Within the Mind Abyss, the battle—or rather, a one-sided, despair-inducing slaughter—began.
Facing the essence of Tzeentch, who had descended through Karlos's body, the three Grey Knight Grand Masters, knowing they had no chance of victory, still charged forward fearlessly. Their silver psychic energy was like moths drawn to a flame, imbued with a tragic resolve.
However, their attacks couldn't even get within a hundred meters of "Karlos."
The gaunt, two-headed figure made no obvious movements. It merely floated there silently, the massive Book of Fate in its hand turning its pages without a breeze, emitting an all-seeing, eerie glow.
Endless, insidious whispers from the deepest reaches of the Warp, mixed with a palpable, terrifying pressure capable of crushing stars, surged forth like an invisible tsunami from "Karlos" towards the three Grey Knight Grand Masters!
The two Grey Knight Grand Masters, already greatly depleted by previous battles, bore the brunt of it. Their silver psychic shields flickered and warped violently the moment they met this power, then shattered like fragile glass!
"Pfft—!"
The bodies of the two Grand Masters flew backward almost simultaneously, their consciousnesses becoming extremely unstable, flickering violently like poorly-signalized holograms. The direct psychic assault from the Chaos God's true form was far beyond what they could endure!
In the real world, the physical bodies of the two Grey Knight Grand Masters surrounding Gaius suddenly shuddered, their armored forms trembling violently, and the psychic bridge connecting to Gaius's shoulder instantly snapped! They grunted, falling backward. Though quickly caught by Grey Knight warriors standing by, they had clearly lost consciousness, falling into a deep coma. Their souls were severely wounded, but fortunately, not directly annihilated.
Within the Mind Abyss, only Grand Master Silver Shield remained, still standing defiantly under Tzeentch's terrifying pressure!
The silver psychic energy on him flickered like a candle in the wind, but his tempered will and psychic cultivation, far deeper than his companions', allowed him to barely withstand this invisible impact. He was like a lonely reef in a storm, teetering but still firmly rooted in place!
"Oh? There's still one standing?" Both of "Karlos's" heads simultaneously uttered a voice mixed with surprise and mockery, "It seems among the Emperor's guard dogs, there are occasionally one or two with sharper teeth."
Grand Master Silver Shield did not respond to the taunts. All his focus was on resisting the pervasive pressure and whispers, while his hands tightly gripped the psychic halberd that had been passed down through countless generations of Grand Masters and bathed in the blood of countless Daemons.
He poured all his remaining psychic energy, as well as what he gained by burning his life potential, into the halberd without reservation! The halberd emitted an unprecedented, brilliant silver light, like a supernova explosion! The light was so pure, so scorching, as if it condensed all the faith and sacrifice of the entire Grey Knights Chapter over ten millennia!
"For the Emperor!!!" Silver Shield roared, his voice shaking the Mind Abyss. He transformed into a silver comet tearing through the darkness, concentrating all his strength, all his will, all his hope into this final strike, unhesitatingly thrusting towards the Daemon God's avatar!
This strike, imbued with his lifelong cultivation and a desperate belief, had enough power to severely wound or even purify a mighty Daemon Prince!
Facing this strike, which condensed humanity's ultimate power against Chaos, both heads on "Karlos's" gaunt face simultaneously displayed an extremely eerie, almost pre-emptive smile.
It didn't even assume a defensive stance. Only a rune on one of the pages of the Book of Fate, floating in its other hand, subtly glowed.
Then, it raised its empty, feathered hand and made an extremely subtle motion, like plucking a string, towards the direction Silver Shield was charging from.
The next moment, something that made Grand Master Silver Shield's soul tremble occurred!
His desperate, all-out strike, intended to hit its mark, was about to connect with "Karlos" when the space in front of him seemed to be forcibly warped by some invisible, pre-set rule!
He felt his thrusting halberd hit an absolutely smooth, absolutely unyielding invisible barrier, and then its attack trajectory was forcibly deflected by an utterly irresistible force! It wasn't blocked, it wasn't negated, but rather... guided!
The halberd's destructive silver energy veered off its intended target, arcing in a bizarre curve, and actually... stabbed directly towards Gaius, who was next to him, struggling against the will of Tzeentch within him and unable to move!
"No!!!" Grand Master Silver Shield cried out in horror in his mind. If this strike hit, Gaius would surely be instantly annihilated!
In this critical moment, Silver Shield displayed the astonishing control of a Grand Master! He forcefully, almost reversing the flow of psychic energy, retracted most of his power, even at the cost of the raging psychic energy backlashing against himself!
Boom!
The tip of the halberd stopped abruptly just a few centimeters from Gaius's chest. The residual shockwave made Gaius stumble, but ultimately caused no substantial harm. Silver Shield himself, however, suffered severe psychic backlash from forcibly retracting his power; blood seeped from the gaps in his armor, and his entire consciousness dimmed considerably.
"Utterly... foolish..." Both of "Karlos's" heads simultaneously let out a hollow, desolate mocking laugh, a sound filled with absolute control and disdain for mortal efforts, "Your actions, your intentions, were clearly displayed in the Book of Fate seconds ago. All your deeds, every thought, are within my control."
Its slender fingers gently traced the pages of the Book of Fate, as if appreciating a play whose script had long been written.
"You pride yourselves as the sword against Chaos, the shield guarding humanity... Yet, when you truly face the ultimate power, what... can you do?" Its voice carried a cruel mockery, "Nothing more than tiny insects, struggling in vain, eventually... dying in obscurity, becoming a negligible speck of dust in my endless wisdom... Hahahahaha...!"
The shrill laugh, a mixture of countless voices, scraped against Silver Shield's soul like a cold file.
Silver Shield endured the pain of the backlash and the shock in his heart, gathering his strength once more to attack! He refused to believe that fate was absolute! He would prove with his actions that human will could transcend preordained paths!
He swung his halberd, unleashing exquisitely precise combat techniques, silver energy blades striking at "Karlos" from impossible angles!
However, each attack was like falling into a meticulously woven spiderweb!
Each time, his attacks were effortlessly neutralized by "Karlos" in a seemingly casual but in fact pre-cognized manner—sometimes deflected by spatial distortions, sometimes blocked by a conveniently appearing blue energy shield, and sometimes even guided to strike the afterimages left by his previous attacks!
In the most terrifying instance, a full-power halberd strike, with a subtle gesture from "Karlos," had its trajectory reversed by a hundred and eighty degrees, savagely striking his own pauldron! Fortunately, he reacted quickly, dissipating the force in time, otherwise he nearly severed his own arm!
This was an utterly unequal, despair-inducing battle! All of Grand Master Silver Shield's efforts, all his struggles, seemed so ridiculous and futile before a Chaos God who could glimpse and weave destiny. He was like a puppet controlled by invisible strings, every step within the opponent's calculations.
His psychic energy was rapidly depleting, his injuries were constantly worsening, and his will suffered immense torment from being repeatedly toyed with and crushed.
And "Karlos," from beginning to end, had not moved an inch from its spot. It merely leisurely turned the pages of the Book of Fate, occasionally moving a finger, as if playing a relaxed game, enjoying the prey's final, helpless struggles.
In the real world, Guilliman, Mephiston, Golden, and others, though unable to see the specific battle in the Mind Abyss, could clearly feel Grand Master Silver Shield's rapidly weakening psychic fluctuations, and the terrifying, utterly extreme Chaos pressure that constantly enveloped everything like a nightmare!
Their hearts were in their throats. The situation was spiraling towards the worst possible abyss!
Gaius, kneeling in the center, was nearing the completion of his bodily transformation. The blue demonic armor was magnificent and sinister, the twin horns on his head were twisted and ferocious, and surging Warp energy almost burst forth from him! Only the occasional, extremely subtle, unnatural tremor showed that an intense struggle still existed within him.
