Shing.
With the last sword stroke, the Third Legion Space Marines were now reduced to less than two hundred.
Fulgrim held the slightly bloodstained blade in her hand, her eyes red.
This was the final request of the Blight-afflicted Space Marines—for their Primarch, Fulgrim, to personally end their suffering.
And their lives.
"May your souls find grace and protection, and may you enjoy eternal peace in the Golden Halls."
She whispered a blessing.
They had not died gloriously on the battlefield, nor had they returned home in triumph.
Instead, like decaying old men, they had fallen on an ordinary new day on Chemos, and had never been able to get up again.
This should not have been the end for the warriors of the Third Legion.
But reality is never like a heroic drama, always filled with tragic or stirring epics.
It always plays a cruel joke on you when you least expect it.
But even so, the road ahead must be walked on one's own two feet.
"Fulgrim."
"Now is the time for us to inherit their legacy and rebuild the Third Legion into a paragon for the galaxy."
Kasjia came forward and comforted her softly.
In the harsh environment, the people of Chemos were long accustomed to life and death.
Here, the best way to commemorate the departed was not with tears.
But to carry their hopes for the future and bravely, continue to walk forward.
"You're right, Kasjia."
She gently wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled through them.
"Everyone, compose yourselves. Carry the will of our brothers and sisters in your hearts."
"The Emperor is still waiting for us!"
Ending their sorrowful farewell, the well-trained Third Legion Space Marines quickly assembled.
They formed ranks in the lush green plaza of Chemos, kneeling on one knee, awaiting inspection by their Primarch and the Emperor.
Vespasian and the other two legion commanders said nothing.
After the death of the Chapter Master, the responsibility of leading the Third Legion had fallen to the three of them.
At this moment, he was filled with trepidation.
Although the Primarch was able and willing to rebuild the legion, did they really have the face to meet Fulgrim?
After all, he, and the entire Third Legion, were complete failures.
The other Space Marine Legions in the Great Crusade, such as the valiant War Hounds, the silent and ruthless Dusk Raiders, the swift and precise Star Hunters...
...they had not found their Primarchs, but they still performed excellently.
Only their Third Legion, let alone conquering any worlds, had found even survival to be an urgent problem.
Even if the Emperor said nothing, Vespasian could still feel his disappointment.
Would the Primarch accept this bunch of less than five hundred remnant soldiers and consider them her children?
Vespasian did not know.
But he saw the tall and beautiful Primarch Fulgrim, along with the Emperor and another mortal, approaching them.
And then, she knelt down on one knee before them as well.
"I have learned of your situation. It pains me greatly that the Third Legion has suffered such a harsh fate."
Hearing the Primarch's words, Vespasian lowered his head even further in shame.
"But—this is not your fault!"
"Just like the planet beneath our feet, it declined due to the Warp Storm, but decline does not mean we have lost hope!"
"Your duty is to reconnect the scattered humanity among the stars; as the Primarch of all, I will lead you on a new crusade!!!"
"We are the Emperor's Children, and we will let all those who look down on us know this!"
"We are perfect warriors and will not fail the Emperor's expectations."
"We—will never fail!"
Primarch Fulgrim was a Primarch who was very good at inspiring others.
Whether it was from the heart or simply her talent for performance, Fulgrim's speech was perfect.
The Emperor was very satisfied with her resounding speech.
He was even willing to bestow the glorious name of The Emperor's Children upon them, as the glorious name for their Third Legion.
He had rarely seen the Emperor show such a smile.
At least, when facing the previous few Primarchs, he always seemed stern and unsmiling. Only when he was with Horus or Malcador could he show a few smiles.
Or... did the Emperor prefer daughters?
Of course, this was just Vespasian's own speculation.
The Emperor was very pleased.
He acknowledged Fulgrim and the Third Legion.
And he promised to contact the Fabricator-General of Mars in the future to custom-build a Gloriana-class flagship for them as a gift for the Primarch's return.
(Actually, every Primarch got one, but the Emperor didn't say so.)
The entire inspection process went extremely smoothly.
Of course, that was just for Fulgrim.
For Kasjia, what he had seen and heard today was truly paradigm-shifting.
Especially when he learned that the legion's Chief Apothecary was not named "Fabius," a name no one had ever heard of, but Melusine.
M...Melusine?!
This was truly a bit shocking.
When he had previously learned that the Third Legion and even other legions had female Primarchs and female Space Marines, he had thought they were no different from Battle-Sisters.
But when he saw them in person, these giant ladies were surprisingly easy on the eyes.
He didn't know if it was because he had been with Fulgrim for too long and his aesthetic sense had changed;
Or because the Third Legion valued appearance, so they didn't look as unacceptable as he had imagined.
Or perhaps, this time, GW's female SM models not only sold, but sold very well?
Kasjia had no answer.
However, he did see many familiar faces.
The new day of Chemos had gradually climbed to its zenith. The Emperor had departed with his personal guard.
If it were by Terran standard time, it would be midnight.
Soon, Fulgrim and Kasjia, along with the first batch of selected Chemosians, would also board the Emperor's vessel, the Bucephalus, and travel together to the distant Holy Terra.
And there, they would undergo the augmentation surgeries to become true Space Marines.
As for now, as the ruler of Chemos, Fulgrim still had a lot of time to arrange for cooperation between the Imperium of Man and the local authorities of Chemos.
While they were traveling, according to the cooperation agreement they had signed, countless red-robed Magi of the Mechanicum, voidship crewmen, preachers of the Imperial Truth, and Imperial bureaucrats of all levels began their busy work on this land.
New steel behemoths churned on the surface, and countless machines roared and bellowed.
After this, Chemos would also enter a new era.
As for the nearly two hundred remaining warriors of the Third Legion, The Emperor's Children...
...they were still standing meticulously in the plaza, awaiting Fulgrim's next instructions.
After today, they would be led by Fulgrim, following the Primarch's every command.
"Kasjia... then does that mean, if you complete the transformation, you'll have to listen to my every command from now on?"
At this, Fulgrim just slyly leaned in close to Kasjia.
She whispered.
-------
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