"This is trouble…"
Seeing this sight, Eden felt a prickling at his scalp.
In the blink of an eye,
A squad of fully armed Crusaders, wielding power swords and storm weapons, rushed in.
These Crusaders—also called Holy Crusaders—all hailed from the Loyal Offspring Academy, living ascetic, monk-like lives. Their faith in the Emperor was ironclad, ceasing only in death.
And now Eden had just laid eyes on such irreverent, salacious gossip about the God-Emperor. Wouldn't they put him on trial right then and there?
Moreover, his current clone body was the standard version, hardly capable of standing up to these top-tier fighters.
Fortunately, the situation wasn't hopeless.
Most Crusaders served as bodyguards for various Cardinals, and Eden still had Donnie's token as a last resort. (TL: Donnie sounds better than Doni)
He had refrained from showing it until now out of caution—he wanted to avoid running into one of Master Donnie's political enemies, who might quietly "deal" with him.
But now, that token was his lifeline.
So long as these warriors weren't under the command of Master Donnie's adversaries, he could still bargain with them.
His thoughts raced.
Eden immediately tossed away the extremely heretical sheets of paper.
He took out the token, lifted it up, and shouted, "I am a beloved kinsman of Donnie Moer! And an associate of Lord Lauren Tis—"
Buzz—
"Heretic!"
The Crusaders moved with frightening speed, not even allowing him to finish before a power sword flickering with blue light slashed toward him.
It's over!
Eden watched the weapon's energy field close in, saw the faint arcs of electricity flicker across it, and even realized exactly how and where it would strike him. But though his mind reacted in time, his body couldn't keep up.
Confronting a top-tier fighter going all out, Eden's clone body simply couldn't dodge.
Sss—
The power sword sheared off a few strands of his hair, slicing diagonally past him and cutting instead into that blasphemous flyer-littered sheet on the ground.
The disintegration field erased it from existence.
Seeing this, Eden breathed a sigh of relief:
"Whew~ Good thing I took that gamble. They've even taken the initiative to destroy the evidence, so they must be Master Donnie's men!"
"Stay behind me!"
The one-eyed Crusader who had attacked spoke in a low voice, then pressed on at a run, sword in hand, as though nothing had happened.
They headed away from the Ecclesiarchal Cathedral.
Eden didn't question why, nor did he make any extraneous moves, following closely in their wake.
In dire moments like this, trust the professionals.
They hadn't gone far when screams erupted behind them.
It sounded as though other Crusaders were purging any Slaanesh cultists who had infiltrated the area, along with the unfortunates who had read those blasphemous flyers.
Luckily, the Crusaders had arrived quickly.
Probably very few people had seen those flyers by now.
Whirrrrr—
That was the thunder of engines overhead.
More than a dozen aircraft marked with the Inquisition's sigil roared across the skies at low altitude, loosely encircling that part of the city.
Simultaneously, still more craft approached from far away.
It looked like a storm was brewing.
"Wow, they really kicked the hornet's nest this time!"
Eden clicked his tongue.
Those Slaanesh devotees were bold enough to distribute utterly blasphemous "Gouzi Literature" right at the heart of the Ecclesiarchy. It was akin to standing next to the enemy's spawn point and shouting insults. A major act of heretical provocation—no way the Ecclesiarchy, the Inquisition, or the Imperial authorities wouldn't lose their minds over it.
Thankfully, the Crusaders had arrived to hustle him out. Caught in that maelstrom, even Master Donnie might not have been able to save him once multiple forces closed in.
Eden kept his head down, following the Crusaders as squads of Imperial troops streamed past.
Internally, he prayed not to get stopped.
Fortunately, nothing happened.
He and the Crusaders boarded an aircraft and flew beyond the Holy City.
Inside its hold,
All the Crusaders sat in silence, not a single motion wasted or sound uttered.
Eden suppressed his restlessness for a time, then couldn't help asking, "Where are we headed?"
"To eradicate the heretics' lair. After the mission is done, I'll take you to see Cardinal Lauren Tis."
The one-eyed Crusader's voice was terse.
Then silence again filled the cabin.
"They located the Slaanesh cult's base so quickly? Were those Slaanesh followers trying to get themselves killed on purpose…?"
Eden thought inwardly.
Something about this incident felt more complicated—there was an eerie sort of familiarity, like a self-destructive plan. Worse, rumors said some Navigators and priests had glimpsed a "second sun" near the God-Emperor's golden sun in the Warp. If that were ever confirmed, it would overturn existing Ecclesiarchal doctrine. How would they cope?
