Harlan felt a little constrained when he arrived at the council hall; he was not accustomed to serious occasions.
On the throne, King Nowick's weakness surprised and even frightened him.
He wondered what could have caused a king so admired by warriors to become so frail.
Beside King Nowick was a black-robed figure, wearing a hood that concealed their face.
A flicker of displeasure crossed Harlan's face, but it was quickly hidden.
He naturally recognized those black-robed figures who never showed their faces. They were anomalies within the Argentum, Psykers specially trained for psychic warfare, under the direct jurisdiction of the royal family.
"My King!" the Champion Swordsman knelt on one knee, offering his utmost respect to King Nowick with a firm, powerful voice.
"Champion Swordsman, Harlan Ogilvy!"
The King's weak voice was like a summons, calling his guardian knight.
"Can I trust you?"
From that simple question, Harlan felt an immense burden, as if all the King's hopes were placed upon him.
"My Second Oath! I will never fail King Nowick!"
Harlan bowed his head very low, always ready to fight for Argent Nur with his life, to shed his blood for King Nowick.
"What if I ask you to violate your Third Oath, to uphold your First Oath and Second Oath, the guardian vows you once made, and kill Blazkowicz?"
Boom—
King Nowick's question exploded in Harlan's skull like a thunderclap, making his head buzz, his brain's nerves in disarray from the explosive information.
The First Oath required the Sentinels to protect Argent Nur; this was the Watch's original vow, and the entire Sentinels system was built around it.
Blazkowicz… recalling that name, a bitter expression crossed Harlan's face. Had King Nowick discovered something, and intended to eliminate him to protect Argent Nur?
"My King… are you sure about what you just said?"
The Champion Swordsman's body tensed, his armor soaked with cold sweat, as he asked with difficulty.
For Harlan, though his time with Blazkowicz was short, he had watched his oath-lord grow up; they were both teacher and friend, with a deep bond.
Regardless of their personal feelings, Harlan felt this question went against ethical principles.
A father killing his son! It was a terrible sin that had never occurred since the establishment of the Argentum.
Most importantly, Harlan felt King Nowick overestimated himself and underestimated his son.
Such a powerful being was someone a comrade would be fortunate to have; if he were an enemy, one could only hope to die not too miserably, even by fighting with all their might.
"I am certain, Champion Swordsman. If I ask you to kill Blazkowicz, what will you do?"
Nowick leaned back on the throne, watching Harlan with a scrutinizing gaze, awaiting his reply.
"I will fulfill my First and Second Oaths!" Harlan exhaled a long breath, as if making the choice had drained all his strength.
Protecting Argent Nur was an overriding ironclad rule; the Sentinels would never violate it!
"Very good, your answer satisfies me."
Having received a satisfactory reply, King Nowick gestured to the Psyker Master beside him to activate a barrier; he had some absolute secrets to entrust to the Champion Swordsman.
"Champion Swordsman, come closer."
As he beckoned Harlan, within the psychic barrier, Nowick pressed the headrest of his throne, activating the null crystal, opening another layer of dimensional barrier.
Harlan's scalp tingled, feeling as if he was being forced into a massive vortex, where his choice would be crucial.
To his astonished gaze, King Nowick took out a strange orb and opened another transparent barrier.
Harlan was certain that orb had never appeared in Argent Nur's human civilization. It glowed a pale grey, with a jade-like texture, its surface carved with extremely complex lines, yet it also seemed perfectly seamless, without any trace of processing.
"Now we can talk freely."
With the three layers of barriers open, the weariness on King Nowick's face eased considerably, and he smiled with relief:
"Champion Swordsman, do you believe there are gods in this world?"
"No!" Harlan gave a confident answer, almost without hesitation, his tone resolute.
There were no gods in the universe!
Humans first flew out of the atmosphere with chemical rockets and searched everywhere without finding any gods.
Harlan's answer brought an understanding smile to King Nowick's face. Not long ago, he too believed there were no gods in the universe.
Gods were indeed not in the universe. They were in the Warp, behind the veil of reality, silently observing the beings of the universe.
