"I think he might have been ended, then merged into the Cold Sun within the Warp, becoming part of its many wills," the Emperor said. "In the past, I could sense the Cold Sun expanding. Ten thousand years of torment alone would have been enough—after all, not all those versions of me were born from fragments."
As he spoke, the Emperor seemed somewhat despondent. "Out of so many universes, was there not even one in which I succeeded in accomplishing my goal?"
"There aren't many universes, or at least, there do not seem to be many for now." Qin Mo told the Emperor what the star map had told him. "The reality we inhabit is the sturdiest, strongest, and most complete. Perhaps the universe Vulkan was swept into was extremely fragile... I do not believe the failure of a reality alone would be enough to make the Warp overlap with one."
The Emperor sighed, then regained his composure and lightly patted Vulkan's shoulder. "You have worked hard. You finally returned, only to face so many messes."
"When I was utterly despairing in another reality, only to discover that I had merely mistaken the place I was swept into for my original home—and that my true home was still holding on—I no longer felt that anything was difficult." Vulkan placed his hand over the Emperor's hand on his shoulder. "To still be able to contribute to the survival of humanity, to still have the chance to contribute, is already an immense happiness to me."
The Emperor opened his mouth, but ultimately only nodded gently.
"Where is Russ?" Vulkan looked toward his other brothers. "And Dorn, and Corvus... I thought they had already returned."
At the mention of Corvus, Guilliman shook his head helplessly. "Dorn and Russ are still unaccounted for, but