Still, Eden didn't worry too much. However the Ecclesiarchy dealt with it, the fact of the Little Sun's existence did him no harm.
So long as it shone beside the God-Emperor's sun, no one could easily brand it heresy.
Sizzle—
Eden sensed a faint, familiar ripple and looked in that direction.
It came from the Imperial Palace.
Could the God-Emperor Himself, enshrined on the Golden Throne, also have noticed this stir?
Curious, Eden turned his mind inward, momentarily merging his awareness with the Little Sun.
Indeed, within the Warp, the golden sun was trembling slightly, radiating a hint of anger through waves of holy brilliance. Yet upon sensing Eden's presence, the golden sun instantly stilled, as though nothing had happened.
For a moment, the two sides fell into silence.
Eden reflected.
He knows that I know. And I know that He knows that I know.
Would that be considered social suicide…?
That subtle, delicate moment created a slightly awkward tension.
Gazing at the unmoving golden sun, Eden's curiosity blazed. Were those rumors of the Emperor's "wild youth" true or not? What turned a former rogue into humanity's savior, the master of mankind and a tragic hero?
Who could help wanting the inside story on such a towering secret…
The Little Sun quivered slightly.
Eden hesitated, then impulsively gathered a thread of psychic energy, as though to ask: "About that—"
But he never got the chance.
Duang!!!
A sudden psychic smack sent the Little Sun reeling, starbursts dancing before Eden's eyes.
He immediately settled down.
Alright, I won't say a thing. I won't ask a thing…
Then he withdrew to normal consciousness.
Inside the transport, Eden shook his head, dizzy.
"What's wrong with you?"
The one-eyed Crusader shot him a sharp, wary look.
"Nothing, just… got a bit sentimental for a moment."
Eden replied.
After thirty more minutes of flight, the craft neared its target airspace and began to descend.
Through the porthole, they could see towering Baroque structures, so opulent that rubies, emeralds—countless gems—glittered under the sun's rays.
"Flashy but worthless. All that gaudy glare just screams 'den of sin.'"
Taking in the sight, Eden couldn't help muttering.
He guessed what place this must be:
The Eternal City,
A metropolis near the Himalayas, home to numerous Imperial nobles—dazzling yet wretched beneath the surface. While the high-born reveled above, the slums sprawled below, along with an underworld of filth and secrets.
Truly fertile ground for Chaos infiltration.
Those nobles, greedy for pleasures, might slip in their devotion and let Slaanesh creep in.
No doubt the Imperium's leadership knew all this but had little recourse. Ten millennia of moral decay had deeply entangled Holy Terra's upper nobility. Everyone was interconnected.
They couldn't purge themselves from top to bottom.
So generally,
They only rooted out those whose Chaos leanings caused major public harm or were thoroughly exposed—once Inquisitors turned up ironclad evidence.
That might change once Guilliman returned from Luna. He would never tolerate such rot and likely undertake a sweeping purge to reshuffle power.
Now, Eden and the Crusaders were heading for a hidden basement district said to be the Slaanesh cult's stronghold.
"To locate them so soon after the incident—this intel is almost suspiciously good…"
Eden mused.
Still, he wasn't about to meddle. The most important thing was to stick close to the Crusaders, wipe out the place, then meet the Cardinal.
He rose, stretched a bit, then held out his hand to the one-eyed Crusader:
"Brother, could you spare me a weapon for protection?"
The one-eyed Crusader glanced at him and tossed over a bulky sidearm engraved with holy sigils:
"This beast is a bit wild. Watch your wrist."
"That's exactly what I like…"
Eden caught it, feeling the reassuring weight, then expertly checked the ammunition. It had been sanctified—should work nicely.
He hadn't fought as a "normal human" in a while; it was actually refreshing.
The Crusaders all readied their arms, murmured their prayers, then one after another leapt out along the drop ramp.
Eden followed suit.
"Slaanesh cult hideout—your savior has arrived!"
The moment he landed, the smell of blood assaulted him.
Within the spacious tunnels stood all manner of blood-drenched bodies twisted into what might have been called "artful" poses, dolled up in lavish costumes.
Man, these degenerate aristocratic cultists deserve death…
Eden sighed heavily.
He had assumed that if these high-born were devoted to Slaanesh, they might pursue a more refined brand of vice—at worst hosting bizarre soirees. Who'd have imagined such depravity, evil, and slaughter?
Boom—
Gunfire and the hum of power swords intermingled.
Hoards of lower-tier cultists, armed haphazardly, swarmed forth, colliding with the Crusaders.
