In the 5th month of the Imperial Year 2521.
The Old World was engulfed in flames of war.
The corruption of Chaos was rapidly intensifying across the world. Now, no land was completely immune to the taint of Chaos.
Unsurprisingly, Bretonnia was the first to react in the Old World. Ryan personally led 10 new Grey Knight recruits (an increase of 5) and the Old Guard, along with the Mousillon Royal Guard, to suppress the northern regions. Meanwhile, the southern part of the kingdom was handled by Angron and four Emperor's Custodians, with the support of Duke Adrien's forces from Quenelles.
On the other hand, unexpectedly, after Nuln was the first to enter martial law, Emperor Karl Franz immediately extricated himself from the endless political whirlpool and declared martial law in the Imperial capital, Altdorf.
However, this could not stop the madness sweeping the Old World. Doomsayers took to the streets, lured by Chaos cults, proclaiming the arrival of the End Times. Crops failed or were completely destroyed, and the Beastmen in the Black Forest grew in number daily. Hunters even reported seeing newborn Beastmen grow to half the height of a human in just ten days. Within two to three months, a full-grown Gor would emerge. The people of the Empire had to live daily with the roars of Beastmen, as militias reluctantly raised their weapons to fend them off, constantly pleading with the Imperial nobles and Elector Counts to send troops to save their villages from the Beastmen threat.
It could be said that the Imperial armies did their best, but the Beastmen were simply too numerous. Coupled with the occasional appearance and disappearance of Chaos daemons, the Empire was destined to face a terrible trial.
As for natural disasters like earthquakes, torrential rains, floods, landslides, and wildfires, these were no longer significant issues for the Empire. The common folk had already begun to grow accustomed to them.
But the blessings of Chaos were not so easily endured.
A mysterious and terrifying disease quickly spread across the Old World. Those infected first experienced diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, with bowel movements occurring multiple times a day, sometimes uncontrollably, and in large quantities, gradually turning into a porridge-like stool, repeating endlessly.
The patients suffered greatly during this process. With repeated diarrhea and vomiting, they began to experience severe dehydration, muscle spasms, and weakness in their limbs. In severe cases, their eye sockets sank, their voices became hoarse, their skin dried and wrinkled, losing elasticity, their abdomens caved in like a boat, their lips and tongues dried out, and they became extremely thirsty. Their limbs turned icy cold. Yet, this disease rarely killed immediately, instead slowly draining the life force of the afflicted through this endless cycle.
The most severe issue was that no matter how hard the Imperial authorities or the Shallyan cult tried to find a cure or alleviate the suffering, neither a specific treatment nor a method to ease the pain could be found. The Shallyan priestesses exhausted all means, even pleading for the direct intervention of Shallya herself, but even the goddess could not combat this terrible plague.
However, the first miracle appeared in Nuln. This city, which had been plagued from the start, saw all its patients miraculously cured on the spot when Baron Frederik of Nuln personally arrived. The sacred light emanating from the Baron seemed to have the power to repel the plague. People hailed it as a divine miracle, and the people of Nuln believed it was proof that Baron Frederik was destined to be crowned Emperor.
Unfortunately, the Baron's power was limited. Wherever he went, the plague receded, but it returned soon after he left. Thus, the poor Baron became the busiest man in the city, inspecting everywhere daily, living a 997 lifestyle, all to relieve the people's suffering.
In Solland, Gelt also found a peculiar solution. The Supreme Patriarch announced that he had created a mysterious talisman water, a "Terra Ecclesiarchy Holy Water" that combined magic and divine power. Those who drank the holy water and prayed would recover their health after some time.
The savior Gelt earned the nickname "Great Virtuous Master" from the people of the Empire.
Unfortunately, the holy water was scarce and insufficient for the entire population of Solland. However, with a specific treatment available, many Tilean mercenaries began attempting to cross the Black Mountains into Solland seeking a cure.
Bretonnia, on the other hand, was even more formidable. As the Sun King sent ten "Sons of Bretonnia" (the new Grey Knight recruits) to represent him and tour the kingdom, all plagues were permanently cured. This sparked another wave of fervent devotion and donations to the Cult of the Lady. Most commoners believed that when Shallya and the other gods of the Old World failed to protect them, it was the Lady who continued to watch over this blessed land.
The wave of fanatical devotion created a tidal wave of energy in the Warp, greatly supplementing and strengthening the Lady's divine power, allowing her to complete the construction of a divine barrier. Starting last month, the number of daemons and Beastmen appearing in Bretonnia significantly decreased, and many peasants could finally sleep peacefully.
Meanwhile, news arrived from Kislev. Large hordes of Chaos tribes and daemon legions began besieging Praag. The defenders were on the verge of collapse, but at the critical moment, Vilitch the Curseling, who had arrived at the frontlines, clashed fiercely with Throgg the Troll King and two other Chaos warlords.
This conflict quickly escalated into a full-scale war. A Chaos legion, two tribal armies, and Throgg's troll legion fought a massive battle beneath the walls of Praag. The defenders watched as the four armies clashed for over three months. In the end, this Chaos tide, which wasn't even a vanguard force, lost over ten thousand troops to infighting and temporarily retreated.
