Chapter 10.3 Dividing the Spoils

"Well that could have gone better!"

The Lion chuckled as he lounged back in his chair. Jaghatai pulled rib off a rack of lab that stood propped up before him.

Vulkan nodded in agreement, in a chair furthest from the rest of group as Magnus paced back and forth.

They stood in the warp twisted remains of the Imperial Palace, their warriors laughing, scowling or cavorting with the Daemons that now swarmed the surface of Terra outside. Those mortals strong enough to resist the warp effects and the predations of the Daemons were now fully enslaved to the will of the Primarchs or the Chaos Gods. Any symbol of Imperial power had long since been destroyed or corrupted.

Following the escape of the Emperor and the humiliation on Prospero of Magnus, the surviving members of the Crusade Vitae had gathered on the warp addled remains of Earth deep within the warp rift becoming know as the Warmaster's Tear.

There had been no plan to the gathering, it just seemed to just... happen. Lorgar had not left the Palace following the ascension of the Fifth. The 3 wayward Primarchs found their way back after the Emperor had evaded their grasp for the last time, mostly since there wasn't any other significant other strategy to follow. Magnus' little journey to Prospero was cut short, but since Terra was now in the warp it was no effort to reach it.

The Crusade Vitae had, technically, completed its goals.

A new Primordial Essence, or Chaos God, burned bright within the depths of the warp. Terra had fallen. Warp storms still wracked the galaxy in the wake of the Fifth's birth, keeping significant travel and coordination limited. The Loyalists had retreated to their bastion of Ultramar, but it would be some time before they could rally to strike again.

The question that now fell before the fallen Primarchs was what to do now. Not one of them held a clear single vision of what to do now victory had been achieved. None of them could effectively unite or lead the others for a specific goal.

So now the warriors gathered, trying to come to terms with holding the galaxy in their hands, especially since the Emperor still lived.

"That worthless maggot Osiris…" growled the Crimson King, "And YOU! You're all a bunch of incompetent fools! I should have been with you as you chased after Father. I would not have failed to catch him."

"Relax… brother…" said Lorgar, a dark cowl over his head covering his face, "All is as the Gods will…"

"Oh do be quiet," snapped Magnus, "Or I'll take out your other eye."

"Where is Corax?" asked Vulkan with a frown, "He should be here with us. We are not complete without his presence."

"He wanders the Webway," replied Magnus, "I doubt we'll see him again any time soon. I feel bad for the Eldar of Commorragh. They're about to have a very angry guest."

"And the Drukhari thought She Who Thirsts was the biggest threat of the Four..." chuckled Lorgar, "The Lord of Blood will have his share of skulls from them soon enough."

"Shame," said Vulkan with concern, "I hope he is well. The Grandfather would readily cure his ailments if he would be open his heart to him."

"Pity about Perturabo too," snickered the Lion, "Seems like the Iron Lord wasn't quite as tough as he claimed."

Magnus rounded on his brother, his eyes burning with fury.

"You pathetic wretch, if you'd been there sooner you could have saved HIM!," accused Magnus, "Now I'm stuck with you and your pathetic riddles. It would have been nice to have some actual intelligent company to speak with at this time."

The Lion shrugged dismissively. Jaghatai just continued to ignore the conversation until some of interest came up. Lorgar remained cryptically quiet.

"So what is the plan now?" asked Vulkan, "We have much Legion strength between us. We hold Terra. We can travel unhindered through the warp whereas our enemy cannot. How are we to press our advantage? Should we besiege Ultramar? I believe we could break it, if we combined our forces."

"Ultramar is so BORING and stuffy," yawned Jaghatai, "It does not interest me."

"But Father still lives," pointed out Magnus, "He rebuilds in the Five Hundred Worlds. Are we just going to ignore that?"

"The Anathema is broken…" said the Lion, "At best he will simple try and fail to rebuild his Imperium in Ultramar. He will have more problems with our 'other' brothers than anything else. He will over compensate for his losses which will drive more of his sons away, possibly even towards us."

"Plus the Warp Storms still prevent him from easily unifying the Imperium again," added Lorgar, "It will be some time before he or his followers can challenge us."

"And as I say, Ultramar is dull…" said Jaghatai, waving his hand dismissively, "Why bother to chase such an uninteresting goal."

"What does interest you then?" snapped Magnus.

"A Khanate," replied the War Hawk, "The galaxy is ours for the picking. I want my own lands to rule from the carcass from the Imperium."

"Caliban will have its own Empire," said the Lion with a grin, "It is a promise I must keep. And I know it will already come to pass. The Fates have been written."

"Then let us divide the territories!" proclaimed Vulkan with a smile, "It would be fair and proper to do so. Each can rule in his own fashion. These worlds cry out for unity and aid now the Imperium cannot shield them, and unlike during the days of our Father we can rule closer to our subjects instead of some distant, cold dominion. How should we go about it?"

"I wish for Colchis and the worlds surrounding the Ocularis Terribus," said Lorgar, "And nothing more. I shall establish a Holy Domain, a realm of pilgrimage for those who follow the Dark Gods. A haven for the blessed."

"Never were ambitious, were you?" said Magnus sarcastically, "I'll take Segmentum Solar. I've already pulled Prospero into orbit here, and I don't think any of you are capable of commanding the warp quite as I am. Plus I'm rather stuck here in the warp until I am able to manifest in real space once more… And that might take a while."

"I wouldn't advise anyone taking Segmentum Ultima," said the Lion with a wicked smile, "Not unless you wish to contend with our Father and Roboute. Perhaps we should consider that region… off-limits? For the purposes for this council of course. He who takes it shall rule it."

"I grow weary of Chogoris anyhow…" said Jaghatai lazily, "That is little there worthy of one such as I. Let them have it. I want Segmentum Tempestus."

