Another Madness 34

Upon hearing Guilliman's words, the bishops humbly lined up, ready to listen to the Primarch's admonition.

Though they were men of high status, they now behaved like schoolchildren, respectful and uneasy, terrified of provoking the Primarch again.

They knew full well that if the Primarch truly considered them heretics, he would show no mercy.

"My father is a true god. That is beyond doubt. He does not need mankind's faith; rather, mankind needs faith in Him, needs His guidance, and hopes to walk alongside Him. That is what makes Him unique. Those Chaos Gods need faith, but the great Emperor is a true god. He has no need of it."

"We cannot spread His glory through fear. If we harm those who do not believe in Him, using harsh punishments and abuse to frighten them into worshipping the Emperor, then how are we any different from the traitors?"

"The followers of the Chaos Gods always like to use force to achieve their aims, using slaughter to intimidate the ignorant, because those gods are false gods. Only false gods need such methods. No normal person would choose those Chaos Gods, so they can only use fear to threaten people and force them to worship those false gods."

"The Emperor loves every human. Whether they believe or not, He grants them blessings. This is a reflection of His mercy and boundless love, and proof that He is a true god."

"We believe in the Emperor so that we may walk beside Him, not to flaunt our own superiority. Faith makes us feel fulfilled, makes us feel that the Emperor is with us; it does not make us better than others."

"He is merciful and loving, tolerant and patient. He never rejects any soul that longs for redemption. In silence, He watches those believers who wish to walk with Him, bringing the noble souls He acknowledges into His immortal realm."

"Tell me, why do you believe in Him? Because of His selfless love? Because of His merciful wisdom? Or simply because you wish to stand above others? Or to satisfy your own selfish desires?"

Guilliman scrutinized the bishops before him. His tone was impassioned at times, furious at others, before finally turning into confusion and questioning.

His words shook the bishops and struck against their ignorant hearts.

Of course, Guilliman had not invented this rhetoric.

It had been created by a traitor Primarch, Lorgar.

Lorgar had founded faith in the Emperor.

Guilliman disliked that fellow, but in the spirit of learning with humility, he had still spoken with Lorgar.

What he was saying to the bishops now was merely a revised version of Lorgar's words.

It had to be said, plagiarizing really was satisfying.

Several bishops were utterly stunned by Guilliman's sermon.

A Primarch who had once stood beside the Emperor possessed such pure faith that they felt ashamed of themselves.

Guilliman had met the Emperor, and he had also encountered those who had established the foundations of the Ecclesiarchy.

The Imperium's first saint, Great Crusade Remembrancer Kile, received the Emperor's guidance during the Horus Heresy, displayed the Emperor's divine power, and founded the Imperial Salvation Society. That organization had been the precursor to the Ecclesiarchy.

The bishops did not doubt Guilliman's words in the slightest.

Some bishops were even moved to tears by his speech.

They wept for their sins and their ignorance.

They had twisted the Emperor's will while calling themselves His followers. What a grievous sin that was.

"My lord, we never knew such things."

One bishop trembled as he knelt on the ground. He kissed Guilliman's steel battle boot and begged for forgiveness.

"I do not blame you, because you too have merely been deceived. My father has slumbered for too long. He cannot communicate with you; that powerful will would be enough to burn your souls to ashes. Those heretics took advantage of that, infiltrating the Imperium. They twisted my father's will and deceived the humanity He loves. This is an unforgivable crime. As the Emperor's sole representative in the mortal world, I solemnly ask you: are you willing to follow me, reform the twisted Ecclesiarchy, and destroy those hidden heretics?"

Guilliman's voice was filled with majesty as he looked at the bishops and awaited their answer.

"We are willing to give everything, my lord."

"So long as we can receive your forgiveness."

"Lead us back into the Emperor's glory. Guide us upon the proper path."

All the bishops knelt before Guilliman, swearing to join him in destroying the infuriating heretics who had twisted the Emperor's will.

Guilliman, who possessed the Emperor's Sword and had been acknowledged by the Living Saint Celestine, was the most rightful representative of the Emperor.

To deny or question Guilliman would undoubtedly shake the foundations of faith in the sacred Emperor.

Whatever their reasons, the bishops had no choice. If they refused, Guilliman would immediately declare them heretics and have them executed.

"Abolish those tortures and re-examine those who have been abused. If they are traitors of Chaos, execute them. If not, release them. Remember: my father values mercy and boundless love. Like a great holy father, He loves every human selflessly. Any evil committed in His name must be the work of heretics seduced by Chaos."

Guilliman said in a low voice, "Those people commit horrors that only followers of the Chaos Gods would commit in the Emperor's name. Such conduct cannot be forgiven. They have defiled the Emperor's glory. Do you understand?"

"We understand, my lord. We will begin the investigations immediately."

"We will not spare a single heretic."

Guilliman had talked the bishops of Espandor into submission. For a Primarch, it was no difficult task.

When the Emperor created them, He had endowed them with immense personal charisma.

It allowed them to persuade those with differing views with ease.

The bishops left the church and loudly proclaimed that the planet Espandor would re-examine every believer and purge the hidden minions of Chaos.

This was undoubtedly a tremendous upheaval. Under the bishops' orders, Espandor began a sweeping investigation.

Some of those once condemned as heretics were executed outright, while others were released on the spot.

The pitiful people who had been freed emerged from their iron cages one after another, trembling.

They could scarcely believe that they had survived that terrible Hell.

The torture inflicted by those fanatics had caused immense pain to both their bodies and souls, making them lose hope and fall into the abyss of Despair.

They expressed their gratitude to the merciful Guilliman.

It was his arrival that had allowed them to be saved.

At the same time, some fanatics who had proven their faith by abusing heretics were dragged away by the Frateris Militia and publicly tried as minions of Chaos.

"I am loyal to the Emperor! Loyal!" A woman with scripture carved into her scalp, bound to a pillar, roared hysterically.

"Then why did you torture and kill those pitiful people?" the Chaplain demanded of the woman before him. In her estate, more than a hundred servants had been tortured to death, their skulls displayed in every corner.

Some had even been gilded in gold and placed in glass cabinets as collectibles.

The reasons those servants had been tortured to death were mostly that they had not been devout enough toward the Emperor.

"The almighty Emperor appointed me to cleanse their sins!" the woman cried. "Everything I did was the Emperor's will."

"Absurd! The Emperor is so merciful. How could He permit His followers to commit such terrible crimes? You are a minion of Chaos. You committed those evils and twisted the Emperor's glory. You are sentenced to death, traitor. You have betrayed the Emperor."

"No, I am loyal!" the woman shouted in Despair. "That Primarch is the real heretic!"

"Execute her." Upon hearing the woman accuse the Primarch of heresy, the Chaplain immediately ordered the Frateris Militia to act.

The pillar binding the woman began to radiate heat, its temperature rising rapidly.

"No!" Realizing what was about to happen, the woman screamed. She struggled desperately, trying to break free of her chains.

Flames burst forth, followed by a shrill scream.

When the flames receded, the woman had become a charred corpse, giving off a foul stench.

Cheers erupted from the crowd. They had executed a minion of Chaos and defended the Emperor's glory.

"Next." The Chaplain overseeing the trial frantically struck a skull-shaped hammer, shouting himself hoarse amid the waves of noise.