| Hidden in the Warp |
"A fitting name, but it is also dangerous," they said in a warning tone. "That name will eventually tie you to the number 1 and the four won't allow that, especially Tzeentch. Never let them notice your budding connection to the number 1. Always let them see that you are trying to avoid your connection to the number 4."
"Why should I hide my connection to the number 1, especially since I intend on facing chaos head on and is the Emperor's number really 4?" I asked in confusion.
"A long time ago, Tzeentch used to hold the number 1 and he used his control over that number to craft a staff in which he named "Crystal Staff."
They paused and used the warp to weave together a hologram that replayed what happened and then they continued.
"This staff allowed him to rule supreme over the warp including the many dark gods in the warp during that time. The other dark gods grew jealous and loathed his supreme power so the other dark gods joined forces to take him down. Faced with this united front against him, Tzeentch decided to destroy his staff to avoid his own destruction and he relinquished his control over the number 1 and took on the number 9."
The warp hologram switched scenes and they showed the number 4, the number that would have belonged to the Dark King if he ascended.
"Before Slaanesh was born, when the chaos gods were but three. We made a deal with them that we would become the fourth and turn humanity towards chaos. We tricked them in that deal and afterwards managed to suppress some of the effects of breaking that deal, but I was not able to sever my connection to the number four.
Following that, they helped Slaanesh ascend and the four of them worked together to make everything tied to the number 4, have a connection to chaos. It ensured that no matter what we did, our connection to 4 and the faith that binds me. Will inevitably force us to ascend and complete the deal. It would be a mockery of my defiance of them and my countless attempts to spread the Imperial Truth."
Hearing all of that, some missing pieces of the puzzle began to fit into my mind. Things that didn't make sense about the Emperor, now made sense due the conjectures I can make with what I have just learned.
"I understand," I said in a serious tone. "I will hide it until the time is right."
'After all,' I thought. 'It would be a problem if chaos went all out against me for trying to build a connection to the number 1 before I could properly unite all of humanity. Indeed, it would be best for me to keep certain cards hidden.'
"Now then," the three of them said while conjuring weapons. "We will help you with your final training, what you lack right now is combat experience. The three of us will fight you and pass on all that we know. And know this Neoth X͞͞L, we will not hold back."
I resummoned my sword and grinned in anticipation at being able to test out my new form and also get back at them for putting me in this position.
I decided that I was definitely going to punch all of them at least once in the face.
"I'm ready," I began to say but before I could even continue my sentence.
The form of the Dark King blurred and I felt my instincts scream at me.
Moving at speeds that few in the galaxy could match, the Dark King was already within my guard. Swinging a jagged great sword that carried an energy that promised ruin.
I made a warp shield in front of me in an attempt to displace the incoming attack.
Unfortunately, that did nothing because he used the nature of his power to rend my warp shield to nothing.
The Dark King continued forward and swung his sword in a downward arc heading straight towards my heart.
I raised my right arm to swing my sword to match the Dark King's attack.
But in that very moment, I felt the God Emperor's power flare and then my mind was struck by a heavy psychic blast that blurred my consciousness for a microsecond.
Within that microsecond the Dark King's sword cut through the armor on my left shoulder and just as it was about to cut my collar bone.
I used the warp to teleport away, but Star Child interrupted my teleport and locked me in place.
Luckily within the microsecond I teleported, I was able to move backwards approximately 2 feet before being locked in place.
As the Dark King's sword cut me, I channeled all the power I could in that moment and blasted him with it.
After I hit him with that, I immediately teleported back to assess the damage and reflect on what just happened.
The good news was that the Dark King's sword didn't end up cutting completely through me and my heart. Instead I was left with a vertical sword wound that started from my left collar down to my waist.
It was about 4 inches deep and if it was half an inch deeper, my heart would have been cut.
I had a brush with death in a short clash that only lasted 2 seconds and I could tell that this would be my first of many near death experiences.
I thought I would feel wariness, caution, fear, dread, or anger. At least some form of negative emotion at my brush with death.
But instead…
I laughed.
A savage, unbridled laughter that expressed my joy at this bound to be exhilarating fight.
Staring at the three of them, in a voice that expressed excitement and a bit of insanity, I said.
"Let's Dance."
___
I am currently in extreme pain, from all the wounds that my body and soul now bears.
My body has multiple lacerations including a serious one on my neck that nearly took my head off, burns that came from warp lightning & fire, and many other wounds from different warp attacks.
There were even warp lances that pierced my body and remained locked in place, slowly draining my warp energy.
My soul was strained, close to a breaking point from all the warp attacks it suffered.
Despite all this, I kept moving and swinging my sword. Channeling the warp to cast counter attacks.
Over time a lot of my attacks became instinctual, because I was beginning to sense and prevent attacks before they happened.
Just like a moment ago when I blitzed the God Emperor and tried to rend him in two with my lightning claw.
