As the power of the Four Gods temporarily receded, the wildly expanding Eye of Terror abruptly stopped growing, like a heart that had suddenly stopped beating. Under the backlash of the laws of Realspace, it was even forced to contract a little.
The Milky Way Galaxy gained a brief but vital chance to breathe.
Within the Eye of Terror.
Yvraine, resurrected through the God of Death's power, and the few dozen surviving Aeldari stared blankly at the expanse of "golden nothingness."
They had witnessed that tremendous explosion with their own eyes.
They had heard the Great Enemy's agonized wails with their own ears.
"Overlord..."
Yvraine reached out, as though trying to grasp a lingering golden spark in that nothingness. In the end, she caught nothing.
He was gone.
In the most heroic, most absolute way possible, he had fulfilled his promise.
Yvraine remained silent for a long time.
Then she turned to her surviving kin, who stood just as silently behind her, and spoke through her now-hoarse will:
"Let's... go home."
She led that tiny band through the turbulent Warp and back into Realspace.
When they appeared before Guilliman's flagship, Macragge's Honour, the entire Imperial Fleet fell solemn.
Guilliman looked at Yvraine, at these returning "heroes." He wanted to say something, but found that any words would have been pale and powerless at that moment.
In the end, he simply gave these Xenos souls, this race he should have exterminated, a deep, solemn, perfectly executed Aquila Salute-the highest expression of respect.
"The Imperium thanks you for your sacrifice."
Yvraine inclined her head slightly to Guilliman.
"He didn't do it for the Imperium." Her voice was calm, yet filled with boundless sorrow and pride. "He just... wanted everyone still alive to be able to live well."
She said nothing more. Carrying