Chapter 10.7 Our Sacrifice Is For The Children
The Emperor set foot on the cold smooth surface of the crystalline moon. He could feel the power, the minds, echoing all around him. This was far more than just an ordinary satellite. This was raw psychic power, frozen in space.
The Master of Mankind looked up to see the distant dots of ships above. The inner sphere of defence was the Sixth Legion. Leman Russ and the Vlka Fenryka would ensure no one would set foot on the world whilst the Emperor was preoccupied. The outer sphere was enforced by Roboute Guilliman and the Thirteenth.
Several Craftworld ships hovered around the system, those most aligned with Eldrad. The Laughing God's agents had 'persuaded' every Craftworld to commit to this action, and whilst some on the Craftworlds protested against the plan, the danger pose by Chaos and the martial force applied by the Harlequins had brought all that was necessary to heel.
There was an air of inevitability about it all. The Emperor sighed as be began to walk slowly across the gleaming surface of the moon.
Coheria was within the edges of Segmentum Obscurus. Whilst control had not yet been established out that far, it was reasonably close to Fenris, to which Russ had been most pleased to return. The Eyes of Medusa could not stretch far enough to reach Fenris, but the Emperor's presence had guided the Legions without issue. The journey back would be long and difficult, blazing a path back to seat of Imperium Secundus over the course of months, but Roboute had organized for Ferrus to build a network of beacons out from the other direction. The sons would meet in the middle, and return at haste back to Ultramar.
But not the Master of Mankind. He would not be leaving here.
In the distance the Emperor could see a figure, sat on the ground within a clearing of the crystal structures. Walking past massive spikes that jutted out of the surface like stalagmites, the Master of Mankind made his way down towards his fate and the hopes of all reality.
As the figure resolved, the Emperor saw a small Aeldari child sitting on the floor. It seemed to be throwing a ball against one of the large crystal structures, bouncing it back and forth. As the Master of Mankind strode up to the child, it turned and gave the Emperor a broad smile.
The giant in Gold Armour looked down at the tiny Aeldari.
"Wanna play?" said the child, offering the ball.
"No," rumbled the Emperor.
"Come on!" insisted the Aeldari child, pouting and gesturing with the ball again, "Let's play! I'll let you go first!"
"We do not have time for this," refused the Emperor, "Let us complete our work here."
"You're no fun," said the child, rolling its eyes, "Very well… 'Emperor'."
In a blink of an eye, the child was gone.
The Emperor turned to see behind him a new figure, hobbling forward, leaning on a staff. The figure was an ancient Aeldari, the lines of age plain upon his face. He stood the same height as the Emperor, despite the lack of war plate.
His face was painted white, his eyes were black except for 2 white pinpricks for pupils. His nose was long and hooked, and his chin was curved up towards his lips. His clothes were vibrant and colourful, the checkered patterns of the Harlequin. On his head sat the black hat of a fool, bells gently jingling in the low gravity, and on his red-smeared lips was a broad grin of mirth.
The Laughing God. Cegorach.
"You really are incredibly dull," chuckled the Laughing God, "You need to learn to lighten up! To laugh a little!"
"I do not have the luxury of time for humour," replied the Emperor cooly.
"Well… good thing we're going to change all that!" exclaimed Cegorach, hobbling forward, "Soon we're going to have a LOT of time together! What is your old Mon-keigh expression? If you cannot beat them, join them?!"
The Emperor sighed, shaking his head as the Laughing God moved in face to face with the Master of Mankind.
"You know, I am more than just the Laughing God," grinned Cegorach, "I also punished those with too much Pride. I think this is my greatest joke yet! No?"
"Joke?" asked the Emperor dismissively.
"Yes! To humble the Master of Mankind! To give him the only way out, which requires him to cast off his Pride, and his Obsession with his Self-Righteousness! To force him to work with the very people he sought to dominate! I think it is one of my best."
"It's not too late for me to change my mind," growled the Emperor.
"Of course it is," snapped Cegorach, "You accelerated the downfall of your species a hundred-fold. The Aeldari were already doomed before your kind came crawling onto the galactic stage. We have the Pantheon of Five now. There is no victory without this action we undertake."
