Lion El'Jonson's communication came faster than Morgana had imagined.
To be honest, it was not easy.
This war had become so chaotic and rotten that most of the permanent fortress complexes on the surface of Tacus V had been reduced to ruins in the prolonged struggle. Choking black smoke obscured the sun, shrouding half the world in gloom.
And in the firmament above, the Human Imperium's fleet, after a brief but bloody counterattack, had once again retreated to its steel defenses in Tacus V's orbit. The massive fleet, gathered from three Legions before the war, had suffered over half its strength. Just to slightly delay the Xenos Emperor's terrifying offensive, the Lion had lost over a hundred powerful war engines.
Of course, the Imperium's immense losses were accompanied by unimaginably glorious results: the Xenos blood spilled in this star system was far greater than humanity's. Even the most optimistic estimates before the war would not have dreamed of such abundant achievements.
The number of Randan Soldiers trapped on the barren world and annihilated by Salamanders, countless Auxiliary Forces, and Dark Angels' secret weapons was simply incalculable, so much so that even Vulkan himself would be astonished. Despite campaigning for decades in the stars, he had rarely witnessed such a brutal, pure, swift, decisive, and fruitful annihilation operation.
However, the Lord of the Firedrakes was surprised by more than just this: the blacksmith and Warrior King from Nocturne marveled that his brother Lion El'Jonson possessed such a multitude of secret weapons. In his plan, the Xenos remnants that would have taken ten days or even longer to slowly annihilate did not even last a single afternoon after the Dark Angels unleashed some of their hidden treasures.
Beyond that, more Silent Killers were released by the First Legion onto the burning warships in the void. Alongside the best Space Wolves and fully armed Inner Circle Veterans, they engaged in a ruthless competition of killing efficiency, and they were far ahead.
With every passing moment, these creations stolen from time caused more blood and life to flow, in numbers so vast it felt like recording boastful figures.
Wisely, Vulkan did not inquire further. He even forbade his progeny and the mortals fighting alongside him from witnessing the Dark Angels' battlefield. Even though these mortals were seasoned veterans,
the Lord of the Firedrakes still felt that the sight before them was ultimately too terrifying and bloody for mortals, even more unforgettable than the overwhelming Xenos Hordes, and it contained obscure secrets that would entangle these Mortal Blood in trouble.
Yet, despite such rich gains, the Randan Fleet, severely depleted, that the Lion faced was still so numerous as to drive any Human Imperium commander to despair. Although their previous ferocity had waned,
the sheer power of their numbers allowed them to endure unimaginable damage, slowly gnawing at Lion El'Jonson's fortresses. Even the Ancient Constructs, powerful as they were, suffered losses under the relentless charges of the Randan Overlord.
And when the Randan Emperor finally entered this star system, although it had not yet directly engaged in combat, the subsequent appearance of the [Randan Custodian Guard] still made the situation unprecedentedly dire:
these most elite Xenos creations were capable of confronting and suppressing even the most exceptional Astartes warriors. When they entered the battlefield in groups, their relentless footsteps were unstoppable.
Thus, a strange aura began to envelop the entire Tacus System: both Human and Xenos fleets were shrouded in low morale, dejected by unfavorable battle conditions or immense casualties. Not to mention the increasingly rampant Warp Storms, which could cause losses far more terrifying than artillery fire in an instant, forcing every fighting warship to be extra cautious against these Void Traps.
Under these conditions, any communication was extremely difficult, especially after Morgana's power gradually depleted from maintaining communication platforms as new tasks and soul reserves dwindled, and inter-fleet communication reverted to a state reliant purely on luck.
Even if the individuals needing to converse were two noble Primarchs, the situation would not improve much.
In fact, ever since Morgana and Leman Russ boarded the Randan Empire's steel world, Lion El'Jonson had failed to establish contact with them. The Xenos Empire's technological level was more advanced than the Human Imperium's; they possessed sufficient means to intercept the Lion's messages.
When the Task Force sent to destroy the [Fate Engine] appeared on the dunes of Tacus V, this news was swiftly relayed to the [Unbending Truth] in planetary orbit, and Lion El'Jonson's reply came without any delay.
In Lion El'Jonson's voice, Morgana could hear a hint of genuine urgency and worry.
"What's the situation? Is that thing destroyed? How are you and Russ?"
Questions from the Lion of Caliban came one after another. Morgana did not immediately answer. She first rubbed her aching temples before giving her reply before Lion El'Jonson's patience ran out. At this moment, the Spider Queen of the Second Legion had reverted to her cold, business-like tone, making her kneeling progeny afraid to even breathe.
[Russ and I are both alive. We destroyed that engine, but it's not out of the question that Randan could find a way to reuse it.]
[Our casualties are heavy, with only a thousand or so survivors. Russ may find it difficult to fight at full strength for a while, and my combat capabilities have also been significantly weakened.]
As Morgana spoke, she stretched out her hand and placed it on Hektor, who was kneeling before her.
The Spider Queen sat upon a large rock, still somewhat weak, maintaining her diminutive form. However, she now had enough energy to let her progeny come before her one by one, squatting or kneeling, as she used her psychic powers to heal their physical and spiritual wounds.
