Trade and Truth part 2: Payoff
It had been five months since the deal had been struck. Every day, tens of thousands of gallons of Panacea had been shipped in secret. The Custodes, and a few mortal helpers, had kept the shipping out of the eyes of the High Lords. Ciaphas was mostly occupied, as his wife's cravings had kicked in. Every night he would visit her, so he was a bit out of it the next day. It matters not to Trajan. Over the months, they had poured the substance onto The Emperor, bathing Him in the maracle liquid. They had seen muscles and skin reform- even His Eyes had returned. But He remained silent. His regrown heart did not yet beat. Trajan carried the last injection with reverence, right by where The Emperor's brain stem would be. With a reverence rivaling any Ecclesiarch, Trajan injected the last bit, and pulled out the needle as the skin closed up. For a moment, there was silence. And then…
…A long, deep inhale. For the first time in ten thousand years, the Master of Mankind's chest rose and fell. Arms not used in a hundred centuries hauled the Master of Mankind up.
He then fell over, face planting. Evidently He had forgotten how to use His legs. To the Custodes' surprise, the Warp didn't leak through as Him on Terra lay there, breathing, yet not moving to stand. With a grunt, The Emperor rolled over, and began scratching everywhere, laughing. It was a deep, booming laughter that echoes through the Palace, and the Warp. He laughed and laughed, scratching so hard that blood was drawn. His arms and legs spasmed- ten thousand years would give you SUCH a crick in the… well… everything. Finally, after ten minutes, He rolled over, His face showing an incredibly happy grin.
"Hey, Trajan," He said, looking up at the Captain-General. "Missed me?"
All of the Custodes knelt as one, shaking with emotion. Tears fell from their eyes as they knelt. Finally, The Emperor rose, and stretched. "Did the communal bath move?" He asked.
"N-No, My Lord," Trajan whispered- immediately, the rags The Emperor had worn were thrown off, and The Emperor raced off.
Shield-Captain Kittonius was relaxing in the bath house, following his patrol. He had stood straight up in the tub when he heard his Master's booming laughter, and the presence in the Warp. He had been in shock for a good five minutes.
"CANONBAAAAAALLLLL!"
And now he was staring in shock as The Emperor leapt into the bath, sending water everywhere. The Master of Mankind surfaced, laughing like a child, before grabbing soap, and scrubbing Himself relentlessly. "Oh, it feels so GOOD to be back!" He cackled, as more Custodes burst in, watching Him.
"M-My Emperor? Are you… are you well?" Kittonius softly asked, concerned.
"For the first time in almost eleven thousand years, I am NOT in perpetual agony! I haven't felt better!" He boomed.
"What about the Throne?"
"After the billions of Psykers, I can use those to keep the Astronomicon and the portal closed… or… better idea… I get Magnus back!"
"My Lord… he is a Daemon Prince…"
"Eh, small worries. This time I'd also allow his Legion to follow him with a pardon." The Emperor mused, humming a tune as He took his first bath in a very long time. "So how is the Imperium? I am aware of this religion that worships me, and unfortunately, there isn't really much I can do about that." There was a long silence. "It's… doing well, right?" More silence. "...Right?" In response, Kittonus shook his head.
"My Emperor… we apologize… but… no. The Imperium is not well."
"How bad is it?" The Emperor whispered.
Trajan had re-entered. "Bad enough that we had to hide our use of Panacea out of fear that the High Lords would try to stop us," he stated. "...With one exception." The Emperor watched as a man in robes that would not look out of place on a Catholic Pope entered, and his jaw hit the floor.
"M-My God-Emperor…" he whispered, kneeling. The Emperor kept His lower half hidden. "I… I am honored…" the man was trembling in awe. The Emperor skimmed the man's mind, his defenses allowing Him through like an honored guest.
The Emperor frowned.
"M-my Lord… I try hard to stick to your teachings, but there is only so much I can do…" Decius whispered. "Please, do not be upset at me for failing to return Your Holy Church to the Right Path."
"My anger… is not with you," The Emperor seethed. "I didn't want to be worshipped… though perhaps much of it is my fault… golden armor really doesn't give off 'don't worship me' vibes… but these images… how much of it is true?"
"All of it, My Lord," Decius replied.
"Kittonius. Grab me a set of casual clothes. Decius? Tell the High Lords that I will express my… opinion of how the Imperium is running shortly." There was so much ice in His tone that Decius was unsure how the water wasn't frozen. He nodded, and raced out.
"I half-expected you to kill him, My Liege," Trajan mused.
