As a father, the Emperor knew his son very well. At their first meeting he was deceived by Fulgrim. Back then Fulgrim gave a stirring, impassioned speech so moving even he himself was touched, and he thought this child was humanity's future!
He would, like Horus, become a pillar of the Imperium, so he made an exception and named the III Legion the Emperor's Children.
Reality proved him completely wrong. Fulgrim was a performer, an artist—his greatest skill was surface-level showmanship.
Otherwise he wouldn't have survived his brutal homeworld and even risen to become a political leader. The man is a self-serving scoundrel.
When Horus rebelled back then, Fulgrim chose to answer the call almost without any reason.
The Emperor couldn't even understand why Fulgrim would betray him. He had treated the child very well—second only to Horus!
If you're going to betray me, at least give me a reason! Like Lorgar—I destroyed his Perfect City.
Angron—because I stopped the coup he and his brothers launched. Mortarion, even Magnus—they all had reasons. But you, Fulgrim, betrayed for no reason at all.
"So we must stop him and seize the Chaos divinity from his hands," Rhodes said.
"If we take the Chaos divinity from him, it'll need a host. Rhodes, you're not planning to become the new Slaanesh, are you?" the Emperor asked.
That was his bottom line. If Rhodes answered wrongly, the Emperor would act without hesitation!
No one knows better than the Emperor what state one falls into after becoming a Chaos god—that is total corruption.
"I'm not interested! But I do have an idea for the divinity. I used your power to make an Emperor Avatar, used the Death God's power to make a Death God Avatar.
"At the same time, I used Slaanesh energy to make a Slaanesh-Avatar. We can transfer the Chaos divinity into the avatar I created, let it inherit the divinity, so we'll have a Chaos god forever on our side," Rhodes laid out his plan.
"No. If it's only a portion of Slaanesh's power, you can control it, but the entire godhead? That cannot be controlled.
"It's even possible Slaanesh is playing some scheme—she deliberately released her divinity, even inserted a portion into Fulgrim to create a false appearance.
"Her real goal would be to seize control of your avatar. That Ace Killer can contain a portion of a Chaos god's power.
"Slaanesh would gain the power to walk the material world, and then the power she could exert would surpass all of us," the Emperor said.
Chaos gods are the ancestors of plots and schemes. No matter what they say, you can't believe it—anything might be bait, corruption, or a scheme.
"So we just let it be?" Rhodes asked.
The Emperor truly is cautious beyond measure! Or rather, ever since being screwed by the four Chaos gods and ending up on the Golden Throne, the old man has grown ever more cautious, seeing plots in everything.
Once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of the rope.
But the issue is, Aisha has already separated from her divinity. If not, Fulgrim would never have had a chance to touch the Chaos godhead. The four are cunning, but they won't gamble with their own godheads.
And speaking of bodies, the giantess's body now is far more perfect than that Ace Killer's body!
He couldn't say this to the Emperor—the Emperor's hatred for the four Chaos gods is too deep.
"I need to verify the truth of this. What if this is a Chaos scheme? What if through the godhead he takes control of that avatar of yours? Then everything is over, Rhodes," the Emperor said.
Stopping Fulgrim from obtaining the divinity is crucial, but he must confirm whether Fulgrim is truly fusing with it.
"Didn't you just confirm it?" Rhodes asked.
"I only confirmed residual Chaos power there. Corax and Lorgar have indeed been captured, but I can't confirm the rest," the Emperor said.
"If you won't help, I'll face Fulgrim alone. But if I fail, the entire human race is finished.
"Even if I can preserve some humans, our tech level will regress," Rhodes played his trump card.
"I need to see Fulgrim with my own eyes. I need to confirm what's happening to him before I help you. As for the divinity, I propose we destroy it outright—do not keep it. It's a total mistake," the Emperor said.
The best method for a Chaos godhead is to destroy it, erasing a Warp god entirely.
"Emperor! Can a Chaos divinity be destroyed?" Rhodes rolled his eyes.
You think it's some object? Something tangible you can smash? What a joke! A Chaos godhead is intangible.
Part of it is on Aisha, yet part can transfer into Fulgrim. It's a kind of authority, a mantle.
If you could destroy it, the four could be killed; they wouldn't be immortal. Once a godhead forms, it's deeply bound to the Warp.
Hearing this, the Emperor fell silent. Rhodes was right—the godhead can't be directly destroyed; it's unrealistic.
But he also didn't want the godhead transferred into Rhodes's Chaos avatar.
Because that might create a new evil god.
"Rhodes, let's confirm Fulgrim first. If it's as you say, I'll reconsider," the Emperor finally chose a compromise.
He would help, but only after confirming whether Fulgrim has truly gained the godhead.
"I've prepared a trap. I'll leak to the Slaanesh Keeper of Secrets a piece of intel.
