The sun was slowly dipping below the horizon on the planet of Thel Amar. Time had slipped away as Inquisitor Balerius continued to question the enigmatic child in the cramped dungeon.

The questioning went on until the inquisitor finally concluded. As he exited, the guards drew near to inquire about the outcome and whether there was any danger. He reassured them that there was none, and that the boy was still alive, but that he should be kept in the cell until the next day to resume the interrogation.

The whole situation was something new for him. Killing him was out of the question, as the information he could provide could be valuable to some historian. Nothing more important than that. Although he could hear the vile voices of chaos, he couldn't feel the corruption in his mind, nor did he detect any lies or manipulation. Maybe he hadn't been exposed to the disformity for enough time?

After all, it's a well-known fact among the empire's faithful that those exposed to the disformity are killed due to the risks they pose. But what if that wasn't necessary in this particular instance?

The information he gathered from the boy was highly perplexing, but it could potentially be a genuine case of someone hailing from a far-off past, from the birthplace of humanity. Few are aware, but Santa Terra is not the original name of humanity's native planet. Certain historical records refer to it by different names. Might Earth be among them? He aimed to uncover the truth behind these questions. Moreover, the boy had also brought up Mars, the red planet, within the same solar system.

Another issue he aimed to address was the language barrier. Their entire conversation had taken place mentally, a benefit of being a skilled psychic (without relying on enhancements like psychic amplifiers), Balerius reflected. He also noticed how, after a while, young Lincoln began clutching his head in pain. A side effect from prolonged mental communication, which provided another reason to halt the interrogation for the day and resume tomorrow. But how would he proceed? He already had a plan, a concept. A technique he had been contemplating. He hadn't attempted it before due to a lack of someone to test it with, but now it might prove effective.

Tomorrow promised to be a grueling day, but he was already contemplating how to handle the boy. He had a window of time before he would be required to return with the findings of his mission concerning the xenos heretics case.

He couldn't deny that the technology they had was fascinating, but he also saw the potential dangers, especially when they confirmed that they had successfully activated some white portals, and that some of their team members had been pulled into them. He had to request that they be destroyed, as the risk of something emerging from one of those portals was too high. In fact, later on, he pieced together some clues related to the appearance of the boy named Lincoln Loud. As the witnesses described, they saw a white portal similar to those generated by the xenos artifacts. It was conceivable, since according to what the heretics told him, when they conducted the tests, they opened some portals in random locations, but those were rapidly closed.

It was with good intentions, the heretics said. For the benefit of humanity. They just didn't know the risks. He let them live in exchange for telling him what they knew about those artifacts, although some resisted and were killed. Not that they put up much resistance. They will be extracted of all possible information.

Going back to the topic of the boy Lincoln, he already had an idea of how to deal with him until then, he would see him again tomorrow, there was still a lot to do.

The prospect of being a teacher didn't exactly excite him, but this would be a fascinating chance to test his psychic boundaries, and acquire knowledge from this experience.

"Until tomorrow, Lincoln Loud," he muttered to himself as he departed from the quarters.

XXX

Why did this happen to you?

Seriously, why did these things always happen to him?

Well, in fact, this was on a whole new level, if everything Balerius Kosh claimed was true, that is, the man communicated with him telepathically, that was unprecedented... Well, maybe Lisa can invent something that enables telepathic communication.

Lisa. Just then, Lincoln thought of his sister and how he had ended up in this situation.

As Lincoln remembered, he held his head in pain, it was no longer as intense as it was a while ago, but it was still there. Then Lincoln remembered everything else, the fight between his sisters and how they pushed him towards Lisa's machine, and here he was.

Why did he get involved? Why did he get involved if it wasn't his business?

Even they told him so. Maybe he should stop getting involved in his sisters' problems. All of this reminded him of the fight over the dress and the conflict that escalated to increasingly colossal proportions.

Well, not exactly, but as he saw it, it was like a hurricane inside the house, and his parents didn't help much, in fact, they didn't help at all. He'd say it was understandable, they were afraid of getting hurt.

Of course, that must have been it, they were afraid that the two would start a huge fight that could hurt someone else, Lily was there in the room, what if the fight escalated and they hurt her? Or the other sisters, that's why he intervened. And, how did it end up?