Dorian and the others' shouts were tinged with tears and despair, but they still hadn't given up, still calling Gaius's name with all their might, recounting past memories.
Their voices were Gaius's only lifeline in the boundless darkness and the whispers of the Chaos God, the last strength supporting his tiny consciousness from complete submersion.
The defeat of Silver Shield seemed inevitable, Gaius's fall appeared to be moments away. The situation within the Mind Abyss had reached an absolute deadlock.
Karlos's two heads slightly reined in their mocking smiles, as if he felt this 'game' had dragged on for too long. His feathered finger, gently, as if plucking a flower, turned another page of the enormous Book of Fate.
On the page, an extremely complex rune, imbued with immense power, shimmered faintly.
There was no earth-shattering energy explosion, no world-destroying magical light.
However, Grand Master Silver Shield, who was struggling below, trying to find a weakness, was struck as if by an invisible, soul-targeting hammer!
"Ugh!"
He let out a muffled groan of pain, his silver-armored body trembled violently, and the silver psychic energy around him, which had been flickering like a candle in the wind, instantly dimmed completely, almost extinguishing, like a doused flame! He could no longer maintain his stance, his right knee buckled, and he heavily dropped to one knee, his psychic halberd almost slipping from his grasp.
No one knew exactly what happened. Perhaps the Book of Fate directly attacked a key node in his threads of destiny, or perhaps it forcibly foresaw and countered all his possible next moves, thereby dismantling his will to fight and psychic connection from the root. That strike was not directed at the physical or energy level, but at the more fundamental, more undefendable 'destiny' level of suppression.
Grand Master Silver Shield's helmet was bowed, his body trembling slightly, clearly having reached his limit, even maintaining his consciousness from dissipating became extremely difficult. Before a Chaos God who could arbitrarily alter destiny, all his power and experience seemed so pale and powerless.
Karlos's two heads looked with satisfaction at Silver Shield, who had almost lost the ability to resist, then slowly turned to the other side—to Gaius, who had completely transformed.
At this moment, Gaius's body had completely transformed into the form of a Daemon Prince. His massive size, magnificent and sinister blue armor covered in Chaos runes and eye patterns, and ferocious demonic horns like a crown, with surging, treacherous energy flowing around him like breath. From the outside, this was already a flawless, incredibly powerful Tzeentch Daemon Prince body.
Karlos sensed the situation within Gaius's body, and both of his heads simultaneously displayed a satisfied smile, as if everything was under control. He clearly felt that the originally intense struggling will of the mortal warrior within Gaius had completely subsided and dissipated. In its place was a consciousness perfectly integrated with the surrounding Warp energy, submissive yet powerful... a demonic consciousness.
"Excellent…" Karlos let out a hollow laugh, "The struggle is over… a perfect creation…"
He seemed to have lost interest in continuing to toy with Silver Shield. His gaze fell back on the Book of Fate, and his finger casually... flipped two pages consecutively.
This time, the runes that lit up on the pages were even more complex, more profound, carrying the implication of summoning and release.
In an instant, the dark void around Grand Master Silver Shield rippled violently, like a lake into which a stone had been thrown! Countless twisted, ferocious, purely malevolent ethereal Daemons—such as Horrors, Blue Horrors, and Screamers, the lowest but most annoying Daemons under Tzeentch—surged forth from all directions, howling and cackling like a breached dam!
Their numbers were so vast that they almost filled every inch of space around Silver Shield! They had no physical form, yet they could attack targets with psychic claws and mental screams, especially adept at swarming enemies who were powerful psychics but already nearing exhaustion!
These ethereal Daemons, like a swarm of blue locusts, lunged at Grand Master Silver Shield, who was kneeling on one knee and almost depleted of psychic energy! Their sharp shrieks were enough to tear apart souls, and countless psychic attacks rained down on the dim Silver Shield!
Silver Shield laboriously raised his halberd, attempting to sweep it, but his movements were slow and weak, each swing seemingly exhausting all his strength. The Silver Shield flickered violently under countless attacks, on the verge of shattering completely!
The situation was precarious! Once the shield shattered, these ethereal Daemons could instantly tear Silver Shield's weakened consciousness into pieces!
However, at this critical moment—
A sudden change occurred!
A cold, vast, powerful Chaos energy, imbued with Tzeentch's characteristic treachery, erupted not from Karlos or those ethereal Daemons, but from the 'fully transformed' Daemon Prince Gaius beside them!
This energy, like a precise blue storm, instantly swept through a large area around Silver Shield!
Those frenziedly attacking ethereal Daemons, under the impact of this energy, which was of the same origin but higher-grade and more domineering, shattered and annihilated like soap bubbles in the sun, without even having time to scream, turning into primal Chaos energy and vanishing without a trace!
In the blink of an eye, the demonic tide that could have overwhelmed Silver Shield was swept clean!
"Hmm?" The smiles on Karlos's two heads instantly froze, and his four eyes simultaneously flashed with a hint of bewilderment and incomprehension. He uttered a questioning sound: "Oh?"
He had not anticipated this at all! He clearly sensed that Gaius's consciousness had been devoured, and this body should have been completely under his control! Why would he suddenly help that Grey Knight?
Under the gaze of Karlos and all eyes focused on this place, the massive and majestic Daemon Prince body slowly, firmly... stood up!
The blue energy behind him surged violently, extending and expanding, transforming into two enormous, magnificent wings made of pure energy and blue feathers! The ferocious demonic horns became even more majestic, like a true crown.
Then, he... or rather, "it," slowly turned around.
Those deep, dark blue eyes, as if containing endless knowledge and stars, suddenly opened! His gaze was sharp as a blade, piercing directly towards Karlos, who was floating in the air!
In those eyes, there was no trace of confusion or submission, only an incredibly firm will, tempered by a thousand trials!
Gaius raised his large hand, covered in blue armor, and cold Chaos energy rapidly gathered and shaped in his palm, finally coalescing into a longsword burning with blue flames, composed of pure energy!
The tip of the sword lifted, pointing directly at the incarnation representing the essence of Tzeentch!
A voice rang out. It was no longer Gaius's original human voice, but a mixture of demonic low rumbling and energy vibrations, yet it declared with utmost clarity and unwavering conviction:
"You are wrong… Chaos God!"
"I am not your Daemon Prince!"
"I am—Gaius!!!"
The voice, like thunder, echoed through this Mind Abyss, filled with an unquestionable resolve and pride!
The bewilderment on Karlos's two heads quickly faded, replaced by an extremely complex emotion—surprise, curiosity, amusement, and a hint of… 'appreciation,' as if he had seen an unexpectedly interesting toy.
His hollow, desolate voice rang out again, tinged with genuine admiration:
"Interesting… truly… perfectly splendid…"
Within the Mind Abyss, the situation was instantly reversed!
Grand Master Silver Shield knelt on one knee, raising his head in disbelief, looking through his almost extinguished psychic goggles at the towering, blue Daemon Prince with outstretched wings. He simply couldn't believe his senses—Gaius, that Ultramarines Sergeant, not only hadn't been devoured by the will of the Chaos God, but instead... instead, in an incredible way, he had harnessed the chaotic power that should have consumed him and made it his own?!
This defied all known logic and common sense in fighting Chaos! No one had ever achieved this! What an incredibly resilient will it must take to maintain one's self under the direct possession of a Chaos God and, in turn, wield that destructive power?
"Ah..." The two heads of "Karlos" recovered from their initial shock, letting out hollow, knowing sighs mixed with countless tones. "This... is merely a part of My plan..."
His tone remained full of absolute control, as if this astonishing reversal had already been written on a page of the Book of Fate, merely a pre-set plot point in his grand script. His four eyes watched Gaius playfully, with a condescending scrutiny, as if looking at a ridiculous pawn attempting to defy predetermined destiny.
