The light dissipated, revealing a new Magnus. He was the Monarch of All Knowledge, the Master of Truth, and he floated above the bridge of the Solus Prime.
A rotating star chart domain glowed behind him, emanating a profound and wise light.
The third eye on his forehead was like a window into truth itself, reflecting the mysteries of the cosmos. Veins of silver-blue energy pulsed beneath his violet skin, like the living laws of the universe made manifest.
Axis, Leman Russ, and Lion El'Jonson all felt a new kind of authority emanating from him.
It was neither tyrannical nor divine, yet it held an infinite sense of control over all things. The energies of the Warp grew docile around him, as if they had been utterly tamed.
"Magnus, how do you feel now?" Axis asked first, his eyes shining with anticipation.
He silently marveled at the change. The transformation Magnus had undergone was no less profound than that of Sanguinius. No wonder the Chaos Gods coveted the primarchs the Emperor created. Every one of them possessed supreme potential.
Magnus descended slowly to the deck, his movements possessing a grace that was not of a mortal man.
He did not answer Axis directly. Instead, he raised his right hand, palm upward. Without chanting any incantations or summoning a raging psychic storm, a small patch of space above his palm began to distort. It was not the violent tearing of reality seen in a Warp rift but a more subtle and fundamental change in energy.
A wisp of pure Warp energy materialized in his palm.
Axis perceived it immediately. It was undeniably Warp energy. Yet, the unsettling impurities that could erode the mind, those twisted, chaotic hues, were completely gone.
The sensation was similar to the Warp energy Axis himself purified using his Ki, but there was a distinct difference.
This light was unlike the warm, sacred golden light of Sanguinius, nor was it the volatile, emotion-laden corrupt power of psychic energy drawn from the Warp. It was a pure blue, like the deepest cosmic void or the core of the clearest ice.
It was exceedingly stable and restrained, radiating a cold, rational brilliance, as if it were the personification of a deconstructed and rebuilt law of the universe.
Axis stepped closer, carefully examining the power.
"What is… this power?" Lion El'Jonson's gaze was locked on the wisp of blue light. He could feel the terrifying force it contained, but it was bound by an absolute order and reason, completely lacking the manic taint of the Warp.
Leman Russ stared intently from the side. "This energy is indeed different from the Holy Light," he rumbled. "The Holy Light does not originate from the Warp. But this… it feels like the essence of Warp power, yet it is utterly different."
"Magnus, tell us about this new energy you command," Axis said. "It seems similar in some ways to Sanguinius's Holy Light, but also completely distinct."
"It is Arcane energy," Magnus announced, his voice holding a subtle, triumphant tone. "That is the name I have given it."
"It differs from the power of Sanguinius's Holy Light, which is built upon faith and emotion. The Arcane, on the other hand, is safe Warp energy that I have purified with my own divine power. Allow me to give you a simple demonstration of its might."
Magnus offered a faint smile. A torrent of Arcane power, thicker and more brilliant than before, surged from his hand. It shot past the bridge's viewport toward a dense asteroid field in the distance.
First, a violent bolt of psychic lightning tore through the darkness. It was followed by a blizzard that materialized from nothingness, which was then consumed by a surge of scorching flames.
Using Arcane energy, Magnus had directly simulated and controlled physical phenomena that should only be possible on a planet's surface, all within the perfect vacuum of space. Next, the Arcane energy coalesced into a colossal, sky-blotting hand that effortlessly seized a massive asteroid and hurled it away as if it were a mere pebble. Finally, the energy transformed into a pure shockwave, instantly pulverizing another giant asteroid into dust.
Magnus retracted his power and began to explain. "I have taken the chaotic energy of the Warp and refined it, purifying it into a safe and controllable force. This is a power of purity, the flame of knowledge.
"Any being of intelligence, strong will, and the insight to perceive the essence of the Warp can learn to control it. It does not answer to prayer or fanaticism, only to understanding and mastery. It will be my gift to the Imperium, a powerful weapon against Chaos and the xenos."
