Kairos Fateweaver's appearance was like an invisible, mountain-heavy domain being forcibly crammed into the already crowded and fragmented space of Sanctuary Three. The air ceased to flow, as if congealed into cold, glazed ice. The concept of time became blurry and viscous, each second stretched into agonizing torment. The psychic pressure, vast as a star sea yet treacherous as a viper, emanating from the Lord of Change's true form, pierced the will-barriers of every living being present like billions of invisible needles.
The first to bear the brunt was Gaius.
The moment Kairos's four eyes, seeing past and future, focused on him, Gaius felt as if his soul was clutched by an impossibly cold, giant hand! His muscles instantly stiffened, and his power armor's servo-systems emitted a strained whine, yet he couldn't move an inch. Even lifting a finger became a luxury; only his eyeballs could still laboriously rotate within his helmet.
Even more terrifying, the long-dormant power deep within his left arm, which had just been faintly throbbing, suddenly swelled and boiled like ice thrown into hot oil! It was no longer a faint resonance, but a destructive psychic tsunami attempting to erupt from within him! A cold torrent, filled with infinite knowledge and temptation, wildly assaulted his consciousness. Countless fragmented images, obscure formulas, future glimpses, and whispers of conspiracy flooded his mind like a virus, attempting to overwrite and distort his own will and memories.
This power was despairingly immense, far beyond his comprehension and control. He felt like a small boat in a Storm, liable to be completely swallowed and torn apart at any moment. He gritted his teeth, almost grinding them to dust, all his willpower focused on resisting this rebellion within his body. Cold sweat instantly soaked his undersuit, becoming bone-chillingly cold inside his armor.
Sergeant Golden's heart almost pounded out of his chest. He saw Gaius frozen in place, his body trembling slightly, clearly enduring unimaginable pain and pressure. His first instinct was to call for help via the squad's encrypted channel to the Unyielding Will in orbit: "Unyielding Will! This is Golden! Encountering an extremely dangerous high-level demonic entity! Suspected Lord of Change! Request immediate fire support! Repeat, requesting immediate..."
However, the communication channel was met only with dead, static-filled interference. The communication status icon on his helmet display showed a glaring red cross — the signal was completely blocked! He couldn't even contact the two Thunderhawk Gunships nearby!
"Damn it!" Golden roared, trying to switch to a backup channel, but the result was the same. They seemed to have been severed from the real universe, trapped within an isolated cage woven by Kairos's will.
Just then, Kairos's voice, a blend of countless tones, directly echoing in their minds, rang out again, filled with mockery and an unsettling "patience":
"Do not waste your efforts, loyal sons of Macragge. The threads of fate in this place have been woven and isolated by my own hands. No message... can escape this vortex of destiny."
Its two heads turned slightly, its gaze seemingly piercing through time and space, settling on Gaius, who, though unable to move, was fully conscious, and also speaking as if to an unseen audience:
"So many years... I have lurked in the shadows, observing... waiting. Observing the Chosen of the Gods' growth, observing the sprouting of that beautiful seed in his arm... and observing those silver-grey hounds, who call themselves purifiers. They rotated, yet not one... not one perceived my existence."
Its voice carried a pleasure and disdain almost like artistic appreciation: "I almost corrupted the intelligence for every mission he participated in, subtly guiding, meticulously planning... yet they only recently... like ignorant cubs, vaguely smelled a hint of something amiss. You, who are always so self-important, with such advanced communication and intelligence networks, are so... obtuse. Truly... pathetic and laughable."
These words were like a cold dagger, piercing Golden's heart, and confirming the Chapter Master's earlier suspicion — there was indeed a powerful and hidden adversary, manipulating everything from behind the scenes! And its target, from the very beginning, was Gaius!
Kairos's voice suddenly rose, imbued with an undeniable power of seduction. Its gaze swept over the struggling Golden, the immobilized Dorian, and the recently struck-down Luna:
"I have come personally today to welcome my Lord's Chosen back to his destined throne! As for you three... surrender! Prostrate yourselves before the might of the Lord of Change! I shall grant you eternal life! I shall grant you endless power! I shall grant you the authority to glimpse the future, manipulate fate, and weave plots and schemes! This is far greater... than anything your laughable Imperium can offer!"
"To hell with your power! You ugly two-headed bird monster!"
A thunderous roar shattered Kairos's enchantment! It was Dorian! Although his body was tightly bound by invisible psychic chains, unable to move, his fiery temper and robust vocal cords were clearly not completely sealed!
His furious curse seemed to expend all his strength, even causing his restrained muscles to tremble slightly. Extreme anger and an instinctive hatred for Chaos actually made him burst forth with unimaginable power for a moment, violently swinging his Thunder Hammer, which was also bound by psychic energy!
Crack!
It was as if an invisible glass had developed a crack! Dazzling energy arcs erupted from the hammerhead, slamming hard into one of the Thousand Sons warriors nearest to him!
That Thousand Sons warrior had no idea that anyone could resist under the pressure of Kairos! His armor, whose flesh had long been hollowed out by sorcery and was driven only by his soul, shattered like porcelain struck by a heavy hammer under this blow, imbued with Dorian's furious rage and the power of thunder! Twisted blue armor fragments flew everywhere, and the blasphemous soul trapped within let out a short shriek, then was purified by the thunder and dissipated!
A successful hit! Dorian gasped for breath. Although his body was once again restrained by an even greater force, more so than before, his wide, staring eyes were filled with defiance and the light of victory, fixed on Kairos's blue form!
For the first time, Kairos's two heads showed a synchronized, slight shift, and its four eyes fell upon Dorian. There was no discernible emotion in its gaze, only a cold scrutiny, like observing an unexpectedly defiant laboratory mouse.
"Interesting ant... savage... yet full of... unexpected variables," it mused, as if Dorian's actions had not angered it, but rather provided it with some additional "observational data."
But it did not waste any more time on Dorian. Its primary target was always Gaius.
It took a step, its bird-clawed feet treading on the shattered ground without a sound. It ignored the struggling Dorian, ignored Golden who was desperately trying to stand up again, and ignored Luna, who was pinned down by a Thousand Sons warrior and still futilely trying to send a signal.
It walked directly in front of Gaius.
Its bird-clawed hand, covered in deep blue scales and metal, slowly, with an almost ritualistic solemnity, rested on Gaius's violently trembling left shoulder pad.
In that instant, Gaius felt the boiling power in his left arm find an outlet, surging madly towards the point of contact! He let out a muffled groan of pain, his face beneath the helmet twisted in extreme agony and resistance. He felt his consciousness being dragged into a vortex of endless knowledge and insane whispers, Kairos's cold palm seeming to be the center of the vortex.
Kairos's two heads lowered, its four eyes, shimmering with infinite wisdom and conspiracy, stared fixedly at Gaius's helmet visor, as if to pierce directly through the armor and look into his struggling soul.
"Chosen one..." Its voice became deep and seductive, as if countless sages were simultaneously advising, "Do not persist in your delusion, resisting this supreme gift..."
"Feel it... embrace it... this great power from the very essence of the Lord of Change! It inherently belongs to you!"
"Abandon this laughable and useless resistance... surrender to my Lord, embrace this destiny... and you can transcend mortal limits, ascend to a divine throne! Knowledge and power... will be yours for the taking! Past and future... will unfold clearly before your eyes!"
"This vast star sea... these endless schemes... all shall become your playthings!"
These whispers were like the sweetest poison, insidiously eroding Gaius's will. The temptation of power was real, terrifyingly potent. To give up resistance seemed to offer immediate release from this endless pain, and to gain everything he had once been unable to imagine.
"No..." Gaius squeezed out a hoarse sound from deep in his throat, each syllable costing him immense effort, "I... am... an Ultramarine! I... am loyal to the Emperor! Loyal to Macragge!"
His will still burned, like a dying candle in a gale, stubbornly refusing to be extinguished.
"Let him go! You Chaos scum!"
Just then, Sergeant Golden finally forced down the churning blood in his body, clenched his power fist, and roared, charging again! He was like a blue armored truck, ignoring the watchful Thousand Sons, concentrating all his strength and fury into this single punch, aiming for Kairos's back! He absolutely could not stand by and watch his squad member corrupted by Chaos!
However, Kairos didn't even turn around.
The moment Golden's power fist was about to touch the deep blue armor, an utterly incomprehensible, irresistible invisible force suddenly acted upon him! It was as if space itself was forcibly twisted and folded, his forward momentum instantly reversed and returned twofold!
