"This is the end. The enemy will soon invade the Sanctum, kill us all, and finish everything."
Land huddled in a corner deep in the Sanctum, leaning his back against a cold ash-gold column.
This gigantic column is one of twelve principal columns supporting the Sanctum's inner-sanctum dome. Its shaft is so thick that six or seven people with both arms spread cannot encircle it. Reliefs are also worked into the column's surface.
Because of the refugees, the reliefs were filthy; the hall that had once been sacred was filled with the stench of festering wounds, sweat, and excrement.
"We will all die. It is only a matter of time."
"It's all over, it's all over."
The days of war had plunged that renowned adept into terror and made him babble incoherently like a frightened child.
Of course, if someone brings this up in the future, he will without doubt deny it flatly and never admit such a thing happened.
He will say the eccentric adept trembling and huddling under the column was merely an ordinary human servant.
He asserted with full confidence, "Arkhan Land has never feared anything."
"Wisdom, my child, it seems I have no prospect of setting you right."
Crushed by despair, Land looked down at the bio-monster dying in his arms.
He had reproduced a sculptural work referring to descriptions of apes recorded in classical documents.
Someone once pointed out that it was odd for an ancient Terran ape's tail to have spines, yet Land laughed it off and dismissed the opinion.
This tech-adept firmly believed he was always right.
Most of the creature's fur was scorched; the left side of the skull was smashed to pieces; faintly pulsing ash-white brain tissue was visible.
The animal raised and lowered its chest in distress; every time it breathed, it raised a faint, almost muffled cry as if drowning.
This ape had been with him for a long time and had watched over his numerous adventures and growth.
Land considered Wisdom from the heart an indispensable presence for the family.
Now the enemy is gradually losing vitality; Land can do nothing and can only watch.
The other refugees sitting beside Land, inspired by his despair and suffering, let out uncontrollable sobs.
They were very ordinary people; people Land had come to know during the flight.
Land had helped them, repairing guns and prosthetic limbs so they could escape hell.
They had also saved Land's life.
Once during evacuation, they had to cross a road exposed to the enemy's sight.
The instant the enemy appeared, they immediately began bombarding that area.
During the explosion, a fragment struck Land's prosthetic limb; the hydraulic hose burst.
Losing his balance, he collapsed onto the toxic, devastated road.
Datch, now unrestricted, left the Sanctum and headed for Hollow Mountain.
Once on the 42K timeline.
Now, at this historical juncture, he will repair the Astronomican again, guide reinforcements to Terra, end this chaos, and begin the god-slaying journey.
At that time, the Astronomican was still under Corswain's control.
However, Typhus used Oteth's "Song of Bone" to forcibly suppress the Astronomican and destroy many important facilities.
Thereby, every effort of the Dark Angels became wasted; lighting the Astronomican again became impossible.
When Datch arrived at Hollow Mountain, Typhus was leading the Death Guard and launching a fierce attack.
Death Guard, strengthened by Warp power, possess astonishing strength and can withstand several times the damage of ordinary Astartes.
The Dark Angels were no match for them and were forced to abandon outer positions, concentrate remaining strength in the core region, and constantly withdraw in order to buy time. Datch appeared in the Astronomican's core region. That is also where the choir is located.
This gigantic circular space has a dome hundreds of metres high; in its walls, numerous psychic runes designed by the Emperor himself are embedded.
After the Astronomican's fall, that place was desolate; the chorus psykers who had been manipulating the Emperor's power were scattered at their posts; their remains had decayed into an abnormally deep green.
Several Dark Angels Techmarines gathered around a damaged core energy conduit and were attempting repairs using welding torches and temporary parts.
Datch's sudden appearance caused panic.
Two Dark Angels Terminators guarding the choir-hall entrance immediately raised storm shields and aimed bolters at him.
When Datch raised his left hand, the Time Stone of the Infinity Gauntlet shone.
From him, a translucent, visible emerald-coloured ring of light spread in waves.
Incoming bolts instantly stopped in mid-air.
The Dark Angels guards who had fired and the technicians attempting to repair equipment also could not move and could only helplessly watch Datch walk into the core area.
Approaching the damaged control panel, Datch raised the golden hammer and struck it.
Clang...
Golden light was released from the machine; damaged machinery began visibly to self-repair.
Broken energy conduits connected again; corroded rune arrays recovered their radiance.
The entire hollowed mountain transformed; even the power of Chaos was temporarily expelled.
"What on earth is happening?" Typhus, who had been launching a fierce attack, sensed the change in Hollow Mountain and wore an expression of surprise.
The Astronomican symbolises the Emperor's will; once lit, it will burn the domains of the four gods and cause an uncontrollable situation.
"Speed up! We must reach the core area and stop the Astronomican."
Typhus was clearly uneasy and shouting orders.
Order all Death Guard to cease fire immediately, head for the core area at full speed, and find a way to stop the Astronomican again.
Unfortunately, everything was too late.
The Astronomican, repaired by Datch, led by the Living Saint Keeler, under Malcador's guidance, blessed by many people's faith, lit in an instant.
From the mountain summit, a bright ray was released toward the sky, punched through the thick cloud layer that had covered Terra's sky for months with smoke and toxic clouds, and drove straight into the deepest part of the Warp.
A straight golden ray burned into the Warp, a pure road even the gods cannot directly interfere with.
Meanwhile, the Ultramarines fleet anchored outside the Sol System, only nine hours from Terra, immediately detected that signal.
"Hurry, navigate at full speed!"
"All warships, navigate at maximum output." Guilliman, resolved to rush to Terra to save father and brothers and bring punishment and death to those accursed traitors, roared in a hoarse voice.
"What happened to those Vengeful Spirits?" a staff officer beside him asked, looking at the deep-red marks displayed on the augury screen.
Guilliman had originally intended to force his way into the Sol System without using the Astronomican.
However, the instant he conceived this idea, six thousand Vengeful Spirits appeared and plunged everyone into terror.
"It must all be a lie," Guilliman said like a gambler.
"If Horus can truly summon a fleet of six thousand Vengeful Spirits at will, he would never blockade the Sol System. Rather, he would display Terra's location and thereby display his own absolute authority."
"Horus was excellent, yet he was also arrogant."
"What if the bet is wrong?" the lieutenant asked.
"Then I will perish together with the Imperium," Guilliman said. "Now issue the order. All warships, support Terra at full output."
...
The starlight lit again shone dazzlingly.
Even those imprisoned in fog and chaotic space-time can see it at a glance.
"What on earth is happening?" Abaddon shouted toward the vox. "Why are Fort Bhab and the star-beam operating again? Has the enemy received new reinforcements?"
However, through the comm-line, only daemonic roars rang; no one answered.
Every Legion has become uncontrollable; every ally has fallen into madness.
The Sons of Horus were no exception. The warriors no longer respected Abaddon, the highest commander of their force.
"No, no, it shouldn't be like this." A voice filled with pain was heard. When Abaddon turned, it was Erebus.
The First Chaplain of the Word Bearers Legion stared at the relit starlight with an expression filled with pain.
"What on earth is happening?" Abaddon shouted.
Erebus looked at Abaddon and said in a despairing voice, "The Warp is screaming. A new god is interfering with the ascension ritual that should belong to the Dark King."
"Everything will meet its end, Abaddon. The gods and your father will vanish into eternal nothingness. The Lord of Absurdity will create a new pantheon of gods to replace everything."
"What does that mean?" Abaddon shouted at Erebus. "We are one step from occupying the palace. Can we not win?"
"Who on earth is this accursed Lord of Absurdity?"
...