In the battlefield, Russ and Gaius stood amidst a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
Gaius was no longer the witty and intelligent brother he once was; his movements were mechanical, cold, and even his eyes had become blurry and hollow.
His body was completely controlled by nanomachines and an AI program; wires, similar to Butcher's Nails, gleamed with a cold light, connecting from his helmet to his entire body.
Russ clutched his Power Axe, gritting his teeth, his eyes flashing with anger and pain. His brother, Gaius, had raised his Power Sword, aiming it at him.
"Sixth Brother... stop me... quickly... stop them..." Gaius's voice was low and hoarse, carrying a hint of despair, but more so, pain.
Russ's axe blade drooped slightly, his breathing heavy, his voice laced with fury:
"How the hell do you expect me to do it?! You're my brother! How could I kill you!"
However, Gaius's movements were already beyond his control. His body lunged at Russ, the Power Sword slicing through the air, aimed directly at Russ's chest.
Russ raised his axe to block the fatal blow, sparks flying, but his heart felt as if it was bleeding.
"Do you think I want this?! Do you think I don't want to stop!" Gaius roared, tears streaming from his eyes, but the sword in his hand remained merciless.
Russ constantly dodged and counterattacked, but each strike was burdened with heavy hesitation. His movements became sluggish, while Gaius, enhanced by the AI, became swift and ruthless.
"You're my brother!" Russ roared, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
Finally, Gaius seized Russ's moment of hesitation, his sword slicing through Russ's chest plate, blood gushing out. Russ stumbled back a few steps, gripping his axe, a flicker of struggle in his eyes.
"Sixth Brother, kill me quickly! Otherwise, I'll kill you... and then everyone!" Gaius's voice was full of pain, a faint glimmer of a desire to live still flickering in his eyes.
Russ let out a roar, suppressing the struggle in his heart. He swung his axe with all his might, striking Gaius's helmet, tearing off the wires and equipment controlling him along with the helmet.
Wires exploded, sparks flew, and Gaius screamed, collapsing to the ground. Blood streamed from his forehead, but a flicker of clarity returned to his eyes.
"It hurts... it hurts so much... Sixth Brother." Gaius's voice, tinged with a slight sob, spoke weakly, "You said... you'd go easy on me... but it still hurts so much..."
Russ gritted his teeth, knelt down and supported Gaius's shoulder, his voice low and hoarse: "I'm sorry, The Eleventh Brother... I'm sorry."
However, at that moment, new wires extended from deep within Gaius's spine, like venomous snakes, attempting to regain control of his body. The AI system was still running, still trying to turn Gaius back into a ruthless weapon.
Gaius smiled faintly, his expression showing fatigue and relief.
He whispered, "Sixth Brother... don't let them continue... kill me... it's the only way."
Russ's hands trembled slightly, his gaze filled with struggle and pain: "No... I can't... I can't do this..."
"Sixth Brother!" Gaius suddenly grabbed Russ's shoulder, roaring with his last ounce of strength,
"This isn't about whether you can or can't! If you don't act, the Eleventh Legion, the entire Imperium... will be destroyed!"
A tear glistened in Russ's eye. He took a deep breath, raised his axe, but the heavy blade lingered, unable to fall.
Gaius lowered his head and whispered:
"I'm not reconciled... I'm so not reconciled... I wanted to stay with you all forever... but because of my mistake... I didn't listen to Father... Sixth Brother... I really don't want to die..."
His voice grew softer and softer, but his gaze gradually became resolute.
"Sixth Brother... in Fenris's custom... did I fight well?"
Russ's hand trembled, but he finally raised his axe. His tears fell silently, and his arm swung down violently.
The axe blade cut through the air, emitting a low roar.
Gaius's head flew into the air, slowly descended, and rolled into the blood-soaked, corpse-strewn battlefield.
The axe in Russ's hand dropped to the ground, his knees uncontrollably collapsing, his entire being as if his soul had been ripped away.
He trembled as he crawled towards Gaius's head. He held his brother's head tightly in his arms, tears incessantly dripping onto Gaius's face.
"Why... why did it turn out like this..." Russ murmured, his voice filled with despair and pain.
He held Gaius's head and returned to Gaius's body. He tried to put the head back on, but he knew it was all meaningless.
Russ let out a sorrowful wolf howl towards the sky, its sound piercing the din of the battlefield, reaching the ears of every Soldier.
"My brother..."
At this moment, all the Soldiers of the Imperium felt a wave of desolation in their hearts. The bond between brothers, torn apart by merciless war and fate.
And Russ, holding Gaius's head, knelt in the center of the battlefield, tears mixed with blood, dripping into the endless ruins.
The battlefield fell into a brief silence, only the wind carrying the scent of blood, interspersed with occasional echoes of explosions, like a funeral dirge for this tragedy.
