Chapter 12: Vashtorr: "I am cooked."
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"I am sure that this will be made into a meme," Kardia thought to himself, a smirk creeping across his face. Yet, he was actually not trying to fucking cry.
He is still thinking of going through the plan that he gave to Isha.
He assessed the absurdity of his current situation. It was hard to believe what had just transpired.
Just a few hours earlier, Kardia had been sitting at a crowded table in his personal Space Station, laughing and sharing jokes with his new subordinates.
They were busy discussing how happy they were that they had to change their lives.
Suddenly, as he goes to his office to finish his Spaceship project and wait for the next day, out of nowhere, he has to go to the Immaterium.
And he later found himself engaged in an extraordinary conversation with a literal Goddess of Life.
The Goddess of Life literally requested him to save her from none other than the Devil God of Decay, Nurgle.
Kardia felt the weight of his life choices fall upon him, thrusting him into a role that he wasn't really ready to take yet.
He knew that if he did what he had planned to do, he was going to be marked as public enemy number one to all of the Immaterium.
And all of that because of some space elf goddess ussy?
(If YK YK)
He wanted to say the real word, but he knew if he said it, it was going to be even weirder.
That was wild to think about... right?
All of that in what seems be less than two hours.
If this were his previous life, Kardia could already see the memes or could already see the TikTok comments, like flashlights at a celebrity gala.
But he managed to calm down.
'Remember, Kardia... You are just trying to make some noise for her to escape. Nothing more.' Kardia thought to himself, trying to justify his future actions, but no type of justification was going to be possible.
"Well… If I think about this seriously, it's the perfect opportunity for me as well. I can make a name for myself and push those pests away from me," Kardia thought, realizing this perspective made more sense than what he had considered before.
After all, having a name in the Immaterium carries weight. If the Immaterium somehow feared him, some Daemons wouldn't want to go near him in the future.
"Well… It's time to start. It's time to put on a show."
'Sorry, Vasthorr… you are cooked, but I need to make some noise, and you are the perfect choice for that.'
As he thought of that, Kardia took complete control over his soul reflection, a manifestation of his essence that loomed within the space where he had been placed in the Immaterium.
With a mere thought, he willed the massive black hole between his hands to vanish into nothingness.
As he executed this move, Kardia immediately sensed the weight of numerous unseen gazes converging upon him from various directions.
Instead of cowering under the scrutiny of those countless eyes, Kardia smiled widely for everyone to see.
With grace and an eerie confidence, he maneuvered the colossal form of his soul reflection within this corrupted dimension.
Each deliberate movement generated ripples that spread through the Immaterium, distorting the void around him as if it were water disturbed by a stone.
Tapping into his remarkable "Universal Perception" skill, Kardia anchored his perception himself with the vibrant tapestry of psychic energy that flowed around him like a living current.
As every entity locked its gaze onto Kardia's shimmering reflection in the ethereal fabric of the Immaterium, those same once-distant watchers—daemons and spectral beings alike—felt an unsettling sensation creeping over them.
That sensation was the chilling realization that someone was peering into their very essence, dissecting their thoughts and fears.
Yet for these watchers in the distance, the sensation was far more profound and terrifying.
It felt as though Kardia were standing directly behind them, his hand gripping their necks, silently conveying that he could take their lives at any moment if he wished.
A wave of turmoil washed through the spiritual hearts of the Daemons of the Immaterium.
The panic of knowing one could lose everything at any moment struck them like a cold gust of wind in an otherwise serene landscape.
As a direct consequence of this surge in collective dread, Kardia could feel a potent wave of energy coursing through him, invigorating his very being, stemming from the simple act of activating his "Universal Perception."
The Immaterium is a vast and intricate dimension that embodies the emotions, thoughts, aspirations, and fears of every sentient being across the galaxy.
It serves as a cosmic mirror, reflecting the internal struggles and desires of countless souls.
