May Your Soul Return to the Golden Throne

Kanoon had thought a lot about it, and even doubted everyone.

But he never suspected that the hero Garken, who was born on a remote planet with him, had gone through countless bloody battles with him, and had been awarded countless honors by the Imperium... was actually the mastermind behind all of this!

"How could this happen, my brother... Garken?"

Kanoon, his heart filled with despair, collapsed onto the red carpet before the Emperor statue, his eyes wide with fury. With all his might, he let out a mournful, desolate roar, "Why... why you, Garken Hadley!!!"

He didn't understand.

Why is it that the former hero of the Astra Militarum, who emerged from a desolate Middle Hive in a remote star system, endured the fierce bloody battles of the galaxy, and was granted the title of Planetary Governor by the Imperium, has become like this!

"Why?"

Upon hearing this, Garken couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Do you think I'm afraid of death, which is why I've gone this far?"

"Isn't that right?!"

Kanoon glared at him, his life rapidly slipping away, yet he remained like an enraged Lion, wishing he could tear the enemy of the Imperium before him to shreds!

"No, you're wrong, my brother."

However, Garken shook his head, his face full of sarcasm. "I've never been afraid of death, I just don't want to be deceived."

"Deception... What did the Imperium deceive you about?"

Kanoon gritted his teeth, feeling that the familiar face before him had become utterly alien. "You are the Planetary Governor, the Imperium has never wronged you, Garken!"

However, upon hearing this, Garken flew into a rage!

"I gave everything for the Imperium! But... what did I get in return?" He was completely hysterical, veins bulging around his eyes, and even the dark veins on his neck were clearly visible, showing just how agitated he was. He grabbed the medal on his chest, ripped it off, and threw it on the ground. "Nothing! Nothing at all! Nothing but these few broken medals!"

A crisp metallic sound rang out as it hit the ground.

More than a dozen medals, awarded to him as heroes by the Imperium, were discarded on the ground by Garken as if they were worthless.

Among them are the Iron Eagle, the Mortals' Eagle, the Winged Skull, the Crimson Sash, and the Triple Holy Skull.

Without a doubt, most of them were officers of the Astra Militarum, and it was a mortal honor that they could hardly obtain in their entire lives!

Calling him a hero of the Imperium is no exaggeration!

"What return to the Golden Throne?! It's all fake! A lie! It's a bunch of insects from the Imperium spewing lies!"

Garken was extremely agitated, as if to prove the righteousness of his actions, roaring loudly, "Do you know? My brother... every night, the moment I close my eyes, those Chaos and terrifying images appear before me, tormenting me every moment!"

"Is this... the reason you betrayed the Emperor?"

Kanoon suddenly stopped being angry. Instead, he looked at the hysterical Garken with a pitying gaze, and even a hint of mockery appeared on his lips. "Just for... this?"

"No, you understand nothing, Kanoon."

Looking at his once close comrade-in-arms, now bearing a mocking expression, Garken scoffed, saying, "You've never been affected by the Daemon of Chaos, so you don't know... just how terrifying they are. I'm afraid... I dedicated my life to the Imperium, gave everything for the Emperor, and yet... why must I suffer this torment in my old age?!"

Kanoon remained silent, coldly watching the utterly deranged Garken, his eyes filled with deep disappointment.

"Yes, you've never experienced it, so you simply don't understand..." Garken's face contorted in pain, his temples throbbing and his pupils bloodshot. "Just how terrifying were those Chaos illusions? And I know perfectly well... once I die, they will become reality!"

"I gave my all for the Imperium, for the Emperor!"

"But what did they give me? Besides Planetary Governor, besides those tattered medals, what else?!"

"Once, I thought that as long as I lived up to the Imperium's and the Emperor's trust, and governed my planet well, I could return to the Golden Throne in glory..."

"But I was wrong, the great Lord of Change told me... I was wrong!"

There has never been Golden Throne!

"Brother, after we die, we'll only return to the Warp, where our souls will live forever, tormented for eternity!"

"Even if I'm a hero, what good is it? This is an inescapable fate, and I don't want it to be like this... It was the great Lord of Change who showed me the truth!"

At this point, Garken's entire face, and even his body, began to undergo a horrifying transformation. Blasphemous symbols spread across his body, and twisted, hideous flesh grew from it. He glared menacingly at the dying Kanoon and sneered, "Let me tell you the truth. The so-called Emperor... was nothing but a salted piece of meat who played with witchcraft. He's long dead! Dead! Dead!"

"What a load of bullshit, the Golden Throne!"

"What utter bullshit about the glory of the Emperor!"

"It's all fake! Fake! Fake!"

Garken went mad, cursing the Imperium, cursing the High Lord, cursing the Ministry of the Interior, cursing the Department of the Munitorum, and... that Master of Mankind who had sat on the Golden Throne for ten thousand years, yet had never opened his eyes to see the cries of humanity!

It seeks approval and finds an "excuse" for its actions to justify their correctness.

Garken desperately hoped to see even the slightest hint of fear on the face of his former "brother," but he was destined to be disappointed.

Kanoon stared blankly at the hysterical Garken, his eyes filled with mockery, as if looking at a ridiculous clown. "How pathetic... Is this your faith? Laughable Lord of Change, fooling a fool."

"Shut up! Shut up!"

Garken roared angrily.

"Ha ha ha ha..."

However, Kanoon didn't shut up; instead, his mocking voice grew even louder, echoing throughout the temple dome. "Garken, you're nothing but a fool, a complete idiot manipulated by Tzeentch! Ridiculous! You're nothing but a pathetic clown!"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

Garken seemed to have been exposed as guilty, and flew into a rage.

"Look at yourself now, look at Garken."

Kanoon clutched the wound on his abdomen, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions: disdain, contempt, and disgust. "It's too ugly. Is this what you're after? No... you're just afraid of death, Garken. No matter what your reasons are, you're just afraid of death. You're a coward!"

"Shut up! I told you to shut up!!!"

Shame, anger, resentment... a mix of emotions swirled within him. Garken refused to accept Kanoon's accusations, much less... because of his own cowardice!

"You're a coward! Garken!"

Kanoon laughed, his voice filled with sarcasm. "The Congress defeat you, your schemes will fail, I firmly believe that, and you... coward, you will forever cower in the shadows of Chaos, fearing the Emperor's wrath!"

"Aaaaaaah!"

Enraged, Garken moved with lightning speed, smashing Kanoon's fragile heart with a single punch and piercing his body. Yet, even this was not enough to deter him.

It crushed Kanoon's head, tore his body apart, and let blood and flesh rain down on his twisted, profane form.

Blood, mixed with entrails, flowed on the red carpet before the steps of the Emperor Icon. Kanoon, who refused to bow to Chaos until his death, died at the hands of the traitor "Garken Hadley" and now rests here forever.

"Emperor? Just a piece of salted meat who plays with witchcraft!"

Completely plunged into Chaos, Garken gazed up at the magnificent Emperor statue and laughed wildly, "I will prove to you... who is right, Kanoon!"

Kanoon's soul wanders in the Warp.

He was very tired and closed his eyes.

"Ah... Your Majesty, I have failed your trust."

"I could not stop my brothers' Corruption, nor could I stop the spread of Chaos; I could not defend the Imperium's borders. I... am a loser, but... I held fast to my beliefs."

At the moment of soul dissolution.

Kanoon seemed to hear the prayer of the Ecclesiarchy Priest.

"May the Emperor's loyal warriors return to the great Golden Throne. May the great Emperor protect your warriors."

In a hazy state.

He seemed to see... a cold sun.

Brothers, let's give them some monthly tickets!