Bang!
Golden flew backward faster than he had charged, slamming hard into a discarded large water treatment unit in the distance, creating a deafening crash! His adamantium Terminator armor was deeply embedded in the metal structure, and cracks spread. Golden spat a mouthful of blood onto the inside of his helmet, his vision went black, and he almost lost consciousness, completely losing his combat capability.
"Sergeant!" Gaius's eyes burned as he saw this scene, the anxiety and fury in his heart like oil poured on a fire, temporarily suppressing the cold temptation.
On the other side, Luna saw the Sergeant gravely wounded, Dorian restrained, and Gaius in mortal danger, while all her distress signals met with no response. Despair, like a cold tide, engulfed her. The Thousand Sons warrior pinning her down let out a mocking sneer, increasing the pressure on her foot, leaving her unable to move.
Kairos seemed completely indifferent to this brief interlude; its attention was once again fully focused on Gaius. Its hand on Gaius's shoulder tightened slightly.
"See... resistance is so futile... it will only cause unnecessary suffering for you and your comrades."
"Make your choice, Chosen of the Gods. Will you embrace supreme glory and power... or... fall into eternal oblivion and torment with these pitiful ants?"
The eyes on its head that peered into the future glowed brightly.
"Your time... is running out."
Meanwhile, in orbit, on the bridge of the Unyielding Will.
Captain Cassius frowned, staring at the tactical screen. After the signal confirming Second Squad's successful entry into the sanctuary and the start of civilian evacuation, no further updates had been received. According to the plan, there should have been periodic progress reports.
"Comms Officer! Try to contact Sergeant Golden and Storm again!"
"Attempting, Captain... signal connection cannot be established. Not just Storm, our scans of the Sanctuary Three area are also experiencing heavy interference, unable to obtain any valid information!" The Comms Officer's voice was anxious.
"What?" Cassius's heart sank. Heavy interference? Even the ship's advanced sensors couldn't penetrate it? This was definitely not normal!
"Immediately retrieve the Ynnari's previous reconnaissance reports! Compare the energy readings for that area!"
The Tech-Priest quickly operated the controls, and soon, a comparative chart appeared on the screen. The area representing Sanctuary Three was now covered by an extremely abnormal, highly concentrated blue psychic shadow, exhibiting typical Tzeentch characteristics. Its intensity index was skyrocketing, far exceeding any Slaanesh energy readings previously detected!
"This isn't Slaanesh's power..." Captain Cassius's face instantly became incredibly grim, "This is... the power of the Lord of Change! And so powerful... it's Daemon Prince level! It might even be..."
A terrible name surfaced in his mind.
"Kairos..." He almost spat the name through gritted teeth.
"All units! Highest combat alert!" Captain Cassius suddenly stood up, his voice thundering across the bridge, "Navigator! Max power to shatter that Warp interference! Captain Sibilus! Target the Sanctuary Three area, all macro-cannons, laser arrays, and missile silos of the Fist of Contrition! Give me a warning saturation bombardment! Even if you have to plow the surface, blow open that damned interference zone!"
"All 7th Company reserves! Board immediately! Prepare for forced-descent rescue!"
He realized that Second Squad was facing far more than ordinary trouble; they had likely fallen into a meticulously planned demonic trap targeting Gaius! Every second of delay could mean irreversible consequences!
The two massive strike cruisers, Unyielding Will and Fist of Contrition, immediately adjusted their posture, their broadside weapon arrays beginning to glow with dangerous light as immense energy gathered. Inside the ships, alarms shrieked, and more Ultramarines rushed to the hangars, boarding Thunderhawk Gunships and Stormraven Gunships.
The fleet in orbit was finally about to deliver its strongest response to the despair on the ground!
Meanwhile, in the underground shelter, Gaius's struggle had reached its limit. Kairos's hand felt as if it were branding his shoulder pauldron, its cold whispers and furious power almost completely overwhelming his will.
Just as he felt himself about to be swallowed by the darkness—
BOOM!!!!!!!!!!
The entire earth shook violently! The concrete dome overhead groaned under the strain, and large amounts of dust and debris rained down!
The deafening roar from orbit was faintly audible even through thick layers of earth and armor! The Imperial Navy's furious firepower had finally arrived!
Kairos Fateweaver abruptly lifted its head, a flicker of surprise and...annoyance at being disturbed simultaneously crossing all four eyes on its two heads.
"Oh? Attempting to disrupt the threads of fate with brute force? How...crude."
This sudden, violent interference was like a breath of air injected into Gaius's drowning lungs, causing the dying flame of his will to flare up once more!
A chance!
The violent tremors and deafening roar from the orbital bombardment, like the angry roar of the Imperium, momentarily tore open the psychic cage Kairos had woven. Rubble and dust rained down like a Storm, clattering against power armor. The air, solidified like glazed glass, seemed to loosen slightly.
This sudden external interference caused Kairos Fateweaver's perpetually detached and mocking demeanor to show a clear fluctuation for the first time. Its two heads snapped up, and its four eyes, shimmering with endless knowledge, looked towards the seemingly collapsing dome, revealing a genuine displeasure at having its ritual interrupted.
"Crude...and noisy ants." Its voice no longer merely echoed in consciousness, but carried a tangible, heart-pounding energy fluctuation that made the entire space hum. "How dare you attempt to trample the loom of fate with such brute force..."
It seemed to have lost patience for further "counseling," or perhaps the threat of the orbital strike made it decide to hold nothing back.
The next moment, an indescribable torrent of terrifying psychic energy, far exceeding anything before, erupted from Kairos's center!
This was not a simple energy shock, but a more fundamental, forceful distortion and negation of the rules of the real universe!
Rumble—!!!
Not an explosion, yet more terrifying than any explosion! The dome, walls, pillars, and everything else of the Third Shelter, constructed of heavy reinforced concrete and metal, instantly and silently disintegrated into primal particles, then were completely blown away and annihilated by the raging psychic tide!
It was as if an invisible giant hand had violently ripped open the entire shelter, along with dozens of meters of rock and rubble above it, like tearing the roof off a toy house!
The dazzling sky, polluted by Taranis Prime's purplish, malevolent glow, was instantly exposed to everyone's eyes. And even more despair-inducing than the sky was the colossal figure standing in the center of the ruins!
Kairos Fateweaver had finally revealed its full demonic true form as a Lord of Change!
Its body was as majestic as a mountain, with Terminator warriors appearing as tiny as children's toys at its feet. Its gaunt torso, covered in ancient dark blue armor, contained unimaginable power, and its curved spine resembled a twisted mountain ridge. Its two heads had become even larger and more grotesque, their skin like parchment weathered for a thousand years, covered in deep cracks and arcane runes. Its eye sockets were sunken, and the four eyes within had completely lost their pupils, replaced by a chaotic, constantly flashing blind white that showed the threads of fate—they no longer relied on visual perception of mortals, but directly gazed into the river of past and future.
Most unsettling were the two massive wings on its back, as if composed of countless twisted knowledge and cold stars, which suddenly unfurled, seemingly blotting out the sky and casting a shadow that enveloped the entire leveled ruin. Its left hand clutched a Staff of Chaos taller than a Wraithlord, its large blue gem tip burning with a spectral flame capable of scorching the soul; and above its right hand, a colossal, thick tome, composed of energy and unknown metal, floated—the Book of Fate! Its pages turned themselves without wind, flipping at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, with countless future possibilities, countless conspiratorial trajectories, and countless fragments of knowledge flowing, appearing, and disappearing upon them!
This was the true form of a Lord of Change! It was not one of those ordinary Greater Daemons relying solely on brute force and Warp energy; it was a Daemon Prince, an embodiment of Tzeentch's wisdom, a weaver and manipulator of the threads of fate!
"I am Kairos Fateweaver!" Its voice, like ten thousand thunders, mixed with the whispers of countless intelligences and the mad howls, shook the entire battlefield. "Ignorant fools, behold the great work of the God of Change!"
As it revealed its true form, the ground behind it, torn by psychic energy, opened up like a portal to Tzeentch's domain! Countless screaming, shrieking Horrors of Tzeentch—mutated creatures with bird-like heads wielding twisted weapons—and even more Thousand Sons Space Marines, clad in blue and gold armor and wreathed in sorcerous flames, poured out like a flood! They let out fanatical war cries, rushing towards the other squads of the 7th Company who had just emerged from orbital drop pods and were preparing to establish a defensive line!
