Universe 04.
Macragge's Glory hovered in the vast and boundless void.
Behind it was a complete Imperial fleet, with several colossus-class warships.
"The intensity of the Aetheric Wind blowing through reality is increasing. This situation is likely to strengthen abilities like witchcraft and magic. It may cause what the natives call a mythical revival, causing some trouble for our conquest plan," the eldar farseer, Anvil, who had been assisting Calgar, handed a report to Calgar, who was seated on the throne.
The flames of the candles and braziers flickered around the strategy room. The light emanating from them shone on the statues beside the walls, as well as the shadows cast by the staff as they moved about. The statues, flickering between light and shadow, looked somewhat grim. They watched the diligent servants of the Emperor, their gazes urging them on in their work for this great endeavor.
Cherubim, holding censers, flew through the air, their built-in brass vox-casters broadcasting prayers, hundreds of different hymns sung in various beautiful melodies. The scented smoke was stirred by the airflow created by their flight, forming vortices.
Staff members moved around holographic projections.
Pale white or light green light shone on their pallid faces, embedded with various bionic limbs.
Sounds of discussion occasionally rose, or a few commands were given, directing the waiting servitors to carry them out. The Lord of Macragge sat on the throne of his Primarch father. The throne was located at the center of the strategy room, highlighting its preeminent status.
Many parts of Calgar's body had undergone mechanical augmentation. The bionic eye, forged with the Imperium's most advanced technology, emitted a red glow.
His strong and powerful physique concealed boundless strength; no one would doubt whether he could easily destroy a world. The light of the candles shone on his face, as stern as granite.
Members of his War Council stood around the strategy table before the throne, discussing strategic arrangements and troop deployments for multiple battlefronts.
Representatives from the Adepta Sororitas, Astra Militarum generals, envoys from the Adeptus Mechanicus, and members of the Librarius stood at the end of the table. This was a war involving billions of lives and numerous spacetime dimensions.
A large, resource-rich world was merely one node within it. The fate of individuals was infinitely diminished, even becoming insignificant. Those powerful beings felt despair because of this; their vaunted supreme might seemed exceedingly frail in the face of an unimaginable war. Those fools were like praying mantises before a surging flow of vehicles, having developed well-defined, formidable muscles, yet they would still be mercilessly crushed.
Calgar took the data report from Anvil.
With the commencement of the Imperium's inter-universal war, the cooperation between the eldar and humanity grew ever closer. The eldar are a psyker-technological race.
While humanity is currently powerful, from the perspective of spiritual evolution alone, they are actually inferior to the eldar. The Imperium has a systematic understanding of the Warp, but is ultimately lacking in practical application, unlike the eldar, who can manipulate psyker energy at will for their own purposes.
Psyker energy is merely one term for the application of Warp energy.
It can also be referred to as Psionics, Dao Rhyme, Qi, Spiritual Energy, Magic, and so on.
Regardless of the term used, it does not change its subjective essence. The power of psyker energy depends on the amount of Warp energy an individual can access, which can also be called Aether.
As is well known, there exists a veil between reality and the Warp. The veil is the boundary that distinguishes reality from the Warp.
If the veil did not exist, the real universe would have mixed with the Warp from the moment of its creation.
It is precisely because of the veil's existence that the real universe can be said to truly exist.
All supernatural means, including witchcraft, magic, and cultivation. They must all wear down the veil to allow Warp energy to flow into reality, only then can those supernatural abilities function.
When this veil is strong, physical laws are complete, and it becomes very difficult for people to access Warp energy. The influence of Warp energy on the real universe will be weakened.
Among the Immaterium, some civilizations and races would refer to this world as the Age of the End of Magic.
When the veil is weakened, physical laws are distorted by the Warp, and it becomes very easy for people to access Warp energy. The influence of Warp energy on the real universe will be strengthened.
Some races would refer to it as the Revival of Mythology.
When Abaddon destroyed Cadia, causing the Great Rift to tear through the galaxy, it could, in a sense, also be called a mythological age. The number of psykers increased; any random cat or dog could awaken psyker talent.
Releasing a few bolts of lightning and flames was as simple as eating and drinking. The immortal Undead could even walk in the real world without any cost.
For those ignorant people, wasn't such an era truly a mythological age?
If one were a bit ambitious, they could directly shout 'My fate is mine to control, not the heavens!', find the spells of witchcraft and the titles of those gods from mythological texts, and then through mysterious rituals, receive a response and embark on the path of the extraordinary. Those legends were not without basis.
If you keep it in mind, there will surely be an echo from the Warp.
Calgar glanced at the report and absorbed the dozens of pages of information.
"Allowing those fellows to freely control psyker energy is indeed a great trouble; the speed of conquering the universe will slow down by at least sixty percent," said a tech-priest based on the results predicted by a data model. "Such a slow pace will surely attract the concern of the Emperor. We have received the majority of the Imperium's military support here; if we cannot produce sufficient results, I fear it will be difficult to convince others."
The tech-priest's words made Calgar feel a trace of pressure.
Entrusting this task to him, rather than other Primarchs, was sufficient proof of the Emperor's regard for him.