"He is a man who, in spite of leading this… Imperial Cult," The Emperor spat the words out with disgust, "Has tried to reform it… if even HALF of the excesses that he showed me were true… and I know he wasn't lying about them ALL being true…" The Emperor took another deep breath, stepping out of the bath. Kittonius had gathered some commoner's clothing for Him. He shrank Himself to a more reasonable and baseline six feet tall, and donned the clothing. "Malcador would advise against what I'm about to do… but he isn't here… and would probably admit he'd agree with Me on this next course of action."
The High Lords were in a state of panic. Decius' statements had frightened them (Much to the Head of the Ecclesiarch's utter horror). If He on Terra was moving again… they had little purpose. Worse… their power. Their prestige. Their wealth. All of it would be at risk.
No. They had to keep this a secret. They had to find a way to convince Him that they were needed.
Then the door that led deeper into the Imperial Palace was kicked off its hinges with such force that it slammed into the opposite room.
"KNOCK KNOCK, MOTHERFUCKERS! WHO ORDERED A BEATING?!" A man that could only be The Emperor roared, eyes glowing molten gold in fury. It was the head of the Administratum who broke first. He tried to run, but he tripped on his gaudy robes. A flick of The Emperor's hand pinned him to the wall. The others were shaking so rapidly that the sound of their movement could be heard on either end of the Senatorium. The Emperor stormed towards them. "You…" He hissed in sheer rage. He stormed over to the table, and cracked His knuckled. "I can read your thoughts. You wonder how this could be. You all pay lip service to Me as The God-Emperor… but you know that I would never approve of what you all have done." He took a deep breath. "HOW DARE YOU TURN THE IMPERIUM INTO A KLEPTOCRACY!?" he boomed, His voice shaking the Palace. "How DARE you turn Malcador's final guard against the Great Enemy into a tool of your control! How DARE you turn My armies into meat shields that die by the BILLIONS due to those who only have their positions due to their lineage, and not their skill!" He took a deep breath. "And no, the Primarchs do not count. I made them to be the best. And I am aware of my own failings as a Father to them." Decius, in spite of the Emperor's rage, just knelt.
"Oh mighty God-Emperor, if this servant is unworthy, I offer my life in recompense."
"Stand, Deccius," The Emperor growled. "You are the only one here who has done right by Me in your attempts to reform your organization. We will discuss these reforms in detail… later." Decius nodded. "As for the rest of you? You're fired." He snapped His fingers, and eleven human torches wailed for a good ten seconds, before leaving naught but ash, which dissipated with a psychic breeze.
"That felt good," The Emperor declared. "Their knowledge will prove… useful." He had read their minds in those ten seconds. "Decius. Gather those who follow the Creed out of genuine desire to help. Trajan, send a message to Mars that I will be inspecting the planet shortly. Kittonius, prepare a ship. I will head to Macragge. And when you're done preparing me a ship, contact The Rock, and order them to Macragge immediately. I have two Sons to wake up." With that, The Emperor raced off, leaving Decius alone in an empty Senatorium. He just stood there, at a loss for what to do, before slowly moving to his seat, and going back to his letters, outlining things. "Now… where was I? Ah, right. Corruption in the Church is Heresy of the highest order, as it breeds malice towards the Imperial Creed…"
The news from Terra spread like wildfire- rumors that The Emperor lived again. Astropaths had felt Him return to the flesh, and His rage was a hammer against all those with the Gift within 200 light-years of Sol. From there, the rumors, news, and stories traveled. However, they did not reach Macragge before He did. Upon arrival, the Ultramarines were in utter awe. Marneus Calgar dropped to his knees as The Emperor, still clad in casual clothes, strode out from the ship.
"Never… in my wildest dreams…" The Chapter Master of the Ultramarines whispered, tears falling from his face. Ever so gently, The Emperor wiped them from his face. "My Emperor… are you… are you here…" he couldn't finish the sentence.
"Yes, Marneus. I am here for my Son," The Emperor said softly. "Please… please show me." The Ultramarines stood as one, and marched to Gulliman's resting place. "Did you try the Panacea?" The Emperor inquired.
"We… we were afraid," Calgar admitted. "We didn't know if it would heal a warp taint of the calibar inflicted upon him."
"I understand. But I can burn it out. Use it afterwards to make sure he is fine," The Emperor ordered. "Is The Rock here yet?"
"Not yet, My Lord," Calgar replied softly, still barely believing his eyes. "If… if I may ask…"
"How am I walking around once more? The answer is simple: Smuggled Panacea."
"Smuggled?"
"My Custodes did not trust the High Lords, so they went straight to the source of the miracle- have you heard of Ciaphas Cain?"
