Interlude 80: Encyclopedia of Pain

"As humans, we can do many things that other creatures cannot, such as clenching our fists tightly as an effective form of attack, using tools with our bare hands, long-distance running, and powerful digestive abilities."

"The long process of evolution has given us far more than we know, and among these, perhaps the three most valuable are a highly developed brain, dexterous fingers, and the ability to feel pain."

"We have a very subtle perception of pain, and this applies to all kinds of pain; even a toe hitting something can make us cry out in pain."

"At first glance, this might seem like a bad thing, but pain is a very real thing. It's truly there; you touch it, and it hurts, and we happen to really dislike it, so we start trying to avoid it in every possible way."

"Throughout history, this instinct has become inextricably linked with our continuous refinement of methods of killing, ultimately forming something distorted and extreme. Some even regard it as a perverse pastime and are deeply fascinated by it."

"I have no intention of criticizing, but personally, I wrote this book simply to have something to do when my Shadow leaves, so I don't get lost in the darkness."

--Karyl Lohars, <On Pain>.

--

Roboute Guilliman put down his manuscript, slowly raised his head, and glanced at Karyl Lohars sitting opposite him.

The latter was fully aware of his gaze, but did not react in any way. He simply pushed the chess piece in his hand forward one step on the chessboard.

His opponent pondered this for a long time before finally moving his piece, and the knight on horseback encountered a soldier on the blood-soaked battlefield.

The knight was fully armed and in high spirits, while the soldier was covered in wounds and had only a sword and a shield. So the knight rightfully beheaded the soldier, and the black bone chess piece lay on the ground, rolling once on the chessboard.

Karyl casually retrieved it and placed it aside, but his opponent glanced at him cautiously.

"Grown ups."

"We're playing chess, Elijah Natas—" Karyl said without looking up. "There's no hierarchy on the chessboard."

His opponent nodded with difficulty, its pointed ears twitching noticeably. Roboute Guilliman squinted at it for a while before looking away and returning his attention to the manuscript in his hands.

To be fair, it's quite astonishing that an Eldar could appear in Roboute Guilliman's office. In fact, let alone Eldar, no Xenos, traitor, or enemy has ever accomplished this feat in ten thousand years.

This Eldar named Ilyan Natas is definitely the first Xenos to accomplish this.

Of course, it probably wasn't proud of it. Although it was sitting there, it wasn't sitting very comfortably, its expression constantly shifting between caution and fear.

Roboute Guilliman was 100% certain that this wasn't because of him.

Thinking about this, he couldn't help but feel a little pleased.

While he wouldn't say he was particularly bothered by the presence of a group of Eldar on his ship, he certainly couldn't remain indifferent.

If they weren't still useful and could provide some value, Roboute Guilliman would have personally wiped them out the moment he obtained those coordinate systems.

As time went by, he and the enlightened person he once were went down completely opposite paths. Although he still accepts new things and takes advice from others, this is only his attitude towards people.

As for the Xenos?

If he didn't draw his sword and slash at them the moment he saw them, it meant he was in an exceptionally good mood that day. Instead, he would have someone else do it, using Boltgun, flamethrower, or whatever else would do to kill them.

"I must say, Karyl," the Primarch said in a casual tone as he flipped through the manuscripts, "You're writing a rather dangerous book."

"Danger?"

"Yes, I'm sure the knowledge in this book will be unforgettable for those who read it, and they'll find themselves compelled to put it into practice. For example, in this passage, you mentioned mental anguish," Roboute Guilliman said meaningfully.

Which section?

Do you want me to read it aloud?

"I'm old, Roboute, and even my memory isn't very good anymore—so please," Karyl replied.

Before he could even make a move, the Black Knight in his hand hovered high above the chessboard. Elijah Natas stared intently at the board, his heart filled with icy coldness, his thoughts frozen, until Roboute Guilliman slowly spoke.

"Everyone has weaknesses, but I must admit that for some people, physical pain is far less effective than mental pain."

"There are always people who can ignore the bloody blade and the sensory hypersensitivity caused by drugs. At that point, you might as well try another way to cause pain."

"I won't go into detail because it's pointless; everyone has a different personality, and therefore different weaknesses."

"Some people's pain stems from an unhappy childhood, others from failed relationships, or some kind of physical defect. Still others experience a loss of dignity, material deprivation, or dissatisfaction and suffering from their current circumstances."

"Some people are trapped in their past circumstances, unable to move on. Defeat, witnessing the sacrifice of others without being able to help—these are common mental ailments. Generally speaking, they can be attributed to self-reproach for being powerless to cope with suffering."

"Therefore, after careful observation, if you are determined to work on this aspect, then address the root cause."

Roboute Guilliman raised his head with a half-smile, looking at the Xenos, and saw a familiar pallor on its face with satisfaction.

He then looked at Karyl, who calmly placed his piece down, making a crisp clanging sound on the black and white chessboard. The black-clad knight charged at his opponent, easily and utterly crushing him.

"My lord," Ilyan Natas spoke slowly, his voice trembling, "What exactly do you want from me?"

Karyl finally raised his head.

"That depends on what you can offer me," he said calmly. "I don't need to explain further; you probably understand why I chose you from among you, and not anyone else."

The Xenos stared at him, its body stiff.

Karyl stared at him expressionlessly, then suddenly tapped the chessboard with his finger.

"Our game is almost over, just as our voyage to Sotha is coming to an end. So, what does that person in your mind, observing the Macragge's Honour through your eyes, who is observing us, want to tell me?"

