Chương 28: Light of the Anathema

With each passing minute, our dinner acquired an increasingly strange and unpleasant atmosphere. Jaya tried to pressure Soldevan into doing something about the countless problems on the station. However, he was simply bewildered and clearly didn't understand what the problem was in the first place. It was a funny situation, if you look at it that way. I agreed with both sides and saw that they were both right in their own way.

It really isn't the Inquisitor's job to deal with petty matters, because he is occupied with problems that affect multiple worlds simultaneously. However, Jaya was much more experienced and could see in such small beginnings the sparks of true heresy that would consume everything. Except she couldn't do anything about it, because despite all her experience and all the influence she had gained, right now she couldn't order the Inquisitor to do anything, since she was no longer a member of any Ordo.

And even if she still possessed her rosette, all Inquisitors are equal and cannot issue orders to one another. They can work together for a common goal, but there is no coercion. Even Inquisitor Lords, who, while possessing immense authority, have the same rights as novices who have only recently become part of the Inquisition. And therefore, if Soldevan truly doesn't want to deal with local problems, no one can influence that. Even Zerbe, the head of his conclave, can only ask.

However, this outcome didn't suit me either, so at some point, I will have to start taking action myself. Even though my head hadn't stopped splitting after all my attempts to gather information, largely due to the thousands of horrific images I had captured. It was time to enter the game.

"... I understand that eliminating every criminal is not the Inquisition's job. But what were the Emperor's servants created for, if not to preserve order across countless worlds?" Jaya continued to press him softly, growing more irritated with every second, though she tried not to show it. However, I could notice the change in her demeanor by the way she held her glass. She gripped it a little tighter than usual, and I could also feel the Warp around her subtly begin to acquire darker shades.

Even if she despised the Imperium, considering it a relic of the past, my mentor still worried about the fates of ordinary people. Perhaps much more than those who hold true power.

"With all due respect to your achievements, our Ordos deal with different things, and therefore our perception of the Inquisition's tasks differs. I acknowledge the Ordo Malleus is a vitally important part of the organization, and if we were talking about a possible daemonic incursion, no one would dare question your judgment."

"However, when the matter involves traitors to the foundations of the Imperium, I possess more experience. I hunted heretics even during my apprenticeship under..." At that moment, you could notice that for some reason it was difficult for him to talk about his past. He stumbled and fell silent for a moment, shifting his gaze and staring into the void. However, a few seconds later he composed himself and was able to continue the conversation.

"In general, I know my way around places like this," he raised his hand, gesturing around the room.

"Corruption has grown deep within all the worlds of our state, and if we cut off the hands of every bribe-taker, we would cover all of Terra with limbs."

"Yes, I am not a fool, and I understand that smugglers, pirates, and other scum operate here, but this problem is under my control. The most influential among them have become my secret agents, serving as practically perfect instruments for softly resolving issues. The rest of the rabble? The local population is laughably small, and even if every single one of them takes up arms as part of a rebellion, we will burn them out with fire."

"And that definitely won't happen, because almost every second person here is tied to the corporations by unbreakable bonds. Even heretics aren't idiots and understand that without food and water deliveries, they will die here. Therefore, I see no reasons that could interest me..."

"And what do you say about the cursed cult connected to the phenomenon of the Black Sun?" My simple question caused the room to plunge into silence for a moment. Jaya and Soldevan stopped their bickering and looked at me in surprise. The Inquisitor had already completely seized the initiative in the conversation and was about to put an end to the argument with his fiery speech, but my words knocked the air out of his lungs. He focused entirely on me, examining me with obvious interest.

His pupils were dilated, and right now I could even catch that his breathing had slowed. I smiled slightly, accelerating my mind almost to the limit, preparing to conduct propaganda work to recruit a new ally. Jaya raised an eyebrow in surprise, continuing to wear the mask of an icy, unflappable woman, but I could tell by her dilated pupils that she was also a little shocked. Even though I don't like working with fanatics, I am not an idiot and will use what I have.

And I am one hundred percent certain that the Inquisitor before me, while not the worst person, is obviously part of some group of Radicals who consider the Immaterium the primary and only way to save humanity. He has hundreds of various artifacts and tomes on studying the Warp in his house, and he himself is a fairly decent psyker, strongly connected to Jaya, that radical old woman. And possessing such information, it becomes obvious how to sway him to my side.

