Chapter 717: The Eldar's Promise
He certainly knew the weight of this promise.
Eldrad Ulthran, the most prestigious, oldest, and most visionary old Farseer among the Craftworld Eldar since the fall of the Eldar Empire, had unquestionable influence among the surviving Aeldari.
During the Great Crusade era, he was even the first alien to issue a warning to the Emperor of Mankind regarding the Horus Heresy.
He realized more clearly than the vast majority of his compatriots, who stubbornly clung to their pride or wallowed in past glory, that the Eldar Empire was long gone, and it was now an era dominated by humanity in the galaxy.
If the Eldar wanted to survive, cooperating with a powerful human faction possessing critical capabilities was an almost inevitable choice.
When he said he could persuade other Craftworld Eldar to serve him, Ryo believed in the possibility.
However, believing in its possibility and completely accepting and relying on it were two different things.
Ryo remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing every word spoken by the High Farseer carefully.
Then, he slowly shook his head, his tone still flat, yet carrying a clarity that penetrated to the essence of the matter.
"The High Farseer's promise carries immense weight, and I can feel the sincerity within it. However, the term 'serve' might be an overstatement, and it is not what I urgently need at present."
An imperceptible glimmer flashed through Eldrad's eyes as he quietly waited for the continuation.
"The Eldar are a race with a long history and exquisite craftsmanship, possessing unique value," Ryo continued, as if stating an objective fact. "But equally, they are an extremely complex race filled with internal tension. I have no intention, nor do I currently have the ability, to unify or manage such an ancient and proud civilization to 'serve' me."
His tone shifted, his gaze sharpening slightly, cutting into the Eldar's deepest scar as precisely as a scalpel. "Furthermore, the 'base color' and 'inertia' of a civilization are often rooted in its most essential culture and mode of survival. The High Farseer should know better than I do how the 'youngest' of those four indescribable entities in the Warp was born."
He did not say the name, but the Eldar present understood—Slaanesh, the Prince of Pleasure, was born precisely from the extreme indulgence, depravity, and convergence of soul energy at the end of the ancient Eldar Empire.
It was the Eldar themselves who, through their own efforts, birthed this god of destruction in the Warp, an entity that took pleasure in devouring their souls.
"The Pandora universe currently appears to be 'clean,' without the omnipresent corruption and whispers of the Warp." Ryo's voice was calm, yet every word carried tremendous weight. "But this does not mean it is an absolutely safe harbor, nor does it mean that certain 'tendencies' or 'behavioral patterns' will naturally disappear just by changing the environment.
"If the relocated Eldar, after escaping the immediate threat of Slaanesh, gradually recover and even double down on reclaiming a certain lifestyle and spiritual pursuit akin to the twilight years of their empire's zenith... Then no one can guarantee whether, within the underlying rules of that universe, the convergence of a massive amount of homogenized, extreme soul energy might birth something 'new'."
He looked directly at Eldrad's projection, which had grown exceptionally grave. "The threat of the Dark Prince might be temporarily distanced, but has the 'soil' that bred the Dark Prince been discarded as well? This is a risk I must consider. The gateway I open should not introduce a future root of disaster that could affect the entire new universe."
These words were like a cold hammer of reality, smashing whatever final shred of wishful thinking might have remained deep within Eldrad's heart.
Ryo's understanding of the Eldar went far beyond superficial cooperation; he pointed directly to the core root of this race's tragedy and its potential danger.
Eldrad's projection seemed to dim for a moment, his eternal exhaustion and heaviness almost overflowing.
He took a deep, slow breath, his voice carrying a heavy acknowledgment and absolute resolve.
"You see things very thoroughly, Honored Ryo. This is not an accusation, but an irrefutable fact and a warning." He admitted openly, "The fall of the ancient empire is the source of our eternal shame and pain. Indulgence, extreme emotions, and sensory pursuits are the breeding grounds for destruction. This point is etched into the hearts of Ulthwe and all the Craftworlds that still adhere to the 'Path' to discipline themselves."
He straightened his posture, as if making a solemn vow. "I can promise you, and I will ensure with my remaining life and prestige, that any Aeldari citizen allowed by you to migrate to the new universe must strictly abide by revised and reinforced 'Path' disciplines. We will even need to establish a system of self-restraint and social supervision that is far more stringent than in our original universe.
"We will abandon any old habits that might lead to collective spiritual degeneration, placing survival and the continuation of rationality above all else. We absolutely will not, and absolutely cannot, repeat our past mistakes to become the gravediggers of our own destruction in any universe."
Ryo listened quietly, his face devoid of any expression of being persuaded or moved.
He was perfectly clear about the true 'base color' of the Eldar—that desire for extreme experiences deeply rooted in their souls, and their tendency toward an artistic pursuit of perfection, were instincts that the 'Path' could only barely restrain.
Otherwise, those Dark Eldar in Commorragh who fed on the pain of others would not arrogantly claim that they were the 'orthodox Eldar' who had discarded hypocrisy and faced their instincts directly.
The 'Path' was a taut string. How long it could be maintained, especially after losing their greatest external pressure, was a massive unknown.
The High Farseer's promise was sincere, but regarding how long its effectiveness could last and how broadly it could cover, Ryo maintained his reservations.
However, Eldrad's face and sincerity needed to be given a certain response at this moment.
An outright rejection would be detrimental to both sides and would waste this strategic opportunity.
Ryo appeared to ponder for a moment, and then, with a tone as if he had just thought of an idea, he slowly spoke: "I have received the High Farseer's promise and resolve. The specific restrictive details and post-migration management plans can be drafted in detail later.
"However, before establishing a formal, more guaranteed cooperative framework, I do indeed need a... more symbolic and more practically binding 'token.' It will serve as a witness to our mutual compliance with the covenant, and as a foundation for potentially expanding our cooperation in the future."
He successfully steered the topic from the ethereal concepts of 'trust' and 'promises' toward a more concrete, tangible 'token.'
Eldrad's spirit noticeably concentrated; he knew the critical asking price was coming.
"Please speak. As long as it is within the capabilities of Ulthwe, and even within the Aeldari sphere of influence we can affect, we will certainly do our utmost."