This dimension literally represents the consciousness of all sentient beings, manifesting their dreams and anxieties.
However, the connection within the Immaterium flows in both directions.
The daemons, as embodiments of this realm, are also entities of thought and emotion, projecting their own desires and fears into the fabric of the Immaterium.
This intertwining creates an endless loop of energy, where the essence of thought and emotion feeds back into the realm, forming a boundless reservoir of power.
In Kardia's case, he was instilling profound fear in nearly every lesser and greater daemon of the Immaterium with just "watching" them back.
Their echoes of anxiety and fear of him generated psychic energy.
As the orchestrator of this ripple of fear among the daemons, the energy produced was inclined to flow toward Kardia himself, as he was the "projected" fear in their thoughts and demonic hearts.
This is why he felt gaining strength, and was becoming a lot stronger.
Yet, while he was happy that he was getting stronger, Kardia did not pay attention to this matter in its entirety.
Instead, with his almost "omniscient" view of the Immaterium, he began to look for the person that he was going to ruin.
"I found you," he declared, his voice resonating through the warp, rich with authority yet as soothing as a whisper from a celestial being.
For the first time since his reflection manifested in the Warp, his voice reverberated for everyone to hear, and it was filled with unmistakable power.
This sound commanded attention and respect.
In the blink of an eye, Kardia's reflection within the swirling abyss of the Warp shifted with startling abruptness, as if he surged forward at a velocity that was of light speed.
Those observing this breathtaking scene were struck by the vivid imagery, likening it to meteors cascading from the heavens. But those meteors are cascading at speeds never witnessed before.
And in reality, that's exactly what happened.
Whoever was watching was shocked to see such a massive figure vanish before their very eyes—the same figure they had seen rise to power just six months ago.
Kardia chose to move at these incredible speeds because if he used his almost "commonly" used ability named "Instant Motion," which allows him to cross any distance instantaneously, Nurgle would be able to put the pieces together and realize that he was the one who saved Isha.
Even while moving at such blinding speeds, there was no temporal or spatial distortion; it was as if you could see the phenomenon, but you couldn't trace it.
Of course, Kardia had not actually reached "light speed" movement, as he had not trained to awaken his Microcosm. Still, the reason it looks so fast is because of enhancements through magic and other things.
It was like seeing a ghost, but being unable to interact with it.
Every sentient creature watched this in awe, as the figure that came out of nowhere moved at speeds that they thought were impossible.
Some daemons that saw where Kardia went began to feel bad for the Daemon they all knew and heard about.
"Yeah... He is cooked."
Some Slaaneshi Daemons talked among each other as they saw where the massive figure was moving towards.
...
Meanwhile, Vashtorr, the Forge of Souls, had been observing the progress of his latest project. He had felt some changes in the distance but had chosen to ignore them.
Suddenly, he felt a bolt of lightning surge through every nerve in his monstrous, mechanical body, like sparks warning him that something was about to happen—and it wouldn't be good for him.
Out of curiosity, Vashtorr left his workshop of hell to inspect his dominion. However, as soon as he stepped outside, his entire body became more rigid than stone.
No, that was an understatement.
Hesitantly, he raised his head, and what he saw filled him with sheer shock. Before him stood a figure he had witnessed thousands of times, one that had always inspired intense jealousy within him.
How could such a being appear out of nowhere and grow stronger than nearly all the daemons of the Immaterium?
It was true that this being was not as powerful as the Chaos Gods, nor was it as formidable as that abomination known as the Anathema.
However, its growth in power was even swifter than Slaanesh's rapid ascent immediately after his/her birth.
In fact, just three months ago, this entity had evolved into a full-fledged God.
Everyone in the Immaterium felt this shift, including the Anathema, who instilled fear in both Vashtorr and the Chaos Gods.
Anticipation brewed for a massive Warp Storm, yet nothing occurred. This ascension to Godhood was the most observed event in the Immaterium. Still, it turned out to be one of the most anticlimactic ever.