Instantly, the battlefield, just cleared by the orbital bombardment, plunged once again into an even more chaotic and intense close-quarters slaughter! The roar of Bolters, the snarl of chainswords, the hiss of psychic lightning, and the shrieks of Horrors of Tzeentch echoed through the sky!
"For Macragge!"
"For Magnus the Red!"
"WAAAGH!" (Howl of a Horror of Tzeentch)
The forces of loyalty and Chaos clashed violently!
Just then, a Thunderhawk Gunship, like lightning tearing through Storm clouds, plunged through the outer interference of Kairos's psychic field in a near-suicidal dive, defiantly landing at the edge of the battlefield! Before its ramp was fully open, three silver figures shot out like cannonballs, their bodies burning with pure and cold psychic flames, like three sharp swords, directly thrusting towards Kairos's colossal true form!
It was the Grey Knights Moreno, Valerius, and Kaldor!
"Blasphemous fiend! How dare you gaze upon the Emperor's light!" Valerius roared, his Daemonhammer gathering immense purifying psychic energy, shining like a small sun, as he launched the first attack!
Kaldor maneuvered like a wraith, his force sword carving deadly arcs, aiming directly for Kairos's seemingly vulnerable knee joints.
And Captain Moreno, though he had lost his force halberd, held his hands as if grasping something, and a more solid, even larger silver-white psychic halberd instantly materialized, imbued with supreme judgment, and was hurled towards Kairos's heart!
The three Grey Knights' coordination was seamless, their attacks arriving almost simultaneously, as fast as lightning, with power capable of instantly crippling or even purifying an ordinary Greater Daemon!
However, their opponent was Kairos Fateweaver.
Kairos's four blind white eyes did not even look at them. The Book of Fate, floating above its right hand, had its pages turn once at a speed exceeding that of light.
The next moment, something bizarre happened.
Valerius's unstoppable hammer blow, just before it was about to strike Kairos's lower leg, had the ground beneath his feet suddenly collapse and twist without warning, as if anticipating his landing spot, causing his full-force strike to miss wildly, and he even stumbled due to the excessive exertion!
Kaldor's exquisitely precise sword strike, which should have hit its target, was at the last moment precisely parried by a tendril of pure sorcerous energy that suddenly extended from the void, erupting in dazzling energy sparks!
And the immensely powerful psychic halberd thrown by Moreno, mid-flight, had the space in front of its trajectory subtly Warp, as if an invisible mirror were there! The halberd narrowly grazed Kairos's shoulder pauldron, causing no damage, and finally vanished into the distant ruins.
All attacks were predicted! All were negated! It was as if every movement, every intention of the Grey Knights, had already been recorded by the Book of Fate and had a countermeasure prepared!
Only then did Kairos slowly, as if merely swatting away gnats, raise its gaunt left hand, the one not holding the staff.
Without any visible energy beams or shockwaves, an indescribable, invisible force, seemingly from space itself, suddenly pressed down upon the three Grey Knights!
CRACK!
The three silver-armored giants simultaneously sank, the ground beneath their feet instantly cracking and subsiding! The psychic flames around them flickered violently, erratically, as if they might extinguish at any moment! The immense pressure forced their knees to involuntarily bend, ultimately dropping them heavily to one knee! Their armor groaned with a teeth-grinding sound, and though they tried to struggle, they found it incredibly difficult even to lift their heads!
This was not mere physical suppression, but a higher level of control and distortion of rules! It was the weight of fate itself!
"Grey Knights..." Kairos's voice, a blend of countless tones, resonated again, carrying a hint of condescending "praise" and undisguised disdain. "The False Emperor's carefully crafted...little toys. Your existence, your tactics, your everything...has long been recorded in the Book of Fate."
Its blind white gaze seemed to "look" at Moreno, who was pinned down and unable to move.
"You are always so...reliant on your insignificant psychic powers and faith...attempting to purify...great beings you cannot possibly comprehend. How...pathetic and...futile."
Captain Moreno struggled to lift his head, his cold voice from beneath the silver aquila helmet carrying an Unyielding Will: "Foul daemon...do not...speak falsely! The Emperor's light...will surely...purify your...filth!"
Valerius roared even louder, trying to force himself upright: "We...are the bane of daemons! We will not...yield to your...tricks!"
Kairos seemed to find this somewhat uninteresting. Its colossal, blind white eyes shifted slightly, refocusing on Gaius, who was still fiercely struggling against the power within him. The surrounding slaughter, the Grey Knights' resistance, all seemed like irrelevant background noise.
"Behold, Chosen of the Gods..." Its voice cut directly through the battlefield's din, pouring into Gaius's mind. "This is the fate of defiance...futile, and meaningless. Your protectors, before true power, are as insignificant as dust."
It took another step, and the earth trembled with it. It walked towards Gaius, its enormous shadow completely enveloping him.
"Give up...embrace this power...then, witness with your own eyes...how I will turn your faith...your home...one by one into the dregs of fate..."
The colossal, devilish claw, imbued with endless knowledge and treacherous power, slowly reached out again towards Gaius, who was almost unable to move.
Despair, like the coldest ice, gnawed at the heart of every loyal warrior. Golden was gravely wounded and unconscious, Dorian was firmly bound by invisible chains, Luna was captured, the Grey Knights were suppressed, and the warriors of the 7th Company were locked in a bitter struggle against a tidal wave of enemies... It seemed there was nothing left to stop Kairos from taking its "Chosen of the Gods."
However, just as the demonic claw was about to touch Gaius again—
"In the Emperor's name! Get back! Monster!"
A hoarse but resolute roar of defiance erupted from deep within Gaius's throat!
Simultaneously, the deep blue armguard on his left arm suddenly, without warning, exploded as if unable to withstand internal pressure!
Countless metal fragments flew in all directions!
And what was exposed was no longer human flesh and blood—it was an arm entirely composed of brilliant, constantly shifting blue energy and countless intricate metallic runes! The psychic fluctuations emanating from it, though chaotic and untamed, were fundamentally, in essence, of the same origin as Kairos's power!
This sudden burst of power, though too weak to harm Kairos, greatly surprised it, causing its outstretched demonic claw to pause slightly.
Gaius's will, at this final moment, relying on his loyalty to the Emperor, to his Chapter, to his comrades, and his unyielding defiance of his own fate, miraculously managed to temporarily suppress and guide the Lord of Change's power, breaking through some of Kairos's restraints!
He suddenly lifted his head, his eyes beneath the helmet bloodshot from pain and determination, glaring fixedly at Kairos's enormous, blind white eyes, which were now close at hand.
"I! Do not belong! To Tzeentch!"
Kairos Fateweaver's massive demonic claw, formed of pure energy and treacherous runes, paused for a moment due to Gaius's arm mutation, but then pressed down with an even more irresistible force!
It wasn't a physical strike, but a more fundamental confinement and erosion targeting the soul and existence itself!
Gaius felt his consciousness being forcibly stripped from his body, dragged into a bizarre space made entirely of constantly shifting blue mist, shattered mirrors, and flowing chaotic runes—this was the depths of his own consciousness, and also the psychic battlefield Kairos Fateweaver had forcibly opened!
Here, time and space lost their meaning, with only countless 'possibilities' being born and dying.
And across from him, another 'Gaius' slowly emerged from the mist.
This 'Gaius' was clad in exquisitely ornate dark blue Power Armor, inlaid with countless constantly changing grotesque eyes and star patterns; the armor's lines were elegant yet full of an inhuman distortion.
In his hand was not the 'Hawkeye' sniper rifle, but a Staff of Chaos burning with an eerie blue flame, its tip embedded with a massive Jewel of the Eye of Knowledge.
His face was identical to Gaius's, but bore a cold arrogance that saw through all things and toyed with fate, a hint of alluring and mocking smile playing on his lips.
Most unsettling was his left arm—a limb composed entirely of brilliant blue light and metallic runes, now pulsating joyfully, exuding a terrifying power far greater and more controlled than what Gaius had just unleashed.
This was 'Tzeentch's Chosen Gaius'! It was the perfect manifestation of the Lord of Change's power within him, the terrifying future he would become once he succumbed!
"Still resisting? My poor... original body."
The Chosen Gaius spoke, his voice echoing Kairos Fateweaver's, yet also possessing Gaius's own timbre, eerily strange, "Look at you, how pathetic, how fragile.