Magnus's gaze turned to Axis. "Axis, Sanguinius brought the Holy Light of healing and faith. I, on the other hand, bring the Arcane, a power of insight and control. Its essence is still psychic sorcery, but it has been reborn and is much safer. The power of Chaos can now be purified and converted into the purest Arcane force."
Arcane energy. It was a new path he had conceived by combining his own divine power with the purifying properties he observed in Axis's Ki. Axis's energy had been a great inspiration, and the Holy Light had served as another reference. Of course, the most crucial element was Magnus himself. As a master sorcerer who commanded infinite knowledge, his vast learning and comprehension were the bedrock of this discovery.
Axis nodded with a smile, his heart soaring with excitement.
His process of purifying the chaos of the Immaterium and converting it into stable Arcane energy was a stroke of absolute genius.
"Hahaha! More than just stable! Magnus, you have opened an entirely new path!" Axis gave Magnus a thumbs-up. "A path free from the constraints of the Warp, a transcendent path that truly belongs to humanity! Arcane energy… a magnificent name!"
"So, Magnus," the Lion said, grasping the key point, "you mean that all psykers will be able to learn this safe Arcane energy in the future, correct?"
"Yes, in theory," Magnus nodded, but his tone shifted. "However, that is not possible at this moment. I have only just created this energy. For all Arcane casters to use it safely, I must establish a vast network in the Warp, with myself as its nexus. This network will serve as a central purifier, filtering and distributing safe Arcane energy."
Axis grew thoughtful. This was essentially a new system of power.
However, building such a network right under the noses of the Chaos Gods would be a task of unimaginable difficulty and risk. It struck directly at the fundamental interests of the Ruinous Powers.
Once psykers began to widely use safe Arcane energy, it would become exceedingly difficult for daemons to tear into reality using the psykers or to open portals of flesh and blood. The number of Chaos sorcerers would also plummet. After all, with a safe alternative, who would willingly meddle with such a dangerous and corrupting source of power?
This was especially true for Tzeentch, the Lord of Change and the god of magic. Magnus's actions were a direct challenge to his core domain. Furthermore, the fallout would not be limited to Tzeentch. Even Khorne, with whom Axis had an alliance, would never tolerate something that would fundamentally weaken the source of Chaos's power.
And at this moment, with the Emperor having just concluded his ferocious battle against the Four, and Axis still needing Khorne's domain to feed the Fruit of the Tree of Might, it was absolutely not the time to break their pact.
"Magnus," Axis asked cautiously, "if you were to build this Arcane Web, how long would it take? What specifically would be required?"
"To complete the construction as I envision it," Magnus said frankly, "it would be a colossal undertaking, on a scale not dissimilar to Father's Webway project. I would need your full support, Axis, and perhaps even Father's, to succeed. However, once it is done, Arcane energy will become the cornerstone of all psychic sorcery. No one will ever need to use the dangerous, primitive power of the raw Warp again."
"In that case," Axis said, seeking a more immediate solution, "can you teach this power to your Sons? And to the Librarians of the other Legions? Or even to ordinary mortal psykers?"
"Of course, that is possible," Magnus replied with certainty. "Just as Sanguinius can spread the seeds of the Holy Light, I can create 'Arcane Seeds.' With these seeds, my sons and other Librarians can perform a preliminary purification of Warp energy to cast Arcane spells.
"However, these seeds are not as powerful or efficient as a fully formed Arcane Web, and they function as a fixed filtration device; they cannot be cultivated to grow stronger." Magnus admitted to himself that his Arcane energy, as a purified form of Warp power, was still slightly inferior to the Holy Light.
"Then let's start with that!" Axis decided immediately. "We simply do not have the time or resources to construct an Arcane Web on par with the Webway right now, nor do we possess the ability to do so." He knew that merely initiating such a project would likely invite a backlash of immeasurable fury from the Four.