As long as he wasn't a fool, he could utilize the resources at hand to gain the distinction of being the first to conquer a universe.
Such honor would be enough for the Imperium's historians to publish several history books about him.
His deeds would likely be sung in various academies of the Imperium.
When studying the chapters of his history, those Imperial students would probably have to write seven or eight hundred words of reflection.
But all of this was not without cost.
It depended on whether he could successfully conquer Universe 04.
If he failed, the Imperial historical records would contain accounts of his arrogance, self-importance, and lack of any achievements.
"We must stop this Aetheric wind," Calgar said. "Strengthen the veil between reality and the Warp, making it harder for those creatures to access Warp energy."
"If my lord has need, perhaps I may be permitted to introduce some of my latest research findings," tech-priest Regulus stepped forward, the sound of mechanical gears turning emanating from his bulky mechanical body.
His legs were gone, replaced by four piston-driven insectoid mechanical limbs.
Mechanical tendrils slid out from Regulus' body, connecting to humming servo-skulls suspended in the air.
When he wanted to speak, the sound would emanate from those servo-skulls.
Calgar felt some disdain for Regulus' setup. The previous method of speaking through a vox-caster built into his throat was much more palatable than this.
"What research findings?" Calgar asked.
"They are counter-devices aimed at the use of supernatural abilities. After studying the Soul-Severing Dead Zones, I have made improvements that can significantly weaken the Aetheric wind while also ensuring the minimum required access to the Warp for organisms."
Any intelligent creature with a soul has a need for the Warp.
Souls need to be nourished by the Warp to grow. The only race the Imperium knows of so far that can completely detach from the Warp is the necrons. The question is whether the necrons can still be considered a race. The necrons are echoes of the past; they are truly soulless beings.
Even being completely isolated from the Warp would have no effect on them. The Soul-Severing Dead Zones they constructed can make a certain area of the Warp dead silent, turning the surging Aetheric ocean into stagnant water.
Not even daemons can be active within the range of the Soul-Severing Dead Zones.
Any supernatural means are unusable in the Soul-Severing Dead Zones.
However, this method does affect humans, and indeed any creature with a soul.
It causes life forms to gradually fall into despair and pain, losing self-awareness, until they descend into a state of dissociation, and ultimately suffer irreversible soul death, leaving behind a soul without flesh and blood.
Regulus researched the various devices of the Soul-Severing Dead Zones and also learned the technical knowledge required for the entire plan from the C'tan - the Void Dragon. The Soul-Severing Dead Zones function through arrays of numerous Blackstone Pylons.
Blackstone is a very special material; its positive polarity can strengthen the Warp, while its negative polarity can suppress the Warp.
Obelisks made of Blackstone can emit Geller waves through some means, which are the energies that form the Geller field. The Geller field is an important barrier that allows Imperial ships to safely traverse the Warp.
Geller waves can be used to repair the veil, making it difficult for so-called supernaturals to leverage the power of the Warp.
Spells that could normally be used freely become extremely difficult to use. This is also the principle behind the equipment most commonly used by the Imperium to suppress supernaturals.
However, this approach can also harm the Imperium's users.
People could not stay near those devices for long, lest their souls wither.
Regula improved upon this premise.
It could suppress the Warp to the greatest extent while ensuring the survival of normal beings without any interference.
He even gave it a name that perfectly aligned with the worldview of the native creatures - the Age of Dharma Decline.
As the name suggests, activating this device would suppress the Aetheric winds in the real universe, strengthen the barrier, making it impossible for those with psyker talents to sense the Warp or use psyker powers.
Using such a device, all worlds within the entire universe could be reverted to the feudal era.
No matter how strong the cultivation of those native creatures was, it would be useless; if they couldn't leverage the Warp, they couldn't utilize those transcendent powers.
"Building such a ring device can regulate the Aetheric winds within a range of ten thousand light-years and repair the veil between reality and the Warp," Regula said, extending a mechanical arm to display his research results on the holographic projection of the strategy table. "This thing will not affect ordinary people. Of course, to ensure that the Imperium's psykers can still function, I have also left a backdoor, allowing the Imperium's psykers to release psyker powers through specialized devices."
"Enemies without the specialized devices will find it difficult to mobilize Warp energy and will no longer be able to cast witchcraft and magic."
Calgar looked at the ring device in the holographic projection.
It was a colossal collosus construct.
Composed of an inner and an outer ring. The outer ring had a diameter of sixty thousand kilometers, larger than the diameter of a planet.
It was thirty to fifty kilometers thick and over a hundred kilometers wide.
It could be considered a small world.
Six giant spokes connected the central inner ring, serving as energy conduits.
Once activated, it could form a Gellar Resonance with the Warp, strengthening the veil between reality and the immaterial.
Calgar fell into a moment of contemplation.
Building such a gigantic structure was not difficult for the current empire. The Imperium's space particle excavators could extinguish a star in its prime, then dismember it, obtaining various rare materials through directed fusion reactions. The extinguished star would be gradually consumed by the Imperium's mining fleets. Through specific refineries, the vast quantities of materials needed by the Imperium would be extracted.
