Chapter 23: Moths to a Flame

The Emperor sat in his chamber, resting his head on his arm he contemplates the invitation, he dreads to understand its message, but his superhuman intellect understood it the second it reached him.

It does not seem possible, he considers, yet he is ancient himself and understand that the tides of the immaterium are more then they seem, a dimension on its own connecting others through time space and universes.

So why does this invitation irk him so.

He uses his powers and perceives the planet Anhur, it is a desolate wasteland since the immaterium spilled into reality on it.

it happened way too simply, one of his race lusted for power and made a deal with the unreal creatures which inhabited the tumultuous sea that is Warp.

But the immaterium isn't truly spilling from a wound in reality like most think. There is a catalyst there, a living portal. The same man who made a deal with the devil, he is now acting as a living portal, through him the unreal terrors spread over the planet like cancerous growth, devouring and consuming any living being unlucky to be near.

He sees the immaterium itself leeching the materium like a parasite, ever clawing to have a good enough grasp and spill itself outwards and into reality.

The wound itself pours nightmares and daemonic entities whom do the bidding of their summoner, they are as strong as their leader, and since the wound has opened unto him millions were sacrificed, both humans and aliens, this empowered the nightmare greatly, and the wound has grown in response.

Across the entire system the warp spawns hunt down anything which enters the system, their ships made of rubble and stone molded and melted together by the vilest of sorceries and unreal energies, from the broken concrete of former streets of Anhur, living pipes of corroded metal stick out of the constructs and spew vile bile and projectiles at the fleeing refugee ships, its cargo holds contain thousands of formless and evil creatures along with their mutated human worshipers whom eagerly expect deployment to other inhabited planets in the Amun system.

So far the nightmares are contained to this one system, but it would not remain so, with every soul killed and devoured or sacrificed to the Daemon entity Arebus, they gain enough power to spread ever outwards.

Should they consume the system, there is no doubt they would gain enough power and boldness to spread outwards, eating their way through materium and swimming through the immaterium to other planets, infesting the galaxy as they pass.

The Emperor now concentrates here, he feels himself more powerful, in the beginning he did not understood why his powers have grown steadily ever since the Imperium appeared on the galactic stage.

But he felt himself grow stronger with every year which passed. The more the Imperium grew and attracted humans in their millions, the more power he had.

He realized why it is so before his ascension to Princepedom. When his men captured one of the imperial agents on Earth before its unification.

The man was bound and still he spat and cursed at them, ever saying his "God Emperor" will punish them for this transgression. When threatened with execution for his covert and terrorist actions the man simply began praying and chanting.

"The Emperor protects…The Emperor protects"

Like a mantra he repeated those same words over and over, and with each spoken word the emperor felt a churning motion in the immaterium, he felt it stir and coalesce, the words this man spoke had a severe impact in the unreal dimension. The More he chanted the more it seemed to stir. And the Emperor concentrated, and across the galaxy those same words echoed infinitively, in prayers, in simple war cries, in regular conversation.

"The Emperor protects"

Their words were no longer just echo or silent whispers when they first appeared, it was a roaring thunder of many millions new and old believers speaking with utter conviction as one and praying to their "God Emperor".

He realized now that the more they spoke and prayed the more he felt imbued with power, his immaterium manipulation was beyond compare in the galaxy as it was.

But now, he was beyond compare, in less than 50 years his powers have grown more than the last 10 000 years he was alive.

With Grim realization he understood who was their God Emperor.

He knew the dangerous of religion, he has seen it all, the inquisition of the old ages, the burnings, the ritual sacrifices of the new world, all done in the name of the beings which did not exist.

The blood flew in oceans in the names of the thousands of enteties worshiped by the millions of their insane followers.

He loathed their need for faith, their absolute craving to worship something greater than themselves, many times in history he tried to show them the true glory of man. But each time they devolved into masses worshiping something they did not or were not willing to understand.

And now he is their God, this hurt him more than anything. But he couldn't deny it, he was empowered by it. this made him sick.

He thought about it, so much more, he never wished to be a God, his belief was that the humanity will transcend through its own labour and power, the man himself must uplift himself.

Still, the reality was further away from it, every emotion had an impact in the immaterium, this dimension which existed away from our own still influenced it. if many people are certain of doom coming , they might ,through collective belief cause it to come to pass.

If many believe the bad times are over and prosperity looms ahead, if their prayer and belief is fervent, it will come to pass.

But to his eyes, the immaterium was silent like the lake without a dash of wind, and emotions of many had no effect to it. it was not until the imperium came that the lake that is immaterium began to stir and go wild.

He contemplated why it was so, but he could see the difference, the soul radiance of these imperial humans and the ones he lived with was tremendously different, they were not the same species. The imperial humans had such glow to their souls their belief was like a piercing dagger to the immaterium.

