Lorgar's forced ascension ritual prepared for Vulkan had almost completely suppressed the shielding power of the veil of reality.
The power of The Empyrean poured forth, completely immersing the Eternal Ember in an unknown mire of corruption.
The magnificent sculptures, exquisite murals, and sacred memorial halls crafted by Salamanders Astartes and mortal master artists alike began to stir, as if they had gained life amidst this psychic tide.
Countless crewmen struggled within this vast torrent, from the Salamanders Astartes to mortal auxiliaries, warship crew, Legion serfs, and even the Iron Men controlled by the primary Cogitator.
Though the primary Cogitator had been installed within a Blackstone anti-psychic matrix and could resist the corruption of Chaos to the greatest extent, nothing was absolute before an impact of this magnitude.
Blackstone's dual polarity allowed it to suppress psychic power, but also amplify it.
The Salamanders Astartes felt terror rising from within their bodies and cried out in alarm.
"Father!"
"The primarch is in danger!"
They knew full well that only Vulkan, bound to them by blood, could trigger such instinctive fear—and he had to be facing an utterly horrifying threat.
But what could threaten the immortal Vulkan?
The Salamanders desperately swung their warhammers, tearing apart the Chaos Space Marines blocking their path.
They no longer hesitated to trade wound for wound, using mutually destructive tactics to force open a route.
Yet they were simply too far from Vulkan. The Chaos Space Marines forcibly held the Salamanders back, buying time for Lorgar's ritual.
Chief Apothecary Tassa was covered in wounds. Those Possessed Marines were terrifyingly powerful; fused with Warp creatures, they had gained equally unbelievable supernatural strength.
Even the Primaris Salamanders could gain little advantage against such enemies.
Despair came crashing down like a flood. The Salamanders could not imagine the consequences if