Dragging legs that had nearly been shattered by the impact, Aaron finally ended his transformation just before the Golden Law Incarnation collapsed. He could hear his two dear elder brothers, Khorne and Slaanesh, sighing in disappointment together.
The curse of Chaos clung to him like rot in his bones. They constantly yearned for Aaron to fall completely and submit, yet were somewhat reluctant to have him lose himself and deprive them of fresh amusement. That contradiction showed itself whenever he faced a powerful enemy: they never begrudged him their help, but once he escaped his predicament, they would actively create new difficulties for him.
The radiance of the Golden Law had faded, and Aaron drew the primordial daemon Drach'nyen back into his chest.
A sliver of the God of Tyranny's divinity had been swallowed into Aaron's body. The remnant of Bane's will within it was gradually dissolving as Drach'nyen devoured it.
Aaron then turned his attention to the Bane Godspawn nearby. Cheers of victory already rang out around them. Mannacorn lay amid the ruins, clutching his chest as black blood kept seeping between his fingers. Stripped of his divinity, Mannacorn had finally regained his reason-all of it.
The frenzied monster from moments before seemed like nothing more than an illusion. Aaron wanted to convince himself that the power of Bane's son amounted to no more than that, but reason prevented him from reaching such an optimistic conclusion.
One thing, however, was certain: from this day forward, Aaron had officially extended his reach into Bane's domain of strife.
The air rang with the warriors' cheers-the traitors and devils had lost, while the Princess's faction had secured victory.
Someone was calling to him. Clutching his chest, Mannacorn was already on the verge of death. The Bane Godspawn gazed up at the night