You struggle in vain in this torrent of fate, relying on that false loyalty and ridiculous will."
He elegantly waved his staff, and the surrounding space shifted, revealing countless fragments of the future: Gaius in blue and gold armor, leading the Thousand Sons Legion to burn worlds; him sitting in a crystal labyrinth, manipulating the fate of the galaxy; even him replacing a certain destiny and becoming a new Lord of Change...
"Do you see? This is your rightful future! Infinite knowledge, supreme authority, controlling the destiny of all living beings in the palm of your hand!
All this is yours if you just nod! Why cling to that decaying golden corpse, and those stubborn Ultramarines destined to be eliminated by time?"
The real Gaius felt his will being constantly weakened in this space; every word from the other party was like a heavy hammer striking his beliefs.
The power and future displayed by the Chosen Gaius were fatally attractive, especially when he felt the joyous exultation of the homologous power in his left arm; giving up resistance seemed like the easiest choice.
"No..." Gaius struggled to maintain his clarity of consciousness, though it flickered like a candle in the wind, "That's not me... that's corruption... that's betrayal!"
"Betrayal?" The Chosen Gaius sneered, his voice sharp, "Betrayal of whom? The Imperium that sees you as a tool, even planting my Lord's seed within you? Or those so-called 'brothers' who would purify you without hesitation once they knew the truth?"
He advanced step by step, the staff in his hand emitting a mind-confusing light: "Admit it, you are already different.
Your thoughts are faster than theirs, your perceptions are keener than theirs, you can even vaguely touch fragments of the future... These are all gifts from my Lord! Proof that we are destined for greatness!"
"Embrace me, and you embrace your true self! You embrace... truth!"
Before he finished speaking, the Chosen Gaius suddenly raised his staff, and a pure Tzeentchian flame, capable of annihilating souls, shot out, directly blasting towards Gaius!
Outside, on the ruined battlefield.
Kairos Fateweaver's demonic claw had completely enveloped Gaius; blue energy wrapped around Gaius like a cocoon, his body trembled violently, and the surface of his Power Armor even began to show grotesque runes similar to those of the Thousand Sons.
Sergeant Golden was unconscious, Dorian struggled desperately but could not break free from the confinement, and Luna watched it all in despair.
Just at this critical moment—
A crescent-shaped blade of grey-white light, imbued with pure death energy, descended from the sky like a meteor tearing through the night, striking Kairos Fateweaver's energy claw, which was confining Gaius, with incredible speed and pinpoint accuracy!
Screech—!
It was not an explosion, but a violent cancellation and purification of energy!
ynnead's death force and Tzeentch's treacherous energy clashed wildly, emitting a bone-jarring tearing sound!
Kairos Fateweaver let out a low growl mixed with surprise and anger; the massive demonic claw was actually forced to retract slightly by this sudden attack!
At the same time, several precise and deadly pulse laser and shuriken cannon barrages, unique to the Aeldari, rained down around Kairos Fateweaver like a squall, temporarily forcing back the encroaching Tzeentchian Beasts and Thousand Sons.
"In the name of ynnead! Demon, you shall not succeed!"
Yvraine's figure, like an elegant death butterfly, gracefully descended from an Aeldari Nightwing fighter, landing steadily on the ruins.
The Staff of the Death God in her hand glowed brightly; that death light blade just now was her masterpiece.
Behind her, more Ynnari warriors appeared like phantoms, quickly joining the fray, fighting alongside the 7th Company soldiers, resisting the tide of Chaos.
Her arrival was like a shot in the arm for the desperate battlefield!
Almost simultaneously, the invisible immense force suppressing the three Grey Knights also showed a crack due to Kairos Fateweaver's interference!
"Emperor... protect!" Captain Moreno let out a deep roar, and the silver psychic flames around him reignited!
He, Valerius, and Kaldor simultaneously unleashed their full power, violently breaking free from the invisible shackles and standing up again!
The three Grey Knights did not hesitate, immediately transforming into three silver lightning bolts and charging towards Kairos Fateweaver again!
This time, their goal was clear—to interfere with it, to prevent its complete corruption of Gaius!
"Xenos! Coordinated attack! Target, the demon's claw!" Moreno's voice, though ancient and cold, clearly conveyed the intention of cooperation through his psychic link.
In the face of such a powerful enemy, any available force must be utilized.
Yvraine nodded slightly, without extra words, and waved her staff again; powerful death energy condensed, coordinating with the Grey Knights' offensive, and once again blasted towards Kairos Fateweaver's right arm, which was holding Gaius!
"Insignificant ants... daring to repeatedly..."
Kairos Fateweaver was thoroughly enraged.
In its four blind white eyes, the threads of fate spun wildly.
Facing this combined attack, it didn't even move its body.
The Book of Fate floating above its upper right once again flipped pages frantically!
The next moment, the death energy condensed by Yvraine suddenly and inexplicably deflected in mid-air, instead blasting towards a group of people currently in fierce combat nearby, almost accidentally injuring Ultramarines and Ynnari!
And in front of the Grey Knights' inevitable charge route, the ground suddenly collapsed, spewing out scorching, sorcerously tainted magma, forcibly blocking their path of attack!
Another premonition! Another distortion by the Book of Fate!
But this time, the attackers were not just one side!
The moment Kairos Fateweaver used the Book of Fate to deflect Yvraine's attack and create obstacles to block the Grey Knights—though this seemed easy for it—its simultaneous response to multiple interferences, especially ynnead's death force and the Grey Knights' purifying psychic energy, both of which had a certain restraining effect on it, finally resulted in an extremely subtle, almost negligible, delay!
And for top-tier warriors, this slight delay was an opportunity!
"Now!" Captain Moreno keenly seized this one-in-a-trillion-second opportunity!
He abandoned his charge, pushing both hands forward abruptly, not to attack, but to inject an extremely condensed psychic power, with powerful stabilizing and protective effects, across space, directly into the blue energy cocoon enveloping Gaius!
At the same time, Yvraine made the same choice!
She guided ynnead's power, not for attack, but transforming it into a grey-white, gentle yet resilient stream of light, also shooting towards the energy cocoon, attempting to neutralize the Tzeentchian corruption within and protect Gaius's struggling consciousness!
The Emperor's purifying psychic energy and the Death God's protective power, these two forces that should have been incompatible, even mutually exclusive, at this moment, for the same goal, miraculously did not clash, but intertwined, like two slender ropes, suddenly pulling back the consciousness that was about to sink completely into the abyss!
In the mindscape, Gaius, who was being consumed by Tzeentchian flame and felt his consciousness on the verge of complete dissipation, suddenly felt two distinct yet equally powerful forces inject into him!
One was cold and pure, carrying an unquestionable will of order and protection, like a sturdy dam, forcibly blocking the corrupting torrent!
The other was mournful yet resolute, carrying an understanding of death and the tranquility of a requiem, like a gentle veil, soothing the pain of his torn soul!
The appearance of these two forces was like two bright lamps lit in the endless darkness; although they could not completely dispel the darkness, they pointed him in a direction and provided a precious moment of respite!
"Ah—!" The Chosen Gaius let out an angry shriek, the light on his body becoming unstable, "Damn interferers! But you cannot save him! He is destined for my Lord!"
Outside, Kairos Fateweaver's four blind eyes simultaneously turned towards Moreno and Yvraine, and true fury burned within it.
"You... dare to attempt to alter predetermined fate!" Its voice was deafening, and the surrounding reality began to twist and fluctuate, "Then... let you yourselves experience... what is... despair!"
It finally no longer merely contented itself with defense and suppression.
Kairos Fateweaver, the Lord of Change, truly began to display its terrifying power!
The gem at the tip of the Staff of Chaos held in its massive left hand suddenly erupted with an eerie light that devoured all other light!
A thick pillar of Tzeentchian energy, not aimed at anyone but at the sky, shot upwards, instantly piercing the atmosphere and even interfering with the sensors of orbital warships!
Immediately after, centered on it, a colossal, dazzlingly complex Tzeentchian array suddenly unfolded on the ground!
Countless blasphemous runes and geometric patterns flickered with an ominous glow, covering the entire battlefield!
All creatures within the array's range, be they Ultramarines, Ynnari, or Grey Knights, instantly felt a heavy pressure applied to them; their movements became sluggish, psychic energy circulation became stagnant, and even their thoughts began to become confused, with various illusions and whispers forcefully flooding their minds!
This was not a direct attack, but a large-scale, rule-bending domain suppression!