"About the making of Emperor Avatars and Slaanesh-Avatars. That will definitely draw their attention," Rhodes said.
"You're too naive, Rhodes. That might not draw out Fulgrim. His mind is sharp—he won't miss such obvious bait," the Emperor shook his head.
No one knows a son like his father! In cunning, Fulgrim ranks among the top of the Primarchs.
"Emperor, Ace Killers are extremely powerful lifeforms. Their physical qualities far surpass a Primarch's—comparable even to those fused with cosmic behemoths—and they can wield Primarch-level soul-power.
"Most importantly, the Ace Killer can absorb energy. It can perfectly bear Slaanesh's power, so Fulgrim will come to seize it.
"Because this is his only chance to wield supreme power both in realspace and in the Warp," Rhodes said.
It's obvious bait, but if the bait is big enough, sometimes fish bite even knowing it's bait.
Because it's irresistible. Without a cosmic beast, without a Hyper-Beast body, a mere Primarch body can't cut it in 40k now.
"Don't forget, Vashtorr can also copy gigantification—though we don't know how.
"He must have gotten something—very likely cells from that fallen Custodian," the Emperor said.
"Then do you have a better way to lure Fulgrim out?" Rhodes asked.
"Of course I do," the Emperor smiled mysteriously.
Rhodes's plan seemed perfect, but Fulgrim is too cautious—he won't take the bait easily. To lure him, they need another bait.
Another bait! What could the Emperor use to attract Fulgrim?
The Emperor didn't answer Rhodes. He sent a mental summons to Guilliman, who was handling state affairs outside.
What is the best lure for Fulgrim? Need you ask? It's Guilliman!
Fulgrim is proud, a perfectionist, and cannot tolerate failure.
He killed Guilliman ten thousand years ago, but Guilliman has returned, stronger. To Fulgrim, that's unforgivable.
If Guilliman and Rhodes's Ace Killer appear together, the double temptation will stir Fulgrim to act. Then the Emperor can observe whether Fulgrim truly has the Chaos godhead's recognition.
If he has, the Emperor will join Rhodes without hesitation to take him down. If not, Guilliman plus Rhodes's contingencies can still kill Fulgrim—two birds with one stone.
Moments later, Guilliman arrived at the Imperial Palace, nodded to Rhodes, then looked up at the Emperor on the Golden Throne.
"Father! You sent for me?"
Seeing Guilliman, Rhodes suddenly understood—the old man's bait was Guilliman!
As expected of the Emperor! He's got Fulgrim pinned on this point. Guilliman and the Ace Killer can indeed draw Fulgrim out.
"Guilliman, Rhodes has just told me something terrible." The Emperor relayed his conversation with Rhodes.
He explained Fulgrim was about to gain Chaos power's recognition and would devour all human souls.
"What!! This—Rhodes—thank the Father you found this in time. We must stop Fulgrim. He must not succeed," Guilliman said, shocked at first, then resolute.
This is the annihilation of humanity! He couldn't take it lightly. That bastard Fulgrim!
This time, he must die for good.
"As long as you understand the gravity. Rhodes and I plan a trap, with you and a newly made avatar as bait," the Emperor said.
Since most Ace Killers had been converted into Emperor Avatars and deployed across Imperial fronts, people now just call them avatars.
"Father, how exactly?" Guilliman asked.
"First, Rhodes will prepare an avatar with no self-awareness, not yet activated. You'll escort it to a bait location, then spread the word you'll use it to absorb Chaos power to make a Chaos-demon-killer," the Emperor outlined Rhodes's plan.
"So, something akin to an Emperor Avatar, right?"
"Exactly. The avatar has extreme absorption—any psychic power can be absorbed, including the other Warp gods.
"It can even absorb some realspace powers—like a C'tan's," Rhodes said.
"If so, let's say it's to absorb a C'tan shard. That'll make it more convincing, and the Imperium can add some secrecy. I'll see to getting the word out," Guilliman said.
"Leave that to Rhodes; he'll leak it to Fulgrim. Now we need a suitable site to ambush him. Guilliman, suggestions?" the Emperor asked.
"Father, I have one: Vigilus in the Nachmund Gauntlet. We'll ambush there," Roboute Guilliman said after a moment.
The ambush can't be in Imperial Sanctus—too obviously a trap; nor in the Imperium Nihilus—their strength there is insufficient and Chaos permeates it, even the Emperor's sight is hindered.
So the best site is Vigilus in the Nachmund Gauntlet. Though the Aeldari opened Webways, those can't serve every link between Sanctus and Nihilus.
For example, you can't open Webway gates on every planet—you need a broad corridor for Imperial logistics.
So merchant traffic usually takes the Nachmund corridor. Vigilus there is a perfect ambush point.
Rhodes was slightly surprised. He'd thought his presence would avert the Vigilus campaign, yet it will happen anyway!
And at Primarch scale!