Chapter Summaries

Qin Xa learned that the Laughing God wanted him to face the Fourfold Trials, then joined Mortarion and Corax as they prepared to attack Fulgrim’s forces on Chemos. He supported the plan but asked to face ten thousand Emperor’s Children alone, while Uslan offered to help him complete a trial.

• The Laughing God revealed that Qin Xa’s destiny could be inferred and asked him to promise a future favor; Qin Xa agreed, then declined the Veil Walker’s offer to assist with the Fourfold Trials.
• Mortarion proposed that he and Corax gather their forces and attack Fulgrim on Chemos, which had been moved close to an Immaterium Rift.
• Corax urged them to wait for the other Primarchs, but Mortarion agreed to go to Chemos first and contact their brothers along the way.
• Qin Xa returned to the Endurance, and Corax changed his mind to support an immediate decisive battle alongside Mortarion and Qin Xa.
• Mortarion presented a plan for the Death Guard and Raven Guard to enter Chemos through the Webway, with reinforcements potentially available from Rogal Dorn and Number Eleven.
• Qin Xa supported the attack and asked that ten thousand Emperor’s Children be gathered together and left for him to fight; Uslan offered to help him complete a trial.

Qin Xa completed the Lord of Courage trial by slaughtering Emperor’s Children on Chemos and receiving a portion of Khorne’s power. After he struck at space itself, a continent broke free from the planet and rose toward orbit, leaving Mortarion uncertain whether Qin Xa had survived.

• Corax led a detachment fleet to Chemos while Death Guard and Raven Guard forces encircled Emperor’s Children inside a mountain fortress, leaving Qin Xa to fight alone.
• Qin Xa shed his armor, weapons, and equipment before teleporting to Chemos, where Uslan guided him through a ritual meant to fulfill the Lord of Courage trial.
• Qin Xa killed Lucius and hundreds of Emperor’s Children in close combat, stacking their skulls and collecting their gene-seeds.
• After killing 888 Emperor’s Children, Qin Xa entered the Immaterium, completed the trial, and accepted a portion of Khorne that symbolized courage.
• Qin Xa returned to Chemos and swung a sword at the space before him, while Khorne, Tzeentch, and Slaanesh fought over the power he had taken.
• A continent containing the fortress rose from Chemos and began breaking apart, and Rask told Mortarion that the forces inside had been teleported away and Qin Xa’s fate was unknown.

After gaining the Lord of Valor’s power, Qin Xa learned that the Fourfold Trials could strip the Chaos Gods of their authority and moved to finish the rebellion on Chemos. He left the Death Guard’s siege behind and opened a path through the Emperor’s Children’s defenses, unleashing a full assault.

• Qin Xa’s strike split a landmass from Chemos, and he rescued the allied Space Marines before the devastation hit.
• Uslan confirmed the trial’s success, and Qin Xa learned that the next trial required helping the weak take revenge on predators.
• Qin Xa resolved to wipe out the Emperor’s Children on Chemos, including Fulgrim, and Uslan told him Fulgrim was on the planet.
• Rask described the Death Guard’s siege of the Emperor’s Children in the industrial zone, while Raven Guard infiltrators sabotaged supplies and killed commanders.
• Qin Xa ordered a direct assault before Chemos entered the Rift, then cut a ravine through the industrial zone and bisected a Titan with his spear.
• The Death Guard, Titan Legion, and World Eaters Knight Legion advanced through the breach toward the Emperor’s Children.

As Qin Xa defeated Fulgrim on Chemos, Fulgrim revealed that he had traded himself and the Emperor’s Children loyalists who opposed him to Slaanesh. An Immaterium Rift then unleashed daemons and duplicate fleets, forcing Mortarion’s forces to retreat until the Imperial Fists and Eleventh Legion arrived.

• Qin Xa confronted Fulgrim in his newly built hall, and Fulgrim explained that Chemos’s destruction and the Chaos Gods’ influence had led to his fall.
• Fulgrim revealed that he had sacrificed himself and the Emperor’s Children loyalists who rebelled against him, and Qin Xa burned him with white flames.
• The Immaterium Rift grew stronger, bringing daemons and duplicate Emperor’s Children ships into the battle and prompting Mortarion to order a retreat.
• Uslan announced the arrival of friendly forces, and the Imperial Fists and Eleventh Legion fleets emerged through the Webway.