Some daemons near the dominion of the "Despicable One" claimed they heard him exclaim, "WHAT THE FUCK!?"
Even the "Despicable One," the Anathema, was perplexed as to how this entity managed to ascend to full-fledged Godhood without causing a major disturbance.
It was as if this being had discovered the perfect method for achieving Godhood without creating a problem.
In fact, Vashtorr sensed that the entire atmosphere of the Immaterium had changed because of this entity since that event—no, since its appearance.
And now, that figure, which instilled so much hatred and jealousy inside him, was looking straight at him with indifferent eyes.
As if he were nothing more than an ant that could be crushed at any moment.
When their eyes locked for just a brief moment, Vashtorr sensed true terror. He felt something that shouldn't exist.
Vashtorr and other entities in the Warp fear the likes of the Emperor of Mankind for what he represents. He is their natural enemy.
They call him the "Anathema" because he represents the complete opposite of what they embody: Chaos; he embodies Order.
However, upon looking at Kardia, Vashtorr felt immense fear. Kardia doesn't just represent Order; he also embodies Chaos.
It was something that Vashtorr had never seen before.
An entity that represents both concepts? This was beautiful in a perfectly contradictory way, yet terrifying to behold.
It meant that this being could grow stronger than any other in the Immaterium. He could draw power from imposing order and harmony, but he could also gain power from creating chaos.
It completely broke Vashtorr's illogical logic.
And that was precisely what this entity was doing, even if Vashtorr was unaware of it.
(Think of the In-Betweener of Marvel. But WAY WEAKER.)
Before Vashtorr stood a massive figure, an embodiment of both light and darkness, whose presence distorted the very fabric of reality within his dominion.
However, this colossal figure began to shrink, diminishing from an enormous size to a more "reasonable" scale.
Kardia reduced himself to a height comparable to that of his Realspace counterpart, approximately two and a half meters, or around eight feet tall.
Despite returning to a relatively smaller size, the power emanating from Kardia remained undiminished.
His stature is still considerable. In his previous world, Kardia would be regarded as a giant. In fact, his size is reminiscent of his Alcides/Heracles Template.
Kardia is tall, but perfectly built and shaped.
He is lean yet muscular; his muscles convey strength but are also aesthetically pleasing. Not overly bulky to the point he looks like a brute, not skinny enough to look like a girl.
Kardia embodies a combination of beauty and absolute strength, integrating flexibility and agility to create a near-perfect physique.
Even male demons and others of any race in the galaxy would agree that Kardia is simply perfectly built.
Even Fulgrim, who was watching from a distance alongside his master Slaanesh, felt a twinge of jealousy at Kardia's form.
Kardia found this form much more comfortable to use than his larger reflection. However, even in his current form, he is still smaller than Vashtorr, who has a tall daemon body.
Ultimately, size isn't what matters; overall energy is what counts when discussing "spiritual" life forms.
Sosuke Aizen articulated this better than anyone else.
When spiritual life forms of the same level engage in combat, their techniques and skills are crucial for the win. However, when the two parties are not on equal footing, no amount of tricks will help if one side lacks sufficient power.
This is why Kardia was not worried about Vashtorr whatsoever.
Seeing Vashtorr in the distance, Kardia utilized his "Instant Motion" skill to appear in front of him in an instant.
Kardia sized up Vashtorr, and he had to admit that this demon was quite ugly. Vashtorr was taller than even Space Marines, and his strength was formidable, but he was not the 'prettiest' daemon.
Well... all daemons are ugly as fuck, with the sole exception of the Carrera, Ultima, and Testarossa in the anime of Tensura.
Vashtorr is a Demigod Chaos Entity who literally owned and ruled an Ætheric Dominion. This achievement was anything but easy to attain.
Kardia knew exactly who Vashtorr was—a being of formidable power. Known as the Forger of Souls.