Russ's knees sank into the blood-soaked and muddy ground. He tightly held Gaius's head, his palms trembling slightly, even able to feel his brother's skin beginning to grow cold.
His tears fell silently, drop by drop, onto Gaius's cheek, mixing with the remaining bloodstains, forming blurred marks.
"Why... Gaius, why you..." Russ murmured to himself, his voice low and choked. His gaze lingered on his brother's face, which still held a faint smile, as if he could hear familiar teasing and laughter, as if all of this was just a nightmare.
Russ hugged the head tightly, his body involuntarily beginning to tremble.
He tried again to align Gaius's head with the body, carefully matching the broken neck, trying to piece back a complete brother with his rough hands.
But no matter how hard he tried, the fractured neck bone and the already lifeless body only responded with silence.
"No... no... I can still save you... I must be able to save you!" Russ's voice shifted from grief to despair, his hands began to shake, and his tears simply wouldn't stop.
He picked up Gaius's body, as if holding a priceless treasure, and stood amidst the mountain of corpses and sea of blood. His eyes gradually changed from sorrow to anger, the low growl in his chest growing heavier, finally transforming into a soul-rending howl.
"Awooo... Awooo..."
The wolf howl echoed across the battlefield, shaking every Soldier still fighting. It was the howl of a lone wolf who had lost its brother, crying out its sorrow and anger to the heavens in endless solitude and pain.
When Lion arrived with the Dark Angels Soldiers, he saw this scene. Russ, who was originally as mighty as a mountain, was now kneeling on the ground, holding Gaius's head in his hands, like a helpless child.
His body trembled slightly, and his grim face revealed an undeniable grief.
"Russ..." Lion called softly, unsure how to approach.
Russ didn't look up, only said in a low voice: "Don't come closer... let me stay with him a little longer..."
The Dark Angels Soldiers stopped, standing silently in the distance, no one daring to disturb the silence of this moment.
Russ held Gaius's remains, as if holding the last warmth in the world.
He recalled the years they fought side by side, the brother who always smiled, who could always defuse any awkwardness.
He remembered Gaius always liking to propose outlandish plans in war meetings, then convincing everyone with an undeniable tone.
He thought of Gaius's little inventions, each time proudly displaying them to his brothers, just like a child.
He lowered his head, gently resting his forehead on Gaius's head, his voice so low that only he could almost hear it.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I couldn't save you..."
Lion stepped forward, silently kneeling beside Russ. He looked at the brother who had lost his life, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"Gaius and Sarradin did what they believed was right... we can only... continue to live for him."
Russ didn't respond, only held Gaius's head, as if afraid that letting go would mean losing him forever.
In the distance of the battlefield, the Imperial banners still burned, blood staining every inch of land. brothers who once fought side by side, now lay fallen by each other's axes, each other's swords.
All of this, for what?
Russ sighed towards the sky, and whispered: "My brother... you fought well..."
He held Gaius's remains, stood up, and walked with heavy steps towards the Imperial front line. Behind him was the burning battlefield and the shattered starry sky, reflecting the tragedy between these brothers.
At this moment, Lion looked at Russ's back and grabbed his arm... "Blame his death on me! On Father, on Malcador, on our brothers, say that I killed Sarradin and Gaius! Let me bear the reputation of killing brothers!"
Russ didn't speak, only turned his head to look at the serious-faced Lion... "Big Brother..."
This was the first time Russ called Lion "Big Brother"... He showed his smile, but at this moment, that smile looked so heartbreaking... "I know you've carried many secrets for Father, for us, for the Imperium, we all know it... Let me share this one with you..."
...Holy Terra, Imperial Palace.
Because of the Third Xenos Race War, all the Primarchs were urgently summoned back to Terra by the Emperor and Malcador. All the brothers also learned that two brothers had been ordered to be executed by Father, and the executioners and Military Police were Lion and Russ.
At this time, many brothers looked at the weary Emperor and the silent Malcador... Their eyes held different emotions; some were fearful, some sorrowful, some angry, some indifferent, some hateful... The gates opened, and two figures walked into the palace, still stained with the blood of battle... Lion carried Sarradin on his back, and Russ held Gaius in his arms... "Father, I have brought back my brother, your second son, Sarradin..."
"Father, I have brought back my brother, your eleventh son, Gaius..."
...Afterward, in the palace basement,
The Emperor looked at the remains of his two children, silent for a long time... Malcador stood beside him, he could feel his friend's profound grief at this moment, but... nothing could be changed now... The Emperor's voice was hoarse, looking at his children, suppressing his emotions.
"Look how They treated my children..."
At this moment, Malcador also reached out and covered the two Primarchs with a sheet. He turned to look at his friend.
"Perhaps... you should tell them..."
"No! No... humanity only has this one chance..."
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