Chapter III: Plans (Part III)

Ambience Recommendation:

"Cthulhu" - By Cryo Chamber

Enjoy the chapter.

("Millennium", by Brand X Music)

In the vast ocean of foggy mist, and with little understanding of my environment, I did my best to address the all-encompassing voice that had rattled my very bones and muscle sinew; Its voice was incomprehensibly deep -almost like a low hum- and felt antediluvian in nature, speaking with very long pauses in between each word.

"Wh-Who is this?"

Silence. For several moments, I began to fear that this entity, whatever it was, had gotten angry at me. I turned out to be right:

-*-*-*-*-*-IMPUDENCE-*-*-*-*-*- INSOLENCE-*-*-*-*-*-TEMERITY-*-*-*-*-*-

Each word the being spoke felt like showers of hot coals all over my body; A physically torturous berating that tore a scream from my throat, before the horrific feeling stopped abruptly- leaving me far more fearful and apprehensive of the entity I was dealing with. As it commanded, I knelt obediently; knowing I was utterly powerless to this cosmic beast who could manifest mere words into attacks.

-*-*-*-*-*-I-*-*-*-*-*- SHALL-*-*-*-*-*-DEIGN-*-*-*-*-*-FOR-*-*-*-*-*-YOU-*-*-*-*-*-

The overwhelming voice had suddenly disappeared, and in its place I witnessed particles of the fog and shadow begin to coalesce into a tangent form. As the form gained identity and cognizance, I felt the push and pull of the molecules around me like monumental waves; moving as if it were a world-shadowing tide of sentient microbes, aggregating into the magnificent sum of a thinking, talking cosmic being of unparalleled stature.

Its form grew to massive proportions, gaining greater height and width with each second; and shocking me continually as I had thought it had grown to its apex. And thus, as it finally found contentedness in its form, I stared with incomprehensible shock and awe at the near-continental being granting me the attention of those star-sized orbs which gazed maliciously and curiously at me.

YOUR ENTRANCE INTO THIS PLANE OF EXISTENCE IS ANOMALOUS AND SOLELY UNIQUE. I HAVE PEERED INTO YOUR SUMMATION OF BEING, WITNESSED A REALITY FAR UNLIKE ANY I HAVE GLIMPSED BEFORE- YOUR PREVIOUS LIFE.

The voice bellowed across the empty infinite expanse of this unknown place, reverbing with such raw force that I was sure it'd be able to be heard across entire countries- and yet not so loud as to shatter my ears entirely. Unbridled resentment and unspeakable malice exuded from every fiber of this being. It… was so grand, so absolutely mind-breakingly disproportionate to my infitesimal self that it took me several minutes to even begin comprehending the words it spoke. Once I did, another seismic revelation nearly tore my mind in twain; this was the being that had spoken to me in the recesses of my thoughts, and granted me this growing power. That would explain the voices that I'd heard when I first received my powers and meditated on the cliffhang; and would also explain how it knew about my reincarnation.

Fear and apprehension quickly morphed into gratitude and unrestrained excitement, as I recognized that this insane being of incomprehensible power might actually be on my side. Somehow, my thoughts were quickly construed by the cosmic presence.

STIFLE YOUR KEENNESS AND BATE YOUR BREATH, PLANEWALKER. I MUST INFORM YOU ON A NUMBER OF THINGS. I DO NOT HAVE THE DESIRED ENERGY TO SUSTAIN YOUR PRESENCE HERE FOR LONG.

I nodded eagerly; growing ever-more optimistic as I saw this being as reasonable, coherent, and not aimed towards killing me. In fact, interacting with someone or something that wasn't trying to kill me was usually the highlight of my day in my present circumstance. However, I held some reservations- naturally, I wasn't braindead, and knew that any being of this kind most usually had a deal or conditions attached to their imbuement of power.

Rather than speculate further, I nervously awaited the words of this near-deity. I had a moment of revelation; that my inherent belief in God from my previous life had likely prevented me from falling to my knees and completely pledging myself to this-

INTRIGUING.

I shook from the immense curiosity oozing from this being's singular comment. Now that I had time to think, I started to question a number of things about this otherworldly entity. Why did it have such similar speaking conventions to temporal beings? Where did this entity come from? How did it gain such immeasurable power? Before I could even get four questions through my mind-

HALT YOUR QUERIES. I SHALL CLARIFY, TO REACH THE CRUX OF YOUR SUMMONING HERE, IN THE REALMS OF DARK SPACE.

