also Adeptus Mechanicus members from the Unification Council.
Later, the Custodes also transferred a batch of reinforcements from Reality, who also suffered heavy casualties.
Bringing back all the bodies of the deceased was a huge undertaking.
It was impractical for the Players to carry them all by themselves.
The Players recruited some Imperial troops,
preparing to have them act as outer perimeter guards and porters, among other tasks.
The Inquisitors of the Inquisition, through some unknown means, learned of the mission given to the God Chosen by Senior General Tura, the Custodes Senior General, and decided to participate.
They dispatched several Inquisitors and Stormtrooper units, wanting to enter the Webway with the God Chosen to investigate some matters.
And the Adeptus Mechanicus, upon receiving the news, also showed great enthusiasm.
They also wanted to explore the Webway, so they announced their participation in this mission,
and would provide a batch of newly produced mechanical equipment to the Players involved in the mission.
Just as the Webway matter was stirring up the nerves of various departments,
Alex was in the Imperial Palace on Reality, meeting with little Fulgrim and Marsanor, among others.
"Sanguinius?"
At the first sight of Alex,
Marsanor and the other Luna Wolves initially thought it was Sanguinius,
because he was so similar; those pure white wings and the weeping mask were both Sanguinius's standard features.
"I am not Sanguinius." Alex shook his head, "Sanguinius is dead, killed by Horus himself on the Avenging Spirit."
"I am the Emperor's Saint, acting as Roboute Guilliman's Regent on Reality, with the authority to decide your fate."
Marsanor and the others opened their mouths, but ultimately couldn't say anything, their expressions turning very gloomy.
The names Avenging Spirit and Horus touched a sensitive chord within them.
The betrayal of their Primarch and Legion turned their hard-won honor into a joke.
The Luna Wolves, once considered a source of pride, were now a name that could no longer be mentioned.
Little Fulgrim didn't speak, but his face was equally gloomy.
"Alright, I didn't call you here to discuss past events."
Alex's voice was very gentle, trying his best not to put pressure on them.
"It was your Legion and Primarch who betrayed; you were not involved, and the infamy and hatred should not fall upon you."
"However, considering the simple sentiments of the populace, you should no longer call yourselves Luna Wolves, nor should you speak of past honors, to avoid unnecessary public opinion and conflict."
Marsanor and the other Luna Wolves' eyes immediately dimmed.
This statement undoubtedly negated the sacrifices they had made.
But thinking of the Horus Heresy information they had seen,
they understood that the other party's reasons for doing so were perfectly valid.
Luna Wolves had long become a term hated by the citizens of the Imperium.
"We understand, Saint." Marsanor nodded, speaking softly.
"Do you have any plans for yourselves? To continue fighting for the Emperor, or to retire?" Alex looked at Marsanor.
"We want to continue fighting." Marsanor walked to Alex, knelt on one knee, "Horus and the Emperor's feelings were so genuine; he would never betray the Emperor."
"This is all Abaddon's fault. If he hadn't been foolish enough to trust Ahriman, there would have been no Horus Heresy."
Marsanor had been investigating the ins and outs of the Horus Heresy during this time.
The detailed information of this rebellion had long been lost,
but the God Chosen knew the inside story.
So, Marsanor exchanged his weapon with a God Chosen who knew the inside story for detailed information about the Horus Heresy.
Marsanor and the others were captured by Trazyn the Infinite during the Battle of Ullanor.
After the Battle of Ullanor ended, Horus took over as Warmaster,
the Emperor withdrew from the Great Crusade and returned to Reality to build the Webway.
After defeating the false Emperor, the Luna Wolves Legion was renamed the Sons of Horus.
The Legion's initial campaigns were relatively smooth, successively reclaiming many worlds,
until Ahriman entered the Legion,
the Sons of Horus then suffered continuous setbacks, severely damaging Horus's confidence.
Several of these defeats were due to Ahriman's meddling.
For example, the Interex civilization.
The expeditionary force and the Interex civilization's envoy had already been negotiating,
but Ahriman secretly stole the Anathame kept by the other party,
causing the Interex civilization to misunderstand Horus's Imperial expeditionary force as Chaos lackeys,
and a brutal battle consequently broke out between the two sides.
