Imperium Ascendant

Chapter 10: Let there be Light

The Emperor quietly responded "We will need every advantage possible in order to survive the coming storm. The Eldars Fall has damned the galaxy and the Warp has reached levels of horror never before seen, except perhaps for during the height of the First War. Chaos will hunger for more and feels entitled to my Sons. I will not allow the petulant abominations to claim any more of my children or species." Malcador nodded in agreement and watched his Liege leave to make his own final preparations.

The finishing touches were being made and within a few months, the Astronomicon would be lit. Custodes patrolled the ever-growing macro-structure of the Himalazia and helped oversee the construction and security of the future site of the Imperial Palace. Officials ranging from high ranking adepts to old Terran Nobles wandered the secure zones of the site. They had been summoned to be witness to what the Emperors messengers had simply called "The next step in Unity"

Malcadors agents transported hundreds of collected Psykers into the great Chamber. They ranged from simple telepaths who had been rescued from lynch mobs by Imperial forces too powerful reality renders sworn to the Emperors service. All had been hand-picked to be the first of there kind. The first Astropaths. The great amphitheater was built to house a Million humans and only about a thousand seats were filled with Psykers but Malcador could glimpse possible futures where legions of Psykers were brought forth to be bound to the Astronomicon.

Terrawatt Sages scurried about through the inner workings of the great machine, working to ensure everything was in proper order. The last work-colonies had been emptied months ago and now all that remained was fine-tuning and last minute checks. The Emperor himself oversaw some of this to ensure his exacting specifications were met.

Similarly, Genewrights monitored the Gestation Capsules of the Primarchs. No side-effects of the new Gene-Alchemy or the psychic binding had been detected but the disciples of Luna kept a wary eye out for any last minute changes. Seven Assa-Matrari had been selected so far and Primarchs I, IV, VI, VIII, XIII, XVI, and XVII would be welcomed into the world by mother figures. and hopefully their brother's Matrons were not long to be found.

These and countless other preparations were being made as the scheduled day of ignition approached. The Emperor had secluded himself in order to prepare himself and all save Malcador and Valdor were forbidden from him. The Right and Left hands of the Emperor were both busy with countless duties both involving and not involving the Astronomicon.

Thankfully Uriah Olathaire and Arik Taranis both assisted with external duties and keeping Terra calm. Uriah had led a diplomatic delegation to the Antarctic city-state of Orioc were the worst fears had been confirmed. Chaos worship infested the faith of the isolationists and they must be cleansed. The Lighting Bearer was then sent at the head of a massed force of Imperial Armies and had reduced the glacier-capped city to ash and dust.

Soon the dawn of the final day approached. Everything was set and the Astronomicon would be lit. The twenty Infant Primarchs had there gestation capsules set to ring the central altar of the Amphitheater. A literal mountain of Machinery had been built in and around this single focal point to control and bind a massive amount of psychic energy. Soon the Emperor would light the Beacon and the next stage of his Great Ambition could be undertaken.

Malcador accompanied by Valdor and the Tribunes journeyed deep into a hidden natural cavern that had been discovered during the initial construction period of the Astronomicon. The Emperor had appeared to expect its discovery and had named the strange cave the "Place of Leng" and used it at as a mix of personal quarters, laboratory and meditation chamber.

The Five entered into the cavern and Valdor felt a familiar shiver run up his spine. Custodes could not feel fear or existential dread and were virtually immune to insanity causing stimuli yet still that slight instinctive shiver still existed among the Golden Legion and was there only indication that he was experiencing something that would traumatize a mortal man. The Cavern was a place where the Material Universe had been warped by things beyond human imagination and it was filled with the planet-shattering psychic energy of the Emperor of Mankind.

The Emperor meditated mid-air in the chamber. A Corona of golden psychic energy flickered around him and the chamber was filled with a miniature psychic star. The Emperor's form was semi-disconnected from the physical and Malcador could barely peer past the wall of energy to see the ever-shifting form of the being known only as The Emperor or Revelation.

As Malcador reached out with his mind to the Emperor and used his Soul-Bound link to pass through the inferno to touch his lieges mind. Instantly Malcador knew something was wrong. The Emperor's psychic power had waned massively, instead of the almost imperceptible decreases since the message he had lost nearly half of his power. Still far beyond any mortal but a shadow of his former glory.

Genuine fear entered Malcadors mind, something had crippled his liege and humanity, nay reality itself was damned if the Great Plan could not move humanity further on the Shining Path. The Emperor pulled himself out of his meditation when he felt Malcadors presence and began to consolidate himself. Both the Materium and Immaterium hummed with energy as the Corona solidified around the Emperor's body.

The Emperor in all his golden glory soon stood before them and the Custodes knelt unison. Malcador began to speak in a worried whisper "My Lord, we need to delay, You could not provide the needed spark without crippling yourself. What is happening to you?" The Emperor placed a steady hand on Malcadors and softly replied: "All will be well my Old Friend."

