Warhammer: In the Name of the Emperor - #678 - Chapter 660 Doomsday Storm: Poisoning the Original Body

Vito leaned against the colonnade of the throne room in the center of Hera Fortress. In this shadow, he was the only one leaning here. From here, he could see the crowds coming and going in the throne hall. They sometimes arrived and sometimes left, but Coincidentally, more and more people are entering the throne room.

Hera Fortress is rarely open to the public, especially here, but today it is decorated with lights, the majestic gate is opened, the neat marble floor is polished by servitors, and the huge Macragge Wall on both sides In front of the mural, more flags than usual were hung.

The flags of the ten companies of the Ultramarines surround the central throne, and a giant eagle spreads its wings behind it. Vito has been here many times, but outsiders are still shocked by the scene here.

Although most of them are of noble birth and belong to the powerful class of each planet, Hera Fortress and the territory of the Astartes will not be open to them because of this. For the Astartes, mortals are mortals and it does not matter. Identity, where the forgotten principle of equality really comes into play.

Vito looked at the funny expressions of those luxuriously dressed guys looking around like country people entering the city, showing a mocking look. He folded his arms and leaned on the wall behind him with one leg raised. In the shadows, no matter how crowded people were outside the colonnade, no one noticed him.

Including the Ultramarines, they are also here. Almost all officers from the platoon and above of the company are present. Honor Guards around the entire hall are holding lightning spears and surrounding the throne hall. Outside the door, Terminators can be vaguely seen standing on both sides of the door. , the gun barrel is hung with a glorious flag.

This is rare, so many Terminators are awakened just for one grand event, but today’s meeting is extremely important in every sense, not only because this meeting will determine the five hundred worlds of Ultramar future, especially because many people present saw the real Guilliman alive for the first time.

Yes, many people here have made pilgrimages to the temple where he slept, but it was only from a distance. Following the pilgrims at the bottom of the steps of the hall, looking at the gate for a glance, they were greeted by someone holding a spear. The guards of the temple blocked him one after another, and could only take a vague look at him.

Therefore, the crowd was quite excited. Those well-dressed dignitaries, and those second-generation people who acted like the world is so boring and I want to die, all showed their long-lost nervousness and excitement.

But among the crowd, there were still some people with strange expressions. Vito looked at the Minister of Political Affairs. He was with the bishop of the Anglican Church and the Minister of Justice. They wore the most gorgeous uniforms and had the thickest paint on their faces. makeup, but still couldn’t hide the fear and nervousness on their faces.

Vito smiled, and then looked to the other end of the hall with a heavy drumbeat. The door was opened with a bang. First, the ultramarines holding flags walked out neatly. They appeared from behind the colonnade, holding flying flags. Once out in the sunlight.

The members of the Honor Guard outside the colonnade turned in the direction of the flags. They raised their spears and saluted them. Then all the Ultramarines in the hall turned at the same time. The simultaneous footsteps of hundreds of Ultramarines resounded in the throne room.

They saluted the flag-bearers who were marching out. They lined up in two rows and walked in neatly from outside the gate. Behind them were members of the original bodyguards in full armor and uniforms. They all wore centurion war helmets. , the red rooster’s comb spreads out horizontally, like a red and white sandbank coming towards the crowd.

The mortals were all looking over there nervously. They were waiting, their eyes fixed on the door covered by the red cockscomb, waiting for the arrival of that person, the arrival of the destined person.

The war drums beat again, and the brass trumpet high in the throne room played “Macragge’s Triumph.” In that majestic music, he appeared behind the door, and his majestic body gradually appeared behind the cockscomb. The Honor Guards all knelt down on both sides, and the Ultramarines also knelt down at the same time.

The centurions walked out of the colonnade, stood up in order, and then turned towards the long road in the middle. They were like a high wall blocking the central road and the view of the people on both sides. Vito was also blocked outside. He looked at the air raid between the giants. , watching him coming in the majestic singing, and walking step by step in the sound of drums.

As the music gradually reached its climax, he walked out from behind the colonnade, and the brass trumpets struck the final drumbeat together. In the majestic music, he walked between the centurions. They drew their swords at the same time, and then laid them across in front of them. , the man walked between the swords, his face vaguely reflected on the swords.

