Chapter 273: Rena: What? I

The resting place of the Primarch was so magnificent that the low-setting sun and the bursting void shield illuminated the entire cathedral.

It was an arched hall, soaring to ceilings carved from marble pillars that pierced the heavens, tall enough for a Warlord-class Titan to stride through unimpeded, and the transport bearing Belisarius Cawl's sacred cargo entered without effort.

Rena looked up and saw the ceiling, composed of mosaic, gemstones, and obsidian inlaid with moon-silver, glowing like a hazy night sky of stars.

Ion torches burned upon the marble pillars, illuminating friezes and statues that sang of Guilliman's great deeds.

The scent of incense drifted among those frozen legends, settling silently at the edge of the stasis field.

At the hall's end, machinery that had never ceased running for ten thousand years hummed, encasing the throne carved from marble, gold, and diamond.

Upon the throne sat a son of the Emperor, heir to His bloodline, silent and still.

His head hung slightly low, blood dripping from his neck like a crimson necklace.

Rena knew the origin of that wound.

The mark left by the Daemon Primarch Fulgrim, corrupted by the Prince of Chaos—of that Daemon Primarch, Rena's only memory was a casual remark Zhou Yun had made to her aboard the Eldar ship.

"The truly proud do not speak of their pride constantly; Fulgrim was, in truth, a man of deep insecurity."

"Many silent, humble warriors among the Emperor's Children stood against Fulgrim—they were so proud they could scorn their fallen gene-father and the Prince of Darkness."

Rena did not know if this assessment was true, but she was awed by the allure of that history from ten thousand years past.

Especially when she saw the sword resting upon the Primarch's knees—the Emperor's Sword, once wielded by both the Emperor and Roboute Guilliman.

Just one glance made her dizzy.

This moment was too sacred; everything nearby seemed newly forged, pure—she even doubted whether she was caught in some illusion.

Until Karlach's power armor rumbled, stepping slowly beneath Roboute Guilliman's slumbering throne, guarded by Terminators and Grey Knights.

Karlach stood at the foot of the throne's steps, turning to face the entire expeditionary force.

The air fell silent, save for the unceasing roar of battle erupting beyond the cathedral, from the entire Hera Fortress.

Karlach's mechanical eye locked onto Belisarius Cawl, and he drew a deep breath.

"In the name of our gene-father, in the name of the one you claim to serve—Belisarius Cawl, Arch-Sage, explain your purpose!"

Belisarius Cawl lifted his head slightly, his gaze passing over Karlach to rest upon Roboute Guilliman.

Karlach frowned slightly.

"Arch-Sage, I have tolerated you and your people too long."

"My warriors fight a desperate battle outside; my soul can no longer endure more waiting, more mysteries."

Hearing Karlach's words, Belisarius Cawl subtly tilted his head, his eyes flickering with streams of data.

"Once I believed the flesh was the Emperor's most perfect creation, but to endure the long ages and fulfill my mission… I became this."

Belisarius Cawl opened his body slightly.

Before them stood a steel behemoth, no longer human.

"Even so, after ten thousand years, many of my memory units have degraded; many details I no longer recall."

"I remember only that the Primarch gave me two tasks; one has not yet reached the time to be revealed."

Before Karlach could speak, Belisarius Cawl continued.

"And I am here to complete the other."

"Ten thousand years ago, the Primarch understood that nothing in the mortal realm is eternal—not even the Emperor's most perfect creation."

"We lost so many Children of the Omnissiah; those who remain are precious, indispensable—especially Roboute Guilliman himself."

"But traitors still live; the Primarch could not leave the front, must face the possibility of death—so, as if foreseen, Roboute Guilliman entrusted me with a mission."

Belisarius Cawl silently turned his gaze to Karlach.

Karlach's eyes flickered; he instinctively guessed the nature of Belisarius Cawl's mission.

But his reason and emotion both told him—if true—it would be an unquestionable miracle.

"The mission the Primarch gave me was… to bring him back from death, so that a Child of the Omnissiah may walk among mortals once more."

Belisarius Cawl's voice was soft, yet rare with emotion.

It was a sigh of relief, layered with ten thousand years of weariness and pain.

"And I have completed it. I forged a sacred armor; its auxiliary systems will fully heal the wound Fulgrim the Daemon Primarch left upon Roboute Guilliman's neck."

"A living, breathing Child of the Omnissiah shall return today."

Rena's legs gave way, and she collapsed heavily to the ground.

A wave of intense dizziness crashed over her consciousness.

A son of the God-Emperor would return today—and she would witness it, even participate in this moment.

Instantly, from the expeditionary force to the Space Marines and Grey Knights, every eye turned to the transport behind Belisarius Cawl.

A hope lay within it—a hope that would let the Primarch walk among men once more.

