Gavel Loken stopped, he was reluctant to do so, he should have gone to another cell belonging to the Emperor's son to deliver the message.

It's ridiculous that they are on a Glorious Queen's warship and have to rely on such an ancient way to talk to each other. The more he thought about it, the more Lorcan realized the bitterness that existed behind it.

But he had to stop.

Because Ezekel Abaddon was standing across from him. He emerged from the darkness, one second non-existent, the next second he suddenly appeared like a man-eating shark on the surface, his mouth wide open. Lorcan stared at him, and the latter stared back at him.

Are they still brothers? Why does it look so similar to the enemy at this time? Lorcan felt a pang of sadness, and at the same time realized something from Abaddon's presence and attitude.

But is it possible? Horus knows now?

"Where are you going, Lorcan?" Abaddon asked softly.

"It's none of your business." Lorcan said. "I don't have to report to you what I'm going to do."

"Yes." Abaddon nodded. "But you haven't been in the dueling arena for three days, and Togarton. What are you doing? ”

"I won't go to that place even once."

"Whatever you want, but what are you doing?"

"It's none of your business."

"I understand." Abaddon said. "But I deserve the right to ask, Lorcan? Have you forgotten our oath? ”

"You and I are still brothers."

"Nope." Abaddon approached him, the word he spat out causing Lorcan to grit his teeth. Fortunately, Abaddon still has a following, not just a denial.

"There's another vow between you and me, and that means we have a relationship that's closer than brothers, Locan. The power of the oath is still at work for me and Eichmandel, what about you? What about Togarton? ”

There was some kind of doubt in his eyes, which seemed to be embedded in his sockets, and in fact, it could be much more than doubt.

He found out. A voice in Lorcan's heart said. He sent Abaddon here, and he knows everything.

Fear and shame began to creep in, but Loken didn't let them take control. He was still standing still, breathing steadily—he wasn't a good liar, and in fact, in his past life, he was insulated from lying.

But now he didn't know it on his own, as if he had already done it hundreds of times. He looked into Abaddon's eyes, kept his expression calm, kept his breathing gentle, and spoke in a voice that didn't change at all.

But he only had time to say one word.

"I-"

"—are you going to lie, Lorcan?" Abaddon asked.

He slowly approached him, and Lorcan didn't speak, just clenched his fists. He didn't understand why he was doing it, it was an aggressive gesture that shouldn't be between them.

For a moment, he was in turmoil, and Abaddon had already walked in front of him.

"You've never lied before, Lorcan. You've always been a man of integrity, and Roger Dorn even appreciates you. But what were you just doing? ”

Lorcan didn't speak, he was silent for a few seconds, and chose to take a step, passing Abaddon and stepping into the darkness.

He chose to leave Abaddon under the dim light.

The latter, with his back to him, laughed, and then spat out a word, only two syllables, which sounded like a pronouncement. Abaddon pronounced it in a tone that was not very solemn, but it caused Lorcan to stop immediately.

"Traitor." Ezekel Abaddon said.

Lorcan turned.

He thought he would be restless and nervous at this moment, but in the end there was nothing but calm. He turned back with his head held high, and Abaddon turned to look at him, as if somewhat surprised at his return.

"Do you think Horus is doing the right thing, Azekell?" Lorcan asked. "Do you think he's right to wound a primordial like that, jump into his fleet, and reduce his legions to slavery for each other's fun?"

"Don't tell me you didn't hear the laughter he made from the high platform of the dueling arena. The emperor's sons are fighting, bleeding, fratricidal. Such a cruel punishment and torture, but he regarded it as a kind of leisure enjoyment. Ask yourself, brother, is this really what we remember Horus to do? ”

"So you admit it." A false smile appeared on Abaddon's face, which he didn't want to laugh at, and the meaning it offered to him was to continue to stand in front of Locan.

He was bluffing, and Lorcan saw it in an instant.

Ezekel Abaddon is in a weak heart.

"You're shifting the subject, Ezekell."

"I'm loyal to Horus." Abaddon said slowly.

"Do you remember the duties of the Council of the Four Kings?" Lorcan asked, looking into his eyes.

"We have advised Horus, the Primordial is a hundred times more intelligent and mental than us, but they are also human beings, and they also have things that they can't take care of, so it's up to us to remind him. Tell me, Ezekell, do you think what he's doing right now? ”

"What about you? Are you doing the right thing? ”

Lorcan shook his head in disappointment, "You still haven't answered my question head-on. ”

"I don't think I need to say anything more to a traitor." Abaddon said with that smirk. "You betrayed us, Lorcan."

"I understand." Lorcan said. "But I'm not a traitor, you are, Ezekell."

"Ridiculous, who did I betray?"

Lorcan didn't answer, just turned and left. He had already said all that he had to say, and if Abaddon had been sent by Horus, if it meant that his judgment was imminent, then let it come.

Only, he thought of a question.

What does it cost to be always upright, Roger Dorne?

——

You are disappointed.

Gavill Loken and Tariq Togardon won't change their minds, and you begin to wonder if it's superfluous for you to send someone to persuade them. But you put it behind you in an instant and don't have to think about it anymore.

You sit on your throne surrounded by cheers. Mortal servants stay where they ought to be, prostrate to you, and they recite your epic. The epic is not yet formed, it should have millions of words and tell each of your stories in detail.

Soon, you think. Just a few more steps are all it takes, and you're done.