With Malcador and the Custodes following the Emperor strowed out of the Place of Leng. He walked with power and purpose as his advisors desperately trailed him. Both Malcador and Valdor desperately spoke "You can't do this Sir, it will break you. " The Emperor shook his head "All will be well my Old Friends, all will be well."

Using a minor bit of telekinesis Malcador kept up with the Transhumans as he begged his Master "At least reduce the initial radius, from the Segmentum Solar to a more manageable area, a thousand Light Years or so?" The Emperor stopped suddenly and looked at Malcador with confusion "The Segmentum Solar? The Astronomicon will have an effective radius of at least 50,000 light years."

Shock struck the Sigillite, the Emperor intended to not only light the Astronomicon with his reduced power but extend it to its full range even with the Warp Beacon modifications. The galaxy would be covered in an aura of intense radiant power but it would be far more taxing than the original already rigerious cost of powering the psychic beacon. At full power, the Emperor would barely be able to do such a feat, yet not it seemed an impossible, nay suicidal endeavor.

Telekinetic energy suddenly rippled and Malcador brought his own psychic might to bear. He stood before the Emperor and the Custodes and spoke in a shaking voice "I do not know what madness has possessed you my lord but I will not allow you to doom yourself or the Imperium. This is suicide, and I don't know what has caused this but I swear to you I will save you."

The Custodes drew their Spears and leveled them at Malcador, yet they did not strike like they would have any other to threaten there Master. For his words spoke true and the Custodes were paralyzed by the conflict between there directives. They must serve the Emperor and follow his will no matter the cost yet they must protect the Emperor's life above all else.

The Emperor slowly approached Malcador like a beast tamer trying to soothe a panicked creature. Psychic power flared in warning and Malcador prepared to unleash his full might to incapacitate the Master of Mankind. Before the Sigillite could even react the Emperor had crossed the distance and placed his hand upon Malcadors forehead.

"Your courage and devotion is admirable Old Friend yet you are mistaken. This is no folly." Malcador responded frantically "Something is weakening you, I worry you will not survive the ignition." A soft chuckle met that and the Emperor wore the amused expression of a benevolent king "What is the first lesson that is taught to the Warp-touched?" "To suppress and control their power?" said Malcador almost quoting an old Golden Age text from when Psykers were impossibly rare and the warp was calm.

Energy pulsed from the Emperors palm into Malcadors mind, a vision plucked from the Emperor's own mind entered Malcador.

*A Psychic Corona of familiar power and nature burned in the Warp. The Players of the Great Game circled it, ever watching for even a moments weakness. *

*Diving into the Anathema-Star, past its bulwark inferno of willpower and sanity. Protected by his link to the Emperor he plunged deeper into the star. *

*Deeper and Deeper until the laughter of thirsting gods could no longer be heard he surfaced in the Stars Heart. Mind's eye nearly blinded by its radiance. Hidden behind a Star's corona was a Galaxy. *

*A Quintillion Souls shone before him in a mimicry of the Material Galaxy. All bound together in an eternal song of revelation and sheltered within Galactic arms born of fallen sons.*

*At the center was a mass of psychic power greater than anything ever seen. A Super-Massive flame that linked the million million martyrs surrounding it*

With a great shuddering gasp, Malcador slammed back into reality and barely caught himself on his Force-Staff. Psychically-imbued golden tears trickled down the ancient Sigillites face. The Emperor comforted his stunned friend and spoke "The best place to hide something is in plain sight. I am sorry you did not realize the truth sooner Malcador. I am still adapting to my new capabilities and I did not realize the truth would be hidden even from you."

After helping to steady Malcador the Emperor continued on his path with his entourage close behind. Malcadors mind churned, the sheer power the Emperor had displayed was virtually impossible. The only psychic phenomena he had seen of that caliber was when the Eldars insanity had ripped open the galaxy and then it had only been a split second shade of the Emperors current might. A new golden age just might be in there grasp, and the grimdarkness of the future may yet be avoided.

Eventually, they reached the Chamber of the Astronomicon. Malcador and the Custodes watched as the Emperor walked onto the center of the Altar. As he did machines wirred to light and thousands of Psykers began to sing a meditative chant. The Twenty infant Primarchs slept in there capsules as the Emperor began to summon his power.

Slowly, a golden light started to pour off the Master of Mankind, an aura of majesty filled the chamber as he slowly rose into the air and spread his arms wide. Raw psychic power coalesced around him in a sphere of golden light. It grew greater and greater as focused and linked with the great machine below him.

Every being with a hint of psychic potential within the room could feel there soul be enraptured by the Emperors Power. The air hummed and the mountain began to vibrate as the Emperor's form started to blur and the golden light became brighter than Sol. As the cascade of energy reached its climax a single sentence could be heard across Terra, a single Psychic phrase that echoed in a billion minds

"Let there Be Light"

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