Now, in the Palace of Fontainebleau, Ryan sat in his meditation chamber. The Sun King, his palms facing upward, gazed at the gift from the Primordial Daemon Prince Be'lakor. The Knight King, now at the peak of the Saint Realm, had been absorbing this purified Chaos essence for a long time. He had gained even more power from Be'lakor.
*Static Black Hole*: Ryan could now stretch the black hole into a line, pulling all enemies along that line into the Warp, while temporarily dividing enemies within dozens of meters into two groups.
*Psychic Retaliation*: Ryan could now enter a rift in the Warp, absorbing all magical attacks and, after a period of time, reflecting that magical energy back at all enemies within fifty meters.
However, Ryan was not satisfied. The Grey Knight Primarch regretted not learning the ultimate technique, "Annihilation Singularity," a devastating finishing move.
As for the second issue, Ryan remained stuck at the peak of the Saint Realm, unable to break through to the Demigod level. He was firmly trapped at the threshold of the Demigod realm.
This frustrated Ryan greatly.
Ryan couldn't help but reflect on his accumulated knowledge.
What is a god? What is a "true god"?
This was the question.
First, setting aside the tired, boring, and dangerous debate about whether the Emperor was a god—a topic only the Primarchs and Custodians dared to ponder—there was no doubt that the Chaos Gods were true gods.
So, how did the Chaos Gods come into being?
According to the Old Ones' records, the Chaos Gods were born in the "Realm of Souls," initially a calm realm of pure energy also known as the "Warp," "Aethyr," "Empyrean," or "Heaven."
The emotional fluctuations of mortal beings affected this realm. However, due to certain events, such as the War in Heaven between the Old Ones and the Necrons, and the increasing emotional turbulence caused by the growing number of living beings, the Warp began to mutate, and the Chaos Gods emerged, each representing one of the four primal emotional extremes.
This was why the Chaos Gods were the most powerful.
Next in line were the gods of Order. According to the Book of Asuryan, the gods of Order emerged after the Chaos Gods, as Chaos represented emotion, while Order represented reason. Reason required guidance and teaching and was easily suppressed by emotion.
Ryan could neither become a Chaos God nor a god of Order. These two paths were out of the question.
That left two other options: "Faith Gods" and "Mortal Gods."
Faith Gods were simple. If enough people believed in and worshipped a deity, in a world of idealism, over time, a god could be born. Of course, such gods were usually weak at birth, weaker than even Silvia, the head maid who guarded the door. Some were powerful, like Gork and Mork of the Greenskins.
Just considering the Empire alone, there were hundreds of such gods—mountain gods, river gods, grain gods, village gods, Halfling gods, and so on.
Ryan didn't have decades to spare, nor was he interested in this path.
That left Mortal Gods.
As the name suggested, Mortal Gods were once mortals who walked the earth.
Karl Franz was a Mortal God. Myrmidia (who had once walked the earth and fought) was a Mortal God. The Dwarf Gods were Mortal Gods. Even the Old Ones worshipped by the Lizardmen (except Sotek) were once Mortal Gods.
The exact conditions for a mortal to become a god were unclear, but based on existing information, these Mortal Gods either entered the Warp to fight and obtained a "certificate of qualification," or they received recognition from other gods or even entire pantheons.
Now, Ryan had reached the threshold but couldn't find the way in.
In theory, a Demigod was also a god, but compared to a true god, a Demigod lacked one crucial element.
A god could bestow divine blessings, miracles, and divine power upon their followers.
If that was the case, then the Emperor was indeed... Ryan's face turned green at the thought.
If the Emperor was not a god, then what about the miracles, divine blessings, Living Saints, the Legion of the Damned, and the Warp storms? Were they all fake?
If the Emperor was a god, then what about Imperial Truth...
Was Lorgar actually right?
No, I can't keep thinking about this, or I'll get dizzy too.
At this point, Ryan decided to consult the Lady of the Lake. While Ryan had no desire to become a Demigod like the Green Knight, bound as a servant to the Lady, he believed the Lady might have some insights on how to ascend to Demigodhood.
However, just as he was about to do so, the door to the meditation chamber opened.
The Dark Elf Olica appeared at the doorway, exuding an aura of cold elegance. She wore the Pale Crown and a pure black layered lace dress adorned with a swan lake pattern, paired with glossy black stockings and sleek high-heeled boots. Olica's delicate face held an uncharacteristic seriousness, mixed with an icy chill. Unusually, she did not greet Ryan with her usual sweet smile or playful coquettishness. Instead, she strode into the room with purpose, her long legs moving gracefully beneath her skirt. Her white cloak, embroidered with intricate rose and thorn patterns, fluttered softly behind her.
"Master, the time has come," Olica said to Ryan.
"I know," Ryan nodded. He glanced at the door and said to Silvia, the head maid, "Silvia, close the door. Olica and I are about to conduct an important ritual. Do not disturb us until we come out. Any matters should be handled by Sulia and Morgiana."
"Understood," Silvia pursed her lips, thinking to herself, Aren't you just going to have a secret tryst in the meditation chamber? Why make it sound so serious?