You listen to their voices and feel a sense of calm that is unique to you. And you know, this is really just the last trace of calm before the storm. You love the rainy season and you always feel like the thunder is ringing for you.

Soon it will be so, you laugh.

Once again, you sink into darkness. Your nose begins to bleed, sticky with a sweet taste of rotten fruit. It's not often that you taste your own blood.

You laugh again, your laughter echoing around the throne as your mind begins to roam deeper into the darkness. You feel a surge of power rise up from somewhere, pour into you, your body hardened for it, and you almost think you can face it all.

In an instant, an unparalleled courage rose in your heart.

You've been hesitant about what you're going to do, after all, burning the galaxy to dispel a lie is too much for anyone. But now that you have a firm mind, you have understood that it is necessary not to break or stand.

There is only one person in the world who has this courage, and that person is you.

Only you can do this, only you can face the emperor and face everything.

With this courage, you go deeper and deeper. The darkness envelops you, accepts you, and they touch the feathers that remind you of St. Giles. You wonder for a moment, but it doesn't matter, you go deeper, deeper, deeper

until you reach the deepest depths of darkness.

Now you're standing here. Where the stars gather, where the gods gaze. The magnificence of the sight is even greater than the sum of all the splendor of dreams, and there are a million stars that are constantly being born and dying under your feet alone.

You observe them for a moment, then look away in boredom. You're tired of this sight, you've seen it too many times. So, you start looking at other things – like your brother.

Every day is like this, and the darkness will always reveal some truth for you.

The first person you see today is Conrad Coetzes, and that's funny. You see a pale, ragged killer weaving through tower-like cities, living by eating rats

Then, his natural paranoia and perception of the future drove him into a corner, and he was crazy, but not completely crazy. He became a brutal ruler who relied on bloody means to maintain power and enforce justice with violence.

You can't help but laugh out loud, you didn't think Konrad Coetze could have been like this-

- "Where am I?" ”

It doesn't matter, you keep looking.

"No"

Keep watching.

So you keep looking.

You see Conrad Coates return to the Legion, and you see him and his legion being taken to the galaxy by the Emperor's orders. You see his legions being filled with scum little by little, and he himself is completely driven into madness by the excess.

You don't laugh anymore, you start thinking. His tragedy is still playing, but that's not your primary concern anymore.

You suddenly realize that if the Emperor is really as good as he says he is, so warm, why would he throw you all over the galaxy? And, why not give Conrad a little time to deal with his planet?

You know, Conrad Coetzes is driven crazy by his sense of justice and paranoia, but with enough time, he can reconcile with himself

And the emperor did not give him this time.

"Liar!" You roar angrily from your throne. "He ruined you, Conrad, and he turned you into a monster!"

The illusion clears up, you begin to meditate, and the darkness perceives the idea that you want to see more. As always, it immediately responds to your commands.

It's so caring, so submissive, so unpretentious, and thinks for you wholeheartedly—this time, you see Magnus through the veil that covers the stars.

Ah, your naïve brother who is rich and rich, a scholar through and through, who values knowledge more than war. You were unhappy with some of his actions on the battlefield, but now you can understand it somewhat.

There are always things that are more important than war, like those thirty years. Why do you think about it again?

You laugh and shake your head, feeling a wave of absurdity. You start watching, and this time, you've seen Magnus in its entirety.

You fall silent, and you inevitably realize once again that if the Emperor would have informed Magnus of these words in advance, he would not have to suffer those pains.

"Why are you so silent, liar?" You say to yourself. "You made us call you Father, and you did this to us."

But it doesn't matter, you take one last sympathetic look at Magnus and wave your hand to dispel the illusion.

You sit on your throne and think about it—the other you, the one who had failed, had used some ingenious plan to accomplish his goal, and he had the wolves of Rieman Ruth and Fenris tear apart the wizards' meeting place in Magnus.

It's a terrible atrocity, but if it were you, you'd do the same.

At this moment, you think of Magnus, the Magnus you are familiar with. The last time you heard about him, he was under house arrest in Terra. It's good, you laugh.

A plan is formed in your mind, and with a little provocation, you can get a very good result.

"Nope." Horus Lupecar said in horror.

He has been obscured by darkness, his flesh is dissolving, and all the spirit and beauty in it is being replaced by something more distorted.

"I'm not going to do that!" He roared. "I'm going to—"

- You decided to send someone to Prospero tomorrow.

Ah, wait, what time is it today? You come out of the darkness, and there are countless mortals in your shadow chanting songs for you. You sigh contentedly and go back to your room.

That's when you realize that you're already in the orbit of Istefan III. Does roaming the darkness make time pass so quickly? A doubt arises, and then quickly disappears.

You think for a moment, and then another battleship appears on the other side of the track. It was the Glorious Queen's battleship named the Unwavering Resolve, the flagship of your brother Angeland, so they arrived.

Well. You nodded thoughtfully, the smell of blood slowly wading through the tip of your tongue. It doesn't come out of nowhere, but you're satisfied. Then you think again of the betrayers on your ship.

They should be about to act, right?

You laughed.

It's okay, let's raise hope first. If there is no hope, why despair?

You gently turn around and begin to give orders to the mortals in your shadow. They're so useless, they tremble just by your gaze, but they're still better than the servants and at least can convey your orders. At your will, a meeting is set to work.

You can't wait.

You want to see Angrão.

You want him to see the truth.

And also.

(End of chapter)