I AM MALICE, MALAL. THE MORTALS THAT KNOW OF MY EXISTENCE SPEAK FOOLISHLY, NAMING ME THE RENEGADE GOD, ONE OF ANARCHY AND LISTLESS DESTRUCTION. I HAVE EXISTED FOR MILLENNIA, PEERING OVER THE TOILS OF THIS PLANET AND EVERYTHING WITHIN IT.

"That… sounds… counterproductive to… my goals."

I wasn't sure what exactly had conjured in me the blind and idiotic courage to mutter so plainly, and I half-expected to receive another verbal showering of hot coals, but surprisingly the massive being chortled ominously; it would be tiresome to describe each and every instance, but every motion, action, and verbal communication by this being… Malal… all of it was imbued with some acute emotion or force that would evoke internal responses within me, and had physical impacts on my body. Conflict, indecision, hesitation- and simultaneously filling me with confidence, self-assurance, determination, and strength in body and mind. It was a truly fantastical and curious feeling that I savored purely for its uniqueness of experience, but I had to keep on my guard to ensure I wasn't letting myself be unduly influenced by the desires of this entity; The physical and mental toil of keeping myself together was draining gradually.

THEN IT IS GOOD THAT I AM NOT THE GOD OF ANARCHY, ENOS, OR YOU WOULD HAVE TORN YOURSELF APART TO SATE THE INSANITY OF SUCH A BEING. I AM NO GOD- NOR ARE THOSE CHAOS 'GODS' THAT PRIDE THEMSELVES ON PARASITICALLY SIPHONING FROM EVERY LIVING, SENTIENT BEING ON THIS WORLD. THOUGH LEFT UNCHECKED, THEY MAY GAIN THE OMNIPRESENCE OF ONE AND SPREAD THEIR REACH BEYOND THIS MERE EARTH.

I felt as if I had just received a massive revelation, but not received all the puzzle pieces to put together the whole thing. Though I was taught minimally of the dangers of Chaos, I knew almost nothing about how they functioned or even really what they were. We were really only educated on these primordial beings because, in the year of 2503, Emperor Karl Franz insisted on a wary and cautious populace, rather than an unwary nation which would be far more vulnerable to the sinister machinations of Chaos.

I silently awaited for further explanation, all while resisting the violent shockwaves traveling behind its every word.

YOU WILL MEET DISCIPLES OF THESE CHAOS 'GODS', THUS YOU MUST KNOW THEIR MASTERS' WEAKNESSES AND STRENGTHS. THE 'CHAOS' YOU WERE TAUGHT WAS BUT A MERE FRAGMENT OF THE WHOLE TRUTH, INTENDED BY THE EMPIRE TO PREVENT ITS TAINT AND CORRUPTION FROM REACHING THE HEARTS OF CITIZENS THROUGH A FULLER UNDERSTANDING.

"Lord… Malal." I spoke hesitantly- adding the honorific 'lord' in hopes of excusing my interruption. "What do you mean by 'corruption'?"

WHOOOSH!

I could instantly tell the massive being was displeased, because I felt a particularly strong physical force exert from Malal's essence that sent me flying several meters through the empty fog and slamming into the wet stygian surface below. Surprisingly, I hadn't felt much pain at all -perhaps Malal controlled this realm to such an extent that he could even manipulate my senses- but the physical gesture was more than sufficient to make me understand the power dynamic.

YOU INTERRUPT, TO ASK WHAT WAS SOON TO BE SAID. DEFYING THE WORDS OF A BEING WHO HOLDS IMMEASURABLY MORE SWAY THAN YOURSELF- HOW INTENSELY UNDAUNTED YOU MUST BE.

CORRUPTION TAKES THE FORM OF DESIRE, SOUGHT AFTER BY MORTALS AND MAN-BEASTS, OFFERED BY THE FOUR CHAOS LORDS. SLAANESH, KHORNE, TZEENTCH, NURGLE- EACH A MANIFESTATION OF DESIRES, EMOTIONS, AND CONCEPTS.

THEIR FULLEST EXISTENCE RESIDES IN AN IMMATERIAL REALM, TERMED 'THE WARP' AND 'THE IMMATERIUM' BY MORTALS CURSED WITH ITS INCOMPLETE KNOWLEDGE. THEY FEED OFF THE DESIRES OF MORTALS AND THEIR DISCIPLES TO SUSTAIN THEIR WRETCHED EXISTENCE.

This giant info-dump was so immensely intriguing that I had no interest in interrupting further; by receiving this knowledge, I felt a hurricane of thoughts, feelings, and unexplainable mechanisms roaring through me; as if by just hearing this information, I had been affected in some subtle way.