The Eleventh and Seventh Legion fleets joined the void battle, but Number Eleven turned the Eleventh Legion’s guns on the White Knight and the Endurance. As the White Knight faced capture or destruction, Qin Xa intervened, saved it from colliding with the Emperor’s Pride, and ordered it to aid the friendly ships.

• Number Eleven took command of the battle, and the White Knight advanced as the vanguard while Mortarion ordered the Emperor’s Pride destroyed.
• The Eleventh Legion fleet attacked the White Knight and the Endurance, crippling the Endurance and boarding the White Knight.
• The Captain ordered the White Knight to charge the Emperor’s Pride rather than let it fall into enemy hands, while his wife brought Osiris and the officers’ families to the Command Deck.
• Qin Xa stopped the White Knight before impact and used his psychic power to hurl the Emperor’s Pride into the encircling Eleventh Legion ships.
• Qin Xa told the Captain to support the friendly warships, then teleported through the White Knight and eliminated the boarding Eleventh Legion Space Marines.

Number Eleven endured Tzeentch’s torment, consulted a truth-revealing mirror, and used the Eternal Well to uncover the origins of Qin Xa, The Emperor, and the primarchs. After judging that adapting to the future was the only way to endure, he returned to the material universe, where Rogal Dorn told him the Eldar Xenos had arrived and the Webway could carry support to Mortarion and Corax against Fulgrim.

• Number Eleven remained composed through the Chaos Gods’ torture and learned from Tzeentch’s daemon that it would return him to the material universe if he asked.
• Number Eleven used the mirror to identify truth as one of Tzeentch’s authorities, then followed its guidance to the Eternal Well.
• Number Eleven gazed into the Eternal Well and learned how Qin Xa entered the material universe, how The Emperor grew into a cold ruler, and how The Emperor seized the entities that became the primarchs.
• Number Eleven examined the Immaterium and the Great Crusade, concluded that all things would return to Chaos unless they adapted, and demanded to leave.
• Number Eleven returned to his warship, was rescued by the Eleventh Legion’s patrol fleet, and reunited with Rogal Dorn.
• Rogal Dorn told Number Eleven that the Eldar Xenos had arrived and that the Webway could be used to support Mortarion and Corax in their fight against Fulgrim.

Rogal Dorn and Mortarion led a boarding assault through the Number Eleven Legion flagship, fighting the Legion’s Space Marines and Xenos forces as they pushed toward the Command Deck. Qin Xa cleared the final defenses and teleported the two primarchs and himself into the Command Deck, leaving Sigismund and the other officers outside.

• Rogal Dorn boarded the Number Eleven Legion flagship, killed an officer possessed by the traitor primarch, and ordered the destruction of the War Machines in the boarding bay.
• Mortarion joined Dorn, and the two primarchs led the Imperial Fists and Death Guard through fierce fighting toward the Command Deck.
• The Number Eleven Legion deployed giant Bio-Weapons and fast arthropod Xenos, slowing the loyalists’ advance until Kova’s experimental neurotoxin weapon wiped out many of the creatures.
• Dorn and Mortarion broke through the Number Eleven Legion’s lines, but found a heavily fortified defensive position guarding the Command Deck.
• Qin Xa tore apart the final defensive position and teleported Dorn and Mortarion with himself into the Command Deck, while Sigismund and the other officers remained outside.

Number Eleven revealed that he had joined the Four Chaos Gods and summoned a vast fleet, then fought Qin Xa as loyalists faced overwhelming odds. The Ultramar Sector Combined Fleet arrived as reinforcements, forcing Number Eleven to flee while the battle turned against his forces; Qin Xa was left to plan Horus’s rescue.

