He slept for a long time.
In his dream, he returned to the grassland of his childhood dreams, gazing at the towering, snow-capped mountain said to have existed for a very long time, and he also saw his deceased brothers.
They gathered around a bonfire, laughing and chatting happily.
They seemed to be talking about something, and then he saw the Legate among the crowd; he waved at him, his lips moving as if saying something.
But unfortunately, he was too far away.
If only he could be a little closer—he thought, stepping his legs into the deep snow, climbing the snow mountain, wanting to join them.
But after only two steps, he felt a force pulling him from behind, which greatly annoyed him, and he couldn't help but look back.
He saw a cold Sun in the hazy clouds, seemingly watching him silently.
The dream ended.
His senses slowly returned to his body, and the Mementoes from when he lost his mind gradually entered his thoughts.
He had lost control again?!
At this thought, he frantically rose from the ground, a mix of terror and helplessness in his panic; the last time he lost his mind, the humans they sheltered suffered extremely severe damage, so—what about this time?
But fortunately, he found that the extent of the surrounding damage seemed far less than last time, and no one had died by his hand.
"You seem to care about them a lot?" At this moment, Emrys' voice came from beside him.
He sharply turned his head, looking towards the source of the sound.
Emrys was holding a young child in his arms, and several other children were noisily gathered around him, asking for the energy gel he carried.
Watching this scene, the tension in his heart eased considerably, and the hostility brewing in his eyes also receded, especially when looking at those children, a hint of gentleness appeared.
His change caught Emrys' eye; he smiled, stroked the child's head, and took out all the energy gel he had, distributing it to the children in one go.
"uncle has something to discuss with him; would you mind playing somewhere else?"
The children took the energy gel, munched on it happily, and then ran off.
After doing this, Emrys clapped his hands and walked directly in front of him, sitting down, appearing completely unguarded.
"Tell me, what's your name?"
He was silent for a few seconds.
From Emrys' attitude towards these children, including the fact that he was able to wake up after passing out, he could generally sense that this young man probably had no ill intent.
A moment later, he slowly spoke.
"Maximus."
"Merlin Emrys." Emrys nodded, introducing himself.
"A—unconventional itinerant merchant, not some 'Witchcraft Tyrant'; I am an Imperial-certified, orthodox psyker."
Maximus stared at him expressionlessly, observing him for a few seconds, then sneered.
"Hmph, you know our exact location—what, have those executioners in the palace finally remembered there are a few fish that slipped through the net that need to be cleaned up, is that it?"
Emrys' gaze fell on that face, already covered with aged wrinkles due to illness, organ failure, and other reasons; his mood became somewhat complicated for a moment.
"If 'He' wanted you dead, it wouldn't be me coming, would it?"
"Isn't that right? Even after another twenty millennia, I can still smell the stench of the Imperial Guard from three streets away." Maximus, who had regained his sanity, cast his gaze towards Terrax, hidden in the darkness not far down the corridor, and scoffed.
"Is this the level of the Imperial Guard now? Even the most basic stealth is full of flaws; I truly feel sorry for 'Valdor'."
"Marshal Valdor is missing—"
Emrys sighed and said, "The current Imperial Guard Marshal is 'Trajan,' and I learned your address from him.
As for that Imperial Guard—he is only here to protect me, please don't misunderstand."
"Protect—you?!"
Hearing this, Maximus showed a strange expression and stared at him for a few seconds.
"You, still need protection?!"
This remark made Terrax, not far away, clench his fists; who was this old man mocking?
"Even a powerful Primarch needs protection; this is normal."
Emrys defended Terrax.
"I don't care about your identities, nor do I want to know your intentions." Maximus slowly supported himself on the ground and stood up, as if he had long seen through everything, his voice extremely calm, like a pool of dead water.
"Since you're not here to clean us up, then leave; I don't want to see Imperial people, nor do I want to see them."
With that, Maximus bent down, found a few rations from the ruins, and tucked them into his arms, like a forlorn outcast of the era, hunched over and about to leave.
Emrys' voice reached Maximus' ears.
"Marshal Trajan said—your debts—are not yet repaid."
Maximus, who was about to leave, suddenly stopped; this giant, who had once slaughtered countless xenos and traitors, personally killed Witchcraft Tyrants, and could wield Mark I Power Armor with pure strength, his divine body was actually trembling.
"You said—debts?"
His voice was also trembling, but Emrys could hear that it contained a tone that was both painful and angry.
"Our purge was a necessary purification! This was the final notice they gave us then, and it was—their exact words!"
Maximus roared in a low voice.
"We—are no longer valuable!"
Emrys took a step forward, knowing he had to intensify his efforts now, and could only apologize in his heart to the 'Imperial Guard Marshal' he had never met.