Vashtorr was notorious among the denizens of the Immaterium, a Greater Daemon who refused to align with any particular faction of Chaos.
Instead, he dedicated his existence to the worship of Chaos as a concept, as a collective force and concept.
For countless years, Vashtorr had labored to cultivate his strength, driven by an insatiable desire to ascend to the illustrious status of the Fifth Chaos God.
Now, Vashtorr can be considered a formidable daemonic being, as he is effectively a demigod within the vast and treacherous realms of the Immaterium.
Although he failed to ascend to Godhood because the Chaos Gods pretty much stopped him, and for that reason, his godhead of technology was fractured.
He still has it, but it is fractured.
Vashtorr is, in fact, quite strong, stronger than most other demigods out there, but he cannot mess around with the big leagues like the Chaos Gods or the Emperor of Mankind.
Well... no one really can, with the sole exception of the Tyranid Hive Mind.
Kardia, who hasn't spoken yet, looked at Vashtorr and later sighed.
'The things I do for a Goddess. At least I'll save her.' Kardia thought, but moments later, he looked at Vashtorr in the eyes.
"I can sense the turbulent emotions radiating from you," Kardia began, his dominant yet soft voice cutting through the intense atmosphere.
"Are you... Perhaps angry? We haven't even met properly, yet I can see immense anger directed towards me."
Although Kardia's words were not meant to provoke Vashtorr, the way his red eyes sparkled suggested that he enjoyed watching Vashtorr's emotions flare in response.
"The rumor says you tried to ascend. Is that true? How old are you?"
As if the hellish scenery around him were his own home, Kardia began to stroll through the terrifying landscape, his red-golden eyes absorbing every detail.
It was remarkable how this daunting environment, which would have intimidated him in his previous life, did not frighten him at all in this one.
Even knowing that this world was one of the most dangerous fictional realms out there, he felt no fear.
Perhaps after gaining some form of power, fear becomes irrelevant.
This was something that had always bothered Kardia in his previous life.
He understood that the Chaos Gods and the Emperor of Mankind were beings beyond comprehension, but why did every fanfiction main character seem to fear them throughout the entire story?
One could argue that Kardia had a clear advantage—he possessed incredible luck, remarkable skills, and so on.
But just a few months ago, he had been an ordinary human, and now he had some power.
He wasn't the strongest, but he knew his boundaries, and he wasn't scared of anyone.
So why did every fanfiction main character, who might have equal or even lesser abilities than he did, still fear the Chaos Gods?
Kardia was aware of their power and knew how dangerous they were. In truth, he understood that he couldn't defeat even one of them, let alone all four combined.
But still, he felt no fear.
So why... fill entire chapters with just fearing the Chaos Gods? It was beyond him, but that was not the point.
"It's amusing, to say the least. I can imagine the Chaos Gods laughing at this. For them, it would be like watching a crippled monkey attempt to climb a tree—cruel, yet undeniably funny."
Kardia was mocking Vashtorr, his red-golden eyes gleaming with mockery. He was deliberately trying to provoke Vashtorr into a fit of rage.
Kardia had learned the art of ragebaiting from his friends in his previous life, as well as from Beru after summoning him.
He remembered that Raphael had actually given him a "video," or more like a replay of the memories of Beru fighting against the Tyranids, and Beru was like, "Where is your king? Where is your Queen? Why are you so weak?"
It seems that his Ragebait had worked, as Vashtorr's horrendous face was now red with anger. Especially when Kardia knew the weakpoints of Vashtorr.
Vashtorr is a demigod of the Warp that feeds into the idea that humans are nothing more than just "food" for them.
Not literally "food," but the idea that they are weak mortals who try to fight against something that they don't understand.
For Vashtorr to be mocked and be compared to a monkey, an animal that humans used to own and co-exist with, was beyond disrespectful, but... Kardia had done so.
