Imperium Ascendant

Chapter Eleven: Angels and Daemons

Golden Fire erupted from the Emperor in a titanic pulse. White-Hot psychic energy rippled through both the Materium and Immaterium in a tidal wave of unstoppable might. It took both an age and an attosecond for the Astronomicons light to reach the galaxies edge. Every being in the galaxy with any form of connection to the Warp could feel the shift.

As if a torch was ignited in a once dark room the Warp now shone with psychic light. Xenos of all kinds sensed an oncoming storm, one that would come to right past wrongs and cleanse the galaxy no matter the cost. Some psykers were entranced by the light, and felt the call of a distant leader and protector while others recoiled in pain for they had been touched by the darkness and knew nothing of the light.

The Light filled the Chamber of the Astronomicon and the Emperor shut his physical eyes and opened his mental ones. He had linked himself to the great machine and it was now an extension of his will. The Galaxy was laid out before him, everywhere the Light of the Astronomicon touched he could see.

Nearly all of the Milky Way was bathed in the golden light. Only the fiercest of Warp-phenomena could weather the psychic storm he had summoned. He watched the Galaxy as the Astronomicons power spread and solidified. Warp Storms born of the youngest of the fours birth cries were snuffed out like candles in the wind.

Warp Rifts shrunk as Space/Time healed and many of the smaller chaos-born gouges in the universe were sealed shut by the Emperors sheer force of will. Holes into the Immaterium were sewed shut. Daemon Worlds were burned to ash and joined the life cycle of the universe again untainted. Millions of gaping galactic wounds torn open by the Eldars folly were cauterized and sealed.

Even the great breeches into the Warp were affected. Radiant tides of psychic fire crashed into the newly born Eye of Terror and burned away the corruption, purifying light years of Void. The Warp was aflame with psychic light and the Emperor could feel countless tendrils of corruption and taint be pulled sharply back into the Realms of Chaos as their creators felt the scorching heat of the Anathemas light.

The Emperor braced himself psychically as he knew what would come next. The self-proclaimed Masters of the Immaterium would come calling. In a parody of an ocean swell, the warp shuddered. While the Emperor's light burned constantly on the surface of the Sea of Souls Leviathans dwelled deep within it. The Four were coming to confront him.

The immaterium shook as The Four dredged themselves out of their lairs. The Emperor's mind and will covered the Galaxy, acting as a lighthouse centered upon Terra. He stood within the Warp as both Beacon and Beacon-keeper waiting for the Great Enemy to arrive. Soon (if such words can be used in the Warp) the Leviathans breached and the Four Storms of incalculable power surrounded him.

They were everywhere around him and in the far distance as well. Each sought to extinguish the Burning light. Enough psychic energy to corrupt an entire Segmentum was thrown at the beacon. Imagined Energy and Mythological Matter slammed into the Emperor in wave after wave. The Emperor of ages past would have been able to weather this storm as well, but barely. This Emperor, empowered by the blood of martyrs was a different tale.

After an instantaneous age of Chaos slamming its might into the Emperor's psychic bulwark he spoke. In a voice that shook the immaterium, the Emperor addressed the Four:

"Are you done yet?"

The sheer disdain and psychic weight of his words slammed into the storms with far more effectiveness than there tantrums. The assault petered out and the storms became solid. Four self-proclaimed gods faced the Master of Mankind. There forms shifted constantly, human, Xeno, beast, abomination, they shapeshifted in an ever-changing psychotic caleidoscope.

Any mortal would have long gone insane from being in there presence, and even the Emperor could barely view them in their entirety. The Four circled around him like prowling hyenas searching for any weakness or flaw to exploit. In that moment more of the of the Chaos Gods attention was upon the Emperor, than anywhere else in the material. Space/Time itself would have ripped open under such pressure yet the Master of Mankind stood firm.

Their alien intellects and spiritual power bored into the Emperor, willing him to collapse under their virtually unlimited power. The Emperor said nothing and simply raised his hands slowly like an ancient conductor of music. Flames started to pour out of the Emperor in a slow building inferno that burned/pierced the depths of the Warp. While the Astronomicon boiled the surface of the Sea of Souls these Spear/Sword/Spikes of Heat/Light/Holy/Energy were hurled deep into the realm/heart/core of the Chaos Gods.

Right as the lances struck them Warrior-Memories/Spirits came into being and struck the Four. Phantoms of ghost-shards of corrupted godlings lashed out at there Doom.

*A Snarling Berserker gouged the Blood-Soaked Hound-King with Dragon-Toothed Axes and roared "I AM NO ONE'S SLAVE! YOU ARE NOT MY MASTER!" *

*Molten Metal Arms gripped the Thirsting Folly-Snake tightly and seared it's not-flesh in ways intolerable even to it. Silver-Haired/Bladed Warrior moved faster than lighting and punctured the Snakes heart with a whisper "For Ferrus" *

*Rotten Flesh burn/sliced, the Ghastly Grandfather weeped. A Reaping-Angel struck over and over as he chanted in a raspy voice "I aM nOt WEak, RoT in hELL wITCh THinG"

*A trillion eye/mouths were silenced/blinded by a One-Eyed King. Knowledge/Power poured into the Screaming-Crystal and burned it like Fire/Acid. Its Laugh/Weeping was met with a simple soft retort "I am not your puppet"

The Chaos Gods were smashed back, there unassailable might was assailed and the Four Lies flickered. Recovering and putting down a billion revolts and warp-born anarchy they approached their enemy again. The Emperor watched as the monsters approached warrily. A mirthless grin appeared on his face as he said: "The tables have turned abominations, that was just a taste of what you have coming."

