Chapter 14: The Demon of War and the Ladder of Civilization
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Malum swept them with a cold glance and took a step forward.
The aura of one who had slaughtered countless aliens and heretics had not even had time to reveal itself before Anda seized him by the shoulder.
“I have no desire to watch these people wet themselves in terror, soil the entire street, or simply burst a blood vessel and drop dead on the spot.”
“Malum, they are human. Their behavior is constrained by the age in which they live. They are not our enemies.”
Anda tried patiently to soothe Malum in the language of forty thousand years hence, lest a single glare from the Astartes send the people of this city to stand before Anubis that very day.
“The religious inquisition provoked by Lavister indirectly led to the slaughter of several Persian caravans, which in turn resulted in Cyrus II of the Persian Empire conquering Egypt seventy years later.”
“Ah, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Before that happens, Rome, which is expanding in every direction, will come here to plunder the place, beginning its campaign in Thebes of Upper Egypt. That is what I want to witness. Somewhere in it lies the trace of a demon’s scheme.”
Aaron had already extended his hands, waiting to be bound by these people.
“Demons—the things Guilliman is dealing with? So they were already appearing this early?”
Listening to the three of them prattle on incomprehensibly, Gert’s nostrils flared. He shouted abuse at them.
“What are you mumbling about? Disrespecting the gods is a grave offense! You will pay ten deben of silver, or be imprisoned and sentenced to ten years of forced labor!”
At last, Anda finished checking his luggage. Supporting his lower back, he burst into laughter.
“Keep an eye on these things for me.”
“Come on. We have somewhere to sleep tonight, and we won’t even have to worry about anyone stealing our luggage.”
The guards of Lavister stood frozen in place. What on earth were these people talking about?
They had completely ignored them!
These were no ordinary blasphemers. It was time to strike hard!
Gert cursed under his breath. Damn outlanders, ignorant of the rules. They had forced his hand.
He waved to either side. His men nodded, set down their weapons, and approached, each rolling his wrists.
Yet the instant they took a step forward, every one of them collapsed for a different reason, unable to advance.
Aaron leaned close to his father and asked in a low voice, “Is this divine power? Please, teach me! I don’t care about anything else—I absolutely must learn this!”
Anda shoved Aaron away, displeased.
“Go learn from your mother in the future. Her abilities suit you better.”
The three men and the donkey stood where they were, luggage packed beside them, until at last the guards abandoned their plan to use force. Trembling, they tied ropes around the travelers and led them toward the prison.
At the rear of the procession, Gert had been frightened by the sinister spectacle. He leaned toward Enoa and threatened him in a low voice.
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“You filthy old parasite, what are we going to do if they really are heretics and know those legendary sorceries?”
“This is not Sais. The pharaoh’s priests have no time to help us. They are too busy traveling to richer places to eat, drink, and amuse themselves.”
“If you increase next month’s tribute, I’ll make time tomorrow to release them and drive them out of the city.”
Enoa was trembling with fear. He clutched his hat so tightly that his fingers wrinkled the brim.
“Captain Gert, I—I have some new information. Rome, you know? The kingdom said to have been founded by two brothers raised by a she-wolf. They are currently waging wars of conquest in every direction. Last year, I heard they intended to march on Thebes, then continue southward. That would bring them here.”
“I suspect those people are the detestable Romans. They must be spies!”
At this, Gert stopped and examined them with a scrutinizing gaze.
Enoa began embellishing the story, as merchants habitually did when boasting of the value of their wares.
“If this is true, then Sais will surely appoint you—the captain of Lavister’s guard—as the vanguard commander of the army.”
“Look at the two younger men. The definition of their muscles is unmistakable; they are plainly Roman soldiers. Especially the one pretending to be a servant. I can even discern, from his gait, the rhythm of organized military training.”
Malum’s ears were exceptionally keen. Lowering his head, he fell into thought.
The cultural heritage of the Ultramarines had already been studied by scholars within Terra itself. It was a variation of ancient Rome’s traditions that had survived into the present.
But for a mortal, after forty thousand years, to still recognize it was truly remarkable.
Anda turned his head and smiled.
“Well, human? Extraordinary, isn’t it? Don’t worry. Once I find the traces of the demon plotting this scheme and destroy it, we should arrive just in time at Sais, the capital of Egypt.”
“Then I’ll reclaim a few things and make Guilliman a necklace.”
Aaron gloomily twirled the pen Lorgar had given him.
“I’m grown up now, and you still don’t know what to give me. I only had that one little hide skirt, and even that ended up in my younger brother’s hands.”
“I don’t care. On my coming-of-age birthday, you must give me something meaningful!”
Anda looked puzzled.
“Is raising you myself not enough? In all my long life, this is the first time I’ve raised a human—from infancy to a person of your size.”
Aaron snorted.
“Yes, it would have been nice if I were a god. Then I could have grown up the moment I was born, and you wouldn’t have had to worry about me. You abandoned all your other human sons, and only appeared after they grew up and accomplished heroic deeds, saying, ‘Ah, as expected of my son.’”
Anda suddenly became solemn, taking on the guileless appearance of an honest man from Asia Minor.
“Listen to yourself, Aaron. Don’t all sons simply get left somewhere to grow up on their own? Malum, isn’t that right?”
Malum did not dare answer. He was filled with dread.
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Aaron grew furious.
“Father, Mother taught me to be polite, but I truly find it difficult to show you respect. I really don’t understand. Malum says you are Zeus and Mother is Hera, so how did I end up human?”
Seeing this, Malum hurriedly said, “My lord, Aaron, we have a more important matter to resolve. As I understand it, Rome at this point does not yet possess the ability to span the continents of Africa, Asia, and Europe. Rome’s true imperial conquest should not occur until around 50 to 30 BC.”
“They have not even dealt with the Kingdom of Macedon yet.”
Anda nodded. “Correct. Just as clever as Guilliman.”
A thunderous cry rang through Malum’s heart: Father, the Emperor has acknowledged your wisdom!
“And just as rigid.”
Malum transformed his cry into a wail.
“I already told you: a demon is interfering,” Anda added. His voice was thick with resentment, though it was impossible to say whether it was directed at Guilliman or at the demon.
They had just reached the prison. The guards carefully locked them inside. Fortunately, it was not some dark, damp cell, but merely an ordinary mud-brick room.
As for the donkey, it was led into the courtyard, where it was to be slaughtered a few days later.
Aaron sat against the wall, using the penknife in his hand to scribble and sketch across its surface while listening to his father and Malum converse.
Anda explained, “The social foundation of this era cannot support an imperial conquest.”
Malum vaguely felt that his lord seemed to be criticizing something. Was he referring to his father’s expedition?
“Humanity needs another three or four hundred years to prepare. Only then should the civilizations of the various continents begin their internal wars, giving rise to the advancement of civilization.”
“That demon—that bastard—is trying to bring the wars forward, thereby delaying humanity’s progress along the ladder of civilization.”
“This will have a profound impact on humanity’s first exploration of extraterrestrial space around the year 2000. It could even delay the development of the solar system, and humanity’s advance toward the stars.”
Malum breathed a sigh of relief. So that was what this was about. It had nothing to do with his father’s expedition.
No. Wait.
If humanity’s advance into space were delayed, would that mean facing the storm that tore the entire galaxy apart in an even more vulnerable state?
That was intolerable!
Whatever form this demon of war took, he would personally sever its head and offer it to the Emperor in his father’s name.
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