Mortals looked there one after another, but could not see anything. They could only see his vague figure, just like on the sword. The music gradually reached its climax, accompanied by the final tone of the music composed by Bach, at the end. As a drum beat fell, heavy footsteps stepped forward.

“Long live! King of Macragge, long live! Lord of Ultramar, long live! Lord of the Thirteenth Legion, long live! Robert Guilliman!”

Sicarius, holding the sword in his hand, roared with a loud voice. All the mortals in the hall knelt down and shouted three times at the same time. In the midst of the shouts, he turned around and stood in front of the throne. With his head held high, the sun shone on the giant eagle behind him, casting countless shadows down and shrouding him in a hazy shadow.

That kind of mystery has been widely used in human history, which can create a sense of majesty, authority, and unshakable deterrence, and judging from the demeanor of these mortals, it still works now.

They lowered their heads and paid tribute to Guilliman in the shadow, who slowly raised his hand and extended his palm from the shadow to signal everyone present to stand up.

“Lord Guilliman orders, stand up!” His herald, Sicarius, shouted loudly on the ground, his voice full of pride. He looked down at the crowd below with a smile on his face, as if he was the original body.

The Ultramarines were naturally the first to stand up. Chapter Commander Calgar led them to stand up at the same time. The sonic boom caused by dozens of company commanders and sergeants standing up at the same time echoed in the hall. Their footsteps landed at the same time, and again. There was a heavy echo, and the footsteps ended with the final melody of the triumphal music.

Only then did the mortals stand up one after another. They put on their gorgeous coats and long skirts and looked up at the person on the steps of the throne with awe. He was standing in the shadow. On the steps in front of him stood Xi. Karius, a little ahead, was an honor guard of one hundred fully armed Ultramarines.

The flag bearers passed by both sides of the throne and stood at attention behind them. All the hanging flags turned around and slowly unfolded behind the throne like a floating city wall. In front of the throne, the centurions turned and stood still, with their swords raised together and stood tall. In front of me, a fine iron sound came out of the door.

The gate of Hera Fortress slowly closed. The mortals turned their heads to look at the gate. They saw the huge figure of the Terminator appearing outside the gate. They closed the gate. With the sound of the noose closing, the only and last one The strong voice spoke.

“Welcome everyone, welcome to Hera Fortress.” Guilliman’s voice came from the shadows. He was very good at the way of the emperor. He stood in the shadow, making it difficult to see his face, as if he was coming from another place. A god who has arrived in the world is greeting his pilgrims.

“Courage and Glory!” Chapter Master Calgar lowered his iron fist on his chest, “March for Macragge!” All the Ultramarines in the hall shouted at the same time, their voices as loud as thunder.

Amidst the roar, the mortals stepped back in awe, burying their heads that they had just raised. From the crowd, the Minister of Political Affairs looked at each other, the Ministry of Justice, and the Bishop of the State Church, nodded slightly, and then walked out. He walked towards the throne. On the steps, the sound of centurions slamming their swords on the ground made him afraid to move forward.

He had no choice but to raise his head in front of a group of Ultramarines as high as the top of a mountain and look at the giant in the shadow at the top from the widest angle, “Lord Guilliman, I represent!”

“Sir.” A voice interrupted the Minister of State. He looked angrily as a habit. When he saw it was another Ultramarine Centurion, the anger on his face immediately disappeared.

Unique among the Ultramarines, Felix strode forward wearing a Primaris Space Marine helmet. He came to the throne, knelt down on one knee and handed a data plate to Guilliman.

“What’s the matter?” Sicarius asked sternly on behalf of his master. The stern tone was quite shocking. Felix lowered his head and raised the data pad high. “The battle situation on the front line, sir, has just been reported by the Military Intelligence Department. It was sent without delay.”

Sicarius looked at the man in the shadow. He nodded in the shadow. The amplitude was very small but could still be seen by the closest second company commander. The latter nodded and walked down to take the data tablet. , then stepped up the steps and handed it to Guilliman.

He took the data tablet and looked at it in the shadows. His face was still hidden in the darkness, and only a small part of his chest was lit up by the glow of the screen. There was silence in the hall, as if even breathing had stopped. A pin falling to the ground is enough to ring like a church bell.

