Guilliman and Axis led a mighty legion of Space Marines numbering in the hundreds of thousands, charging directly towards Holy Terra.
This was to be a war that would alter the destiny of the entire Imperium, and Guilliman had made every preparation.
The colossal fleet navigated the Aeldari Webway, resembling a torrent of steel flowing within a river of rainbows.
The walls of the Webway shimmered with unpredictable halos of light, casting reflections upon the bridge's viewing ports and illuminating the faces of Guilliman and Axis. Yvraine stood before the navigation station, her slender fingers sliding elegantly over the Wraithbone control panel as she guided this massive fleet capable of overturning the Imperium.
"Yv, how long until we arrive at Holy Terra?" Guilliman asked, looking toward his wife.
"Do not be in such a rush, my dear. Macragge is extremely distant from Holy Terra. Even traveling through the Webway, we will need one month to reach our destination," Yvraine replied.
Transportation via the Webway was indeed rapid, yet it still required time. If they did not utilize the Webway and instead undertook a Warp jump, it was estimated that the journey would take three or four months, and the path would be fraught with danger.
Guilliman nodded at her words. This speed was already incredibly fast, nearly four times the speed of human Warp travel.
Moreover, navigating within the Webway was infinitely safer; there was absolutely no need to worry about the hazards of the Immaterium.
It was no wonder Father had desired the Aeldari Webway so desperately in the past. The utility and convenience of this technology were simply unparalleled.
"In truth, because our numbers are so vast on this journey to Holy Terra, we are forced to utilize the widest main arteries of the Webway. We cannot traverse certain smaller paths. Otherwise, our speed would be even greater, perhaps allowing us to arrive at Holy Terra in merely half a month," Yvraine said with a smile from the side.
It made sense. Their force consisted of hundreds of thousands of personnel. For such a large-scale fleet to navigate the Webway, they were naturally restricted to the main conduits, which were not as direct as some of the intricate shortcuts.
"Those complex, smaller Webway paths... it is said that one can breathe within them, is that correct?" Guilliman asked, looking at his wife.
"Correct. One can indeed breathe inside, and it is much like walking on a surface. One requires only a single-person flight device to travel within them. It is very convenient and swift," Yvraine explained.
"Truly miraculous," Guilliman praised.
In the Warp, they required various protective measures. The exterior of the ship had to be shielded by Geller Fields, and the interior required strict isolation. Otherwise, mortals would be driven to madness simply by witnessing the reflections of the Warp.
If Father had known back then that a single political marriage could secure the usage rights to the Aeldari Webway, he likely would have been impatient to select a Primarch for a wedding alliance.
After chatting for a while longer, Guilliman and Axis moved to a corner of the ship.
"So, how was last night? It must have been quite enjoyable. You look radiant today, utterly flushed with success," Axis said, sidling up to Guilliman with a knowing grin that men understood.
"Hahaha. I did indeed relax thoroughly last night. I must say, sometimes the act of reproduction is truly important for biological entities. I originally thought the absolute rationality of a Primarch could control such urges," Guilliman admitted.
It wasn't until last night that he understood the benefits of being a male lifeform. Although Yvraine was of a different species, the barrier between Aeldari and humans was not so vast.
In fact, to a certain extent, the Aeldari appeared more human than the abhumans officially certified by the Imperium, and in terms of appearance, the Aeldari adhered even more closely to human aesthetics.
"Hahaha! I thought one of you wouldn't be able to get out of bed, but it seems both of you are fine," Axis began to tease Guilliman.
This was how it should be. Even in his current state, a Primarch was still a person. Why make oneself out to be a saint?
Humans were human precisely because they possessed emotions and desires. It was just that in the Warhammer universe, emotions and desires were easily exploited by the Chaos Gods.
"Hahaha, you underestimate me, Axis. I am a Primarch. Furthermore, you gifted me a Fruit of the Tree of Might yesterday. The effects of that thing are quite potent. Between you and me, we didn't sleep all night," Guilliman said with a look of fond reminiscence on his face.
He seemed to be recalling his Aeldari wife's nearly perfect figure and a texture that far surpassed that of humanity.
"Hahaha! Only you would use the Fruit of the Tree of Might for something like that. However, it contains powerful life force, so in a certain sense, it does have that kind of efficacy," Axis laughed loudly.
