Chapter 466: Essence and Nature! Leaning on a Great Tree! Reward!
"I understand. So, what should I do next? Do I need to collect any materials?" Guilliman asked aloud.
Aside from the Emperor and the four Chaos Gods in the Warp, likely no one truly knew the specifics of the ascension ritual—whether it required some kind of drug-assisted breakthrough or merely the force of human faith.
"There's no rush. For now, I'll take you to understand what your essence really is."
The Emperor smiled. Even if materials or artifacts were required, Guilliman wouldn't need to search for them himself. What mattered now was leading Guilliman through a journey of self-discovery.
"My essence…" Guilliman froze. His first thought was that his physical structure was made from a mixture of genetic engineering and ancient sorcery.
Only then did he recall the Warp-entity seed the Emperor had mentioned earlier.
"The essence of a Primarch originates from the Warp. And within the Warp, each essence is unique. Amid the infinite chaos of fragmented emotions, a few pure traits always condense into being."
"Tzeentch, the Deceiver, seeks ceaseless change. Slaanesh desires only Infinity pleasure. Khorne finds meaning solely in slaughter. Nurgle delights in the process of life's decay."
"These extreme, absolute traits—these are the true essences of the Warp gods."
Guilliman nodded thoughtfully, seeming to grasp the Emperor's meaning. By that logic, every Primarch possessed an essence of his own, and each essence expressed itself differently through the individual.
Perhaps Horus's essence was arrogance, pride. Perhaps his own was something closer to prudence and wisdom.
As the Emperor revealed these truths about the Warp, he recalled the past—when he had deliberately stripped away the essences and memories of the seeds, leaving only the shell to serve as vessels for the Primarchs' souls.
He had done this because he feared that the Primarchs, influenced by the pure traits of their essences, might lose all humanity and come to disregard human life entirely.
After all, the Primarchs were never truly human in the first place. Even if all of them returned to the Warp and became companions of the four Chaos Gods, it would be a natural outcome.
Thus the Emperor erased their traits and memories, giving the Primarchs space to cultivate their own humanity. Yet humanity itself was inherently complex, volatile, ever-shifting.
Pure essence allowed no room for other emotions. To become divine was to abandon one's humanity—to cast aside all mortal impurities and transform into an incomprehensible being.
The Emperor's only assurance was that after Guilliman ascended to godhood, he would still retain some fondness and goodwill toward humanity. As for any future new gods, those would likely require the Megacorp's Matrix systems to keep them in check.
Thinking this far, the Emperor judged that his education of the Primarchs had at least borne some fruit.
For by the logic of essence, once Horus began his great rebellion, all twenty Primarchs ought to have rebelled as well—for the Warp was their true origin.
When he finished speaking, the Emperor temporarily shut down the extra-dimensional forcefield. Unleashing his psychic power, he carried Guilliman's consciousness into a mysterious realm of the Warp.
Amid the swirling chaos and darkness, Guilliman glimpsed a cluster of hazy lights. He strained his eyes, trying to see clearly, and soon made out a sword blazing with pale fire.
A teardrop-shaped spear, a great blade shining like the sun, a staff inlaid with golden gems and runes, a book that turned its own pages…
Clearly, these objects symbolized the various Primarchs. Each represented the essence of one of them.
Moments later, Guilliman suddenly felt something slam into his body. A sensation both achingly familiar and profoundly intimate surged through him.
This indescribable feeling astonished him. Was this… his essence?
He closed his eyes, trying to savor the power. But the strange sensation seemed limited, with no further change.
"This is only a projection of the sealed essences of the Primarchs. You haven't truly received your essence yet—but I trust you've at least tasted its wonder."
The Emperor appeared again, explaining to Guilliman.
"No wonder—every time I traveled the Warp aboard a warship, I always felt some unseen power pulling at me. I thought it was just the lure of Warp entities."
At last Guilliman understood why Magnus had thrown himself so completely into exploring the Warp.
A baby longs for its mother's arms. A weary traveler dreams of home. A falling leaf drifts back to its roots…
Their souls all originated here—how could they not feel resonance?
