Chapter 65: Warhammer: Lord of the Endless Monster Horde [65]

"So, Lord Rhodes! If we want to revive the Primarch, the most important step is to remove the lingering Warp energy from his body, right?" Titus asked. Rhodes nodded with a smile. "You're right! The key issue in saving the Primarch is indeed the corruption of Warp energy." "Then, Lord Rhodes, how can we eliminate the Warp damage from the Primarch? You must have a way, right?" Titus asked anxiously. As the Emperor's chosen one, Lord Rhodes must have a method to remove the Warp energy from the Primarch's body. Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought it up! "You guessed correctly. I do have a method—several. One of them is related to the Aeldari." Rhodes revealed a mysterious smile as he spoke. "The Aeldari? Those vile Xenos! How could they possibly have a way to resurrect a Primarch? Even if they did, why would they help us?" Titus questioned. It was clear that Titus, like many in the Imperium, did not hold a favorable opinion of any non-human species. "This ties into an ancient legend—an old tale from the Aeldari." In the original lore, Belisarius Cawl took ten thousand years to finally revive the Primarch. A significant reason for the delay was that Cawl had not yet found a way to remove the lingering Warp energy from the Primarch. Even the Armor of Fate could not guarantee a 100% successful resurrection. Later, during the 13th Black Crusade and the fall of Cadia, Belisarius Cawl, while fleeing, encountered the newly formed Ynnari—the Reapers of the Aeldari. It was then that he discovered a way to cleanse the Warp energy from a being. This was through Yvraine, the future consort of Roboute Guilliman (according to some rumors) and the future leader of the Ynnari. She had been personally resurrected by Ynnead, the Eldar God of the Dead, and wielded the Blade of the Crone. The only way to perfectly purge the chaotic Warp energy was to use the Blade of the Crone to fully kill Guilliman. Then, by harnessing Ynnead's divine power to reverse death, his body would be cleansed. Finally, with the Armor of Fate crafted by Belisarius Cawl, Guilliman could be resurrected. Ynnead was the Eldar God of the Dead—their last hope in the struggle against Slaanesh and the forces of Chaos. "Lord Rhodes, what does this Aeldari myth have to do with saving the Primarch?" Titus asked. "Titus, what I'm about to tell you is one of the universe's deepest secrets. Very few know of it. I need you to swear that you will never reveal this to anyone," Rhodes said. "I understand, Lord Rhodes. Everything we discuss today—I will forget it completely. I swear never to speak of it to anyone," Titus solemnly nodded. "Then let's start from the beginning. Among the four Chaos Gods, the youngest is the Prince of Excess—Slaanesh. He was born at the end of humanity's Golden Age. As for the reason for his birth? It was the foolishness of the Aeldari themselves. Here's what happened: When Slaanesh was born, his first cry annihilated nearly 90% of the Aeldari race and swiftly consumed their gods within the Warp. This event also triggered the catastrophic Warp storms at the end of the Golden Age—the birth of a Chaos God. However, a few Aeldari deities survived: Cegorach, the Laughing God; Khaine, the War God; and Isha, the Goddess of Life. But aside from Cegorach, the others suffered tragic fates. Khaine was shattered into countless fragments, becoming the Avatars of Khaine, a secret weapon of the Aeldari. Meanwhile, Isha was captured by Nurgle, the Chaos God of Decay, and imprisoned in his garden, reduced to little more than a caged songbird. According to legend, the Aeldari God of the Dead, Ynnead, will only fully awaken once the last Aeldari dies. Upon awakening, he is prophesied to destroy Slaanesh—the ultimate enemy of the Aeldari." Rhodes briefly explained how the Aeldari had brought about their downfall and given birth to Slaanesh. "Truly disgraceful. These Xenos deserved their fate! If not for their foolish indulgence, such a powerful Chaos God would never have come into existence," Titus said angrily. The secrets he had learned today were truly shocking. He had never imagined that one of humanity's greatest foes—one of the Chaos Gods—had been born from the sheer decadence of the Aeldari. "This God of the Dead possesses the power to reverse life and death. If we can find his chosen champion, we may be able to use that divine power to purge the Warp energy from the Primarch," Rhodes explained. The Ynnari—the Reapers—were formed in M41.999, meaning there was still some time before their official emergence. Or perhaps they were already in the process of forming. However, fully awakening Ynnead required an immense cost—the extinction of the entire Aeldari race. But the Aeldari had discovered an alternative method: gathering all five Blades of the Crone. If the five Blades of the Crone were wielded by the right individuals, it would be possible to summon Ynnead prematurely. Yvraine had been killed by the gladiatorial queen Lelith Hesperax but was resurrected by Ynnead, becoming his chosen champion. This was why various factions of the Aeldari—Craftworlds, Dark Eldar, and Harlequins—had come together to form the Ynnari. Before traveling to this universe, Rhodes had read discussions online suggesting that Ynnead was not limited to controlling only Aeldari's souls. The deaths of other species also fueled his power. "Ynnead's semi-awakening in M41.999 was due to the sheer amount of death and despair that had engulfed the galaxy. At that time, his power had reached an unprecedented peak, allowing him to select a champion and attempt to manifest. Among all negative emotions, death plays a crucial role. If Ynnead were to fully awaken, his power would rival that of the four Chaos Gods—making him the fifth Chaos God in all but name. As for why Isha, the Goddess of Life, is so weak? The answer is simple—she only represents a fraction of life, a tiny portion at best. The true embodiment of life is Nurgle. He is the true representation of life's cycle—growth, decay, and rebirth. Ynnead, the Emperor of Mankind, and the Ork Warboss Gork (or Mork) are all beings who could potentially ascend to become the fifth Chaos God. As for the Tyranids—the Great Devourer—they already stand on equal footing with the Chaos Gods. They may even surpass them." "Lord Rhodes, where can we find this champion of the God of the Dead?" Finding the chosen of Ynnead was one thing, but even if they did locate them, how could they convince them to help?