"The Imperial Guard Marshal's exact words were—tell those old guys that their numbers were never carved on the palace's gravestones; their ledgers always kept the uncompleted, unsettled merits."
Suddenly, the temperature plummeted.
A deathly silence enveloped this dilapidated, dirty alley; Maximus stiffly turned his head, as if with rage and resentment,
Staring intently at Emrys and Terrax in the distance,
Suddenly, he slammed his fist into the metal wall beside him; with a huge roar, mixed with bone and metal, the wall, a full three meters thick, was directly punched through.
"Ten millennia!"
"A full ten millennia!"
Maximus' roar shook the entire alley.
"We hid in the sewers like rats, listening to humans praise the bastards who replaced us! Now, you tell me our gravestones are empty? Our achievements are empty?! Then what are we?! What are the dead brothers, the Thunder Warriors, to you, to the Emperor, to him!!!"
They paid the price for unity!
But now?
What did they get?
Pain!
Endless pain!
Betrayal!
Oblivion!
Even—the last shred of glory to commemorate the past was erased by that damned Imperial Guard Marshal; then what do they, the Thunder Warriors, truly mean? What do their sacrifices mean?
"Sorry, Marshal Trajan—if there's a chance later, I'll apologize then—" Emrys said calmly, without batting an eye.
"Now, I can offer you all a chance."
"A chance?"
"Indeed, a chance."
Emrys said in a deep voice.
"Follow me to conquer the galaxy; this time—for you, and for humanity, I will once again make the banner of the Thunder Warriors resound throughout the galaxy and above humanity, making the xenos tremble!"
"Ah—"
Maximus sneered, recovering from his anger.
"Why? Just because of your words, I should risk my life for you? We are tired; go find someone else. As for honor—hah, we don't need it."
Seeing him about to leave, Emrys suddenly spoke.
"Is that so? What a pity—I specifically brought a special stabilizer from the 'Terra Imperial Palace Secret Laboratory'.
This is a medicine the Emperor researched for the Thunder Warriors in his final days, used to stabilize your physiological and mental states, allowing you to be reborn. This is dozens of times stronger than the knock-off you got from 'Virion'…" This was a lie.
Terrax twitched his lips; when had he ever been to the Terra Imperial Palace?
Let alone anything about the Emperor researching medicine for the Thunder Warriors in his final days; that was utter nonsense!
But, the Thunder Warriors believed it!
Maximus turned his head and said without hesitation.
"My apologies, my voice was a bit loud just now. I think we can discuss this again, don't you agree?"
Maximus was not without suspicion regarding Emrys' statement.
After all, the reason Emrys gave, in the eyes of anyone still rational and familiar with the 'Yellow Weasel's' style, was most likely pure nonsense and completely unfeasible!
What kind of personality did the Yellow Weasel have? If the Custodes didn't know, did their Thunder Warriors not know?
Treating Thunder Warriors as consumables, discarded once used.
During recruitment, he spoke of working for humanity, for Terra, for the future... but in reality?
It wasn't until much later that Maximus learned that the 'Emperor's' future did not include 'defective products' like them.
Thus, Thunder Warriors became a burden, replaced by the more excellent and stable Astartes.
But since he understood the 'Emperor's' way of doing things so well, why was Maximus still willing to believe?
In fact, the answer was very simple.
He hoped it was true, no matter how low the possibility, he still hoped.
Hope, what a ridiculous, what a pathetic word... But it was with this tiny bit of hope that he persisted and lived until now; it could even be said that if not for this hope, he would have died long ago.
Whether Emrys' words were true or false, Maximus wanted to take a gamble.
Even if the possibility was only one in ten million, or one in a hundred million!
He had to try this pitiful and tiny 'hope' for his brothers.
"But before that, I need to see the others first."
Emrys also put forward his request.
Maximus pondered for a moment, deemed it reasonable, and nodded.
"Alright, follow me."
Soon, led by Maximus, the two went deeper and arrived at what appeared to be an abandoned 'warehouse'.
In the corner lay rusted and broken Mark I Power Armour, sewn from leather, beast fur, and metal, everywhere displaying a rugged style, while the numerous slash Marks on the armour silently spoke of its past glory.
One must know that the armour initially equipped to the Thunder Warriors by the Emperor did not have 'servo-systems' or power backpacks or other aids.
These heavy armours were all borne by the Thunder Warriors themselves, relying on their powerful strength to carry them with their bare bodies!
This also showed the strength of the Thunder Warriors, no wonder they could rival the Custodes, swiftly clearing the Holy Terra of all manner of evil in a short time, completing the Emperor's 'unification' great cause, and laying the foundation for humanity's glorious future.
As his gaze shifted, he also saw a chainsword with teeth almost worn flat, casually discarded on the ground.
bolter?