However, Vashtorr knew its boundaries; he knew that attacking the person, the entity in front of him, could bring him serious trouble.
And the entity in front of him knew about it, and that is why he was mocking him. Because he lacked the raw power to do anything.
"Y-you! H-how the hell did you get here?"
Vashtorr's voice trembled as he stared wide-eyed at the humanoid figure before him.
"Quite easy, actually," Kardia replied, an enigmatic smile curling at the corners of his lips."
"I just moved at the Speed of Light. Easy, right? I just happened to stumble upon your little realm by sheer accident. Thought I'd drop in for a friendly chat. Can I not make friends?"
Vashtorr's anger flared as he clenched his jaw. Trying to hold it in.
"Isn't that what you do—making friends with the likes of Abaddon? A pathetic imitation of Horus? Oh right...! I can't say that name!" His voice dripped with sarcasm, yet beneath it seethed uncontained rage.
"But you know what? I don't give a fuck."
Kardia leaned in, the whisper filled with mockery, as he nearly brushed against the monstrous ear of Vashtorr.
Yet he didn't lower his voice; instead, he amplified it, ensuring that every soul across the vast, chaotic expanse of the Immaterium could hear his disdainful proclamation.
After all, everything that was happening was being seen by pretty much all of the Immaterium. He needed to put on a show.
Allow them to see.
Allow them to foretaste what they might face should their disgusting winds of chaos dare to annoy him.
As you can expect, Kardia's ragebait had actually worked.
With seething fury, Vashtorr demanded, "Why are you here?"
In an instant, his rage manifested into an attack; he swung his massive hammer, forged in the depths of despair, toward Kardia with unbridled ferocity.
The expectation was that Vashtorr, after accumulating power, could do a sneak attack and finish Kardia off.
After doing that, he could absorb the power of Kardia and become the Fifth Chaos God.
The reality? Harsh.
Before it could even hit approach Kardia, something seemed to stop it in its tracks.
It was Kardia who casually intercepted the mighty blow with nothing more than a single finger, halting the colossal force as if it were a mere child's game.
That simple act—stopping the unstoppable attack of a Demigod of the Warp with the ease of an everyday gesture—was a sight that sent ripples of disbelief across the Immaterium, challenging the very nature of power and dominance.
But inside of Kardia's head, he felt like Aizen stopping Ichigo's Bankai state Zanpakuto.
"Now, now... calm down, Vashtorr. We don't want to outrage our audience just yet." Kardia's tone was almost playful, his demeanor unfazed by the palpable tension surrounding them.
"There are a few important matters we need to discuss."
Suddenly, Kardia appeared behind Vashtorr, his movements fluid and serene as he exerted just a hint of pressure, pushing Vashtorr downwards with startling ease.
As the Demigod struggled against the invisible force, he felt himself transitioning into a seated position upon an elegant black chair that materialized beneath him.
Before him stood a stark white and black table, starkly contrasting the chaos of his dominion. Kardia glided across the table, settling into a corresponding chair designed in the same striking duality.
"Want to play a game?" Kardia asked, extending his hand toward the surface of the table.
In an astonishing display of power, a Chess Board appeared from thin air, the pieces already set in anticipation of a match that transcended mere strategy.
Vashtorr, utterly astounded, gazed around in disbelief as these surreal constructs floated weightlessly above the twisted landscapes of his realm.
Below, he caught sight of his demons, once loyal to him, now mere observers of their master's humiliation—helpless in the face of the unfathomable situation unfolding above their heads.
The oppressive atmosphere thickened, filled with a mixture of anxiety and curiosity as they witnessed the unfolding interaction.
Kardia, in an instant, transformed his beaming smile into a mask of solemnity.
"Why are you here? I've asked you two times already. Respond to me," Vashtorr insisted, laced with arrogance, as he sought to demand a reply from Kardia.
"How arrogant of you, Vashtorr..." Kardia taunted playfully, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes as he reveled in the growing irritation of his table companion.
