Sanguinius's voice rose sharply, filled with a disbelieving shock.
"Axis! Have you lost your mind? Do you forget who Lorgar is? He is a traitor! A blasphemer! He is one of the arch-culprits who personally ushered the Chaos Gods into the Imperium, causing countless brothers to turn on one another and untold lives to be lost!" Sanguinius admonished him loudly.
"You would have a man who betrayed his Father, betrayed humanity, and betrayed every sacred oath write the very foundation of faith for billions of Imperial citizens to come? This is… this is the greatest heresy against the Emperor!"
Magnus's expression turned grim in an instant, showing he was in full agreement with Sanguinius.
"Axis, this proposal is… truly far too insane," Magnus said, struggling to comprehend why Axis would suggest such a dangerous course of action. "Lorgar's sins are beyond measure. His mind has long been utterly corrupted by the filth of Chaos. You want to let him near the core of the Imperium's future faith? That is no different from pouring potent poison into the source of a pristine spring!
"He will do nothing but inject the twisted doctrines of Chaos into the holy texts. The result would not be a state religion that worships our Father, but a deformed monstrosity that serves as a breeding ground for Chaos!"
How could that man, a traitor who had sold his soul to the Ruinous Powers, possibly be allowed to write the sacred scriptures that were so crucial to the Emperor? This matter was directly tied to their father's ability to suppress the Dark King on the Golden Throne and the immeasurable negative emotions of the Dark King that lurked behind it.
The slightest misstep would plunge their entire race, and perhaps the whole galaxy, into an abyss from which there was no return.
Faced with the vehement opposition of both Sanguinius and Magnus, Axis remained remarkably calm.
A slight smile even touched his lips, as if he had anticipated their reaction. He raised a hand, gesturing for the enraged Sanguinius and the pensive Magnus, who was about to launch into a lengthy rebuttal, to settle down.
"Could you two please calm down?" Axis began. "I never said anything about setting him free. I only said he should write the scriptures. Besides, we can review and even revise every doctrine and text he produces. What are you so worried about? What's more, he won't be the head of this new religion. You will be, Sanguinius. You will serve as the Pope of the Imperial Cult."
The Divine Angel, combined with the new order of priests and paladins he could create, would be the most suitable choice for the position. Whether they were Space Marines or mortals, all could learn to wield the power of the Holy Light.
He would be the perfect, immortal Pope. As long as Sanguinius was present, continually gathering the power of faith for the Emperor, their father would be far more powerful in ten thousand years than he was in the original timeline. The stronger the Emperor grew, the longer the birth of the Dark King would be delayed, which gave Axis more time to prepare.
"You are being far too simplistic, my dear Axis," Kasha interjected. "Lorgar will never agree to write the texts for an Imperial Cult." She truly did not understand what her husband was thinking. Lorgar had been defeated and captured by his own son, Khârn. "He holds a deep-seated hatred for our family."
"Trust me, he will write them," Axis said with confidence. "And if he proves too stubborn, we can simply take the Lectitio Divinitatus he wrote before the Heresy and adapt it."
Having the original author compose the doctrines, which they could then revise and perfect, was the ideal solution. But if that failed, the work Lorgar had already done was still a viable alternative.
"Axis, I can be a protector of this new faith, but I am not suited to be its Pope," Sanguinius stated.
"And do you think Magnus or I would be suitable?" Axis countered. "Perhaps you believe the Lion or the Wolf King would be a better fit? Or what about Rogal Dorn and Karl? Guilliman is the Lord Regent; you can't very well have the regent also serving as Pope, can you?"
It was an undeniable truth. Of all the surviving primarchs, Sanguinius was the only one truly fit for the role.
Of course, this was only because Lorgar had turned traitor. Had he remained loyal, he would have been the most qualified candidate. But even if Lorgar was now willing to help them write the scriptures, Axis had no intention of ever releasing him.
