Warhammer 40: Doom

Chapter 169 I Want to Challenge Him

"The Emperor summons you." The golden-armored Imperial Guard appeared at the forge, their icy tone interrupting the conversation between the two Primarchs.

After saying that, he turned and left without stopping or explaining.

Fugrim and Feralus exchanged a glance, seeing confusion in their brothers' eyes.

The two Primarchs knew that the Guards were their father's private bodyguard, an extension of his will.

“Let’s go, Feralus, brother.” Forgrim gently patted Feralus’s iron arm, gesturing for his brother to follow the Imperial Guard.

Ferrus naturally wouldn't refuse his brother's hospitality, and the two left the forge side by side, each carrying a weapon they had given him.

With an elegant posture, Fulgrim, one hand on his sword and the other holding Feralas's hand, asked the guards beside him, "Why has Father summoned us?"

A magnetic and pleasant voice rang in his ears, and the Imperial Guard under his armor twitched at the corner of his mouth, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"The King of Warriors has returned." The Royal Guard succinctly explained the reason for the Emperor's summons of the Primarch.

"The King of Warriors?" Forgrim's purple eyes lit up—this brother he had never met must be a powerful warrior.

“Doom Norwick,” Feralus murmured, uttering his brother’s name.

He clearly remembered the welcoming ceremony personally presided over by the Emperor when he was reading through the history of the Empire.

He was the only one to receive such an honor, and his father welcomed his brother home.

That great brother found his way home among the stars, and is currently the only Primarch to have returned voluntarily.

“Doom Norwick? His name?” Forgrim murmured to himself, then turned to his brother and asked, “Ferrus, do you know him?”

“Yes.” Felus nodded solemnly, a look of anticipation in his eyes, anticipation of seeing his brother.

He recited his brothers' titles as if they were his own treasures: "King of Warriors, Lord of the Stars, King of Norwick, Doomsday Warrior."

As Feralus uttered the title, Forgrim's purple eyes narrowed slightly, and his sensual lips parted slightly.

"Look at that." Stepping out of the foundry, his view suddenly opened up, and Felus raised the Breaker's Warhammer and pointed it into the distance.

Vograim looked in the direction his brother pointed, where the double-headed eagle emblem was hanging.

“The double-headed eagle’s chest,” Felus pointed to the mysterious mark on the double-headed eagle’s chest: “the symbol of our brothers.”

He shook his head and sighed, "His existence is no less than that of the Empire. He is one of the Empire's partners and also an important pillar of the Empire."

"I see!" Fugrim suddenly realized, a look of understanding flashing in his eyes.

His legion—the Sons of the Emperor—was granted a special honor by the Emperor: the right to use double-headed eagles as armor decorations.

When he first saw the runes on the chest of the double-headed eagle, Fugrim didn't pay much attention to them, thinking they were some kind of mystical symbol.

Now, after my brother's explanation, I understand the meaning behind it.

“That is his innate symbol, destined to endure with the empire forever.” Feralus looked at the two-headed eagle, his words tinged with envy.

A great brother, whose personal mark is etched in the Empire and known to all.

Even in the future, when the Great Crusade is completely over, the Primarchs and Space Marines may be forgotten.

But the mark of brotherhood endures with the empire, witnessing every rise and fall of it.

My heart is filled with longing and wonder: how powerful must one be to be eternally celebrated by the empire?

He paused, turned around to look behind him, and saw his magnificent brother stop and stand still.

The imperial guards were equally puzzled, and turned to face the person who was as magnificent as a peacock.

Amidst the puzzled looks of the two, Forgrim, with a serious expression, pointed to the robe stained with sweat and coal dust: "Guards, inform your colleagues to have my offspring send over a garment."

He looked at Feralus and asked very seriously, "Brother, shall I prepare one for you?"

“…………” Felus was speechless for a moment, and shook his head without saying a word.

“Such an extraordinary brother, I must see him in my best condition.” Forgrim raised his head, revealing his smooth chin, and said proudly, “In the most perfect form.”

"Hurry up," Felus's lips twitched as he grabbed her arm and pulled her forward.

"He is the King of Warriors, isn't he?" Forgrim broke free from Feralus's iron grip and asked the Royal Guard very seriously.

“Yes.” Although they didn’t know what the Primarch wanted, the Royal Guard answered seriously: “King of Warriors, acknowledged by our Lord himself.”

“I want to challenge him!” Fogrem said arrogantly, raising his flaming sword and lightly running his fingers over the blade.

"The Fugen brothers? Why?" Ferrus asked in confusion, "For a title?"

