Chapter 126: The Chaos Gods Strike
Raven understood the truth of Lorgar's condition. Decades of religious brainwashing could not be undone overnight.
Lorgar needed a stronger dose of reality check. He needed to witness the countless universes that existed beyond this realm.
He needed to understand that godhood meant nothing at all.
"Do not behave like some runaway little girl, getting easily deceived by Chaos cultists offering candy," Raven declared.
Lorgar's face flushed red and green with embarrassment. He found no words to respond, maintaining mortified silence.
"Father and Master Raven plan to take us to other universes, correct?" Mortarion asked through his breathing apparatus.
He had spoken with Guilliman and the others, learning how the Emperor and Raven had taken them to different realities. The experience had shown them how insignificant this galaxy and they themselves truly were.
"Yes, Fourteenth Brother. We stand ready for a magnificent journey to another universe," Raven nodded with approval. "Are you not pleased? Are you not eager?"
"Of course I rejoice!" Mortarion declared with surprising enthusiasm. "Praise the great God of Fries and Ketchup! His divine blessing grants us this opportunity."
Raven appeared satisfied. A Mortarion who sought improvement was the finest version of the Death Lord.
Perturabo displayed thoughtful consideration. Crossing between different universes... the concept held fascinating possibilities.
"Enough discussion. We depart immediately."
Raven spread his wings wide, ascending to circle above their heads.
Bang!
Raven's form exploded into ethereal mist. Streams of light condensed into gossamer threads, weaving through the air to outline a spacetime tunnel from pure nothingness.
"Follow," the Emperor commanded, stepping forward into the portal where ghostly radiance danced.
Valdor moved close behind him, followed by Mortarion, Lorgar, and Perturabo.
Perturabo steeled his resolve, hoping to perceive every detail of universe traversal and record the complete experience.
After entering the spacetime tunnel, Perturabo felt as though he had been cast into a temporal void. The sensation resembled the time-distortion effects when other Primarchs employed their abilities.
He lost all control over time, replaced by a sense of transcendence—the feeling of rising above everything from beyond everything.
He forced his eyes open with tremendous effort. Through the swirling, distorted colours, he glimpsed countless mysterious gears and numbers. They represented the fundamental secrets of the universe itself.
Infinite wonders unfolded before his perception. He struggled to maintain consciousness as infinite truths poured into his mind, stirring his thoughts until his skull felt ready to split.
The next moment, darkness claimed him.
Raven noticed Perturabo's condition but paid it little attention. His focus remained fixed on another matter entirely, the Four Chaos Gods.
The eternal battlefield, once filled with endless slaughter and rivers of blood, now stood deserted and silent. The Chaos Gods were gathering their power, preparing to prevent the Emperor's ascension.
As Raven's group prepared to leave the universe, the Dark Gods made their move.
The rules they had sworn never to break were ruthlessly abandoned. A terrifying storm erupted within the Warp. Its magnitude proved so immense that even realspace felt the tremors.
Creatures across countless worlds heard bone-chilling roars. Souls trapped in dreams witnessed endless fire and blood. The churning Warp energy spread like burning plutonium through the spiritual realms of all living beings.
The Chaos Four Gods, riding the crest of this terrifying Warp tide, surged toward Raven's group with predatory hunger.
"Big Guy," Raven called out with urgency. "Drive them back."
The Emperor raised his Sword of Flame. Terrifying light erupted instantly, blazing like a true sun given form.
Raven witnessed a strange, symbolic vision unfold. A midnight forest stretched endlessly beneath a blood moon hanging in crimson skies. Twisted trees extended their gnarled branches toward the heavens like clawing fingers.
Evil eyes ignited throughout the forest, revealing bottomless malice and hatred. The owners of those eyes were fears and predators that dwelt in absolute darkness.
Beasts charged from the treeline, drooling foul-smelling saliva and producing strange, piercing cries. Hunters bearing torches stood at the forest's edge, ready to meet them.
When the beasts charged forward, the hunters swung their flames, striking them down and forcing terrible shrieks from their throats. The beasts feared fire above all else. They perceived it as divine punishment.
Flames drove the creatures back, forcing them to retreat into the depths of the dark forest.