"You... intend to use the power I bestowed upon you to fight Me?" He let out a sharp, mocking laugh, "Ridiculous... to the extreme!"
Gaius did not respond with words. Action was the best answer.
He gripped the energy longsword in his hand, composed of a mixture of chaotic energy and a Golden shimmer. His massive daemon body moved abruptly, unleashing a huge, crescent-shaped energy slash towards the floating "Karlos"!
This slash was bizarre and powerful! Its main body glowed with Tzeentch's characteristic eerie blue, and the energy was filled with the traits of change and trickery. But deep within the blue core, a faint, pure, and scorching Golden light subtly flowed! That was... the Emperor's power! It was the tiny, yet incredibly resilient, trace of the Emperor's might that remained deep within his soul after the Emperor's manifestation repelled Karlos earlier!
At this moment, this trace of the Emperor's power did not clash with Tzeentch's chaotic energy. Instead, under Gaius's incredibly firm will, it was forcibly blended and perfectly integrated into this strike, making the slash possess both the mark of Chaos and the purity of Order. Its power became extremely bizarre and unpredictable!
Facing this strike, which contained two completely opposite yet strangely merged powers, even the Tzeentch avatar's playful eyes flashed with a subtle hint of seriousness. He no longer arrogantly tried to take the blow head-on, but instead gently turned the page of the Book of Fate once more.
Buzz!
The space in front of the slash twisted again, attempting to deflect the attack.
However, this time, the slash containing the Emperor's power seemed to have some resistance to the twisting of fate! Although it was still deflected and failed to hit "Karlos," it didn't completely lose control. Instead, it fiercely cut into the dark void beside it, exploding into a blue and gold intertwined energy storm that violently shook large areas of the Mind Abyss space!
"You!!!" "Karlos" seemed truly enraged, his mixed voice taking on an incredulous sharpness. "You actually used the divine power I bestowed upon you against Me?! Gaius! I bestowed divine power upon you! I made you a god! You... repaid kindness with enmity!!"
His anger seemed to stem from a sense of defiance at his "ownership" being challenged, as if Gaius using his power to resist him was an unforgivable blasphemy.
However, he hadn't finished speaking—
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!!!
Innumerable runic chains, composed entirely of pure blue chaotic energy, suddenly shot out from the dark void around "Karlos" without warning! These chains, like living vipers, instantly wrapped around and tightly bound "Karlos's" massive, gaunt body!
This was precisely the binding spell commonly used by Tzeentch daemons! But now, Gaius was using it against his creator!
"Karlos's" body suddenly stiffened, seemingly not expecting Gaius's use of power to be so skillful and unexpected!
In the fleeting moment that he was temporarily bound by the chains—
Gaius's massive daemon body flickered, as if briefly erased from the current timeline, then instantly reinserted!
The next second, he appeared like a ghost directly in front of the chain-bound "Karlos"! The blue-gold energy longsword in his hand plunged into "Karlos's" chest without hesitation, with a resolute will!
Pfft!
The longsword pierced through his body!
Pure Tzeentch energy was indeed difficult to truly harm the essence avatar of Tzeentch, but the trace of the Emperor's power contained in Gaius's sword strike acted like a red-hot iron plunged into ice water, playing a crucial role! Two extremely opposing forces collided and annihilated within "Karlos's" body, bringing real pain and damage!
"Ugh ah!!!" Both of "Karlos's" heads simultaneously let out screams of pain and rage!
With one successful strike, Gaius's body flickered again! He instantly vanished from his spot, and the next second, he reappeared as if teleporting behind "Karlos." The energy longsword in his hand traced a deadly arc, striking directly at the head representing "past"!
"Karlos" was both startled and enraged. He struggled fiercely, and terrifying chaotic energy erupted from his body, forcibly shattering the energy chains that bound him. At the same time, his entire body instantly disintegrated into countless blue dust and feathers, narrowly avoiding the decapitating strike, and then reformed in the distance.
But on his gaunt chest, a wound scorched by blue-gold energy was clearly visible. Although slowly healing, it undoubtedly proved that he had just suffered real damage.
Gaius floated in the air, his massive blue wings slowly fanning, the energy longsword in his hand pointing diagonally downwards. His voice, a mixture of daemon growls and firm resolve, rang out, full of cold mockery:
"I used your ability to project and overlay my potential attacks in the next few seconds onto the present, allowing me to appear silently before you. Your Book of Fate... seems unable to fully predict 'future' choices that even I haven't yet determined? And..."
He paused, the mockery in his tone deepening: "Your utilization of this power... seems less flexible than mine."
The two heads of "Karlos" stared fixedly at Gaius, his chest heaving, his four eyes filled with unspeakable complex emotions—anger, surprise, and a deeper calculation, as if re-evaluating the worth of a tool.
After a moment of silence, his hollow voice rang out again, no longer filled with anger, but instead with a strange calm and... anticipation?
"Hahahahaha... Gaius... interesting... truly interesting..." He let out a chilling laugh. "But this... is still just a part of My plan... We... will meet again..."
As his voice fell, his massive body began to blur and become transparent, clearly not intending to continue this battle that had exceeded his expectations and even caused him a minor setback. He intended to leave this Mind Abyss.
However, before he completely vanished, his mixed voice left one last message, like a serpent's whisper, drilling deep into Gaius's consciousness:
"Look at the power you wield... the 'sacred' power of your false Emperor, and My great chaotic power... they are not mutually exclusive, but rather intertwined... Does this not prove... that the 'Lord of Humanity' whom you worship, seated high on his throne... his essence, is no different from Us daemon gods?"
"Rest well... Gaius... enjoy this... fleeting victory..."
With these seductive words, the avatar of Tzeentch completely dissipated into the endless darkness, and the terrifying pressure receded like a tide.
Within the Mind Abyss, only Gaius remained, floating in the air, controlling the body of the Daemon Prince, and below him, the almost exhausted but utterly shocked and disbelieving Grand Master Silver Shield.
The battle seemed to be temporarily over.
But Tzeentch's final words, like a poisonous seed, had been silently planted.
Within the Mind Abyss, the suffocating pressure of the Chaos God receded like a tide, leaving behind only devastation and the still surging aftershocks of chaotic energy. The massive Daemon Prince Gaius slowly turned, his deep blue eyes looking at the Grand Master Silver Shield, who was kneeling on one knee, his psychic energy almost depleted.
"Grand Master," Gaius's voice still carried the low echo of a daemon, but his tone was filled with concern, "How is your condition?"
Silver Shield struggled to raise his head, his silver armor covered in cracks, and his psychic glow dimmed to the extreme. He looked through his goggles at the familiar yet strange being before him, his heart still filled with shock and disbelief. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady:
"No harm… just excessive psychic expenditure… rest will suffice." He paused, then added, "You… have achieved the impossible." This was perhaps the highest praise this rigid Grey Knight could offer.
Gaius nodded slightly, seemingly relieved. Immediately, his gaze sharpened and became resolute once more, directed at the massive Mark of Change still suspended high in the dark sky, radiating an ominous aura despite Tzeentch's will having receded.
This colossal blue celestial body was the root of all this suffering, a symbol of Tzeentch's power, and a cancerous growth deeply embedded in his soul.
He slowly raised the energy longsword in his hand, which burned with blue and gold flames. As he concentrated his will, the surging energy within him, a fusion of Chaos and the Emperor's power, began to wildly converge into the longsword!
Buzz—!!!
The longsword emitted a deafening hum, its blade vibrating violently, growing brighter and longer! As if limitless, the blade instantly extended and swelled, transforming into a colossal blade of light that pierced through heaven and earth! Its length even surpassed the giant Mark of Change, its tip directly breaking through the void barrier of this Mind Abyss, as if to connect this inner battlefield with the outside world!
