"If the curse can't be eradicated, what will happen to my brother and the others?" Izara's eyes were full of worry.
Although Magnus had warned Khayon about the risks of the experiment, and Khayon had volunteered, Izara would not blame or resent Magnus for it, but it was hard not to be anxious.
Magnus said, "I can treat it."
Izara was stunned.
Seeing the young girl's confused expression, Magnus spoke: "I can't cure them, but I can treat them."
Caelan asked, "Treat the symptoms, not the root cause?"
Magnus nodded. "I can't change the inherent defects in the genes, but I can compensate for the mutations caused by the defects."
The Flesh-Change is caused by other genes failing to keep up with the evolution of the psychic genes. Magnus cannot suppress the evolution of the psychic genes, nor can he forcibly evolve the other genes.
But he is a psyker.
Biomancers excel at using psychic power to manipulate flesh, freely changing and shaping anyone's body.
Magnus is a master of psychic arts. He is proficient in all disciplines. He can reshape those sons suffering from the Flesh-Change back to their normal appearance.
Their bodies will be restored, but the defects will still exist.
This is just mending the fold after the sheep are lost, and it needs to be done continuously.
But Magnus has no choice.
He can train a large number of Biomancers, who can maintain their own bodies and those of their battle-brothers.
Although their genetic makeup will become a mess, they can at least maintain a basically normal body.
If they were mortals from the M3 era, their genes failing to keep up with evolution would just lead to self-extinction.
But the genes of people in M30 are very complex. The emergence of mutants is caused by genetic mutations. The Thousand Sons' Flesh-Change is also due to the large number of non-human genes in their bodies.
When these non-human genes break free from their restraints, it leads to the Flesh-Change.
So Thousand Sons suffering the Flesh-Change are also mutants among Astartes.
But these mutation-prone genes are not unique to the Thousand Sons. They are widespread in all Astartes.
The reason they mutate is precisely because their genes are forced to 'evolve' to survive.
If the human form can't suppress the psychic genes, then maybe other genes need to try.
But the Imperium is led by humans. Even if a Thousand Son survives the Flesh-Change, the Imperium cannot accept their mutation.
The Emperor's perfect genetic warriors turning into twisted, flesh-mutated freaks, anyone would find it repulsive.
Once the Thousand Sons' defect becomes known, the strange looks from mortals would turn towards other Legiones Astartes too.
The same applies to other Legions. The mutations of the Blood Angels and Space Wolves would also make them a target.
The Emperor's Children are different. Although the mortality rate of the Blight is far higher than other mutations, people only pity the Emperor's Children.
Because they do not mutate.
Purity is the greatest political correctness in the Imperium.
The Imperium is still tolerant now, able to accept grotesque mutants.
But as the Emperor's perfect warriors, there can be absolutely no mutation among the Astartes!
Magnus's only option now is to have his sons regularly undergo treatment by Biomancers, at least to look human.
As long as their genes aren't tested, the Thousand Sons haven't mutated.
Magnus doesn't want to deceive himself like this, but it's the only thing he can do for his sons right now.
He cannot pin his hopes on anyone. The promise Tzeentch made to 'Magnus the Red' was also just addressing symptoms, not the root cause. There was no difference.
"Don't lose heart. Maybe we can try other options."
Magnus looked down at his father, not understanding what other options there could be.
Caelan suggested, "The Thousand Sons could emulate the Grey Knights."
When the Heresy broke out, Neoth had Malcador assemble a group of people.
Four mortals and eight warriors.
Those four mortals were the founders of the Inquisition. The eight warriors founded the Grey Knights.
They were Librarians from different Legions, including sons of 'Magnus the Red'.
But the Grey Knights surpassed all Legions. Their gene-seed came directly from Neoth himself.
The founding of the Grey Knights was not a hasty response by Neoth. He was already on the Golden Throne by then, without the time or opportunity to develop and perfect the Grey Knights' gene-seed.
When the eight warriors first set foot on Titan, a vast army was already guarding the fortress there. And in the fortress's cryo-vaults were stored Neoth's gene-seed.
Like the Psi-Titans, this gene-seed was also premeditated.
