Warhammer Parallel Universe, Time: 30k Era.
Here, a storm that would sweep across the entire Imperium of Man was brewing. The Emperor's most beloved son, the once-radiant Imperial Warmaster, Horus Lupercal, had fallen. The whispers of Chaos had eroded his soul and twisted his will. He raised the banner of rebellion, turning his blade against the father who created and trusted him. A rebellion that would uproot the very foundations of the Imperium spread like a wildfire across the galaxy.
At this moment, Horus and his massive rebel fleet had broken through layers of resistance. Their destination was the core of the Imperium of Man: Holy Terra. He was about to step onto the ancient soil that birthed human civilization to begin the final decisive battle against the Emperor.
However, the final stretch of the journey seemed suspiciously smooth. Horus stood on the bridge of his flagship, the Vengeful Spirit, staring at the distant planet through a massive viewport. His brow furrowed imperceptibly. It was too easy! Especially the most recent battles—those loyalist dogs who should have fought to the death and formed a defensive line with their own flesh and blood actually seemed somewhat... passive?
There was almost no obstruction. They had merely fired a few symbolic volleys from their warships at his fleet before stopping. The boarding actions common to Space Marines never occurred. It was as if they were merely fulfilling their duties symbolically rather than actually trying to keep him away from Terra.
An unreal sensation quietly surfaced in Horus's heart. But immediately, the power of Chaos surged within him, forcibly suppressing that trace of doubt. His crimson gaze swept over the busy rebel officers on the bridge.
'Of course,' he thought to himself. 'The Imperium's rule must have rotted to its very core. Even those stubborn lapdogs have completely despaired of the Pseudo-Emperor and this crumbling empire.'
'Perhaps, in the depths of their hearts, they too yearn for change—longing for a truly powerful leader.'
A cruel and confident smile curled at the corner of Horus's mouth. Once he executed that Pseudo-Emperor sitting on the Golden Throne, he could bring all these people under his command. Finally, he would establish a brand-new, truly great empire. Humanity would be great once more, but it would be great because of him!
"All fleet units, accelerate!" Horus's command echoed through the bridge.
The massive rebel fleet, like a ferocious beast, intruded into Terra's near-earth orbit.
"Initiate orbital bombardment!" Horus did not hesitate, issuing the exterminatus order directly.
Countless planet-killing munitions and virus bombs capable of destroying entire ecosystems poured down from orbit like rain, streaking toward Terra's atmosphere. However, just as these destructive weapons were about to touch Terra, a brilliant golden light shield abruptly rose from the planet's surface, enveloping the entire world.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Deafening explosions erupted against the surface of the shield, sending out ripples. But the light shield was as immovable as a mountain, blocking every single attack. Not a single shred of energy could penetrate its surface.
The smile on Horus's face froze. This was impossible! Since when did Terra's defenses become so powerful?
While he was caught in shock and uncertainty, the space ahead suddenly distorted like the surface of water. Then, a figure slowly stepped out from the warped space. The figure wore golden power armor and radiated an aura as vast as an abyss.
Familiar. He was incredibly familiar with this person. Following that familiarity was boundless hatred, yet mixed with a sliver of love and respect he didn't even want to admit to himself.
It was the Emperor!
Horus's heart tightened violently, his pupils shrinking. No! This was absolutely wrong! According to the intelligence he had received, that Pseudo-Emperor should currently be occupied by the psychic webway project beneath the Imperial Palace. It was impossible for him to appear here!
How could he be here?
This thought flashed through his mind like lightning. Before Horus even had time to organize his thoughts or deliver the long-rehearsed lines of mockery and malice, another anomaly occurred! Another figure in golden power armor stepped out from a different patch of distorted void. The aura was just as vast, the face just as majestic.
Horus felt a chill run from his spine straight to his skull. Then, a third, a fourth, a fifth...
One figure after another, clad in golden power armor and radiating the Emperor's aura, emerged from the void like phantoms. In the blink of an eye, dozens of 'Emperors' were suspended silently in front of the rebel fleet, their golden brilliance nearly blinding.
Horus's mind went blank. What was going on?
'An illusion? An illusion! It must be an illusion!' he told himself. 'This is definitely some new trick of the Emperor's.'
However, this was merely self-consolation. After his ascension to daemonhood, his strength had increased. He could easily sense that every single entity in front of him was more powerful than himself. He had to face a fact he didn't want to admit: every Emperor was real.
"Quick! Open a Warp portal! We're retreating!" Horus practically shrieked the command, an unprecedented panic filling his mind.
The flagship's navigators frantically operated the controls. A massive Warp rift, churning with chaotic energy, was forcibly torn open behind the fleet. However, when the rift stabilized to reveal the scene on the other side of the Warp, everyone was stunned.
The other side of the rift was not the familiar domain of Chaos filled with distorted energy and daemons. Instead... there were several humanoid beings so massive they were beyond description—Titans!
The bodies of those Titans blotted out the sky, radiating an incredibly terrifying pressure. Countless grotesque and hideous Warp daemons were as small as ants before these Titans. The Titans simply swung their arms casually, swatting whole swaths of daemons into energy dust.
Horus's gaze fixed onto one figure currently being pummeled by a Titan. That figure burned with blood-colored fury, holding a massive chainaxe and roaring frantically, yet it was suppressed by the Titan to the point of having no room to fight back, forced to endure a passive beating.
That form, that aura... how did it look so much like... the Dark God Khorne?!
Impossible! Absolutely impossible!
Just as Horus was reeling from the shock, nearly suspecting he had gone mad, the opening of the Warp portal had clearly disturbed the terrifying Titans who were 'cleaning' the Warp. All the Titans' 'gazes' turned simultaneously toward the direction of Horus's fleet. The gaze felt physical, containing a pressure capable of freezing the soul.
Vroom—
Almost at the same moment, the entirety of Horus's massive rebel fleet—every engine, weapon system, and power core—stalled instantly! Runes on countless instrument panels flashed wildly before falling into dead silence. On the bridge, one could vaguely hear the Machine Spirit let out an overburdened wail, as if strangled by an invisible terror, falling into total paralysis.
Following that, a giant Titan slowly raised its hands and gave a gentle pinch toward the recently opened Warp portal.
Snap!
Like popping a fragile bubble, that massive rift connecting reality and the Warp was actually... pinched shut by this Titan, effortlessly and casually! The portal instantly collapsed and vanished.
Horus was in a total panic. Dozens of Emperors were blocking the front door, and the escape route behind him had been pinched off by an incomprehensible, terrifying existence. He instinctively tried to mobilize the Chaos power within his body, preparing for a desperate struggle. However, he discovered to his horror that the power he took pride in—power enough to tear stars apart—was currently as if shackled, unable to be moved in the slightest!
In that moment of frantic despair, he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye. At some point, those golden figures had silently appeared inside his flagship's command center.
One, two, three...
A large number of 'Emperors' surrounded him completely. Every 'Emperor' radiated a pressure that made his soul tremble. Horus froze in place, his limbs cold.
What kind of lineup was this? So many 'Emperors'? Was this all to deal with me? Was that really necessary?
A sense of boundless absurdity and terror instantly submerged the fallen Primarch completely.