"I agree," Magnus concurred. "For now, this energy should be prioritized for the loyalist Space Marines of the Imperium."
"And what about the system of spells? Do you have a framework in mind?" Axis continued.
"As for the spells themselves, I intend to develop several disciplines based on existing psychic powers," Magnus explained, having clearly given it much thought.
"An elemental school for manipulating wind, lightning, earth, fire, and ice; a school for energy manipulation; and a few other unique spells. All of these have mature psychic models that can be adapted, which will make them relatively quick to learn."
Axis nodded. He had originally expected Little Magnus to walk the path of a warlock, but instead, he had become a true mage, a master of the essence of knowledge. This was, in its own way, perfectly in line with the traditions of Prospero, the planet of sorcerers.
"Axis," Magnus's tone grew prouder still. "After ascending to become a god of the Immaterium, I awakened other abilities besides the discovery of Arcane energy and the concept of the Arcane Web."
"Oh? Do tell," Axis said, his interest piqued.
"First, like Sanguinius, my immense psychic power can now be wielded in the material universe at will, and I can calm Warp storms within a given area. When traveling through the Warp, I no longer even need to rely on Father's Astronomican for navigation.
"Second, I possess a unique blessing. All of my sons, regardless of whether they had psychic potential before their transformation, will now become powerful psykers. Furthermore, through their connection to my gene-seed and my very existence, they can purify Warp energy on their own to cast Arcane spells, without needing the Arcane Web or Arcane Seeds!"
In that moment, Magnus's power had reached an unprecedented peak, more than a dozen times greater than before.
He was confident that if he were to sit upon the Golden Throne, he could maintain its functions perfectly. He could even use his vast psychic might to warp the flow of time across an entire star system, making centuries pass in the outside galaxy while only a month elapsed within. This was the ultimate expression of psychic power.
"Axis," the voice of Leman Russ cut through the silence, laced with an urgent desire. "If the Lion and I undergo your process, can we also be transformed into powerful gods? Can we also gain control over a new power?" Witnessing the astonishing transformations of two of his brothers, he could no longer suppress the craving in his own heart.
"I cannot guarantee that," Axis answered honestly. "The method of 'ascension' that Magnus and Sanguinius experienced essentially used my Fruit of the Tree of Might and my Ki to create a powerful physical vessel in realspace capable of containing the soul of a warp god. The emergence of the Holy Light and Arcane energy stemmed entirely from their own unique natures and paths."
The primarchs were all different, and so the results of their transformations would naturally vary.
Still, Axis mused, the Imperium could now develop at least two new transcendent paths: Paladins, Sisters of Battle, and Priests based on the Holy Light, and Arcane casters based on the Arcane. He suspected the Imperium at large would be more receptive to the Holy Light.
After all, Arcane energy was still Warp energy at its core, and it would likely take a long time to overcome humanity's deep-seated fear and distrust of it.
"I want to try, Axis!" Leman Russ strode before his adopted son, his voice firm. "I do not ask for some new, fancy power. I just need to become stronger! Strong enough to protect everything I hold dear!"
The war had made him feel a profound sense of powerlessness. He had been outmaneuvered by Chaos and exiled by Horus to the frontiers of the Imperium, completely missing the pivotal battles of the Great Heresy.
Unlike Magnus and Sanguinius, he might not be able to develop a unique system of power, but if he could increase his own strength a dozen times over like his brothers, it would be more than enough.
"No problem!" Axis readily agreed. He then turned to the Lion. "And what about you, Lion?"
"Me?" Lion El'Jonson raised a hand calmly. "Let us wait until this war is over."
Axis nodded and said no more. He produced eight Fruits of the Tree of Might, which pulsed with the brilliant light of life. The quiet journey through the Warp was the perfect time to perform the Wolf King's ascension ritual.
Just as Magnus had done, Leman Russ swallowed the Fruits of the Tree of Might without a moment's hesitation.
A colossal surge of life energy erupted within the Wolf King's body.
...
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ps?