“No.” Forgrim denied, the pride fading from his face and replaced by determination: “I strive for perfection in everything, including swordsmanship and combat skills.”

"Doom's powerful father himself admitted that I wanted to test my combat skills and admire my brother's strength through a challenge."

Feralus's thick lips parted slightly, but he swallowed the words of dissuasion that were on the tip of his tongue, seeing the seriousness on his brother's face. "Let's go," he said, taking Forgrim's hand and quickly walking deeper into the palace.

As the three traveled, the Imperial Guards discreetly turned off the external sound array on their helmets, adjusted the helmet communication channels, and after ruling out the Imperial Guards commander, said:

"Fellow soldiers! Please wait a moment, the leader of the Third Legion is challenging the King of Warriors!"

The Imperial Guard are extraordinary warriors, but they are also human, with personal interests beneath their resolute exteriors.

There was a few seconds of silence on the communication channel, followed by shouts and questions:

"true and false?"

"The Imperial Guards don't lie to the Imperial Guards!"

"He's lying to people by saying he's patrolling the sewers himself."

"The information is reliable; it was said by the commander of the Third Legion himself." The Imperial Guard assured him confidently, but then felt a jolt as he sensed two gazes fixed upon him.

"I'll stop here for now, I almost got noticed by the two Primarchs." He straightened his back, adjusted his spear, and covered up the embarrassment of being stared at.

Forgrim and Feralus withdrew their gazes; as Primarchs, they naturally noticed the Custodians' subtle movements.

Without causing trouble for the Imperial Guards, the two quickened their pace and headed towards the Emperor's residence.

Midway through, they encountered a warrior of the Emperor's Son with purple paint, who presented Fugrim with new clothes—a noble purple robe.

The two continued on their way, and the Imperial Guards led them to the Emperor's Garden.

Before even stepping inside, a bright voice came from the garden, boasting loudly: "My barbecue skills are second to none."

The two exchanged a puzzled look, then quickened their pace and entered the garden.

They were momentarily stunned by what they saw.

The emperor removed his armor, dressed in a long robe, and sat cross-legged on the lush green lawn, enjoying the roasted meat on his plate.

Despite the influence of psychic powers, his image in his two sons' eyes remained perfect.

Marcado sat opposite the Emperor, squinting as he enjoyed chewing on barbecue, a few drops of oil still clinging to the corners of his mouth.

Wearing golden armor, Waldo seemed unconcerned about the grease stains as he stood beside the grill, intently flipping the meat.

An image of a woman in a long blue dress sits on the grass, smiling as she watches the scene unfold before her.

The harmonious and everyday scene before them made the two Primarchs rub their eyes, their brains momentarily blank.

After a brief moment of mental blankness, they saw a burly man carrying them on his back, running a barbecue.

As Doom was focused on flipping the roast meat, he suddenly felt a sharp gaze behind him. Turning around, he saw two tall figures with extraordinary bearing standing at the garden gate.

A man holding a warhammer, wearing a blacksmith's apron, with a buzz cut and a square face stained with grease, yet his toughness and dignity remained undiminished.

The other person held a bright longsword, stood tall and straight, had silver-white hair, amethyst-like eyes, and stood with one hand on his hip, exuding nobility.

Without any introduction, the only person with such extraordinary qualities is his own brother.

"Brothers!" Doom smiled kindly and waved to them, calling out, "Come in quickly, we've been waiting for you."

Doom suggested having a barbecue picnic in the garden to bring the father, son, and brothers closer together.

With Macado's support, the Emperor naturally agreed.

His biggest headache was how to get along with his twenty-one sons.

In his public capacity, he was the emperor, the ruler of mankind. He had to demonstrate his power so that his sons could aspire to greatness.

Demonstrating one's own strength and showing the desire to conquer the galaxy is the simplest form of education.

The son only needs to follow him and then emulate him to conquer and exterminate all of humanity's enemies.

But besides that? He had nothing to give his sons except conquest and destruction.

Privately speaking, the emperor was not a good father; he did not know how to get along normally with his son.

The knowledge he imparted to his sons was mostly about war and conquest.

Perhaps when the Emperor traded souls in the chaos, he used them as tools, but now...

When these extraordinary beings stood before him, he felt a deep sense of pride and a genuine paternal love welled up within him.

The demigod who called him "father" had pure and unadulterated respect and love in his eyes.

The Emperor felt guilty, for he had brought them out of the Warp, molded the demigods into human form, and yet he did not know how to guide them to become human and then surpass humanity.

(End of this chapter)