The New Star: Interlude 17

In the darkness, the ghost of General Yy knelt before the ghost of his father, Sesus Tarkin.
“Father, I have failed. I tried to master the dæmon, but…”
He fell silent as he heard the laughter of the old ghost.
“Rise, my son, rise. You have not failed. You have succeeded… beautifully. Part of the dæmon Essence is now merged permanently with your higher soul and Essence. And the fact that you had to die to achieve this; that was my intention all along.”
Yy stared at his father in disbelief. Partly at what he was saying, partly at the gash of mangled flesh to the side of his father’s mouth; an open, dripping wound. Seemingly oblivious of it, Tarkin continued with his startling explanation:
“You are now ready to become the second.”
“The second? The second what?”
“The second Terrestrial Exalted to return from death.”
Tarkin then stretched himself up to his full height, and kept on growing, changing his form. The only constant was the facial injury; his features shifted around it and hid themselves beneath the forming soulsteel armour. Yy once again witnessed his father’s transformation into the tall, dark, towering knight. The general instinctively cowered before the manifestation rising above him, but a part of him rebelled. He was still a prince of the earth, after all, even in death. He demanded of the knight in black: “Who are you?” But the reply broke him, for he knew deep in his heart that the figure spoke the truth.
“I am the Deathlord He Who Must Not Be Named; I am your father, and always have been.”
He reached out his long hand and helped Yy back to his feet.
“Come, my son. There is much to be done. Together we shall rule all of time and space.”
Hand in hand they walked away.

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