And the help of an independent and loyal Inquisitor will be very, very useful to me. Once again, I'm sorry, Jaya. But anyone who has agreed to work with gods once and still sees nothing wrong with it is already doomed. I know the fate of Magnus too well, and where he ended up by agreeing to such concessions. Jaya would be an incredibly useful ally, but what will I do if one evening she decides to make a deal with entities stronger than the patron of some backwater world?

The Chaos Gods have corrupted more resilient minds. And this time, she might decide to sacrifice not some guards, but the entire solar system for the sake of saving humanity. She can live for now, but I won't forget what happened and will keep an eye on her.

"Now that is much more interesting. What do you know about this? And how could you even theoretically find out about something unknown even to me? As far as I recall, your ship arrived only a few hours ago." His voice lost its emotion and became hard. Soldevan's gaze focused entirely on me, and looking at him, I clearly understood who I was dealing with. Inquisitors have earned their reputation as the most terrifying people in this galaxy through their deeds.

Yes, Space Marines might surpass them physically while possessing centuries of experience, but the Inquisition stands above them all. Because what can even a whole Chapter of Astartes do if a rosette grants you access to tens of billions of soldiers, backed by an interstellar fleet and countless military vehicles? Or the ability to summon the strongest sanctioned psykers humanity possesses? Or even summon other Chapters of Space Marines that have close ties with many Ordos.

The power of the Inquisition lies not in the might of individuals, but in endless connections and the readiness to use literally everything to achieve their goals. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. And if an Inquisitor wants to, he can arrange such torment that would make even the infamous Dark Eldar whistle. And those xenos know perfectly well how to arrange a "fun life" for their toys.

And although I knew the risks, I continued to smile slightly, politely setting my cutlery aside. The dinner was wonderful, but now it was time to work.

"My mentor didn't just take on the training of an ordinary child from the streets of a mid-hive for no reason. From birth, I was blessed with a gift sent to me from above..." I closed my eyes for a second, so that a second later they would begin to shine like two beacons. In an instant, light enveloped my entire body, and I specifically created something like a halo around my head. Wings were unnecessary right now, as this was enough to stun everyone in the room.

The servants immediately fell to their knees, while Soldevan froze dead still, staring at me in undisguised shock. But I turned off all my sanctity just a second later, after which the light vanished. Such a trick could have been pulled off using pure Warp energy, but there wouldn't be that feeling of something... sublime, which you get if you redirect the light of the Astronomican.

"This..." Jaya started speaking first but couldn't finish her sentence. Even though we had known each other for many years, I had no intention of telling her about all the aces up my sleeve. And therefore, she herself doesn't know that I can perform such "miracles" without even being an Emperor's Saint. She had definitely heard about the incident when I destroyed the daemon at the Machenko family evening, but that could be written off as an isolated incident. A sign that I wasn't an ordinary child.

However, because I didn't need this ability on Lehida, she never found out that I could do this all day. Furthermore, I didn't go into the details of how I outsmarted the Black Templars when recounting the events on Lehida. I'm sure she considered my tricks to be simple Warp illusions and glamours. After all, she is used to working with ordinary, albeit exceptionally strong, psykers, which narrowed her thinking. I, on the other hand, am on a different level and capable of surprising even her.

"The Emperor's paths are mysterious. He granted me powers that the Imperium needs more than ever. After thousands of years of decline, humanity faces a threat of an entirely different level. I am aware of the existence of threats of unprecedented scale, waiting in the darkness for our moment of weakness to attack the withering humanity and tear the entire galaxy apart."

"In such an hour, we need to unite to pass through this darkness. And finally awaken from a far too long slumber and stagnation. To cast off the chains of prejudice and move towards a new era. The one the Emperor dreamed of building thousands of years ago, when he still walked the earth." Purely out of curiosity, I tried to pass "holy energy" through my throat. Because of it, I sounded several times louder, yet true power could be clearly heard in my voice.

The servants next to me pressed themselves to the floor, striking their foreheads against it. Silence descended upon the table once more. I picked up my glass of wine and took a sip. The Cadisian creation was the second most popular alcohol in the sector, yielding only to the countless and multifaceted amasec. And it, I must admit, was genuinely good. Although I didn't like to drink, Biomancy can help with many consequences.

"This... this is him! A s-sign! A sign of a great mission..." Soldevan jumped up abruptly and practically began shouting. His hands and voice trembled as he leaned on the table and stared at me unblinking. After that, he dropped to a whisper, and you could only see his lips moving, muttering something unintelligible. I saw through his aura how lightning-fast his emotions were changing. The main advantage of auric vision and telepathy is the ability to see the weak points of even the most mentally resilient people.