Emrys picked it up and glanced at it; even the rifling inside was worn smooth, meaning bullets fired from it would only go wherever fate took them.
Here, the past glory of the Thunder Warriors was displayed, but also their brilliance was buried.
Then, Maximus pushed open a compartment deeper in the room.
"There is one more person here."
Emrys' gaze fell into the room inside, where there was hardly any light, and a 'person' paralyzed in a wheelchair was bound with iron chains as thick as an Ork's arm.
The person was gaunt and emaciated, almost just skin and bones, with dull, lifeless eyes, as if unresponsive to everything in the outside world.
"He's been like this for a long time" Maximus' eyes showed a hint of pain.
"His mind is almost completely broken, and his body has become like this under the torment of genetic defects. If not for... Verian's serum, he wouldn't have survived until now."
Emrys probed with his psychic abilities and found that it was indeed as he said.
This body was similar to a 'vegetative state', but his mind seemed to be suppressed by some serum, leading to this half-dead state.
The tragic life of a Thunder Warrior was well embodied in him.
Because the Emperor was eager to unify Terra, the biological technology used on them was full of violence and crudeness.
This was both the reason for the Thunder Warriors' strength and the root cause of their suffering!
Wanting to solve this 'problem'… Emrys frowned, it was a bit difficult.
In his initial conception, there were two ways to help Thunder Warriors solve their genetic defect problems.
First, was to go directly to Holy Terra, meet the Emperor, find a way to enter the mysterious Imperial Palace Library on Terra, find the Emperor's former laboratory, and then find a way to solve the Thunder Warriors' genetic defects.
Second, was to gather the power of several Worlds, concentrate on breaking through bio-alchemy technology, and reshape the Thunder Warriors' genes.
With Marvel's magic, alien's biotechnology, various virus samples from Resident Evil, Cybertronian technology from Transformers, and the Devourers's technology from The Wandering Earth, overcoming the Thunder Warriors' genetic defect problem should not be difficult.
The only difficulty was whether the birth of the Thunder Warriors was related to the Warp.
If the Emperor used Warp technology, then it would be a bit troublesome.
But no matter what, Emrys was at least confident that he could restore a portion of the Thunder Warriors to their peak, temporarily alleviating the pain caused by genetic defects.
From this perspective, he wasn't really lying.
"You've seen the person, where's the item?!"
Maximus stared with bloodshot, tiger-like eyes, his tone laced with a hint of longing.
His former comrade, sitting in a wheelchair, was once a powerful warrior who could tear apart tigers and leopards with his bare hands and cut off the heads of sorcerous tyrants.
But now, after ten thousand years, tormented by illness, organ failure, and genetic diseases, he was almost unrecognizable from his former self; his strong muscles had atrophied, his bones had become fragile, and even his mind was ravaged by hallucinations.
If not for the help of the Haemonculi in Commorragh, who had profound biological research, he too would have died long ago.
Even so, ten thousand years was still too merciless.
It slowly stripped away their strength and vitality, until they became irrational beasts controlled by slaughter and hallucinations.
Just like at Mount Ararat.
Of course, he also knew that the Battle of Mount Ararat, rather than being a 'purge', was more like euthanasia performed on an aging beast suffering from cancer.
But understanding was one thing, yet deep down, he still harbored a trace of resentment towards the Emperor's ruthlessness.
It was precisely because of this that Maximus would unhesitatingly agree to Emrys' request.
This time, it wasn't for the Imperium, nor for humanity... He just wanted to do it for his comrades.
"Where's the item?" Seeing Emrys still silent, Maximus thought he had gone back on his word, his voice tinged with impatience and urgency.
"He can still fight, believe me... as long as you can control the genetic collapse, he will definitely be able to stand up again and become a powerful warrior!"
Yes, he mistakenly thought Emrys' silence meant he believed his disabled comrade had lost his value.
This was normal, wasn't it?
In the 'Emperor's' eyes, anything that lost 'value' should be discarded!
Thinking of this, Maximus clenched his fists, his pupils filled with terrifying bloodshot veins, his voice low and firm.
"Save him, give him my share of the 'serum', no matter the cost, I am willing!"
Emrys shifted his gaze to Maximus.
In those bloodshot, tiger-like eyes, there was an undetectable excitement, clearly indicating that for these 'Thunder Warriors' who had long been abandoned by the Emperor, camaraderie transcended everything.
"What is his name?" Emrys asked slowly.
"Theoris."
Maximus said in a deep voice.
"His name is Theoris, he is... the Thirteenth Company Captain of the Sons of Thunder, he is the strongest warrior among us, who once, on Terra, for... killed dozens of sorcerous enemies in the Supernatural Alliance!"
"What about the others on the list?"
Emrys still did not directly state his position, but instead inquired about the rest on that list.