The issue is, their beliefs, folklore knowledge, mentality ,and everything which made them what they are washed inside the lake like a putrid soup, their rage, hate, warlust, desperation, and zeal all flew like a waterfall into the silent immaterium, and it churned violently, it washed over the proverbial shores of its limit and the thoughts and imaginations created projections within it.

This on its own would take many centuries to cause a significant impact within the warp. Time he thought was enough for it to calm down relatively enough.

But he was wrong, the moment these Imperials came, their first and foremost instinct was to wage war, the planet Elona, one they now call Indomitus had near 10 000 souls of Asari, little unnoticeable specks in the grand scheme of things. But their deaths were just the start.

Then the thousands from the Batarian raid were flung into the immaterium screaming all the way as their souls dissolved within it.

Afterwards the Aurelian system was next, their invasion, enslavement and outright genocide of the asari caused pure anguish and suffering to flow into the warp.

But the events which caused the warp to turn into a mad explosion of emotion and unreal insanity filled energy to wash over the universe was the destruction of the fleets filled with millions of Quarians and the crushing of the Batarian fleets which invaded the Aurelian systems, the seal which set events into motion beyond repair was the destruction of the Batarian homeworld.

Billions went screaming in an instant into warp, their rage and pain washed over, and through the galaxy it could be felt. The echo of the damned screamed for the living to hear, and not just the Batarians, but the milions of extinct races now shouted in turn, their voices silent until this moment.

For no race was given time to turn psychic before their Reaper culling, and now, when the psychic felt race of Humans stirred the immaterium with their malice, it shouted in open pain to the disturbance of it.

Millions of years of deaths and extinctions all made their impact, but without a psychic race to sense it, it just washed over and settled into the calmed warp.

The Imaterium churned at the end of the each cycle and 50 000 years then passed giving it time to calm down, and this happened, over and over and over.

For millions of years the scream of trillions of souls echoed, then went silence, their pain unheard by anybody.

That is until now, until the psychic glow of the Imperials stirred the immaterium and gave it voice.

The warp became bloated with essence, and the souls of the damned screamed once more, their collective anguish and suffering polluted the immaterium permanently, and all the rage, lost hopes, dreams and every single emotion was now given form because the psychic race existed which can perceive them.

Within what was once a lake devoid of anything, there are now nightmares. Daemons of many folklore legends, terrors of the nights used as a children cautionary tales now swam into this great lake and dueled with other abominations out of sheer rage and evil.

And when there was a portal, a willing subject to let loose their pent up anger, they took it wholly, as they moved from immaterium to materium their forms changed, and they took appearances of what their summoner thought off, the daemons of Slaanesh were given the forms of the Daemonettes, and other various forms which should not exist here came to being.

The Nurgle Quarians were also one of the impossibilities, for how could Nurgle infest this universe if he didn't exist here? How could Slaanesh do the same if his birth was not heralded by Eldar.

It is because of the collective imagining of the human race of the Imperials. Their souls were from the original universe, and like all warp felt souls, on them was imprinted the foul taint of the Chaos Gods, they were like unwilling agents carrying the existence of the daemonic entities into this untainted universe, even if they did not know how Khorne or Slaanesh looked like, their souls on some most basic primordial level knew, and when their souls came into contact with the untainted warp of this universe, combined with the collective anguish of the races which went extinct over last one billion years, they found fertile ground and have gave them form of their imagining. And so it was that the foul influence of the original four Gods of Chaos spilled here as well.

While they did not exist as entities into the warp here, and could not hear or respond to prayers, at least for how much we know. their essence has permanently polluted it and gave birth to all sorts of horrors they conceived off in the original universe.

And now the bastard children lusting for malice, blood and other demented things were coming to haunt the children of this universe. The Daemons of Warp lived once more, and they desired dominance above all.

Having found their Prophet on Anhur, they are pouring in limitless numbers, eager and hungry to devour the galaxy, only few brave souls, both xenos and human alike stand vigilant on Anhur, buying time with their lives for reinforcements, long overdue, to arrive and save them from certain doom.

The Emperor thought more about the issue, this power he was being imbued with could not be denied , for more and more were praising his name ,both in his own Senate and the People of Terra and in the Imperium to the north.

How can he use this to help his people he thought? Could his very own might help against the terrors which seek to spill and consume every living being in the galaxy?

There must be a way to this. He is not a God…he couldn't be, no matter what they believe. His role must be that of the Avatar of the collective human might, of their desires and will to survive in the angry galaxy poised against them.

That he can be, and that he must be now when the metal demons seek to rid life from without and the daemons of the immaterium from within.

He is willing to be the Avatar of Man, but no God of theirs. And with that thought he rises from the chair from which he silently perceived the outsides of the Earth from his palace.

He senses the approaching fleet of the Imperium, and dons his modern armour filled with numerous personal shields and rather tough materials which could tank most of the damage the enemy can throw at him. but his strongest power is his very own mind which no mortal in the galaxy can contend with.

Now he stands fully armoured, he has no time to waste if the galaxy is to be saved from annihilation.

And just in time as the door behind him echo with the thud of fist on wood.