Salieri or Eris could also do this, of course, but in Morgana's eyes, they didn't do it well enough, leaving some hard-to-detect hidden injuries. She didn't want her personal effects to show cracks so early.
Perhaps to outsiders, kneeling before a petite woman barely a meter tall, under the gaze of thousands of eyes, might seem humiliating. However, Morgana's progeny accepted this with surprising ease. They enthusiastically lined up, allowing their Gene-Mother's cold hand to press against their skulls or shoulders one by one. Even Ancient Warrior Chiron, who hailed from Terra, displayed a rare enthusiasm.
Captain Hektor, a hulking Astartes, humbly waited at the very end, earning him five admiring glances.
Morgana had considered treating Leman Russ first, but the Wolf King of Fenris insisted on arranging his own progeny first, and indeed, healing his extensive injuries would be a long process. All Morgana could do now was a general repair.
Lion El'Jonson fell silent, processing the information internally and extracting useful parts to formulate new ideas and thoughts.
"That Xenos Emperor, what's its strength like? Have you had a direct confrontation with it? And what was the outcome?"
At this, Morgana could even infer her blood kin's tightly furrowed brow from Lion El'Jonson's tone. Lion El'Jonson was never one to shy from battle, but the scene of the Randan Supreme Ruler destroying hundreds of warships with a wave of its hand had been seen clearly by him through his scrying box.
Morgana was silent for a moment; she didn't try to embellish anything.
[Without me, Leman Russ and the others most likely wouldn't have made it back.]
This answer plunged Lion El'Jonson into a near-deathly silence.
The Knight-King of Caliban did not blindly press further or deny it. He knew well that Morgana, speaking in such a tone, would never utter falsehoods. Ten years of acquaintance and meticulous observation had given the Lion of Caliban this confidence.
He also knew that in the current Milky Way Galaxy, Primarchs were far from invincible.
Lion El'Jonson knew more clearly than any of his blood kin how many terrifying things lurked in the shadows of the galaxy.
He remained silent, a silence quickly broken by a new question.
This question seemed hesitant.
"Then… compared to our Father?"
[Our Father is in the Firmament, you and I are in the dust, and that Xenos Emperor likely stands at the highest peak.]
Lion El'Jonson responded to Morgana's assessment with a soft hum. His voice remained calm amidst countless thoughts and conjectures.
After a moment, he spoke in a voice that could almost be described as gentle.
"Morgana…"
The Spider Queen turned her head towards her progeny. Hektor and five others stood there, quietly receiving psychic healing from Morgana, one by one, for their physical and spiritual wounds and fatigue. They quickly stood tall once more, towering over the slowly recuperating Space Wolves.
Morgana waved her hand, signaling her progeny to stand back. She understood her blood kin's intent from Lion El'Jonson's tone: he wanted to discuss something private.
In the past decade, he had often used this low, soft tone to initiate conversations about secrets; Morgana had long grown accustomed to it.
[Speak.]
"I still have some hidden, unused [Implements]. They are truly too uncontrollable, but they could provide the combat power of one to two Primarchs, and maintain it for a relatively long time."
Morgana's pupils contracted slightly.
[So, your idea?]
"You, I, and Vulkan, plus these unused weapons in my hands, all together, and bringing Kos and Alajos with us, then choosing a suitable battlefield for us, is there a possibility…"
"To end that Xenos Emperor here?"
[...]
——————
[It's feasible.]
[But I don't recommend you do that, Lion El'Jonson.]
Morgana looked up. Through the rolling smoke, she could see glimpses of the Firmament. The Firmament was not beautiful; it was now obscured by endless war and the twisted void. Morgana could only see mad silhouettes dancing among the dim stars, like desperate souls lost to alcohol.
"Why, because of the success rate?"
[That's partly the reason. I don't believe the strength of four or five Primarchs could quickly kill it. I even suspect such power might not pose a life-threatening danger to it at all.]
[But that's not the main reason.]
[The most important thing is…]
Morgana looked at the distorted stars, a smile playing on her lips—a genuine sneer at the tragic fate of countless Xenos.
[We don't need to do that.]
[Within this star system, we are the ones in despair, but outside this star system, they are.]
——————
"Are you referring to our Father, and Horus and Mortarion?"
[Partly them. And if my memory hasn't failed me because of this war, they should arrive here soon, right?]
"Yes, but I don't believe we can hold out until then if we allow that Xenos Emperor to run rampant."
[Even if we can't hold out, we can still withdraw, Lion El'Jonson.]
[Or… do you not wish to appear before them as a retreat-er and, in a sense, a failure?]
Lion El'Jonson fell silent for a moment; he uncharacteristically did not avoid the question.
"There are some issues regarding that. We've invested too much in this war. I don't want my progeny to appear before others as failures, even if it's just failures in one battle."
"I once swore to the Emperor that I would either eliminate or hold back the Randan army here. This is my oath: indeed, Morgana, if we retreat through the reserved passage to the next star system, we will most likely link up with the approaching reinforcing fleets, but that would no longer be our victory."
[…Have you ever considered, Lion El'Jonson.]