Gaius gripped the now immensely massive blade of light tightly with both hands, raising it high above his head. His gaze was fixed on the gigantic Mark of Change, his eyes filled with unwavering determination!
It was time to end all of this completely!
Just then, Grand Master Silver Shield's anxious voice came again: "Sergeant Gaius! Wait!"
He struggled against his weakness, urgently saying: "This Mark of Change is already deeply bound to the very essence of your soul! It is defilement, yet it has also become a part of your soul's structure! If you forcibly destroy it, under the energy backlash, your soul is very likely… very likely to disintegrate along with it, turning to ash!"
Silver Shield's words were full of warning. Cleansing defilement was one thing, but directly destroying a massive energy entity that had already merged with the soul's core carried a risk no different from suicide! This was completely uncharted territory, with unimaginable consequences!
Gaius's action of raising the blade of light paused slightly. He was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head, his voice calm yet filled with an undeniable resolve:
"Grand Master, thank you for your reminder. But my mind is made up."
His gaze remained fixed on the Mark of Change, as if he could see through its essence.
"Its binding to me is Tzeentch's greatest conspiracy and shackles. As long as it exists, I will never truly escape its shadow, and the Emperor's power will not be able to completely purify this deep-seated root. Today, I was fortunate enough to control the power and repel its avatar, but what about next time? Am I to live forever in this state of apprehension, always existing as a potential threat?"
"No." Gaius's voice suddenly rose, filled with an unshakeable determination, "It's time to completely end things with it! Whether it's life or death, existence or annihilation! I would rather exchange complete destruction for true freedom than ever again be a puppet or a potential pawn of the Chaos God!"
"For the Imperium, for the Primarch, and for myself—I must sever it!"
The moment his words fell, Gaius no longer hesitated in the slightest!
He let out a roar that echoed throughout the entire Mind Abyss, unleashing all the power within him—the Tzeentchian Chaos energy he had wielded, the remnants of the Emperor's mighty power deep within his soul, and his indestructible human will—unreservedly and completely!
Boom!!!!!!!!
Blue and gold light erupted like a supernova, sweeping wildly in all directions with Gaius at its center! The light was so scorching, so pure, that it instantly illuminated this endless dark Mind Abyss as bright as day! It even temporarily suppressed and dispersed all surrounding residual Chaos energy!
In this dazzling bi-colored light, Gaius's Daemon Prince body seemed to transform into a giant of light, and he let out a final, declarative shout:
"I am not a Daemon Prince—I am an Ultramarines!!!"
Accompanying this shout, the colossal bi-colored blade of light, piercing through heaven and earth, with an unstoppable, all-severing resolute belief, fiercely and precisely struck down upon the gigantic Mark of Change!
Time, at this moment… seemed to stop.
There was no earth-shattering explosion, no roar of clashing energies.
Only the extreme light and silence that erupted from the point of contact between the blade of light and the Mark of Change.
Gaius felt his consciousness, his soul, as if also split open by this single strike! An indescribable, primal pain and sense of nothingness originating from the very essence of life instantly overwhelmed him!
The last thing he saw was a faint but rapidly spreading Golden crack appearing on the gigantic Mark of Change… then, his consciousness completely sank into boundless darkness and silence, losing all sensation.
In the real world, inside the ritual chamber.
Just as Gaius delivered that decisive strike within his Mind Abyss—
Grand Master Silver Shield, who had been maintaining a single-kneel, hand-hovering posture, suddenly spat out a mouthful of silver blood, his armored body shaking violently, as if he had exhausted his last ounce of strength and could no longer maintain the ritual posture. He collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath, his body beneath the armor trembling uncontrollably from excessive exhaustion and backlash.
Almost simultaneously, Gaius, who had been kneeling in the center of the room, his body previously massive and taut from his Daemon Prince transformation, suddenly went limp, collapsing forward as if all support had vanished.
"Gaius!" Dorian, who had been intently watching the situation, reacted the fastest! He roared, completely disregarding any rules or reverence, shoving aside a Grey Knight blocking his path, and lunged forward, narrowly catching the massive body before it completely hit the ground.
He carefully laid Gaius flat. At this moment, all of Gaius's Daemon Prince features—the blue armor, the hideous Gaiuss, the massive physique—had vanished. He had reverted to his original human form, wearing his Imperial Fists training uniform, his face as pale as paper, his breathing extremely faint, as if it could stop at any moment.
"Gaius! Brother! Wake up!" Dorian called out anxiously, his rugged face etched with worry.
Golden, Luna, Ailas, and Draculas also immediately gathered around, everyone's hearts in their throats.
Guilliman and Mephiston also hurried forward, nervously checking Gaius's condition.
"Grand Master!" Guilliman simultaneously looked at the collapsed Silver Shield, his tone urgent, "What happened in there? Gaius… did he succeed?"
Grand Master Silver Shield laboriously raised his hand, indicating he was fine. He gasped for a while before, with an extremely weak voice, he haltingly recounted everything that had happened within the Mind Abyss, beyond normal comprehension—how Gaius seized control, how he fused his powers, how he repelled Tzeentch's avatar, and finally, that earth-shattering, decisive strike aimed at the Mark of Change—he briefly narrated it.
After listening to Silver Shield's narration, the entire room fell into a dead silence.
Everyone was so shocked by this incredible and thrilling process that they were speechless.
Repelling the avatar of Tzeentch himself? Wielding the dual powers of Chaos and the Emperor? And finally, severing the Mark of Change bound to his soul?!
Any one of these feats would be enough to be recorded in the Imperium's secret history! And Gaius had accomplished them all in a short time!
"…Perhaps," Grand Master Silver Shield finally added, his gaze sweeping over Golden, Dorian, and the others, his voice carrying a hint of emotion he himself hadn't noticed, "Just as Lord Regent had hoped… it was your unwavering calls and bonds… that served as the anchor for his consciousness, helping him ultimately seize control of his body… and create a miracle…"
His words affirmed the value of everything Golden and the others had done.
Dorian tightly hugged the unconscious Gaius, and this fearless brute's eyes were actually a little red. Golden let out a heavy sigh of relief, patting Dorian's shoulder. Luna's cold face also flashed with a hint of relief. Ailas even burst into tears, but they were tears of joy.
Guilliman looked at the unconscious Gaius, his eyes incredibly complex, with relief, lingering fear, and deep shock. He knew that although Gaius had survived, the consequences of severing the Mark of Change were unknown, and his future was still full of uncertainties.
But no matter what, the most dangerous moment seemed to have passed.
Now, they could only wait, wait for Gaius to awaken from that deep coma himself, or… face the worst outcome.
As Grand Master Silver Shield's weak but clear narration concluded, a long silence fell over the room.
The air was thick with shock, lingering fear, and an inexpressible heaviness.
Everything Gaius had experienced surpassed the comprehension of most present; it was a direct confrontation with a Chaos God at the deepest level of his soul, an unparalleled danger and shock.
Guilliman was the first to recover from the shock.
He took a deep breath, suppressed his churning emotions, and regained the Lord Regent's calm and decisiveness.
"Lieutenant Golden, Dorian," his gaze swept over the few people gathered around Gaius, "carefully take Sergeant Karl to the quiet room next door to rest.
He needs an environment of absolute tranquility."
"Yes, Primarch!" Golden immediately responded, and together with Dorian, they extremely carefully lifted the unconscious and weak Gaius.
"Chief Librarian Mephiston," Guilliman looked at the Blood Angels beside him, "and you, Grey Knights, I trouble you to go and stand guard, constantly monitoring Sergeant Karl's soul and physical condition.
I do not wish for any more accidents."
