40k: Midnight Blade

Chapter 61 61. The Great Cleansing ([-])
"Sit down, Lord Conrad Curtz."

"You don't need to call me lord."

Curz replied with a frown. He was very anxious, but he still maintained his demeanor. His right wrist was clasped inward, and a persistent coldness slowly dissipated on his skin.

"This is etiquette." Akudona, who was wearing purple-gold armor, replied.

He held the joystick of the Stormhawk with his hands, and what appeared out of the driving window was a completely dark planet, with only a few gleams of light blooming on it.

Conrad Koz didn't answer Akudona's words, he sat on the first passenger seat behind the cockpit with his knees bent, and the double-buckle seat belt stayed securely around his waist.

He was silent and didn't even want to say anything more.

An apprehension assailed his heart, which compelled him to silence, compelled him to drop all emotions except this one.
Between the slow breaths, even the thoughts are frozen.

Conrad Curz couldn't help but gripped his sharp blade tighter.

"...Lord Conrad Curtz."

Akudona spoke again after a period of silence, his voice was very soft, but it never made people feel weak.

Curz raised his head and looked over.Looking at it from his point of view, he could just see all the details.This is actually what he did deliberately, he wanted to use this way of diverting attention to force himself to leave that worry.

He noticed that Akudona wore an ancient warrior braid, with intricate braids on the side and long hair flowing down the back.

and then?
Conrad Koz pursed his lips, realizing that he had failed.

"What's the matter, Arcudona?" he asked.

"It's nothing, my lord, I just think you seem to have something on your mind."

Curz almost laughed. "Is it so obvious?"

"no no"

The Stormhawk swooped down into Nostramo's orbit.The bump and the attraction came together in an instant, and Curz was sure that if he hadn't been wearing a seat belt, he would never have been able to sit safely in the seat.

"What does it mean?" Conrad Coates asked.

"It's the obvious meaning that I dare not say directly, my lord." Akudona replied with a light smile.

His little joke made the pale giant laugh too. For some reason, Curz was not offended by his joke, but rather kind.

It's just a joke, so what?
The worry was still there, but it loosened its grip on his heart a little.With a sigh, Conrad Koz acknowledged Akudona's guess.

"Yes, I do have concerns, Akudona of the Emperor's Children."

"If you think it's okay, then maybe I can listen to your thoughts instead of Fulgrim."

"Fulgrim knew early on."

"Then I won't listen." Akudona said lightly. "However, if you don't dislike my talkative words... I still have something to say."

"But it doesn't matter." Curz smiled.

Akudona's tone seemed to put himself very low. He didn't like people really communicating with him like this, but he realized that it was just an attitude that Akudona pretended to make him emotionally active.

Whether it is Midnight Haunting or Conrad Koz, they will not trample on other people's good intentions like garbage.

They cherish.

So he continued with a smile, "As long as you don't find it troublesome to give me a ride."

"Oh!"

Akudona skillfully manipulated the Stormhawk to pierce through the dark clouds, while screaming exaggeratedly. "I don't usually have the opportunity to drive this treasure, my lord! I would like to thank you!"

This time, Conrad Koz actually laughed.Anxiety was still there, but it no longer overwhelmed him.

"Well, my lord, I want to remind you of one thing."

Arcudona pressed a button on the Stormhawk's joystick and turned his head.There was no scar on his face, he didn't look like a soldier at all, but his seriousness at the moment was extremely serious.

"Speak, Akudona." Curz said softly.

"The Custodians take only the orders of our Lord, Lord of Men, the Emperor."

Akudona said seriously. "That's why they will never go out aimlessly. I have seen them go out together. Frankly, my lord, no one wants to be their enemy."

"Even if it's you?"

Akudona still had a sullen face, but there was a little smile in his eyes: "...this joke is dangerous, but it's funny enough, my lord."

Curz smiled and shook his head.

"In short, please be careful when you get down there. The imperial guards will not look at anyone else's face when they are executing orders."

"And if what they do is not to your liking, I hope you can come back and contact me. At that time, I will take you back to discuss countermeasures. My Primarch will never let anything happen."

"You want to stay on Nostramo?"

