Warhammer 40k: Shattered Steel Soul

Chapter 493 Children of the Emperor

"The word of the Lord came to him: I want to tell you that the hesitation I found in you is very inconsistent with your appearance. I see that you are very sad now. I remember your enthusiasm when we first met. At that time, you hugged me in the cave. I thought you were very experienced. Now I see you, but you can't make up your mind. It seems that you are still unclear about what you want to enlighten me, and there are many things you are reluctant to do.

"The Lord looked at him again and said: Go forward and say to the old me: Never turn back. My unsettled heart in my youth needs you to give me a command to make it firm, just as you chose our path for me on the ship at that time. You must tell me that the heavens will be horrified for us, and the abominations will retreat to the wilderness and nothingness at the finger of our fingers.

"The shadow in the fire bowed down before the Lord, and he didn't say a word, but the Lord knew everything:

"Okay! Lord, I want to tell you that you will build a kingdom here, but many things will also be destroyed in your kingdom. The people you lead will always destroy the place you built. Since you know that I am your son, you must also know that many of us have died under each other's swords, and in the future we will swing knives on ourselves, turn cities into ashes, and turn battlefields into furnaces. But you must build a holy city, just as the one who holds the seal invites you to build, so that we can kill.

"The Lord said: Fertile land can be defiled, and good wood can be burned. Is there a place where people can keep the light of heaven forever? That must not be. Then I will build this dam for people that will inevitably collapse, and make a set of yokes that will inevitably be broken. Since people have sins, this sin must originate from me, so that my copy can also be destroyed. But this is what we have agreed on.

"The shadow turned his face away: Then I will go forward, and you will go backward.

"The Lord sent him away and said, 'Rely on me. Even if you are the one who wants to destroy my country, I will know it. After all, I created you. Moreover, if you look around, you will see that the country that will be here is also created by me. However, from now on, you will never go back. Although you have seen many people who have lost their lives for us, my intention has not changed.

"The shadow spread from the sand dunes, and there was a city buried in the sand on the hills of the wilderness. A secluded path went down to the depths. The throne of the Lord was under the secluded path. The golden throne will indeed be lost one day, but our Lord will not greet it with all kinds of worries or anger, just as fire will not be afraid of thorns, and lions will not care about ants.

"Just after that, a long horn was blown on the earth, and an empire was established."

——

Narrek read aloud on the pulpit. There were not many people in the chapel. The people here took in Batusa Narek and several of his crew members out of very simple morals and of course their love for some tall and young laborers. This did not make them have much new interest in preaching - not to mention that what Narek said was far from the two major sects in the empire.

Whether it was the believers who supported the truth of the empire or the believers of the doctrines preached by the Word Bearers, it was probably impossible for them to agree with the remote knowledge that Narek was spreading now. He had always expected this, so he was surprised that there were still a few villagers listening here.

Among the seats, he saw Alena and her sisters. Perhaps they were too busy and had abundant energy to waste. They all stood by the mercy seat instead of sitting on the bench.

"Priest!" Alyona called him while he was resting and drinking water, "Does the story you told have a name?"

"It really doesn't have one, I'm still thinking of a name."

"Wasn't it inspired by God?"

"Oh, how could God tell us everything in advance? If you listen to my story carefully, you will know that God also needs someone to inspire you, Alyona. But - if you can't think of any new suggestions, I'm considering the 'Ecclesiasticus'."

"It's so long," said one of Alyona's sisters, "Do I have to use this?"

"Then you can do whatever you want, see how you like it." Narek agreed with good temper, and now it seemed that there were not many things that could provoke his anger. The longer he spent in this peaceful place, the less unnecessary waves in his heart: the boy at the end of the glorious crossroads had occupied most of his mind, and he seemed to see his figure every time in front of him, and he couldn't help but correct his behavior all the time.

"Then... 'story'," the white-haired girl said, puffing her lips, "That's what I called it, the latest storybook. It tells the story of the birth of our human empire."

"Is it the story of the birth of the human empire?" Narek smiled, "Well, it seems there is nothing to hide."

"I hope you are not afraid of being arrested by the Word Bearers or the Ministry of Justice, priest, your story is too blasphemous to the throne," although Alena said this, she looked very comfortable and yearning as she embraced her sister next to her, "But I really like your story. If the emperor is really like you said, I am afraid I would like to meet him...Okay, I won't disturb you, priest! I see someone is waiting anxiously!"

The other young men and women in the chapel retracted their gazes from the white-haired girls.

So Narek continued.

——

"A cold wind is blowing in the temple, like the cool air blowing up from the wasteland and the hive. People want to say: Alas, why is there rain and snow in this temple? But this is what the Lord wants to welcome. , he waited for the man-made strong wind in the temple to blow in his face, which was blowing in response to His order. As soon as he waited for this wind, he knew that the human empire was about to be shaken up and cause all kinds of injustice and danger.

"It was also at this time that the shadow followed the light swaying from the electric candlestick and quickly arrived at the Lord's side.

"Hey, my son! The Lord said this. He not only said this, but also called the shadow's name. However, this name is not something we can know. The shadow was not expecting it, because the Lord should not know at this time that he is Who, but his restless heart has been clearly heard by the Lord.

"The shadow said silently: Father, it seems that we have met many times. This is the first time I see you. I'm afraid you won't be able to see my shadow again.

"Then the Lord asked: Have our actions caused all the suffering? Have our choices torn so many hearts? Have the flags of my enemies already flown over the temple? Otherwise, why are you so uncertain? ? You are really a soul made of iron. Your heart has been broken into many parts due to many deaths, but you have not shown it in front of me. You must know that you will cause a lot of destruction and murder many lives in the future. Then he became sad, as if the sky was already dark at twelve o'clock at noon. How could this continue?