I sensed exactly what he would throw at me, where the Dark King would swing to help intercept, and how Star Child may try to restrain me.
I was adapting to them.
And even better, I was learning.
During this 1v3, from the God Emperor and Star Child, I learned how to use the warp in ranged attacks, close combat, soul & mind attacks, and as an enhancement.
From the Dark King, I learned how to use all weapons imaginable along with physic channeling and using my will to warp reality to the extreme.
These techniques were simply invaluable, as they would let me fight the four in a 1v4 and not worry about being overpowered instantly even within their own domains.
But I felt like I was lacking something, something crucial.
As if sensing what I was thinking, all three of them stopped their attacks and threw their raw psychic might at me in full force.
I was pinned in place trying to fend off their psychic might with my own.
In that moment my mind was rushing to figure out what it was, what they were trying to help me learn.
I couldn't think of anything but I decided to take a risk and allow their psychic might to crush me to see if it was a hint about what they wanted me to learn.
I slowly withdrew my psychic might and then I was hit by the answer, literally.
Their attacks all carried more than just will, it incorporated what they represent and their domains.
Although I possessed power similar to these three, I only used raw warp power and my will. I am still a new Emperor of Mankind and haven't chosen what I will represent nor what my domain will be.
'What emotions, principles, and actions do I want to represent and have control over? How should I shape my domain?' I asked myself.
Lost in thought, I didn't even realize how the warp around me was changing nor the fact the three withdrew their psychic might to allow me to focus uninterrupted.
Going deep into my memory, I thought of everything positive about humanity.
I recalled humanity's countless triumphs, displays of unity, loyalty, duty, sacrifices for a better tomorrow, refusal to die, and of its spirit that shines bright.
'I will be the sun that burns away the darkness that threatens humanity,' I thought as I felt changes in my very soul begin to happen.
'Through me humanity will regain its pride and will, its ability to be better than other species and refusal to die and be forgotten. From my light they will see hope, and learn how to stand tall again in this cruel galaxy. I will wield victory as my sword, unity as my armor, and faith as my shield.'
As I spoke those words in my mind, the changes with me were complete as I finally felt whole.
The power of faith I wielded now has a proper form. My sword in my right hand now carried the principle of victory engraved in it.
In front of me was a shield made from faith, that will protect my soul and any humans around me from the whispers of chaos.
On my armor the runes now included oaths of duty spoken by all of humanity, that now guarded my body.
Around me was no longer simply the warp, it was my domain. A domain I can project every time I enter my "The One" form.
Inside of this domain was projection of the imperial palace and inside of the imperial palace was me, Neoth Crucivus Aeternus X͞͞L.
The false god of humanity, he who will one day reign as "The One" above all. The being who represents hope, unity, duty, sacrifice, loyalty, victory, will, and pride.
Feeling all these changes, I smiled once again at the new power I've gained and the new hope it brings for humanity.
The three of them appeared before me inside the projected imperial palace and said.
"You have done well Neoth X͞͞L, we have given and taught you everything you need. Now we wish you luck in your timeline, in your fight against the four. We will now release the laboratory from the warp. When you return, the date will be 797.M30. Spend that last year confirming your plans for the great crusade. May you lead humanity to salvation, we bid you farewell."
And just like that the three of them vanished, as if they were never there in the first place.
I released my "The One" form and felt a heavy wave of exhaustion hit me.
Keeping up that form plus suppressing my wounds and the recently formed domain of mine left me drained, almost powerless.
Using a little bit of energy, I stopped the bleeding from my physical wounds and used the rest of my energy to numb the wounds on my soul.
With the warp knowledge I now possess, I could have completely healed my physical wounds including the scar over my eye. But, I decided not to because I wanted them to heal naturally and keep them as scars.
These scars will tell a story, my own story. A story of a man who decided to carry humanity on his back and light the way forward.
Furthermore, I believed that having scars on my body might help reduce the "Perfect God" image that humanity has of me.
Hopefully they will instead, see me as just a man, a human just like them.
'Though I also hope the custodes and sisters of silence don't lose their minds after seeing my current state.' I thought quietly in slight worry and amusement.
After the laboratory returned to the materium, I sensed someone forcibly teleporting their self into the laboratory.
I could sense their urgency and their concern for me.
I instantly knew who it was and it made smile. He is the only perpetual who stayed by my side and never betrayed me in every timeline.
My most loyal friend...
Malcador the Sigillite.
-To Be Continued...
(A/N: If anything feels off lmk.
I couldn't find anywhere that gave a solid fact on how fast the Emperor could move so I chose to write that he can fight within microseconds. Next time I won't mention it, unless its from the pov of someone else .
I was also going to make the fight longer but I realized I was kind of bad at it. I also need to learn more about actual warp attacks used in WH40k. Anyways I promise next time I'll make the fight scene a proper one and not a time skip.
Btw I swear the world itself was trying to stop me from writing this chapter. Every time I sat down to write, I got called by someone to do something.)