• Number Eleven told Qin Xa that he had learned of the future and believed humanity could survive only by merging with Chaos.
• Number Eleven restrained Dorn and Mortarion, challenged Qin Xa psychically, and revealed himself as the Everchosen of the Four Chaos Gods.
• A ritual summoned nearly three thousand Eleventh Legion warships through the Immaterium Rift, giving the rebels a decisive numerical advantage.
• The World Eaters and Ultramarines arrived with the Ultramar Sector Combined Fleet, led by the Gloriana-class Nuceria's Glory.
• Number Eleven abandoned his flagship and withdrew part of his fleet, while the reinforcements devastated the remaining rebel ships.
• Mortarion asked when they would rescue Horus, and Qin Xa asked for more time.

After the Chemos campaign, Qin Xa and the primarchs counted the heavy Legion losses and discussed defenses, the Ultima Segmentum Fleet, and humanity’s need for the Webway. Uslan returned to the Usvi Craftworld after sharing guidance with Qin Xa, who learned he needed to complete at least two of the Fourfold Trials before attempting to save Horus.

• Corax reported that twenty thousand loyalist Astartes had died, and Qin Xa reviewed the Legions’ losses and remaining strength.
• Mortarion ordered the reported fallen reduced to around ten thousand to protect fleet morale.
• Kiel explained that Nuceria and Ultramar had formed the Ultima Segmentum Fleet, and Dorn urged the primarchs to plan defenses while the Immaterium storm persisted.
• The Usvi Craftworld fleet arrived at Chemos, and its delegation demanded that Uslan return for questioning.
• Qin Xa defended Uslan, who privately explained how to complete the Codex Omniscient trial and warned that Qin Xa must complete at least two Fourfold Trials before saving Horus.
• Uslan left through the Webway with his kin, and Qin Xa explained that humanity might have to seize control of the Webway to use it.

Qin Xa traveled to the 333 Galaxy to recruit Psykers for the White Knight Librarians and advance the Omniscience Codex trial. There he reunited with a former Rangdan Xenos slave who had become the fortress world's governor, and the governor pledged the world to Qin Xa's command.

• Qin Xa learned from the Human Historical Research Society agent that the 333 Galaxy was a fortress world where his psychic shriek had awakened many Psykers, and he sent Kamas to arrange their recruitment and training.
• After local officials insisted Qin Xa negotiate in person, he traveled with Kamas to World Three and was ushered alone into the fortress's audience hall.
• Qin Xa recognized the governor in a painting as a World Eaters Space Marine's companion and learned that the elderly governor was the former slave he had rescued during the Rangdan War.
• The governor introduced Qin Xa to his children and recounted how the Dark Angels had helped resettle him, after which he rose to govern the colony.
• When Qin Xa said he needed Psykers, the governor declared that the world would obey Qin Xa's commands.

Qin Xa reorganized the Librarian force into a formal academy, combat units, and specialized organizations, appointing leaders and arranging accelerated training. In the Immaterium, he created a demon under his control and asked the Flesh Compass whether it wanted to enter the real universe.

• Qin Xa proposed a Psychic Academy, specialized spell disciplines, a Librarian Combat Force, and organizations including the Secret Hunters, Grand Library, and White Knights.
• Qin Xa appointed Tethys as Grand Librarian, put Varius in charge of the Secret Hunters, and said he would lead the White Knights until a successor emerged.
• Qin Xa arranged for recruits to train and undergo augmentation on World Two of the 333 Galaxy, where time would pass faster than outside.
• Qin Xa searched the Immaterium for spiritual projections and used them with the power of courage and filtered psychic power to create a white demon that obeyed him.
• Qin Xa asked the Flesh Compass if it wanted to go to the real universe, and the Flesh Compass eagerly welcomed the idea.

Varius organized the Seekers of Secrets and bound two Spirits created by Qin Xa, while Kamas and the Librarians trained a thousand Psykers on a Death World isolated from normal spacetime. After six years of instruction and augmentation, the recruits joined the White Knight fleet, where less than four months had passed.