"Come in" his voice is deep and clear, his gaze still unmoved from the vast visage of the beautiful planet of his birth.

Inside comes one of his palace guards and humbly bows before speaking.

"Lord Princeps, Commander Shepard is back along with the fleet from Imperium of man, they await your permission to approach."

"Grant them the permission, and tell them I am joining them on their flagship. They will be briefed when I dock."

His Palatini Guard just bowed slightly and exited the room. Not long after the Emperor himself left and proceeded with steady and quick step to the space port on his palace, entering his personal fighter craft armed and armoured to perfection , a marvel of modern technology, fielding personal thanix canons, the void shielding of the Imperium, the engines of the Emperors own design which allowed it unpredicted speeds. It was a fighter unlike any other. And it was not the only marvel of technology the Emperor ordered built for the coming war.

His fighter soared to the heavens followed by the Palatini Fighters, they were of similar quality to the Emperors personal fighter flyer. In space they were unmatched by skill or technology.

Soon his formation approached the massive Imperial flagship and were granted docking permission, they entered the hold of the vessel and disembarked.

The Emperor's arrival was a sight to see, entire vessels crew seemed to be in the hangar, pushing each other for the opportunity to see their God. The exaltation was more than visible, many forgot the code of civility and were pushing each other just to have a better look at the new arrival.

Emperor exited his craft, swiftly he was surrounded by his Palatini Guards, and began to walk between the two humongous crowds. The guards stand at attention, but even they couldn't help but gaze at the Emperor, at their God, for the Flagship was exclusively manned by the original universe's crewmates, and they grew on the tales about the Emperor.

His own aura was like a blinding sun, and his steps almost seemed to echo through the entire imperial vessel, his standing was that of the Emperor indeed, with head held high and posture being absolutely perfect. Everyone present felt this sheer power coming through him.

The welcoming guard began to chant loudly

"Ave! glory to the one who fathered us all! Ave Imperator! "

They chanted and raised and lowered their weapons in unison, lasguns soared to the skies in their untold thousands.

Ave! Ave!

They all shouted, many began crying and smiling, their tears flowed freely as they laughed and wiped their faces at the sight before them, few guardsmen had a lapse in discipline, dropped their guns and fell to their knees, their arms clenching tightly as they venerated the passing Emperor.

Commissars swiftly approached and reared them upwards ,slapping them in order to bring them to their senses, but it was all futile, more and more fell to their knees as what they considered was a living God walking among them, his visage the same as the one they saw on their Cathedrals and in their prayer books.

The White Eagles and their four companies were stoic, all without the helmets, gazing at their gene progenitor and the father of their Primarch, their bolters standing tightly to their bodies.

The 400 mostly white armoured brothers all followed the movement of the Emperor with silent gaze, their Captain raised his power sword to the skies, and shouted at the top of his lungs, even without the vox enhancement of his helmet his voice effortlessly carried across the hall.

"Ave Imperator! "

The 400 strong brothers shouted as one.

"Ave! Praised be He who will lead us in liberation of the galaxy!

Ave Imperator, Lord of us All! "

The Emperor felt their raw emotional power surging through them, they were honest in their feelings, such was their soul energy and emotion that he himself felt moved.

It pained him to see the common soldiery bow and worship him, but he tempered his actions, what could he do? Attack them? Belittle them? He recalled the prophets of old faiths, one whom said "do not speak who I am openly, for it is not yet my time" and the more he said, the more did they worshiped and shouted.

He simply kept walking, he was not here to chastise those who fought and died in the name of humanity.

He issued a gaze towards one crowd of idolaters and they reacted as if struck by lightning , they were crewmembers whom fired the portside batteries, and they almost began running towards him in sheer adulation.

They praised his name, and he saw more than a few faint, only through the Guard's actions were they calmed before the situation turned bad.

He was personally greeted by the officers of the Flagship "Vengeance of Dushan", Tiberius being first among them, they shook hands, and the ever stoic and cold Tiberius felt happiness in his old body, he couldn't help but smile, gesturing for the tall lord of mankind to follow him through the ship and towards the bridge, for they lacked the time for a proper tour of the vessel.

Soon enough they left the great hangar and thousands of idolizing imperials behind them.

~This welcome…I was unprepared for it. ~ The Emperor spoke first.

"Why is that my Lord? " Tiberius questioned him puzzlingly.

~So many of them thought I was a God. Was it like this in your own dimension?~

"Yes" was what Tiberius said coldly, "And far more than just that"

~I see…~ The Emperor said with a grim tone in his voice.

~I will see to this later, now about your mission, have you acquired the data I have asked? ~

"Yes Lord, but our Techpriest Agrippa is unconscious even after two weeks of travel, he will recover, but we don't know when. "

~One of my Palatini will take Agrippa to the planet, we have the finest doctors, there he will recover and deliver the data directly to my scientists, we have more pressing issues Tiberius, and I must travel to Anhur.~

"Anhur Lord? " Tiberius was as if struck by lightning. "That dreaded place is a thorn in our sides for as long as we know, never could we send a fleet to liberate it, each time there was a new war, a new nightmare attacking us, as if protecting that wretched place."