"Rumors, mostly," Calgar admitted. "Are you saying…"
"Ciaphas Cain was, and still is, loyal to Me… even as he has a Daemon Princess as his wedded wife," The Emperor said, chuckling. "That lucky, lucky man…"
"Pardon?"
"That Daemon truly, genuinely loves him. She desires him- not just physically, but emotionally. It is… something I have never seen before." The Emperor strode past the pilgrims, each one of them dropping to their knees, genuflecting as He passed by. They knew who He was without looking at Him. Finally, one of the little kids, carrying an Ultramarine plushie, waddled up to him.
"Are you really The Emperor?" she asked, looking up at Him, eyes wide.
The Master of Mankind knelt down to be more level with the child, and smiled softly. "Yes, little one. I am," He replied, a soft smile on His face.
"Am I a bad girl for staying up too late?" she asked. "Mommy and Daddy said you want me to go to bed at eight, but I stayed up past nine…" The Emperor could feel the fear from two people in the line of pilgrims, which caused him to chuckle.
"I wouldn't say bad… but you should listen to your parents more, little one. And most importantly… treasure the time you spend with them," He told her, placing a hand on her head, and giving her some pats. The little girl giggled. "Do you want me to sign your plushie?" He asked.
"Would you really?"
"Of course, little one," The Emperor said, using His Psychic might to create a pen (With gold ink, of course), and signed 'The Emperor' on the Plushie, while injecting some of His power into it, to guard her while she slept. No nightmares would come to this child. "Now go back to your parents," he gently told her. The girl waddled back to her parents, who stared at Him with even more awe then they had previously. The Emperor walked onwards, and soon, He came across the stasis chamber. His eyes flashed gold, and even frozen, the power of Chaos writhed and died. His power flowed through His Son, purging him of the taint.
"Open it, and immediately inject a vial of Panacea," He ordered. Calgar nodded, and several Marines turned on the device. The Emperor walked closer to it, and blinked, before smiling softly.
"Thank you, my old Friend," He whispered.
"My Lord?" Calgar asked.
"I will be making a trip to Mars after all of this is done," The Emperor replied softly. "To thank the one who kept this chamber running for ten millennia." The casket creaked open. Guilliman's eyes darted around, as Calgar injected him with the Panacea, healing his wounds. His eyes then landed on The Emperor.
"F-father?" Guilliman croaked, kneeling. "B-but… how?"
"The Panacea was returned to Mankind, my Son," The Emperor said. "And thanks to it, I walk among My people once more. "And I couldn't leave you or Lion asleep." The Emperor frowned. "I was a terrible Father… I made so many mistakes. But I will not let you stay injured when I can help you."
"And what of the Astronomicon?"
The Emperor's eyes looked sad. "Son… do you know how long you were in stasis?"
"I… what?"
"Since My entombment, I have been fed almost three point seven billion psykers, with the average being one thousand psykers a day."
"Ten… thousand years?" Guilliman whispered in horror.
"Yes… and the Imperium has been worse off for it. I will explain more when I wake Lion."
The walk to the lowest chambers of The Rock were a short one, Guilliman walking behind his Father. As they approached the lowest levels, The Emperor saw someone He did not expect.
"Luther," He spoke.
"M-my Emperor…" Luther whispered.
"I sense your guilt. Your regret." He turned to the Chapter Master. "Release him."
"M-My Emperor… t-this is-"
"I know who he is, and what he has done. The Watchers filled Me in. And I know that he was a pawn of Chaos… and that he was blinded. Tricked. Controlled." A tear fell from The Emperor's eye. "Release him," He ordered once more. The Chapter Master nodded, and opened the gates. As Luther stared in astonishment, The Emperor arrived by Lion's side. His hand glowed a golden hue, and He focused. Eventually, Lion's eyes twitched… before they opened.
"Brother?" he whispered, seeing Guilliman.
"Lion," Guilliman said warmly. "Look who else is here."
The Lion turned, and gasped softly. "Father?"
"I'll explain this in a moment," The Emperor promised. Sure enough, He did- by sending the information directly into their heads, filling them in on who had allowed this to happen, the why, and the state of the Imperium.
"I… I think I'm going to throw up," Guilliman groaned.
"Feel free to do so." There was a thud, and a retching sound from behind The Emperor. "And now I'm worried that Primarch vomit is going to be seen as a holy relic." More retching followed. The Emperor walked back further. "It's ironic that Lorgar's belief system is now the State religion, isn't it?"
A second retching joined the first.
"My floor…" the Chapter Master whimpered.