Lin En was at a loss for words.
Once, the Raven Lord had blocked a doorway. Now, armored warriors were blocking his.
"My lord! The Flesh Tearers request permission to accompany you—"
"You already got your answer," Lin En told Gabriel.
"Please reconsider!!!"
Lin En drew a breath. "Fall back."
"My lord!!!"
Sentoyor said nothing. He just looked at Lin En with pleading eyes.
Lin En sighed again. "No."
It was sweet of his irreplaceable collectibles to want to protect him.
But.
If he wanted to keep them from dying, he would have to keep Group Healing and Thirty Days running permanently through his aura, covering them all.
That part was fine. He wouldn't die, and neither would they.
The real problem was that he only had two slots. If he filled them with Group Healing and Thirty Days, how was he supposed to fight Mortarion?
Did they really want him to stay in the rear? His attack skills were so powerful.
And it wasn't just the armored warriors.
The two Adeptus Custodes also petitioned Lin En. "Please remain behind the lines, my lord. We will face the Daemon Prince."
Lin En had nothing to say.
The Adeptus Custodes were formidable, but a Daemon Primarch could probably cut through them like vegetables.
Valerian nodded. "My lord, we may be outmatched, but a commander should not have to charge ahead of his troops."
They would gladly give their lives to keep Lin En safe. It was the Imperium's most common tactic: millions of lives could be worth less than one indispensable person. When necessary, millions, tens of millions, even hundreds of millions could be sacrificed for that one person.
It was also the duty the Emperor had entrusted to them.
Lin En was about to refuse.
Valerian spoke again. "My lord,