Sanguinius opened his mouth to reply, then closed it and let out a wry, helpless laugh.
Axis was right. If they had to choose a Pope for the Imperial Cult from among the surviving primarchs, he was without question the most suitable choice.
"Look at yourself, Sanguinius," Axis pressed, "You were already an angel. After your Apotheosis, your wings have even turned to gold. You look as though you have been personally chosen and blessed by the Emperor himself. This image aligns perfectly with religious iconography and will make the new faith more easily accepted by the common people of the Imperium, and even by other Space Marines."
The Imperial Cult Axis intended to establish would be vastly different from the rotten institution of ten millennia later, for this time, the primarchs would not be leaving the Imperium.
"Most importantly, Sanguinius, you must understand that the birth of this Imperial Cult is of vital importance to the Emperor," Axis said, his tone turning serious.
"Very well," Sanguinius finally conceded with a weary sigh. "How do you plan to convince the other primarchs?"
"The three of us, together, can decide a great many things," Axis declared.
The current situation was completely different from the original timeline, where Guilliman had held almost unilateral power, even going so far as to disband the Legions. Now, Axis stood as Guilliman's equal.
In fact, due to his special mission, he, Magnus, and Chancellor Malcador could effectively overrule the Lord Regent. Guilliman's only purpose now was to be a tool, managing the Imperium, developing its internal affairs, and strengthening its infrastructure. He needed to concern himself with little else.
"I still think using the works Lorgar wrote before would be fine," Sanguinius said. "However, I will choose to trust you this one time, Axis. After all, you and Magnus bear a heavy burden."
"That's the spirit," Axis said with a smile. "You should return to your Legion for now, Sanguinius. Leave the rest to me. I will go and persuade Lorgar myself."
Sanguinius nodded to Axis and Magnus. After a brief farewell to his sister, Kasha, and his nephew, Kratos, he departed. He had to return to his Legion and share the wonderful news with his sons: the Red Thirst was gone. The curse had been transformed into a blessing. The Blood Angels' new battle apotheosis and their access to the power of the Holy Light were gifts from him to his sons.
After Sanguinius left, Magnus turned his gaze to Axis. "When do you plan to speak with Guilliman?" The founding of the Imperial Cult and the decision to have Lorgar write its doctrines were matters that, at the very least, had to be communicated to the Lord Regent.
"I will speak with Chancellor Malcador tomorrow morning, then I'll deal with Guilliman," Axis replied. "By the way, Magnus, when do you plan to undergo your own ascension?" Sanguinius's success proved that the ritual was viable. Now, only the Lion, the Wolf King, and Magnus himself were left to undergo the Rite of Apotheosis.
"I just came off the Golden Throne. Let me recover my strength first," Magnus said, "I will complete the rite before the war against the Rangdan."
He needed time to restore himself and bring himself to peak condition, but he also wanted to familiarize himself with this new Power of the Light.
"Very well. Everyone is tired today. Go back and rest," Axis said with a wave of his hand. "Kratos, you're dismissed as well."
He and Guilliman had much to discuss. For all intents and purposes, he and Guilliman were now the highest decision-makers in the Imperium.
"Alright. I will not involve myself in this matter then," Magnus said, nodding as he rose and left Axis's chambers.
"I understand, Father. I will return to the Legion to handle some affairs," Kratos said, bowing first to Axis and then to Kasha before turning to leave.
"Axis, are you certain about this?" Kasha asked, looking at her husband with concern.
"Don't worry," Axis said, patting his wife's shoulder reassuringly. "Let's get some rest tonight. I will talk to Guilliman in the morning, right after I see Chancellor Malcador." He had a busy day ahead of him.
The night passed with some incident.
Early the next morning, Axis made his way to the sanctum of Chancellor Malcador.
"Master Malcador," Axis greeted him.
