Kariel sighed softly, sitting silently in one of the cabins on the "Emperor Sovnium."
This cabin had been temporarily provided to him, but from some details, he sensed the ship's owner's special regard for this place.
In other words, the cabin would most likely remain Kariel Lohars' forever.
But he didn't want it.
It wasn't just about the decor. The problem lay deeper.
Yes, he disliked the luxury here and what was hidden behind every detail, but the true reason for his reluctance was the symbolism of the ship itself.
It was the "Emperor's" ship.
And he... he definitely wasn't planning to stay here in the future.
But this led to a new problem.
He would, of course, join the Eighth Legion – both Konrad Curze and the Night Haunter would facilitate this.
But here was the catch.
In what capacity would he join the Eighth Legion?
Only Astartes could truly "join" a Legion. These warriors had undergone nineteen operations, endured unimaginable trials to stand before their Primarch.
They were soldiers, they had ranks. And what did Kariel have?
He sat at the desk with a strange expression, and a word suddenly flashed in his mind.
"Partner."
Would I have to introduce myself like that?
Besides, my height seems to have become a problem too. A giant over four meters tall, but not a Primarch. What is this at all?
He frowned. Ancient wisdom said: by accepting one thing, you give up another.
He had come to terms with the gradual changes in his body, even accelerated the process, and now, of course, he couldn't simply return to his former appearance...
At least, not on a physical level.
Psyker disguise? It seems like a good option, but to officially join the Eighth Legion, I'll have to undergo augmentation too...
Deception won't work. None of them are idiots; they'll immediately notice the difference between themselves and someone who hasn't undergone modifications...
Kariel sighed again.
Nine days... nine days. The Great Purge in the hive ended, one might say, in nothing. He had destroyed almost two-thirds of Quintus's gangs at once. Kariel was sure they would notice something was wrong today, but what to do next?
The original plan was to exterminate all the gangs...
Damn it, why does something always go wrong at the last moment whenever I plan everything carefully?
He got up with a crooked smile and left the cabin.
Konrad was in class now, and Kariel wasn't going to distract him. There was no point.
Firstly, he didn't have the proper status to show up there. Secondly, even if he had the audacity to knock on that door with a personal excuse, what would he do there?
Just pay a visit? Or become a second teacher?
He saw no point in the former. As for the latter – the knowledge he possessed could not be taught to Konrad Curze.
Kariel walked slowly down the corridor, squinting. Such a state was rare for him: he wandered aimlessly, just to kill time.
After all, returning to Nostramo now was pointless – given the gangs' quick wits, they would need another ten hours to realize what had happened to them.
The corridors of the "Emperor Sovnium" still dazzled with their magnificence. But when the initial shock of the oppressive luxury subsided, they truly began to reveal themselves to you.
If an artist were to find themselves here, they would probably starve to death, enchanted by this beauty...
Or perhaps such a thing had already happened.
Every detail, every corner, every tiny pattern on this ship held the weight of centuries that could be traced.
Every five hundred meters, there was a silver button on the wall. Touching it activated the built-in audio system. A male or female voice – the voices of the creators themselves – would begin to tell the story and significance of each detail of the corridor.
And if that wasn't enough, one could request access to the library – a mysterious zone that the Adeptus Custodes also considered their supervised territory.
Those lucky enough to receive permission could examine the detailed history of the ordinary decorations and structures of the "Emperor Sovnium." As for the rest...
Only with sufficient authority.
Kariel raised an eyebrow. Yes, only with sufficient authority.
And his authority on this ship was sufficient for everything.
Since there was nothing to do today, why not take a look at the history?
This thought arose quickly, took root in an instant, and grew into a complex, persistent feeling. Kariel understood perfectly well that he was not drawn to the history of humanity as a whole. He was interested in the history of only one place.
Terra...
Earth.
...
Twenty minutes later, Kariel stood in the library of the "Emperor Sovnium."
Unlike the Emperor's study, here all the books were massive folios. The breath of time, mixed with the smell of old pages, hit his face. This aroma confused Kariel; he hadn't thought he would ever smell this familiar scent again.