His tone was exceptionally serious; after the recent shocking events, no amount of caution was too much.
Mephiston nodded slightly, his eyes burning with psychic flames glancing at Gaius, and he said in a deep voice, "It is our duty.
His soul has just undergone an unprecedented upheaval and requires the most meticulous observation."
A Grey Knight Grand Master, who was in slightly better condition, also nodded in assent, gesturing for several Grey Knight warriors to follow.
"Victrix Guard!" Guilliman's voice suddenly rose.
"Here!" All the Victrix Guard warriors, led by their Captain, responded in unison, their voices shaking the roof tiles.
"Fully take over the defense of the quiet room area!
Without my direct command, not even a fly is allowed to enter!
Any who dare to trespass, regardless of their identity, will be killed on sight!" Guilliman's order carried an undeniable iron will.
Gaius's situation was too special, too sensitive; there could be no mishaps, and too many people could not know the inside story.
"Understood!" The Victrix Guard Captain heavily thumped his chest and immediately led the gleaming Golden guards into action, swiftly and efficiently setting up a defense line that completely sealed off the quiet room next door.
Soon, Gaius was safely transferred, and a powerful guard force was in place.
The three Inquisitor representatives had varied expressions, but awed by Guilliman's previous warning and the powerful military force before them, they dared not say anything more.
They could only depart with grim faces, presumably to immediately report today's events to the Inquisition.
Although Dorian, Golden, and others were extremely worried, they knew they could not help further at this moment.
They could only follow orders and, at the Victrix Guard's signal, withdrew from the main hall with heavy hearts, returning to their rooms to await news.
In the vast main hall, soon only Guilliman remained, along with the Grand Master Silver Shield, who was still slumped on the ground, trying to regulate his breathing and recover.
Guilliman walked up to Silver Shield, knelt down, and said in a low, solemn voice, "Thank you for everything you have done, Grand Master.
Without your valiant efforts, today's outcome would have been unthinkable."
Grand Master Silver Shield slowly raised his head, his gaze behind the visor still weary, but a hint of his usual cold sternness had returned: "This is our duty...
It is just... that we failed to complete the mission, and instead... witnessed many things beyond reason..."
He paused, seemingly hesitant, but finally spoke, his voice even lower: "Lord Regent... there is one more thing... concerning the Chaos God's last words before it departed..."
Guilliman's eyes narrowed: "What did it say?"
Silver Shield was silent for a moment, as if recalling the unsettling images and sounds, then slowly, word for word, he recounted: "...It said... 'Enough... Today's events are but one part of My endless plan...'"
This sounded like Tzeentch's usual pretense, a way to save face.
But Silver Shield's next words made Guilliman's pupils suddenly contract!
"...It also said... 'We... will meet again...' And..." Silver Shield's voice became even more strained, "...before it completely dissipated, there seemed to be an extremely faint, malicious whisper, echoing directly in My heart... It said..."
Silver Shield looked up, his visor fixed on Guilliman, and uttered the earth-shattering words that could overturn all belief:
"'Don't forget... the one sitting on that Golden Throne... is not, in another sense... a 'god' either? Heh heh heh...'"
Boom!!!
These words, like a cold bolt of lightning, fiercely struck Guilliman's mind!
The Emperor... also a god?
A 'god' in another sense?
Tzeentch's words were venomous and cunning; it did not directly claim the Emperor was a Chaos God, but used a vague and highly suggestive analogy, placing the Emperor and these Chaos Gods within the same category of 'god' for discussion!
This was undoubtedly a blasphemy against the core tenets of the Imperium of Man's state religion!
It was a shaking of the very foundation of billions of believers' faith!
But... Guilliman was not one of those fanatical believers.
He had lived in the era when the Emperor still walked among men; he knew his father had originally refused to be deified.
However, after ten millennia, the Emperor, forced to merge with the Golden Throne to sustain humanity's existence, had his essence undergone some... unspeakable change?
Was the entity that ignited the Astronomican in the Warp and received the prayers of trillions of believers still the father he remembered?
Tzeentch's words, like the most venomous seed, sought to plant the thorns of doubt and wavering in Guilliman's heart.
Guilliman's face became extremely grim.
He suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the hall, a fierce struggle flickering in his azure eyes.
He could not deny that Tzeentch's words touched upon his deepest, most reluctant doubts.
The Imperium of Man's rule was built upon the deified faith in the Emperor, but if... if this faith itself, to some extent, bore a terrifying similarity to the way Chaos Gods drew power... then what did the Imperium of Man's millennia of sacrifice and struggle amount to?
After a long silence, Guilliman slowly stopped pacing.
His voice was somewhat hoarse, yet carried an undeniable firmness: "This matter... must not be leaked in the slightest.
Tzeentch's words are most adept at bewitching hearts and shaking conviction.
The Emperor... is the Emperor, humanity's sole protector, and certainly not any form of 'Chaos God'!"
These words were for Silver Shield, but also for himself.
He had to forcibly suppress the stormy waves in his heart and maintain an outward steadfastness.
The stability of the Imperium of Man could not withstand such questioning.
Grand Master Silver Shield nodded slightly: "Understood.
Such blasphemous words, coming from the mouth of a Chaos God, are inherently meant to sow discord.
We will naturally keep silent."
But whether a similar doubt flickered behind his cold visor, no one knew.
Although the Grey Knights were loyal, they directly faced the essence of Chaos, and what they knew and felt was far more extensive and darker than what ordinary people perceived.
Just as Guilliman was unsettled by Tzeentch's whisper, the colossal machinery of power on Terra did not stop functioning because of one person's ordeal.
On the contrary, the undercurrents grew even stronger due to today's events.
After the three Inquisitor representatives left the Lord Regent's palace, they immediately transmitted what they had seen and heard today (of course, a version "processed" and "interpreted" from their perspective) to their respective superiors with the highest encryption level.
In the reports, Gaius was described as an extremely dangerous source of Chaos contamination, almost completing a Daemon Prince transformation, with an unknown final outcome.
Lord Regent Guilliman's attitude was subtly described as "possibly influenced by personal emotion and adopting an overly risky strategy."
The intervention of the Grey Knights and Blood Angels was emphasized as "conducted under the continuous supervision of the Inquisition."
These reports, like massive stones thrown into deep water, immediately stirred huge ripples within the Inquisition and the intricate power networks behind it.
Extreme conservatives and radicals held vastly different views on the matter, debating endlessly, but undoubtedly, Gaius's name had been marked with the highest danger level.
At the same time, news of powerful Chaos energy fluctuations erupting within the Lord Regent's palace, and the emergency intervention of Grey Knights and Blood Angels Librarians, could not be completely suppressed.
It began to circulate among some high-ranking officials and secret organizations, sparking various speculations and anxieties.
Terra, the sacred capital of the Imperium of Man, beneath its calm facade, was already seething with undercurrents due to Gaius's arrival and his extraordinary experiences.
Countless eyes, whether worried, curious, or malicious, began to secretly focus on the quiet room meticulously guarded by the Victrix Guard.
And within the quiet room, the unconscious Gaius knew nothing of this.
Although his body had returned to its original state, what consequences would the earth-shattering act of severing the Mark of Change in the depths of his soul bring?
Was it rebirth, or irreversible damage? No one knew.
Mephiston stood silently by the bed, his powerful psychic senses, like the most precise instruments, scanning Gaius's condition, his brow slightly furrowed, seemingly pondering something.
The Grey Knight Grand Master stood like a silver statue beside him, vigilant for any possible anomaly.
Outside the window, Terra's artificial sunset slowly descended, casting Golden afterglow on the cold alloy walls of the palace, as if coating this city of power, faith, and secrets with a layer of illusory tranquility.
But everyone knew that beneath the tranquility, the storm might have only just begun.
