Let Me Make Amends

He recalled ten thousand years ago.

He thought of Caliban's destruction, of his children whom he couldn't save, and of the regrets he could never make up for.

Ten thousand years.

Ten thousand years of slumber, ten thousand years of waiting, ten thousand years...

Still, nothing can be done.

He knelt there, like a helpless child, like a failed guardian, like a—

A father who can't protect anyone.

In the distant void, Vashtorr's laughter grew louder and louder:

"Yes! That's it! Kneel down! Despair! Pain!"

His eyes burned with a mad flame:

"Your pain, your despair, your resentment—all will become nourishment for my godhood!"

He opened his arms, ready to receive his final promotion.

Then--

A golden light shone from the edge of the Milky Way.

The light was so intense that it instantly dispelled the darkness surrounding Dragon Spirit Star.

The intense light ignited hope in the hearts of every soldier.

The sacredness of that light instantly froze Vashtorr's smile on his face.

Lion suddenly looked up.

What did he see?

He saw the golden light traversing the void, crossing endless distances, and...

It surged into his body.

No, not just his body.

It is the body of every soldier.

They are every Dark Angels still fighting.

They are every Blood Angels currently engaged in battle.

It is every one of them--

A person loyal to the Emperor.

At the same time, golden light shone from their bodies.

The light was tangible, like armor, like—

A gift from God.

Terra.

In front of the Golden Throne.

Five figures stood side by side.

Guilliman.

Sanguinius.

Magnus.

Angron.

Malcador.

Five hands rested on the Golden Throne at the same time.

Six streams of Psionic Energy simultaneously surged into the ancient device.

Six beams of light simultaneously shot into the endless void, into the distant Imperium Nihilus, into that—

A lion in despair.

Guilliman closed his eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips:

"The Four Chaos Gods are really something else; they even managed to come up with a godhood ritual."

Golden light gleamed in Sanguinius ' eyes:

But they forgot one thing.

Magnus chimed in, a hint of smugness in his voice:

"In terms of Psionic Energy empowerment, we are the ancestors."

Angron, unusually, remained silent, simply standing there and channeling his power without reservation.

Malcador said softly:

"Ten thousand years have passed, and these four still haven't learned their lesson."

And the Emperor—

The figure that had sat motionless for millennia, almost becoming one with the throne, now radiated an unprecedented light.

His eyes opened slightly.

That one glance pierced through the void.

That one glance traversed Warp.

That one glance, and I was transported across time.

everything.

Deep in Warp.

The Four Chaos Gods were gathered together, preparing to witness Vashtorr's ascension to godhood.

Khorne rubbed his hands together excitedly, waving all four arms simultaneously:

"It's done! It's finally going to be done!"

A calculating glint flashed in Tzeentch's eyes:

"Once Vashtorr cripples the Imperium's technological systems, we can—"

He hadn't finished speaking.

A golden light illuminated the entire Warp.

The light was so intense that the Four Chaos Gods screamed in agony simultaneously.

"Ah--!!!"

"My eyes--!!!"

"What the hell is this?!"

"Emperor --!!!"

Countless demons dissolved in that light, like ice and snow meeting the blazing sun.

Countless Chaos realms collapsed in that light, like sandcastles encountering ocean waves.

Countless--

A scream.

A scream.

A scream.

Wherever that light passed, all Chaos dissolved.

Khorne covered his eyes and rolled on the ground:

"Again?! Again?! Wasn't ten thousand years ago enough?!"

Tzeentch frantically tried to reflect the light with his crystals, but the crystals shattered one after another.

"This is utterly unsportsmanlike! It's completely lacking in sportsmanship!"

Garden of Nurgle burned fiercely in that light, and those flowers that once never faded withered one after another:

"My Garden of Nurgle! My precious Garden of Nurgle!"

Slaanesh's palace collapsed in half, and countless hedonists screamed and fled:

"Help! Help!"

But it didn't work.

The light was everywhere.

That light was invincible.

That light--

From the Golden Throne.

From the Master of Mankind who has sat alone for ten thousand years.

From that--

The Dark King.

This Dark King is truly a legend.

Ten thousand years ago, he fought the Four Chaos Gods at the center of the Milky Way.

That battle raged until the sky darkened, until stars fell, until—

They almost wiped out the Four Chaos Gods' accounts.

After that, it took the Four Chaos Gods ten thousand years to barely recover.

A full ten thousand years.

They've been reading the resurrection entry for ten thousand years.

It has been barely clinging to life for ten thousand years.

It will be there for ten thousand years--

Curse that damned Dark King.

But that's not all.

After the Dark King finished his battle, he too passed away peacefully, but the place where he passed away...

This conveniently blocked the path for the Chaos Gods to ascend.

The connection between heaven and earth was severed.

He used his remains, his soul, his—

Everything completely blocked that path.

Since then, no new god has been able to ascend.

The Lesser God of Chaos looked at the blocked path, and were filled with despair.

You beast!

What a complete beast!

You should act with a conscience!

If you're going to die, you're going to die. Why did you have to block the road?

What did we do to you?!

But the Dark King ignored their cries of agony.

He just sat there.

He sat on that throne.

In a limbo, neither here nor there.

Neither sad nor happy.

Dominate for all ages.

Ten thousand years have passed, and he is still there.

Ten thousand years have passed, and that road is still blocked.

Ten thousand years have passed, and the Lesser God of Chaos are still cursing.

And now--

The golden light shone brightly once more.

That being, who has ruled over all ages, has made his move once again.

Every soldier on the battlefield felt that golden light.

The light surged into their bodies, into their souls, into their—

Every single cell.

A Dark Angels is being besieged by three Chaos warriors; his Power Sword is dulled, his shield is shattered, and his strength is exhausted.

He thought he was going to die.

Then--

Golden light descended.

His body was instantly filled with power.

The power was so great that he felt he could shatter a planet with a single punch.

His sword became sharp again, his shield became strong again, and his body—

Like a newborn.

He looked up at the three Chaos Warriors.

The three Chaos Warriors stared blankly at him, at the sudden burst of golden light, at the sudden change—

A formidable enemy.

A slight smile appeared on the Dark Angels's lips.

There was murderous intent in that smile.

Three seconds later.

The corpses of three Chaos Warriors lay on the ground.

The Dark Angels flicked the blood off his sword and muttered to himself:

"Is this what it feels like to Emperor's Champion?"

He looked into the distance, at his brothers who were also enveloped in golden light.

Each and every one of them is Emperor's Champion.

Each and every one of them is a chosen warrior.

Every one--

They're all ridiculously strong.