26 Chapter 24

As we gathered in the great hall, it dawns on me just how many learned men of power will be attending this council. The chamber we are being led to reminds me of the great auditoriums of old terra made of marble and steel with the standards of the imperium hanging from the walls of its Gothic architecture.

Looking from my seat, I notice how the seating arrangement is set up like a pyramid with Father at the highest point with me and my brothers just below him and below us are the other leaders ranging from generals of the imperial auxiliaries to lead researchers from both the machine cult and my engineer corps with all of the seats circling around the speaking platform.

From all directions conversations could be heard with most being drowned out by the other quarrels of their peers. Of course my brothers and I can pick up these hushed conversations especially those among us that have a healthy dose of paranoia like Perturabo and the Lion. Yet when my gaze met with my more stoic brother I noticed something quite strange besides the usual grim endings that usually plagues my psyche, that usually spark of mistrust in his eyes is brighter than usual as he constantly casts his gaze between me and Alpharious(AN: or is it Onegon :p).

Choosing to ignore my distrustful brother in favor of focusing on the fabricator general as I pick up his conversation with some unamed adept

"So have heretechs ship been properly bugged?." The general asked

"The objective was successful as it was planted bit it came at the cost of two skitari and the elemenation of one nostraman guard. It seems they have been researching some type of xeno archeotech as they practicly atomized our skitari leaving naught but ash." Reported the adept

"Did you retrieve said tech?"

"Yes my lord and its current in the vault onboard your ship awaiting inspection."

"It's by the omnissiah's will that we protect technology as agreed upon the treaty of holy Mars signed by the omnissaiah made flesh" The fabricator general ranted.

By the end of his rant both machine cultists began littmanies in binary making any other information unknowable, but it is worrisome that it seems the machine cult is making moves to undermine my engineers. Hopefully they make the mistake to turn on the emperor so I could nip the possibility of giving the sleeping dragon an easilly persuaded army of technophiles. With a few taps on my wrist slate sending a message to the Night Fall to sweep each deck for suspicious activity and all current research to be put under lock down.

It was as I put in the final command that father's most trusted advisor Malcador stood and announced the arrival of the emperor. With his usual flare he sat upon his throne like seat and called for the meeting to begin with the those in agreement for restricting psykers to take the stand with the first to arrive being my brother Mortarion.

"While I understand the need for some of these mutants is paramount for the function of our empire it should not openly endanger the rest of it by leaving such tools up for grabs by those who wish chaos and disorder on the galaxy. My sons and I have lost many a battle that should have been guaranteed victories due to rouge psykers as they use foul sorcery and call upon warp beasts to tear asunder the ranks of my astartes and if it wasn't for my own psykers in its ranks we would have suffered great losses. Some like my brother magnus would say I should have learned more of the warp to combat these sorcer kings but I've seen the taint such things leave as they all lost whatever humanity they had left in mutation and delusions of themselves being gods. I have seen the use in more controlled environments from my brother Konrad of their ability to see into the minds of mortals and to properly glean information from minds of those that would not crack to more simple methods. I myself use and teach my sons to harness any psykic potential into strengthing their bodies and reflexes and to scorn external changes to reality as we engaged in combat. There is an inherent danger into gazing into the abyss that is the warp as it and its denizens gaze back making g deals and twisting the fools seeking power and knowledge not rightfully gains or skills unearned as they signed away their humanity. It is for this reason that all psykers must be monitored by a third party impartial to them to give judgment should they stray to far into the dark and become unrecognizable." Ranted Mortarion as he had many of his most vetran sons show their scars from battling psykers and demonstrated with his own librarians that not all powers effect those around them with shows of almost impossible durability as they had the strength to bend cerramite like cheap iron and heal fatal wounds through biomancy.

Many in crowds were agreeable to idea of supervised psykers but others were more vocal about the freedom to explore their skills and showed a great thirst for knowledge. It was after my brothers short speech and demonstration that my other brothers especially those more inclined to exacts over possibilities like Dorn, Horus, Corvus. Many more would take the stand speaking of thousands of worlds ruled by unchecked psykers ruling through fear and tyranny in the long night before these planets were liberated by the crusade while even some planets fell as they destroyed planets to deny the imperium a victory.

While many would make time points that any person with reason could understand, it appeared none phased Magnus as he stepped up to defend the freedom of his own specialty. But all he would do is rant and call those who would censure him blind fools as he would point to the emperor as the strongest psyker humanity has to offer as proof of what they could become. He would mention the great progress brought about by his own research of the great length they've gone due to knowledge but it seemed the idea that some knowledge was gone for a reason eluded him as I watched him still make the same mistakes I've read about in another life.

It is truly telling how much of an impact I've had on the string of fate for the talks to not be about complete censure but cautious preparation. While some still consider me slightly mad due to my visions but others like my brother understand the gift/curse of foresight and with some hope this should prepare us for what ever chaos pulls to attempt to get the ball back in their court.

While the bickering reached a fever pitch with both sides ramping up in hostility all was silenced by a flash of golden light as father rose from his seat.

"It seems u was wrong to let this problem fester without my input but to think it would divide my own sons, disappointment is all I feel towards this bickering and while I agree I've bestowed a many great gifts upon my sons they do not come without risks and for those who dare think we should simply cut off a crucial part of humanity for what ifs then I've failed to instill my dream upon you all. There is much in this universe that I've learned that I would wish none to know for not all knowledge is free to simply claim or earn. I thought you all smart enough to not be so self destructive but it seems I was wrong so I decree from this moment on that no psyker can roam freely without proper escort by a third party from Terra invested with the knowledge of what is to be and these agents will be the thousand sons as I hereby disband your legion Magnus. Think this not a punishment but an opportunity to redeem yourself as I and your legion will return to terra to truly discuss your transgressions that you unknowingly crossed." Stated the Emperror before leaving as all remained silent.

Looking over to my brother magnus as his face is grief stricken as the loss slowly sets in that due to something he did lost him his sons but determination set in as well as it seemed he would finally get some answers, though it is left up in the air if he would appreciate said answers.

As I rose to my feet I heard the tell tale sound of my brother perturabo marching up to me in his armor, but as I turned to him expecting a smile or even his usual scowl I saw something near impossible for the lord of iron as it was worry over his features I spotted.

"Konrad we have much to speak about as I have a dark revelation to reveal to you as no other person besides magnus could I confide this too."

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Hey Author here

Sorry for the long wait been reading some 40k books and I gotta say I don't know if I need to feel bad for or angry at magnus the red.

I've been quite busy lately with work, my gf and reading 40k to try and stay caught up on lore and ofcource to also think of ways to avoid a copyright lawsuit. I've not dropped this story but fair warning to any wants to make one pre 40k it takes alot of research and to those who might ask why it wasn't in the volcano like the original, I just want to say this was brought on early due to the Mc.