Gaius's future, and the profound questions he brought forth about the Emperor, about Chaos, and about the nature of the Imperium of Man, would cast a long shadow over this sacred land.
Guilliman forcibly suppressed the tumultuous waves that Tzeentch's whisper had stirred in his heart, trying to refocus his attention on Terra's complex political affairs and Gaius's subsequent handling.
However, the tree desired calm, but the wind would not cease.
Soon after Gaius was sent to the quiet room, before Guilliman even had a moment to catch his breath, troubles came one after another.
First was a communication document, extremely strongly worded and bearing the seals of several high-ranking Inquisitorial Lords, transmitted directly to his private terminal.
The core of the document's content was singular: immediately hand over Gaius for "final purification" by the Inquisition.
The document, citing "reports from onsite Inquisitors," heavily emphasized Gaius's danger and uncontrollability, describing him as "a Chaos vessel almost completely transformed" and "a ticking time bomb lurking in the heart of the Imperium." It subtly accused Guilliman of disregarding the safety of all of Terra and even the Imperium due to "unnecessary mercy and favoritism towards subordinates." The text was filled with an undeniable sense of threat and pressure.
This was clearly a coordinated attempt by the radical faction within the Inquisition to force Guilliman's hand. They could not tolerate such a "dangerous" existence being protected by Guilliman, especially under circumstances where they could not monitor it.
Guilliman looked at the document, his face terribly grim. Before he could respond, another, bigger wave of trouble arrived directly at his doorstep.
Outside the palace, violent arguments and the clanging of weapons suddenly erupted! Immediately after, the internal alarm shrieked!
"Report! A squad of Sisters of Battle and Inquisition Stormtroopers are attempting to forcibly breach the defense line of the quiet chamber area! The Victrix Guard has confronted them!" a Victrix Guard warrior reported urgently via communicator.
A cold glint flashed in Guilliman's eyes, and he instantly rose, striding out. Grand Master Silver Shield also forced himself to stand, following closely behind.
The corridor outside the quiet chamber was already a powder keg!
A squad of Sisters of Battle, dressed in dark habits and armed with Bolters or flamers, and a squad of well-equipped Inquisition Stormtroopers wearing grotesque masks, were in a tense standoff with the Golden Victrix Guard. Both sides had their weapons raised, aimed at each other, the atmosphere so tense that it felt as if a bloody conflict would erupt any second!
"By the highest directive of the Inquisition! Hand over the Chaos defiler, Gaius! Otherwise, you will be charged with treason!" The commanding Sister of Battle at the forefront, a woman with a resolute face and fanatical eyes, shouted sharply, looking fearlessly at the Victrix Guard, who were far superior in strength.
"By the Lord Regent's decree! This area is restricted! Intruders will be killed on sight!" The Victrix Guard Captain's voice was as cold as iron, the energy flowing through his power sword, leaving no room for retreat.
Just at this critical moment—
"Fuck you! Who dares touch my brother?!"
A roar, louder and angrier than a Khorne Greater Daemon's bellow, echoed like thunder from the other end of the corridor!
Declan Catonia, like an enraged berserker bear, rushed over at an astonishing speed, not even having time to don his power armor, wearing only a black body glove, revealing his exaggerated, scarred, and interfaced muscles.
His bloodshot eyes, filled with extreme rage, were fixed on the Inquisition personnel attempting to take Gaius, his massive body carrying an unstoppable momentum!
"Stop him!" The Stormtrooper squad leader subconsciously ordered.
Two Stormtroopers immediately turned their weapons, attempting to intercept him.
But Dorian's speed and strength far exceeded their imagination! He didn't even dodge, just threw a powerful, no-frills punch!
Bang!!!
A dull thud! The Stormtrooper attempting to block him, man and armor, screamed as if struck by a battering ram, flying backward, crashing heavily into the distant wall, then slumping down, his fate unknown!
Immediately after, Dorian's massive body slammed forward, and another Sister of Battle attempting to approach cried out, being directly knocked staggering backward by his bull-like strength, almost falling!
And Dorian's target was extremely clear—the commanding Sister of Battle! Like a tiger pouncing on its prey, he instantly rushed in front of her, and in her astonished gaze, tackled her to the ground!
"You fucking want to touch Gaius! You want to touch him!" Dorian straddled her, his massive fists raining down like a storm, heedlessly smashing into her helmeted face! Bang, bang!
All of this happened too fast, too suddenly! So much so that the personnel on both sides of the standoff were momentarily stunned!
"Presumptuous!"
"Kill him!"
The Sisters of Battle and Stormtroopers finally reacted, shocked and enraged, attempting to go forward to rescue and subdue Dorian.
"Everyone, don't move!" The Victrix Guard Captain roared, and the Golden guards immediately stepped forward, their weapons locked onto the opposing side, the powerful oppressive force instantly stopping their movements! They could stop Dorian, but their more urgent task was to prevent anyone from entering the quiet chamber! And… honestly, watching Dorian beat up those ignorant Inquisition lackeys, they even felt a little good about it.
The scene was extremely chaotic and awkward for a moment!
"Enough!"
Just then, Guilliman's majestic and angry voice resounded like thunder! He and Grand Master Silver Shield finally arrived.
The powerful Primarch's pressure instantly enveloped the entire corridor, causing all commotion to involuntarily subside. Even Dorian, whose eyes were red with fury, subconsciously stopped his fists, panting heavily, and climbed off the dazed Sister of Battle commander, still blocking the entrance to the quiet chamber like a protective beast.
Guilliman's gaze swept coldly over the messy scene, looking at the still-shaken Inquisition personnel, and finally resting on Dorian, his eyes complex, containing both annoyance at his recklessness and… a subtle, hard-to-detect understanding for his brotherly affection.
Just then, the representatives of the radical Inquisition faction who had sent the communication to pressure Guilliman also "happened" to arrive at the scene. Seeing the scene before them, especially the miserable state of their own people, their faces grew even uglier.
"Lord Regent!" The leading Inquisitor Lord suppressed his anger, stepped forward, and sharply questioned, "Is this the result of your indulgence of your subordinates?! Publicly attacking Inquisition personnel performing their duties! You must immediately hand over the perpetrator and that defiler! Otherwise…"
"Otherwise what?" Guilliman interrupted him directly, his voice calm but with a chilling coldness that made one's heart palpitate, "Otherwise, you will charge me with treason as well?"
The Inquisitor Lord's words caught in his throat, but he still said stubbornly, "We are merely acting in accordance with Imperial law! For the safety of Terra, any risks must be eliminated! Please consider the bigger picture!"
"Bigger picture?" Guilliman sneered. He had had enough of these people's entanglement and threats. He didn't want to waste any more words.
He directly raised his wrist, activated a special communication channel, and said coldly, "The 'gift' Lion left for me, it's time to use it."
Not long after he spoke—
From the other end of the corridor, heavy, rhythmic, and oppressive footsteps echoed!
A squad of warriors, clad in dark green ancient power armor, with roaring lion insignias emblazoned on their shoulder pads and helmet visors flashing with cold red light, appeared silently and swiftly like ghosts emerging from the shadows. They instantly controlled all exits of the corridor, encircling the Inquisition and Sisters of Battle personnel!
Dark Angels!
And not just a small squad, but the scale of an entire company! They were silent as mountains, their weapons lowered, but their cold killing intent and unspoken deterrent instantly made the previously arrogant Inquisition personnel feel as if they had plunged into an ice cave!
All Inquisition personnel, including the Sisters of Battle and Stormtroopers, instantly turned pale! The infamous reputation of the Dark Angels and… their methods of handling "affairs" were no secret among the higher echelons!
Guilliman looked at the Inquisitor representatives whose faces had changed drastically, slowly stepped forward, his voice not loud, but like a cold blade held to everyone's neck:
"I am now giving you two choices."