"Caliban is the seat of our power," nodded the Lion, "We shall have Segmentum Obscurus."

"Nocturne might be lost to us then," frowned Vulkan, "I wished to reclaim my home, but it lies too close to the stronghold of Roboute. Are you sure we cannot at least seize the edges of Segmentum Ultima? For the purposes of securing certain key worlds at least."

"Just take Segmentum Pacificus…" sighed Jaghatai, "I'm sure you can find a new Nocturne there."

Vulkan was about to protest further, when Lorgar spoke up again.

"In exchange for a smaller territory, I wish for unrestricted access to your regions of control to spread the word of the true gods, and for our ascended brother who now binds our very souls."

"And why would we do that?" asked the Lion with a sneer.

"Because if you don't, this alliance will shatter and we shall all fall divided," said Lorgar pulling back his hood.

The Herald still only possessed a single eye, the other now nothing but an empty void, not even an empty socket but a hole into nothingness. He was now very gaunt, like someone who had not tasted food for weeks, the skin stretched tight over his frame, his muscles atrophied to nothing. His skin was supernaturally pale, a sickly white that seemed unlike anything found in the worlds of the Imperium. He also seemed taller, the Word Bearer now towering a good 2 feet or more above his brothers. Only Magnus loomed larger, his wings still tucked carefully behind his form.

"We must recognize the strength of the Gods…" hissed Lorgar, "We all stand here with one or more of them as our patron. We must also honour our brother's sacrifice for our victory, and allow truth to flow amongst our domain."

"He has a point," nodded Vulkan, "This was all for a path to the truth. It saddens me to know of the Warmaster's passing, but we can honour his memory in this way. I agree to this, Lorgar. You may come and go as you see fit through my Domain."

"Well, it'll be fun weapon to use against the forces of the Anathema," said the Lion dismissively, "If any trouble is caused by this though I will put down any rebellions with extreme prejudice."

"You want free passage within my Khanate?" scoffed Jaghatai, "Only if I am given the due deference I am owed. You will supply tribute for that right. And not something simple either. Something of appropriate value."

"I'm sure we can come to terms on such an arrangement," nodded Lorgar.

"If Lorgar's mad prophecies are allowed free reign, and I will demand the same treatment," snapped Magnus, "I will write a counter piece to your absurd religious zealotry, and see that published throughout… what should we call this new galactic power? The Imperium is no more, and it would not be an accurate name for it regardless. We have our own fiefdoms but we are still functional allies whilst our Father lives. What is the body the successful Crusade Vitae establishes? Who are we now?"

"How about… the Greater Vitae Prosperity Sphere?" suggested Vulkan, "It honours our brother and sets out our designs for the improvement of all humankind."

"Let's just go with that," said Magnus, no longer wishing to debate the issue further.

"I'm still ruling my Khanate…" muttered Jaghatai.

"And I too shall have the Empire of Caliban,' said the Lion, "But I do not think it hurts us to make clear that we have… commonalities in our Domains. It is our alliance, not something we are subject to. We may need to combine our forces at times to ensure the Anathema and his tools do not break apart our new realms."

"I do wish I could have secured Nocturne," said Vulkan grimly, "But if it must be this way, I shall protect Segmentum Pacificus. It seems I must accept that I do not have the forces to secure Nocturne alone, and that it must remain from my grasp for now. So it must be."

"A wise decision," nodded Lorgar, "If you were to sink into Sorrow, you might find another patron knocking at your door."

"How can I be sad when I have so much to look forward to with my sons!" beamed Vulkan, "So many worlds to explore and preserve. So many unique cultures and variations that must be upheld from the Imperium's sanitizing touch. I cannot undo the damage which has already been done, but I can preserve what yet remains. This is a goal worth pursuing."

"Then we are of an accord," said Magnus in summation, "The Crusade Vitae hear by establishes the Greater Vitae Prosperity Sphere. Segmentum Solar belongs to me, the Crimson King. Vulkan becomes the Lord Protector of Segmentum Pacificus. Jaghatai gains the Khanate of Segmentum Tempestus. The Lion will establish the Empire of Caliban in Segmentum Obscurus. And Lorgar gains his 'Holy' Domain of Colchis. Travel within the Prosperity Sphere is permitted freely, but with tribute provided to the ruling authority of the region as they see fit."

"Very well," nodded Jaghatai, "I want my tribute before your zealots walk on my worlds, Lorgar."

"It will be, brother," agreed Lorgar, "And this is a most adequate solution."

"I have some... tools... I think you will all be able to make good use of as my first tribute," added Magnus, "Our Legions may have started with Astartes, but the future will bring us far more powerful and capable warriors. It is a work in progress... but the prototypes should help establish our domains without too much trouble."

"Excellent!" exclaimed Vulkan with delight, "Let us bring a new order to the galaxy."

"Then we must be away," said the Lion, "We must gather the worlds of our realms swiftly if we are to set our defences against the inevitable reprisals of the Anathema and his subjects."

"Agreed," said Magnus, "There is much work to be done. Seize what you can, my brothers. Bring the Prosperity Sphere to heel. Make ready, for the inevitable Long War that will come. Our Father may yet live, but without the Empire he once commanded he shall be nothing but a shell of a man on a broken Throne."

In the depths of the crypts beneath the surface of the Red Planet which the Mechanicus formerly called home, a Metal Beast of Gigantic Mass slowly began to stir. In the vaults of Terra, a coffin labelled XI shook with rage.

In times to come, Imperium Secundus would find all of these beings to be amongst the most dangerous of foes. The Warlords of Chaos. The Dragon. The Eleventh. For Millennia, these monsters would terrorize the worlds of Segmentum Ultima, as would the beast beyond the galaxy that turned hungry eyes towards its many glittering stars.