A New Dawn.
Emperor's Chapel, one of the few remaining on the planet. In the predawn twilight, a lone figure knelt in front of the statue of the Emperor, barely audibly muttering long-memorized prayers.
Axel was in turmoil, coming from a deeply religious family, he had been surrounded by Faith in Emperor since childhood, but also because of life on Slawkenberg he was surrounded by incredible and senseless cruelty committed in His name. How could he believe in His Mercy and Righteousness, when it was His name that dictated all the suffering that his family, his friends and their families and all the inhabitants of their world endured? Previously, an elderly priest often calmed his rebellious heart, saying that it was people who distorted the Imperial Creed to please their sins. That Governor and his pack, hiding behind His name, are committing their atrocities and their lives would be completely different under a righteous ruler. I wonder what the old man would think about HOW his words came true?
Uprising! Even despite his youth and lack of education at that time, Axel understood that this was the ONLY possible way out under the regime that Governor supported. Imperial Creed was replaced by Chaos. Yes, yes, the very Chaos that mothers used to scare their children and priests used to scare their flock. Terrifying, Cursing, Dooming (and many other terrible epithets) Chaos! But the reality, as Axel had already managed to get used to it, turned out to be far from the stories. There was no bloodthirsty slaughter, endless betrayal, unbridled orgies, rivers of blood and mountains of corpses, even demons did not walk the streets or whisper their temptations in dreams.
There was order, tranquility, happiness and, most importantly, HOPE. Hope for a better future settled in the hearts of people, as well as a Dream opened its wings in their souls. Only a few remained faithful to the Imperial Creed in such a situation. Fortunately, Liberator Cain once again demonstrated his nobility and generosity by allowing them to keep faith in Emperor on the planet and ordering not to touch His followers until they themselves cause problems. This already shook his Faith, then, then there was the arrival of the Inquisitor. The one who was called faithful servant of Emperor. What he was saying, what he was trying to do, hit his faithful harder than any avalanche.
And then.. Liberator stopped him, he fought a monster that mistakenly wore a human face and defeated him in battle. He saved them all, again, he ignited the fire of Hope in their hearts even more fiercely, their Dreams finally soared, free from the shackles, he really set them free, again.
So much has happened in a few years, the creation of a Panacea, the double attack of xenos, the rescue of Adumbria from Nurgle's invasion. And once again, Liberator Cain went somewhere where ordinary people need his help and all this under the auspices of the Triune Chaos, the very Chaos that the Imperial Creed declared the source of all human troubles. Axel understood that he was on the verge, his faith in Emperor had been subjected to terrible tests for so many years, tests of the truth, much more dangerous than any false temptation.
Now was the last chance of his dying Faith. He would either save her or bury her completely.
Axel: Emperor, please answer your faithful servant. I have believed in your Teaching and your Word for so long, but then why does everything that happens seek to prove it false. Why did those who were supposed to be enemies of the human Race bring us salvation and freedom? Why did those who were supposed to be our Support torture us, and those who were supposed to be our Shield come to exterminate us? Why do I see so much Darkness in the Light and begin to see the fire of Light in the Darkness?Why did the truth turn out to be a lie, the enemy became a friend, and the Curse brought Salvation? Answer me, O Emperor, why? WHY?!
Exhausted, he collapsed on all fours and mournfully bowed his head.
?: Probably because that's the way it is, my child.
"Hearing an unfamiliar voice, Axel instantly jerked his head up and..."
?: The world is not at all as Black and White as many people think, it consists of many shades, most often shades of gray.
".. I saw a figure in a cassock with a hooded head. She shone with a soft Light and from under the hood two eyes shone with the same Light, emitting a haze of light around the edges."
Axel: You!.. you! .. who?!
?: In my opinion, it's strange to ask the interlocutor who he is when you yourself called him to a conversation, don't you think so?!-" the figure said with a slight laugh."
Axel: I call? But I'm... you... Emperor? - " Axel said with a note of disbelief and panic in his voice."
Emperor: First and Only One! Almost in the flesh, so to speak.
Axel: But, but, but HOW?
Emperor: Funny fact, where the veil between the material and the warp has thinned, not only Chaos can penetrate into the material world.
Axel: But why did YOU come to ME? It's not that I'm not grateful, but it doesn't seem to me that I'm anything special in terms of sincerity and fervor of prayer.
Emperor: Of course you are right here, trillions of prayers are addressed to me every second, and among them there are many no less sincere, and there are even more desperate ones. But you are also wrong, because your case is still special.
Axel: What is the difference between my case and others?
Emperor: You, child, have helped me get to where I have been striving for many years. Unfortunately, I was never able to get through to talk with Cain, the Trinity reliably protects its chosen one from outside interference.
Axel: Do you want to talk to the Liberator? But isn't he the champion of Chaos, your enemy?
"Although Axel did not see the face under the hood, he was nevertheless sure that the figure of the Emperor smiled sadly."
Emperor: An enemy? No, child, Cain is anyone but my enemy, perhaps he can be safely called one of the most loyal supporters of my Creed.
"Frozen in shock with his eyes wide open, Axel was nevertheless able to quickly recover and whisper."
Axel: What? How?
Emperor: You see... he is one of the few who follows the Spirit of my Creed and not its Letter. As well as you, child.
Axel: Spirit?
Emeror: Yes! Too many of those who dare to call themselves my servants are perverting my teachings. They either blindly follow what I have written without trying to understand the meaning I have put into the words, or they change and distort what I have written for their own benefit.