"Diiiiie!"
A cultist with heavy eye makeup and rows of piercings swung a slender blade at him.
Next instant—
Eden jammed the sidearm into the cultist's mouth and fired. With a muffled blast, that one collapsed.
Bang, bang, bang!
He kept pulling the trigger, mowing down more cultists.
Though his clone body wasn't superhuman, his reflexes were top-notch. Armed with a decent gun, it was easy enough to handle these minions.
Suddenly, Eden felt a jolt of danger and rolled aside.
Sizzle—
A melta beam swept by, melting the steel floor where he'd stood.
Damn!
They've got melta weapons?
These cultists must be loaded.
Eden felt a prickling at his scalp. "Uh… any chance one of you guys has a spare storm shield?"
...
In the Chamber of Pleasure
Hidden under a lavish palace lay the Slaanesh cult's core lair. The grand hall overflowed with jewelry and rare artworks, precious incense burning around the clock.
From time to time, the wails of women echoed.
Those women, dressed in resplendent gowns, were bound to velvet-lined crosses, suffering an array of torments.
Their shrieks comprised the evening's "music."
Nobles in exquisite masks arrived, costumed in myriad ways—one could spot a woman dressed as a silver-haired angel—participating in the ball.
They indulged in unspeakable acts across the hall.
In one corner,
A gem-studded noblewoman snarled, "Stop pawing me! You've practically torn the skin. Are you even up to the task or not?"
Then she kicked away the man at her feet.
A noble wearing a raven-shaped mask picked himself up with a wry grin, then skulked off, brushing against a few flirtatious ladies as he went.
"Hmph. These base debaucheries only drag you deeper into depravity. All of you filthy vermin deserve to burn in hell!"
The raven-masked man seethed inside.
As a bastard child, he still carried upper-tier noble blood. Why sink to such sordid pleasure when he could chase bigger ambitions? Yet because of his status, his family, superiors, and colleagues gave him no opportunities, only mockery and scorn.
That recollection made him smile coldly.
"If I'm not mistaken, my beloved relatives, the heir to my family, my superiors, and many colleagues…they're all here.
From now on, none of you can block my path."
A clean sweep.
Who would suspect that, despite masquerading as a major figure of this Pleasure Cult, he was actually a follower of the Changer of Ways?
He had plotted for years to lure them all here.
He had just sent out pawns to spread vile rumors—personally penned by him—that were sure to enrage the Ecclesiarchy. Then, via "certain channels," the location of this stronghold had leaked.
If he was right, the Ecclesiarchy's troops would already be in the outer corridors; once they broke into this core area, none of these buffoons would escape!
Growing ever more excited, the raven-masked man hastened his pace.
He needed to leave quickly, to escape safely.
Meanwhile, thrill coursed through him. As a Tzeentch worshipper, unleashing such a chaotic scheme would earn him more of the Master of Change's favor and power, if it succeeded.
Approaching the hidden corridor, his excitement peaked.
Everything was going to plan!
At last he reached the sealed door, laying a hand on the latch.
Knock, knock, knock—
"Open up—water inspection," came a gentle male voice.
On reflex, the raven-masked man opened the door.
He was instantly racked with agony.
He saw a group of tall warriors in black armor inlaid with white-bone motifs, wreathed in golden flames—like an army of vengeful undead—blocking the entrance. Among them stood a single mortal human.
Eden flashed a bright grin. "Gotcha, Slaanesh stooge—no, Tzeentch's lackey!"
Earlier, the Crusaders had split up to seek the hideout's core. Guided by the Little Sun's powerful psychic sense, Eden found this place—and detected a Tzeentch aura.
The Little Sun had once confronted the Master of Change at close range, so it keenly recognized that signature.
Indeed, the entire fiasco stemmed from a Tzeentch cultist sabotaging the Slaanesh cult.
Eden had just sent a signal when a squad of flame-wreathed behemoths arrived by teleportation.
They had to be the God-Emperor's own Hex Legion.
So Eden gamely helped them "knock" on the door.
Hiss—
Pinkish tentacles erupted from the raven-masked man's body, yanking him backward as he screeched. Too late—one of the Hex Legion crashed through the door, seized his skull, and smashed it into the floor like a watermelon. Then several more unleashed a barrage of bolts, reducing the remains to ash.
Afterward, the Hex Legion, operating with silent precision, purged every mutated cultist in that chamber.
Their work done, they regrouped and nodded briefly at Eden before entering another teleport gateway and vanishing.