At the same time, the Book of Fate above Kairos Fateweaver's right hand glowed intensely, its pages turning so fast they seemed still!
It began to directly interfere with the 'probabilities' on the battlefield!
A Space Marine, precisely firing, suddenly had his Bolter backfire without warning!
An Ynnari adept nimbly dodged an attack, but the ground beneath his feet suddenly became as slick as grease, causing him to instantly lose balance!
Valerius roared as he smashed towards a Thousand Sons Champion, but the opponent was pushed away by an invisible hand at the last moment, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow!
Even when Captain Moreno tried to condense a psychic halberd again, he felt the surrounding energy become chaotic and difficult to control!
Everything was becoming 'unfortunate,' everything was developing in a direction favorable to Chaos!
And this was only the beginning!
Kairos Fateweaver's massive demonic true form finally moved!
It took a step, and the earth rumbled like an earthquake!
It no longer merely stood in place, but wielded its massive Staff of Chaos, directly charging towards Moreno, Yvraine, and the struggling warriors behind them!
Every step shook the ground, every swing of the staff brought forth a sorcerous storm that tore through space!
The Grey Knights had to dedicate most of their psychic energy to resisting the pervasive probability distortion and domain suppression, just to barely avoid being instantly annihilated.
Yvraine continuously guided the Death God's power, forming small pockets of pure land, protecting warriors within a small radius, but facing Kairos Fateweaver's full-spectrum suppression, she too found herself stretched thin.
Even with the support of Yvraine and the Ynnari, even with the three Grey Knights fighting with all their might, they could only barely hold on, retreating step by step, in front of the Lord of Change, who was now displaying its true power!
The disparity in strength was like an unbridgeable chasm!
Kairos Fateweaver, while crushing the allied defense line, once again fixed its blind white gaze on Gaius, who was still in grave danger, though he had temporarily stabilized his footing due to external support, all while being doubly enveloped by its domain and energy cocoon.
"Struggle… resist… you ants…" Its voice was like the judgment of doomsday, "All your efforts… are merely adding more… drama… to this fate…"
"And he… will ultimately… belong to my Lord!"
The Lord of Change's oppressive power enveloped the four fields. The light of hope was as tiny as dust.
Within the psychic world, Gaius's consciousness flickered like a candle in the wind, about to extinguish. The Tzeentch Chosen's attacks were like a torrential storm, each strike precisely hitting the weakest points of his will. He tried to counterattack, but every punch, every mental Impact, seemed to have been foreseen by the opponent, easily dissolved, deflected, or even used to strengthen the attack.
"Look! This is the gap!" The Chosen Gaius laughed wildly, his staff waving ever more frantically, "Every thought of yours, every struggle, is within the calculations of the Book of Fate! Before me, you have no secrets! Give up! Embrace this omniscient and omnipotent power!"
Those seductive and blasphemous words continuously injected like venom into Gaius's consciousness: "Think of that so-called Emperor! He couldn't even fully restrain his eighteen sons, leading to the Horus Heresy that swept the galaxy! He couldn't even see through his most trusted Warmaster, plunging the Imperium of Man into an abyss of eternal damnation! How can such a failed father, a blind ruler, demand you, demand countless warriors like you, to fight to the death for him? Is it worth it? What has your loyalty brought you? Endless wars, the sacrifice of comrades, and… this power within you that they consider a curse!"
These words were incredibly malicious, precisely stirring Gaius's deepest doubts and a hidden sense of injustice. Yes, was it worth it? To give everything for a distant, cold, and silent God-Emperor… Gaius's mental defense finally reached the brink of collapse. His knees gave way, and he heavily knelt in the constantly shifting chaos mist, losing even the strength to lift his head. Despair, like a cold tide, drowned his last shred of consciousness. The bitter fight of his comrades outside, the aid from Yvraine and the Grey Knights, all felt incredibly distant at this moment, as if separated by a world.
Just as he was about to give up completely, and his consciousness was about to be utterly swallowed by the blue chaos… some fragmented yet warm images, like a dying man's life flashing before his eyes, stubbornly pierced through the cold despair, surfacing in his rapidly darkening mind.
That was… Kronus IV, endless grey fungi. His younger self followed his mother, learning to identify ripe fungi. The sun was scorching, sweat trickled down his forehead, but his mother's smile was incredibly warm… That was… Sergeant Thayne's resolute and hopeful face. He looked at his younger self, who had passed the selection, and pinned an Ultramarines badge onto his coarse clothes. "From today, you are no longer an unnamed farmer's son, you are the Emperor's Angel, the Guardian of Ultramar." The glory and sense of responsibility of that moment still burned in his chest… That was… the awkwardness and excitement of wearing Power Armor for the first time… That was… the days of training, drinking, and laughing with his comrades… The fallen Elisa, her last limp arm… That was… Dorian, boisterous, always getting into trouble, always showing off his gear, yet always standing in front of him at the most dangerous moments… That was… Sergeant Golden, stern yet always silently caring for every team member… That was… Tech-Sergeant Luna, calm and reliable… That was… Lina and Eilaas, the two cute, tearful, yet equally brave members of the Chapter… They… his Captain, his Sergeant, his brothers, his sisters… They were all fighting! They were outside, fighting that terrifying two-headed demon for him! They were getting hurt, bleeding, even dying… for… him!
An indescribable pang of sorrow and a surging emotion suddenly broke through the wall of despair in Gaius's heart! He couldn't fall! He absolutely couldn't give in here! He still had a place he had to return to! And people he had to protect!
This was not for that distant and silent Emperor… At least, not entirely! This was for the Captain and Sergeant who brought him from the fields, who gave him a name and honor! This was for the brothers who ate, lived, and faced life and death with him! This was for the civilians who trusted the blue-armored giants and awaited rescue! This was for… everyone he loved and who loved him!
His last strength, accompanied by a resolute will, transformed into a cry from the deepest part of his soul, breaking through the confines of the psychic world and rushing towards the deepest part of humanity's collective consciousness:
"Emperor!!! Lord Guilliman!!!"
"If You… if You can hear me!!!"
"Please answer me! Answer Your loyal warrior! Answer Your son!"
"I… I can't… hold on much longer…"
As if his cry truly pierced through endless time and space, or as if the torrent of faith of billions of humans, sustained for millennia, found an outlet at this moment… Just as Gaius's consciousness was about to completely dissipate—
A light!
A pure, warm, majestic golden light, imbued with supreme majesty and a will to protect, suddenly tore apart this blue chaotic psychic world! It did not come from outside, but directly erupted from the depths of Gaius's fading soul!
This golden light was so brilliant, so sacred, carrying an absolute power that suppressed all evil and ordained all order! Wherever it passed, the shifting mists, shattered mirrors, and flowing blasphemous runes quickly melted and dispersed like snow meeting the scorching sun!
"No! This is impossible! What is this power?!!!" The Tzeentch Chosen Gaius let out a terrified shriek, the blue light on his body dimming and becoming unstable under the golden light's illumination. His fate-seeing demeanor was, for the first time, filled with incomprehensible fear and panic!
The golden light seemed to possess its own consciousness; it ignored space and logic, instantly coiling around him like the toughest chains, or the hottest flames, binding the Tzeentch Chosen firmly!
"No! My Lord! Save—" The Chosen Gaius's wail was cut short.
The golden energy suddenly contracted and exploded! Like countless tiny, sacred flame-burning blades, it completely tore, shattered, and purified the Tzeentch Chosen's existence, along with his incredible, terrified gaze, into the most primal energy particles, vanishing without a trace!
The blue chaos in the psychic world was completely dispelled, replaced by a warm and pure golden ocean.
Gaius knelt in place, staring blankly at everything. He felt an unprecedented, warm, and vast power filling his soul, cleansing all his fatigue, wounds, and previous corruption. The Tzeentch power in his left arm, which had been boiling and restless, attempting to backlash, was completely purified and tamed under the golden light's embrace. It was no longer a source of pain, but rather became a… gentle yet powerful foundation.
Even more astonishing to him was that his left arm, which had originally exploded and revealed runic energy due to the energy burst, had now returned to its original state! Flesh, skin, and even fragments of his Power Armor seemed to reshape as if time had reversed! And on his left forearm, the golden light gathered and solidified, ultimately forming a magnificent holy sword emblem, entirely composed of pure golden energy and burning with a faint golden flame! This emblem was not branded on his skin or armor, but was directly connected to his soul and the purified source of power, as if it were a tangible manifestation of his new will combined with the Emperor's grace!