"Ah, Axis. I heard about what happened yesterday. Sanguinius has recovered remarkably quickly," Malcador said with a warm smile. "And because of it, his Legion's sons can finally be free of their curse. This is thanks to you, Axis. You are the pride of the Imperium. Nurturing you was the most correct choice he ever made."
"You are too kind, Master Malcador," Axis replied with a humble smile, "I must also thank you and the Emperor for all your help when I first arrived in this world. I would not have achieved what I have today without it."
"Hahaha! There is no need for such modesty with me, Axis. I much prefer the way you used to be," Malcador chuckled. "Now, tell me, what brings you to see me?"
"There is indeed a matter I wish to discuss," Axis said, his expression turning serious. "Master Malcador, Magnus, Sanguinius, and I have decided to establish an Imperial Cult. I have come to seek your support."
"I see. I will support you in this endeavor," Malcador said with a resigned sigh. "After all, everything is for the sake of the plan."
Once, he and the Emperor had gone to extraordinary lengths to eradicate all religion from the world, urging mankind to place its faith in science and the Imperial Truth. He never imagined that they would ultimately have to turn to theology.
"With your support, the Imperial Cult can be born without issue," Axis said, relieved. "As for the writing of its scriptures, I want Lorgar to be the one to do it."
"No," Malcador said flatly, his demeanor changing in an instant. It was the same initial reaction as Sanguinius and Magnus. "Writing religious texts isn't something you can entrust to others. That man is a traitor. He cannot be trusted."
"Master Malcador, it must be Lorgar," Axis insisted. "I have learned some information about the future ten thousand years from now from another Khârn. One of the most critical pieces of intelligence is that the future Imperial Cult was founded because a group of mortals who worshipped the Emperor unearthed a copy of the Lectitio Divinitatus written by Lorgar. No matter what, we will need his work. That being the case, it is better to have him write it for us now, under our supervision."
"But will he listen to you?" Malcador asked, intrigued despite himself.
"If he doesn't, he dies. A true and final death," Axis said with cold confidence, "Besides, this task is his life's greatest wish. Lorgar was never one for martyrdom. And with the deal I struck with Khorne, I can shatter what remains of his psychological defenses."
"I understand," Malcador relented, "You may have him write the scriptures, but you must all meticulously inspect the contents. We cannot allow the forces of Chaos any opportunity to gain a foothold."
"Rest assured, Master Malcador. The future Imperial Cult will be based on the Power of the Holy Light that Sanguinius has developed," Axis explained.
He went on to describe the benefits of the Light in detail. "It is a power similar to the Emperor's own divine psychic abilities and is incredibly effective against the daemons of the warp. Furthermore, should any of its adherents turn to Chaos, the Light will abandon them."
"Such a miraculous power exists?" Malcador's eyes widened with excitement. A thought had just struck him. "In that case, I can think of another use for it. Axis, before the Emperor was interred upon the Golden Throne, he tasked me with a project."
The emergence of this Holy Light was perfectly timed. The opportune moment for the birth of the Grey Knights had arrived.
"What project?" Axis asked.
"The Emperor commanded me to secretly form a new army, a special Chapter of Space Marines. They use a completely new type of gene-seed cultivated by the Emperor himself. These warriors will undergo the most rigorous training, and every one of them is a powerful psyker. They will serve as the Imperium's secret weapon, created specifically to combat the daemons of Chaos," Malcador revealed. "The Emperor himself gave this special force its name: the Grey Knights."
Axis was stunned. The Grey Knights! The Emperor had already ordered their creation, though they were not yet complete.
"If this special force could wield the Power of the Light you described, they would become even more formidable," Malcador said, his excitement growing.
The Grey Knights already possessed potent psychic abilities; adding the power of the Light would make them a truly unparalleled force against the daemonic threat.
"That shouldn't be a problem; the Holy Light can be taught," Axis replied. "Master Malcador, I am curious… whose gene-seed do the Grey Knights use?"
The Emperor had once vaguely hinted that the Grey Knights would be built upon his own gene-seed as a blueprint.
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