Are the Dark Eldar really this gutsy?
Oh, right. Zeke remembered that the Dark Eldar still didn't know the Emperor had mostly recovered. They probably still thought the Emperor was sitting on the Throne half-dead; that was the only reason they had the audacity to try.
"What were they after?" Zeke was somewhat curious.
"According to their statements, the Dark Eldar desired to steal a single drop of my blood to cultivate an Emperor clone. They intended to use it to seal the Warp rifts and escape Slaanesh."
Cloning the Emperor? The Dark Eldar were certainly bold enough. Weren't they afraid that the cloned Emperor would just be directly possessed by the original Emperor?
Besides, even if the physical body could be cloned, psychic power couldn't just be transferred. These Dark Eldar were purely acting out of desperation, turning to any doctor they could find. They must have truly been unable to endure Slaanesh any longer to resort to such a terrible plan.
Zeke thought of Yvraine. If it weren't for him, they wouldn't be doing much better either. He really had bid too low.
"This incident also reminded me that I cannot continue to remain silent upon the Golden Throne. I believe it is time to proceed with the next phase of the plan," the Emperor said. "Now is the perfect time. Four of my sons and Malcador have all returned. I think my dream can advance a step further."
"Your dream?"
"Yes," the Emperor replied. "To build a harmonious Imperium of Man that exists without relying on gods or other supernatural forces."
The Emperor looked toward the citizens of Terra. "It is time to reclaim the Imperium that belongs to humanity amongst the sea of stars."
Looking at the Emperor's confident demeanor, Zeke couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
If he hadn't seen how many times the Imperium had nearly collapsed, he almost would have fallen for His description.
Still, it was pretty good. He'd wait and see what kind of stunt the Emperor could pull off.
"By the way, Zeke, I hope you can take on the role of—"
"If you're planning to crown me with a title like Imperial Regent, there's really no need." Zeke interrupted that majestic declaration. "Don't expect to tie someone like me, who is used to freedom, to the Imperium's chariot."
The Emperor fell silent.
"But giving me nothing at all is a bit unreasonable. How about this: do you know about the Officio Logisticarum?" Zeke said.
Within the Officio Logisticarum, Zeke only held the title of advisor. However, because of the blueprints and mechanical power facilities he had introduced, combined with the results of the Hive City renovations, it had already become a place where his word was absolute law.
The staff inside had unconditional faith in Zeke. What Zeke said one minute would be implemented the next.
"If you truly want to thank me, then grant this authority to the Officio Logisticarum."
Zeke wanted the authority to act, but he didn't want to be bound by the Imperium. Having the Emperor grant power to the Officio Logisticarum was a good compromise.
The Emperor agreed.
Zeke looked at the Emperor, unsure of just how much power He would bestow upon the Officio Logisticarum.
The Emperor and Zeke silently concluded their conversation through telepathy.
After it was over, the Emperor finally turned His head slowly to look at the Lion and Sanguinius standing before Him.
Besides Guilliman, who had returned long ago, these two Primarchs were finally witnessing their father with their own eyes for the first time.
Even the Lord of the Dark Angels, who had never wavered even on the most brutal battlefields, felt ripples of emotion in his heart at this moment.
As for the Great Angel, he simply let crystalline tears slide down his flawless face.
The first to step forward was the Lion. He was more impulsive than Sanguinius, and fortunately, Sanguinius had no intention of jumping the queue.
Meeting the Emperor was a dizzying experience. Not everyone possessed a heart as strong as Zeke's, able to converse and even joke with the Emperor.
Seeing that the face of the Emperor before him was exactly the same as in his memories from ten thousand years ago, the Lion felt a sense of relief.
"You are not the first of my sons to return to my side, but your victorious deeds are second to none," the Emperor spoke, referring to the events surrounding the Arks of Omen.
The Lion's back straightened even further. He felt a trace of joy; gaining the Emperor's recognition made him feel somewhat proud.
"This glory is not mine to claim alone, Father." The Lion did not take all the credit for himself. "Were it not for Zeke's assistance, Sanguinius's rallying call that could ignite the stars, and Roboute's tactical coordination, the dark tide would have already consumed everything."
"Where should I go next, and what should I do?"
"Go where you must go, and do what you must do," the Emperor said.
The Emperor didn't specify a location, but the Lion believed his father's wisdom was profound, and there must be a reason for saying so.
The Lion accepted his orders. His father still needed him, and the Imperium still needed him.
And the absolute most important thing was that Leman Russ, that Emperor-simping dog, was finally not by his side.
That was enough. The Lion stepped back to the side, thoroughly satisfied.
Next, Sanguinius stepped forward.
"I have foreseen the shadow of this meeting many times in my dreams," Sanguinius confessed.
A stronger gust of wind blew from the east. Sanguinius subconsciously raised a wing to block the fierce gale.
The Emperor's eyes tracked the movement. He reached out an armored hand, tracing his fingertips across the Angel's wing.
The Emperor had once believed Sanguinius's large wings were some kind of Warp creation; after all, a normal human—even a Primarch—wouldn't grow a pair of wings.
Sanguinius's eyes were locked onto his pacing father. Whenever the Emperor walked behind him and out of his line of sight, his wings would ripple uneasily.
"There is no need to be nervous, my child," the Emperor said, lowering His hand.
Sanguinius felt countless questions lingering on the tip of his tongue.
He wanted to know what the Emperor had endured during the time he was dead, and he also wanted to ask if his resurrection had brought the Emperor any excitement.
"Your questions will be answered, but not now. Step back, my child. The citizens of the Imperium are still watching us."
The Angel stepped back from his father's side, not folding his wings, but spreading them wide.
"How lively. What a rare family reunion," Malcador said, watching this heartwarming family scene, feeling a warmth spread through his old bones.
Not having seen Him for so many years, the Emperor had indeed changed somewhat. He seemed a bit gentler toward His sons.
Even though this warmth was highly likely just a means to make these returned Primarchs more cooperative in the upcoming operations.
Malcador didn't mind this cold, calculating mindset of treating sons as highly efficient tools. As long as he was still around, he could handle things in his own way.
Their current formation had the Emperor standing in the center, with Malcador on His left and Zeke on His right.
The three Primarchs, all towering in height, stood in the second row. With Sanguinius in the center, the Lion was on the left, and Guilliman on the right.
As the Emperor raised His hand, the roar of the crowd below finally faded away. Everyone's eyes were fixed upon the Emperor.