My Life as A Death Guard
Chapter 523: Ecstatic Konrad
[ Vengeful Spirit ]
"Right, wrong, guilty, innocent—hypocrites, hypocrites, all of you!" Konrad shrieked in ecstatic fury.
Once, he had waded through rivers of sin, fallen into an endless night without light, and been imprisoned in a madman's hell. Konrad's eyes had seen too much; the Unspeakable Things had withdrawn their mercy from him, and those who deemed themselves righteous had fallen into Hell before him.
Countless people, countless events, had once stood before him, looking down upon him.
Fulgrim had said, You must have hope for the Imperium.
Dorn had said, You are wrong.
Mortarion had sneered, Apologize.
Lion El'Jonson had roared, Traitor!
In the flickering candlelight, Sanguinius had lowered his head, his blood-red eyes devoid of emotion as he looked down at Konrad Curze, who lay in a filthy pool of blood.
He had said, "Konrad, this is only an illusion."
An illusion, my ass!!! You self-deceiving bitch!!!
Did Sanguinius not know what he himself had done?!
Konrad's right claw lunged at Horus's head. The Worldbreaker blasted out from his right arm. Konrad abruptly pulled back, but the sheer momentum caused his arm to halt in mid-air. He watched as his gauntlet was shattered by the Worldbreaker's protruding spikes, his arm bending backward at an unnatural angle.
In an instant, Konrad saw Horus's eyes bulge, his rage igniting once more.
At that moment, Konrad Curze suddenly understood how Sanguinius had looked at him all those years ago.
With what pity and what contempt.
So this is how it is, how it is—how wonderful this feeling is!
The Night Haunter burst into uncontrollable laughter, but his mockery dissolved into coughs as his vocal cords melted.
He had already performed his final act in life. Konrad writhed within his increasingly sluggish body, taunting Horus just as Sanguinius had once taunted him with his arrogance.
Mortarion had already paid the price for his pride. On the path of pushing his dearest friend into the abyss, Sanguinius would only stray further and further, until he too paid a terrible price for his arrogance!
Only he! Only he would die!
Only he had seen it all clearly!
Hahahaha!!!
The screams of the High Heaven rose in a thousand-fold chorus in Konrad's ears. His soul, burdened by countless atrocities, had long since shattered. The Eye of Terror turned its gaze upon him, staring at his enticing soul. Konrad heard Hell calling to him—before the curses, he had already sealed his pact with Them!
He had finally reached the end of his path. He could bear to look no longer! This world belonged to the blind. Emperor, why did You grant him sight alone?
Leave the world to those still foolish enough to cherish it!
He would plunge into Hell, clutching his stubbornness to his chest.
Konrad Curze's story had to end.
Chains from the Warp coiled around his soul, and Konrad felt his very existence beginning to dissolve. The psychic assault sent him crashing to the ground, where he writhed and struggled to crawl forward.
Horus wiped the blood from his face, staring in disbelief at Konrad, who had suddenly collapsed before him. But without a moment's hesitation, the Warmaster brought Worldbreaker down in a crushing strike!
CLANG—!
Konrad threw himself to the right, shrieking as he clutched his head and narrowly dodged Horus's attack. Worldbreaker slammed into the ground, its impact a thunderous roar.
A roar erupted from Horus's own throat. He had had enough of Konrad's mocking provocations! He was right! Sanguinius chose his divinity!—He had never—he had never desired for his brother to become such a thing!
He was loyal!
Konrad had truly gone mad. He writhed on the floor, his right arm—shattered by Worldbreaker—being torn completely from his body as he rolled. The severed limb lay on the floor, palm up, blood spraying from the stump.
Yet Konrad only screamed, his voice a desperate plea for something, someone.
Horus heard countless broken names in Konrad's delirious mutterings, but it didn't matter—he was even beginning to grow impatient that Cadia had not yet fallen. The final step, he needed only the final step, to proclaim his victory! His purity!
His loyalty!
He struck at Konrad. The Primarch, lost in his own world of screams, no longer even tried to dodge. Worldbreaker smashed through his armor, sending shards of ceramite and flesh flying.
Konrad's scream instantly changed pitch, a sound that brought Horus pleasure. He swung the hammer again, its head now slick with blood.
Konrad lunged away, his body contorted as he retreated toward the shattered Observation Window. Horus's pupils constricted—Konrad was trying to escape!
Konrad felt himself suffocating, the shackles around his neck tightening ever more. Hell had arrived, and the only thing he had left to do was to leave a chance for his sons to survive!
No! Admit it! Konrad Curze, you can't resist the bloody sensations. You love hearing people scream. You relish watching their faces contort in agony and terror. You never did this for justice! That was just your excuse for torture!
Just like now—is your selfish soul truly thinking of Sevatar? You know exactly what Sevatar really wants—yet you chose self-destruction without a second thought. Admit it, Konrad Curze, you just wanted to fall into Hell yourself!
From the very beginning, the only soul that ever deserved judgment was your own!
And now, your gospel has arrived!
Konrad let out a boisterous laugh. He scrambled back on all fours to the shattered window. The cold instantly froze his severed right arm, and the high-radiation particle stream made his head spin even more. He caught a wonderful scent, coming from—
Worldbreaker swung violently from the right. Konrad dodged. Amidst his disheveled black hair, his all-black eyes had turned completely white, staring epileptically at Horus.
"Sanguinius will die," Konrad hissed, his tongue flicking out. "Horus Lupercal will also die."
He reached out with his other, intact hand, grasping into the void outside the window.
"But guess who didn't?"
He suddenly seized the shaft of a massive scythe. The curved blade tore cruelly into Konrad's arm, but he seemed oblivious to the pain. He strained, pulling the monster on the other end of the scythe upward.
Horus's pupils constricted.
At that same moment, on the distant other shore, the atmospheric incineration torpedoes detonated over Cadia. A blindingly hot explosion erupted from the point of impact, instantly spreading to illuminate nearly the entire void.
The fire slowly consumed the skies above Cadia, visible to the naked eye.
Amidst the brilliant white light, Horus wore a manic grin. But then, the light before him was eclipsed as the monster crawled up.
Frost crept over the cracks in its armor, its wings more tattered than ever. White rime solidified in its long hair, and its eyes were already covered by thick layers of ice, making them appear completely white.
The scythe named Oblivion had already changed; frost clung to its blade, shedding a layer of ominous white ash.
Mortarion draped an arm over Konrad's shoulder. He turned, laughing with furious rage.
"Horus, I want you dead—"
Before he could even finish, Konrad lunged forward with astonishing speed, tackling Horus to the ground.
Horus gasped for breath, but the Warmaster burst into laughter. "But I've already won!"