"The Great Crusade. It is a monumental undertaking for mankind—a truly great endeavor."
The Emperor spoke slowly after a brief pause. Perturabo could sense the excitement and pride in his genetic father's tone. Although he could discern little emotion on the Emperor's face, he felt the fervor buried beneath that calm exterior.
"Once, humanity ruled the galaxy, championing reason and science. It was a true Golden Age. In those days, countless miracles occurred daily. The people of that era were filled with ambition; they firmly believed that the galaxy would be shaped by them like clay, if only they willed it."
"Perturabo, I am honored to tell you that I lived through that era. I saw those miracles with my own eyes," the Emperor said, his voice carrying a sense of lingering attachment to the ancient age of technology.
As his genetic father described that glorious past, Perturabo felt a surge of excitement. Even without a detailed description of every triumph, the fact that a being as wise and powerful as the Emperor spoke of it with such nostalgia suggested an era of unparalleled prosperity.
"But that brilliant age ended, terminated by blood and fire. The Iron Men launched a rebellion, and that devastating war tore the galaxy apart. Then, after humanity paid a heavy price to suppress the revolt, another catastrophe struck."
"The Warp, once peaceful, began to churn with massive storms. These sudden tempests severed the Warp routes that linked the entirety of human civilization, fragmenting it into isolated pockets."
"Various human worlds, losing trade and communication, suffered social collapses and other tragedies. Some survived as pocket empires ruling a few systems, while others regressed to medieval or even more ancient societal forms."
The Emperor continued the narrative. When mentioning the Cybernetic Revolt and the Warp storms, even the cold and strong Master of Mankind allowed a trace of profound sadness to enter his voice.
"Like Kislev! I discovered ancient technological artifacts in certain cities and monasteries that should not have belonged to a medieval world. They must be relics of that technological age. After Kislev regressed, these objects became sacred cultural relics!" Perturabo said, a realization dawning on him as he nodded.
"Correct. Many worlds have forgotten how they once created these wonders. The survivors worship these past creations as miracles. Is that not a ridiculous and tragic behavior? We both know it is not the right path."
"Even on Terra, the homeworld and the cradle of man's conquest of the stars, many fell into being techno-barbarians—using ancient legacies for evil without knowing how to rebuild civilization. If left to continue, humanity would have eventually regressed into beasts."
The Emperor spoke with earnest gravity.
"And you were unwilling to see that end, so you emerged and launched a massive conquest to rebuild human civilization," Perturabo said, guessing his father's next words and speaking first.
The Master of Mankind nodded in silent acknowledgment of Perturabo's insight and spoke again.
"Listen, my son. It is as you say."
"When I decided to begin this endeavor, I met Malcador and Constantin Valdor—the Captain-General of my Legio Custodes; you will meet him soon. These two became my left and right hands, and thus we began this great work."
"The three of us established an army—an insignificant force at first amidst the chaos of techno-barbarians and wasteland warlords on Terra. But with this army, we slowly defeated every warlord and barbarian, gradually reunifying and repairing a world they had torn apart."
The Emperor's words were filled with complex emotions as he recalled the early years on Terra. Perturabo remained silent, listening to his genetic father's memories.
"After nearly two hundred years of fighting, we were on the verge of unifying Terra. At that point, I turned my gaze to space. Many thought I only wished to be the Emperor of Terra, but I intended to be the Emperor of all Mankind. Unifying Terra was merely the beginning."
"For a galaxy-wide conquest, I understood that mortal troops could not adapt to the varying terrains and climates of every world, nor could they survive the high-intensity conflicts against xenos. Therefore, I created you and nineteen other Primarchs. You were to be the templates for the armies I would create next. I would use your genes to forge a new generation of warriors."
"However, just as you were about to be born, an unprecedented accident occurred. That event caused you to be swept away from Terra by a Warp storm and scattered across the galaxy."
The Emperor paused when mentioning the birth of the Primarchs, a hesitant look crossing his face as if there were more to the story. However, the hesitation lasted only a moment before he continued.
"Fortunately, I had preserved your genetic samples before the accident. This allowed me to create the first batch of gene-enhanced warriors. To honor a lady who contributed much to this project, I named these warriors the 'Astartes'."
"Once Terra was unified, I launched the Great Crusade, leading twenty Legions of Astartes born from your Primarch bloodlines and innumerable mortal armies to begin this great endeavor."
"And now, I have found you. You can be reunited with your sons." The Emperor looked at Perturabo with a look of immense satisfaction.
"I understand. Then... have You found my other brothers yet?" Perturabo asked softly.
"Yes, Perturabo. Before your return, I found several of your brothers. They are your kin. However, before you meet them, you still have much to do and much to learn."
The Emperor nodded and answered with an expression of great seriousness.