But Guilliman was disciplined. He obeyed the Emperor's commands and never lingered in the Warp. Only now had he been allowed to glimpse the truth.
"Next, I'll send you into the Warp itself. Your essence will merge with you—like opposite poles of a magnet snapping together."
The Emperor clapped Guilliman's shoulder and said gravely: "After that, I'll proceed with the next stage. But I won't tell you the details yet."
This plan was too critical. Better to move step by step—the fewer who knew the whole, the safer.
Guilliman nodded, but soon sighed: "The Imperium is in such dire straits. I've only just awakened, and now I must leave again. I worry…"
In the entourage that had come to Macragge were not only Belisarius Cawl, who sought an alliance of interests, but also the Eldar seeking mutual benefit, and the Living Saint Celestine herself, acting under the God-Emperor's command.
It was obvious: if the Emperor had sent Celestine, it meant He wished Guilliman to return to Terra and assume authority over the Imperium.
If he simply left now, who would handle the mess?
"Don't worry. I'll go to Terra soon and meet with Him. You just focus on the task I've given you."
For Guilliman's ascension, the aid of the God-Emperor was indispensable. He would need to establish communication first.
Moreover, the Emperor had to find a way to free the "self" imprisoned on the Golden Throne. That universe's God-Emperor held the accumulated faith of humanity for over ten millennia.
In terms of psychic power, He was far stronger. With His help, the odds of success would rise greatly.
Guilliman secretly rejoiced—this was precisely what he had hoped to hear.
He had feared the Emperor might slip back to His own universe, leaving Guilliman to seek his essence alone in the Warp.
But with the Emperor Himself holding the reins of power on Terra, that was the best outcome.
"When will I go into the Warp?"
Guilliman could hardly wait to end all this and restore the galaxy to order.
A war that had burned for ten thousand years had condemned too many lives to hellish torment. Now that he had awakened, he had to end the nightmare quickly.
"The sooner, the better."
Of course the Emperor wanted this settled swiftly. But before departure, he still had to make arrangements with Calgar and the others.
"Call everyone together. Tell them you'll be leaving for a time—and then depart at once."
As his words fell, the Emperor paused again before speaking to Guilliman:
"This time, when you enter the Warp, you may encounter unexpected troubles—perhaps you won't be able to find your essence for a long time, or you may run into daemons.
But no matter what happens, you must endure. I will be aiding you from the shadows. Remember this—never give up."
The Emperor could not guarantee with absolute certainty that Guilliman would be able to discover his own essence, so he had to warn him in advance, making sure he was mentally prepared for any unforeseen circumstances.
"Yes, I will complete the mission!"
Guilliman's eyes were resolute. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and even if he were to face the four Chaos Gods themselves in the Warp, he would risk his life to seize his essence.
After confirming the plan, Guilliman activated his communicator and ordered Calgar to summon all the high command—Tigurius, Inquisitor Katarina, Living Saint Celestine, Archmagos Cawl, and the others—to the librarius.
Then Guilliman sank into deep thought.
He pondered how to ensure that, during his absence, Calgar could lead the Ultramar Sector back to peak condition.
And how the Ultramarines could rapidly complete their expansion, training, and preparations for war, so that they would be ready for whatever lay ahead.
One thought after another surged through Guilliman's mind; there were simply too many pressing matters demanding his attention.
Before long, Chapter Master Calgar entered the librarius with Chief Librarian Tigurius, Inquisitor Katarina, Living Saint Celestine, Archmagos Cawl, and the others.
The Emperor disguised himself as a guard, standing not far from Guilliman's side, and none of the others noticed that a figure of such magnitude was present among them.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Guilliman finally spoke slowly:
"Brothers and sisters, the Chaos scourge on Macragge has been subdued, and the Ultramar Sector has returned to peace.
Now I must depart to carry out another matter of great urgency. Before I leave, I must entrust some instructions to you."
Leaving Macragge to handle something more important…
Calgar was visibly taken aback. Shouldn't Guilliman's top priority now be to reorganize the Chapter, lead them to strike outward once more, and restore the Imperium's glory?