If those things could make sense. But looking back, what really got to him was that they didn't explain the reason until later, or why they had to use his room or his sheets, seriously, what kind of methods were those?

Lincoln stopped and made himself stop thinking about that topic. "Don't think about it," he told himself. He brought his hand to his head and felt the chain brush against his face.

Not even the chains were removed from him, during the entire interrogation that man left him like that. Why? He saw his mind, didn't he? He must have seen that he wasn't a threat, or whatever. Why was he still wearing them? Everything was so strange, the situation he was in, the questions he was asked. Yes, he answered some of his questions, but they only generated more questions. The year he was in, a different planet, and what is the Emperium of man?

Lincoln stayed like that for a while, until a sound startled him, but he realized it was just his stomach rumbling. "When did I last eat?" he said, exasperated. "I think it was in the afternoon?" Lincoln thought, recalling a sauerkraut and peanut butter sandwich. For a moment, he gazed up at the small window, only now noticing that there was no sunlight, just darkness. It was already very late, the place was pitch black, he could hardly see around him, not that there was much to do anyway. "Will they bring me some food?" he asked aloud, to no one in particular. I mean, they should, I'm only here by mistake, I'm not a threat, am I?

Lincoln began to feel a chill, not a lot, but enough to make him curl up and wrap his arms around himself as tightly as he could with the chains on, using the wall for support. Now he would just have to wait until tomorrow to continue with all this. And to top it off, he wasn't even sleepy, he felt exhausted but not enough to drift off.

"Lisa will rescue me from here. I just need to wait, she brought me here, I'm sure she'll figure out a way to get me home," said Lincoln with a hint of confidence, yes, he just had to wait, thinking of his brilliant sister. "Oh wait... That's it!" exclaimed Lincoln, "Yes!" This... Everything must be a dream, that invention must have knocked me out or something... and I must be stuck in this dream or... nightmare," said Lincoln, now feeling more confident and with a small smile, recalling a similar dream he had a long time ago where he lived with ten brothers instead of sisters and in the end, none of it was real. If that's the case, maybe all I need to do is wait until I fall asleep and that's it, tomorrow will be Saturday, a day to relax and unwind, that's what he hoped, with that thought, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep, all he had to do was wait.

XXX

'Not a very comfortable position to sleep in, or is it?'

"What... What happened?" Lincoln said in a whisper as he stretched or tried to, when he felt the chains. Slowly, he opened his eyes and realized his situation.

"What... What's going on?" Lincoln whispered as he tried to stretch, but was reminded of the chains. Gradually, he opened his eyes and took in his surroundings, realizing where he was.

"That wasn't a dream?" he said, disbelieving his situation, looking around he was still trapped in that cell, but he noticed the faint light of day creeping through the window, and standing before him was the man from yesterday, Balerius Kosh.

'I hope you're ready for today's task Lincoln' she said staring at him but not with her mouth,

Of course the mind, he was psychic or telepathic. Looking at him now he realized that he had some books in his hand, 'there is a method that I wish to test your case will be perfect' the inquisitor told him in his mind.

Lincoln stayed frozen for a moment. Then he pinched himself "Ouch" said Lincoln, this isn't a dream, he thought to himself.

'No, it's not' Balerius replied 'today we have plenty of time, I also need you to answer some other questions that I didn't ask yesterday, let's get started?' he said, fetching a chair from the far end of the room and placing it beside Lincoln.

The young boy with white hair had no idea what was in store for him, and he couldn't shake off the feeling of unease. And when Balerius revealed his plans in his mind, Lincoln could only let out a frustrated groan.

Classes, taking classes on a Saturday, or what should have been Saturday, this was a nightmare, Lincoln thought. Hours passed as Balerius read to Lincoln out loud and then repeated it in his mind. The inquisitor's method was to telepathically imprint the words on the young boy's mind, he also showed him the letters and allowed him to ask questions. As the hours went by, Lincoln was a bit bored, but he began to realize something, slowly but surely, he started to understand some of the words they were saying or reading from the books. Then, Balerius handed him the book he was reading and told him to continue, surprisingly, Lincoln was able to keep going, but only up to a certain point, as his head began to hurt.

