Chapter 25 — A God Descends
Artash towered over them, five metres of brass, fury and burning muscle.
Erebus, bloodied but unbowed, circled him.
He could match the daemon in speed.
He could even trade blows.
But he could not break its hide.
And now the Blood God's blessing swelled within the creature, feeding it.
The odds were… unpleasant.
Erebus leapt, planting his foot against the daemon's blade and driving another punch toward its throat. Artash caught the strike mid-swing and hurled him aside.
Erebus hit the sand hard, breath ragged.
"You are persistent," Artash growled. "Call upon your corpse-god. Let him save you."
Erebus spat blood. "If I start calling you 'father,' will you fight worse?"
The Bloodthirster snarled.
Before it could answer, Lorgar crashed into its jaw with a flying kick, twisting in midair to recover his fallen crozius. He landed beside Erebus.
"My brother," Lorgar said calmly, "are you wounded?"
"Everything was manageable until you arrived."
Lorgar smiled faintly and ignored that.
"Let us ensure this moment goes unrecorded."
"Win first," Erebus muttered, "then we'll edit history."
Artash beckoned them forward with contempt.
They charged together.
The daemon's flaming sword rose—
—and twin lashes of blue psychic force snapped around its wrists.
Kor Phaeron stood behind them, face strained, veins bulging as he held the bindings in place.
"Now!" he barked. "Before I lose it!"
Behind him, Dark Emissaries added their strength, forming a circle, their chants forming a crude banishment lattice.
Erebus struck first.
This time, Lorgar followed through cleanly—his crozius driving into Artash's eye.
Warp-ichor exploded outward.
The Bloodthirster roared and threw them all aside.
"I will slaughter you!" it thundered. "I will harvest every skull on this world!"
It lashed wildly.
Erebus shoved Lorgar clear—
Too slow.
The flaming blade tore across Erebus's chest.
Blood misted the air.
"Erebus!" Lorgar caught him as he fell.
Artash lifted its sword high and bellowed upward:
"Blood God! I offer you this world! Every skull! Every soul! Grant me dominion!"
Warp-energy surged again.
Erebus felt it.
The daemon was growing stronger.
Lorgar's expression hardened.
"Leave the rest to me."
He rose alone, retrieving his crozius.
"The Blood God does not own this world," he said quietly. "Nor does he own you."
Artash laughed. "I am favored!"
"You are a pawn," Lorgar replied. "Too small to see the hand that moves you."
The Dark Emissaries completed their circle.
Chants rose.
A psychic sigil formed beneath Artash's hooves.
The daemon glanced down.
"Pathetic. Even that pink temptress binds better circles than this."
Kor Phaeron hurled a spear of psychic force at the daemon's skull.
Artash swatted him aside without even looking.
"There is no place for you among gods, mortal."
Kor Phaeron hit the ground hard, cursing through clenched teeth.
Lorgar seized the opening and drove his crozius into Artash's chest.
Warp-fire exploded.
But the daemon only smiled.
Its sword fell—
Shattering the crozius.
The blade thrust forward.
There was a wet sound.
Lorgar stared in disbelief.
Erebus stood between them.
Impaled.
"No—" Lorgar's voice broke.
Erebus coughed blood, then shoved Lorgar backward with surprising strength.
"You're not the only one who calls for help," he rasped.
Artash leaned close, savoring the moment.
"Call your god again."
Erebus's lips curled.
"Fine."
He raised his blood-slick hand toward the sky.
"God-Emperor," he called mockingly, "if you're listening, now would be ideal."
Nothing happened.
Artash laughed.
"Oh, and if you don't come," Erebus added loudly, "I might mention your… entanglement with Slaanesh."
The name rang across the Warp.
Artash froze.
For a heartbeat, the red sky rippled—
Purple bled into crimson.
Something vast stirred.
A presence of exquisite hunger pressed against reality.
Then—
Gold.
Blinding, absolute gold.
A surge of light shattered the encroaching violet presence and forced it back into the Immaterium.
Silence fell.
A beam of pure radiance descended.
It hesitated over Erebus—
Paused.
Then turned.
And struck Lorgar.
Lorgar convulsed as the light entered him.
Artash recoiled.
"The Anathema…"
Lorgar rose slowly.
His eyes burned molten gold.
The air itself bent around him.
He extended one hand.
Artash screamed as unseen force dragged it backward, pinning it in place.
Erebus, pale and barely standing, stared at Lorgar.
"Well," he wheezed, "about time."
Lorgar turned toward him.
For a moment, those burning eyes did not look entirely like his own.
Erebus attempted a grin.
"Hello… my lord."
The golden figure stepped forward—
And punched him.
Darkness swallowed Erebus whole.