MOST HAVE BEEN LED TO BELIEVE THAT THESE 'GODS' CAN SUFFICE THEMSELVES OFF EVERY MORTAL. IT IS A LIE. THEY REQUIRE DESIRE AND DEVOTION IN THEIR NAMES, ELSE THEY ONLY RECEIVE MERE FRACTIONS FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD'S ENTITIES.

Malal's presence shifted ever so slightly, its cosmic eyes seeming to squint in annoyance. That mere gesture manifested an outward explosive arc, and once more I found myself flung through the open air, ragdolled by the peerless forces of this near-deity; and yet as I once more plummeted into the stygian surface while tumbling wildly by the dozens, I found myself in the same position as before once I came to a stop.

I PROFFER YOU TO FIND A SERVANT TO GAIN NEWS OF THE HAPPENINGS IN THE WORLD. I CANNOT EDUCATE YOU EVERY SECOND OF WHAT YOU SHOULD PREPARE FOR.

MY INSTRUCTION IS SIMPLE: SLAY THE WORSHIPPERS AND DISCIPLES OF THESE CHAOS LORDS, AND YOU WILL CRIPPLE THEIR GROWING HOLD ON THIS WORLD. WITH EVERY ACTION YOU TAKE AGAINST THEM, MY POWER SHALL GROW, AND I SHALL COME TO EVENTUALLY SLAY THEM IN THE IMMATERIUM COMPLETELY.

DO THIS, AND YOU SHALL FOSTER A PEACE ON THIS WORLD IT HAS NEVER KNOWN.

I bowed my head in agreement. This was the only realistic path I had to get the power I needed- to wipe out the Greenskins, to secure humanity's prosperity, and to find a salvageable, serene life in this fantastical world.

CRACK!

I jolted in terror as cracked seams began to emerge and travel across the expanse of this void-like place, each crevice glowing with indescribable colors and meshes of reality.

OUR MEETING IS NEARLY AT ITS END. I LEAVE YOU WITH THIS LASTING ADVICE, UNTIL OUR NEXT ORDAINED MEETING: EXPAND YOUR POWER AND INFLUENCE BEYOND THOSE WASTELANDS. THE GREENSKINS ARE A CAPABLE WEAPON, BUT TERRIBLE LONG-TERM SERVANTS.

USE THEM TO GAIN CONTROL OF PROVINCES WHERE OTHER, MORE MALLEABLE RACES RESIDE, AND EXTERMINATE THE GREENSKINS ONCE THEY HAVE SERVED THEIR PURPOSE. THEY AND THEIR 'GODS' ARE FUNDAMENTALLY UNCOMPROMISING IN THEIR PURSUIT OF THE GREATEST BATTLE-

…

And just like that, without even a warning or foreshadowing, I instantly found myself back on the silent cliffhang, sat in utter perplexity and aftershock from the events that just unfolded. I gazed aimlessly at my surroundings, trying to recollect the conversation in my head.

Once an hour had passed, I had eventually calmed down fully, and regained my sense of self. At the present moment, my mind went blank from what to do next. I was so overwhelmed by the out-of-this-world interaction that I thought it best to just rest on this information and begin planning tomorrow.

As I got up, however-

"Man-Ork!"

I shook as a familiar and screechy voice pierced the night ambience, and gazed behind me to see Snik skittering toward me, carrying a toxin-coated long dagger in his left claw and a shorter but similar dagger in his right. He sheathed the weapons as he approached, a reassuring sign to me as I was wondering if he'd gotten fed up with the alliance and decided to just off me.

Speaking of such, despite our declared alliance a few years ago, I'd rarely seen him on these nights, save for a handful of occasions where he showed up only to occasionally report the activities of nearby Ork settlements, such as Rokwork and Bludgusha. It was my only request to him, as I was trying to gather information on potential threats to my plans for dominance and to consider where I might expand once I had conquered this territory.

After a year (which is apparently the equivalent of around 20 years for a Skaven), Snik told me of how he'd been outcasted from the Eshin Clan and nearly killed for failing to save the life of one of his superiors (though remained secretive about specific titles or names). For the last two years now, he'd been apparently trying to regain the equipment and combat prowess he lost during his near-death experience trying to survive the outcasting. Clearly, he'd been successful partially, at least so far.

"Been a while, Snik." I said casually, trying to disguise my recently-discovered revelations. "Interesting… nickname you've given me. What brings you here again?"

Snik chittered and moved about frantically, with the signature Skaven flightiness I'd seen from him before, answering with his usual double-worded sentences.

"Man-Ork, awful-terrible news for this settlement! This camp's food-supply trains were raided by a rival Greenskin raid-killing party!"