Roboute Guilliman rose from behind his chair, walked to the door, and lowered the lock that hadn't been used for millennia. Given the Primarch's agility, this would have taken him only a second, but he deliberately slowed his pace.

Then he returned to Karyl's side, gripping the hilt of the Sincere Short Sword at his waist, his eyes shining like a brilliant shooting star streaking across the night sky.

Ilyan Natas slowly rose to his feet, using the armrests of the chair as a support. Every muscle in his body was trembling, but he did it with a strange, almost resolute determination.

A psychic light followed, shining in his eyes, and in no time, the fear that belonged to Ilyan Natas, the Eldar, vanished from his face.

Instead, there is an unfamiliar elegance, humble respect, and a confident composure.

"First, I must apologize to you, sir," it said, bowing respectfully. "But as you probably know, I never intended to hide anything from the beginning; I am neither arrogant nor utterly foolish."

"I think you're both," Roboute Guilliman said coldly, his tone slow and dangerous. "So, what exactly is it about you, this coward hiding in the minds of your own kind?"

"Coward" sighed. It turned to Roboute Guilliman, then bowed again, greeting him, apologizing, and explaining all in one go.

"Please forgive me, Son of God, but I am not a coward. I had no choice but to resort to this method to get your attention. I need an opportunity to speak with you before you arrive in Sotha."

"Then why didn't you come in the first place?" Roboute Guilliman scoffed. "Why? Was it because you were afraid? To stop a ship, anchor it in our path, leave a few unfortunate souls to deliver a message, and then hide away to prepare their funerals?"

"No, it's because I knew nothing about it," it replied seriously, turning its gaze back. Karyl leaned back in his chair, accepting its request with his hands clasped together, before it continued its explanation.

"These poor, unfortunate messengers have already introduced themselves to you. They, and I, come from a newly formed force, the Ynnari. And I am none other than Eldrad Ulthran, whom they have mentioned."

"A prophet?" Roboute Guilliman asked.

It smiled modestly, yet still humbly, with the face of Elijah Natas.

"I would not call myself that, great Roboute Guilliman; I am but a fool struggling to find the truth. Of course, I can see some distant things; the good ones, I will wait and see. And the bad ones, I will try my best to change."

Roboute Guilliman scoffed. "A foolish prophet."

"Our conversation should not focus on my profession, sirs. I am here only to issue a warning: what awaits you on Sotha is far more than what these messengers have told you."

"They took my prophecy on the orders of our leader Yvraine and handed it over to you to decide, but this is hardly a wise move."

"I repeatedly advised our young leader not to do this, at least not until I had completed my prophecy, but she insisted, even going so far as to mobilize manpower and carry out secret missions while I was making my prophecy."

"If I hadn't left this mark on poor Ilyan at the last moment, this trip would probably have only led to a permanent deterioration in the relationship between you and us."

It sighed heavily, made a gesture, and Ilyan Natas slumped back into his chair.

Karyl nodded noncommittally, seemingly unconcerned about the complexities of the situation that could fill hundreds of thousands of words.

He asked calmly and directly, "So, besides conspiracies, what else exists on Sotha?"

The Eldar prophet answered his question with unusual seriousness, his speech suddenly becoming faster and faster.

"It's the Tyranids, and an entire fleet is coming. But they are not the reason I'm here. With you in command, the Zerg swarm isn't much of a threat. The real enemy lies on the surface of Sotha, where an ancient technological construct originating from the Necrons exists—"

The Xenos named Ilyan Natas suddenly let out a scream, interrupting Eldrad Ulthran before he could finish speaking.

It trembled and fell from the chair to the ground, its veins bulging and blood flowing from all seven orifices. The backlash from the psionic energy made it curl up in agony on the floor of the study.

Without a word, Roboute Guilliman pressed a button on his belt, and the lock on the door opened. Two Victrix Guard strode in, carrying the Xenos out without a shred of pity, as if it were a piece of cargo.

Roboute Guilliman slowly returned to his desk, and after a few seconds, he spoke, but it was about something that had little to do with the intelligence Eldrad had brought.

"It knows nothing about your current situation, Karyl."

Karyl nodded calmly— Eldrad Ulthran wasn't lying; he could sense that this strange so-called prophet truly believed he could easily wipe out an entire Hive Fleet with a wave of his hand.

This matter, and what it reveals, is quite interesting, but it's not his primary concern right now. Eldrad explicitly mentioned the Necrons, and across the entire galaxy, there is only one race capable of appearing in his statement.

Roboute Guilliman was naturally aware of this, and his increasingly furrowed brows spoke volumes. A hush fell over the office for several minutes before Roboute Guilliman broke the unsettling silence in a low voice.

"We can put the Eldar matter aside for now, but if the enemy really is an entire Hive Fleet, I'm afraid I'll need to temporarily mobilize some squadrons."

"It's talking about what's coming, Roboute."

Karyl slowly stood up and gave Roboute Guilliman a smile, whose expression had suddenly changed.

"So why not let me go alone and finish this quickly?"

Roboute Guilliman roared, a rare occurrence for him. His voice, at that moment, even surpassed the superior soundproofing of the office materials, reaching precisely the ears of the Victrix Guard carrying out their security duties in the corridor.

Even these highly trained elites couldn't help but exchange bewildered glances for a moment. They had never heard their Primarch so agitated, and so openly and directly raise questions.

"What nonsense are you spouting?! Are you insane?!"

Karyl shrugged and nodded.