Yet, Kardia's expression shifted once more, entering a realm of gravity and resolve.
As if Kardia were the center and he was, a colossal surge of energy erupted from him, reverberating through the very fabric of existence, shaking the heavens, hell, and earth alike.
Powerful arcs of black lightning, surrounded by a white color, crackled and surged, enveloping the entirety of the Ætheric Dominion, while the atmosphere thickened to a palpable weight.
What once felt like a serene dominion was now caught in a violent tremor, as enormous storms brewed under the influence of Kardia's formidable aura.
The sky became a canvas for a cosmic tempest, where myriad cosmic and spiritual energies clashed in a spectacular display, their interplay creating an extraordinarily volatile and chaotic spectacle.
But this was not for show; each impact of lightning was strong enough to destroy a moon like nothing.
Even other "mindless" creatures, who felt the danger, tried to flee, but those strikes of lightning were several times faster than the speed of light.
As those strikes of black-white lightning impacted, those deaemons suddenly were able to remember their entire lives.
This was because death had caught them, or more like "Kardia" had caught them.
Kardia also has dominion over the concept of Death from Hela, and also from the powerful God of Death, Thanatos.
Other mindless beasts, who weren't so mindless, tried to escape, but it was impossible.
Not even if they tried to make a run for it could they have escaped the lightning strikes.
And like a chain of lightning, after one was attacked, it attached to multiple massive creatures at the same time.
So, pretty much everyone in the Immaterium could see, in fear, with the exceptions of a few, how a simple display of aura literally killed thousands and thousands of Astral Specters and Warp Leviathans around the area that were simply minding their business.
"Vashtor, my friend."
The red-golden eyes of Kardia seemed to show some hostility, even if the face of Kardia showed a bright smile.
"You only make demands when you are equal to or stronger than another person. You are not stronger than me. So, I advise you to lower your attitude."
The message was clear.
Vashtorr was weaker than Kardia, and Vashtorr, as the one put in a bad position, was not in a position to make demands.
Even a toddler could've guessed that.
After an awkward silence between the two, Kardia, not trying to make this entirely awkward, spoke again.
"Right! Excuse my language! Where were we? Ah, yes! Let's play a game, little Vashtorr."
Kardia gestured toward the chessboard in front of them.
"W-what kind of game is this?" Vashtorr stammered, his fear of Kardia causing him to deflate completely, but his words still had a bite in them.
"I was going to invite you to play Chess," Kardia said as he looked at the perfectly made pieces.
"Chess...?"
Vashtorr was confused; he had never heard of such a game, and Kardia looked at him like he was weird.
"Well, you know what? We are actually going to watch the game because you ruined the whole moment. Fuck you for that, Vashtorr."
Kardia acted like he was mad, but he still had a "professional" smile.
"Poor little Vashtorr. No wonder people don't like you. Thankfully, after today, they won't have to see your face ever again! HAHAHAHA!"
Kardia laughed, a sadistic smile plastered across his face. It was evident to anyone watching that Kardia was not there for the game; he was there to kill Vashtorr.
But the joke that Kardia made even made some Daemons in the distance laugh.
After all, Kardia's charisma even works for Daemons.
Well... that was obvious from miles away.
Vashtorr shivered at Kardia's words and his maniacal laughter, feeling goosebumps spread across his body.
'This guy used to be human...? Has his mind twisted since his ascension to Goodhood? He seems far more deranged than most people realize.' Vashtorr thought to himself, utterly terrified.
He was unaware that Kardia was merely acting; in reality, he wouldn't normally behave this way at all.
"Alright, let's cut to the chase, shall we?" Kardia spoke again.
"You know why I am here, right? So instead of wasting more time, let me say it to you straight."
"I want your Ætheric Dominion. I also desire your fractured godhead of technology. For you, that means... your death."