Later, Ahriman even publicly announced the traitorous Governor of Davin, Eugen Temba, at a press conference, putting Horus in a difficult position and forcing him to personally quell the rebellion.
And secretly, Ahriman gave the stolen Anathame to Eugen Temba,
who then inflicted an incurable wound on Horus.
Abaddon and others, at a loss regarding Horus's injury,
were swayed by Ahriman's incitement and sent Horus into the Davin temple,
ultimately leading to Horus's corruption by Chaos and the instigation of the Horus Heresy.
"We just want Ahriman and Abaddon to pay the price, Saint." Marsanor said, "This is the only motivation for us to live on."
"These two traitors are blessed by the Chaos Gods; you are not their opponents," Alex pointed out a truth that made Marsanor and the others despair. "Even if you find them, you can't kill them."
"Someone has to do it, Saint. As long as they bleed, there will be a way to kill them."
Marsanor's tone was firm. He and the Luna Wolves behind him had already made up their minds.
"Since you insist, I will certainly give you my full support." Alex nodded. "I will have you undergo Primaris upgrade and receive the best equipment. I hope you succeed."
"Thank you for your understanding and support, Saint." Marsanor's face showed gratitude.
Alex looked at Fulgrim. "Now, tell me about yourself."
"How will you deal with me?"
Fulgrim looked at Alex, standing there, his face ashen, like a prisoner ready to face judgment.
Before Alex could reply,
a communication came in. The projection device hummed, and a beam of light outlined Roboute Guilliman's figure out of thin air.
"Saint, is there something you need? Why are you so eager to establish communication with me?"
Roboute Guilliman's voice came through, full of a lighthearted tone.
He had been fighting battles recently, but he was still quite happy,
because he didn't have to worry about Reality's affairs.
The Imperial political reforms and Adeptus Mechanicus reforms promoted by Alex
gave him hope that the Imperium would once again prosper.
As long as it continued,
why wouldn't they be able to quell the dark turmoil stirred up by the Chaos Gods?
At this moment, Roboute Guilliman saw Fulgrim, paused, and then raised his voice.
"Fulgrim?"
"Saint, get away from that guy."
That face was all too familiar.
As soon as he saw that face, the scar on Roboute Guilliman's neck faintly throbbed.
Alex stepped forward. "Regent, don't get excited. He is not our enemy; he is on our side."
"You can't trust a traitor's words," Roboute Guilliman said. "They are too cunning."
Alex patiently explained the whole story.
"This is Fulgrim, a clone created by Fabius Bile using your brother's genetic samples."
"He was taken away by Trazyn the Infinite for some reason, kept in his collection, until the God Chosen launched a war and rescued him…"
Roboute Guilliman's eyes widened as he scrutinized Fulgrim.
"He's a clone."
"Yes." Alex nodded. "Your father asked me to take him to the Golden Throne. I considered that such an important matter should also be known to you, so I contacted you."
The Chaos Gods are most adept at sowing discord.
Too many secrets could easily be exploited.
It was better to be honest, to prevent Roboute Guilliman from making wild conjectures.
Lest, there be a Roboute Guilliman Great Heresy, then that would be a huge joke.
"My father wants you to take him to the Golden Throne?" Roboute Guilliman frowned. "What is my father trying to do??"
"To Purify the Chaos corruption in his body," Alex said frankly. "And then have him serve as my Captain of the Guard."
Roboute Guilliman: "..."
No, who is the real son here??
Although Fulgrim was a clone and not as strong as the original Primarch, he was still related to a Primarch.
And just like that, he was readily arranged to be the Saint's Captain of the Guard?
Although I didn't want him, at least make some arrangements, just to give me a chance to refuse.
Ever since I woke up, I've been working like a dog.
No words, no benefits.
Is it possible that one day, the Emperor's position will also be given to the Saint?
Of course, if the Emperor willed it, Roboute Guilliman would support it.
After all, the current situation couldn't get any worse.
Moreover, the Saint's character, he wouldn't mess around, he would honestly develop technology and civilian life.
And with Cortana assisting him, it felt like he was more suitable for that position than the Emperor.
Alex didn't know Roboute Guilliman had so many thoughts.