'Alright, take a break, rest for a bit and then we'll carry on' Balerius said to Lincoln, as he began to massage his head. Then he thought of something and asked Balerius shyly, he was going to say it out loud but forgot that he had to communicate telepathically. 'Mmm, excuse me if this sounds, I don't know, impolite or whatever, but could you give me something to eat... I'm really hungry, I haven't eaten in a while, please.'

In response to that question, the inquisitor looked at him for a moment as if pondering his request, Lincoln was fearful of having said something he shouldn't have, and began to stammer an apology. But without saying a word, the inquisitor stood up from his chair, walked towards the door and exited, there was a moment of silence and then the inquisitor came back.

'It will take a while to arrive, don't wait too long' he told Lincoln telepathically.

This surprised the white-haired boy, who stuttered a "th... thank you" in gratitude.

Balerius didn't say anything, he just sat and waited a bit, and then spoke

"Alright, let's continue" he said in flawless English.

This left Lincoln stunned "Wait... Can you speak my language? But I thought..."

"I only know a little, what I was able to extract from your mind" he said in Lincoln's mind "I also extracted some basic information from you while I was imprinting the main language on you" he said with a small smile "The books I showed you are about letters, vocabulary, and more, but now, how about I also show you some history" he said as he pulled out another book, which was special because it was a bit larger than the others "Let's start from the beginning".

History is something vital in life that people should learn, the stories that Lincoln was fond of were those of his superhero Ace Savvy, certainly, the history classes at school could also be captivating at times, but what he was about to hear was something that seemed like it was ripped from the pages of a science fiction novel or movie script.

Now Lincoln was fully engaged in what he was being told. Humanity had been the dominant species in the galaxy, colonizing and expanding across the stars, achieving greatness, encountering aliens, Aliens! Or xenos, as they were known, but following a series of disasters, events such as what they called the Dark Age of Technology, where science turned against its human creators, and many other events that left humanity in a dire state, demons descended upon the worlds, and darkness came to devour everything, everything Lincoln heard sounded like utter insanity, yet Inquisitor Balerius spoke with unwavering gravity at every turn, indeed, Lincoln could have sworn that at times he sounded almost like a zealot.

A small interruption to his class, when they heard a knock on the door, the inquisitor stopped and went to open the door. He then returned with a tray that he handed to Lincoln.

He quickly tried to take the tray, and his spirits dropped a little when he saw what it was.

It appeared to be some sort of paste, or so he assumed, served with a piece of bread and a small glass of water, it didn't look very appealing, but he consumed it all nonetheless, and after drinking the remaining water, he set the tray aside and expressed his gratitude to the inquisitor, then they proceeded with their previous conversation.

The condition of humanity was dire. Millions of fatalities on various planets throughout the galaxy, chaos and devastation were rampant, and as the book stated, the human race was condemned to extinction. Lincoln pondered everything he had heard, and "stunned" would be an understatement. Proceeding with the reading, the moment came when Balerius' countenance changed. "But it was then that he emerged, on the barren and ravaged Terra, someone appeared in the darkest hour".

'The Emperor of Mankind' Balerius thought, with a sense of pride resonating in his mind, which Lincoln was able to perceive.

'A human, no, a god clad in mighty golden armor with a plan, to unite the human race once more into an unstoppable force'.

The way he narrated it to Lincoln left him wanting to know more. A being of unknown origin who appears as the last hope for the galaxy, or maybe the universe, no, just the galaxy, Lincoln thought as he continued listening to the story of this champion, or god, as he referred to the Emperor.

The feats he had accomplished, and the powers he possessed, would make anyone question the existence of this Emperor, but the way he narrated it and how he showed him in the book that it was common knowledge, this great character did exist or, rather, still exists.

Finally, it had become very late, the inquisitor left, leaving Lincoln to rest until tomorrow, when he would continue. He couldn't sleep, not just because of the discomfort and cold, or the chains still on him, but because of what he had been told that day, everything he had heard. Could it really be true?

Lincoln felt a deep sense of nostalgia, he wanted to go back home already. Although he couldn't deny that the story so far about this place was really fascinating, and he wanted to be able to explore this world without being trapped in that prison. The bathroom was a disgusting toilet, or so it appeared, he had no choice but to use it, and the so-called mattress they gave him, wasn't even a real one, just a bag, he could feel the cold floor beneath him, a big part of him wanted this to be over already.