• Varius selected twenty former Librarians for the Seekers of Secrets, chose a Retribution-class heavy Cruiser as their base, and received two contracted Spirits from Qin Xa.
• The Librarians screened the Psykers of 333 Galaxy and selected exactly a thousand to train on a Death World.
• Qin Xa altered the Death World's spacetime and causal progression, then assigned Kamas and thirty instructors to educate the recruits.
• Kamas divided the Psykers into five study groups and led their intensive training in psychic disciplines and combat knowledge.
• After years of study, the recruits underwent augmentation surgery and received Angron gene-seed, with the Librarians supporting their recovery.
• The recruits completed three years of Space Marine and Librarian training, then left the Death World and found that less than four months had passed outside.

Grand Librarian Tethys assigned twenty recruits to the Library’s divisions and received a forbidden grimoire from the Harlequins, which Qin Xa ordered sealed away. That night, Qin Xa led the Librarians in meditative resonance and sent their protected souls into the Immaterium to gather knowledge for the Omniscient Codex trial.

• Tethys assigned five recruits to the Archivists, ten to the Codiciers, and five to his own command in the Grand Library.
• The Veil Walker gave Tethys a black grimoire and advised Qin Xa that the Omniscient Codex trial might demand unprecedented knowledge.
• Qin Xa ordered Tethys to seal the grimoire and organize a book compiling the Librarians’ observations and experiences in the Immaterium.
• Qin Xa reassured Tethys that the Library could now protect itself after the Eleventh Legion’s warriors had stolen the ritual dagger during the Chemos campaign.
• Varius led the Librarians through the daemon contract ritual, and the recruits received their first gift after joining the Librarian Corps.
• Qin Xa used meditative resonance to protect the Librarians’ souls and guide them into the Immaterium to explore and gather knowledge.

Tethys, Varius, and the Librarians explored the Immaterium’s infinite layers and compiled their discoveries into a thousand books. Qin Xa claimed the knowledge and its power, completed the Codex of All Knowledge trial by taking curiosity from Slaanesh, and saw a new trial appear.

• Compass led Tethys and Varius through the Immaterium’s nested layers to a region beyond the Four Gods’ reach, where Salum asked them to take him back to Qin Xa.
• Kamas explored many material universes, witnessed Kairos destroy one, and learned that material universes possessed wills and imposed rules on daemons.
• Qin Xa sent the Librarians to the Death World to compile their discoveries, and they produced a thousand books about the Immaterium and material universes.
• Qin Xa erased the Librarians’ memories of compiling the books, then claimed their knowledge through the Fourfold Trial and took the concept of curiosity from Slaanesh.
• Qin Xa examined the new trial, “I am the answer, so what is the question?”, and reacted with furious bewilderment.

Qin Xa secured Horus’s release from Tzeentch and returned to the White Knight, while Horus landed on an uncharted planet and was immediately confronted by the rebelling Death Guard. Gusa, an iron man, and a Gretchin arrived to fight them.

• Number Eleven failed to persuade Tzeentch to surrender Horus, but Qin Xa arrived and Tzeentch sent Horus back to the material universe while directing Qin Xa to Nostramo for a trial.
• Qin Xa killed numerous Changers of Ways with the Sirius Sword, then left Tzeentch’s Domain and told Abaddon that Horus had returned to the material universe.
• Abaddon admitted why he had sided with the rebels, and Qin Xa revealed Horus would land near the northwestern edge of the Ultima Segmentum before anesthetizing Abaddon in his cell.
• Horus landed on an uncharted planet, where Typhon and mutated Death Guard warriors found him and tried to carry him away.
• An iron man, Gusa, and a Gretchin confronted Typhon and slaughtered the Death Guard attackers.

Qin Xa chose to visit Nostramo before pursuing Horus, where Little Kramo began imposing his rule as governor. Kramo crushed the opposition and enforced martial law, leaving Nostramo under his control by force.

• Qin Xa found that Horus was being carried away by Super Little Qin aboard a ship using a Hrud Xenos time engine, and decided he could complete the Nostramo trial first.
• On Nostramo, Little Kramo prepared to reshape the planet with only a small group of allies, while his assistant agreed to help him avenge the people who had oppressed him.
• Kramo ordered Nostramo's nobles and gang leaders to surrender supplies and obey martial law, then broadcast the meeting as he killed the representatives who attacked him.
• Kramo declared full martial law and, after his flagship arrived, used its Lance to vaporize a gang gathering that defied his order.