He felt more powerful than ever before! Not just an increase in strength, but a sublimation and strengthening of his will!
He slowly, firmly stood up. His consciousness returned to reality.
Outside, the battlefield was almost hopeless.
Yvraine knelt on the ground, her magnificent armor covered in cracks and scorch marks, blue blood constantly spilling from the corner of her mouth, but she still fiercely guarded Gaius's body, which was enveloped in a blue energy cocoon. Her Staff of the Dead's light was dim, but she was still stubbornly constructing the last defensive barrier. Her eyes were still firm, but anyone could see that she was at her limit.
The Grey Knights were in even worse shape. Valerius lay in a pile of rubble, his silver-grey armor scorched and shattered, his life unknown. Kaldor knelt on one knee, his force sword plunged into the ground to support his body, his other hand clutching a large wound on his abdomen, torn by sorcery, from which energy blood continuously seeped. Only Captain Moreno still stood, but his silver armor was also covered in wounds, his breathing heavy, and each time he raised his hand to gather psychic energy, it seemed exceptionally difficult; he too had clearly reached his limit.
Kairos's massive demonic true form still stood majestically, seemingly having suffered no substantial damage. The Book of Fate slowly turned its pages, and the eerie light on the Staff of Chaos flickered, as if enjoying the prey's final struggles. Countless Tzeentch beasts and Thousand Sons, bolstered by its domain, attacked with increasing frenzy. The 7th Company and Ynnari defense line was constantly shrinking, with people falling every moment.
"Stubborn struggles… but it's time for them to end." Kairos's voice boomed. It once again raised its massive demonic claw, this time, aiming directly at Yvraine and the unconscious Gaius, who were the last line of defense! It intended to crush and take away these annoying ants and its Chosen, all at once!
Just at this critical moment—
Buzz!!!
An indescribable, sacred, and majestic energy fluctuation suddenly erupted from Gaius, who had been enveloped in the blue energy cocoon!
Blinding golden light spread out like a supernova explosion, forcefully dispelling the Tzeentch energy that enveloped him, and even violently shook Kairos's vast domain!
The light was so dazzling that all beings engaged in battle involuntarily stopped their actions, looking in shock at the source of the light!
At Gaius's original position, a figure stood majestically!
His azure Power Armor seemed to be plated with a layer of flowing liquid gold, forming magnificent and sacred golden armor. The Emperor's Crown and the Ultramarines' insignia shone brightly in the golden light, like a divine warrior stepping out of myth! His previously shattered left arm was completely intact, and on his forearm, a holy sword emblem, composed purely of golden energy and burning with purifying flames, emitted a light and pressure that no one dared to look directly at!
Gaius slowly raised his head, his gaze under the helmet seeming to burn with two golden flames. He raised his right arm, and the golden holy sword emblem seemed to respond to his will, its light extending, instantly coalescing in his hand into a physical, massive holy sword burning with fierce golden flames!
He raised the holy sword in his hand, its tip pointing directly at the huge Kairos Fateweaver, who had temporarily halted due to the unexpected turn of events!
A voice rang out, clearly echoing across the entire battlefield. The voice was still Gaius's, but it was filled with unprecedented majesty, power, and an unquestionable resolve, even subtly mixed with another, older, more authoritative male echo:
"Demon of the Warp! Go back to your twisted den!"
"In due time, I will personally go to your ridiculous domain and slay your false Chaos God!"
Upon these words, the entire field was stunned!
Whether it was the Ultramarines, the Ynnari, or the surviving Grey Knights, even the mad Tzeentch beasts and Thousand Sons, all felt the powerful force and absolute will contained in those words, as if striking at the very core of their souls!
Kairos's four blind white eyes fluctuated violently for the first time, and the Book of Fate frantically flipped its pages, seemingly unable to fully analyze this sudden variable that completely exceeded its calculations! From that golden holy sword, it felt an extremely ancient, extremely pure, and for it, extremely dangerous power!
The Emperor's power! How could it so clearly descend upon an ordinary Space Marine?!
The golden warrior stood upon the ruins, his holy sword radiating brilliant light, its might momentarily awe-inspiring even the mountain-sized Lord of Change!
Gaius — or rather, the being currently infused with an indescribable power and shrouded in brilliant golden armor — simply raised the holy sword, which blazed with golden flames.
There were no fancy moves, no deafening roars, just an extremely simple swing.
Buzz—!
The holy sword cut through the air, leaving a fan-shaped, utterly pure golden curtain of light in its wake.
This curtain of light seemed to possess its own will and life; it gently swept across the battlefield, over the Tzeentchian beasts and Thousand Sons who were frantically attacking.
However, for the creations of Chaos, this light was thousands of times more terrifying than the hottest plasma or the most violent explosion!
The screaming Tzeentchian beasts, at the moment they were illuminated by the golden light, were like snowflakes thrown into a steel furnace; they didn't even have time to shriek before their massive bodies, along with the twisted weapons in their hands, instantly turned into a cloud of black, foul-smelling ashes that flew everywhere, and were then completely purified by the holy light, vanishing without a trace!
As for the Thousand Sons Space Marines, clad in blue and gold armor and blessed by the Warp, their fate was not much better. Their sorcerous shields were as fragile as paper in the face of this absolutely pure Emperor's light. As the golden light touched them, their souls, deeply corrupted by Chaos, first let out an incomparably mournful, fundamental wail, and then their armor and flesh rapidly disintegrated and dissipated like sand sculptures weathered for tens of thousands of years! Only a few of the strongest champions, who were slightly further away, managed to escape, screaming, carried away by residual sorcerous flames, their armor utterly shattered and severely wounded.
It was merely the power of a single sword strike!
The chaotic army, which had been surging like a tide and almost overwhelming the loyalist defenses, was instantly cleared from a large area! A vast, empty zone, enveloped in divine golden light, appeared in the center of the battlefield!
This miraculous scene left all the surviving Ultramarines, Ynnari, and even Grey Knights dumbfounded, hardly daring to believe their eyes.
Some of the less severely wounded warriors were even more shocked to discover that the wounds on their bodies, scorched by sorcerous flames and torn by demonic claws, began to heal and scab over at a visible rate under the afterglow of the golden light! A warm and vital force dispelled the Chaos corruption that had plagued their wounds, easing their pain.
This... this is simply... "The Emperor's holy light..." an Ultramarines murmured, instinctively wanting to kneel.
"No... not just holy light..." Captain Moreno struggled to stand upright, his sharp gaze fixed on the golden figure beneath his cold Grey Knights mask, his voice filled with an unprecedented tremor and a hint of unbelievable reverence, "This is... the manifestation of divinity! It is His will... descending through the body of a mortal warrior!"
Even the usually proud Aeldari were now in a state of immense shock. Yvraine, supported by the Visarch, gazed at the golden figure, her deep eyes filled with complex emotions. She could feel a will from that power that was entirely different from the Aeldari gods, yet equally vast and great. It was a cold, absolute, destructive force against Chaos, yet strangely imbued with a powerful warmth that protected all sentient beings. This contradictory yet powerful existence completely exceeded her comprehension.
"Lord of Humanity... what exactly are you..." she whispered, her tone for the first time carrying a hint of true reverence, rather than the superficial politeness based on cooperative interests she usually displayed.
However, the battlefield did not give them much time for shock and contemplation.
Just as Gaius cleared a large number of Chaos troops with one sword strike, Kairos Fateweaver, whose domain violently fluctuated and even recoiled half a step from the holy light's shockwave, let out an extremely furious roar!
"Impossible! This is impossible!" Its two heads shook madly, threads of fate interwoven chaotically in its four blind white eyes, as if unable to accept the reality before it. "He has long been bound to the Golden Throne! How could His power descend so clearly upon an ordinary warrior?! This defies all destiny calculations! This... this is cheating!"
Kairos felt an unprecedented anger and... a subtle hint of fear. From the golden holy sword and Gaius's body, it sensed an extremely ancient, extremely pure power that had absolute restraint over beings like it! It was the shadow of the Emperor's power at its peak, from the late Dark Age of Technology, when He contended with the Warp's malevolent gods for humanity's future! A terrifying might capable of truly threatening the very essence of Daemon Princes like them!
"Anomaly! Must be purged!" Kairos's roar transformed into a tangible psychic storm, and its massive daemon true form finally moved, no longer playing cat and mouse, but truly going all out!