When will Lisa complete that invention? When will I get back? Please let it be soon, were the final thoughts that crossed his mind before drifting off to sleep in his makeshift bed.

That, was the thought that Lincoln had in his head for the next few days, hoping not to stay here for long.

The days passed, and the questions and classes with that telepathic learning method continued. There was an improvement, Lincoln was able to start understanding the language, although the headaches persisted, but they would subside after a while. Finally, they removed the chains, making him feel a bit more comfortable, it seemed they no longer saw him as a threat, not that he could do much since he was still in that prison. Inquisitor Balerius would occasionally answer his questions about the world they were in, and also about the alien races the Empire of Humanity was fighting against, all this information he heard about the threats they faced in this future, the Tyranids, a hive race, the Necrons, a race of deadly machines, the Orks... Orks.

When Lincoln asked if he had heard correctly, Balerius confirmed it, according to the description, they were just like the stories or some games depicted them, big, green, stupid, and with axes. He was also told that they were a plague in the galaxy, always invading worlds and killing thousands just for the sake of it. Lincoln also jokingly asked if there was a race of space elves, but also with some curiosity. Due to the confusion of the question, he had to clarify what an elf was, which got a reaction of surprise and anger from the inquisitor. Balerius told him that there was indeed a similar race with those physical traits, the Aeldari, an ancient race that now roams space as nomads in immense ships. He also mentioned that they were not on good terms.

Driven by curiosity, he ventured to ask if there were also dwarves, and had to clarify what he meant. To his surprise, they also existed, although they were not aliens per se. Balerius told him that they were a type of abhuman, previously known as Squats, but it seemed there was a confusion in the archives, or that's what they used to call themselves. According to the data, they are now called Kin, or Leagues of Votann. Apparently, they live somewhere in the galactic core. All this and more was what he was able to learn.

Finally, a week had passed since Lincoln's arrival at this place. Balerius was in his quarters, a room lent to him for his services, where he was currently staying. The topic that had him occupied was Lincoln Loud, the boy. His method seemed to be working very well, now Lincoln could speak Low Gothic, still with an accent that betrayed his foreign origins, and some words still gave him trouble, but he could finally hold a conversation without using his powers. A successful test.

Now, the final question: What would you do with it?

Before him, there was a far from ordinary case, time travel was indeed possible, it was known from the journeys through the Immaterium or Warp of several ships that arrived long before their departure. In general, time travel was not an exact science when it came to Warp travel.

But this boy, due to strange circumstances and coincidences, ended up on that planet. After a dimensional journey, by accident, of over thirty thousand years from the same Terra or Earth, an event that must be recorded.

Naturally, he was also cautious at first, the case was too unusual to be taken lightly.

He would have to take him with him, so that the Inquisition could decide what to do with him. Balerius would have done it, but what fate awaited him? Maybe they would keep him locked up in the deepest cell, like a treasure, or simply after obtaining all the information about the planet Earth and what time he lived in, they would kill him without hesitation. He considered the possibilities and the truth was that he didn't like it much, and even less now that he knew more about Lincoln Loud.

When he used his mental trick on the boy's mind, he not only helped him learn at an accelerated pace, but he also gained insight into his thoughts. He was able to learn English, or at least most of it, and in secret, he also extracted more of his memories, learning more about who he was and what his life was like.

A boy of 11 years, soon to turn 12, displayed the habits and behavior of a boy his age who had a quite active life, went through many things with his family, especially with his sisters, he noticed his attitude of helping and planning, he wanted to feel useful. Although, if he wasn't mistaken, he could see something more, insecurity in himself? Or was it a feeling of being overshadowed, "hmm, it would be something natural when it comes to someone with ten sisters, each with defined abilities and talents" Balerius said to himself.

Actually, some things he saw left him thinking, yes, he could be useful in another way, he knew he wasn't someone who would enjoy sports, but he saw several situations where the boy was basically in danger and had to improvise, yes, they weren't feats comparable to those of a Space Marine, but he could still be of use.