After a moment, Guilliman raised his head in the shadows. He looked at the hall under the throne with a face whose facial features could not be seen clearly. “According to the news just received, the planets such as Fioriolo, Orpheus, and Proslia Infiltrated by Nurgle’s cultists, plague and rebellion broke out, and it was destroyed by the Inquisition.”

As soon as these words came out, there was a sudden chatter of surprise in the entire hall. The Minister of State’s eyes widened and he stared at the person on the throne who could not see clearly. He lowered his head and handed the data pad to Sika. Liu Si, then raised his head and looked down at the people in the hall.

“Facts have once again proven that the current political system of Five Hundred Worlds is unable to cope with the current urgent threats, which once again strengthened my determination.”

Guilliman said loudly, without the need for any amplification equipment, his voice was enough to be heard clearly by people at the far end of the vast hall, “I once again issue an edict. From now on, the five hundred worlds of Ultramar will be disbanded. , all planets are merged into the administration and battle lines of the empire. From now on, all existing governments will be disbanded and awaiting reorganization.”

“I appoint Calgar as the Archon of the Central Constellation, to govern Macragge and the core system, the Third Company Captain Mikael as the Eastern Constellation Archon, to manage the forge world and mining planet, and the Seventh Company Captain Wennerson He is in charge of the northern star sector and oversees the defense lines of the fringe stars. Captain Felix is ​​the regent of the western stars and is in charge of the trade star system.”

As soon as these words came out, the mortals in the hall exploded. They looked at each other and started to quarrel, especially the bishop of the state church and the minister of justice. Their expressions were miserable. The minister of political affairs almost stared out of his eyes. Just now In two words, in a matter of seconds, their hereditary power was taken away from them.

He was so shocked that he couldn’t speak. Whether it was a curse or a compliment, he could only stare at Guilliman blankly. He looked around the crowd and raised a hand, “Although this is a dark and painful era, I It’s better to have a drink together, for the sake of those who have passed away, and for the new life of Ultramar.”

Before Guilliman finished speaking, the servitors appeared one after another from behind the colonnade. They ran past Vito as if they appeared out of thin air. They got into the crowd and stopped at their respective positions accurately and precisely. , it is better to cover a certain range of people.

The Minister of State looked at the servitor beside him. He was holding a plate and handed a glass of wine to the Minister of State. His face was dull and expressionless, but the Minister of State felt that it was naked ridicule, especially when he saw Sicarius’s smiling face confirmed this.

This great humiliation made the Minister of State become furious. He picked up the wine glass and looked at Guilliman, who was also taking the drink from a servitor. He secretly swore, “I will make you pay the price, idiot. No one can humiliate me, no one! I will pretend to surrender, of course, just to leave. When I go back, I will lead the Hydras back to see who can laugh!”

The Minister of State cursed, imagining the moment when he personally killed Guilliman. A smile appeared on his lips. Then, the wine glass crashed to the ground, and the wine in the golden chalice spilled on the throne. Sicarius and kneeling on the ground Felix raised his head and looked behind him.

The giant, the immortal giant fell down in front of everyone. He sat back on the throne, one hand hanging on the armrest, just under the sun, and the wine was spilling from the golden wine glass.

“Lord Guilliman! This wine is poisonous, who did it?” Calgar threw away the wine glass and shouted angrily. He looked around. Sicarius was stunned for a moment and then suddenly turned back to look at the Minister of State. “It’s him, it’s him The wine was sent as a token of respect, and he said it came from his winery in Ophir Star!”

Calgar turned around suddenly and looked at the Minister of State and the mortals behind him. The Chapter Leader suddenly raised the iron fist and loaded the bullet, “Kill them all! Don’t let any of them go!”

The Ultramarines in the hall drew their weapons one after another, and the Honor Guards raised their lightning spears and came up from all around. The mortals screamed, and they pushed each other, but they were squeezed together like sardine cans, accompanied by long The spear got smaller and smaller as it got closer, and the Minister of State looked around in horror at the man slumped on the throne.

Before him came the centurions, who came to the Minister of State with fury, their swords flying down.

Vito leaned in the shadow of the colonnade and pulled down his sleeves. After the wound on his wrist was covered, he listened to the screams from the hall and took the wine from the servitor on the side. The triumphant music ended. At the same time, he drank the wine.

“Good wine.”