"First, immediately take your people and get out of my palace, forget everything that happened today, and never again scheme against Sergeant Karl Hohn."
"Second," Guilliman's gaze became extremely dangerous, "I will, in the name of the Lord Regent, immediately declare that you few… have colluded with the Fallen Angels, intending to create chaos on Terra. I think the brothers of the Dark Angels would be very happy to 'invite' you back to cooperate with the investigation… As for the results and process of the investigation, I cannot guarantee them."
The three words "Fallen Angels" struck the hearts of the Inquisition personnel like a final judgment hammer!
Once this charge was leveled, especially when "executed" by the Dark Angels, it would absolutely be a fate worse than death! Not even the factions behind them could save them! No one wanted to be targeted by the First Legion, especially for this reason!
The leading Inquisitor Lord's forehead was instantly covered in cold sweat, his lips trembling, unable to utter any more defiant words. He looked in terror at the silent Dark Angels, who were like reapers, and then at Guilliman, whose face was ashen and whose killing intent was resolute.
He knew that the Lord Regent was serious! To protect the warrior named Gaius, he would not hesitate to use the most extreme force, even burning bridges!
"...We... go!" The Inquisitor Lord squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, almost collapsing as he waved his hand.
The Sisters of Battle and Stormtroopers, as if granted a great pardon, quickly helped their injured comrades and, under the cold gaze "escort" of the Dark Angels, retreated in disarray and disgrace, as if a moment's delay would mean being left behind forever.
The Dark Angels company commander nodded slightly to Guilliman, then, just as silently as they arrived, retreated into the shadows, as if they had never appeared.
In the corridor, only Guilliman, Silver Shield, the Victrix Guard, and the still fuming Dorian remained.
Guilliman looked in the direction where the Inquisition personnel had disappeared, his gaze profound. He knew this was only a temporary retreat. He had completely fallen out with the radical faction of the Inquisition. Future troubles would certainly not be few.
But at least for now, he had protected his son.
He turned to look at the closed door of the quiet chamber, thinking, "Gaius… you better wake up soon… The storm you've stirred up is getting bigger and bigger…"
The earth-shattering sword strike that severed the Mark of Change brought not only an explosion of power but also a violent tremor and tearing at the soul level. Gaius's resolute will was like a double-edged sword; while it broke the shackles, it also shook his consciousness away from its familiar anchor point, casting it into a deeper, more bewildered mist of the Mind Abyss.
This was no longer the dark Mind Abyss shrouded by the Mark of Change, but something more ethereal, more boundless. There was no up or down, left or right, no time or space, only countless blurry light and shadow and fragmented memories drifting like stardust. Gaius felt his consciousness was like a rudderless skiff, drifting aimlessly in this sea of consciousness, wanting to return to reality but unable to find any coordinates or path.
A profound sense of exhaustion and loneliness enveloped him. The fervor of battle had faded, leaving behind an almost nihilistic emptiness. He desperately tried to recall the faces of his brothers, the Primarch's instructions, the Empire's oath... but these once-solid beliefs now seemed distant and vague, difficult to penetrate the thick mist.
Just as his consciousness grew weaker and weaker, almost completely merging into this hazy sea, on the verge of eternal silence—
In the misty light and shadow ahead, a warm and familiar figure slowly materialized.
It was a woman with a kind face, yet bearing the marks of long-term toil, dressed in the coarse linen dress of an ordinary farm woman from Kronus IV. Her figure was somewhat transparent, radiating a soft glow, but the eyes that looked at Gaius were filled with an incredibly real, incredibly intense love and... pride.
"Mother...?" Gaius's consciousness trembled, almost disbelieving his "eyes." This was the deepest softness in his heart, and one of the initial motivations for him to embark on his journey.
"My child... Gaius..." The mother's phantom slowly spoke, her voice as gentle as a dream, "I know everything... I've seen everything... You've suffered so much, endured so much pain..."
Tears shimmered in her eyes, yet she wore a smile of relief: "But you did it... You truly became an Angel of the Emperor... became an incredible warrior... Mother is proud of you... incredibly proud..."
She didn't ask about the terrible battles and pain, but simply rejoiced in her son's achievements. This pure and profound maternal love, like a warm current, instantly enveloped Gaius's cold and bewildered consciousness, making his fading self clear and warm again.
"Mother... I..." Gaius wanted to say something, but choked up. A myriad of emotions blocked his "chest," ultimately condensing into one sentence, "...I haven't disappointed you..."
"Never, my child, never." The mother's phantom smiled gently, her figure gradually fading, "Go... return to where you need to be... Your brothers are still waiting for you... Don't worry about me anymore... Your father... would surely be proud of you too..."
Finally, her figure, like melting starlight, completely dissipated into the mist. But the warm afterglow remained in Gaius's heart, illuminating a small path ahead for him, dispelling some of the confusion.
Gaius, carrying this warmth, continued to move forward in the mist. He didn't know how much longer passed, perhaps an instant, perhaps an eternity.
The light and shadow ahead converged again, and this time, the figure that materialized made Gaius's heart suddenly contract!
It was a figure wearing a tattered Ultramarines Tech-Sergeant power armor. Her physique was more slender than a typical Astartes, her face always calm and focused, her eyes clear and resolute. It was — Elisa Cole.
She was his Tech-Sergeant partner from the Squad Seven, the comrade who was sniped by a Night Lords marksman on the desperate battlefield of Planet Braka, and ultimately died in his arms.
"E... Elisa?" Gaius's voice trembled with disbelief. The Elisa before him seemed to be as she was in life, only her figure was also somewhat transparent.
Elisa's phantom looked at him, still with her usual taciturn demeanor, but her eyes held a complex emotion Gaius had never seen before. She nodded gently.
"You..." Gaius didn't know how to speak. Ask her why she was here? Ask if this was heaven or hell? All of it seemed so unreal.
"...Lord Guilliman..." Elisa, however, spoke first, her voice a little ethereal, yet exceptionally clear, "...Lord Primarch... He knew about me... knew about what happened on Planet Braka..."
She paused, as if also processing this unbelievable information, and from the corner of her eye, a shimmering, energy-composed "tear" slowly fell.
"...He posthumously awarded me... the Ultramarines Medal of Honor... My name... will be carved in the Hall of Honor in Fortress Hera..."
As she spoke these words, her usually calm face showed a great, death-without-regrets glory and emotion. For an ordinary Tech-Sergeant who sacrificed for the Chapter, this was the highest honor, the greatest affirmation of her loyalty and sacrifice.
Gaius looked at that tear, his heart a mix of emotions. So Lord Primarch remembered, and did all this. This was undoubtedly the best solace for Elisa's spirit in heaven.
But he still wasn't sure if the Elisa before him was a soul truly and briefly returned, or an illusion born from his own deep-seated guilt and longing? Was it the sword strike that severed the Mark of Change, briefly cleaving the boundary between life and death, or merely his own delusion?
Elisa seemed to see through his doubts, but she didn't explain. She just looked deeply at Gaius, her eyes containing so much—memories of fighting side by side in the past, relief at his growth now, and also... a hint of farewell.
Then, she slowly raised her hand and pointed in a direction. In that endless, featureless mist, the direction she pointed seemed to faintly carry an extremely faint, familiar call... Was it Dorian's loud curses? Or Golden's steady encouragement? Or Luna and Ailas's anxious waiting?
That path, it seemed, led to reality, to his brothers.
"Go, Gaius." Elisa's voice was still calm, yet carried an undeniable decisiveness, "Follow this direction... don't stop... They need you."
Gaius's consciousness moved involuntarily in that direction. He could feel the call there becoming clearer, and the connection with the real world establishing.