He would have to think about what to do with him, because in about two days he leaves the planet, and he must inform the Inquisition. Along with his mission of hunting heretics.

But, he also thought about the information he extracted from young Lincoln, and while it could be seen as something divine, what he discovered about Earth was very similar to a garden world, and of course, without the knowledge of the Emperor and the xenos, but that was understandable since the Emperor appeared at some point in the 30th millennium, starting the Great Crusade, if the historical records were correct, and the xenos were unknown to humans since they hadn't even colonized other worlds. They were too young to know the horrors of the galaxy.

That was another important factor that made Balerius reflect, if the value of knowledge and having lived on Holy Terra in his youth was important, the truth was that the information could be simple, besides, young Lincoln was not a great scholar, he only knew the basics and he had already taken a lot of essential knowledge, the rest was just personal things.

He also considered that he should impose a limit on the memories he accessed, there were some disagreeable ones, like a certain relative named Ruth, the mere recollection of her made Balerius feel a certain distaste.

Very well, tomorrow he will reveal to him the most crucial part of the Emperor's history, an event that would alter the entire state of the Imperium at that time, the Horus Heresy.

The rest of the day and into the night, Inquisitor Balerius was occupied, but something he was unaware of was that overnight, something would shift.

XXX

The next day, things happened differently, Lincoln was taken out of his small prison by a soldier who dressed differently than the others,

They took a relatively short trip, and at last, the boy caught a glimpse of the world around him, a vast city with architecture reminiscent of Gothic style, with towering buildings visible in the distance. For an instant, he gazed up at the sky, and that's when he noticed the difference, an enormous moon... or planet of a blue hue, his jaw dropped in awe as he stopped to take in the scenery. However, his escort soon called him back to attention, and they promptly continued on their way. Before long, they arrived at a modest building, and upon entering, it appeared neat and adorned with decorations akin to medieval times, such as a statue in the hallway depicting a man clad in substantial armor, grasping a sword in his hands.

"You're here" Lincoln turned around and found Inquisitor Balerius gazing at him intently.

"Thanks Yak. You can leave, I'll take care of it."

The man merely nodded, but not before turning to give Lincoln a final glance, which caused him to recoil in fear. The individual was genuinely unnerving, not only due to his stature but also because, like the inquisitor, he bore a scar on his face, albeit a larger one, apparently inflicted by massive claws. Furthermore, his two arms were metallic or bionic, and his gaze seemed to hold a killer's intensity as he looked at Lincoln.

"Stay calm. Yak doesn't cause harm without a valid reason, he can be harsh but he's a just man and fulfills his obligations."

"Oh... no, I wasn't scared, just... Well, yes, I was scared"

"Indeed, his appearance can be unsettling, but don't let it deceive you, he's part of my entourage for a reason. Come, we have something important to discuss, besides completing the history class."

Upon arriving at Balerius' chambers, their lessons commenced, and he had previously told Lincoln about the Crusade and the Primarchs. Lincoln was thoroughly absorbed in the history, and they reached the crucial point. He had learned about Horus Lupercal a few days prior, but now he would discover another pivotal event, the Horus Heresy.

The betrayal of the Emperor's favored son, he explained, roughly, how it all began, as the exact reasons were still unclear, a devastating war erupted, dividing the factions into traitors, those who sided with Horus and Chaos, and the loyalists, who remained faithful to the Emperor and humanity. The war raged on for nine years, according to the Imperial calendar, claiming not thousands, but millions, perhaps even more lives, as worlds were incinerated, demigods clashed with fiery hatred, and brothers turned against one another.

Since the narrative began, Lincoln had been completely absorbed, the tale he was listening to was an odyssey, something deserving of a literary saga or a cinematic masterpiece, but what was most captivating was that this story was real, according to Balerius, and the fact that it had actually occurred was truly astonishing.

"The planet of Holy Terra was under attack from all directions, the heretics had breached the innermost sanctum of the empire, now as the loyalists rallied to defend the Imperial Palace in a final bid for survival, the loyal sons, including Sanguinius, Rogal Dorn, and Jaghatai Khan, fought with a valor and ferocity befitting true heroes."