"For once, I agree," replied the Master of Mankind, "As much it pains me to admit."
"You know the plan was for us to do this alone," said Cegorach, returning to his twisted smile, "This was to be Aeldari project. Unfortunately, the Fifth put pay to those plans!"
"Then its probably for the best we are doing this together," frowned the Emperor, "It would not do to have another Aeldari warp construct running around the galaxy unchecked."
"You still see us as our enemy, don't you?" said the Laughing God, shaking his head, "You need to let go of your prejudices!"
"I'm here, aren't I?" replied the Emperor curtly, "I wouldn't be doing this if I had any other choice."
Cegorach suddenly lunged forward, grabbing the Emperor's shoulders.
"LISTEN TO ME!" hissed the Laughing God, his white pupils boring into the Emperor's gaze, "There can be no mistake with this. We must let go of our ancient enmity and forgive all past injuries or this cannot proceed! We must enter into this with a full heart and no hostility! Do you understand?!"
"I… yes," said the Emperor, taken aback by the forcefulness of the Laughing God.
"Good!" smiled Cegorach, his demeanor returning to normal as he stepped back, "Ynnead was going to be our weapon against She Who Thirsts, but now we need something more powerful following the creation of the Fifth. Chaos reigns the galaxy and your little Empire won't be enough to suppress it! Not alone. Perhaps in ten thousand years Ynnead might have been able to stand alone against the Pantheon, but not today."
"And that would do nothing for my people…" observed the Emperor.
"Precisely," grinned the Laughing God, "For all our sakes, this is best path forward. Though, forgive my children if they still call us Ynnead. Old habits are hard to break!"
"And forgive mine if they call us the Omnisiah," nodded the Emperor, "I never was able to satisfactorily crush that one."
"Your Machine God is an odd one I must admit!" chuckled Cegorach, "Devices were always more Vaul's thing but I'm sure I can pick things up as we go along! I already cause havoc with my 'gremlins' inside machines. One minute the device fails, and the next, poof! Working normally. Confuses the heck out of the mortals!"
"Yes, that can be pretty amusing," agreed the Emperor, "More than once Malcador brought me a cogitator that on inspection was working perfectly. It would drive him mad trying to figure out why it only worked when someone else was looking at it."
"See! Now you are getting it!" laughed the Harlequin.
"He saw this…" said the Master of Mankind thoughtfully, "He knew this was the only path forward."
"Mostly because he wanted a path where you did not suffer," said the Laughing God, tilting his head, "Or died. He wanted you to live and be happy if you could."
"But I am going to end, aren't I?" replied the Emperor, "This is the end, for both of us."
"No. Not an end," said Cegorach, shaking his head, "Just… a new chapter. Everything we were, and will be, shall be maintained. In the end that is what makes us who we are. The sum of our experiences. We shall just be… more. Our weaknesses patch away by the strengths of others. A fusion of the best with none of our failings."
"Can we win?" asked the Emperor, "Will it be worth it?"
"But of course!" smirked the Laughing God, "After all, we are just the focus for our kind! Chaos is weak because it is divided. We are source of unity for our peoples, and together our collective resonance will be more than a match for the Pantheon!"
"And we can stop the flow of souls to the Fifth…"
"Or She Who Thirsts! Exactly!"
"I did this all for them… you know," said the Emperor quietly, "To protect them from Chaos."
"We all do crazy things for our children!" laughed Cegorach, "They may be stubborn and not listen but we do our best. Do you know how long it has been since the Fall, and still so many of the Aeldari have not visited my Court. They cling to the fragments of Khaine or chart their own path! As if that worked so well them last time!"
The Emperor looked up at the sky, at the field of stars scattered across atmosphere.
"I shall miss this."
"No, you won't," dismissed Cegorach, "The next step is far grander. I know. I've seen a little."
The Master of Mankind turned to face the Laughing God and nodded.
"Shall we do this then?"
"No time like the present! I have but one teeny tiny favour to ask."
