"Lord Sidonis! Master—whatever task you give me, I will complete. My life was given by the Master! But one thing: I will never return to the Imperium," Lucius said.
He was sure his master had allied with the Emperor. If asked to return to the Imperium, he couldn't accept it. Over ten millennia he'd struck the Imperium hard. Returning would be awkward for him and them. He'd do the Master's work—but would not go back.
"No problem. You can remain a free swordsman. But your prey will become Chaos forces—so you can stay by my side. I can even grant you gigantification," the Slaanesh-Killer, under Rhodes's direction, promised.
Rhodes also needed someone for the dirty work—defiant nobles, disobedient planetary governors.
Rather than dispatch Custodians or Astartes, better to send Lucius.
"Then I've no objections, Lord Sidonis. What is the task?" Lucius asked.
"Soon, the Imperium will transport a base-form Ace Killer to Vigilus.
"Your task is to quietly spread this news—let Daemon Princes, Greater Daemons, other Chaos Champions and Lords learn it 'by chance.' Can you do it?" the Slaanesh-Killer asked.
Lucius was the key. If he handled it well, Rhodes would reward him. If he betrayed them, the news would still spread—just differently. It was up to Lucius.
"I understand. Easy enough. I'll handle it quickly. Lord Sidonis, is there no other task?" Lucius asked.
He felt it was almost too easy.
"If you complete it, I'll take you to meet the true Master. Please her, and she will grant you unimaginable power," the Slaanesh-Killer said meaningfully.
Lucius bowed and left.
So this was a test—of loyalty and trust.
Interesting. He, Ahriman, Typhus, and Khârn were the four strongest Chaos Champions—far beyond others, even above many Daemon Princes.
A Champion is beloved of their god and granted special powers—for instance, his own immortality.
Anyone who kills him with even a flicker of joy can be possessed by him—he takes their body and soul.
Even if the killer feels no joy at all, kills him coldly, Lucius will be blessed by his god and resurrected.
So rather than follow a Primarch who despises him, or some nebulous new Slaanesh he doesn't know, he'd rather serve his old Master.
Taking a sparring match as a pretext, Lucius leaked tidbits to a fellow Chaos Champion, then to a Slaanesh Daemon Prince, a Great Daemon—
Even beyond Slaanesh's camp: Nurgle, Khorne, Tzeentch.
…
In mere months, the rumor sprouted wings, spreading swiftly among Chaos high ranks.
Meanwhile, on the Imperial side, Regent Roboute Guilliman personally escorted a mysterious cargo.
He would traverse the Nachmund Gauntlet to the Imperium Nihilus, said to be a very important load.
Chaos began probing what the Regent was escorting.
On a hidden Warp world, Fulgrim sat integrating his godhead. Recently, for some reason, the process had slowed—no growth at all, as if Slaanesh no longer wished to give it up.
"Great Master, we received news from the Imperium," an Emperor's Children Noise Marine—an old veteran—approached his Primarch.
He was a Chaos Champion—not blessed by Slaanesh, but by Fulgrim.
Though only initial fusion with the godhead, Fulgrim had some authority. He couldn't create his own Greater Daemons or pick Champions, since he wasn't a god. But through Chaos power he could make Champions, Daemon Princes, and Lords.
"What is it? I said, unless it's important, don't disturb me," Fulgrim said.
"A matter making the rounds: the base form of the Emperor Avatar has been revealed, said to be a new bioweapon developed by the Martian Mechanicus.
"This bioweapon can absorb psychic power. The Emperor injects his power into it, and it evolves into his Avatar. In base form it can absorb any energy attribute,
"Even the power of Chaos gods. After absorbing, they become the strongest beings in realspace," the Champion reported.
"Hmph. The Emperor Avatar—so it was indeed my father's doing," Fulgrim said.
That so-called Child of Slaanesh, Sidonis, was unfriendly even at first meeting, even fought him, provoking him at every turn. In retrospect, clearly the Emperor's arrangement to punish him.
But who could have predicted he'd be recognized by the Chaos godhead, about to become a new Chaos god. He didn't know why that woman abandoned her godhead.
But since he'd been recognized, he would never let go. He would become the strongest in the universe!
His current limit was his frail body—by the time he fully fused the godhead, it would shatter, leaving him like the others:
A god who could only walk the Warp, not realspace.
This Emperor Avatar base-form is powerful; getting one would help immensely.
"I understand. Keep a close eye on this avatar. If there's intel, report at once," Fulgrim said.
"Master, that's exactly why I came. We've learned the Imperium intends to send a completely blank avatar to the Imperium Nihilus, to absorb certain powers," the Champion said.
A precious intel—surely the Primarch would be pleased.
After his apotheosis, the reward would be greater—perhaps Daemon Princehood, even Championhood.
"Any details? I sense something off. Logically, making it into an Emperor Avatar by injecting the Emperor's power is optimal.
"Sending it elsewhere—besides the other gods—what power surpasses the Emperor's?" Fulgrim asked.
"Report says the Imperium found a sealed C'tan shard in Nihilus. They want to use it—likely to have the avatar absorb C'tan power," the Champion said.
The Imperium had indeed dealt with C'tan shards recently. The new Primarch Rhodes and the Emperor himself had destroyed shards.
They did it secretly, but Chaos saw some of it in the Warp—like the Void Dragon shard sealed on Mars,
And Necron C'tan shards captured by the Imperium—absorbed by some method.
Could there be a connection?
Fulgrim pondered. If the Imperium hadn't fought C'tan before, this would be suspicious. But since they had, it seemed plausible.
A perfect opportunity. If he obtained an avatar, he'd have a supreme body in realspace.
It might be a trap, but if the Imperium dares dangle the bait, he wants to try to seize it.
At worst, he needn't show himself—send subordinates to snatch it.
"To reach Nihilus, they must take the Nachmund Gauntlet or the Aeldari Webway."
"Master! I've confirmed they'll take the Gauntlet. Escort is Guilliman himself. What are your orders?"
"Guilliman? Summon all Emperor's Children, Daemon Princes, and Greater Daemons sworn to me."