Its huge left hand swung its Staff of Chaos, the gem at its tip erupting with a dark vortex that devoured light, and a thick, Tzeentchian energy torrent, powerful enough to annihilate stars, blasted towards Gaius! Simultaneously, the Book of Fate in its right hand frantically flipped pages, attempting to once again interfere with and twist Gaius's actions, to predict his next move!
The golden figure moved.
Facing the torrent of unholy energy capable of vaporizing a battleship, Gaius, or rather, the will guiding his body, simply calmly raised the holy sword in his hand, its tip pointing forward.
The destructive energy torrent, while still several meters from the holy sword's tip, was as if it had encountered an invisible dam, suddenly splitting and exploding to both sides! Golden holy flames and blue unholy energy violently clashed and annihilated each other, erupting in blinding light that illuminated the entire battlefield, yet failing to shake the golden figure in the slightest!
And the interference from the Book of Fate, this time... failed!
That previously infallible power, capable of predicting all attacks, seemed to fall into a bottomless, incalculable golden ocean upon contact with the dense golden radiance around Gaius! All predictions, all probability calculations, were like stones sinking into the sea, receiving no response whatsoever! Gaius's movements were concise, direct, and imbued with a sense of 'inevitability,' completely transcending the Book of Fate's calculations based on probability and schemes!
"Retreat! All units! Immediately evacuate the combat zone!" Captain Cassius was the first to snap out of his shock, roaring the order with all his might. Though equally awed by the scene before him, his heart filled with countless questions and even a primal sense of reverence, his duty as a commander immediately brought him back to his senses.
The battle before them had completely surpassed the comprehension of mortals, and even ordinary Astartes; it was a direct confrontation between divine power and a top-tier Warp daemon on a higher plane! Remaining here would not only be useless but would also risk being easily torn apart by the terrifying energy aftershocks!
The Grey Knights were well aware of this. Captain Moreno cast a deep gaze at the golden figure confronting Kairos, then, without hesitation, growled, "Kaldor! Leave!" He suppressed his injuries and, with the barely mobile Kaldor, carried the unconscious Valerius, rapidly retreating.
The Visarch also did not hesitate, helping the heavily wounded Yvraine, and followed the retreating Aeldari and Ultramarines forces, quickly moving away from the core area that was about to become a battleground of gods and daemons.
Before leaving, Yvraine cast one last look back. She saw the golden warrior facing the massive Lord of Change, holy sword and Staff of Chaos clashing violently once more!
Boom!!!!!!
This clash was far more intense than any before! A terrifying energy shockwave radiated outwards in a frantic, circular pattern! The ground fractured and heaved like brittle biscuits! All surrounding ruined structures, regardless of size, were instantly pulverized! Even those who had already retreated some distance were thrown off balance by the shockwave, struggling to stand!
Golden holy light and blue chaotic energy, like two raging dragons, furiously tore, clashed, and annihilated each other in the air! Each engagement triggered earth-shattering roars and energy storms!
Gaius's figure seemed so small compared to Kairos's mountainous body. But each swing of his sword carried an supreme majesty that cleaved Chaos and ordained order! The flames on the holy sword were not merely burning, but continuously purifying and annihilating Kairos's unholy energy!
Kairos was filled with shock and fury; it found itself being suppressed! Its sorcerous torrents were easily cleaved by the holy sword, its probability distortions could not affect its opponent, and its immense power, in the face of the opponent's incredibly condensed and impossibly high-quality Emperor's power, actually seemed somewhat bloated and... inferior!
It was like... crude iron ore encountering highly refined adamantium!
"Damn it! Damn this golden power!" Kairos frantically waved its Staff of Chaos, summoning countless treacherous illusions, twisted spatial traps, and soul-corroding whispers, attempting to interfere with its opponent. But all of it, before the pure golden holy light, dissipated into nothingness like shadows in the sunlight!
Gaius's movements became smoother and faster! He seemed completely immersed in this state, the Emperor's will perfectly manifesting the ultimate power against Chaos through him. The holy sword in his hand sometimes transformed into a blade of light that tore through heaven and earth, sometimes into an absolute shield protecting himself, and sometimes erupted with endless golden lightning, lashing Kairos's daemon body!
Zzzzt! A golden bolt of lightning finally cleaved through Kairos's sorcerous defenses, striking hard against its gaunt chest!
"Augh!!!" Kairos let out a howl of pain and rage! The spot where it was struck, its blue scales and armor instantly charred black, even developing cracks! Holy flames, like a persistent curse, coiled around it, continuously burning and purifying its essence!
This pain made it even more frenzied, but also made it realize a fact more clearly—today, it probably wouldn't be able to take the Chosen of the Gods. In fact, it itself might be severely wounded here by this sudden manifestation of the Emperor!
"Lord of Humanity! You win this round!" Kairos let out an unwilling roar, its two heads suddenly tilting back, vast psychic energy beginning to gather recklessly, "But the river of fate never stops flowing! We... will meet again!"
It slammed its Staff of Chaos into the ground! Simultaneously, the Book of Fate erupted in blinding blue light, its pages burning furiously!
A colossal, constantly shifting Warp rift suddenly tore open behind it! Beyond the rift was a bizarre and colorful landscape of Tzeentch's daemon domain, filled with mad knowledge!
It was going to escape!
"You wish!" Gaius (the Emperor's will) let out a majestic roar, the holy sword in his hand erupting with unprecedented light, transforming into a giant blade of light spanning heaven and earth, slashing fiercely towards Kairos and the rift! Intending to completely trap the Daemon Prince!
Kairos let out a final, hysterical shriek, and incredibly, it violently hurled its burning Book of Fate towards the incoming holy sword!
Rumble—!!!
The ultimate collision between the Book of Fate and the Emperor's holy sword erupted!
An indescribable energy explosion engulfed everything! Blinding white and blue light consumed everyone's vision! The terrifying energy storm even caused the warships in orbit to shake violently!
As the light gradually dissipated, everyone struggled to look towards the center of the explosion.
They saw the massive Warp rift rapidly shrinking and closing.
And the massive figure of Kairos Fateweaver had vanished, leaving behind only some charred, broken fragments of blue armor and a pool of bubbling, foul-smelling daemon blood. It had clearly paid a huge price, perhaps even losing part of its essence, but it had, after all, escaped back into the Warp.
In the center of the explosion, only one figure still stood.
The golden armor gradually dimmed and receded, reverting to the familiar deep blue Mark X power armor. The holy sword emblem on his left arm also slowly faded, as if it had never appeared. Gaius stood on a ruined wasteland, his body swayed, then he fell forward.
Just before he completely lost consciousness, he seemed to hear an ancient, weary, yet subtly relieved voice resonate directly in the deepest part of his soul:
"Well done...my...warrior..."
"Continue...forward..."
Then, boundless darkness and weakness consumed him.
The Warp rift torn open by Kairos Fateweaver finally closed completely, leaving behind a scarred landscape and a strange, burnt smell, a mix of holy and profane energies, that had not yet fully dispersed in the air. Although the sky of Taranis Prime was still polluted by the pink-purple evil light, the suffocating, terrifying pressure belonging to the Lord of Change had vanished.
The battlefield fell into a brief, deathly silence. The surviving warriors, whether Ultramarines, Ynnari, or Grey Knights, all looked at the center of the battle, now a massive, glassy crater, with the dazedness of survivors and an indescribable shock.
The golden figure had disappeared, leaving only the familiar body in azure power armor, lying still on the scorched earth.
"Kaldor!" Dorian was the first to react, his massive Terminator armor clanking as he strode forward, rushing over without hesitation. Luna followed closely, the scanners on her servo-arms flashing rapidly.
Captain Cassius and Captain Sibilus exchanged glances, both seeing immense shock and deep doubt in each other's eyes, but they quickly suppressed their emotions and commanded their troops: "Medics! Get over there immediately! Secure the perimeter! Ensure the area is safe!"
Several medics and Tech-Priests immediately followed Dorian and Luna.
As they carefully turned Kaldor over, they found his eyes tightly closed, seemingly in a deep coma, but his breathing was steady and his complexion normal. Even more surprisingly, after initial scans and examinations, not a single scratch could be found on his entire body! Even the slight abrasions that might have been left from the previous battle had disappeared. His vital signs were as stable as if he were merely sleeping, as if the earth-shattering battle between gods and demons had nothing to do with him, and the body that had borne such immense power had not suffered any burden.
