This is our Warhammer journey

Chapter 190 Narration and Feedback

These words made Gareth momentarily lose his senses.

Arthur's voice carried a kind of tolerance he hadn't felt in a long time.

The feeling was so real, so real that Gareth instinctively opened his eyes and wanted to find his mother and tell her what he had experienced and what grievances he had suffered.

"I feel like you are my mother."

His voice was very soft, yet it seemed to freeze the air in the corridor for a moment.

Arthur looked slightly surprised.

"When I was little, only my mother would treat me like this, talk to me heart-to-heart. She wouldn't lecture me on those empty chivalrous doctrines, nor would she care about those imperial truths. She would encourage me. I don't know if you understand, but..."

The more Gareth spoke, the more incoherent he became, and at the same time, he felt annoyed, realizing that he had said the wrong thing.

He suddenly realized that the Primarchs might not be like them; they were all children of God.

"."

Arthur's gaze suddenly drifted into the distance, a distant longing appearing on his face. Spots of bright white light danced across his face, as if he were traversing a peaceful and warm childhood.

“I’m very lucky, not just my mom, but my dad too.”

He said it with a boastful air, leaving Gareth speechless and his panic instantly dissipating.

“I had a complete childhood and youth, so I know very well what that feels like. Of course, I haven’t experienced old age. I came to this universe before I even took on the burden of a family. I’ve also experienced far less war than you. I still have a lot to learn.”

He then added.

To be honest, many Primarchs have never lived like normal humans. Expecting them to honestly fight this Great Crusade for humanity is already a testament to the Emperor's powerful charisma.

Wherever he went, all living beings knelt down, submitted, and bowed in worship, just like a dragon overlord.

"I understand, Your Highness."

Gareth swallowed hard and replied somewhat dryly.

"Tell me more, tell me about your past, so I can understand your concerns better."

Arthur also gave up on leaving immediately and found a seat.

"I know that the vast majority of you soldiers crave honor, but that's all."

A bridge of communication is truly important. The misunderstanding between the Wolf King and Magnus, and the fact that the Khan's loyalists and rebels made decisions for their father without authorization, are all lessons to be learned.

Of course, the vast majority of Dark Angels know what they are doing, and the majority of them are clear-headed. Even Luthor's rebellion couldn't gain much support.

Perhaps these people are too clear-headed; they know the Lion King's character, and it's pointless to say anything.

But Arthur is different; he genuinely wants to have a serious talk with these Dark Angels and lay his cards on the table.

He did not want to build high walls with silence and authority, or treat the legion as a tool for carrying out orders. Deep down, he still believed in cooperation and that honest communication could bring a stronger loyalty than blind obedience.

Tools need maintenance and lubrication, let alone people.
Not everyone is like Iron Warrior, who enjoys self-pity and acting like "I love my father, please love me" even after being tortured like that by Perturabo.

The Dark Angels are closer to a modern professional army, lacking the strong bonds of brotherhood and fatherhood found in other legions, which is quite telling.

Arthur could sense that these warriors were not without their own thoughts; they had experienced the destruction of Caliban, centuries of wandering, and carried a heavy past.

But he really didn't know what the Dark Angel was going to say.

"I don't have any lofty ideals, Your Highness."

Gareth remained silent for a moment, but finally sat down opposite Arthur despite the pressure of countless gazes.

“I initially wanted to study medicine because my mother’s health deteriorated due to environmental pollution, and I only wanted to cure her. The same thing happened when I became an Astartes. Now, I am satisfied enough to be a pharmacist.”

“I don’t quite understand the honor and chivalry that my father always emphasized.”

He pondered for a moment, recalling the memories in his mind.

“I have never seen the Caliban behemoth that my father described, and my instructors usually scoff at the code of chivalry, and they don’t really believe in the truth of the Empire.”

"Ah."

Arthur nodded in understanding.

The Lion King promoted chivalry, emphasizing humility, politeness, and helping the weak.

However, the Lion King himself never accepted any questioning, and when those imperial officials cruelly exploited Caliban's people, the Caliban knights could do nothing.

In their time, there were no more Caliban behemoths threatening their subjects for them to slaughter, because the Lion King had led the Caliban knights to wipe them out before the legion even arrived.

Therefore, the belief that the Lion King instilled in them was very abstract, and the Crowned Sky Army of the Terran people came from the noble classes of the former Frankish and English regions. They understood knights very well, so it was normal for them to look down on them.

As for the Imperial Truth, while other legions may not know, the Dark Angels, who fought in the Terran Wars of Unification, are well aware of how the Imperial Truth came to be. It's normal for them not to believe it, and it doesn't stop them from dedicating themselves to the battle to save all of humanity.

"But we do not lack the courage to dedicate our lives to our ideals."

Perhaps feeling that what he said was somewhat disrespectful, Gareth tried to defend his comrades.

"My Terran instructors, though they craved honor, did not become Astartes for honor. They could endure arduous battles and were willing to conceal their achievements for safety reasons."

The knight carefully organized his understanding of his comrades, no longer caring about those so-called secrets, and tried to explain their thoughts in simple words.

"They were more driven by a sense of bewilderment. No one explained to them why they had to do it, nor did anyone explain what would happen after it was done. So they had to try to dig it out themselves and then weave the truth out of the information they found."

Finally, he paused, seemingly contemplating how many beatings he was about to receive.

Then, meeting the gaze of the Knight Lord, he mustered his courage and spoke.