"Day after day, the sieges continued, the Emperor's forces endured, but they couldn't sustain it, finally the time had come, the Emperor, accompanied by his Custodes guard, Rogal Dorn, and Sanguinius, stormed the vessel where Horus commanded the traitor legions."

Lincoln remained completely absorbed, listening intently as the story progressed, with a youthful sense of wonder.

"It is told that Sanguinius was the first to confront the arch-traitor Horus, unleashing a monumental battle, but Horus held the advantage. The Primarch Sanguinius could not triumph and was slain by his former brother, yet his sacrifice was not futile, for Sanguinius' valiant fight created a small opening in Horus' armor, and his demise was felt on Holy Terra, resonating among his sons, stirring them to fight with unyielding ferocity, like a tsunami, even when beset on all sides, altering the tide of the siege. And the legend says, that in those moments of glorious counter-attack, Jaghatai Khan charged forward with unrelenting speed, his vehicle crushing any heretic who dared stand in his way."

"The Emperor was the next to reach the bridge of the Vengeful Spirit, where he came upon the body of his son Sanguinius lying on the ground, and his treacherous son Horus."

"What happened next was described as the greatest and most epic duel between father and son in history, where two opposing forces clashed in that moment, where the fate of humanity and the galaxy would be decided in that place. The battle lasted for hours, with powers colliding against each other. It is said that the Emperor was losing because he refused to use his full power, which his son took advantage of, and finally, Horus, who had the upper hand, prepared to deliver the final blow. Everything seemed lost, the triumph of evil was near, but at that moment something happened that changed everything. The reports are unclear, but it is said that an Imperial Guard, one Ollanius, managed to make his way to the bridge and saw the devastation that Horus was inflicting on the Emperor, placing himself between the two and, in an act of incredible heroism, declared Horus the embodiment of evil and launched himself against the traitor, sacrificing his life to protect the Emperor. Horus simply laughed and killed the soldier with a thought, but that brief moment gave the Emperor the opportunity, and seeing that his son had no hope, no salvation to return to the path of light, the Emperor gathered a power so great in one fist, striking exactly where his son Sanguinius had penetrated Horus' armor. It is said that the Emperor gathered a psychic power so great and colossal that the attack coursed through Horus' entire body, with a force so great that it completely eliminated Horus' body and soul, never to return from death."

Everything he had been told was something Lincoln couldn't believe he was hearing anywhere else, maybe this would be an incredible blockbuster or a saga of novels, an epic story of tales and legends, he was left with his mouth agape, wanting to hear more.

What Balerius continued to tell was what happened next, with the Emperor taking his seat on the golden throne, the fate of the traitors, and some of the loyal Primarchs, or what was known about them. Balerius asked him related questions to see what Lincoln understood.

Following a few hours of instruction, and having addressed Lincoln's inquiries, the moment arrived to reveal what would transpire in the coming days and Lincoln's fate.

"I have something to share with you, but first and foremost, I want to express my gratitude."

This confused Lincoln "Why?"

"Thanks to you, I gained valuable insight into the past, and I also discovered more about my psychic abilities through this experience. You made for a great test subject, and let's not forget that the classes weren't as dull as I expected," Balerius remarked nonchalantly.

"Oh, no problem" Lincoln responded with a hint of sarcasm, reacting to Balerius' comment.

"Think of it this way, in just a week you've picked up a new language and more, you might have a headache, but it'll pass. And tell me, can you read the language proficiently now, correct?"

"Ah, yes... some words still give me trouble, but overall, yes. Hey, I wanted to ask you something... Couldn't you have moved me to a decent room these past few days? I'm still sleeping in that bag, locked up in that prison cell," Lincoln asked in a slightly annoyed tone, wanting to know why they had to be so strict about the whole thing.

"You're welcome" said Balerius in a serious tone

"Excuse me?" Lincoln asked, somewhat incredulous at the response.

"You ought to be more thankful. Had it been a different inquisitor, your treatment might have been far less lenient, possibly even harsher."

"What are you talking about?... What do you mean by that?" Balerius gazed at Lincoln and responded.

"When you first showed up, it was considered a potential chaos-related incident, others might not have been as lenient as I was, some individuals would have simply eliminated you to avoid any risk of dissonance corruption, many of the guards assigned to watch you didn't trust you or still don't entirely trust you."