"The shadow looked at the Lord and was speechless for a moment. He must have walked into the Lord with a lot of hesitation, like walking into an unclosed tomb, but he didn't know that he had received the Lord as soon as he came up. God’s guidance, just as God welcomed his guidance dozens of thousands of years ago.

"You will go to my past and future and personally make many instructions for me to punish the enemies of mankind and take revenge on the many evil people who have hurt my children. They deceive us like vicious birds and hinder our progress. This sea of ​​hardship. I ask you to know: since you are here, I must have made a lot of efforts, but I still fell into the cage of coercion and misfortune. So, please climb the traitor's wall for me. , to destroy everything that stands in our way.

"The shadow hesitated silently. His heart was really shaken by the devastation he saw. He returned to the Lord with the intention of not letting go, not to completely bury the dead. He was still shaken. , did not want to see those many sacrifices, but the Lord did not alienate him because of his hesitation. He already knew that they would all reach a day when they would never retreat, but the Lord had already passed that day, and His Son Fresh off the tree that bears bitter fruit.

"This is what the Lord says: Look, the enemy of mankind has arisen, and we are never helpless. Our plan is a shield, and no sword has ever been able to penetrate it all. But do not hesitate any longer, for You still have to lift this shield. Why, if you want to cry, then cry! But your mission has been chosen by you.

"You are standing at a crossroads. Many roads ahead have their own gains and losses, but I will only choose the straight path I am walking on now. And I give you an order: You must choose my path. You will definitely understand that you Why is the choice made by me? Then you must also understand that my choice is made by you.

"If your enemy is the kingdom I built, you will later know that I have given you permission to destroy it. But I will say it again: I have chosen someone to declare for me, and I will choose you to declare for me. Spear. As for other things, I am afraid that I will no longer be able to pour my anger on the earth myself, and you should not come and tell me who I chose to do what - I am afraid that it will be self-defeating. of future.

"Shadow is receiving lessons from the Lord. Could he be waiting for some gentle touch? However, he also knows that when he gets here, what can keep him going is no longer comfort. If a person decides to burn many worlds with fire, turning the joy and birds into panic and dust, and letting the remains become fertilizer on the ground, then the things that can support him are destined to have nothing to do with comfort. Therefore, what he expects is true. It was a command, as if it would make his heart feel better, free from the pain of annihilation and ravage.

"The shadow bowed to the Lord. His mind was still unsettled. Just like the vine will not bear fruit as soon as it is planted. The Lord knew that he was not a thoughtless person, so he allowed him to use his own wisdom to solve the problem. His own confusion. Then the Lord told him: Go ahead, O my weapon, and you will receive your reward.

"The shadow quietly went away, his presence wavered, but he did not disappear immediately.

"The way of man is made by man, and he who sets foot on it chooses his own pace. I have heard your voice, and I will go forward. But there is one thing, my Lord, I still have one thing to do. I beg you, because today is the time for you to write your last letter.

"The Lord is not surprised: I have done all I can, but because I am destined to lose my words, I do leave behind a set of letters to guide your hearts. Constantine Waldo can be the keeper of the collection . Do you want to watch me write my suicide note and seal it?

"The shadow has faded from the presence of the Lord. The Lord took a graver and left delicate marks, word for word, on the skin of the soulless man. There is no one with words like him, no one with the same shape and form. Similar to him, no one's silence is similar to his.

"He didn't mention what he was thinking, and he didn't say much about what he really thought. His letter was not to his heirs, but to the empire. He left half of the plan behind and hoped that the other half would never be destroyed. Activated. He knows that the curtain he built has been destroyed, and all his children are destined to leave, but he still wants to post the last piece of news, which is the crimson sealing wax on the letter paper. "

——

When Batusa Narek was about to leave the planet, Alyona and her sisters chased him out. They stretched out their hands as tough as birch wood and held hands with Narek tenaciously one by one. Very reluctant to let go.

"My 'storybook' here has been told. Even if you want to hear it again, I have to go to the next place."

"Going to the next place to tell these stories, priest?"

"Maybe, and then there's the matter of competing with the Word Bearers' Sacred Books." Narek said, looking down at the sisters in front of him. They came with their own luggage and packed a small package, and the cloth bag was slapped on their shoulders. "I'm just a preacher."

"Hey, I think you are a warrior. With such a big body and so many hard muscles, you can't be just a priest." Alyona said, her face didn't even have a trace of red color in the cold wind. It came out like a shovel standing here alive.

"I don't care why you are so focused on preaching, but I think you must know how to fight, and you must have some more incredible ideas than telling stories everywhere... It's very strange, as soon as I heard you speak, I started to As soon as the story of the Tower of Babel began, I understood that I had to tell you this..."

"Say it, Alyona." Narek replied, he already had some premonitions. People who grew up on this planet seem to be born with a very remarkable thing in human nature, which is an idea that can withstand cold winds and many things that are worse than cold winds. And when they face these obstacles, they must still have a hearty smile on their faces.

"We can't stay here. I already know so many things. This iron-like land can't keep us... Hey, you will definitely encounter battles in the future, but there are only a few of you, why? Is it enough? Take us with you, we will be happy to fight for the emperor you said and kill the enemy - don't mind that we are not space warriors! I tell you, even ordinary guards may not be able to fight with us. "

Alyona said, her natural white hair had been cut short to her ears, which made her eyes flicker even more tenaciously, "Since you are a priest, we will become nuns. How can we not be nuns?"