Back when he had first successfully cultivated the Tree of Might on a large scale, he and Kasha had played similar games. They had been even more excessive than Guilliman, not stopping for several days straight.
"Hahaha! I now understand why Fulgrim became addicted to these things. Did you know? When I went to engage him in the final duel, I once boarded his flagship. You cannot imagine the scenes inside. He even used fluids secreted by women as paint for his art," Guilliman said.
"Please. Do not compare yourself to that pervert. That guy is a fallen Primarch, a thorough deviant, and a masochist," Axis rolled his eyes.
Actually, when he and Kasha first established their relationship, they had been in the Warp. At the time, Axis had worried whether Slaanesh would target him. It was only after carefully understanding the four Chaos Gods that Axis set his mind at ease.
Lust was merely the surface representation; excess was the true internal nature. Slaanesh preferred the pursuit of the ultimate pleasure of pain, much like an addict on drugs.
"That is why I am not worried about being seduced by that entity. Besides, Father is currently no weaker than It, and we have a powerhouse like you here," Guilliman said.
"As long as you are happy. If nothing unexpected happens, before I leave, I should be able to upgrade you into a god. You need to be prepared," Axis said.
Aside from helping the elderly Emperor of this world retrieve his Primarchs, Axis intended to help one Primarch ascend to become a secondary Warp entity.
The most suitable candidate for this was Guilliman. If it were any other Primarch, the delay would be too long.
"During this time, I will use my Ki to help reinforce your body. Get ready," Axis said, patting Guilliman on the shoulder.
Since his energy had upgraded to God Ki, Axis no longer needed to bathe the Primarchs in Ki for a hundred years or give them a Saibaman offspring to qualify their bodies as he had before.
Now, with a few years of effort at most, he could cause a Primarch's body to undergo a qualitative transformation. After that, consuming ten Tree of Might fruit would achieve the goal.
"I understand. Let us begin tomorrow then. But let us agree beforehand: only a baptism of Ki. You absolutely must not drag me into sparring training," Guilliman said, revealing a look of lingering fear.
Sparring with Axis meant genuinely being beaten to a pulp. The other man's strength was terrifying to the extreme.
"You really flatter yourself. Who wants to spar with you? If I have the time, wouldn't I go spar with my own son? That kid is far more capable than you," Axis rolled his eyes.
When they first met, Axis had indeed found reasons to beat Guilliman senseless a few times, but one of those times was to wake the guy up, forcing him to resolve to marry Yvraine and march on Holy Terra.
As for later, Axis had completely lost interest in Guilliman; the Primarch didn't even qualify as a punching bag. He would rather beat up his own son.
"Then I am relieved," Guilliman immediately showed an expression as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
For the better part of the next month, Axis used his free time to baptize Guilliman's body with God Ki, strengthening his physical constitution and causing his cells to evolve toward a higher level by absorbing divine power.
One day, while Yvraine was navigating the ship on the bridge, she suddenly frowned and summoned Axis, Guilliman, and a few others.
"What has happened, Yv? Why call us here so urgently?" Guilliman asked.
"Something... has intruded into the Webway. A very powerful psychic signal. I am very familiar with it... and it carries malice," Yvraine's brow furrowed deeply.
Guilliman instantly became alert. "What is it? A Chaos Daemon? Or a lost fleet?"
Many Imperial ships had fallen into the Webway for various reasons in the past. The most famous among them was the Primarch Jaghatai Khan.
"It cannot be a lost fleet. Human fleets cannot remain lost here for so long without being discovered. This is a main artery; Aeldari ships pass through frequently," a Harlequin from the troupe accompanying Yvraine stated.
"Yvraine! Deceiver! Blasphemer! You lied to me. I let you live, yet you harmed my brothers. I have come to seek vengeance upon you!"
Just then, a broadcast-like psychic wave transmitted directly into the flagship.
"Oh. I remember who it is," Yvraine said, showing an expression of sudden realization.
"Who?"
"Also a human. He should belong to the Chaos Space Marines. He was the Chief Librarian of the Thousand Sons Legion ten thousand years ago, Ahriman," Yvraine stated.
"Ahriman? I remember him. He was an existence with potent psychic powers. I did not expect him to still be alive after ten thousand years," Guilliman said.
...
..
.
ps?