Kardia smiled, as if the deal he was proposing to Vashtorr was the best deal that Vashtorr was going to see in his life.
"And let me clarify something, my friend."
"This is not a request; it is something I will obtain today, whether you like it or not."
Kardia's tone shifted to seriousness, and his red-golden eyes conveyed a depth of intent that many failed to grasp.
"However, I don't enjoy bullying the weak," he said, locking eyes with Vashtorr.
"I am a benevolent God, if you can believe that! Haha. For this reason, I take care of my people, even though they are few."
"I also give the 'weak' who oppose me a chance to fight back. Not out of mockery, but out of respect."
"For this reason, I've decided to make your army stand against my personal army. It would be more like a… what's the word? Ah, yes! A fight in the coliseum!"
Kardia pretended to ponder, placing a hand on his handsome chin, then looked at Vashtorr as if he had received help in finding the word.
Kardia didn't know if Vashtorr had an army. Still, after arriving in this dominion, Kardia had seen that Vashtorr had quite a lot of followers.
After all, Vasthorr was also a demigod.
"So, here's the deal."
"Tell your army to defend your Dominion, and I'll summon mine. The two will battle, and whichever side wins gets to survive. Easy to understand?"
Kardia said as he looked at Vashtorr, who had been quiet since earlier.
"Fair game?"
Kardia asked once again, like a commentator, to get the other commentator to say something about a game rule.
"So... Do you accept these conditions?" Kardia leaned in. "Just to be clear, your only options are 'Yes' and 'Yes."
Vashtorr, who had remained silent for some time, stared at Kardia, who was clearly mocking him. He tried to calm his racing, raging heart.
Everything that was happening was something Vashtorr never thought would occur to him.
As a Demigod known as the "God in the Machine," he had always tried to make his plans in secret.
Vashtorr was powerful compared to other high daemons, being a Greater Daemon Demigod himself. But because other forces were as strong, or even stronger, Vashtorr planned every move meticulously to minimize losses.
Yet, no amount of scheming, planning, or power could save him now. Though he was a daemon, Vashtorr viewed Kardia as the true monster in this situation.
"Yes..."
Vashtorr, resigned to his fate, uttered the words that would ultimately cost him his life.
"Well, ready? Start!" Kardia declared as he initiated the game.
But... The inhabitants of the Immaterium fell silent, astonished to see him begin without summoning his army.
An awkward silence came after that, and Vashtorr, although completely angry, tried to say something.
"Are you not going to summon your army?" Vashtorr inquired, genuinely curious despite his anger.
"Oh...! I forgot!"
Rising from his seat, Kardia looked down and snapped his fingers. A portal opened where the floor of that Ætheric Dominion was.
The already established army of Vashtorr suddenly felt an overwhelming pressure, as if something was about to emerge that they were utterly unprepared for.
The spectators in the Immaterium, captivated by the portal, heard a phrase that would linger in their minds for a long time.
"Arise...!"
With dramatic flair, Kardia proclaimed the words, his voice echoing through the fabric of reality as he summoned forth a portal.
From this shimmering gateway, thousands—no, millions—of shadowy figures began to materialize, each reflecting the dark red-golden hue of his piercing eyes, casting an ominous glow over the battlefield.
To the astonishment of many gathered, towering ant-like creatures emerged from the depths of the portal, each radiating an aura of unyielding power that reverberated through the air.
Other Daemons watching felt the immense energy coursing from these grotesque forms.
Next, a battalion of knights stepped forth. Some looked like ordinary soldiers of fortune, clad in shining, shadowy armor and brandishing weapons.
Then, to everyone's shock, an entire legion of a different type of Ork began to emerge.
These Orks were unlike any previously encountered. They embodied a strange blend of brute strength and cunning intellect, their sophisticated gear suggesting a preparedness for war that was almost unprecedented among their kind.
To the disbelief of Daemons and warp entities alike, what appeared to be Aeldari-like figures culminated next, draped in frosty elegance and surrounded by an icy aura that shimmered like starlight.