[Even if we gather three Legions and countless forces, it is impossible for us, with the power we command and the limited territory of a single star system, to bleed a race capable of contending for the entire galaxy dry?]
"Nothing is impossible in the galaxy, Morgana."
[Alright, I don't have the time or interest to discuss these philosophical questions with you. When I destroyed that Fate Engine, I sensed something from it.]
[I can tell you, Lion El'Jonson.]
[From the moment that Fate Engine was destroyed, we had already won.]
Lion El'Jonson said nothing, but Morgana could feel his confusion. The Gene-Mother of the Second Legion lowered her voice and softly uttered the next words.
[Aren't you curious, my blood kin, why Randan would make such an irrational move, throwing all its power into an almost suicidal gamble?]
[I didn't understand before, but in that engine, I learned everything.]
[That Xenos Emperor deceived its subjects, deceived everyone.]
[Its actions were not aimed at continuing its galactic dominance at all.]
[But rather: survival.]
——————
[In this war, Randan was already on its last legs. This Xenos civilization's foundation is only a few centuries old. It grew by feeding on human remnants and simply does not have enough depth to wage a truly protracted war of attrition against us.]
[Yes, it has sufficient potential and ambition to contend for the galaxy with us, but our foundation is too profound. The entire galaxy is filled with forces at our disposal, and the sheer scale of this difference is enough to drive anyone to despair.]
[In short, they were bled dry by us.]
[Ten years of war, battlefields spanning half the galaxy, countless wars that incinerated millions of their own young, have completely burned through this race's foundation. At some point in our attrition with Randan, they already knew they had no chance of victory.]
[And under these circumstances, they chose to create the Fate Engine, choosing to slaughter countless worlds and lives in the Northern Galaxy, using the purest hatred and suffering to forge such a terrifying machine. Its offensive power was enough to cover an entire star system, to destroy an entire star system.]
[To be honest, even I didn't want to get too involved with this thing. It certainly possesses immense power, but this power might be the most venomous and insane in the entire galaxy. It could torment even the strongest stone into a complete madman.]
[And the sole objective of this machine was Holy Terra. It yearned to destroy the core region of the Imperium: the Solar System, to end this war.]
"War cannot be ended by destroying a single region."
Lion El'Jonson's tone was definitive.
[Of course, Lion El'Jonson, but there is indeed something exceptionally important to humanity in the Solar System, isn't there?]
Lion El'Jonson fell silent for a moment, then, without spending too much time, he spoke the answer.
——————
"The Astronomican."
——————
[Yes, the Astronomican.]
[It is immovable, irreplaceable, and even if destroyed, it cannot be rebuilt in a short time.]
[By destroying it, the entire Human Imperium's military operations would plunge into extreme chaos and stagnation, and any attack on the Randan Empire's core regions would become a fantasy.]
[This is what it wanted to do: it wanted to end this war. It wanted to prevent the Imperium's military forces from truly striking its nation's core regions. Even if this chaos only lasted for a while, it would give its race a chance to breathe.]
[As long as there is life, there are new methods and hope.]
[So, this is about survival.]
——————
"..."
"..."
"..."
"It won't succeed. Even if it can destroy the Astronomican, the Imperium still possesses enough power to rebuild a new one, and then destroy its race with endless fury."
[Of course, but it doesn't know that, does it?]
[The power brought by deep foundations, immense scale, and ancient history is unimaginable even to such a great and intelligent monarch.]
Morgana sighed softly, but Lion El'Jonson was focused on something else.
"Did you completely destroy it, that [Fate Engine]?"
[Of course, unless it can find a powerful fool, who willingly becomes a tormented soul, and then…]
…
!
!!!
——————
Morgana's words abruptly ceased.
For in that very moment, a most piercing wail erupted in the entire Sea of Souls, stirring up endless turmoil, its wretched echo reverberating even in the deepest shadows of the Warp.
Morgana slowly raised her head.
She knew what it was.
It was a soul, an incredibly powerful soul, slowly walking into that [Fate Engine] where demons danced in chaos.
It was stepping into those maddening whirlpools of screams, allowing every inch of its flesh and every bone to undergo endless, repetitive cycles of tearing apart and reassembly, allowing its ideals and wisdom to be gnawed away piece by piece by hundreds of billions of wrongfully dead souls, like having its eyeballs eaten alive by ants. It was allowing its power, its dignity, all its glory and light, to turn into forgotten bones in an endless torment.
Morgana could not even imagine such a scene: the maddest and most twisted ideas she had ever witnessed in the Eldar's playful tricks seemed to fall far short of even a fraction of this terrifying fantasy.
Pain and pain.
Endless and endless.
Tens of thousands of years and tens of thousands of years.
Morgana breathed deeply. In that moment, she could only breathe, her pale lips trembling involuntarily. She didn't even hear Lion El'Jonson's call.
She looked up, at that gigantic soul, that soul that was allowing countless piercing screams to tear itself apart alive.
It was dying.
It was suffering.
It was becoming a second… [Fate Engine].
A sense of incomprehensible absurdity seized her heart in that instant.
How could this be…
How could it be possible…
How… how…
——————
How could there truly be… a fool like this?
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