The Four spoke in undivided chaos, there 4/trillion voices were one. "What do you want, Anathema" The last word was spat, more like an insult than name or title. "You have protected "your" godlings and pollute our kingdom with your wretched fire, why are you here?" A vicious sneer crossed the Emperors perfect/terrifying features: "I am here to discuss the terms of your surrender"

The Warp was silent for an age/moment before Laughter/Screams echoed throughout it in a psychotic display of mirth that drove a billion random mortal across the galaxy utterly insane. "Surr-en-der? You are a greater fool than we ever thought Anathema. You have done nothing, NOTHING! Except for delaying/quickening the inevitable. You will fall Anathema, your species will embrace us more fully than any other and all you have done will be for naught.

The Flames intensified with His fury and the warp burn/froze with the Emperors cold fury. In a black-iron growl, he answered there taunts calmly. "I am here to offer you an alternative to your extinction, if you reject my proposition there will be no mercy and I will ensure your elimination." The laughter of the thirsting gods continued in a sickening mocking cacophony. "Foolish child of man, you are not even a player in our Great Game. Just a delusional pawn hoping to scratch the hand/tendril/paw that moves it."

Another wave of Hate-Flame crashed into the Chaos Gods but with diminished effects. The Laughter only increased in volume: "You are nothing Anathema, just another in the infinite multiverse to toy with and ruin. So speak your bit, it might be amusing to see what you could possibly want." The Emperor gathered/girded himself, he had never once considered the idea of negotiation with the Tumor-Gods but no matter the outcome it would further his plans.

"Disconnect from the Material, passively feed on naturally generated emotions. No more corruption, no more incursions, no more insanity. You are to leave my sons, my species and my Universe alone." Again the Warp was silent before the laughter erupted again, louder and more horrifically mocking than before.

"How banal and pathetic, we hoped it would be something more interesting, like asking to join us in godhood. We all know that's what you truly desire, to be like us. Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent. To control everything as you see fit, you want to bring "Order" to everything. The idea is amusing at least, it would almost be fun to gain another rival/sibling/piece. So how about it Anathema, join us in our growing pantheon. We gained a new member a few eons/moments ago and we would be happy to have you"

Blades of righteous fury burned/cut the warp as the Emperor's wrath increased. "I am not a God, and neither are any of you." A sly chuckle responded "oh then why do you dress yourself and your creations so? Angels? Crusades? Omnissiah? You tell all that you are not Divine then try to act the part. So come join us Em-per-or, and become what you have always been destined to be. The God Emperor of Mankind."

Visions of Legions of Light, Gods of the New Order and Unity in the face of fire and flame echoed before the Emperor as he responded. "The Warp is a place where myths become fact and symbolism becomes strength. The titles that are often given to you and your ilk is Daemons and Dark Gods. What better way to cast down hell-spawn then with an army of Angels?" New visions then entered his mind, of Heresy, Betrayal, and insanity. "Oh but Anathema you know as well as we do that Angels can fall…"

Nine Mythforms sprung into being, each formed from future-memories and destinies thwarted. The nine things were broken parodies of the Traitor Primarchs. Lacking the true glory or horror of them either in Human or Daemonic states. Simply Warp-flesh carved into the shape of fallen sons. The Golearchs lumbered forward bellowing demented war-screams. Before the things could react they had been obliterated blade/flames had burnt/slashed them to ashes/pieces.

The mad laughter grew in intensity at the Filicidal display. Once the last of the Golearchs, a whimpering parody of mighty Lupercal was slain they spoke again. "We reject your terms Anathema and offer our own. Give us our due and we shall leave your species be. Give us Four of your Sons and we will spare you and the rest."

The Emperor could see flickers of futures where the Four were made flesh. Avatars of Chaos each greater and more terrible than anything the mortal realm had ever scene unleashed. They continued in mocking seductive screaming: "Simply give to us what is owed and we will find other toys to play with."

Gritting his teeth the Emperor snarled "I owe you abominations nothing, how dare you. First, you attempt to steal away my Sons and now you attempt to barter for them like livestock. My attempts to negotiate with you was obviously a fool's errand. BEGONE you tumors born of ancient folly!"

The Chaos Gods simply laughed "How human, denying you owe us a debt in the creation of your children. For the powers of the Warp, the very substance of our being was used in there creation, are they not our children as much as they are yours? You came to us on Moloch and stole from us! All we want is a minor amount of restitution Anathema."

A Column of Golden Fire detonated, Soul-Flames blast/burnt the Four/Undivided back as the Emperor marshaled his power and roared. "I STOLE NOTHING FROM YOU, YOU ERRANT TOOLS! ON MOLOCH MY BIRTHRIGHT WAS RECLAIMED, AND I WILL USE IT TO ENSURE YOUR ABSOLUTE ANNIHILATION!"

The Four/Undivided hissed and screeched as the flames lapped at them. "Choose Anathema! Four! or Half! We will claim our prize eventually." More energy cascaded into the Chaos Gods, evaporating entire figment-realms and burning the False-Flesh of their avatars. The Four fled from his wrath all while leaving one final whispered threat. "You are not the first Anathema to fall but you will be the last. We will ensure that Revelation!"

With the Four gone the Emperor let out a deep breath. He looked/sensed/touched the Galaxy that was blanketed with his power and thought to himself. "The Shining Path widens still" As the final wave of the Astronomicans ignition reached the Galaxies edge and solidified The Emperor allowed himself to return to his physical form.

The instant he did the Emperor was greeted by a sound as old as humanity. A sound that instilled countless emotions in all the Children of Terra who heard it. The sound of humanities future, the sound of crying infants. With the birth of the Emperor's Will made Light came the birth of his Will made Flesh. Twenty Primarchs had been born.

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