Chapter 26: It's as Good as Nothing
Beyond the massive doors lay a place where machines and psychic power worked together in perfect harmony.
The Golden Throne filled the huge chamber like a captured star, its golden surface glowing with warm light. Complex networks of wires and cables spread from its base like blood vessels, running across the hall to connect with gateways leading into the ancient Eldar Webway.
Red-robed Tech-Priests and servitors moved with careful precision throughout the space. Some held delicate tools while others studied complex blueprints, all focused on the Throne and its mechanisms with complete devotion. Their faces showed pure reverence—every gesture was solemn and every movement sacred.
As they got closer to the Throne, the three Primarchs found their breathing getting faster and their hearts racing as impossible emotions flooded through them.
Francis looked up at the Emperor, and golden light filled his vision. Here was beauty and nobility made real, eyes that seemed to see the universe's deepest secrets and look straight into the human soul. His body commanded respect, with clearly defined muscles radiating incredible power beneath beautiful golden armor carved with ancient symbols.
Magnus and Leman Russ bowed their heads respectfully. "Father, we have come."
Francis stayed lost in thought until Russ nudged him. "Father, I have come," he managed to say.
"Well done. You have completed your mission." The voice spoke directly to their minds, kind, warm, and endlessly patient.
Francis looked confused. Complete the mission, then get the reward?
"For the Father!" Russ responded right away.
Magnus tried to hide his missing eye, but nothing could stay hidden from the Emperor's sight.
"I know about your situation."
Magnus lowered his head in shame.
Golden light reached down to Magnus's feet and guided him to the Emperor's side. The Crimson King looked at his gene-sire with pure love. "Father!"
The Emperor placed a fatherly hand on his shoulder.
"From now on, you will sit here beside me."
As Magnus was guided onto the Throne, a steady force began draining his psychic power. Hundreds of Custodians formed protective circles around him.
A familiar vision appeared in Magnus's mind. "The prophecy was right after all," he whispered.
The Emperor stepped down from the Throne and walked over to a nearby Tech-Priest.
Francis steeled himself. "Horus has betrayed us!"
The Emperor paused for a moment in his discussion about Webway construction, then continued as if nothing had been said.
"This is the truth! Horus has fallen to Chaos!" Francis continued with growing urgency.
Still no reaction. Even Magnus cried out from the Throne: "Yes, Father! Horus is corrupted!"
"Did you see this with your own eyes?"
The gentle voice carried the warmth of spring. Magnus replied quickly: "Yes, Francis and I saw everything in the Warp."
The moment he said those words, the chamber seemed to get colder.
"Perhaps you have been deceived. Eyes can lie, especially in the Warp."
Crushing dread settled on Francis. Of course, those who are loved don't need to fear consequences. His words had fallen on deaf ears, and even Magnus's support wasn't enough.
"Francis, you and Russ will leave together on the Great Crusade."
Though the Emperor's voice stayed warm, Francis felt his scalp prickle. Wasn't this the same as sending a lamb into a wolf's den?
"Ah, understood. Father, I left some things in the dungeons—can I go get them?" Francis asked, looking guilty.
The Emperor turned his attention back to Francis.
"Indeed, someone who works with Orks should be locked up..."
"Ah! Father, I just remembered that the cattle kept by the Soul Drinkers are having trouble giving birth. I need to help them right away!"
"Leave on the Great Crusade afterwards!"
Francis's eyes widened in alarm, and he turned to run.
Leman Russ apologised for his brother's behaviour and finished his audience properly. The Emperor went back to focusing on Webway construction, as if nothing else mattered more.
Russ caught up quickly and grabbed Francis by the collar as his brother wailed pitifully.
"Sixth Brother, we share blood bonds, you can't send me to my doom again!"
"Have you no shame?"
Guilt flickered across Russ's face, but considering how serious this was, he asked quietly: "Did you really see Horus's betrayal?"