Like in another life. Truly, like in another life.
He raised his head silently.
"Access granted," a mechanism, whose nature he couldn't determine, said. The voice was lifeless. "Proceed straight, then turn right. On the third shelf, you will find the book you need."
Has even the profession of librarian been abolished?
Kariel couldn't help but smile.
The books still stood on shelves of thick solid wood, but machines had replaced human labor. There was no longer anyone who knew the location of every book in the library and could guide you to the right shelf...
He pursed his lips, nodded to the mechanism in gratitude, and then proceeded straight and turned right. As instructed, on the third shelf, he found what he was looking for.
He carefully took out the book. His fingers slid over the brown cover and the corners bound in gold. His expression was complex.
"This is the history of Terra," a voice said from the shadow between the shelves. Kariel was not surprised. He had known from the beginning that there would be Custodes here.
He turned and saw a giant, slightly shorter than him. The Adeptus Custodes armor was not uniform: on this warrior, the symbol of the Imperium of Man, the double-headed eagle, was located on his chest, giving him an even more majestic appearance.
"Yes," Kariel nodded. "May I know your name?"
The Custodian silently removed his helmet. Apparently, he was not in full regalia – a pair of swords hung at his belt. For a patrol, such equipment was quite unusual.
The face under the helmet was even more remarkable. The skin was dark, and a white snake-like tattoo wound along his cheekbone, reaching the corner of his lower lip. Against the background of his facial features, this tattoo made a particularly strong impression.
"Ra Endymion," he said calmly. "I have many names, but you can call me that."
"In that case, Master Endymion, may I ask you a question?"
"If you want to ask about Constantin Valdor's wounds, then I cannot answer you. The Captain-General is undergoing treatment; he is seriously wounded."
Kariel pursed his lips and nodded. "I am very sorry."
"I don't need your apologies, Kariel Lohars. And I'm sure the Captain-General doesn't need them either. The Lord's order is our duty to fulfill."
Kariel nodded again with a complex expression. Neot had already said that Constantin would not accept apologies, and now this Custodian repeated the same thing.
Given that he knew almost nothing about Constantin Valdor's character, he decided to follow their advice.
In that case, there was no point in apologizing.
If the victim themselves does not accept repentance, then the perpetrator's apologies, however sincere, are nothing more than self-deception. An unaccepted apology is meaningless.
Sighing softly, Kariel changed the subject. "Sir, you seem to know everything here well?"
"I often serve near the library," Ra Endymion nodded. "In my free time, I read. This book is one of my favorites."
"Could you tell me about it?"
"If you wish."
"My comrades often find my stories verbose and excessive," Endymion said evasively. "If you only want a general overview of the book, I would advise you to consult that mechanism. Its database has a better description."
"Instead of a machine... I'd still prefer to listen to a human."
The Custodian nodded again. "As you wish."
He began to speak calmly: "This book was written by several authors whose names are lost. Any hints that could suggest something have long been erased by time. My Lord read this book and, finding no serious errors in it, placed it in the library. I think the authors, if they knew about it, would consider it an honor. As for its content..."
Ra Endymion slowly shook his head. "Too heavy," the Custodian assessed briefly, which did not fit with his own words about "verbosity and excess."
Kariel couldn't help but smile. "Heavy?" he asked. "In what sense?"
...I can give an example.
"If you open it," the Custodian said calmly, "you will see that the history of Terra is divided into many periods marked by wars. In the Age of Strife, a woman named Cogga Zul stole the last ocean of Terra."
...The last ocean?" Kariel looked at him in astonishment. "What does that mean?"
"Literally what I said, Kariel Lohars."
Ra Endymion calmly put on his helmet, raised his hands in a ritual gesture, and, turning, disappeared into the shadow of the shelves. But his last words still echoed in Kariel's ears.
"She stole the last ocean of Terra. That's all."
Chapter 65. From the author
This chapter is author's words about his life, his works, his mental problems and etc. No one interested in that so I erased it.
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