Yet, they were not just any Aeldari; they were the Ice Elves from the world of Solo Leveling, famed for their supernatural grace and battle prowess.
Swifter and stronger than any Aeldari in the galaxy, the Ice Elves epitomized the zenith of combat superiority, their eyes gleaming with determination as they joined the fray.
As the chaotic scene unfolded, colossal entities began to thunder forth from the portal at breathtaking speeds, shifting the very ground beneath the onlookers.
Once the dust settled and the awestruck spectators adjusted to the sight before them, they found themselves enveloped in a sense of wonder and apprehension.
Massive dragons and wyverns, each one rivaling the size of entire sectors of Vashtorr's Ætheric Dominion, filled the ashen skies.
Their powerful, shadowy forms exuded an aura reminiscent of ancient legends, tales of chaos and conquest long since whispered in hushed tones.
The psychic energy radiating from these dragon-like titans was staggering, a palpable force that thrummed in the air.
Even the smallest among them possessed a power that rivaled that of a Greater Daemon, their very presence causing ripples of fear among the lesser beings.
Mind you, certain Greater Daemons had the destructive capacity to wipe out cities with ease.
In contrast, others were more powerful and capable of obliterating entire planets and later dragging them into the Immaterium to expand their territories in service of their malevolent Gods.
From the depths of the portal, large humanoid-like snakes began to slither forth, each gripping a trident-like weapon, their scales glistening ominously in the fading light.
These were the Nagas.
Simultaneously, enormous serpentine beings, as large as entire buildings, emerged, transforming the once serene Ætheric Dominion of Vashtorr into a chaotic battlefield teeming with energy and anticipation.
However, this was far from the climax.
The very air seemed to crackle with tension as a new presence made itself known—what came next sent ripples of terror through even the most powerful among the Greater Daemons and solitary warp entities.
The first to emerge was a towering Knight, radiating an otherworldly shadow-like light, as if he were a conduit of raw energy itself.
He held a sword that shimmered, emitting a brilliant aura infused with the elements of red-white light and lightning, illuminating the area around him with an ethereal glow.
Though the Knight appeared deceptively "normal" to some onlookers, the intense energy that enveloped him was palpable, a thick haze of dread that even the most fearsome Greater Daemons dared not approach.
The aura he radiated felt as sharp as the finest blade imaginable—this was the essence of power and terror. This feeling instilled deep-rooted fear in the hearts of all who beheld him.
This formidable Shadow Soldier was none other than Igris, a Marshal-Grade Soldier, renowned among fans as one of the Three Wings of the Shadow Monarch.
In this case, one of the Wings of Kardia.
After enduring countless hours of brutal combat against the relentless Tyranids, Kardia decided to start deploying his shadows in harrowing battles on distant planets.
After all, you can't keep an army without doing something. So he decided, after nearly wiping out the Tyranids on the planet he "spawned" into this world, to start separating armies and later deploying individual armies to different planets to fight.
This was the idea that Kardia had for his Shadows, as a way to allow them to grow in strength.
After countless hours, Igris had risen from the ranks of Shadow General to become a Marshal. And that aura was the aura of a Shadow Marshal.
Kardia had chosen Igris alone for this pivotal battle, a strategic decision aimed at preserving his power, but, at the same time, it shows that he has power.
It does both things perfectly.
Igris alone exuded a power that felt reminiscent of a Primarch, which raised multiple concerns through the invisible crowd.
The appearance of Igris changed the perspective that individuals had of Kardia.
Kardia was known as this unknown entity that appeared six months ago in the Immaterium. Since it appeared, it started to do some pretty amazing things, but nothing more.
After all, ever since he appeared, he had not moved. And now, he showed that he had the means to be another "faction."
"Well... Let's start."
Kardia said as he looked at Vashtorr.
....
End of chapter 12.