Gigantic mining ships could cleave entire planets, and countless Cogitator mining machines would be dispatched to collect precious minerals using their mechanical limbs.
Other elements would be mined by colossal machinery and sent directly to smelting plants, where they would be melted, sorted, and reforged. Once everything was complete, giant metal pipelines thousands of meters long would transport the initially processed materials to transport ships, destined for designated Forge Worlds.
Every element of a planet would be completely consumed; even air and water would be collected and sent to Agri-Worlds or Hive Worlds. The Imperium devoured more thoroughly and cleanly than the tyranids. The tyranids at least left behind bare rock, while the Imperium would even cut and reclaim the rock itself to build warships or other void structures.
Seeing Calgar's hesitation, Regula continued to introduce his plan.
"There's another benefit to building the Age of Dharma Decline. It will resonate with other similar devices. The more devices there are, the larger the territory that can be controlled, and the stronger the amplification. Eventually, it will form an unbreakable restraint, making it difficult for the Warp to interfere. By then, all myths and legends will become the past and history, and Universe 04 will become a fortress and stronghold for the Imperium against the Chaos Gods."
These words completely swayed Calgar.
Before he came, the Emperor had frankly stated that a retreat route for the Imperium should be left in Universe 04.
Clearly, such a plan was in place.
"Then let's do that," Calgar said. "Build Universe 04 into a fortress and stronghold that the Warp cannot interfere with, for combating the creatures of Chaos."
The Fabricator-Adept - Regula revealed a smile.
Imagine, what a magnificent achievement it would be if he built such a fortress.
His other colleagues would surely widen their eyes in astonishment!!
Regula was already eager to see the reverence and self-abasement reflected in their foolish mechanical eyes. They would know who was the most excellent, the most qualified Adept to stand in the Hall of Truth.
With Calgar's authorization, the subsequent matters became much simpler.
Regula returned to his Mechanicus ark. The Adepts who stood with him were busy debugging various equipment or supervising the work of the servitors.
Within the Adeptus Mechanicus, there were various theoretical factions.
Cawl, Sigma, Kren, and Proy, among others, were leaders of their respective factions.
Regula was also the leader of one such faction.
All Adepts were competing for the favor of the Emperor.
Who would enter the Hall of Truth of the Omnissiah was an unresolved matter.
Every Adept leader felt they had that qualification.
Regula was no exception; he had improved Titans and aircraft, thereby gaining immense prestige.
However, relying solely on this to surpass Adepts from other factions was somewhat insufficient. This time, the Age of Dharma Decline would make those Adepts feel inferior. The Imperium would truly gain a fortress universe undisturbed by Chaos. This was an unimaginable step forward in combating Chaos.
A thin mist permeated the corridors of the Mechanicus ark.
Buzzing filters were continuously pumping carbon dioxide and argon into the corridors, simulating the atmosphere of a Forge World.
Regula greedily drew in the air through the filters; each breath, each exhalation, felt like a baptism from the Omnissiah - the Emperor.
Diligent Machine Spirits maintained the temperature variations in every area of the Mechanicus ark. This room was filled with the rolling heat waves from the forge, while that room maintained a suitable coolness.
Regula returned directly to his laboratory.
Several Adepts were busy conducting tests there, digging out more secrets from the native creatures.
"You will be punished one day. When my master comes out of seclusion, he will surely kill all of you. He is the strongest Land Immortal in Kyushu, the only fifteenth-realm expert in the world."
Shouting towards Regula was a native creature belonging to a humanoid beast race. These native creatures were not significantly different from humans in appearance. They had two furry legs and hands with only three fingers. Their heads were somewhat similar to wild boars, their skin hard and dark, covered in stiff bristles all over. The tusks in their mouths were as white as jade, appearing to gleam with a cold light.
Regula and others referred to this race as the Ammonro. The Ammonro they captured was the leader of a team resisting the Imperium. The opponent attempted to lead a team to raid the Imperium's research group, was ultimately captured, and brought back to the Mechanicus ark. This Ammonro claimed to be the most beautiful Ammonro in Kyushu, and also one of the ten strongest heavenly prodigies in Kyushu, originating from a sacred land called Yaochi. They had countless admirers.
Had the path to immortality not been severed, they would have had the potential to become immortals.
Regula paid no attention to the Ammonro's frantic shouting; they were just a bunch of damned xenos, nothing to care about.
Such threats were useless to him.
Regula walked directly to the platform, and the many Adepts also spontaneously stopped their work and looked at him.
"Lord Calgar has agreed to the Age of Dharma Decline plan. Complete the relevant test reports as soon as possible. After approval, we will begin this project."
He conveyed the results of this meeting to the many Adepts through binary code.
"Praise the Omnissiah."
"Praise the Emperor."
The Adepts expressed their inner joy in binary. The Age of Dharma Decline plan would be their decisive key to completely crushing other factions.
After a moment's pause, Regula spoke again: "Let's use the Ammonro race as test subjects first, to test the power of the Dharma Decline device and see if it can completely sever their possibility of using psyker powers."