Chapter 271: You Cannot Remember History Only When It Is Glorious

Data streams danced through the command chamber, holograms floating above the dome and the mosaic-covered floor.

Behind the flowing data, the walls were inscribed with the grand deeds of the Ultramarines over ten thousand years.

From the Emperor and Primarch Roboute Guilliman's charge from Macragge, to Guilliman's acceptance of his legion, the Five Hundred Worlds of Ultramar, the sorrow of the Battle of Kaos.

Leina stared at these magnificent deeds, her eyes widening involuntarily.

Merely gazing at the murals, Leina could feel the power within those legends.

In truth, Leina felt she herself was living within a legend.

The people walking beside her—Inquisitor Greyfax, Archmagos Belisarius Cawl, Living Saint Celestine, Chapter Master Calgar.

Each one a legend, each one a hero of the Imperium.

Of course, there was also Zhou Yun, whose form was hidden, his whereabouts unknown.

In Leina's eyes, Zhou Yun was now one of the legends, a remarkable figure.

In fact, Leina felt Zhou Yun was too remarkable.

Especially after witnessing him battle a Titan with his bare body. Had he not insisted that Archmagos Belisarius Cawl take credit for it, his name would have become legend on countless worlds.

And she—Leina, a psyker born in the Ashford Hive, once a hidden, illegal psyker—now had the chance to walk shoulder to shoulder with these legends.

This left Leina dizzy with awe.

She dared not hope that future generations, when remembering this history, would carve her image into the walls—but perhaps, at least, her name might be mentioned in passing alongside those legends in the historical records.

This thought stirred a quiet joy within Leina.

Yet at the same time, as she gazed at the murals, she noticed something strange.

Her knowledge of the Imperium's history from ten thousand years ago came mostly from the Ecclesiarchy; only after joining the Cadia Shock Troops had she learned a little of the true history.

So Leina could spot the oddities in the murals.

"Why does the mural content jump directly from the Battle of Kaos to the end of the Horus Heresy?"

Leina asked, puzzled.

On this wall chronicling the Ultramarines' glorious history,

there were no records of the period after the Battle of Kaos, nor of the Siege of Terra.

Leina's shallow historical knowledge told her this was among the most critical periods of the entire Horus Heresy.

How could the Ultramarines have been absent?

Calgar, walking at the front, halted abruptly. He turned to glance at Leina, then turned back and walked on in silence.

"The Ultramarines did not reinforce the Siege of Terra in time," Greyfax said, stepping silently beside Leina and lowering her voice.

Leina's expression froze, then she quickly realized she had spoken out of turn.

Instantly, shame washed over her—this was clearly a stain on the Ultramarines' honor; she should not have—

"No need for shame. Failing to reinforce Terra is not an untouchable topic among the Ultramarines."

Calgar, as if sensing Leina's feelings, suddenly spoke:

"Our gene-father's teaching: the value of history lies in guiding future generations—both failure and success deserve to be remembered."

"Glory and shame hold equal weight in history."

Leina silently bowed to this legendary hero of the Imperium.

History must be remembered—whether in shame or glory. This character and reason made her marvel: no wonder it was the teaching of Primarch Roboute Guilliman.

Yet Leina remained confused.

She now understood why the Siege of Terra was not carved into the wall.

But between the end of the Battle of Kaos and the Siege of Terra, there was still a long stretch of history—why was it missing?

And why did Chapter Master Calgar mention only the Siege of Terra, not that intervening period?

Why—

A hand quietly tapped Leina's shoulder, as if telling her to stop asking.

Leina did not see the hand's owner, but quickly realized it was Zhou Yun's warning.

"You cannot remember history only when it is glorious."

Zhou Yun's voice whispered softly beside Leina's ear:

"But some history—even the Primarchs are unwilling to remember. Like an extra Imperium."

An extra Imperium?

Though her mind brimmed with questions, Leina instantly clamped her mouth shut, deciding to bury the doubt deep within.

History not remembered—clearly not her place to ask about.

The chapter servants in the hall cleared a path for Calgar and the expeditionary force.

Chapter Master Calgar of the Ultramarines, his steel frame moving slowly forward, took his seat upon the marble command throne at the center of the domed chamber, Ageman standing guard beside him.

In the room, two other figures drew attention.

One was an Ultramarines Librarian with silver-glowing eyes; on the Blade of Glory, Inquisitor Greyfax had given Leina a brief introduction to Ultramarines personnel, allowing Leina to guess this was Librarian Master Digeris.

The other figure—

A Space Marine clad in silver-powered armor, wielding a hammer of silver-steel, his armor inscribed with countless sacred maxims and sigils; the emblem on his pauldrons was one Leina had never seen.

"Master of the Third Brotherhood of the Grey Knights," Greyfax murmured. "Grand Master of the Third Brotherhood—technically equivalent in rank to a standard Space Marine company captain."

