Rhodes smiled—he'd hidden a Harlequin card, infused with the Laughing God's essence, in the monster's core.
It was bait for Isha, carefully shielded from Nurgle's detection.
Only when Isha looked at the cauldron did Rhodes release the Laughing God's aura, and sure enough, Isha took the bait.
"Tell me, why do you have the Laughing God's aura? You can't fool me—I can sense it clearly," Isha demanded.
She hated anything related to Nurgle or Slaanesh.
"You're not as dumb as you look. But your personality is different from what I imagined.
I thought you'd be a weak, tearful woman. Turns out, you're quite strong," Rhodes said.
He'd thought Isha would be a crybaby, but Nurgle seemed more like a simp—apart from forcing her to drink soup, he didn't do much else.
"The Eldar gods were never weak. Now tell me, did the Laughing God send you?" Isha asked impatiently.
"No, but he did give me a Harlequin card and access to the Webway," Rhodes said.
"How could the Laughing God give you a card? Or Webway access? That's his base, his refuge from Slaanesh," Isha said.
"In the ten thousand years you've been captive, much happened. The Laughing God, your death god Ynnead, and the human Emperor allied to fight the four Chaos Gods. I ended up in Nurgle's garden by accident, and met you through this body." Rhodes explained.
"I once proposed allying with humanity, but your Emperor hated all other races. Didn't expect him to cooperate with us after ten thousand years," Isha said.
Now, only she and the Laughing God survived among the Eldar gods; the war god was shattered, and the death god was unborn.
"A lot changed in ten thousand years. Nurgle didn't restrict you much—you should know some outside news." Rhodes said.
The Emperor's title was known by the Great Crusade, by then Isha was already imprisoned. But Nurgle seemed not to restrict her—she could leave the garden if she dared Slaanesh.
That she could make a garden in Nurgle's domain showed how much Nurgle cared for her.
But sadly, Chaos Gods and Eldar gods were never truly allies. Nurgle's feelings weren't romantic, more like shared affinity for life.
Nurgle's ideal Isha would be pus-covered, with fangs and maggots—a perfect life form in his eyes.
"Enough talk. Since we're allies now, how will you rescue me?" Isha asked.
"Oh? When did I say I'd take you away? Do you think I can, in my current state?" Rhodes asked, exasperated.
His zombie monster clone was here to spy, not to rescue Isha!
He'd hoped to be chosen by Nurgle, or at least become a daemon prince, but ended up as Isha's pet.
The treatment here was miles worse than the Slaanesh Assassin, who was now called Child of the God, gifted with divine power, and rapidly rising.
"I thought the Laughing God would've tried to free me by now!" Isha said.
She'd had little to do with the Laughing God, but now that his influence reached Nurgle's garden, she wanted out.
"I don't know. I only cooperate with the Laughing God, I'm not his subordinate.
If you really want to leave, it's not impossible, but…" Rhodes made a rubbing fingers gesture.
"What do you mean? First, you say you can't, now you can?" Isha asked.
"I mean, I won't do it for free. Taking you out would offend two Chaos Gods—Nurgle and Slaanesh." Rhodes explained.
"I thought Slaanesh was dealt with by the death god? Didn't you say Ynnead allied with the Emperor? If he's born, why is Slaanesh still around?" Isha asked.
"Slaanesh is a Chaos God—unless someone far stronger appears, no one on the same level can kill him," Rhodes said.
That final joke about the Laughing God, Slaanesh dying for the Eldar, and the death god being born from Slaanesh—Rhodes didn't buy any of it.
He knew how powerful the Chaos Gods were.
"If anyone can beat Slaanesh, it's Nurgle. Not long ago, Nurgle badly wounded Slaanesh." Rhodes said.
The other three Chaos Gods could all beat up Slaanesh; being older made a big difference.
"Forget it! Nurgle's not my type!" Isha said.
"Don't be picky—he spoils you!" Rhodes teased.
"Let me ask: if an ugly, fat, old hag imprisoned you, fed you gross food, cursed you, and made your soul ache, would you want to stay with her?" Isha asked.
"Of course not. Back to the point—what's in it for me if I help you?" Rhodes asked.
"I control life energy. Your Emperor's been on the Golden Throne for ten thousand years—I heard from Nurgle.
I can heal his body. Only I can do that." Isha said.
"The Emperor's situation isn't that simple. Even with a healed body, he can't leave the Throne. You know about the Dark King?" Rhodes said.
"That's why you need to get me out! I can strengthen the Emperor, help suppress the Dark King. If he's born, he'll slaughter all life—including Warp beings." Isha said.
"What about me? Don't I get a reward?" Rhodes said.
"You're greedy! What do you want?" Isha rolled her eyes.
"That's for you to offer," Rhodes replied.
"Tell me your plan to rescue me, and then I'll consider your reward," Isha said.
"It's simple: let me eat you," Rhodes said.
He could recall the monster remotely, so if the zombie monster swallowed Isha, he could transport her out.
But the key was hiding from Slaanesh.
"You want to eat me?!" Isha stared at Rod in disbelief.