Axel: But Cain follows the path of Chaos. Is not Chaos your enemy, O Emperor?
"Upon hearing the question, Emperor raised his head in surprise."
Emperor: Chaos? No, he was never my enemy. My enemies are the Chaos Gods, the demons inhabiting the immaterium and the influence they exert on mortals. Chaos is an integral part of the world that cannot be destroyed because it is like the second side of the coin, eternal as long as there is the first side - the material world. But I realized it too late, and for this mistake, I and the entire Imperium paid in full.
"having said this, Emperor, as if falling into sadness, lowered his shoulders and bowed his head."
Axel: Heresy? Are you talking about the Horus Heresy?
Emperor: Yes, child. It was then, over my son's body, that I realized how blind I was and what price I paid fighting the wrong enemy, or rather, someone who has never been one.
" Saying these words, he raised his hands and threw back his hood. Axel froze in horror because even though the Light was shining in Emperor's eyes, it was impossible not to notice that they were completely blind."
Axel: Your eyes! ...they are.
Emperor: They Are Blind.? That's right, it's the price for my blindness and pride. But it was when my eyes went blind that I began to slowly "see through". During the time that has passed since the Heresy, I have managed to think a lot and see a lot. I didn't like the conclusions I came to at all.
"Emperor smiled sadly"
Emperor: Imperial Creed, when I wrote it was almost perfect, but I did not see and did not understand that while the universe and its inhabitants were changing, my Creed remained static, callous, unchanged. The result was that with the passage of time, the Creed simply became outdated, and I did not notice it.
"He turned and looked at the wall, but Axel quickly realized that he was not looking AT the wall but THROUGH the wall. After all, it was in that direction that the Liberator's Residence was located."
Emperor: Cain, he was able to do what I couldn't do. He combines Spirit of the Imperial Creed with the pure essence of Chaos. After all, pure Chaos, not changed by the influence of Gods, is the embodiment of the Hopes and Dreams of Mankind. That is why the Trinity not only holds onto Cain and was even able to "share" him with each other, but also makes sure that their Gifts do not change him. Each of them sees in him what they so desire: a Great Commander, a Great Leader and a Great Inspirer. Although I think the fact that they can relieve tension by kicking away Nurgle from Cain also plays a role. - "He said with a smile."
Emperor: They don't even try to banish my Light, so as not to upset the delicate balance of power within him. They sent their faithful to protect his body, and their influence preserves his soul.
"Hi suddenly turned gloomy"
Emperor: Although their guides try to lead him carefully in the Dark, but he goes blind because there is no one who can carry a torch for him. -"He turned to Axel."
Emperor: It is YOU who will fulfill this role, my child. You will become a Light for him, not a guiding Light, but only illuminating his Path, protecting him from what is more dangerous than the Darkness itself.
"Axel stared at Emperor in shock and then pointed at himself with a trembling hand. "
Axel: Me? .. do you want me to... -"he silently opened and closed his mouth several times, and then, as if gathering himself together, continued: "-Do you want to make me a Living Saint?.. -"he whispered almost inaudibly."
Emperor looked at him in surprise and then smiled sadly and said."
Emperor: A living Saint? No child, Living Saints are my emergency remedy for a situation where everything is flying straight into the Abyss. They work on the principle of shoving as much power as possible into a suitable soul and then throw it into the problem. In our case, a more delicate approach is needed. -"He came up to Axel and put his hands on his shoulders and said,"
Emperor: You will become my Champion. You're not going to fight AGAINST someone, you're going to fight FOR someone. You will be the Defender of Humanity, ordinary men and women living in this dangerous universe. No matter who threatens them: the Chaos Gods, the Xenos, or even those who call themselves MY servants, you must stand in their way with a sword in your hands and determination in your heart. Are you ready for this child?
"Axel, as if waking up from a trance that he fell into during the Emperor's speech, he got down on one knee licked his dry lips and hoarsely pronounced"
Axel: I am ready, my Emperor.
"Smiling joyfully and sincerely, Emperor took a step back and, spreading his arms to the sides, said in a voice filled with pure POWER."
Emperor: THEN I, BY THE POWER GIVEN TO ME BY THE WILL OF MANKIND, NAME YOU AXEL "GUIDING" DEFENDER OF THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF THE HUMAN RACE. FROM NOW UNTIL THE END OF TIME, FOR EVEN DEATH WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STOP YOU FROM DOING YOUR DUTY. GET UP, AXEL, GET UP AND GO MY PALADIN!
"After making this speech, Emperor stretched out his hand and touched forehead of kneeling Axel with his fingers, a bright LIGHT flashed for a second, and when Axel blinked, he saw melting figure of Emperor who finally whispered"
Emperor: Be his light child...
"With these words, he finally disappeared, leaving the sword where he had just stood. It was a simple sword, not a power sword or even a chain sword, but it was enough for Axel. He grabbed it with a firm hand and leaned on it to get up, then continuing to move, he took it out of the floor. He raised the sword to eye level and saw it shine in the rays of the rising sun, which began to penetrate the windows of the Chapel. Putting the hilt of the sword to his forehead, Axel whispered "- In the name of the Hopes and Dreams of mankind -" If someone saw his face now, he would be surprised to notice that Axel's eyes shone with a soft golden light. Without saying another word, he turned towards the exit and walked away. He still had a lot of work to do. By the time Liberator Cain returns, not only Darkness but also Light should be able to lend him their shoulder. With these thoughts in mind, he finally walked out of the Chapel into the rising sun. A New Dawn Was Beginning.