The human colony world of Prospero.
Aboard an orbital ship, several Astartes of the Space Wolves Legion sent a message to the Thousand Sons Legion on Prospero.
"By order of the Emperor, the Primarch of the Thousand Sons, Magnus von Bilderhofen, and all Chief Librarians are to return to Terra immediately."
The message passed through the clouds and gradually descended toward Tizca, the City of Light on Prospero.
It was a city filled with dazzling silver towers, towering obelisks, and majestic pyramids.
The information rushed toward the Pyramid of Light at Tizca's center.
At last.
Magnus awoke from his meditation. When he stepped out of his room, he saw a group of Astartes of the Thousand Sons standing outside.
"You all heard that, didn't you? It's the Emperor's command." A hint of worry showed between Magnus's brows, and his voice lacked conviction.
"Primarch, you can't go back!" Ahzek Ahriman stepped forward and stopped in front of Magnus, looking troubled.
He wore red Power Armour trimmed with gold and decorated with jade Canoptek Scarabs. On his head was something resembling an Egyptian pharaoh's headdress.
Ahzek Ahriman was the Thousand Sons' Chief Librarian and captain of the First Fellowship. He was also the man in the Thousand Sons whose psychic might was second only to Magnus.
"Primarch, have you thought about what will happen if we go back?"
"Our warriors have undergone bodily mutations and become genetically unstable because they've used their psychic powers for so long."
"And what happened to the Second and Eleventh Legions—Francis's Legion—when they suffered the same changes?"
Faced with Ahriman's questions, Magnus closed his single eye and pressed his lips together. Did he not know?
No. He knew.
Not only did he know, he knew very well.
They had been purged by the Space Wolves Legion, led by Leman Russ!
And now the Space Wolves Legion had come here too. What did that mean?
Magnus refused to believe that his father, the Emperor, would purge his children—the Thousand Sons.
He loved his father, but he also loved his children dearly.
To cure the Flesh Change caused by their psychic powers, Magnus had even sacrificed one of his eyes.
Seeing Magnus avoid the issue, Ahriman continued. "That's why you can't go back, Primarch!"
"But this is the Emperor's command. We can't disobey it."
"Otherwise, we'll be branded as traitors."
Magnus understood all of this, but he couldn't decide what to do. He couldn't disobey the Emperor's command, but he also couldn't betray his children.
"The Emperor's order mentioned not only the Primarch, but the Chief Librarians as well."
"I'll go with them. As long as you stay here on Prospero, Primarch, that's all that matters!"
It was the best solution Ahriman could think of.
"Let us go, Primarch!"
"Let us go, Primarch!"
Magnus looked at the resolute warriors before him. His eyes grew faintly red, and his lips trembled.
"Then let it be so!"
Ahriman and the others saluted Magnus before heading outside.
At the door, Magnus couldn't help but call after them. "Whatever happens, make sure you come back safely."
Ahriman and the others paused for a moment, then continued outside.
And so, half of the Thousand Sons' Chief Librarians left Prospero and boarded a ship bound for Terra.
It was as if half the Thousand Sons' top fighting strength had been taken away!
After all, Chief Librarians stood above ordinary Librarians and Librarian aspirants. They were the elite among the Astartes, the embodiment of a Chapter's wisdom and strength.
"So? You're saying Magnus and the other half of the powerful psykers didn't come?"
Francis summed up what Leman Russ had told him.
"Uh, that's right!" Leman Russ hadn't expected his eleventh brother to become so much better at understanding things after waking up.
"So, no matter what you said, they insisted that only they would come."
Francis rubbed his chin. The situation was unusual, but at least it was better than Magnus making a "phone call" and blowing up the Webway.
And so far, it seemed Magnus hadn't yet foreseen Horus's betrayal.
That meant he had plenty of room to maneuver!
"Exactly! Even when I offered to have all the Thousand Sons return to Terra and let the Space Wolves protect Prospero in their place, they refused! That's why Father ordered me to ask you what to do."
Leman Russ wanted to know what Francis could come up with.
He'd somehow earned such great trust from Father.
Francis paced around the room, turning the problem over in his mind.
At last.
He came up with a good plan—a way to get himself out.
"Sixth Brother, you know about the Thousand Sons' problem, right?"
At the question, Leman Russ clearly froze, then answered somewhat guiltily.
"I do. They're the Legion most skilled with psychic powers. They've also suffered varying degrees of the Flesh Change."
After all, it was for the same reason that he had destroyed Francis's Legion not long ago.
"Exactly. Because of that, one Legion has already been destroyed. Naturally, they're afraid they'll meet the same fate."
Francis stared straight at him, quickly laying out his plan while Leman Russ was still feeling guilty.
"So, just let me go talk to him!"
"He'll see that, oh~~, I was only taken back to Terra by the Emperor to recover, and some severely mutated warriors were purged."
"Don't you think he'd let his guard down?"
"And if I can bring my own Legion along, won't that make it even easier to succeed?"
Leman Russ was still immersed in guilt over attacking his brother. And since Francis's argument did make sense, he replied without thinking, "That makes sense!"
Then.
Leman Russ snapped out of it and gave Francis a brooding look. "That's not for me to decide. Only Father can make that call!"
"Tsk, so close." Francis regretted that he'd almost managed to talk him into it.
But just then, the kind voice rang in his mind again.
"Yes. For now, there is no way to separate you from the unknown substance."
"However, someone will accompany you."
Francis raised an eyebrow. He might as well have said that he was sending someone to keep an eye on him. Why beat around the bush?
"Father, just me alone seems a little..."
Before Francis could finish, the Emperor's voice sounded in his mind again.
"The Soul Drinkers Legion also has loyal warriors. They will accompany you."
Oh-ho!
Francis felt as if ten thousand Gretchin were stampeding through his heart. This was really fantastic.
At last, his tireless efforts had won him his freedom of movement!
Still, he had to keep up appearances.
Francis put on a solemn expression and said, "I will complete the mission!"
Leman Russ seemed to have received some news too, and looked at Francis in surprise.
"Father says you're being released! Wait here a moment. Someone will come shortly to remove the psychic barrier."
Francis: "..."
Seeing Francis look at him with disdain, Leman Russ actually blushed—a rare sight. "I'm... not very good with psychic powers."
That was right.
Not all twenty Primarchs were skilled with psychic powers. The Primarch of the Space Wolves standing before him was a perfect example.
If psykers, who drew on the power of the Warp, were like mages who could defy the laws of physics,
then Leman Russ was a pure tank of a warrior. His muscles bulged so much that Francis almost wondered if his psychic power was just muscle enhancement!
Meanwhile.
On Prospero, Magnus had a dream during his meditation.
He saw himself seated upon a massive Golden Throne, with Adeptus Custodes clad in golden Power Armour standing all around him.
Magnus jolted awake, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. His eyes darted about as he muttered, "I usurp the throne? That can't be!"
"Could Father be handing the throne down to me?"
"That doesn't make sense! What about Horus?"
"He's Father's favorite son!"
Unable to understand the meaning of this prophecy, Magnus prepared to contact his father with his psychic powers—but the power in his hand suddenly stopped.
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