Hiss—
They're too powerful! Absolutely overwhelming.
Eden watched the Hex Legion disappear with undisguised envy.
A legion free to come and go, far beyond normal Astartes in power… If only he could one day assemble such a force of his own.
And it was a stark reminder never to profane the God-Emperor. If circumstances demanded it, the Hex Legion really might come knocking.
Just then, the one-eyed Crusader and his men arrived. They gaped at the hall, already cleared and silent, then at Eden, who stood there unscathed.
Eden met the one-eyed Crusader's gaze and spread his hands, looking helpless. "If I told you this wasn't my doing, would you believe me?"
Suddenly, one of the Crusaders gasped, pointing at the scorched ground.
"A miracle!"
"Praise the Emperor!"
Seeing the flaming sigil they left behind, all of the Crusaders knelt in prayer.
"Seems like the Ecclesiarchy has quite a bit of documented lore on the Hex Legion," Eden thought to himself.
After the prayer, they began methodically gathering evidence and rescuing survivors—witnesses, in other words.
Before long, Eden returned with them to the Ecclesiarchy's headquarters.
...
Within the Ecclesiarchal Palace,
Cathedral of the Emperor Ascendant
In the reception area, faint hymns floated through the halls. A cherub flew in, setting a cup of hot beverage on the table.
Eden picked it up and took a sip. Not bad.
His mood had improved. After passing multiple checks, he was finally allowed an audience with Cardinal Lauren Tis.
Over the last few days, Eden had gleaned more about what happened after the Gouzi Literature incident.
Sure enough, as he had expected:
The Ecclesiarchy and the Inquisition had moved with incredible speed to suppress all rumors, blocking every mention of a "second sun." They refused even to consider such a possibility.
Because, if confirmed, the Holy Sun wouldn't be unique anymore—
And worse, the new sun sat right beside the God-Emperor's sun. How would the Ecclesiarchy respond? Proclaim a second god in their pantheon?
More alarming yet, a devout elder priest really had witnessed a vague silhouette of another sun next to the golden one. They knew absolutely nothing about it. That sense of uncertainty terrified them.
Thus, whether the story was truth or rumor, everything was locked down. Best if no one said another word.
For Eden, this was excellent. Whether or not the Ecclesiarchy accepted the existence of that second sun, it was already a seed in the minds of high-ranking clerics.
And as Eden's Little Sun grew larger, more faithful who gazed upon the God-Emperor's golden sun would notice that second radiance. All Eden had to do was wait for the seeds of devotion to sprout.
Meanwhile, the furor over the "Gouzi Literature" continued to escalate.
All of Holy Terra plunged into a crusade against heretical cults, and the Astral psykers (the "Astropaths") urged every Imperial world to stamp out Slaanesh covens in particular.
The uproar even spilled into the Warp itself.
Those wily daemons lurking in Slaanesh's realm reported sightings of fiery warriors abruptly striking the outskirts of the Palace of Slaanesh, destroying many structures and banishing legions of daemons.
And why, one might ask, did the God-Emperor—knowing it was Tzeentch's cultists behind the fiasco—seize the moment to attack Slaanesh?
Because His methods were shrewd.
According to later intel from cunning Tzeentch daemons, the Master of Change at last emerged from his crystal sanctum, only for Slaanesh to storm in, demanding retribution. Then Khorne showed up to join the fun as well.
Their wrath shook the Warp. Portions of Tzeentch's recently repaired Crystal Labyrinth were destroyed again. After taking a whip-lash and an axe-blow, Tzeentch slipped back into his crystal room.
"So unlucky for the Master of Change. Never expected to get burned by his own disciple's grand stunt…"
Upon hearing these reports, Eden was highly amused.
That cunning cultist who masterminded the fiasco really was a genius, daring to launch such a show right under the Ecclesiarchy's nose. Had the Hex Legion not completely annihilated him, he might well have become one of Tzeentch's top champions…
Having taken in all the gossip,
Eden followed the cherub's lead to the residence of Cardinal Lauren Tis—one of the Imperium's central figures, wielding real authority just below the High Lords.
Moreover, after Guilliman had removed the Ecclesiarch from the High Lords of Terra, this cardinal might now have a genuine chance to climb even higher.
If all went smoothly,
Eden would finally gain the long-sought license to evangelize. His territory could openly interact beyond its borders, expanding its reach and spreading the faith of the Savior.
In other words, that territory could move about more freely, and other worlds in the Imperium might come to know the Savior.
Eden drew a deep breath. Surely nothing else would go awry—right?
(End of Chapter)
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