These were all aces up Neoth's sleeve for the Imperium of the Great Tang.
The Grey Knights' gene-seed reserve is very perfect. Not only is it defect-free, but its genetic purity is also far superior to any Legion.
Its design was obviously completed long before the Great Crusade, perhaps even begun while the other Legions were still being developed.
But Neoth kept it secret, perhaps worried that this new Legion would cause concern among the other Primarchs.
He had used Astartes to purge the Thunder Warriors. Now, by creating the Grey Knights, it was natural for people to worry that he would use the Grey Knights to purge the Astartes.
Caelan is not worried about the Grey Knights being dangerous, nor that the Emperor will purge the Astartes.
On the contrary, he thinks the Thousand Sons might also adopt the Grey Knights' design.
When the Horus Heresy broke out, 'Magnus the Red' snuck into the Imperial Palace and imagined a grand drama where "Neoth tried to recruit me with the Grey Knights, but the price was sacrificing my sons, so I angrily refused, and then a furious Malcador attacked me from behind."
Although it was self-deception, he was indeed tempted and nearly accepted.
Although it was a dream, it wasn't a pipe dream.
Neoth did entrust this Legion to his soul-shard.
That was the basis for his dream. His prophecies showed him the future, making him confused about his own identity.
The perfection of the Grey Knights is thus evident.
As long as Magnus is willing to seek advice from the Emperor, the Thousand Sons may be able to transform into Grey Knights.
Majestic pride surges in Magnus's chest. Then, all his brothers will be filled with envy at this achievement!
His Legion will be the finest in the Imperium. He will be Father's greatest son!
Magnus said, "Next time, I will discuss it with Father in a dream."
"Brother Caelan." Izara called softly.
"Little Izara, what do you want to ask?"
"I was thinking, since concepts born in the material universe also emerge in the Warp, and the Warp has no concept of time..."
"Doesn't that mean we could obtain knowledge of the future from the Warp?"
"If knowledge to cure the Flesh-Change exists in the future, couldn't we just obtain it directly from the Warp?"
Caelan thought for a momment, "That's exploiting a loophole, getting something from nothing. But theoretically, it could work."
"The Old Ones, sixty million years ago, might have done that. But that was then, when they could freely obtain knowledge from the unowned Warp."
"The Warp now has owners. When you try to obtain knowledge from it, it's very likely that the knowledge has been mixed with crap by the Warp's owners, and you'll inadvertently eat it."
The Timeline Eagle M-40 has fallen for similar tricks many times.
Whether it was 'Magnus the Red's' deal with the Warp, or 'Man' professor's Rubric of Ahriman obtained from the Warp, it's the same.
They all thought they had obtained truth, but it was their 'truth' that step by step doomed their Legions.
The Emperor could steal the Primarchs' Warp essences from the Warp. He may not have done so without taking a few bites himself, he just kept quiet about it.
The most dangerous thing in the Warp isn't the Warp itself; it's the Chaos Gods.
How can mortals discern if the knowledge is free of crap?
Even if the knowledge itself is normal, the four Gods will add a note like 'If you wish to practice this art, you must first castrate yourself'.
Adding this line has no impact; the knowledge can still be used normally. So some people are fooled without even knowing it, feeling quite pleased with themselves.
The Warp isn't off-limits, but you can't rely on it for everything, and you certainly can't pin your hopes on it.
If something can be done in the material universe, it's best to do it down-to-earth. Don't think about taking shortcuts. Otherwise, you'll learn the hard way what the "language of flowers" of steel wool is.
Izara lowered her head dejectedly. "Why are the Chaos Gods so bad!"
Caelan replied, "They wouldn't be Chaos if they weren't bad."
Although the War in Heaven turned the Warp into a septic tank, setting aside the facts, do the Chaos Gods have no responsibility at all?
If just one of the four Gods were positive and upward-looking, trying to purify the septic tank into a clean pool, the world wouldn't be like this.
But the four Gods were born from the negative emotions of mortal life. 'Reforming' would be a deviation for Them.
Because what mortals see as evil is the Chaos Gods' good. Making Them 'reform' would be abandoning the light for darkness.
Magnus reassured her, "Izara, your brother will be fine. I will do everything I can to save him. That is my promise."