"I understand your annoyance, but measures had to be taken to ensure you weren't a danger. I had to speak up to convince them to remove your chains and bring you food, as they initially refused."

"I can assure you that you're not corrupted by the dissonance, or that you pose any danger. There's only one pending issue, and that is, what are we going to do with you?"

Inquisitor Balerius stood up from the chair where he was sitting and began pacing in circles while Lincoln watched him, thinking about what he had said with some nervousness.

"You're a one-of-a-kind case, a true anomaly. I considered turning you over to the Inquisition, perhaps they'll figure out what to do with you, but they might just imprison you or only extract the information they find useful, and then dispose of you," he whispered the last part.

But not that would be right, maybe there is another solution.

Balerius froze, lost in thought, and then shifted his attention to Lincoln.

"Do you remember what I told you about psychics?" Balerius asked Lincoln, who nodded, recalling a few days ago when Balerius explained what psychics are and how their abilities work.

"Right, I mentioned that people with my abilities occasionally receive visions," Balerius said, pausing to collect his thoughts. He sat back down in his chair beside Lincoln and went on, "I had a vision last night, after working and meditating, I fell asleep and...it happened. They say that in certain cases, the Emperor himself appears, communicating telepathically, sending a message or a vision about important decisions." Balerius paused once more, exhaling heavily and closing his eyes, before opening them again and proceeding.

"My gut feeling is telling me to trust this, I know it may seem insane to you, but for me, this is a matter of great importance and anyone in the empire should reflect on these omens. What I was shown is that I shouldn't keep you imprisoned or turn you over to the Inquisition. I'm unaware of the motivations, but... there has to be a reason why you're here, right now, it can't be mere chance."

Alright... This was unexpected, after Balerius finished talking, Lincoln pondered his words and... What?... Really, what?

"Yes, it's true that with everything I've told you about the Emperor, and his powers, the events of the Horus Heresy, space travel, and aliens, or xenos as you call them here... With all that, one would think that nothing else could be surprising, but... seriously, why bother?"

Right, considering everything I've shared about the Emperor, his powers, the Horus Heresy, space travel, and aliens, or xenos as they're known here... You'd think that nothing else could be shocking, but... honestly, why bother?

Lincoln thought about what to answer, but it was Balerius who spoke first.

"I can see your thoughts, young Lincoln. I'll ignore your questions for now, as I'm about to tell you what I have planned for you. I know you don't want to be here, but sitting around waiting isn't a good option, especially in a cell. I won't hand you over to any organization like the Inquisition, and I won't take you with me either. I need to return, and if I take you, the Inquisition will ask questions. I could hide you, but then what? I've also thought that it's best for you to stay on the planet for now. I've meditated, and I have an answer." Balerius looked at Lincoln and then spoke.

"Young Lincoln, you will go to Schola Progenium"

"I... What"

"I believe I explained what they were, a few classes ago," Balerius said in a serious and formal tone,

"but... why?"

"Why?" Balerius hesitated, then went on, "I told you that you can't join me, and if you refuse that option, you'd be stuck in a cell or face some other uncertain outcome, if I simply leave without taking you, and that's final."

"That was vague, I mean, you told me that because you had a vision, I should..."

"The Emperor's visions should not be taken lightly," the inquisitor interrupted the boy, speaking with utmost seriousness. "In these dark times we live in, it's becoming increasingly difficult to see the light. Your case can't be a coincidence, appearing here at this exact moment. If it's true that divine signs can be vague, perhaps you're wanted for a reason. It may not be something grand to change the course of the galaxy, but something smaller... Still, it shouldn't be ignored."

Balerius kept talking, elaborating on every detail for Lincoln's benefit, posing questions to him from time to time. Eventually, Balerius concluded.

"It's simple, really. When you get there, they'll assess you and determine your abilities. Then, they'll decide which branch is the best fit for you. Typically, recruits are orphans or children of veterans who enlist. It wasn't easy, but I managed to arrange for your acceptance since you don't have any family ties here. Your backstory is that of an orphan whose parents served in the Astra Militarum and died in combat."

"You'll stay on this planet to fulfill a duty, and in the future, we'll finally see what you're made of."