~And still, we need to be there. We must be there, it is one of those places where the future of an entire galaxy is made. Can you do this Tiberius, can you lead us to Anhur? ~

The Emperor asked Tiberius with a smile, he wanted his sons to be strong and determinate against all foes.

"Yes. I can Lord, I will order our techpriests to prepare Agrippa, few of them will follow him and help your doctors, and our fleet will leave the system upon your command." Tiberius said with absolute determination in his voice.

The Emperor smiled gently at Tiberius, like a father to his child.

~Then let us get to our duties. ~ He said and they went towards the bridge.

From here onwards the fleet would set sail towards Anhur and the long journey ahead. The Imperial vessels would be accompanied by Legio Astra III, or the third battle fleet of SPQT , some 80 ships were accompanying their Imperial allies.

As they traveled, two dramatic and critical events happened at the same time , and both influenced the galaxy to extreme. First was the treason of the Second fleet of the Imperial navy, those whom were supposed to be a bulwark against the nightmares turned traitor at the worst of times.

And the Second which happened were that the Reapers were tired of the immaterial wound on Anhur, and decided to take matters in their own hands, invading Anhur almost at the same time the message from Stefan was sent to the Emperor.

In the following text we will speak of these two events and how they unfolded.

Act I: The Traitor of the North.

It all began when then navigators and psykers sent a psychic message up north, they spoke of the Emperor on Terra, and how he will lead humanity into a new glorious age and Era.

This was received with unbridled jubilation of the masses in all planets of the Imperium. except for one man, a High Admiral that lead Third Imperial fleet defending the eastern reaches of the Imperial galaxy, While the second one patrolled around Indomitus and Aurelian, making sure the core worlds were safe. The first fleet was with Tiberius and was speeding to Anhur.

High Admiral Vuk was a vain and shallow man, a Collector at heart, where the other admirals found artifacts of past cultures, they were outright destroyed if they were deemed dangerous, technology which the Adeptus Mechanicus did not sanctioned as "Necessary" was ignored or discarded. This is how most reaper spy artifacts went blind in the north, for the Imperium destroyed them upon finding; their hatred for all things foreign was proving very useful in this situation.

High Admiral Vuk was not one of those, if he found an artifact which tinkled his fancy he took it, he did not care most of the time what he took so long as it looked like it can give him prestige or pride. After all he could collect all he wanted, his faith in the Emperor and the Imperium was steel hard, right?

It turned that faith was put to the test instantly the moment his navigator caught the message from Terra, his fleet was jubilant and overjoyed to hear such news. But not him, he thought that it was all a lie. So he returned to his quarters, thoughts as grim and as dark as the night.

There he sat alone, surrounded by his many black and red artifacts, he did not realize and cared what they were, but to people versed in these things, like Shepard, they were instantly recognizable.

They were reaper artifacts, tools for subversion.

And as he sat and brooded, he thought of many ideas, what if all this was a trick? What if the first fleet wanted to install a puppet in the Imperium, bring us low?

The Emperor is not here, he was in the original universe, this man couldn't be a God of mankind, and it just isn't possible. And worst of all, now they were allied with Terra instead of reconquering the cradle of mankind.

This same fleet had the guts to send such heretical messages to the loyal peoples of the imperium.

This would not stand! He thought. And with that determination assembled his 7 officers whom commanded various ships in the fleet.

These officers were friends of his, from the old days of scholla, half of them were gifted the same artifacts he kept in huge numbers in his quarters. They would gladly listen to him now.

Quickly he assembled them and exposed his plan, they were the last sane people in the Imperium, those who were not tainted by heresies of the first fleet and their proclamation.

They had to act, and act fast, to proclaim themselves the protectors of the real, Vuk would naturally take the place of the Lord High Admiral Tiberius, and had absolute reign over all fleets.

With those they would force Indomitus to submit, break the unbreakable world, the first fleet's commanders and sub commanders would have to be executed for heresies of the foulest kind.

But how do they convince the fleet of this, they are right, they were absolutely sure in what they were about to do. But the fleet might not think the same. So they decided to open vox communications to all ships in the fleet.

With Vuk leading the strongest ship in the fleet, and his lackeys supporting him, other captains of the smaller vessels and admirals were not glad to hear this.

Vuk sugarcoated his words, he did not openly denounced this new Emperor, he was wise not to do this, he spoke that Tiberius and others might overthrow the Imperium now, being exposed to the new technologies and heresies from the south, that they mingled with xenos fleets, namely quarians, and that until they are certain that this is indeed the Emperor, they should not rush and forsake their God which they left in the original universe.