“I think this is why there is a rift in the Legion. No one, including the Primarchs and the Emperors, is willing to explain. They are like my father, living in their own world.”

I understand. To put it simply, neither the Primarch nor the Emperor has a clear plan for the future, or if they do, they haven't told Astartes, which makes them feel very insecure.

The Dark Angels are a highly mobile legion, possessing both authority and combat power, enabling them to explore on their own.

However, due to differences between individuals and different information channels, their perceptions also differ, and doubts arise among them. Some believe that they understand the original meaning, while others see everyone as a traitor.

Then the doubts between them increased, and the gap between them widened.

Doubt breeds heresy.

Sometimes Arthur really doesn't understand what the Emperor and Primarch are thinking.

You guys should make a chart like Guilliman did and show it to the Ultramarines, telling them what they should do now and what they should do in the future. At least half of the rebels will be gone.

“Your Highness, from the very beginning of the public interaction you initiated, we were much more open, which made me realize that our legion is not as extreme and neurotic as I had imagined.”

"I heard from Roch that back in Macragge, there were those who suspected the Lion King of rebellion, those who suspected the Legion of rebellion, and those who suspected Lord Guilliman of rebellion. They suspected each other and were wary of each other, but in the end they were all loyal."

Seeing Arthur listening intently, Gareth concluded.

“I think they don’t simply crave honor, including the Caliban warriors. What they need more is a response, a response from the Primarch, from the Emperor.” “Even if the so-called response isn’t as good as they imagine, even if it’s a lie, or even something bad, it’s still better than nothing.”

After saying this, Gareth touched his face, already imagining the feeling of Tao Gang's fist imprinted on his face.

"Of course, this is just my personal opinion. Your Highness, you can also talk to some Dark Angels. I don't think they will refuse."

Let's die together.

Thank you for sharing your story.

Arthur smiled and nodded.

That wasn't the authoritative, slight smile typically seen on someone in a position of power.

Instead, it was a genuine, almost gratified smile.

"I have benefited greatly from our conversation."

Once you take the first step, the rest won't be difficult.

He then stood up and left the infirmary under the watchful eyes of countless people.

He knew what these soldiers wanted.

It is not an empty honor, nor is it hollow praise.

It is an answer.

Yes, what they want has always been very simple.

It wasn't the medals hanging on their chests, nor the flowery words in the battle reports, but a reason that allowed them to sleep peacefully through the long nights. An answer that could explain all their sacrifices and perseverance.
-
First Legion:

Greetings, warriors of the First Legion.

I know you, and I know this empire.

Your loyalty has been unwavering, yet you have received unequal rewards in return.

You were given a difficult task, only to find that when you completed it in the best way, you received nothing in return.

You are filled with confusion about the future, but no one is there to guide you.

You are human beings, but almost everyone who knows you has failed to appreciate this element that is so profound in your soul.

I will not say that some of your past actions were wrong, nor will I blame those who made wrong decisions. That is the past, and now we have the opportunity to start over.

Don't swear to me, don't make promises to me.

Do not offer your loyalty to me simply because of the identity that those conjectures have given me.

Unless you believe I'm worthy.

Instead, please allow me to offer you my loyalty.

I swear to you, here and now.

I am Arthur Pendragon.

I am neither the son of the Emperor nor your original self.

Our paths have fortunately crossed, and I am delighted to see familiar presences in you all, and to be willing to accept me. I am grateful for the opportunity to meet such an outstanding group of people.

My first order is to unite you all once again. We will fight for the same ideal, and from this moment on, we are no longer a broken legion.

I promise you, I will walk with you into that dark night.

We will walk side by side into the light.

All the Dark Angels received a gift.

A gift from Arthur.

A comprehensive plan outlining Dawnwings' vision for the future of human society and what they want to achieve there.

The proposed solutions for dealing with the Dark Angels Chapter and its sub-chapters, and the resettlement regulations for the Astartes.

Some of the descriptions are quite naive, and they can even make more experienced members smile unconsciously.

But when their gaze fell upon a letter and an intricately crafted longsword, their expressions turned solemn.

That's their story.

The war they endured, the suffering they endured, and the honor they deserved.

The inscriptions are hidden within the blades, written in an open cipher. As long as the legacy of the Dark Angels endures, there will always be those who remember them.

The same inscription is engraved on them.

This is history, the essence extracted from your glorious lives.

Even if our bodies perish one day, we will live on in the spirit of those who come after us, and continue to live in the First Legion.

Everything can be repaired, reforged with iron and blood, to achieve some form of immortality, as long as we remember them.

I will remember you all.
-
The following day, the round table room was solemn.

The Lord of Knights surveyed the ranks of the knights.

Armed with swords and clad in armor, they stood in rows, not a single seat empty.

Even the oldest knight clenched his fists, the metal gloves making a slight scraping sound.

Bright light shone down from the vaulted ceiling, landing on rows of yellowed parchment scrolls covered with dense annotations written in dark brown ink.

Together they will weave the future.

Their shared future.
-
boom!
A horn-shaped wine cup was smashed on the table, the corrosive liquid gnawing at the thin layer of wood.

"Oath to Father!"

Redmane wiped his hand on the wine and looked at Alm.

"Let's go fight."

One month, a whole month.

The dark angels served them good food and drink, and always greeted them with a smile.

As a result, they drank on the 'Silent Oath' for almost a month.

Did nothing!

(End of this chapter)