The Warp.
Also known as: the Sea of Souls, the Empyrean.
It is the mirror image of the real universe, the destination of souls after death, a paradise for souls to rest, a place of eternal peace.
It reflects the abstract emotion of "feelings" possessed by sentient beings in the real universe; all emotions in the Warp are transparent, pure, and fervent.
Intense emotions collide, compress, and twist into vortices and storms in the boundless Warp, carrying fragments of thought in their wake. Ultimately, everything transforms into the power source of the Sea of Souls.
The emotions of beings in the real universe create ripples in the Warp, eventually converging into its endless tides.
In the Sea of Souls, an energy world formed by various extreme emotions, time and space lose all meaning.
Once, the Sea of Souls was utterly calm, allowing the souls of sentient beings to rest and enjoy eternal tranquility.
However, a cataclysmic event originating from the real universe changed it forever.
A horrific war between two dominant races spanned the entire galaxy, shattering stars and depleting life.
The unwillingness and suffering in the souls of the trillions of beings who died in that war polluted the Sea of Souls.
Any soul entering the Warp would be twisted by those defiled emotions, detaching from its original essence and falling into complete corruption.
Countless souls and intense emotions churned ceaselessly in the unpredictable and bizarre tides of the Warp, separating and merging, ultimately converging into purely extreme thoughts, becoming a single entity.
Gods were born!
Deities, eternal, immortal, and truly existing, standing amidst the endless tides of the Warp!
Contrary to the sanctity and purity associated with worshipped gods, the true gods of the Warp were born from the extreme emotions within the Warp:
Corrupted thoughts, frenzied emotions, twisted souls, and the most extreme blasphemies.
"Gods" born of extreme thoughts, true Chaos Gods!
More blasphemous than blasphemy, more corrupted than corruption, their wicked power surpasses anything sentient beings in the real world could imagine.
What they seek are the strong, fervent, pure, and extreme emotions found in the real universe.
When extreme emotions arise in the real universe, the Warp responds, and surging power tears open a Warp rift in the real universe.
The minions of the Chaos Gods pour forth, breaking through the real barrier, descending into the real universe from the rift, seeking those souls that have fallen into extremism.
The extreme emotions of beings in the real universe are the best food for the Chaos Gods; all chaos and suffering, beauty and happiness in the mortal realm become sustenance for the Chaos Gods.
The Warp encompasses all emotions and evil thoughts, and the Chaos Gods, formed by several mainstream emotions, became the supreme rulers of the Sea of Souls.
Khorne, legend says He is the god of war and slaughter.
Every war in the real universe, even disputes between two individuals, every drop of blood shed in battle, ultimately flows to the Brass Throne.
He wears brass armor and sits upon the Brass Throne, reveling in the beauty of war and slaughter, and bestowing blessings upon valiant warriors.
Within His domain, rivers of molten, boiling blood flow, sulfurous smoke never extinguishes, and beneath a dim yellow sun, demons engage in endless combat, hoping to please their master.
Before the throne, countless "demons" formed from fragments of the Chaos God's consciousness frolic in the divine realm, keeping a close watch on the unstable tides of the Warp for their master, ready to invade the real universe at any moment.
Khorne Himself sits upon the Skull Throne, sensing every war in the real universe, sometimes roaring with laughter at the battles between demons, and at other times looking warily into the distance.
In the endless chaos of the Warp, there is more than one deity.
Powerful Chaos Gods, each with their own divine realm in the chaotic domain, are collectively known as: the Four Chaos Gods!
They are hostile to each other due to the different powers they wield. The gods' gazes rarely linger in their own divine realms, but are constantly wary of the other Chaos Gods.
The Four Gods are eternally vigilant of each other, maintaining a delicate balance under various chains of suspicion. But there is one Chaos God among them who is perpetually guarded against by the other three.
Tzeentch, also known as: the Lord of Change.
He is the embodiment of all schemes and wisdom, orchestrating an endless "Great Game" amidst the surging tides of the Warp.
Tzeentch was once the strongest Chaos God in the Empyrean, but due to His immense power, He was collectively attacked by the other three Chaos Gods and forced to relinquish a part of His essence. His strength greatly diminished, He now ranks after Khorne, second among the gods.
The longsword in Khorne's hand was snatched from Tzeentch, and Khorne swore an oath never to let it go. He constantly watches for any movement in Tzeentch's domain, preventing from suddenly attacking to reclaim His original weapon.
Unlike the thunderous sounds of battle in Khorne's domain, Tzeentch's domain is as quiet as a library in the mortal world.
Tzeentch's domain is the "Crystal Labyrinth," which stands within His realm. It is an ever-changing maze composed of countless corridors and rooms, and books containing all the truths of the universe.
It has no defensive structures on its periphery and welcomes scholars.
