The moment that reason came out, Perturabo almost wanted to laugh.
What was behind the defensive line worth protecting?
Did that question even matter?
The Emperor alone being behind the ring of defenses was enough for Perturabo to protect it with everything he had.
Perturabo felt that the excuse he had come up with aboard the Iron Blood was unbearably flimsy. His hand hovered before the door, unable to knock.
In the end, he understood something...
No Adeptus Custodes had come to receive him. Presumably, they had received the Emperor's orders and did not want to see him make a fool of himself during the questioning.
Perturabo gave a self-mocking laugh, lowered his fist from the door, and prepared to turn away.
His guard did not ask a single question. Why had their Primarch come so eagerly, only to leave now so utterly dejected yet relieved?
After all, their father was a twisted man. The last person to point that out had been Dantioch, and Perturabo had marginalized him in a fit of rage, dispatching him to some godforsaken planet to waste away.
Rumble...
A low sound came from behind the door. Perturabo had not yet gone far, so he heard it clearly. Frowning in confusion, he turned back and saw the great doors suddenly burst open as a mysterious object radiating strange light flew swiftly toward him.
What the hell was that?!
Startled, Perturabo assumed it was an attack and instinctively activated every weapon on his power armor. Then he heard a voice stop him.
"Perturabo, catch him!"
Perturabo immediately lowered his weapons. Throwing his arms wide, he leaped forward and caught the mysterious object in his embrace.
The streaming light stabbed painfully at his eyes. It took Perturabo quite some time to adjust to its strange radiance, but