He does not make promises lightly, especially things he cannot do.
Izara looked up, her voice soft. "I believe you."
...
"Father, Father, where are you?"
Ahzek Ahriman woke with a start. He instinctively reached out to grab something.
But when he woke, the room was empty.
He lowered his arm dejectedly. He had a dream. He dreamed of his father.
The Primarchs of other Legions had returned. Even the Third Legion, which had fewer men and had been on the verge of destruction, had rejoined the Great Crusade.
They had all won countless honours in the Great Crusade. Only the Thousand Sons were confined to Terra.
Their Flesh-Change could not be exposed to outsiders.
They were imprisoned in their compound. No servants, no guards. The Custodes personally protected them.
Called protection, but it was really surveillance.
Their Flesh-Change was a shame to the Imperium, and a shame to the Emperor's genetic engineering.
The Custodes were the Emperor's most perfect warriors. How could they allow a bunch of mutated mongrels to tarnish the Emperor's reputation?
No other Legion had mutations. Why only them?
The Blight of the Third Legion was caused by enemies poisoning them. What was the cause of their Flesh-Change?
The fault cannot be with the Emperor, nor with the Emperor. It can only be with them.
If they all mutated, there would be no one left to protect their mutated brothers. They would all be executed.
And no one could say when they might mutate.
They didn't even know why they were the ones mutating. Some Apothecaries guessed it might be related to their psychic talent.
That Apothecary couldn't produce more research results, because he too mutated not long after proposing his hypothesis.
"Is it almost my turn?"
Ahriman stroked a pendant, a farewell gift from his mother to him and his brothers.
Decades ago, they were chosen by the Emperor to become neophytes of the Thousand Sons.
Since becoming Astartes, they had never had the chance to return home.
Perhaps their mother was already dead. She was just a mortal, even if she was a noble, how long could she live?
Astartes should clearly remember every event in their lives, yet Ahriman felt his mother's face was gradually becoming blurred.
It had been too long.
Decades ago, his parents saw their chosen son as an honour. They gladly, though reluctantly, put him on the ship.
Who could have known that farewell would be final?
Ahriman had thought that he and his brother would fight side-by-side until they fell in the Great Crusade.
But his brother didn't die in a dangerous battle. He mutated on a quiet afternoon.
That day, Ormuzd told him he had dreamed of their father.
Ahriman had thought Ormuzd was raving, because Astartes don't dream.
But now he too had dreamed. He too had dreamed of their father.
Was he also about to die?
Ahriman was silent. He had two pendants.
One had belonged to his brother. After his brother mutated, the pendant became his.
He had once so desperately wanted to die on the battlefield, to meet a glorious death before the Flesh-Change found him.
At least then, he could die with his honour and Ormuzd's, and his life would still have some final meaning.
But the Emperor's decree had permanently imprisoned them here.
In the long, agonising wait, they were no longer warriors conquering stars, but prisoners living in fear, waiting for the Flesh-Change to find them.
Ahriman lowered his head and left the room. His peripheral vision caught a golden-armoured warrior silently watching him.
He ignored him and just kept walking, towards the Sanctuary.
In the Sanctuary's basement, the Thousand Sons' deepest shame was buried.
There, thousands of flesh-monsters were frozen in stasis fields.
Their mutations were bizarre, twisted almost beyond recognition as having once been human, leaving only vague masses of flesh.
And among these monsters, one was his brother.
Ahriman stood before the stasis field, staring at that once-familiar face, if it could still be called a 'face'.
Ahriman reached out his hand, stopping at the field's edge. He murmured to himself, "Ormuzd, I have dreamed too."
"I once foolishly doubted you, but not anymore. I will be joining you soon."
He did not intend to leave. When he mutated, the Custodes could immediately seal him in a stasis field.
If the Custodes were quick enough, perhaps he could maintain a basically human form.
All Thousand Sons understood that when they dreamed of their gene-father, it was time for their mutation.
All Thousand Sons had to go through this.
The first Thousand Sons saw it as an honour. But the day after he mutated, everyone understood it was a curse.
But who had cursed them?
The Emperor? Or the Primarch?
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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