At this moment, Karlach's soul trembled; Grand Master Voldus let out a low exclamation; Diggory's lips curled into a faint smile.

"But before that, he must first die."

At that moment, a cold, grave voice, like a tomb, suddenly spoke.

Efrain's gaze slowly swept over those present; her voice shattered the surge of excitement and awe that had just risen in every heart.

Like a bucket of icy water poured in the dead of night, it extinguished all passion.

"Alien, you had better explain yourself," Karlach's expression darkened.

Efrain nodded slightly, speaking like a surgeon describing a procedure.

"The wound exists not only upon the flesh, but upon the soul—or rather, the soul's wound is the true one."

"To truly heal him, to let him walk among mortals again, you must…"

Efrain slowly drew her waist sword; instantly, the Space Marines all raised their bolters and aimed at Efrain.

But Efrain paid no heed; she simply displayed her blade to all present.

It was a blade as pale as bone, glowing with a deathly blue radiance, chilling to the marrow.

"This is the Sword of Sorrow, Keviel—one of the Five Hag Swords, forged from the fingerbone of Morri Black, the Crone-Goddess who governs soul and fate."

"The wielder gains dominion over life and death; and I am the divine emissary of the Eldar Death God, Ynnead."

"Cut to the point, Alien," Karlach growled, his face as dark as a blood-mad Khorne demon about to roar: "What do you intend to do with your blasphemous blade?"

Efrain tilted her head slightly, looking at Karlach. "Kill your gene-father, Roboute Guilliman."

"Of course, this is to enable his resurrection."

Done for.

In an instant, this thought flashed through Rena's mind.

An Eldar witch claims she can heal the Primarch—but only if she first stabs him to death.

Even Karlach, let alone Rena, would react with absolute refusal upon hearing this.

And immediately suspect the motives of everyone present.

Rena wanted to cry.

Judging by the current situation, the expeditionary force's loyalty seemed lower than Zhou Yun's habit of cracking blasphemous jokes.

She had thought she was witnessing a legend—how had it nearly become a tragedy?

Grand Master Voldus's face was grim; he walked slowly to Karlach's side. The Space Marines and Grey Knights all leveled their weapons at the expeditionary force.

"Do you not understand?" Efrain said slowly. "This must be done."

"And even if it fails, you lose nothing—a man already destined for death simply moves to his true end."

"Alien!!! Shut up!!!"

Karlach roared like fury incarnate, so loud that for an instant, Rena remembered the Khorne demons she had seen on the battlefield.

"As long as I draw breath, you shall not touch my gene-father's body with your blasphemous weapon!"

As Karlach's roar echoed, the Grey Knights and Space Marines swiftly surrounded the expeditionary force, their weapons aimed directly at the transport behind Belisarius Cawl and at Efrain.

Rena lightly licked her dry lips; she noticed Cestus attempting to reason with the others to lower their weapons, while Arch-Sage Cawl silently gripped his Axe of the Omnissiah.

Unexpectedly, Gravex's eyes flickered with sudden understanding, then he stood firmly with the rest of the expeditionary force.

Only Rena was utterly lost, unsure which side to take.

She wanted to ask Zhou Yun—but Zhou Yun wore the device called Blindspot Star, and now his whereabouts were unknown.

Yet at that moment, Diggory, the Chief Librarian among the Space Marines, stepped forward toward the expeditionary force.

All eyes in the hall fixed upon him.

Rena tensed instantly; as a psyker, she knew better than anyone how powerful this Librarian was.

But unexpectedly, the Librarian stepped beside Cawl and silently leveled his staff at the Space Marines and Grey Knights.

"Diggory," Karlach growled, his voice choked with fury and shock.

Diggory merely shook his head slightly and spoke two words.

"Hope." His tone was unwavering.

Karlach roared in rage.

His body moved fast—faster than his frame should allow, faster than Rena's psychic senses could track.

The sacred relic, the Fist of the Ultramarines, slammed straight into the expeditionary force—

A hum of energy suddenly erupted; a power hammer engraved with the Blood Angels sigil appeared silently from midair, intercepting Karlach's fist.

The clash of energy fields exploded as the Fist of the Ultramarines met the Hammer of Baal.

Captain Calain of the Blood Angels had appeared on the battlefield; with his superhuman gauntlets, he absorbed Karlach's blow outright.

Alongside him emerged twenty-one other Blood Angels warriors, their shoulder plates painted metallic blue—including a Death Company Dreadnought.

The air froze. Karlach stared, stunned and bewildered, unable to comprehend where these Blood Angels had come from.

"Since the Spirit Clan's Death God is unwilling to kill you, would you mind if I did?"

Zhou Yun's voice echoed from the void.

(End of Chapter)