A week has passed since his arrival, and yet he still can't wrap his head around what he's gotten himself into. The situation was unreal. He had a thought and was on the verge of speaking, but Balerius cut him off once more.

"I suppose you'll tell me that you won't be here for much longer, because your sister Lisa will rescue you from this place."

Lincoln raised his head, looking straight into Balerius' eyes. He hadn't mentioned his sisters' names. Well, he shouldn't be surprised, he already knew about the man's abilities, and it was obvious that he had rummaged through his memories. 'There's something called privacy, you know?'"

Balerius reply was a faint smile. 'Your plan is hardly realistic, relying on your young genius sister to get you out of this place. How long do you plan to wait? No, it's more like, do you want to spend the rest of your life imprisoned? Or face something even worse?'"

"No, but..." Lincoln's voice faded away as he struggled to find the right words. "I'm giving you an option, a chance to escape this place. I know it's not your ideal choice, but it's preferable to simply waiting in vain for a rescue that may never arrive."

Lincoln didn't like that answer at all. He was going to respond, but he didn't know what to say.

"Listen, in life we must make choices we don't want to, but we know are necessary. It's something we must learn to live with and accept. Over time, you'll see it can be the best option. I know you didn't intend to end up here, but you did, and here we are."

"You believe your sister can rescue you from this place, fine, maybe you're correct. But I don't think it'll happen overnight, and wouldn't it be more productive to use that time to make yourself useful somehow? Not just for your own benefit, but for others as well?"

"But... This sch... Oh schola... Whatever it's called, I know nothing about it."

"Nobody who attends knows what to expect. Some children may receive instruction beforehand, but typically, you're taught your role and the rest is learned through experience. Usually, kids who attend the Schola Progenium are around eight or nine years old, but it differs depending on the world. They also consider older children, though. You're twelve, right?"

"Ah... actually, I'm still officially eleven, but I'll be turning twelve soon."

"Then it's acceptable. You won't have any problems," Balerius interrupted again.

A while went by, Lincoln stayed lost in thought as Balerius requested some food. Balerius chatted with him about his future plans, after the meal arrived (which was noticeably better than the ones he got in his cell, much to his appreciation).

"This is what's going to happen, you'll go back to your cell one last time, tomorrow a team of officers will arrive to escort you out. I recommend you get some rest before then. I have to depart from the planet."

"Does this mean we won't see each other again?" Lincoln inquired.

"Yes, for now, maybe. Your case is something I'll need to revisit, but the galaxy is a dangerous place, one never knows what the future holds, perhaps we'll meet again but it won't be anytime soon." Lincoln was about to ask another question, but at that moment, the door opened, it was Yak, Balerius' escort.

"Any final questions before we say goodbye?" Lincoln's mind was a blank, he couldn't think of anything else to ask, his thoughts were still reeling from the events. Balerius noticed his confusion and stepped closer.

"Farewell, Inquisitor" Lincoln said goodbye with a slight nervous smile. Balerius gazed at him for a moment before responding, "My name is Balerius" he clarified, in a gentle tone, and offered a brief smile. "May the Emperor watch over you" were his parting words, spoken in flawless English that caught Lincoln off guard for a moment before he departed.

Finally, night fell. Lincoln lay in bed thinking about everything that had happened, a mix of emotions swirling in his mind. That night, something happened that hadn't happened since he arrived there - Lincoln began to cry.

He had shed a few tears on his first night, trying to keep his emotions in check. But now, the dam had burst, and he lay there, overwhelmed by thoughts of his home, family, and friends. The world he had entered was astonishing, with the tales Inquisitor Balerius shared, but now something else took precedence in his mind. Lincoln steadied himself and gazed up at the ceiling. Though not a devout or faithful person, he made a promise to himself in that moment, a vow that resonated deep within: he would return home, no matter the obstacles or the time it took, and he would be reunited with his loved ones once more.

He just hopes the wait isn't too long.

XXX

Tell me what you think about the interaction between Lincoln and the Inquisitor.

Redsteel116.

about using another page, like ao3 is something I thought about when I started translating the story, maybe I'll do it later, I want to translate as much as possible, so then I just have to copy, it's tiring having to translate all the time. I also have to keep writing the original story, I'm late in updating.