mtlumby2d Chapter 355 An Apology from Guilliman
Chapter 355 An Apology from Guilliman
Deep within Terra's palace, Guilliman's desk was piled high with reports from across the Empire. Most striking, however, was a detailed report from Baal—about the birth and exploits of the "Super Angels." Guilliman's fingertips traced the holographic image on the report; the Super Angels' white wings shimmered like snow in the starlight, their power and glory unmatched on the battlefield.
“Dante, you always manage to surprise me,” Guilliman said with a hint of satisfaction. “These super angel warriors are undoubtedly the hope of the Empire.”
However, a hint of worry flashed in his eyes. Guilliman knew very well that the existence of the Superangels would not only bring hope but also arouse suspicion from other chapters. Especially the Chaos Space Marines, who would surely attack Baal at all costs, attempting to destroy the hopes of these Imperiums.
Meanwhile, Guilliman was also very interested in the birth of the super angels. What method did Dante and his companions use to create such powerful warriors? What kind of technology was it?
"Prepare the warships, I'm heading to Bal!" Killieman said.
The Imperial Guard Commander asked: "Sir, now?"
Killieman nodded and said: Yes.
…………
When Guilliman's flagship, the Radiance of Macragge, landed in Baal, the warriors of the Blood Angels greeted the Primarch with the highest honors. Dante personally guided Guilliman into the core chamber of the Tomb of Sanguis, where the air was filled with the low hum of psionic crystals. Russell stood before an altar inscribed with ancient runes, golden psionic energy flowing around him like liquid.
“These superangels are not creations of technology,” Dante’s voice echoed in the chamber, “but rather products of Russell’s psychic energy resonating with the blood of Saint Gilles.” He pointed to the gene seed cultivation chamber in the center of the altar, where the outline of white wings was faintly visible taking shape in the crimson liquid suspended inside. “Each creation requires Russell to imbue Saint Gilles’ primordial gene chain with psychic energy, a process that… almost tears his soul apart.”
Guilliman's fingertips touched the glass surface of the incubation chamber, and the Primarch's transcendental perception instantly revealed astonishing data—the efficiency of combining psionic energy with the gene seed was thousands of times greater than that of the Empire's current technology, but the cost was that Russell's psionic energy would be greatly depleted for every superangel created.
“If this power could be applied to the Ultra Warriors…” Guilliman’s thought module was working at lightning speed, his voice a mixture of rationality and desire, “we could mass-produce the ultimate weapon against Chaos.”
Dante's Blood Mask suddenly emitted a warning red light: "Lord Guilliman, have you considered how Chaos might covet this power? Every time Russell activates his psionic powers, the warp trembles accordingly—the Lord of Changes has already noticed him."
As if to confirm this statement, the psionic barrier on the dome of the secret chamber suddenly rippled. Russell's "Blood Drinker" entrenching tool suddenly lit up, and the phantom of Kayans appeared on the blade: "What a wonderful psionic resonance... Lord Guilliman, can you also smell this delicious despair?"
Guilliman's power gauntlets, "Emperor's Wrath," activated instantly, shattering the illusion into psionic debris. He turned to look at Russell, who was drenched in cold sweat, and noticed that half of the young man's pupils had turned pure gold—a sign of excessive psionic energy depletion.
“I can provide psionic samples for the Ultramarines,” Russell gasped, supporting himself on the altar, “but each infusion requires the equivalent of creating three Superangels in energy… and I don’t know how many more I can endure.”
Just as Guilliman was about to speak, Mephisto's psionic vessel suddenly emitted a piercing alarm. On the holographic star map, a supernova-level energy surge was erupting in the desolate star system at the edge of the Eye of Terror—the transferred fragments of the Celestial God had awakened prematurely.
“Your thoughts need to be put on hold, Primarch.” Dante’s Blood Mask turned to Guilliman. “We have a bigger problem now—the Colossus is tearing the barrier of reality with the fragments of the Astral God, and the only one who can stop this catastrophe…” He looked at the swaying Russell, “is being drained of his psionic energy by us.”
Guilliman's thought module fell into a brief silence. When he looked up again, the decision matrix had completed its calculations: "Prepare the fleet. I will personally escort Russell to the Dead Silent System. As for the mass production plan for super soldiers—" He glanced deeply at the gene cultivation pod, "we'll discuss that when we return alive."
Deep within the warp, Kayanth was projecting this conversation in real time to Saint Ives. On the robes of the Myriad Shapeshifter, the runes symbolizing Russell's fate suddenly twisted into a sinister grin: "Behold, a concerto of hope and greed... this is the sweetest prelude to destruction."
…………
On the journey to the Dead Star System, Guilliman stood on the observation deck of the "Radiance of Macragge," gazing at the distorted warp storms outside the porthole. His thought modules replayed his conversation with Russell over and over again, each deduction pointing to the same conclusion—his ambition had nearly pushed the Imperium into an abyss of no return.
“Russell,” Killieman’s voice echoed in the private cabin, devoid of Primarch authority and revealing only an unusual weariness, “I need to apologize to you.”
Russell quickly looked up, surprise flashing in his golden eyes: "Lord Guilliman, you don't need to..."
“No,” Guilliman interrupted him, “I almost made an irreparable mistake.” His powered gauntlets, “Emperor’s Wrath,” tapped lightly against the bulkhead. “I let my thirst for power cloud my judgment, ignoring how Chaos might exploit my ambition to create an even greater catastrophe.”
Dante emerged from the shadows, his voice, tinged with satisfaction, beneath the Blood Mask: "To realize this shows you are still the Primarch you can trust."
A complex emotion flickered in Guilliman's eyes: "I never imagined that my decisions would be used against me by Chaos, if only...."
"This has already plunged Russell into an abyss of no return," Dante continued, "and Chaos will seize the opportunity to tear apart the barrier of reality, dragging the entire galaxy into the abyss of warp."
Russell stood up, the Blooddrinker in his hand gleaming with a gentle golden light: "Lord Guilliman, your confession has shown me another side of the Primarch—not an invincible god of war, but a leader who makes mistakes and can correct them."
Guilliman's lips curled into a slight smile: "Perhaps this is exactly what the Emperor wants us to learn—with great power comes great responsibility, and with great responsibility comes the need to be constantly vigilant about one's weaknesses."
…………
Deep within the Eye of Fear, the runes on Saint Ives's robes, symbolizing Russell's fate, suddenly dimmed: "The Primarch's repentance... a truly repulsive virtue." His voice was laced with anger and sarcasm. "But it doesn't matter. The Celestial Fragment has awakened, and the cracks in the Reality Barrier are widening. Even without Guilliman's ambition, we can still..."
His words trailed off. In the holographic projection, Guilliman's fleet was approaching the Dead Star System at an incredible speed, while Russell's golden psionic energy had already resonated with the Star God fragments.
"Damn it!" Kayans's mechanical eye spun wildly. "How could they be so fast?"
On the bridge of the "Radiance of Macragge," Guilliman gazed towards the direction of the desolate system. His voice boomed over the ship's intercom: "All crew, prepare for battle. This time, we are not here for conquest, but for redemption."
Russell stood beside him, the "Blood Drinker" in his hand gleaming with a dazzling golden light: "For the Emperor, for the future of the Empire."
A deep laugh came from beneath Dante's blood-red mask: "It seems we still have a chance to correct our mistakes."