Within History 64

64. Within History

The Emperor felt anger.

He felt anger and confusion.

Once, he had moved among the various powers, cautiously and carefully wielding his authority, painstakingly building up every detail. Billions of documents, billions of lies and truths, had woven a vast net.

This net had nearly caught Lion, dragged Guilliman down from his seat of power, buried Mortarion in Annihilation's garden, and gripped the being upon the Golden Throne...

But no matter what, the net's ultimate target was it.

It could only be it. It was never deceived by Chaos's lies.

Nor was it ever swayed by petty details or minor gains... Whenever it encountered an uncertain situation, it would actively seek out The Emperor... He could blind its eyes for a time, but in the course of verbal dispute,

The Emperor's teasing gaze would always pierce through everything and settle upon him.

After another brief meeting, Malcador rubbed his brow again. He did not want to hear anything else that would ignite his fury.

"No."

He said impatiently,

"I have already reached the limit of what I can allow the Ultramarines to touch. Any further... is beyond the scope that a single legion can influence."

He calmly looked at Hades before him.

"One level higher, I can permit the Sons of the Lord of the Underworld to exist, but the Ultramarines are forbidden from painting themselves black. I know what you are thinking, dead soul."

Hades smiled.

So that meant the Death Guard were not forbidden from painting themselves black—besides, the Sons of the Lord of the Underworld had always recruited from the Five Hundred Worlds. Buz was an outstanding man of Macragge.

He could hardly forbid the people of Macragge.

As Hades thought, he persuaded Malcador,

"But with such a vast administrative scope... I have reorganized