Chapter 370: Magnus's Decision
Magnus began to tremble.
"So this is Malcador's task… I see. Alright."
"I… to be honest, I don't know."
He lowered his head and spoke softly.
"I—I was terrified back then. You wouldn't understand! No one can face his rage without trembling! At that moment he didn't even seem like—"
Hades sighed and cut off the latter half of Magnus's words.
"I understand. I won't mock you over that. After all, you were facing his wrath directly."
Magnus took a deep breath and continued in a suppressed voice,
"He showed me… everything. I couldn't think anymore. All I wanted was for him to stop being angry, to stop being sad…"
"You could feel his sorrow?"
Magnus nodded silently. The Primarch lowered his head, as if looking at his own futile hands—though he was already blind.
"I felt so guilty. I instinctively wanted to make amends, to fix everything. I wanted him to forgive me… but this… this… he wouldn't accept it… he wouldn't accept it…"
"You still haven't answered my question, Magnus."
Hades's calm voice continued.
"Why the eye?"
"Because that's what it wanted at the time—an eye! The eye is the window of the soul, an organ of great significance in mysticism—you really should read some basic occult texts!"
"Alright." Hades said slowly.
"I'll leave occult matters to psykers. In any case, you did it right in front of him."
"So you only wanted to quell his anger, is that it?"
"…And to make up for the mistakes I made."
Before Hades could speak, Magnus let out a bitter smile.
"I did it wrong again, didn't I?"
"I'm not an Inquisitor. Don't ask me." Hades said.
"But I'd advise you to stick strictly to what he tells you to do—and not take initiative beyond that."
Hades paced slowly around the room. Something about this felt off—why had Magnus instinctively given up an eye? But then again, the Emperor had been present at the time, so perhaps there was nothing amiss.
Even if there was, it wasn't something Hades could deal with.
At least now he understood Magnus's mindset. Hades found it understandable—he had seen people who, upon realizing they had caused a catastrophe, instinctively sought to punish themselves in order to find inner peace.
"So where is your eye now?"
Magnus paused, then replied dully, "With the Emperor."
Then it was fine, Hades thought. The Emperor was already the most reliable option on humanity's side—even if he did have a bit of a gambler's streak.
"Alright then…" Hades drew out the words.
"Malcador really does have something for you to do, Magnus."
Magnus fell silent. So did Hades. The Crimson Sinner listened to the sound of Hades's footsteps; from the change in the warden's demeanor, Magnus knew this would not be something easy.
None of this had ever been easy.
Magnus thought sadly. He spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I can accept it… Go on."
Hades stopped pacing and spoke calmly,
"The army has reached Prospero, Magnus."
Magnus shuddered violently. He remembered the warm sunlight on the streets of Tizca, the crystalline gleam of the pyramid libraries' spires in the distance. From the seaside of Tizca came the humid sea breeze; scholars walked along the wide avenues with books in their arms, chatting and laughing.
Then the stench of gunpowder filled his nose. He saw thick black smoke rising into the blue sky, devouring flames rolling across the land, people screaming as they fled. War would destroy this place—every scrap of peace would be gone—
"They're going to destroy Prospero, aren't they?"
Magnus said it tremblingly; the words made his tongue feel as though it were burning.
"I'm not the one in command. The Emperor is."
Hades's voice remained calm, cold, and cruel.
Magnus took a deep breath. He could even hear the note of humility creeping into his own words.
"Please—don't hurt the people there. Just eliminate the psychic element. They're not at fault. They only wanted a place where they could freely discuss scholarship."
Hades stared at Magnus.
"Is there any part of Prospero that exists completely without psychic power?"
Magnus buried his face deeply in his hands. His voice sounded dead.
"…No."
Magnus himself had overseen the application of psychic power on Prospero. The Primarch was obsessed with using psychic ability to benefit the masses, to the point that even tasks that could have been accomplished with minimal manual labor were replaced by psychic means.
"I think he'll make the distinctions clear," Hades said.
"After all, he is the Master of Mankind…"
"And so he's given you a task, Magnus."
"What?"
Magnus lifted his head. Behind the white cloth covering his eyes, it was as if he were staring at Hades in confusion.
"He wants you to order the forces on Prospero to surrender."
Magnus let out a disbelieving, bitter laugh. His tangled hair trembled slightly.
"I know… I should have known."
He buried himself in his hands again, as if unable to bear it.
"But… asking people to give up resistance… to abandon the home they built and lived in… that's too cruel… far too cruel."
Hades wanted to point out that abandoning the Space Wolves on the battlefield had also been cruel—but in the end, he didn't say it.
"The Emperor personally guarantees that if you order them to stand down, then those who are not tainted will be treated well by the Imperium."
Magnus murmured softly, "Will there really be anyone untainted?"
Hades thought for a moment.
"You should have a little faith, Magnus."
If Tzeentch wanted the Emperor to enter the game, then it could not possibly present a dead end. It would have to show some measure of sincerity.
Magnus fell silent. For a long time he said nothing. Hades stood silently before him, waiting for Magnus's decision.
At last, an almost inaudible voice spoke.
"…I can't say it."
Hades sighed.
"If you don't say it, Magnus—" Red light flashed through Hades's mechanical eye. "Then I think the Imperium will forge your orders. That's a conclusion anyone could reach with a little thought."
Magnus let out a bitter laugh.
"This is too cruel."
"You may need to start getting used to that, Magnus," Hades said kindly.
"Perhaps the universe has always been this cruel. You were simply deceived by lies before—and so you never saw its true face."
Hades continued, lowering his voice.
"You should really look at this cruel world properly, Magnus. If you want to hear Mortarion's story, or Angron's story, I can tell you anytime."
Blood-tears seeped once more from beneath the white cloth covering Magnus's eyes.
He said hoarsely, "I'm not someone who takes pleasure in others' tragedies, Hades… tell me when I can speak to my people."
"Are you truly ready?" Hades asked.
"...Perhaps."
Magnus fell silent, once again engulfed by overwhelming grief.
<+>
If you want to see more chapter of this story and don't mind paying $5 each month to read the latest posted chapter, please go to my Patreon [1]
Latest Posted Chapter in Patreon: Chapter 421: Guilliman Scores Some Points[2]
Link to the latest posted chapter: https://www.patreon.com/posts/152512330?collection=602520[3]
https://www.patreon.com/collection/602520?view=condensed[4]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/Thatsnakegirl
[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/152512330?collection=602520
[3] https://www.patreon.com/posts/152512330?collection=602520
[4] https://www.patreon.com/collection/602520?view=condensed