"But they do not strictly adhere to the Codex Astartes; their actual command authority and forces far exceed those of a standard captain."

As she spoke, Greyfax's gaze lingered briefly on the Grey Knight's chest, where a scroll hung:

"Grand Master Voldus of the Third Brotherhood."

The Grey Knight known as Voldus noticed Greyfax and gave her a slight nod.

Then his gaze fell upon Leina.

The Grey Knight's brow furrowed slightly.

"Alpha-level psyker. Untrained by the Imperium."

Voldus seemed to make his judgment in an instant:

"You have brought a dangerous individual. She is clearly—has been an illegal psyker for a long time."

"Do you have a sanction from the Inquisition?"

Leina's expression stiffened slightly.

She knew Voldus meant no malice; his "danger" was not directed personally at her.

After all, this Grand Master's psychic power, like that of Digeris beside him, was clearly stronger than hers.

Hmm—Leina judged the Grand Master to be around seven or eight Reels, while Digeris was at least dozens.

Their "danger" referred to untrained illegal psykers, especially Alpha-level ones like Leina, who might, at any moment, become a warp gate, sprouting demons or even greater daemons on the spot.

"Grand Master, she does have one," Greyfax defended Leina. "In fact, she is the commander of Cadia's 184th Regiment. Do you think a Cadia Shock Troop officer would be an illegal psyker?"

Hearing Greyfax's words and the name "Cadia," Voldus's expression softened slightly.

He even gave Leina a slight nod, as if apologizing.

Leina shivered slightly, her eyes darting away.

"You do have one, don't you?" Greyfax noticed Leina's expression.

". was supposed to." Leina replied flatly.

She had been an illegal psyker; though later absorbed into the Cadia Shock Troops, she had undergone no Inquisition training or screening, and thus possessed no official Inquisition sanction.

In truth, General Drostron had used his connections to secure Leina a temporary permit from the Cadia Inquisition, requiring her to undergo inspection and training when time permitted to obtain formal certification.

But soon after, the Black Legion attacked; Cadia was obliterated by Abaddon, and the very Inquisition that granted Leina the permit was reduced to ash.

So Leina considered it: she appeared to still be an illegal psyker.

A deathly silence filled the air. Greyfax's eye twitched.

"I'll write you a permit. Go to the Inquisition and get yourself properly screened," she said, exasperated.

Grand Master Voldus frowned slightly, clearly displeased with Greyfax's casualness.

"No need to worry, Brother Voldus."

Digeris spoke, slightly surprised:

"I have already scanned her. This Cadia warrior bears no trace of corruption. In fact, her mind shows little distortion from psychic influence."

"Even trained psykers rarely achieve such purity. Fascinating. Remarkable. A pity she is female."

Hearing Digeris's assessment, Grand Master Voldus relaxed slightly and nodded in agreement.

"A pity she is female," Voldus said.

Female meant she could never become an Astartes. Such exceptional talent could never become an Ultramarines Librarian or a Grey Knight. What a waste.

Leina stepped back silently, trying to hide herself in the shadows.

But their attention did not linger on Leina long—it shifted immediately to the figures behind her: Efrine and the Red-Armored Warrior, Thousand Faces.

If Leina's status was debatable, the blasphemy radiating from Efrine and Thousand Faces was unquestionable.

Calgar lowered his head, studying the expeditionary force before him:

An illegal psyker, an Inquisitor from an unknown era, an alien witch.

And Archmagos Belisarius Cawl—he claimed to have subdued those Titans himself,

but something was clearly amiss. Perhaps he used some blasphemous technology, or perhaps someone else was responsible.

Were those two aliens? Some Eldar blasphemous tech?

Calgar could not judge—the power was too immense, beyond anything he had witnessed in his lifetime.

"Why have you come, Archmagos?" Calgar asked in a low voice.

"For the promise."

Belisarius Cawl's voice returned to cold stillness,

Karlaga almost felt he was not speaking to him.

"For the covenant signed with the Lord of Ultramar," Belisarius Cawl said lightly.

"."

Karlaga stared at Belisarius Cawl; his words left Karlaga baffled:

"I do not know who you are, Sage."

"I have never made a covenant with you."

"In truth, I have never made any form of covenant with any follower of Omnisiah."

Instantly, the air grew cold and heavy,

Grand Master Voldus of the Grey Knights gripped his warhammer, while Ageman placed his hand on the hilt of his holy power sword,

even among the expeditionary forces, a ripple of shock passed—Leina and Greifax looked at Cawl with confusion,

only Calestine remained calm, as did Eveleen and the Thousand Faces.

"Not you."

Belisarius Cawl exhaled slowly, as if revealing a secret buried deep within his heart for countless years:

"The child of Roboute Guilliman—the Lord of Ultramar made the covenant with me."

"The true Lord of Ultramar!"

(End of Chapter)