He said that there needs to be a steel wall of faith and weapons to determine who this new man is, they couldn't risk Tiberius and others gathering a horde of aliens to pillage and destroy their worlds in the name of the man only `They` have seen, and in order to do that they had to take over, their fleet must be the harbinger of new order, secure the imperium and its children, so that whenever Tiberius arrived they would be ready come good or bad.

Vuk spoke and spoke, his words seditious poison as he tried to convert the fleet to his side, half succeeding, they would obey and follow, albeit unwillingly. Tiberius was a man of immense reputation, and he knew many in this fleet as well are loyal to him.

In particular Mannerheim of the Finska spoke openly how nobody should be called a traitor until they arrive themselves and present their case, Tiberius fought and bled for the Imperium, both here and in the original universe, he deserved more than to be called as such without him not even being here.

Vuk hated the man, and to pacify him he said they will hold trial for Tiberius and allow him to explain himself when he returns…if he returns.

He never intended to do anything of sorts, upon claiming power he would establish his dictatorship, to hell with the Emperor….to hell with the Emperor? He said to himself…why did he said that, his head hurt upon the thought, he was always faithful. Why now, what is happening? He fell to the knees in his chambers, the pulsing of red and black artifacts intensifying his pain. For a moment he felt disgusted at himself, and his actions, he should not do this….but if he doesn't do it, then Tiberius would install the Imposter, kill the Imperial faith…

Still what if this is the new Emperor? But it couldn't be….but what if it is. No, just no way it is, he will prove it by killing the impostor and burn his world.

Burn his world, why would he burn the cradle of mankind…. to kill the impostor and save the true believers, the imperials? But what if he is wrong?

And so he sat on his floor, the battleground his very mind and soul, and he struggled for hours on end, nobody was to disturb him per his orders, only his will and dozens of reaper artifacts remained. Breaking him one piece at the time, so a man pays for his hubris, by becoming something far less than man.

By the time he emerged from his quarters tomorrow, he was a new man, absolutely convinced in what he was doing.

He ordered the fleet to approach he nearest world colonized by the imperium, coincidently it was the latest colonization effort, not a year ago it was settled. After his fleet entered the orbit he issued a call, knowing that even they have heard about the Emperor and his appearance. He demanded they show their fealty to his fleet and to this Octovirs , the 8 admirals, himself included, officers whom will save the imperium.

From the planet he demanded teethe of soldiers, and armaments, also open support on the galactic stage.

To his frustration and anger, the planet refused. Claiming they know only of Imperium as their rulers, and that they have received no words from Indomitus about all this.

Vuk then switched from words to actions, threatening to invade the world if they refused.

This caused a stir among his officers on the bridge, certainly he was bluffing and would not risk heresy attacking an imperial world?

The planet once more denied his requests for submission, telling "No true imperial would surrender in the face of any threat, for the Emperor protects."

Beyond himself he ordered the fleet contingent of new recruits to invade, some 20 000 on the fleet's ships loyal to him, young boys without any real experience in combat.

He was noted as saying that they needed some real combat experience fighting traitors to the cause.

And so the young soldiers landed, the Colony refused to fire upon the friendly vessels.

in their minds they considered that this will show that there need not be violence between the imperials. The planet dwellers were wrong. And soon the young soldiers marched across the fields and with human rush tactic tried to take over the nascent city, expecting the same amount of resistance as they did while landing.

To the young guard's horror they were welcomed by bolter and las fire, precise impacts on their bodies caused their feckle morale, as well as unwillingness to fight fellow imperials , to collapse and cause them to flee.

They were not fired upon while they fled, once again brother killed brother, but for the last decades they haven't had to fight each other, and this ingrained itself upon all imperials. A creed took root in their hearts. An Imperial should never kill an Imperial.

This occurrence was watched in silence across the entire fleet via its vox feed. They saw the bolter fire, and few young soldiers showed space marines in the ranks of the defenders, the white eagles were there protecting the young colony. The fleet didn't know it, but each newly colonized fleet got 20 to 50 space marines protecting it until it is truly ready.

Since the arrival in this universe the White Eagles have grown tremendously in numbers, without any restrictions they have swollen in size. At this current point in time the brothers numbered somewhere between 6000 to 8000 Astartes. Their recruitment increased near hundredfold in order to provide sufficient numbers to defend the Imperium in this new galaxy.

Then Vuk did something which caused an outroar, he demanded his gunners to fire at the entrenched civilians and astartes, to soften them up for the next assault.

Outraged, and horrified, the fleet realized the full extent of what they were doing. All this washed over them like a storm, and in a heartbeat most of the fleet rose up, soldiers across the fleets accosted Vuk's loyalists, and there was a demand to Vuk to surrender himself and expect the Emperor's judgment upon his deeds. If he is truly righteous in his deeds then Indomitus should be contacted on what to do next.

Vuk, naturally refused, he gathered his Cruiser built in the original universe and trained it towards the seceding fleet, his indoctrinated captains done the same, alas some parts of the fleet were naïve and thought the mutiny was against the imperium, and so they joined his side, 15 ships were now with Vuk, and 145 were opposing him. Terrible odds for him.