Otherwise, he would definitely give him the middle finger.
I treat you like a brother, and you want me to sit on the Golden Throne!!
After informing Roboute Guilliman about Fulgrim,
Alex, accompanied by Senior General Tura and other Custodians, led Fulgrim into the Throne Room.
The Throne Room, as always, was filled with light, and numerous machines rumbled.
When Fulgrim saw the Emperor seated on the Throne, tears blurred his eyes.
"Father."
He instinctively blurted it out.
And at this moment, the many machines maintaining the Golden Throne emitted a high-pitched sound.
Bang! Bang!
Some devices overloaded, and electrical sparks flew.
Clearly, the Emperor also noticed Fulgrim.
"Praise the Emperor." Alex performed the aquila salute, praying to the Emperor.
The next second, a dazzling golden pillar of light enveloped Fulgrim.
Immediately after, Fulgrim disappeared from everyone's sight.
"He manifested again!!"
Senior General Tura and the other Custodians watched this scene, their hearts pounding with excitement.
During this time, the Emperor's continuous manifestations indicated that His condition was improving.
In due time, He might even stand up again and lead them to conquer the galaxy.
Enveloped in light, Fulgrim instinctively closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, the surrounding environment had undergone a drastic change.
Looking as far as the eye could see, he saw a clear blue sky, spotless, as if it had been washed.
A few pure white clouds adorned the horizon.
An unobstructed, magnificent landscape slowly unfolded before him.
Snow-capped mountains, towering into the clouds, stood at the end of the horizon.
A vast, boundless green grassland connected to the mountains.
Fulgrim showed a surprised expression.
He looked around and found himself standing on a damp lawn.
After taking a deep breath, his mouth was filled with sweet fragrance and clear, fresh air.
"Where am I?"
Fulgrim looked around at the beautiful scenery, a confused expression on his face.
"This is the Reality of old. The place you are standing, before the Imperial Palace was built, was called the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau."
A deep, powerful voice rang out.
Fulgrim turned his head and saw a tall, slender, handsome blonde man.
The man was wearing armor covered in battle scars from sword cuts and axe blows.
He had a sturdy brown beard, broad and thick shoulders, and strong arms covered in scars.
"Who are you?" Fulgrim felt that the other person was very familiar.
"It seems you haven't inherited all the memories."
The man walked up to Fulgrim.
"I am Rylanor, formerly of the Third Legion. Perhaps in a different form, you would be more familiar."
The man's figure flickered like a phantom for a moment, then transformed into a tall Dreadnought.
The Dreadnought's surface was painted purple, and the golden two-headed eagle on its chest was particularly striking.
This Dreadnought was indeed the last loyalist of Istvaan III,
a noble Emperor's Children warrior, the embodiment of loyalty and faith, the Ancient – Rylanor.
At this moment, memories of Istvaan III flooded into Fulgrim's mind.
Undoubtedly, it was a shameful betrayal.
The loyal Emperor's Children were suppressed by the traitors led by Fulgrim.
After a brutal ground battle, the traitors conducted orbital bombardment, using this despicable method to bury the loyalists who remained on the ground.
"I'm sorry." Fulgrim knelt on one knee.
The battle of Istvaan III had nothing to do with Fulgrim,
but the vivid memories still tormented him, making him fully empathize with Fulgrim's perspective.
So, when he saw Rylanor, a strong sense of guilt overwhelmed him.
"This is not your fault. You are just a clone, a new individual who has received the original's memories and genetic sequence."
Rylanor returned to his blonde man form.
That was how he looked before he was interred in the Dreadnought.
He helped Fulgrim to his feet.
"Why are you here?" Fulgrim asked.
"To guide you. Fulgrim betrayed humanity, but there is still a chance for redemption. Come with me, there's something I need to give you."
Rylanor led Fulgrim towards a magnificent Imperial hall.
…
Alex, who had waited for most of the day in the Throne Room, did not see Fulgrim return for a long time.
So he left to see Trazyn the Infinite, who was imprisoned in the Custodian's dungeon.
"How is that possible?"
Upon seeing Cortana beside Alex, Trazyn cried out in shock, as if he had seen a ghost.