However, Silvia had one virtue: she respected rules and order. Since Ryan had given the order, she nodded, closed the thick wooden door of the meditation chamber, and instructed the guards to stand further away.
Before closing the door, she peeked inside. Sure enough, the Dark Elf's legs, clad in glossy black stockings, were already wrapped around Ryan's waist as the Sun King sat on a comfortable chair, holding her face-to-face.
"Tch," Silvia cursed inwardly, but she couldn't help feeling envious. She knew she was often too rigid and serious, which made her less appealing to Ryan, but she simply couldn't let go. No matter how pleasurable, she always felt a sense of guilt and shame.
Perhaps in the future, I could be a little more...
Inside the meditation chamber, Olica sat on Ryan's lap, facing him. The Dark Elf spoke seriously, "Master, if we simply perform the ritual, I stand no chance against the Pale Queen. So, you'll need to provide me with infinite energy, as much as I need."
"No problem, but won't that be considered cheating?" Ryan nodded.
"No, the gods of the Underworld aren't as hypocritical as the gods of Heaven," Olica sneered. "The strong rule. That's the way of the Druchii!"
"Good!" Ryan said no more.
But Olica had more to say. "Master, your sword."
Then, a purple-white mist enveloped Olica.
...I am your sword's dividing line...
"Boom~ Boom~ Boom~"
The ancient bells rang within the Pale Queen's divine realm.
This was an extremely desolate and twisted land, but in the center of the barren wasteland stood several massive fortresses and palaces, each capable of housing a hundred thousand souls.
A pale river flowed beside the palaces, but the river did not carry water or blood. Instead, it was filled with souls writhing in pain, despair, and regret.
"Boom~ Boom~ Boom~"
The palace gates opened, chains fell, and winches turned.
The gates adorned with rose and thorn patterns swung open.
Olica Korlandia, the Beloved of the Pale Queen, her daughter, her Chosen, her fragment, her avatar, walked into the palace under the escort of two fully armed Pale Guards.
The Pale Queen, Hellebron, sat upon the sacred throne. This former queen of the Dark Elves, now the Pale Queen, appeared as a noblewoman in her thirties or forties by human standards. She was strikingly beautiful, with an air of nobility, dressed in a purple gown with a train dozens of meters long. In her hand, she held the symbol of the Dark Elf gods—the Staff of Malediction. However, her figure was noticeably gaunt. Yet, upon seeing Olica, the Pale Queen couldn't help but smile. "Daughter, you've finally come."
"Mother," Olica smiled sweetly, kneeling on one knee under the watchful eyes of the Pale Guards.
"It's good that you've returned, my daughter," the Pale Queen's voice was hoarse. She rarely spoke, having grown silent after her love for Asuryan was rejected. She gazed at Olica as if looking at a sumptuous feast. "Good, you've been obedient. Everything is prepared. You no longer need to suffer, to sacrifice for me, or to bear your responsibilities."
"Yes, Mother," Olica smiled sweetly, even narrowing her eyes.
"Now, come to me. Let us begin," the Pale Queen gestured for Olica to ascend the dais, while the Pale Guards disarmed Olica completely.
"Yes, it's time to begin," Olica strode up the steps.
The Pale Queen was very pleased, but then she noticed the strange, beautiful patterns on Olica's abdomen glowing brightly. Olica placed her hand on the glowing patterns.
"What is this, daughter?" the Pale Queen asked curiously. "What has that human branded on you?"
Olica did not answer. Instead, the Dark Elf drew a pure psychic energy greatsword from the patterns on her abdomen.
Ryan's psychic-forged weapon—the Blade of Vengeance!
"Daughter? What are you doing?"
The Blade of Vengeance pierced through the Pale Queen's chest. The goddess looked up to see Olica's cold, cruel smile. The Dark Elf's voice was filled with malice and madness. "To inherit you, Mother!"
"Ugh!" The Pale Queen screamed in agony, her hands flailing. But within the flames of the Blade of Vengeance, the Pale Queen fell, turning to ash. With her dying breath, a beam of white light shot from her mouth toward Olica.
Olica's expression changed drastically. Without a second glance at the ashes on the throne, she turned around.
"So, you weren't planning to go quietly after all, daughter," a Pale Guard pulled back her hood, revealing the same gaunt noblewoman's face.
She was the true Pale Queen, Hellebron.
"Of course, it wouldn't be that easy, Mother," Olica didn't seem surprised. After a brief moment of shock, the Dark Elf continued to smile sweetly. "But it doesn't matter. What comes next is my ascension. Deep down, I yearn for you, your power, your divine spark, and your divine flame. Are you ready to welcome your new master?"
"Very well!" The Pale Queen drew two divine swords from her back, each crafted from the bones and souls of elves. They were called the Pale Feather and the Withering Blossom.
Olica held the Blade of Vengeance in one hand and drew her divine dagger, the Omen of Sorrow, in the other.
Mother and daughter faced each other.
"The Pale Queen Ritual begins!"
"The victor shall become the new Pale Queen, and the loser shall be eternally damned!"
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