Chapter 106: The Wisdom of Magnus
Cults and heresies scattered across the galaxy simultaneously received guidance from the Lord of Change.
The followers, clad in black robes, circled a massive altar, their faces hidden by masks, whispering incomprehensible incantations.
The altar was made of black rock and strange runes, which began to glow crimson as the ritual commenced.
At the four corners of the altar lay the bodies of humans, xenos, and even willing sacrifices, their bodies disemboweled, blood dripping onto the altar as a blood offering to the Lord of Change.
As the ritual progressed, the ground began to tremble, as if some colossal creature writhed beneath the earth. Just then, the distant sky suddenly tore open, as if a giant curtain had been ripped apart.
Daemons poured out of the rift in droves.
They brought endless temptation and suffering, their forms bizarre, like illusions made of countless colors and manifestations of uncontrolled desires.
"Hahahaha! I feel it! I feel it!"
"The God has come!"
A crazed smile appeared on the priest's face. He knew his ritual had succeeded, and the power of Chaos had descended.
The priest and the other cult followers were wholly immersed in the whispers and ecstasy of Chaos. Their eyes had become hollow, their skin corrupted beyond recognition.
Their minds and souls had become sacrifices for the daemons!
The rift continued to expand, and the daemon legions began surging into the material realm, like waves of a black tide, engulfing the surrounding space.
They had only one target, Terra!
At the same time, ships cruised through the warp, their commanders and crews unaware that the Astronomican had already been influenced by Chaos.
The taint of Chaos, like a pathogen, silently infiltrated these powerful Navigators.
The Navigators' wills began to corrode!
Their vision blurred, their sanity gradually devoured. The fleet no longer sailed toward the heart of the Imperium but was guided by the crimson Astronomican, turning toward the abyss of Chaos.
An endless horde of daemons awaited them!
Terra, Throne Room.
Magnus on the Golden Throne was constantly entangled by blue Chaos energy.
His eye sockets seemed to surge with uncontrollable daemonic energy, which continuously absorbed his spirit and soul, like a bottomless abyss, devouring everything and causing him constant pain.
Whenever he tried to break free from these corrupting forces, those black eyes flashed more intensely, as if countless daemonic whispers echoed in his mind.
"You have made a grave mistake! The Emperor cannot forgive you!"
"Join Chaos! Only Chaos can save you!"
"The Lord of Change will grant you endless wisdom!"
"..."
Magnus desperately clutched his eyes, his voice hoarse and pained. He roared in agony.
"No!"
"I am my father's most beloved child!"
"He will forgive me!"
"Get out!"
"I crave endless knowledge!"
"Joining you will only keep my wisdom forever beneath yours!"
The daemonic whispers fell silent.
"..."
Magnus's will grew even firmer, and he shrieked maniacally.
"You just want to steal my wisdom!"
His powerful willpower surprisingly began to shift from resisting Chaos to expelling Chaos!
His hands gripped the armrests of the Golden Throne. The corruption on his body even ceased. The moment his soul became whole, his warp essence became active!
They were in a stalemate when a majestic and powerful presence abruptly pierced through the Golden Throne's barrier, breaking through the corrupting aura.
"I'm here!"
The air instantly became fresh and serene, as if a beam of light had pierced through endless darkness.
The Emperor had finally returned!
Looking at Magnus, corrupted by Chaos, His eyes were filled with sorrow and anger.
He stood before the Throne, and the surrounding space and aura began to calm under His invisible power.
There was no anger in His eyes, only deep compassion and concern. He knew that Magnus had not acted intentionally but had been tricked by Chaos.
The Emperor slowly raised His hand. Powerful psychic energy surged forth, activating the runes and wards of the Golden Throne, purifying the surrounding corrupting forces.
Golden psychic flames enveloped Magnus, continuously cleansing the Chaos power from his body!
The Emperor's power could not eliminate all pain. Feeling the tearing agony, Magnus bit his lip tightly, he was being reborn in fire!
Even though blue Chaos energy continuously seeped from his eyeballs, complete purification was only a matter of time!
"Just now, who taught you what you were muttering to yourself?"
"Oh no, Father heard everything!"
Magnus's already flushed face instantly turned even redder, almost purple. He stammered:
"Francis told me."
"..."
At the same time, abnormal psychic fluctuations appeared on the Moon.
The Webway entrance hidden here was being activated!
The First Company of the Imperial Fists, who had been guarding here, instantly reacted.
"Captain! Captain! The Webway entrance here is lighting up!"
An Imperial Fists warrior turned and excitedly shouted to First Captain Sigismund.
Sigismund sat to the side, his posture still as straight as an iron tower, like an unyielding fortress.
His full armor gleamed with cold light, reflecting the warrior's majesty and power from every plate, even without combat.
His armor was inlaid with the symbol of the Imperial Fists, a golden sun emblem symbolizing his loyalty to the Imperium and his boundless reverence for the Emperor.
He was not a hasty commander. On the contrary, his eyes were filled with deep thought.
Although he'd received orders to immediately destroy the Webway if anything happened here, in his opinion, merely destroying it was not enough.
"Prepare the timed device. Delay the explosion time, and everyone evacuate the site now!"
The others did not hesitate, had no questions, and completely obeyed Sigismund's command.
This was the Imperial Fists!
As they evacuated, the psychic bomb and other explosives began their countdown.
The psychic fluctuations began to spread violently!
The Drukhari within the Webway fully activated this entrance. As they began establishing contact with the Moon and preparing to teleport over instantly,
BOOM!
With a deafening roar, a violent energy shock rose from the Moon's surface, like a supernova exploding in the cosmos.
The intense psychic fluctuations directly shattered the Webway, and the Drukhari's warships and crew were instantly hit by the energy wave.
The Drukhari vessels were torn apart by this powerful impact, their hulls ripped to shreds, bodies and debris scattered into deep space with the energy fluctuations.
It all happened too quickly. The Drukhari commander's head floated in deep space, his mouth opening and closing, seemingly saying something.
However, he soon became a cold chunk of flesh!
Sigismund, however, only frowned, staring intently at the scene.
"After the explosion's shock subsides, everyone lands and checks for any stragglers."
"Then proceed with a second detonation!"
His orders were issued in an orderly manner.
After three explosions and three sweeps, Sigismund was sure he'd completed the task entrusted to him by Dorn.
Having accomplished all this, infinite rage ignited in their eyes, and they piloted their warships toward Terra!
On the Abyss's Roar.
Sanguinius hesitated to speak, pacing around Francis. Each time their eyes met, Sanguinius would first shake his head.
"Sigh~"
Francis: "..."
"Ninth Brother, just say what you want to do. Why do you keep sighing?"
"Father isn't dead, so why are you so worried!"
Francis asked in confusion.
Sanguinius: "..."
He always felt that Francis would one day be hung up and beaten by Father!
Simply outrageous!
Sanguinius still expressed his thoughts.
"I'm still worried about Kairos!"
"Hey~ I thought it was something serious! Come on, let's go see him."
Francis got up and led Sanguinius to Kairos's chamber.
Hiss~
As the white mist dissipated, Kairos was seen diligently studying there.
When he saw someone enter, his neck straightened even further. Primarily upon seeing Sanguinius, he felt a surge of excitement and said:
"Haha~ It is a joy to have friends come from afar!"
"Father, you've come!"
"Your son truly shames his parents; his heart is in pain, his appearance haggard."
"Your son can only atone with death, but your son cannot move, alas~."
Sanguinius, witnessing this scene, was incredibly shocked. He turned to look at Francis as if to say:
"What exactly have you done to my son?!"
[End of Chapter]
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