As Lox's words fell, everyone present seemed to draw a sharp breath.
Lox's proposal might have sounded somewhat better than remaining seated upon the Golden Throne, tormented by that ultimate instrument of torture, but in truth, it was only marginally better.
Was the difference really that great?
A God-Emperor's Apostle was, in essence, an upgraded Living Saint of the God-Emperor.
The Imperium's first Living Saint, Euphrati Keeler, possessed the ability to commune and connect with the God-Emperor.
Back in the Dimar system, she had encountered a devastating Warp storm. The Terran Ecclesiarchy had intended to use it to prevent the fleet of the Alliance of Light from reaching Holy Terra.
The Warp storm triggered by the self-destruction of Kristin, the Black King's Living Saint, possessed unimaginable power and influence, utterly beyond mortal means to resist.
Yet at the critical moment, Keeler had connected with the God-Emperor's power and, through her strength alone, led the pilgrimage fleet through the Warp storm's blockade.
Naturally, Keeler had not escaped without paying a price. Both her soul and body had endured the crushing burden of the God-Emperor's faith-derived power.
Had it lasted any longer, she might have been burned alive into ashes by the God-Emperor's power.
There was an impassable gulf between man and god. Even Living Saints were no exception.
Even the slightest leakage of divine power was enough to overwhelm mortals completely.
And if Living Saints who connected with the God-Emperor only at crucial moments had been tormented so badly, what fate awaited an Apostle whose soul remained linked to the God-Emperor at every moment?
Even with Magnus's Primarch physique and power far surpassing those of a Living Saint, he would likely bear an immense burden and suffer tremendous torment.
Magnus lay sprawled on the ground. His sole remaining eye had widened