Demons flap their wings, like scholars, carrying books filled with secrets, moving through the Crystal Labyrinth, wandering through corridors of countless knowledge and secrets, whispers echoing, weaving one scheme after another.
The demons resemble their master; the more powerful the entity, the closer its visible form is to the Chaos God.
Tzeentch's demons resemble large birds, with two talons and long, slender upper limbs, their bodies a mysterious, ethereal blue. They have two wings on their backs, and with every shimmering colorful feather, the light of wisdom flows from the gaps.
The Crystal Labyrinth, like its master, is ever-changing. In an instant, the labyrinth's arrangement can reconfigure trillions of times, giving rise to countless variations. Even Tzeentch's demons, if slightly careless, can get lost in its endless corridors.
Deep within the labyrinth, the Lord of Change sits cross-legged, suspended in the void.
Through countless ages, no sentient being has been able to pass through the Crystal Labyrinth to reach Tzeentch Himself and claim His infinite knowledge as a reward. Even the Chaos God Himself sometimes loses focus due to the constant changes within the Crystal Labyrinth.
Today…
Perhaps this description based on linear time is inaccurate; there is no concept of time in the Warp, only "now."
The Lord of Change is troubled.
Countless eyes, symbolizing "all-seeing," appear on His face, then instantly twist and transform into soul-stirring vortices. His slender bird-like body is constantly changing, His skin decaying from smooth to wrinkled, several fanged mouths appearing and disappearing on His body, chattering wildly, revealing insane knowledge and truths.
His hanging arms are long and thin, His fingers as gaunt as bamboo joints, resting casually on His thighs.
On His withered palm, one or two? Or countless fingers stir, weaving the most complex schemes into existence, flowing into the real universe.
Change is eternal and ceaseless; His trouble is not being "seen" or defined, but a true existence.
Tzeentch was once the strongest Chaos God, more powerful than any of His brethren.
It was precisely this overwhelming power, looking down upon the other gods, that aroused their jealousy. They united to attack Tzeentch, forcing Him to relinquish a portion of His power.
Facing the relentless pressure from the gods, Tzeentch reluctantly gave up some of His authority, planning for His next revenge.
Tzeentch destroyed a part of Himself, the "Crystal Scepter," the source of all magic, a weapon He had always held tightly, in exchange for the gods' departure.
The shattering of the Crystal Scepter's essence broke into countless magic spells scattered throughout the Warp, and countless magical knowledge spread across the universe.
And the immense power contained within the scepter, the essence of a Chaos God, fell deep into the Crystal Labyrinth, becoming a source.
Countless mysteries poured forth from it, and the moment the source landed, its true name echoed in the Warp: "The Well of Eternity."
When the Well of Eternity appeared in His domain, the Lord of Change had noticed it long ago.
Although it was formed from His own power, even Tzeentch Himself found it difficult to fully comprehend and know all the mysteries within the Well of Eternity.
When He relinquished that authority, an incredible change occurred as the Crystal Scepter's essence shattered and fell.
Tzeentch sat withered before the Well of Eternity for countless ages, yet could not glimpse the subtle changes within, which greatly troubled the Chaos God who prided Himself as the "Lord of Change."
Looking down, there was no physical entity in the well; what met the eye was an endless starry sky. The Well of Eternity seemed more like a portal, connecting to another universe.
If this were true, it would be a tremendous boon for Tzeentch.
He could enter another reality, claim that universe, and then exact revenge on the other three Chaos Gods.
In the endless past, the Lord of Change had countless times sought to restore His strength and reclaim His rightful position.
In the past, the Lord of Change sent powerful Tzeentch Greater Daemons into the Well of Eternity, hoping to glimpse its secrets and changes, but they always returned empty-handed.
Only one Tzeentch Greater Daemon successfully returned, having undergone a strange transformation.
Its neck had split, growing a second head.
The daemon's immortal body became hunched and ancient, its behavior erratic and insane, its memory completely muddled, unable to recall what had happened in the well.
It was once named "Kairos," and now calls itself "Kairos Fateweaver." Its two heads each gained the ability to peer into the past and the future.
Although the changes that occurred to the Fateweaver were astonishing, they did not satisfy the Lord of Change, who dared not risk Himself by personally entering the Well of Eternity.
For countless ages, He stared at the Well of Eternity, lost in thought, troubled by what secrets it held.
Within the Well of Eternity, in the void beyond the reach of the Chaos God's gaze, a faint glimmer drifted in the silent darkness.
If the Chaos God had known, He would have recognized the essence of the glimmer at a glance: the soul of a sentient being called "human."
"System, are you sure the place we're transmigrating to has elves, dwarves, orcs, and magic?" A ripple of thought emanated from the soul, echoing in the void without space or distance.
"Host, rest assured. The target world has been locked, and we are about to arrive." Another ripple of thought came, but it was cold and mechanical.