vncnus Chapter 17 is the gathering of Hector.
Chapter 17 is the gathering of Hector.
Warriors who had fought for hundreds of years, led by their sergeants, passed through a massive triumphal gate made of olive wood, holy oil, and fine steel, and inscribed with ancient runes.
They gathered in the square, and the closer it got to the end, the more uneasy they became. They asked each other questions, and adjusted their armor, weapons, and posture.
All the warriors were waiting for one person to arrive.
The company commanders of the Ninth Army Corps, whose blood had been soaked in the Great Expedition, simply exchanged glances and then stood at the forefront like statues.
The soldiers of the Second Legion did not have to wait long.
At the horizon, a tall and imposing figure rapidly approaches, its presence, accompanied by a stirring of emotion and longing, already reveals the identity of the newcomer.
Their genetic father, the Second Primarch of the Empire, the true master of the Second Legion.
Hector!
The Primarch set foot on this land and approached all his offspring.
The moment fell silent as Hector finally revealed his true form before his genetic offspring.
The soldiers of the Second Legion stood silently, all around was quiet, and no one spoke.
Thoughts long buried deep within their hearts suddenly surged forth, and they looked up at Hector with greed, timidity, worship, and reverence.
A mix of emotions, a flood of memories, and finally, everything—their portrait of their father, their scenes from their dreams—formed a unified whole, becoming, in this moment, a handsome and resolute face identical to Hector's.
Some soldiers couldn't help but shed tears just by looking at Hector's face.
This is not weakness, but rather a longing for the brothers who could not come and had already passed away.
This is their father.
Hector's sculpted, handsome face was composed as his gaze slowly swept over the assembled soldiers of the Second Legion.
He looked at them with awe, seeing how they had gathered here from all over the galaxy, disregarding danger and everything, because of his transfer order.
I saw the scars etched on their proud faces by the cruelty of endless battles.
Because of their blood ties, Hector was able to glimpse the heavy responsibilities and cautiousness hidden deep within their souls in the dark corners of their hearts.
The Second Legion was destined to never achieve the same glory as the First Legion.
Conversely, the Second Legion's position among all the warbands appears somewhat awkward and out of place.
To address the manpower shortage in the final act of the Thunder Warriors, the greatest contributors to the unification war, who were tasked with taking over Mount Ararat.
The Second Legion is composed of an exceptionally diverse group of people from all walks of life in Terra.
There are prisoners in the prison, people like Sherlock Holmes who were once descendants of warlords and nobles in Terra, as well as blacksmiths, carpenters, and people of all kinds.
They came from all corners of the world, and they became Astartes for redemption, for faith, for emperors, and for glory.
They gathered here because of a great dream, because of their shared genetic ancestor, and because they trusted and entrusted themselves to one another.
However, their diverse identities led to the formation of various hidden factions within the Legion. Even though they all served the Second Legion and could entrust their lives to humanity and each other, there were still some rifts between them.
Hector's meeting with all his sons was a grand and solemn affair.
He did not choose to travel by vehicle, but walked.
He did not choose to stand on a high platform, but instead stood on the same land as his descendants.
But in order for each offspring to be able to see their genetic father.
Behind him was a holographic projection that perfectly mapped Hector's figure.
Looking at these faces, his descendants who were older than him, he felt genuinely proud and loving.
The initial calculations, preparations, and the speech that had been memorized were all forgotten.
Hector couldn't bear to deceive his offspring; he felt sorry for and pity them.
The empire did not bestow upon them the honor they deserved.
The information he gathered about his offspring came from the information of nobles and officials of the human empire.
Other legions called them the guilty.
The soldiers of the Second Legion, filled with excitement and fervor, welcomed their Father of Genes, the giant's body trembling uncontrollably beneath his armor.
The awakened elders and sages, and the utterly broken bodies beneath the stone coffins, could once again feel the long-lost vitality and flow of blood.
Under the envious and jealous gazes of all their comrades, the Dalian company commanders in the front row received the inspection of the Father of Genetics with a mixture of honor and trepidation.
The father looked at the child, and the child looked at the father.
The square was silent. Thirteen minutes later, Hector finally spoke.
Everyone thought that today would be a grand and inspiring speech.
But Hector's voice was not loud; it was kind, gentle, and even had a benevolent smile.
"today."
"Father and child, across the stars, across countries, across a century, finally meet here."
"I'm glad I was able to welcome my children in a reasonably decent way."
The Astartes of the Second Legion were stunned, then overwhelmed with joy, smiles spreading across the faces of these burly men.
In the years that followed, no matter how cruel and extreme the battlefield, when they returned to the throne and to death, they all had the same smile as the Father of Genetics.
"Just as you quietly set foot on this land in order to understand your father, I, as your father, am also trying to understand you."
Some soldiers' joyful faces showed a hint of embarrassment, while others felt inferior because of their background.
But Hector's voice did not stop.
"I'm so sorry," he sighed. "The time was just too short, and the information was too little, but I can't wait to meet you all and to see my children."
Silence, stillness.
On the square, even the sound of breathing was so faint.
Every Astartes felt both heavy-hearted and overjoyed; their hearts were filled only with the image of their genetic father.
"The Empire..." Hector paused, gathering his emotions, "...did not give you a glorious, fair, and correct evaluation!"
His expression was one of indignation, genuinely angry at the fate of his offspring.
He clenched his fist and angrily swung it out: "From what I've gathered, from what I know, almost everyone in them has a uniform, contemptuous name for you!"
"Those who bear the guilt!"
"They call the loyal warriors who fought for the Empire, who bled for humanity, and who sacrificed their flesh for the Emperor, 'the guilty!'"
"They arrogantly judge you and deem you guilty!"
"Ridiculous! Hateful! Shameful!"
The blood ties told all the warriors of the Second Legion on Troy that their genetic father was truly angry about their plight and their predicament.
Centuries of grievances and emotions transformed into a surging river, as they gazed upon the figure of the Primarch Hector, engraving it firmly in their hearts.
"You come from all corners of the world."
"You come from different social classes."
"You all have different desires."
"As your father, I face all of this, I understand all of this, I embrace all of this, and I will bring you together."
"Not just because of your achievements and glory, but because I am the father of your genes!"
"My children, from this moment on, if anyone dares to slander you again, or imposes baseless and shameful charges upon you, then I will see your fist marks on their faces!"
"Never be weak! Never back down!"
"As the second Primarch of the Empire, I permit it!"
"As the commander of the Second Legion, I grant permission!"
"As the genetic father of the Second Legion! I permit it!"
"Now, no matter where you come from, no matter what your desires are, no matter what class you once belonged to!"
"At this moment, you all share a common identity! The Second Legion of the Empire, the Second Primarch, the offspring of your genetic father, Hector!"
"You have only one goal: the liberation of humanity! To banish the old, ignorant age! To hold out until the dawn of humanity truly arrives!"
"From this moment forward, you will all share a common name: Dawnbringers!"
"for!"
"Humanity assembles!"
"for!"
"Your genetic father, Hector, assemble!"