Emrys was a bit disoriented, his mind a blank.
This extremely ferocious, scar-like blood-red brand looked like a tattoo, extending from his forearm to his shoulder. If one were to ignore the 'Khorne' factor, it was actually quite handsome.
"But—I don't feel anything," he said, a little bewildered. When he had chopped off Sartun's head, he had just blurted out that phrase, and hadn't felt any blessing. But looking at the blood-red tattoo coiling around his entire right arm, he couldn't help but twitch his lips, asking worriedly, "This—shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"This is the price for you to fool Him—"
That dazzling red entered Lyon's eyes, causing his recently quelled anger to flare up again. "Do you think your little tricks can fool a Loki of the Warp? This is the evidence—you were targeted from the very beginning. Your clever actions were actually a trap He set for you!"
In fact, by the time Lyon said this, Emrys already understood how 'foolish' his actions had been.
But at the time, his mind was filled with how to replace Sartun as the Chaos Lord and then destroy this Chaos fleet.
The price was that, in front of everyone, he had fully completed Khorne's promotion ritual!
And this striking blood-red tattoo was the price he paid!
Lyon sighed deeply. "I can't entirely blame you. I shouldn't have let you go. I misjudged their resolve. Heh—I didn't expect that in His eyes, your value is far higher than this fleet. He would rather abandon the entire fleet to use this opportunity to leave this mark on your body."
He pinched the bridge of his nose, withdrawing his gaze from the tattoo on Emrys.
His thoughts, however, returned to the dream that had awakened him while he was still slumbering in his sarcophagus, a hint of malevolence flashing obscurely in his eyes.
If the 'future' shown to him in the dream was indeed something that would truly happen, then he must ensure that the human in front of him would not fall into the abyss of Chaos and become a second Horus!
"Lion, Lion King?" Seeing Lyon's silence, Emrys tugged at his lips and couldn't help but press, "Does this thing have any effects? Can it be removed?"
Pulled back to reality, Lyon stared at the tattoo on Emrys and immediately sneered, "Yes, go to the Warp now, chop off Khorne's head, and sit on it. Then you can remove it."
"—If I could kill Him, would I even be asking you—" Emrys muttered softly, glancing at Lyon, then asked, "I mean, if I had the power of a Living Saint, it should be able to purify it, right?"
"I'm afraid—not."
Lyon shook his head and sighed, "From the moment you entered here, I could feel the cursed aura emanating from the depths of your soul—this level of branding cannot be purified by the meager power of a Living Saint, unless—"
His voice paused, and under Emrys' expectant gaze, he said helplessly, "Unless it is the Emperor Himself; otherwise, even the former Sigillite Malcador would not be able to purify the 'mark' left on your body."
Upon hearing this, Emrys was completely dumbfounded.
Have the Emperor Himself purify him?
Not to mention whether the Emperor would be willing, don't forget that old man is still sitting on the Golden Throne. How could he help him purify it?!
Seeing his dejection, Lyon took a deep breath, his tone softening. "However, you don't need to worry too much. The brand on your body is only the first stage for now. To completely complete the 'promotion ritual,' at least the remaining seven stages must be completed."
Upon hearing this, Emrys immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Seven more stages? Then there's nothing to fear!
Worst case, if he encounters similar situations in the future, he'll just take a detour!
However, his expression, as it fell into Lyon's eyes, ignited his anger once more. "Do you think seven more stages is a long way off?"
"Uh"
Although Emrys didn't say it explicitly, his expression betrayed his thoughts.
"You are too naive, Emrys!" Lyon's tone was stern, his gaze deep. "The corruption of Chaos is all-pervasive. You think you are far from falling, but you don't realize... that you are already standing with one foot on the edge of damnation!"
As a Primarch, he understood too well, and was too clear about, the disgusting methods of Chaos.
He had witnessed countless individuals who thought they were far from falling, but were actually, step by step, falling into the traps of Chaos and ultimately being corrupted.
"From now on, you must keep my sword with you at all times."
Lyon slowly rose and walked directly in front of Emrys. His four-meter height cast a massive shadow in front of the flickering candlelight. "Merlin Emrys... Remember, if I find you engaging in similar behavior again, or showing any signs of corruption, I will personally cut off your head."
This sentence contained undisguised, cold and chilling, naked killing intent!
Emrys believed that Lyon was absolutely not joking.
He looked up, gazing into Lyon's eyes, and said word by word, "You can rest assured, I promise I will not fall into Chaos. If that day truly comes... I will have no regrets!"
"Remember what you said." Lyon saw what he wanted in his eyes, then his gaze fell on Zabriel. "Everything you saw and heard today, swallow it all. Not a single word is to be leaked, understand?"
"...Yes, Mr.!"
Zabriel twitched his lips, practically too tired to complain anymore.
What happened to Emrys could almost be considered an actual betrayal of the Imperium.
Yet, even so, Lyon still wanted to protect Emrys. He truly didn't understand what deep meaning lay behind such an action.
Or rather... was Emrys really that important?
"The thing on your body" After instructing Zabriel, Lyon stared at his tattoo for a long time before gritting his teeth and saying, "When I see Guilliman, I will have him find a way to help you suppress this thing. Before that... you absolutely must not appear before the Imperium's psykers, understood?"
"Huh... Is this thing that obvious?"
Emrys shrank his neck. He really didn't feel anything.
Lyon sneered and said, "It's not that it's obvious, but rather that you now... even in a Chaos fleet, if you took off this armor, they wouldn't suspect you, understand?!"
Emrys' eyelids twitched wildly.
Didn't that mean... he was already 'Chaos'?