Kramo launched a violent campaign to dismantle Nostramo’s gangs while explaining his plan to reform the planet through deterrence, economic change, laws, culture, and education. Qin Xa arrived and revealed that two Legions and primarchs had rebelled, but told Kramo to focus on Nostramo while he pursued his own mission there.

• Kramo’s armed teams raided gang strongholds across Nostramo, forcing leaders to reveal names before killing them, while Maggot Eye broadcast the operations.
• Kramo prepared to bombard a noble estate, but Qin Xa halted time across Nostramo and appeared before him.
• Kramo explained that he would use fear to stabilize Nostramo, then build lasting institutions and educate a new generation to uproot the causes of crime.
• Qin Xa approved Kramo’s plan and said Angron had sent him because Nostramo mattered to the Eighth Legion and its primarch.
• Qin Xa told Kramo that two Legions and primarchs had rebelled, then urged him to continue governing Nostramo while Qin Xa completed his own work.

Qin Xa discovered that the Embodiment of Grievance trial required him to experience the victims’ suffering and hatred, not merely execute the people they resented. After avenging the dead across Nostramo and drawing on the uprising on Nuceria, he completed the trial and received a new Fourfold Trials task.

• Qin Xa executed Kangse and the other people on his list, but sensed no progress in the trial.
• Qin Xa entered Nostramo’s Immaterium and experienced Eck’s memories of losing the girl he had depended on.
• Qin Xa killed Shalo for Eck and sent Shalo’s soul to Slaanesh’s realm, which stirred the trial’s power.
• Qin Xa empathized with Nostramo’s resentful dead and sent tens of thousands of their enemies’ souls to Slaanesh’s realm for the dead to witness their torment.
• Qin Xa drew on the resentment released during the Nu Star uprising to complete the Embodiment of Grievance trial and received the Brutal Executioner task.

After Qin Xa’s ascension sent Gusa’s ship out of the Immaterium, Gusa rescued Horus and handed him over to an arriving Imperial fleet, then secretly swapped him back. With Eleventh Legion forces closing in, Gusa chose to seize a planet and defend Horus, driven by the Greenskin Butcher’s promise of ascension.

• Gusa’s ship was dragged from the Immaterium by Qin Xa’s psychic shockwaves, and Qin Xa directed Gusa to help Horus.
• Gusa’s crew rescued the weakened Horus from Nurgle’s forces and escaped through real space using a Hrud time engine.
• Gusa’s ship encountered an Imperial border patrol fleet, and Gusa appeared to hand Horus over in exchange for containers of gold and Ork teeth.
• Gusa and Sissy P secretly swapped Horus back onto their flagship, destroyed the Imperial ship carrying the decoy, and began fighting the fleet.
• As Eleventh Legion fleets arrived, Gusa ordered his forces to seize the planet and build defenses, explaining that the Greenskin Butcher had promised him ascension.

Number Eleven led the Eleventh Legion’s invasion of a planet defended by Blood Axe Clan Greenskins and Iron Men, while sending Eidolon to capture Sotha. After the Iron Men halted the legion’s counterattack, Number Eleven left command to conduct a ritual.

• The Eleventh Legion destroyed Gusa’s warship and began landing on the planet, while a new flagship emerged from The Veil.
• Number Eleven ordered Eidolon to take the Emperor’s Children to Sotha, then revealed chambers containing newly created Emperor’s Children and Night Lords.
• Eidolon and the Emperor’s Children departed for Sotha as Number Eleven directed the landing operation with the Third Sub-Individual.
• Blood Axe Clan Greenskins launched repeated assaults, and an energy barrier cut the landing force off from orbital support.
• Number Eleven ordered a counterattack, but the Eleventh Legion and its Xenos auxiliaries were stopped by Iron Men produced at a vast ring-shaped facility.
• Number Eleven recognized the danger posed by the Iron Men, handed command to another officer, and teleported away to conduct a ritual.