"There are gods in this world!" Nowick said gravely and seriously, then activated the throne's projection, displaying Harlan's body data.
Being on the battlefield, knowing every detail of the Argentum's affairs, the King's gaze always saw through everything.
"Harlan Ogilvy, you should have felt the changes in your body."
Faced with the data King Nowick presented, Harlan opened his mouth, then closed it.
He didn't know how to refute it; he didn't believe there were gods in the world, nor did he know what scientific principle could explain his body's abnormalities.
"You are very unfortunate; a god has set their eyes on you. And very fortunate; they value you greatly, and the god's attention is gradually making you stronger."
"Are the gods constantly watching me?"
"Look at the defenses I've made," Nowick pointed to the surrounding translucent barriers: "Who are these measures meant to defend against eavesdropping and prying?"
"My King. Have you seen gods with your own eyes?"
Harlan took off his helmet, his tiger-like eyes fixed on his King, earnestly seeking a definitive answer.
"They speak to me day and night, right here." Nowick pointed to his head, smiling with a hint of disdain, not for Harlan, but for the gods:
"Who do you think caused my sorrowful state?"
"Then," Harlan knelt again, a cold killing intent on his face: "I am willing to believe in the existence of gods, and I will wield my sword against them!"
At this moment, most of the doubts in Harlan's heart were resolved.
His King was afraid, afraid that Blazkowicz might be swayed by gods, led down a deviant path away from the way of the warrior, or even commit absurd acts detrimental to Argent Nur.
"I swear to you! If Blazkowicz ever turns to the gods, I will find every possible way, use every means, and definitely kill him!"
The Champion Swordsman's eyes were firm, with the fearlessness of one who regards death as home. He knew Blazkowicz's power, yet he unhesitatingly made the vow, with the resolve of a moth drawn to a flame.
"Very good!" Nowick nodded in satisfaction. Harlan's thinking was very clear; he understood right from wrong.
"Open your mind and let the Psyker Master hypnotize you, sealing these conversations, promises, and memories to evade the gods' sight."
"Plant a suggestion deep in your mind, so that if Blazkowicz ever deviates from the path, these memories will be activated, and you will know what to do."
"Of course, as a father, I hope such a thing never happens."
"This is my final arrangement for you, Champion Swordsman." Nowick exerted great effort to explain everything clearly to Harlan. He used his wisdom to orchestrate everything, setting up all the contingencies.
"With utmost reverence, I offer you my profound respect!"
Harlan closed his eyes, gradually letting go of his mental defenses, allowing the Psyker Master to work in his mind.
He knew that in King Nowick's plan, he was the last safeguard, unable to salvage everything, but tasked with forcefully preventing the spread of corruption.
The Psyker Master finished everything. When Harlan's consciousness returned, he had forgotten everything that had just happened, and knew it was time for him to leave.
Without needing any explanation, when Harlan saw the Psyker Master standing before him, he knew that his memories had been tampered with under his own consent.
"King Nowick." Only the Psyker Master remained in the room—his voice dry yet filled with profound wisdom: "I was very much looking forward to the ending of the story you are orchestrating, but alas, I will not see it."
"My respects to you, Psyker Master. All you have done, though it will not be remembered, will have far-reaching impact."
Nowick had the Psyker Master brainwash him, similarly forgetting everything that happened within the barrier, his own arrangements.
"Goodbye." From the shadows of the Master's hood, King Nowick saw a hint of a smile: "I wish you ultimate victory in your game against the gods."
Having spoken, colorful psychic flames erupted from the Psyker Master, and in a water-like calm, both his flesh and soul burned to ashes.
King Nowick solemnly offered his respect, put away the orb, and withdrew the multiple barriers.
The game had just begun, and someone had chosen sacrifice to keep a secret.
The brief calm receded, and the decadent voices of the gods returned, his mind once again becoming a debate hall.
"Mortal wisdom, attempting to reverse the game? That ancient artifact shielded our sight, but it cannot change the outcome."
"Man proposes, God disposes!"