Julius's private antechamber was a sanctuary of silence and calm, far from the bustle of the shipyards and command rooms. It was here that he had summoned his latest, and perhaps most valuable, ally: Samuel Hayden. The immense cyborg, whose metallic form housed the essence of a Seraphim from the Doom universe, stood before him, his optical sensors emitting a steady, glowing red light.
"So, how was the Jokaero planet?" asked Julius, settling into his chair.
Samuel's synthetic voice resonated, tinged with genuine intellectual curiosity. "I must say I was very interested in their method of technological creation. Despite their orangutan-like form, their approach is... unique. Their creations are remarkably stable, but also sometimes completely useless. It was wise to send me to monitor Professor Stetmann. The eccentricity of the Jokaero, combined with his unstable genius... otherwise, what a catastrophe he could cause."
Julius nodded. Stetmann's creative madness needed a rigorous counterpoint, and Hayden's ancient, methodical mind was perfect for that. "The plans for the Ark reactor for ships and various machines? Are they functional?"
"Of course," Samuel replied without hesitation. "The conversion is underway. And the food creation machine, using atomic manipulation, works wonderfully. You just request a dish, and the assembly line handles the rest. The efficiency is absolute."
"Good, good," murmured Julius, before standing and walking to the viewport, his expression turning serious. "I will now speak to you in secret about the greatest challenge and the greatest threat in this universe: the Warp."
He turned around, fixing Samuel's sensors with his gaze. "The Warp is a parallel dimension, also called the Immaterium, where the laws of physics, time, and causality do not apply. It is an ocean of psychic energy that is a reflection of the emotions, thoughts, and souls of all living beings in the galaxy. It is used for superluminal interstellar travel, but it is extremely dangerous because it is populated by demons, monsters, the Gods of Chaos, and storms can erupt there at any moment."
He paused to let the information sink in. "And I want you to create a secret base for me inside it. An impenetrable fortress, at the very heart of the storm. As you are a Seraphim, a being of a higher dimensional nature, you are the only entity capable of designing and overseeing such a project."
The light in Samuel's sensors flickered, a sign of intense calculation. "Julius... that will be difficult in my current form. This cyborg shell, while powerful, is a limitation. To manipulate the foundations of the Warp and anchor a stable structure there, I would need my full Maykr nature. The Argent Energy, the ability to shape reality on a conceptual level... all of that is now inaccessible to me."
A smile played on Julius's lips. "No problem. I can fix that."
He closed his eyes, connecting to the familiar System interface. 'System, is there a way for Samuel Hayden to become a Maykr again?'
The response was immediate and clear, displayed in his mind.
'It is sufficient to purchase one of these personal artifacts.'
'Something like the "Seraphim's Scepter"?' suggested Julius, recalling the artifact used to resurrect the Doom Slayer.
'That is possible, yes. The artifact [Seraphim's Transfiguration Scepter] will allow for the complete restoration of his Maykr essence, resetting his physical vessel to its original state as a dimensional being. Cost: 150,000 acquisition points.'
Without a moment's hesitation, Julius confirmed the purchase. The air in front of him began to vibrate, and a scepter of brilliant white metal, engraved with complex Maykr runes and topped with a jewel pulsing with silvery light, materialized, floating gently.
"Samuel," Julius said, taking the scepter. An immense, pure energy coursed up his arm. "The time of your limitations is over."
He extended the scepter towards the cyborg. Upon contact with the artifact, Samuel Hayden's huge metallic armor began to disintegrate in a whirlwind of light particles. The form dissolved, reducing to a core of pure energy, before reconstituting itself in a blinding flash.
When the light dissipated, Samuel Hayden stood there, transformed. His form was now that of a Maykr in its full glory: a majestic, androgynous humanoid silhouette, clad in immaculate white and gold robes. His head, now an elegant, stylized structure, emitted a peaceful silvery glow. Dimensional power emanated from him in almost palpable waves.
He raised a hand, observing the Argent energy playing around his fingers. "Wholeness..." he murmured, in a voice that was no longer synthetic, but resonant and multidimensional.
He turned his gaze to Julius, his luminous eyes shining with reclaimed intelligence and power. "Very well, Julius Braveheart. You have restored my inheritance. In return, I will build your fortress. Give me the coordinates of this dimension... this Warp. I will forge a bastion there that neither demons nor gods can corrupt. A secret base at the heart of the Immaterium."
Julius smiled. While the Emperor searched for his sons in the material galaxy, he would establish himself within the very source of chaos. It was a masterstroke.