Mannerheim of Finska spoke openly via fox to the enemy fleet, telling them to surrender, this was not their fault, this was sole responsibility of Vuk, this has nothing to do with them, he sinned against the Imperium, not them. If they surrendered there would be no punishments. A bold statement knowing the nature of the Imperium. But it was enough, all ships left, even those of Octovir captains whom were not indoctrinated, now only Vuk's Crusier and 5 other ships stood with him, his indoctrinated allies, their minds beyond ruined by the reaper radiation.

Then as catastrophe loomed in which the imperium might lose very valuable ships ,the very crews from deep within the vessels rose up, their souls burning bright with defiance, they would not be remembered as traitors to the imperium, their souls condemned to warp to churn and burn without the embrace of the Emperor.

From the lowliest workers of enginarium and gun battery servitors , to officers and security detail, all were up in arms, their shouts carried across the vessels as they pushed onwards towards their traitorous captains, the personal security detail laid their arms down after they saw tens of thousands of angry crewmembers swarming to reach those whom wronged them.

It is not known what exactly occurred in this short lived rebellion, but it is known that minor officers on the other ships were butchered by the angry crew, their quarters trashed and burnt by the angry mob in sheer spite.

It is only known that when Vuk was sealed in his quarters, Mannerheim himself landed on the cruiser and went to his personal quarters, in there he found Vuk dead, the traitor took his own life with his las pistol.

Before killing himself , Vuk destroyed nearly half of the artifacts he had collected, whether it was done out of sheer spite that he was left to die by his reaper masters, or if this was an act of redemption, a final strike against his enslavers before he took his own life before his brain was totally broken. It is unknown.

Mannerheim gazed upon the unreal objects in Vuk's personal room. Feeling utter disgust he did not truly understood what he saw, but felt on some instinctual level that they were at least partly the cause of all this. Namely the Imperials never heard of the indoctrination effects, for they were indoctrinated at birth to be loyal to the Emperor, which is why the reaper artifacts were so invasive of the Vuk's thoughts, for to break one indoctrination with another over a period of time would be time consuming, and possibly fruitless.

As Mannerheim stood in Vuk's quarters, he could hear whispers, he recalled similar event one occasion when his fleet fought against Chaos.

He did not knew about indoctrination at this time, and suspected that Vuk was a traitor, and that the xenos artifacts were chaos spreaders.

His reaction was swift and violent, grasping his sword he began to swing wildly, breaking anything he saw as unknown, he cut and broke and destroyed until the room was one giant ruin, and the whispers were no more.

Exiting, he ordered the room burnt to cinders and ash, along with the body of the traitor Vuk. He then moved to the officers bridge to transmit a message to the Indomitus of what has occurred here.

The consequences of this seemingly minor event had a long lasting and dire effects for the wider Imperium, just as there were scrutinized voices about xenos artifacts to be used in service of the Imperium, this singular event pushed the populations into a full blown mania, many artifacts were burnt and destroyed, those of xenos origin were smashed and toppled whenever found.

Xenophobia has reached new heights, and there were skirmishes barely avoided with the Quarians, closest aliens to the realm of Imperium.

On more than one occasion rag tag fleets from the Imperium assembled by zealots and other deranged faithful crossed the border of the Citadel Federation Empire and descended on the nearest worlds, causing many casualties and killing at random any xeno.

Imperium has denied any involvement in these incursions, and the Citadel Empire could not pursue further, they merely slaughtered the zealots whom were only several thousand at most, and reinforced the invaded planets. For at this moment there could be no war amongst the empire due to reaper invasion.

Several planets which housed ancient civilizations now long gone were glassed from orbit by the imperial fleets as they stumbled upon them.

If the paranoia against all xenos objects has abated in times since arrival. Now it as returned, as strong as always, and with vengeance.

the Imperials were now even more resistant to reaper indoctrination, for no imperial in his right mind would now even attempt to collect anything of xenos origin without the sanction of the mechanicus or the newly established Inquisitorio Xenonum.

These inqusitors were not protectors of the faith like in the original universe, they were ones whom studied all xenos artifacts and determined their worth, if an artifact was discovered, and they were sent and studied them. Most of them were psykers, for psykers could sense the foul influence of the reapers upon the artifacts or in other humans. These tainted artifacts were promptly destroyed.

This is also why Inquisitorio Xenonum had at least ten to twenty psyker agents in any fleet at any given time, and the slightest lapse in judgment or indoctrination effects on the officers or crew were severed with extreme measures.

The Imperium was reminded that anything of xenos creation was to be loathed and hated. As it should be.

The Imperium grew a little bit darker with this decision, but when faced with extermination, it was something they were willing to do.

ACT 2 : Logic Against Madness

For decades Anhurian faithful militia stood, they stood and they died standing, fighting against terrors of the primordial annihilator. Each casualty was irreplaceable, and the daemons whom surged from the wound in reality were ever numerous.

