There was dead silence within the Webway.
The vast wraithbone hall was packed with representatives from the various Craftworlds, along with thousands of Ember Guard who had just fought a bloody battle.
Every eye was fixed on the center of the hall.
There, the twelve-meter-tall golden giant sat sprawled unceremoniously on the floor, gasping for breath. His Rune Armor was battered and pitted, and heat still rose from the wound in his left shoulder. He looked utterly bedraggled.
Just then, the crowd parted.
Eldrad, the Big Mek of Ulthwé, approached with a solemn, dignified expression.
He looked at Liu Zhipeng, then at Yvraine.
Suddenly, the ten-thousand-year-old man, who had outmaneuvered countless gods and demons, did something that stunned everyone.
He bent at the waist and bowed deeply to Liu Zhipeng and Yvraine.
"The gears of fate have finally meshed."
Eldrad's voice echoed through the cavernous hall, filled with an indescribable weight of years and relief.
"The golden embers have kindled the flame of hope. The crimson god of death has severed the chains of despair."
"I have seen it... at last, I have seen it..."
The old Prophet raised his head, tears actually glimmering in his clouded eyes.
"A path to rebirth that does not demand destruction."
With Eldrad's declaration, the other Craftworld representatives were visibly moved as well.
No matter how proud or stubborn they had been before, after witnessing the golden giant stand toe-to-toe with two powerful daemons and fight to protect his kin against impossible odds, all their prejudices seemed pitifully hollow.
The Chief of Saim-Hann was the first to step forward. He hammered his breastplate and shouted at Liu Zhipeng:
"Big fellow! You're a real man! From this day forward, the Wild Riders of Saim-Hann are yours to command! So long as we're cutting down Chaos,