"Jane and Wang... are dead." Maximus' bloodshot eyes showed a hint of sorrow as he lowered his head, his burly body trembling slightly.
"It was I who personally ended their lives."
Even with the help of the Haemonculi's serums, not every Thunder Warrior could last this long.
Moreover, they had already accumulated huge debts, and maintaining the life of 'Theoris' alone was the limit of what he could do.
Upon hearing this, Emrys was slightly disappointed, but also sighed inwardly.
This was normal; no one could escape the ravages of 'time', even someone as powerful as the 'Emperor' was now just a drained corpse, wasn't he?
"There should be one more person," he asked.
"Cassius is in the black market, selling some goods to subsidize the people here... and us."
Maximus took a deep breath, then looked at Emrys with renewed hope.
"Save him, that is our only request. If you can save him, whether it's to follow you to conquer the galaxy or to die... we agree!"
No matter where one lives, 'labor' must be expended, even for powerful Thunder Warriors.
After all, the massive debt owed to Verian and the energy to sustain their lives, all of these had to be earned through labor.
Looking at the faint glimmer of hope in Maximus' eyes, Emrys pinched his brow, his expression slightly awkward.
Noticing the change in his expression, a sudden ominous feeling surged in Maximus' heart.
"You... are unwilling?"
"Ahem, it's not that I'm unwilling" Emrys coughed a few times, then simply laid his cards on the table, shrugging.
"I'd be happy to give you this 'serum', but the premise is... I actually have this 'serum'."
At this moment, Maximus felt as if the sky had fallen, his brain ringing.
It was as if he had been struck by lightning, his mind completely blank, his thoughts paused for several seconds, still somewhat disbelieving, as if cautiously unwilling for that spark of hope to be extinguished, he tremblingly asked.
"What do you mean? You mean... you were lying to me? You don't... have this kind of serum at all?"
Meeting Maximus' eyes, which held a trace of humility, pleading, and hope, Emrys licked his dry lips.
"In a sense, it's not entirely deceiving you. Although I don't have it currently, that doesn't mean I won't have it in the 'future', right?"
"?"
Maximus' expression stiffened, his pupils trembling violently.
So, all that hope he clung to, in the end, he was actually deceived by this kid?!
"You—you lied to me!!!" The intense emotional fluctuation almost caused Maximus to go berserk, his terrifying killing intent almost palpable, enveloping the dilapidated room.
"You, how dare you deceive me!!!"
"Calm down! Calm down!"
Emrys quickly retreated, while psychic energy surged around him.
Under the influence of telekinesis, the terrifying psychic energy almost molded lightning and fire into a greatsword burning with golden flames.
This sword hovered in mid-air, but the power it exuded was enough to make Maximus wary.
Emrys motioned for the nearly berserk Maximus to calm down a bit, then explained.
"I didn't lie to you; I do have the ability to develop a 'serum' that can slow down, or even repair, your genetic problems. I swear by the Emperor!"
However, Maximus, who had been deceived once, could no longer trust him.
That lingering spark of hope was completely extinguished!
"You—liar!" Maximus' breath carried a smell mixed with putridity and blood, his gritting teeth sounding like rusty gears grinding against each other.
"Damn it, I shouldn't have believed you! Imperial lapdog!"
"No, I'm not lying to you."
Emrys knew he was in the wrong, but he could only explain as much as possible.
"I have a way to solve your problems, even if not completely, but at least I can make you, make him, return to a normal level. Please believe me."
"Why should I believe you—deceiver!" Maximus roared in a low voice, picking up the chainsword with worn-down teeth from the ground. The moment it activated, a terrifying aura of killing intent filled the entire room.
"You are just like him, always deceiving us! In your eyes, we are just dispensable tools!"
Maximus had never been so pained.
He had clearly seen hope, but... what he ultimately got was an even crueler reality!
The Emperor, he was indeed still that cold and ruthless Emperor. He would never waste any energy on tools that had lost their 'value'. Ah, he should have realized it long ago, it was simply impossible!
If there had been a way to resolve the Thunder Warriors' genetic defects, how could they have fallen to such a state back then?
From the very beginning, they had no hope!
Looking at the heartbroken Maximus, Emrys took a deep breath, stepped forward, directly grabbed his arm, and said with firm eyes.
"Since you don't believe me, then I'll prove it to you, I have the ability to do it!"
Maximus, whose arm was grabbed, felt a despair greater than death, and simply gave up resisting.
As he touched him, Emrys' eyes flickered slightly, and he slowly said.
"Let me prove it to you... Traveler, activate!"
But before leaving, he worried that he, being a Custodes, might cause trouble if he discovered Emrys was gone, so he specifically sent him a message, informing him that he would be gone for a while and not to worry.
Then, to Maximus' shocked gaze, the two were swallowed by a suddenly appearing 'black hole' and vanished from the spot.