The wound in reality was on the third continent, and this outburst of nightmares clashed with the faithful militia. Lasgun versus claw, and nightmare versus faith. But the third continent had the least of the militia, and within months, the continent was swarmed and turned into charnel house of butchery and vile deeds.

Almost none of the faithful militia escaped, they died to a man, giving second continent time to reinforce against the terror.

Xenos on the continent fled towards the second of the three continents. Against the nightmares of chaos, even the xenocidal humans of the faithful militia seemed like an acceptable risk.

At first the faithful militia of the second continent shot at the these refugee ships, thinking them an invasion force, but when the universal symbol of surrender, the white flag began to wave from thousands of refugee ships, this caused the faithful to stop shooting at them.

The xenos whom were promptly imprisoned spoke of the carnage the daemons have done, and worst yet, the daemons were preparing vessels to invade the second continent.

The leaders of the faithful militia of the second continent saw use in the xenos. and put them to work. Tens of thousands of xenos survivors were building trenches and bunkers under the watchful eye of the faithful militia, they were reinforcing the coastline against the inevitable chaotic invasion.

They did not wait long for across the horizon of the great sea they have seen them. Thousands of ships built out of wood and bones of the slain xenos and humans, built and entangled by living warp flesh and foul sorceries, the daemons swarming all over the along with millions of idolizing subjects, thousands of xenos were also converted to the cause after mutilations and torturing.

Former alliance humans were on other ships as well, their apc's painted by the 8 pointed star of chaos, these ones did not had faith of steel like the militia did, and joined what they saw as another employer, even as warp twisted their forms into something wholly inhuman.

This millions strong army was now surging at the coastline.

The faithful militia realized they lacked sufficient manpower to fight. So they done something highly unthinkable and abominable, but necessary.

They have equipped hundreds of thousands of surviving xenos to fight alongside them.

Trenches were now filled with both xeno and human alike, Batarians, turians and asari grasped their mass effect weapons and aimed them at the tide of nightmares approaching. The faithful militia used their tanks and artillery to fire at the ramshackle boats of the chaos, sinking them into the deep sea. But they kept surging in ever greater numbers, as if the entire continent was armed and against them.

They sunk hundreds of transport boats, but still they started landing, and from these boats nightmares of all forms surged forward.

Daemonettes and idolizing mad humans were first to land, cut down by the well emplaced machine gun nests and mines, the daemons and their mortal soldiers did not care about cover or anything of sort, they just kept charging into the meat grinder.

Tens of thousands were landing ever minute and kept charging, the chaotic xenos soldiers used their warped mass effect weapons, their thermal clips screaming like vile daemons they were, after they were ejected due to overheating.

The red bullets of warp stuff punched against concrete and sandbags alike, in this chaos of war the line between xeno and human was lost, and they all just fought for their lives.

Krogan mercenaries broken and tainted surged from their own transport ships, wielding huge metal pieces as swords, the metal screamed in ecstasy as it demanded souls to consume. The krogan were red beings, their carapaces grew horns and spikes, their stature were larger now, and were more muscly.

They screamed " For Korgantan! Blood unto him!" Their war god was being hailed, and this fed the entities in the warp that feasted on such emotion.

This swarm of mad beings kept on pouring, even as ships were sunk, or they were slain in countless thousands, they kept pouring and landing on the beach, the front extended ever outwards and the tide was too much.

Many melee wielding cultists and xenos reached the trenches at the top of the hills and faced the defenders hand to hand, butchering at will.

The faithful militia and their xenos battle allies had to retreat back into other kill zones and fortifications lest they be swarmed by the limitless tides of horror.

With the beachhead secure, millions were pouring into the second continent, foul rituals and demented chanting was heard as the cultists sought to open portals to their hellish dimension and summon allies.

The fight for second continent lasted years, in the time they fought together, Xenos were seen as battle equal, while hated for their forms, they respected their capabilities, and both them and the faithful grew more experienced in wars, and learned to depend upon one another. For the result of lack of cooperation was death, as one grouping of faithful learnt early in the invasion, when they began to fight amongst each other and tried to kill their xeno compatriots, thinking them traitors to the cause. This in turn made both factions at one side on the front weak, and when chaos came it slaughtered both with impunity.

There were good news as well, and perhaps one which caused the loyalists to survive as long as they did. Namely one company of the White Eagles took a daring mission, sanctioned by their chapter, these 100 brothers were sent to their deaths, without ability to reinforce the planet properly, they were sent on their own to land on Anhur and to fight in the name of the Emperor.

And that they have done, landing on Anhur, they reinforced the belligerent defenders, the second continent saw many bunkers and trenches established, 80 brothers were directed to the battle lines and they stoped the tide with their bolters and faith, wherever the line seemed to crack they were there, attacking with their jet packs and chainswords, butchering cultist and daemon alike.

This company would be known as the "Daemon Slayers". For their deeds on Anhur.