"This...how is this possible?" a medic murmured in disbelief. He had seen countless severely wounded, but never such a bizarre situation.
"Don't worry about that! Get him to a safe place first!" Captain Cassius commanded, his gaze sweeping over the chaotic battlefield and the wounded, wailing warriors, his voice heavy, "Immediately gather the severely wounded! Prioritize treatment!"
Soon, Kaldor was carefully lifted onto a stretcher. Given that the "Soul Song Blade" had more advanced Aeldari medical facilities and was the closest, Captain Cassius made an immediate decision, ordering Kaldor and the other severely wounded, including the unconscious Sergeant Golden, to be immediately sent to the Aeldari warship for emergency treatment.
In the medical bay of the "Soul Song Blade," the Aeldari's futuristic medical equipment, composed of wraithbone and soft light streams, operated at full capacity. Kaldor was placed in a separate stasis field chamber, with various non-contact detectors scanning him. The data showed everything was normal, except for brainwave activity indicating he was in a very deep sleep state, as if his body's self-protection mechanism had been activated, and he was digesting or adapting to something.
Meanwhile, in the adjacent emergency room, the situation was much more severe. Sergeant Golden lay on the operating table, with several Aeldari medical officers and Imperial medical servitors busy at work. His Terminator armor had been removed, revealing a body covered in scars, multiple fractures, and internal bleeding. The impact he suffered when he was sent flying by Kairos Fateweaver was terrifying; had it not been for his Terminator armor and the Astartes' superhuman physique, he would have likely died instantly. Now, his life hung by a thread, and even the most skilled Aeldari medical officers could not guarantee his survival, only doing their best to maintain his vital signs. The rest, perhaps, truly depended on the Emperor's blessing and Golden's own tenacious will to live.
Outside Kaldor's medical room, the atmosphere was heavy and subtle. Captain Cassius of the 7th Company, Captain Sibilus of the Eighth Company, Yvraine, leader of the Ynnari, Captain Moreno of the Grey Knights, and the anxious Dorian and silent Luna, almost everyone, were gathered here.
Everyone's face was etched with disbelief and deep confusion. They had just witnessed a battle that was almost a miracle; the Emperor's power—or rather, the Emperor's own will—had so clearly descended and attached itself to an ordinary Space Marine. This was completely beyond their comprehension and understanding.
"Did the Emperor...really manifest?" Captain Sibilus couldn't help but whisper. He was straightforward by nature, but at this moment, he felt a soul-deep awe and bewilderment. "I have never...never seen such a clear, such a powerful...manifestation in any record."
Captain Cassius's expression was grave as he slowly said, "Grey Knights brothers, you deal with the Warp and Chaos year-round. Have you...ever seen a similar situation?"
Captain Moreno's cold, aquiline helmet turned towards the medical room door. After a moment of silence, he replied in his rigid, deep voice: "The Emperor's might is unfathomable. His will is also beyond our ability to fathom. As for manifestations...ancient texts may have scattered records, but such a clear display of supreme divine power through a mortal body, directly repelling the Lord of Change...is unheard of."
He paused, then added a sentence that made everyone's ears perk up: "However, one thing can be confirmed. I just carefully sensed with my psychic powers...the foul power of the Lord of Change that was originally entrenched in Brother Kaldor's left arm...has completely dissipated, purified without a trace."
This news was like a giant rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up even greater ripples!
"What? Disappeared?!" Cassius and Sibilus exclaimed almost simultaneously. What did this mean? It meant that Kaldor's greatest hidden danger, the source of what was considered a Chaos curse and a potential threat, had been removed?!
"Yes," Moreno's tone was very firm. "That power was not suppressed or hidden, but completely erased and purified from its root by some higher, purer power. Brother Kaldor, in terms of his soul's essence, is no longer associated with Tzeentch in any way. He is a...pure and loyal Ultramarine."
This was undoubtedly excellent news! The biggest problem that had plagued the Chapter for so long, even attracting the scrutiny of the Grey Knights, had been resolved in a way no one could have imagined!
Captain Cassius took a deep breath, trying to calm his inner excitement. He turned around and looked solemnly at Yvraine, who was pale and needed assistance to stand.
"Lady Yvraine," his voice was filled with sincere gratitude, "I, Cassius, on behalf of the 7th Company, and Captain Sibilus, on behalf of the Eighth Company, extend our most sincere thanks to you and the Ynnari! Thank you for your selfless assistance in this battle, especially in the final moments, when you disregarded your own safety and swore to protect Kaldor. The Ultramarines will never forget this friendship."
Although Sibilus still maintained a stern expression, she nodded and added, "Without your support and...that miraculous healing environment at the end, our casualties would have been much higher. We will truthfully report this battle report to Chapter Master Marius Calgar. We have personally witnessed your and the Ynnari's sincerity and value. This is crucial for our future cooperation."
Despite her severe injuries, Yvraine maintained her elegant demeanor. She nodded slightly, her voice somewhat weak but clear: "Both Captains exaggerate. Opposing Chaos is the very meaning of the Ynnari's existence. To gain the Ultramarines' recognition is also our wish. May this joint battle become a new beginning...between humanity and the Aeldari."
Her graceful statement earned her even more goodwill from the two human Captains.
Just then, Captain Cassius received a communication from the Unyielding Will. Chapter Master Marius Calgar wanted to speak with him urgently.
Cassius immediately stepped aside, connected the communication, and reported everything that had happened in detail to the Chapter Master, including the appearance of Kairos Fateweaver, the manifestation of the Emperor, Kaldor's coma and purification, and the crucial role of the Ynnari, especially Yvraine, without reservation.
There was a long silence on the other end of the communication. Clearly, even the experienced Chapter Master needed time to process such shocking information.
Finally, Chapter Master Calgar's steady voice came through, carrying a trace of imperceptible astonishment: "...The Emperor's will is indeed beyond our ability to fathom. As for Kaldor's situation, we will discuss it after he awakens and is thoroughly examined. As for Yvraine and the Ynnari..."
The Chapter Master paused, then made a decision: "They have proven their value and trustworthiness. In my name, I formally invite Lady Yvraine and her Ynnari fleet to the core region of Ultramar for rest and resupply. Macragge will open its doors to our allies."
This was a highly significant invitation, meaning the Ultramarines Chapter officially recognized the Ynnari's status as allies and elevated their cooperation to a new level.
Captain Cassius relayed the Chapter Master's invitation to Yvraine.
A genuine, relaxed smile appeared on Yvraine's pale face. She nodded again: "Thank you, Chapter Master Calgar, for your generosity and trust. The Ynnari are deeply honored to accept this invitation."
Just then, Dorian, who had been listening with his ears perked up, worried about Kaldor and Golden, heard about going to the Macragge's Honour and couldn't help but blurt out a remark, his voice neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for those around to hear:
"Uh...Lady Yvraine, just a...friendly reminder, the nutrient paste on the Macragge's Honour...um...it really has a very...very unique, terrible taste! You'd better be prepared..."
Immediately, the previously solemn and formal atmosphere was momentarily broken by this sudden, overly practical "warning."
Captain Cassius's mouth twitched, and he glared fiercely at Dorian. Captain Sibilus let out a snort that was either a cold scoff or an attempt to suppress laughter. Even the Visarch, who was supporting Yvraine, seemed to have his cold mask stiffen for a moment.
Yvraine was also slightly taken aback, then chuckled, the smile easing the fatigue and paleness from her face: "Thank you for the warning, brave warrior. I imagine...no matter how unpalatable the nutrient paste, it won't be more challenging to the taste buds than the 'Millennium Spirit-Fluid Extract Paste' from the Aeldari Craftworlds."
Upon hearing this, Dorian shrank his neck, imagined the scene, and suddenly felt that the Macragge's nutrient paste didn't seem so unacceptable after all...After the small interlude, the atmosphere lightened considerably. Cassius assigned a squad of elite warriors, along with Dorian and Luna, to guard Kaldor outside the medical room. Afterward, he, Sibilus, Moreno, and others departed to handle various post-battle matters and prepare to lead the combined fleet to Ultramar.
Yvraine, supported by the Visarch, also returned to her cabin to recuperate. She looked back at Kaldor's medical room, her eyes complex, filled with scrutiny, awe, and a hint of inexpressible anticipation.
The Emperor's manifestation, the purified Chosen of the Gods, and...that unpalatable nutrient paste. This journey to Ultramar was destined to be extraordinary.