Just as his consciousness was about to completely detach from this mist and return to reality, he couldn't help but want to turn back, to say something more to Elisa—perhaps thanks, perhaps an apology, or perhaps just one more look at that familiar face... However, just as he was about to turn back—
Elisa's resolute and urgent voice, like a final command, suddenly echoed deep in his consciousness, clear and unequivocal:
"Gaius! Don't look back!"
"Go back to Dorian! Go back to your brothers!"
"I... have... no regrets!"
The final words carried a trace of gentle relief, yet were incredibly firm, as if she had used all her strength.
Gaius's heart suddenly trembled, and the impulse to look back was abruptly stopped by this force. He understood Elisa's intention. Looking back meant lingering, meant hesitation, meant potentially being recaptured by this mist between life and death.
He had to move forward, had to return.
With endless sorrow and gratitude, Gaius gathered all his will and, following Elisa's guidance, charged unhesitatingly towards the light from which his brothers' calls emanated!
His consciousness felt as if it had passed through a warm film of water; the sounds and sensations of the outside world instantly became clear... Inside the quiet room, Gaius's body, lying on the bed, his previously faint, almost undetectable breathing, suddenly became strong! A trace of color returned to his pale face.
Mephiston, who had been guarding the bedside, suddenly opened his eyes and whispered, "His consciousness... is returning!"
Dorian and the others at the door instantly held their breath, looking into the room with extreme tension.
And in the gradually receding mist of the Mind Abyss, Elisa Cole's phantom, looking in the direction where Gaius disappeared, revealed an extremely subtle, yet incredibly serene smile. Her figure slowly dissipated, as if merging into the eternal starlight, leaving no trace.
Whether she truly existed no longer mattered. What mattered was that she guided her lost comrade to find the way home.
Gaius felt his consciousness pass through a long, warm tunnel; the sounds, light, and even the sensation of air movement from the outside world gradually became clear and real from blurriness. It was a long-lost, solid feeling belonging to the real world.
He slowly, with difficulty, opened his eyes.
First to meet his gaze were the ancient and solemn reliefs on the ceiling of the quiet room, and the soft, steady illumination. His nostrils no longer held the cold, eerie energy scent of the Mind Abyss, but air with a faint smell of disinfectant and metal.
Immediately after, several faces filled with anxiety, worry, but instantly replaced by immense joy, suddenly crowded his entire field of vision.
"Gaius! Brother! You finally woke up, you bastard!!!" Dorian's large head and a face distorted by excitement almost pressed against Gaius's, his deafening, tearful roar was the first to explode, making Gaius's eardrums buzz.
"Sergeant! How do you feel?" Lieutenant Golden's voice followed closely, still maintaining composure, but the slight tremor in his voice and his reddened eyes betrayed his inner excitement. He carefully supported Gaius's shoulder, helping him try to sit up.
Luna said nothing, but her always cold eyes now clearly shone with relief. She quickly stepped forward, her medical scanner already aimed at Gaius, rapidly checking his vital signs. Ailas hid behind Luna, her small hand tightly gripping Luna's clothes, her small face still bearing un-dried tear stains, but now she broke into a smile, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Gaius.
Even Draculas, who stood like a white statue at the door, his cold helmet slightly turned towards the bed, seemed to silently express concern.
Looking at these familiar faces, feeling their undisguised concern, Gaius's cold and weary heart, which had just undergone a soul-shattering ordeal, was instantly enveloped by a huge warm current. His throat felt tight, a thousand words stuck in his chest, ultimately transforming into a somewhat hoarse voice:
"I... I'm back."
These simple four words made Dorian punch the nearby metal wall, producing a loud clang, as he incoherently muttered, "It's good you're back! It's good you're back! Damn... you scared the hell out of me..."
Golden heavily patted Gaius's shoulder, everything unspoken.
Just then, the door of the quiet room opened, and Roboute Guilliman's tall figure walked in. His face showed a trace of fatigue, but when he saw the awakened Gaius, a clear hint of relief flashed in his deep blue eyes.
"It seems you won the most crucial battle, Sergeant Karl." Guilliman's voice was calm and full of power.
"Lord Primarch..." Gaius tried to get up and salute, but Guilliman stopped him with a gesture.
"No need for formalities. How do you feel? Any discomfort at the soul level?" Guilliman asked with concern. Mephiston and the Grey Knight Grand Master also stepped forward, their psychic senses carefully scanning Gaius.
Gaius took a deep breath, carefully assessing his condition. His body was still weak, a side effect of excessive power consumption. But more importantly, at the soul level... that pervasive feeling of being watched and whispered to, was gone. Although there was a hollow, almost missing, faint pain deep in his soul from that final strike, it was an unprecedented feeling of lightness and cleanliness.
"Reporting, Lord Primarch," Gaius replied earnestly, "Although weak... that feeling of... corruption, is gone. I feel... very 'clean'."
Mephiston and the Grey Knight Grand Master exchanged glances, both seeing disbelief in the other's eyes. Their meticulous probes yielded the same result—the vast and terrifying Mark of Change that had once plagued Gaius's soul had indeed vanished without a trace! In its place was a soul essence that, though weak, was exceptionally pure, even... purer than that of an ordinary person, as if it had been tempered by the fires of purgatory.
This was simply a miracle!
"Very good." Guilliman nodded, a heavy weight finally lifted from his heart. But then his expression became serious again, "However, Gaius, the process of you severing the Mark of Change was too impactful. Now, countless eyes on Terra are watching you. I've temporarily suppressed the Inquisition, but they will never give up."
He looked at Gaius: "Your current state is both a rebirth and a new challenge. You are no longer that ordinary Ultramarines Sergeant. Within you... there might still remain some... unique qualities and abilities that will require time to understand and control. And the outside world's perception of you will also become complex."
Gaius listened in silence, understanding the Primarch's meaning. Repelling Tzeentch and severing the Mark of Change was a victory, but it also made him an extremely special and sensitive existence. The road ahead would certainly not be smooth.
"I understand, Lord Primarch." Gaius's gaze became resolute, "No matter what the future holds, I will remember my identity, my oath. I will learn to control any residual power and use it for the righteous path."
"I believe you." Guilliman nodded, "Until you fully recover and adapt, you will remain here. This place is jointly guarded by the Victrix Guard and the Dark Angels, making it relatively safe. Golden, take good care of him."
"Yes! Lord Primarch!" Golden immediately accepted the order.
Guilliman gave a few more instructions, then left the quiet room with Mephiston and the Grey Knight Grand Master; they needed to attend to many subsequent matters.
Inside the quiet room, only Gaius and his brothers remained.
Dorian plopped down on the bed and began to excitedly recount how he "heroically" beat up the Inquisition's lackeys during Gaius's coma, and how he "intimidated" those short-sighted individuals. Although his words were exaggerated, the deep affection contained within them filled Gaius's heart with warmth.
Golden then began to inform him in more detail about the outside situation and everything Guilliman had done for him, including using the Dark Angels to deter the Inquisition.
Luna silently handed him a cup of nutrient solution, while Ailas, like presenting a treasure, brought out a small tool, saying she would help him inspect his power armor once Gaius was better.
Looking at his noisy yet incredibly real brothers gathered around him, Gaius slowly and completely let out a sigh of relief.
The profound changes and trauma in his soul would take time to heal, and the storms of the outside world might soon arrive. But at this moment, feeling the companionship of his close friends, he knew he was not facing it alone.
He had returned. From the edge of the Mind Abyss, from the clutches of the Chaos God, he had struggled back.
The path ahead might be even more difficult, but as long as these brothers were by his side, as long as the faith of the Ultramarines was in his heart, he would have the courage to face anything.
He closed his eyes, feeling the empty yet incredibly pure soul within him, and the faint but real, blurry connection to a new power.
A new journey, it seemed, had just begun.