"Yes, my lord." Akudona sat back in the seat, held the joystick, and chuckled lightly. "Otherwise how are you going to go back?"
-
Constantine Valdo could almost hear himself screaming—his hearing was gone, but he could catch it in the vibration of his throat.

i'm screaming
He frowned: why?
Constantine did not find the reason, and some things did not allow him to continue thinking.

The pain spread upwards, and his limbs and bones all wailed and protested amidst the intense pain.An illusion crept into his head, cold and cruel, but the Custodian Marshal didn't care at all.

I am dissolving.He sensed this with indifference.

But this is not important.

He just held the light of the light tightly, and the command of the lord was still ringing in his ears.

The overheated temperature almost completely destroyed his hands, the iron armor melted, the muscles burned, and wrapped around the bones into some kind of distorted shape, but he still didn't let go.

In the darkness all around, the imperial guards watched this scene solemnly, and a silent respect began to spread.

As for the stabbed giant.
"Go on," Khalil said in a low voice. "Go on, Constantine Waldo."

He stretched out his hand, put it on the light blade, and exerted more force, so that the spear could continue to penetrate into his flesh and blood.The Custodian Marshal was not strong enough for this, for the spear to touch his heart.

His face was complicated, pain, sudden, apologetic, and self-blame. But more, it was an anger, a long-standing anger that came from nowhere.

The dim blood had disappeared from his eyes, but the anger remained for a long time.Constantine stared at the pair of dark eyes, and pushed the light in his hand with his own will.

The spear let out a violent buzzing sound, and pierced deeper into the flesh, almost reaching the heart.

However, no blood flowed from where Khalil was stabbed, only golden lightning bounced around the edge of the wound.

Caryl Rohars let out a sigh.

He took a few steps back and staggered half-kneeling on the ground. After a few seconds, he lowered his head and fell silent.

——When Conrad Koz fell from the sky, what he saw was such a scene.
-
lightning.

No, not lightning - what is?Is it flames?Or something close to it?

Khalil clenched his hands and opened his eyes, the pain fleeting.

he's not here.
There were chuckles and vicious whispers in the dark.

He can't help you, betrayer, no one can help you this time Do you think you can escape?
You think we can't find you, so you can do whatever you want?
You're so stupid, traitor, that knife was the stupidest gift you've ever given. You think that's how you'll save him?

Khalil ignored their words, he ignored them, and just breathed peacefully—over and over again, until the ancient anger briefly subsided.

Immediately afterwards, he began to recall.

Every detail of this night, everyone killed
How they died, their expressions, their location, and even the strength with which he waved his hands.
He remembered everything.

Then, he looked around.

The darkness was unobstructed, and twisted shadows bared their claws, staring at him maliciously through the curtain.

Khalil stared at them calmly, the cold blue light in his eyes lit up again.The howling from ancient times sounded again, and strong anger boiled in it, and in the dark, there was a low-pitched laughter ringing in his ears.

"What are you laughing at?" Khalil asked calmly. "You cruel false god, what are you laughing at?"

"Boom--!"

In the darkness, there was a flash of scarlet lightning.Anger is boiling, rage is pressing.Khalil stared into the darkness ahead, a pair of scarlet eyes meeting him through the thick curtain.

accept it.The owner of the eyes said dully.You have seen yourself clearly.

"Yeah, I already know what I am, but what does it have to do with you? A monster who hides in the dark and dare not even show his face"

Khalil sneered. "You have been driven back into the darkness countless times by him, and you can't even leave a jumping clown with your name."

Something behind the veil roared suddenly, the sound echoed, and a storm of destruction blew up somewhere where there was no reason.Its roar was so terrible, but the smile on Khalil's face grew colder.

"Yeah, that's it, just roaring and beating in the dark," he said softly. "This curtain will lock you up and prevent you from entering. What a ridiculous god."

He laughed out loud as something within the veil stared at him furiously, but could do nothing.

"but--"

Khalil restrained his smile, and all other emotions disappeared on his face, leaving only a kind of primitive rage and hatred.

The terrible howling sounded again, passing through the curtain, reaching the ears of the monsters.

The hatred of the dead is in vain, the anger of the dead is in vain. The long-lasting hatred.
At this moment, they start to boil slowly.

Khalil spoke in a low voice, like an announcement.

"--remember."

He stared at the things behind the curtain, stared at them, and said every word. "I'm not going to let it go."

"Your blood debt must be paid by yourselves."

(End of this chapter)