Other brothers trained faithful militia on the first continent before they were sent to the meat grinder on the second one.

For years the war dragged on, and the fighting forces of the faithful and their marine leaders expected the Imperium to arrive and help them. Even as the chaotic fiends pushed them to the very edges of the second continent, their numbers too great to resist with their limited firepower, even as Chaos caused concrete and steel from ruined buildings to mend via foul magics and rise to the stars as space ships, they fought onwards.

Even as the first continent saw these same transport ships carrying daemons and cultists land all over it, they fought on, knowing the end was near.

While they paid with their lives on the second continent, the first one managed to isolate most of the breaches, but they could no longer reinforce their compatriots on the second continent, they were on their own.

Soon enough, only few port cities of the second continent were in Loyalist hands, defended with zeal by their exhausted defenders. The war has cost millions of lives on both sides, much to the glee of the hungry daemons whom fed on the souls of the fallen.

Then the help came.

But not in a way the Imperials expected. It came in the form of a reaper fleet, some 40 strong, 20 capitals and 20 destroyers, followed by a tide of transport vessels carrying myriad of land war machines.

This Reaper fleet was accompanied by the Geth , those illusive machines many have forgotten about were reinforcing the Reapers with their land units.

The daemons hated this new enemy, they were anathema to them, cold, uncalculating, unemotional, still they wanted them dead out of rage. And the same daemonic fleet which pillaged and destroyed across the system was now poised at the Reapers. The daemons had near 100 of the flying rubble one could mistake for space ships.

Their machine intelligence was hateful towards the despicable enemy, Reapers closed in to the fleet of the enemy, forsaking most tactics, they were here to test the strength of this wound in reality.

The reapers charged their primary lasers and unleashed, obliterating several ships in the first volley. But to the horror of the machines, the of those destroyed, half of the ships started to pull together, unreal veins and decaying filth plugged the holes, the work of the plague god was at work here.

The Reapers did not hold back their fire, and fired at the chaotic fleet, their laser beam crushing lesser vessels into their little pieces of rubble, its cargo spilling into open space, cultist and daemon alike.

One of the daemonic vessels approached and used its tentacles grown from various organics to latch onto the reaper capital, if the machine could scream, it would ,for its cold processors registered unreal energies burning its hull. Fearing corruption of its form, the reaper fired wildly at the ship whom tried to patch itself together, only thanks to the 3 destroyers whom fired as well onto the ship, even hitting their reaper compatriot several times as well, did the ship made of warp stuff finally die.

But the unreal vessels weren't as harmless, opening their portsides they fired from the improvised canons, empowered by the very essence of the warp, the payload bypassing the reaper shielding and striking the hull directly.

Makeshift torpedoes filled with concentrated malice and explosive flew towards the reaper fleet, striking a destroyer whom was obliterated in a lightshow of purple energies and fire.

Reaper understood that this enemy, if given time might cause severe troubles, and were not eager to let that happen, they decided to cut the problem in its core.

Concentrating their fire onto the daemon vessels they took them down one by one ,even as the cost mounted among them for the unreal energies of the warp vessels cared not for their barriers.

Soon enough the atmosphere glew in debris falling all over the planet, the Reapers have won their fleet engagement with the ramshackle fleet.

They have decided not to bombard the planet, fearing that by destroying it, they would make the hole on it expand further. They did not understood what they were seeing, there was no logic to it, it was energy, and at the same time It was not, and it was there. Only way in their mind was to scour the planet of life. They had to get close and personal with the nightmares.

And it was that on the rise of the next dawn did the planet suffer its true danger, the reapers unleashed numerous transports, landing all over the planet, not just on one continent, but on all of them, they would fight and crush anybody whom resisted them.

The reapers landed mostly unmolested, for decades of war had drained anhur of most anti space defenses.

At the same time, the Faithful were attacked on the first continent, reaper capitals landing in the major cities, their transports unleashing Husks made from isolate human colony worlds, Turian Reaper Gunners, also known as marauders, Korvinx wolf packs, and many, many other abominations which flooded all over the world now.

Stefan knew the time was running short, and he prayed the Emperor was near, for him delivering the message was paramount to the survival of the Imperium, both in this Universe, and the Original one.

But for now, he had to fight, and fight he will. Organizing all militia and weapons and Might he still possessed, he declared reapers as abominable intelligence, an affront to the will of the God Emperor, and declared a rightful crusade against them.

His will was taken by the millions of fanatics in the imperial faith, for even after the war there were still countless millions of humans on Anhur, and they would die rather than be enslaved by the machine monsters.

Daemons in the third continent simply did not care, this was another obstacle to crush in their pursuit of galactic devouring.

The war which came was unlike anything the galaxy has seen, it was a war of steel, faith and madness.

All three continents burnt in the fires of war as the galaxy was entering its final stage of madness.

But this is a story for another time, for each of these events and many others deserve stories of their own. For the galaxy, even now at the precipice of destruction is filled with wonders that need telling.