The Unremembered Empire

Sanguinius remained silent for a long time.

"You are right. The empire our father created drove back the dark long night of old, but now that long night is returning. Humanity cannot endure another Age of Strife."

"Brothers are slaughtering brothers, the stars are burning, and the foul things of the Warp have defiled the worlds that belong to us. We must do something."

Guilliman realized that his brother had made a decision. He could not help rising from his seat, and the Lion likewise stood with utmost gravity.

"I understand that you want me to sit upon that throne. I will not argue with you, because since you have done this, you must have prepared sufficient arguments and reasons."

"We have no time for such meaningless matters. So let us skip those tiresome games of maneuvering. Can you guarantee me—guarantee your unconditional loyalty to our father?"

The Angel stood with his back to them, his wings spread wide and gleaming beneath the sunlight streaming through the windows.

"We swear that once the Warp storms subside, whether Terra still stands or not, we will bring every warship and gather every troop to march upon Terra together."

"If our father has not yet fallen, then we shall become his most dependable reinforcements. If misfortune has already befallen him, then we shall become sons of vengeance and send every traitor into hell."

The three primarchs cut their fingers, each squeezing out a drop of blood and mingling it upon an oath written on parchment.

Thus was the blood oath of the Emperor’s three sons sworn. When their blood merged as one, a new aetheric tide was born within the insubstantial Sea of Souls, on the opposite side of the material universe.

It represented the birth and formation of a concept. A concept known as the Second Empire became an entity on the psychic level.

Of the three primarchs who had sworn the oath, Sanguinius, whose psychic power was greatest, narrowed his eyes. He clearly sensed the disturbance in the aetheric currents and knew that what he had signed would truly take effect.

The Lion’s instinctive intuition likewise perceived the meaning and power of this oath. He had to uphold the promise as written, or suffer the backlash of breaking it.

As for Guilliman…

He felt nothing at all. He was even somewhat puzzled by why his two brothers seemed unusually solemn and serious.

"What is wrong with you two? Is there something wrong with this oath?" the man of Macragge asked curiously.

The Lion looked at his brother speechlessly. They fell into a long silence before he forced out a sentence.

"Nothing. Did you not sense any change, Roboute?"

The Lion watched the changes in Guilliman’s expression, only to find a genuinely blank and innocent look on his face. At once, he understood that he had overthought things again.

As a primarch, he truly had no perception of psychic power whatsoever.

Was it real, or an act?

After signing his name, Guilliman put the document away and carefully stored it inside a small stasis field made of adamantium.

"Gentlemen, we have absolutely no treasonous intent. But the world may not understand us. Therefore, until we determine Terra’s situation, we shall keep this secret—a secret belonging to the Ultramarines, the Dark Angels, and the Blood Angels."

"If Terra has truly fallen, then our Second Empire shall be revealed to the public and become another anchor for humanity." Guilliman looked from the Lion’s eyes to Sanguinius’s. "But if Terra still endures, then we should preserve our tacit understanding. Everything we did today shall be treated as though it never happened."

"This will be an empire that is not remembered."

"Agreed."

"I have no objections."

Guilliman held the stasis field box containing the Second Empire’s blood pact, his heart full of melancholy as his thoughts drifted toward the eastern galaxy, toward Sotha.

"Lox, I did it. I took that step and founded an empire that belongs to us."

"Though it may be an empire that is not remembered, it does not matter."

"It is a pity you are not here, but do not worry… I prepared a surprise for you."

Guilliman believed that when his dear friend returned and saw the surprise he had specially prepared, he would laugh with delight.

"Achoo!"

At that moment, on the distant planet Pandora, Lox suddenly sneezed several times in the middle of negotiations with representatives of the Craftworld Eldar.

"Have you caught a cold? I have studied your history in depth. This disease troubled you for many millennia. Cold viruses accompanied humanity throughout its existence, until nanomedical devices were invented and eradicated them completely."

"But we Eldar are perfect creations. We fear no disease, possess long lives, and are born with formidable psychic power. With a mere gesture, we can toy with the stars."

The Eldar seer Uslan asked with concern. Lox’s nose itched slightly, but the remaining sneeze would not come out.

"It is nothing. Maybe someone is talking about me." He waved a hand. As a Perpetual, his constitution made him immune to most diseases, and he had no idea what was happening now.

"That is good. Humans are still far too frail. Compared to the bodies of us Eldar, you possess far too many innate flaws." Uslan smiled.

"Yes, yes, yes, everything you say is right. But that Warp god has always wanted to claim you."

Uslan immediately fell silent.

Lox was speechless at the arrogance Uslan inadvertently displayed, yet this Eldar seer was already one of the least arrogant and most humble among the Eldar.

"Let us not discuss that for now. Have those Exodite Eldar finally agreed to our terms? They must leave Pandora. I do not care which planet they go to; this planet will become our Blackstone mining base."

What Lox and Uslan were discussing was precisely the issue of how to deal with the Exodite Eldar.

Blackstone was immensely important to humanity. Lox absolutely intended to keep a firm grip on a planet so rich in Blackstone minerals. If those Exodite Eldar remained here, they would hinder mining efficiency on one hand and pose a potential risk on the other.

After all, Pandora had been the homeworld where this group of Exodite Eldar had lived for tens of thousands of years. Now, under humanity’s military deterrence and the mediation of the Craftworld Eldar, the planet had changed hands, with humanity becoming its new master.

Would the Exodite Eldar accept that willingly? Not necessarily.

If a few stubborn Exodite Eldar wished to defend their homeland to the death and continually caused small disruptions to interfere with humanity’s progress, it would affect the entire plan’s schedule.

Lox could not tolerate any potential threat.

"Rest assured, this is the foundation of our cooperation and also the sincerity we have demonstrated."

Uslan spoke calmly, though strictly speaking, neither of those two factions had much to do with him.

The Exodite Eldar were independent, while the Eldar of the Alaitoc Craftworld were not his subordinates either. He had no authority to order them around.

Yet Uslan was Uslan, the most arbitrary and unconventional of all Eldar seers.

To achieve his aims, he did not hesitate to sacrifice the interests and lives of even his blood kin.

And these Exodite Eldar were, at most, cousins.

He could sacrifice even blood relatives, let alone the interests of these cousins. If the Exodite Eldar still failed to see reason, he would act personally.

"The Exodite Eldar chieftain, Kallen, demands that you release the surviving Dragon Riders and give them sufficient time to take away their World Spirit. We will use Eldar methods to separate it from Pandora and transplant it to another planet."

"This is their bottom line."

Lox nodded. This was not excessive. After being taught a lesson by the iron fist of physics, these Exodite Eldar had finally learned to recognize the times.

This world did not reason. It only respected physics.

"Then make it quick. I want our forge factories established as fast as possible. Take those Craftworld Eldar and hurry up, get the Exodite Eldar out of here."

Uslan nodded in agreement. He would act personally to help the Exodite Eldar sever the connection between their World Spirit and Pandora.