Nareth walked along the underground passage of the Palace, all the way to the entrance of the Great Observatory.
At the entrance stood three golden-armored Custodes.
In the middle, the Captain-General of the Custodes, Constantin Valdor, spoke to Nareth:
"Lord Nareth, the Emperor, your father is waiting for you in the Hall of Constellations."
Nareth gave a slight nod. Without Valdor's guidance, even without opening the Warp Insight, he could already see the dazzling light radiating from the Emperor.
He stepped forward and entered the Hall of Constellations.
The entire palace lived up to its name; walking inside felt like stepping into a sea of stars.
Covering the walls around the hall was a vast star chart. The Emperor stood with his back to Nareth, gazing at the starry mural.
Without turning, the Emperor said, "Constellations are ancient and unreliable concepts of astronomy. The Great Crusade fleets have already begun mapping a far more detailed cosmos."
His tone sank into memory.
"But in the distant past, men believed there were twenty constellations."
"One day, all twenty of you will return to my side."
"Each child will embody the character and philosophy of one constellation. Tell me, which one do you favor most?"
Nareth looked across the murals. Besides the zodiac, there were eight other renowned constellations.
'Corvus clearly corresponded to Corvus Corax.
'Orion, with its belt and sword, in the Emperor's mind should belong to Leman Russ.'
'Hydra, from the myth of the many-headed monster, fit Alpharius and Omegon best.'
After a moment's thought, Nareth replied:
"It's hard to say which I favor most.
"Sextans, named by Hevelius in honor of the instrument he used to measure celestial heights, represents science, culture, and philosophy. I was born among his race's creation, Vostroya."
"Scutum, also named by Hevelius, symbolizes protection and duty. That is what I pursue, sheltering Vostroya and the worlds under my rule, guiding them to prosper; that is my responsibility.
"Crater, formed by four fourth-magnitude stars, symbolizes strength and victory, power and restraint. That is why I maintain Vostroya's arbitration system."
As he spoke, memories stirred.
'After the victory at Ulanor, the Emperor had a similar conversation with Horus.
Let me think, how did Horus answer?'
'Hmm, if I say it now ahead of time, when the Emperor later hears Horus repeat it, his reaction will be priceless.'
With that thought, Nareth quickly added:
"I like Leo, with its kingly majesty; Scorpio, clad in armor, sharp and deadly.
"As for Taurus, though stubborn, I admire its perseverance. Libra suits my pursuit of balance."
Nareth then recalled how the Emperor had once assigned Horus his constellation and given him a ring. He already guessed why he had been summoned today.
'The Emperor is about to assign me to one of the twenty constellations and hand me my ring.
Yes… I recall Horus was defined as Sagittarius.'
Nareth's eyes glimmered. He pointed at the bow-wielding centaur, a charging warrior.
'If I say what the Emperor will later tell Horus, it'll be amusing indeed.'
"I favor Sagittarius, the unbeatable warrior. It is the most warlike of constellations, fierce, merciless, flamboyant, swift, never retreating until its aim is achieved.
"In antiquity, it was the greatest of constellations, the sign of centaurs and cavalry, the hunter of the battlefield."
The Emperor suddenly turned, eyes flashing, locking on Nareth.
Unfazed, Nareth continued: "The crimson bow of Sagittarius was once the mightiest weapon of its age, unstoppable in battle.
"As time passed, myth fused knight and steed into one, creating the centaur.
"It is the perfect union of man and war-machine. When I command my legions, it is as if I myself am a centaur charging across the battlefield."
When he finished, he looked at the Emperor. The Emperor was silent for a long while before finally speaking:
"I appreciate your choice, but I am surprised you did not mention another constellation."
"The one I believe suits you best."
His golden eyes fixed on the radiant wings behind Nareth.
"Pegasus. That is the constellation that best represents you."
"In Greek myth, when Perseus slew Medusa, the winged horse Pegasus sprang forth.
"You, at Medusa, slew the golden mechanical eagle and gained golden wings, just like the legend."
The Emperor turned back to the mural, raising his hand toward the stars:
"Do you see this painting?
"To rule the galaxy is humanity's birthright!
"One day, all those shining lights will belong to us."
He lifted his gaze, piercing through the dome and the choking smog of industry, his voice fervent:
"Imagine it, Nareth."
"Every planet, with its own unique culture, and on each one, we will build a magnificent realm.
"No blood sacrifice, no xeno oppression, so long as no great mistakes are made, this dream is within reach."
Lowering his gaze, his golden eyes locked onto Nareth.
"Pegasus has both the courage to overcome every obstacle and the wisdom to master its extraordinary power.
"You are Pegasus. You will bring ruin to all of mankind's enemies and deliver me victory on every battlefield."
The Emperor extended his left hand, palm open, revealing a golden ring.
Nareth looked at it. Weathered by time, its design was nearly worn away. Still, he could just make out a hoof and wings.
Yet despite the faded pattern, its spiritual brilliance shone dazzlingly.
'This ring corresponds to a high-order relic. There are twenty such rings.'
'I cannot be certain if the Emperor gave one to every Primarch. The only one I know for sure is the Sagittarius ring, given to Horus at Ulanor.'
'Perhaps some rings never reached their intended Primarchs. When the grand ceremony begins, I'll have to see if I can acquire them all.'
As Nareth thought this, the Emperor continued:
"It was forged in Persia, the year before I was born.
"Pegasus Invincible, this is you."
"My Pegasus, strike down the foes of the stars and bring me endless triumphs!"
Nareth accepted the Pegasus ring and said:
"My lord, as you wish."
On the fifth day after arriving on Terra, Nareth returned to the Throne of Shadow's Sovereignity to meet with the "Swindler" Tierney.
Private office of the Primarch aboard the Throne of Shadow's Sovereignity.
"My lord, while acting as the 'Swindler,' I obtained 250 rare items from various noble houses, chiefly the aristocracy of Europae."
"They are the great powers of Terra, and I could not maintain my deception for long. To ensure these treasures could be offered to you, I abandoned my false identity as Erik."
"A solar month ago, when the families failed to reach me, they realized they had been deceived and began searching for me."
Tierney frowned deeply. He had underestimated the power of Terra's noble houses.
Once they united, he was forced to flee Terra to avoid capture.
"To prevent exposure, and more importantly, to avoid causing you trouble, I only brought these five portable items with me this time, in secret."
"Please, my lord, send a ship to collect them."
Nareth shook his head slightly.
"No need for such trouble."
He transmitted the rites of the offering ritual directly into Tierney's mind, then said:
"Perform them accordingly."
Shock filled Tierney's eyes. In his heart, he thought: 'The Black Emperor descended upon Vostroya to unify the people!'
It took him several seconds to calm his emotions before he spoke:
"My lord, I understand."
"My lord, there is one matter I believe should concern you."
"About a year ago, rumors began spreading across Terra, rumors unfavorable to you and to the Shadows of Order."
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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