What could possibly be more important than this?
"Primarch, with respect, the situation on Macragge has not yet fully stabilized. Many of our brothers have not even had the chance to see you. We hope you can remain with us a while longer."
Calgar knew better than anyone what Guilliman meant to the Ultramarines, and to Macragge.
Ten thousand years had passed, during which countless Chapter Masters of the Ultramarines had come and gone. Many of these Astartes had gone to their graves without ever seeing the day their Primarch awakened again.
Guilliman met Calgar's fervent gaze and felt the depth of that longing. He knew how desperately his sons yearned for him.
But compared with reuniting with his children, finding his essence and completing the ascension ritual was clearly far more critical. He could not allow such a matter to be delayed by sentiment.
"The mission I must undertake is both vital and urgent. Whatever else there is, it can wait until my return."
Guilliman sighed inwardly. Of course he wished to remain with his sons. But this journey into the Warp carried no guarantees—he might fall to the daemons of Chaos, or he might lose himself entirely after ascension.
And if he were to become a Warp deity, his sons might no longer recognize him. In such a case, one "farewell" could mean never meeting again.
Guilliman tightened the muscles of his jaw, striving to maintain a composed and steady appearance.
"Honored Primarch, may you at least reveal to us where you intend to go?" At this moment, Living Saint Celestine stepped forward and asked.
She had come bearing the Emperor's command—the Emperor required Guilliman to return to Terra and take command of the Imperium. This was the supreme order of the God-Emperor Himself.
Guilliman had only just awakened, and by rights, nothing could be more important than this command.
"I'm sorry, but this matter is not for disclosure." Guilliman's reply was cold. The matter was too important, and with so many people present, who could guarantee the secrecy of the information?
Success lies in silence—Guilliman would not reveal even the slightest detail of the mission he was to carry out.
"Primarch, you must return to Terra at once to meet the Emperor. This is His command!"
Inquisitor Katarina also spoke up in persuasion. She had once regarded Celestine with disdain, but upon witnessing the Saint's power in resurrecting the Primarch, she could no longer doubt her identity.
The authority of an Inquisitor was indeed lofty, but compared with a Living Saint, it was still several degrees lesser. Here, it was Celestine's words that carried the most weight—after all, her every word and deed represented the Emperor's will.
"I know this is the Emperor's directive. But what I am doing now is also what the Emperor has commanded me to do."
Guilliman could hardly accept the notion of the Emperor as a god, so he continued to address his father simply as "the Emperor." By all rights, Guilliman should have placed his faith in the God-Emperor enthroned upon the Golden Throne, not in this young Emperor from a parallel universe.
For after all, the God-Emperor was truly his father.
But after careful deliberation, Guilliman concluded that only by completing the ascension ritual could the Imperium's present crisis be truly resolved.
What could returning to Terra and reclaiming authority really accomplish, when the galaxy itself was collapsing?
Celestine's face betrayed doubt. How could the Emperor possibly issue two contradictory commands at the same time?
Guilliman noticed her confusion but gave no explanation. He had spoken not a single lie from beginning to end.
At this point, Archmagos Cawl, who had been silent the whole time, fixed his gaze on Guilliman without moving. He wanted to speak, but could not find the words.
He had come to Macragge to fulfill his promise—but Guilliman had yet to pay the Eldar their price for his resurrection.
Yvraine had not made this journey for nothing.
The Ynnari needed the Ultramarines to become their allies, to pin down the forces of Chaos, so that Yvraine could collect the materials necessary for Ynnead's ascension.
Indeed, after countless setbacks and calamities, the Eldar, too, had come to understand the truth: leaning against a great tree makes for the best shade.
The survival of a civilization depends, at its root, on whether it has a "god" at its back.
Humanity had the Emperor, and thus they could dominate the galaxy—surviving even when torn by internal rebellion.
The Eldar had lost their place as masters of the galaxy and fell into decline precisely because they had no patron, no god's protection.
Now, faith in the god of death, Ynnead, was their one remaining hope for survival as a race.
(Show your support and read more chapters on my Patreon: [email protected]/psychopet. Thank you for your support!)