"Oh?" replied the Emperor raising an eyebrow, "What would the Laughing God ask of the Emperor of Mankind?"
"After we ascend… There will be much confusion. Especially amongst the Pantheon."
"I do not doubt that."
"One last trick," grinned Cegorach, "I want us to steal Isha from Nurgle in their bewilderment."
The Emperor paused, as if in thought.
"I see no reason why not," he mused, "She would be valuable to our cause. Life. Harvest. Healing. What greater act of Hope but to retrieve her from the forces who oppose us."
"Excellent!" beamed the Laughing God, "Also the best trick I will ever pull! Then, it is agreed. She will join us in our Domain."
"Do you want Khaine restored as well?"
"…Maybe another day," laughed Cegorach, "We have enough War as it is, no? I think it best to let sleeping dogs lie."
"Certainly," agreed the Emperor, "And I have one request myself."
"The Sigillite?" grinned Cegorach, leaning forward.
"What can be salvaged of him at least."
"I think we might be able to accomplish something."
"Then we both have Hope to hold onto."
"That, and the Hope of our species!"
"Then let us begin. Let us bring forth the God of Hope."
The Emperor and the Laughing God knelt down, touching the surface of the crystal moon. Their hands began to glow, as the entire planet began to sing. Across the Infinity Circuits of every Craftworld, the singing picked up its resonance, a harmonious melody of light and optimism.
The Emperor glanced over at the Laughing God, who gave him an encouraging grin. At least, that's what the Master of Mankind assumed. After a moment he chuckled to himself as he realized it was no different from Cegorach's ordinary smirking visage. The Laughing God laughed as well, the laughter of the pair adding a new note to the music that flowed from them both and the planet below.
Across the Imperium, on every world, every psyker not fallen to the calls of the Chaos Pantheon felt a new pull on their spirit. Within their soul, they could feel the singing, and many would find themselves instinctively joining in the melody. Billion souls on a million worlds, all singing in harmony.
Those without psychic gifts suddenly felt brighter, a new spark of inspiration striking, or the darkness in their hearts being suppressed. As one, the soul of humanity which had suffered greatly since the loss of Terra and rise of He Who Sorrows, found a new determination and will to survive.
Deep in the Webway, some of the Drukhari found themselves hesitate in their daily applications of pain. A few would put down their instruments of torture to join the ranks of the Harlequins, never to take up the instruments of torture again as the melody filled their souls and senses.
Across the galaxy, the children of the Craftworlds found their burdens easier. Some removed their Spirit Stones, the grasp of She Who Thirsts no longer gnawing at their souls.
Deep within the Warp within the Realm of Chaos, the Five Chaos Gods exclaimed in horror as a new Domain exploded into being beyond the borders of their Realm. It glowed with a bright glorious light that burned all Daemons that strayed within its boundaries.
A spear of light stabbed forth into the Garden of Nurgle, snatching forth the Aeldari Goddess trapped within. The Five Gods snarled and snapped at the new Domain, but in their rage failed to see the consequences of the new God's first act. By the time Nurgle realized his guest was missing, it was too late.
Deep within the Realm of Hope, within the Palace of Serenity, the Goddess Isha dusted herself off and looked around.
"Where… am I?" she asked the silent air.
"You are within the bounds of his Glorious Domain," came a voice, "My dear, you are extremely fortunate that Cegorach did not forsake you in your hour of need."
"Who are you?" she asked with confusion, "You are… Mon-keigh?"
"I was," said a figure, stepping forward, "But now I am something new. I am the Sigillite. I am the Emissary of the God, his right hand as you are now his left."
"Where is Cegorach?" said Isha, still dazed, "How did he manage to beat the Pantheon of Chaos?"
"Cegorach is no more," said the Sigillite, "He has become something greater, as has my former Master. Chaos has taken a blow, but they are not beaten. The Great Game continues, but we have added a new player to the game. My Lady, may I present to you… the God of Hope."
A figure of blinding light stepped forward from the temple complex behind them both, and the God of Hope… smiled.
It was a warm and comforting smile. The first of many.