High-level wars involving universal rules and concepts cannot manifest in ways mortals comprehend. Instead, they unfold through metaphors and symbols. Metaphors possess inherent power. Symbols carry inherent meaning.
The Chaos Four Gods were beasts lurking in the darkness. The Emperor was the hunter who bore the sacred fire.
The clash between hunter and beasts represented the battle between the Emperor and the Chaos Gods.
The Chaos Gods retreated. The Warp storm subsided, returning to its usual restless calm. Raven's group successfully departed the universe, heading toward their intended destination.
The Dark Gods watched their escape with resentful eyes, like palace concubines long deprived of imperial favour.
"They remained passive during previous crossings, but this time they showed active interest," the Emperor communicated telepathically with Raven.
Though the Chaos Gods' interception had failed, unease filled the Emperor's thoughts. The Dark Gods' methods exceeded all imagination.
He could rely on Raven's power to traverse different universes. They might discover other means to travel through countless realities as well.
Should that occur, the situation would become infinitely worse.
"Perhaps they witnessed your rapid development and sought to halt it," Raven suggested. "They have noticed our activities and formed an alliance. My true identity may not remain hidden much longer."
The Emperor's expression grew troubled. "I believed I could defeat them using knowledge from outside this universe. Now it appears there exists the risk of expanding this war beyond our reality."
If the Chaos Gods found a means to travel between different universes, it would represent an unparalleled catastrophe. The war's scope would span countless realities. Countless worlds and beings would become mere sacrifices, reduced to battlefield ash.
"Then we shall make ourselves stronger," Raven declared with absolute conviction. "So strong that even the heavens themselves cannot stand as our enemy."
The Emperor nodded with grim determination. "Given our circumstances, we can only pursue this path to its conclusion. Remember our contingency plan, Raven."
"Should they track our movements, we must immediately alter our destination and head toward those high-risk universes."
Raven's agreement carried finality. "Absolutely. I guarantee your satisfaction with the results, Big Guy."
The Flesh Prison
The spacetime tunnel materialised within a cell constructed from living flesh and chitin. The portal dissolved into scattered light specks before vanishing completely, leaving only Raven's group in their new surroundings.
This transportation had proceeded smoothly, unlike their previous journey to the Marvel Universe. They had been scattered before even entering that reality, leading to unsatisfactory trial results.
This time, proper arrangements could ensure the Primarchs experienced another universe's particular cruelties.
The Emperor examined their surroundings, his brows drawing together slightly. He reached out to touch the wall of hardened flesh.
He could sense that the entire prison was alive and breathing. It pulsated with a steady rhythm, and he could hear blood flowing within the organic walls.
"Corruption? Or biological technology?" he mused aloud.
"Biological technology," Raven confirmed, perching on the Emperor's shoulder. "If corruption were present, stronger psychic fluctuations would be detectable."
The Emperor turned toward Raven with surprise evident in his features. "Biological technology? Did the mental imprint you provided not describe this as a universe devoted to magic and supernatural powers?"
"Do magic and technology truly conflict?" Raven countered. "Does possessing magic prevent technological development?"
"Can it?" the Emperor asked.
"Cannot it?" Raven replied.
"Perhaps it cannot."
The Emperor surveyed the others, discovering that the Primarchs now wore medieval armour. The surfaces bore engraved runes designed to reduce damage and increase protection.
Malcador wore elaborate, magical robes adorned with intricate, arcane patterns.
Everyone's feet had become entangled by black tentacles, restricting their movement entirely.
Perturabo, Mortarion, Lorgar, and Malcador remained unconscious, showing no signs of awakening.
Falling into a temporary coma during the first universe traversal was a common occurrence. The different parameters and temporal flow between realities required adaptation time.
"Are we prisoners this time?" Valdor asked after regaining consciousness, noting the tentacles binding his feet.
When entering different universes, because destiny nodes had not yet shifted, universe consciousness would arrange identities and equipment for travellers. This prevented the collapse of existing rules and fate lines.
"Any identity serves our purpose-," the Emperor began.
Before he could finish speaking, his senses detected something approaching. His gaze turned toward the space beyond their prison walls.
[End of Chapter]
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