"Of course it's true! Do I look like someone who makes up lies?" Francis tilted his head indignantly.
Russ studied his expression for a long moment. "Hard to tell!"
Francis stared at him in disbelief.
"Then why did you stay quiet when you got false orders to destroy the Thousand Sons?"
Though Francis's logic made sense, Russ stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Maybe we have been deceived. Eyes can lie, especially in the Warp."
Francis watched his brother copy the Emperor's exact words and expression, and he barely stopped himself from attacking.
At that moment, a group of Soul Drinkers approached, trying badly to be stealthy.
Sarpedon glanced nervously left and right, checking their surroundings.
A warrior below whispered, "Are we really allowed to do this?"
"I heard from someone in the Inquisition that this is treason."
"Don't talk nonsense! We're fixing the Emperor's mistakes, our Primarch isn't at fault!"
Just as they reached their peak stealth moment, Francis's voice rang out in front of them.
"I'm fine. Get ready quickly, we're leaving soon on the Great Crusade."
Deep Within the Webway
Beneath the Golden Throne, where Magnus now sat, was the entrance to the ancient Webway.
Deep within that space between dimensions, Commorragh slowly became visible, the Dark City in all its terrible glory.
Built from twisted psychic energies and deep shadows, the city's outline shimmered in the void like a giant web holding the surrounding space in an evil embrace. Here there was no difference between day and night, only endless gloom broken by flickering psychic light.
Tall structures reached toward impossible heights along the streets, looking like massive tombstones designed to trap souls and feed evil. Each building gave off choking smells of rot and despair, as if they could devour all life and hope.
Dark Eldar moved like ghosts through the streets, their forms appearing and disappearing in the dim light. Their eyes blazed with greed and fanaticism, and their hunger for violence and cruelty was never satisfied.
Suddenly, a prophetic vision seized them all.
They saw a golden sun brutally slaughtering them within the Webway. They had no way to resist, they could only cower within Commorragh's depths. Some thought about forbidden rituals to destroy everything once more.
Every Dark Eldar fell into panic and howled continuously.
"What's happening? How did we attract another Chaos God's attention?"
"First, the red Great Daemon wanted to destroy the galaxy. Now another god, is the universe finally ending?"
"We have to run! We can't fight a god!"
"Since we're going to die anyway, can I at least die in pleasure!"
The streets fell into chaos, dragging all of Commorragh into madness.
Atop Commorragh's Central Tower
Clap, clap, clap~
In the shadows, Asdrubael Vect, Supreme Overlord of Commorragh, laughed with insane delight.
"Hehehehe~ This is so interesting! How could I not have thought of this!"
"If two gods fight... I can barely contain my excitement!"
"Such beautiful chaos!"
Vect's gaze looked beyond the Webway's boundaries, his malice reaching even into the Warp itself.
Within the Warp
A massive tentacle played with an eye-shaped soul fragment, its mouth constantly eating and spitting out the essence.
The soul fragment, which had been desperately trying to escape, suddenly seemed to lose all direction.
The previously slow tentacle burst into frenzied activity. Its alien pulses stirred a psychic storm that affected even real space.
On Daeda
Horus suddenly opened his eyes. "The Webway! So the False Emperor's secret plan involved the Webway."
In front of him sat Abaddon and Ahriman. The original Four Kings' council had quietly fallen apart after Horus's resurrection.
"The Webway? What's the Webway?" Abaddon asked.
Horus didn't answer. Instead: "Have you finished the tasks I gave you?"
"As you commanded, the Ultramarines, Blood Angels, and other Legions have been sent to the most dangerous and remote battlefields," Abaddon reported.
Ahriman followed: "They've agreed to eliminate stubborn False Emperor loyalists within their Legions!"
"Excellent!" Horus drummed his fingers on the table. "I also need information about the Eleventh Legion. If they join the Great Crusade, bring their Primarch to me immediately."
[End of Chapter]
Oh yeah, let's do some heresy.