I felt that he believed in the possibilities of the Warp, and therefore I gave him what he had been seeking for so long. I am sure he was well-versed in the art of controlling Empyrean energy, but my power was different from everything else. He understood this, and therefore true faith grew within him with every passing second. That's it, he's mine now.

"Gabriel..." Jaya looked straight into my eyes, and not a trace of emotion could be seen on her face. I shifted my gaze to her and looked back. She was clearly trying to figure out what was happening and determine if I was lying. Unfortunately for her, she had trained me well. There was not a drop of a lie in my words, merely the presentation of facts from a specific angle. Because it was obvious that the Emperor was somehow connected to my reincarnation.

I still remember that golden light and was absolutely certain that no one, not even gods, could imitate it. It turns out my powers were, in a way, truly granted by him. Furthermore, I am indeed aware of threats currently hidden from the gaze of the rest of the Imperium. As for His dream, it's even simpler. Although the Emperor's true plans were not revealed, he was stubborn to the bitter end about certain things. And, fundamentally, I even resonated deeply with many of them.

The destruction of the Ruinous Powers, unlocking humanity's psychic potential, and a new wave of progress were all to my liking.

"I know that on this station, cultists are preparing for something very serious. Mass sacrifices, often involving children. Preparations for an uprising taking place on the lower levels. Shipments of unsanctioned weapons. And also that the arrival of the Black Star is coming." With every new sentence I spoke, Soldevan's eyes widened. He looked up, and it was impossible not to notice that he was now completely on my side.

The Inquisitor clearly belonged to a faction that believes in the boundless possibilities of the Warp and desires to use it to save the Emperor and humanity. And I, supposedly, am the embodiment of all these ideas. Besides, anything that looks like a messenger of the God-Emperor is taken very seriously here. What's more, I'm not some saint purely on paper, the kind they loved to make in the Administratum, but I can actually demonstrate and prove my power.

And it differs significantly from the usual manipulation of Empyrean energy, feeling unusual. Therefore, since I have been granted such an ability, I intend to use it to the fullest.... The next day was full of events. First, Soldevan finally decided to start doing something. I told the Inquisitor and Jaya about all the noteworthy problems on the void station. Soldevan listened to me very carefully and with an almost fanatical fire in his eyes.

Honestly, after a while, I even felt a bit uncomfortable being near him. But I stayed put and maintained my smile, because it was unlikely I would find such a useful and loyal ally anytime soon. Although all Inquisitors are quite smart, they are, in the end, still human. They have their weak spots that can be pressured for an advantage.

Yes, they are capable of realizing they are being manipulated, but this is where the local religion and the general mindset inherent to many people raised in the grim future of the forty-first millennium come into play. And it doesn't matter whether you lived amidst the green jungles of a Death World or the steel forests of a Forge World. The Ecclesiarchy and the Adeptus Mechanicus, the two main centers of religion, are steeped in the cult of death and awaiting one's fate.

They are built upon them and have made them an inseparable part of themselves. Faith in the Emperor varies on every world, sometimes in completely insane ways. In some places, the Master of Mankind is associated with the life-giving sun, while in others he is considered a god of death and the void, bringing doom and bloody justice amidst the endless expanse of space. But in every interpretation, there is one key element: the Emperor sacrificed himself, accepting a heavy fate to protect humanity.

He sits upon the Golden Throne, clearly understanding and accepting his destiny. And if even a god sacrificed himself, what right does a mere mortal have to live? In the past, I had thoughts of sharing the truth about the Master of Mankind and the Horus Heresy with Jaya. However, with every passing year, I became convinced that even the smartest people in this universe believe in something. And few Inquisitors are the exception.

After all, when you face the forces of hell on a daily basis, prayers slip from your lips almost reflexively. It was this faith and readiness to make sacrifices that I intended to exploit. Not for any material goals, no, that made no sense. If I wanted to, it would be no problem for me to join some Rogue Trader and head to the edge of the galaxy to study the unexplored expanses of the universe. It is within my power to conquer entire worlds and planets, upon which I could build my own space empire.

However, I knew the limits of my power and clearly understood that I could not govern a state better than Roboute Guilliman, or plan a battle like the Lion. And therefore, I could not create from scratch something capable of withstanding all the threats of the future. The awakening of the Necron Empire, the arrival of the endless Tyranid swarm, and the rise of Chaos. To deal with all this, the Imperium is needed, and preferably in the best possible condition. And that is the only hope.