Warhammer [546-548] (Patreon)

Chapter 546: The First Avatar of the Emperor Enters the Fray

Khârn's chest was torn open, blood gushing like a waterfall, yet he laughed madly, both hands clamping onto Calgar's arms.

"You think… this can kill me? Calgar, you're far too naive." His voice was low and twisted.

"The Blood God blesses me. My flesh… is inexhaustible!"

In the next second, countless tendrils of flesh surged from his wound, coiling around Calgar's arms, trying to haul him in.

At the same time Khârn raised his twin axes again, scarlet runes flaring as he cleaved down!

This was the most terrifying aspect of being the Blood God's chosen—he would not die, knew no fatigue, no pain, no fear.

Calgar snorted coldly and raised his massive power gauntlets to meet him. In battle state after his modifications, his ultra-beast physique also knew neither pain nor exhaustion—only lacking Khârn's horrifying regeneration.

Besides, this battle was not the same as last time. Did he really think his undying body had no counter? Today would be Khârn's death day.

Khârn roared, swinging his twin axes to strike at Calgar once more. The other refused to yield, lifting his power fists to meet the blow.

The two giants collided violently; everything within a kilometer collapsed, a colossal shockwave radiating from their clash.

Boom—!!!

Two destructive forces collided, shockwaves sweeping the battlefield like a tsunami. The ground of Vigilus shattered with a wail; gravel and dust blasted skyward, forming a murky mushroom cloud. Buildings, vehicles, even warriors who failed to escape were crushed to powder in an instant.

Khârn's scarlet runes and Calgar's power-field tore at each other, turbulent energies detonating between them.

"Blood for the Blood God! Skulls for the Skull Throne!"

Khârn howled, the runes on his axes burning white-hot. Each swing carried ferocity enough to hew through anything. His flesh kept regenerating, and tendrils writhing from his wounds began corroding Calgar's armor, seeking to burrow into his body.

Calgar said nothing. His massive power gauntlets erupted with high-frequency vibrations, pounding Khârn again and again.

"You still don't understand, Calgar?"

Khârn sneered, crossing his axes in a downward scissor, the scarlet runes tracing two incandescent arcs through the air.

"The Blood God granted me more than flesh—he gave me the power to destroy you!"

Axe-edge met power fist once more, energy turbulence exploding and cracking the ground beneath them like a spiderweb.

"Your god will witness your failure, Khârn."

Calgar suddenly surged, his gauntlets' force field spiking. One punch hammered Khârn's abdomen, blasting him back dozens of meters and plowing a deep furrow.

"It's you who shall be judged, traitor."

Boom—!!!

Axes and iron fists clashed a third time. This time, the shockwave flipped the terrain for hundreds of meters around. The sky over Vigilus seemed dyed blood-red. At the heart of the annihilating storm, the two giants still fought, deathless and relentless.

Blue light flashed on Calgar's power gauntlets as they fired a beam that blew Khârn into fragments.

After losing to Khârn last time, Rhodes had upgraded Calgar, adding a beam-emission ability so he could unleash an Super Beast ray.

The shattered Khârn rapidly healed; blood-red mist gathered, and even before his body had fully reformed, he charged with a manic grin, swinging his power axes.

"You cannot harm me. My flesh is infinite, while your power… will run dry!"

At the instant their blades were about to fall, a golden, holy radiance descended from the heavens!

"Heretic! Your arrogance ends here!" A golden greatsword wreathed in sacred flame speared through Khârn's shoulder, its impact forcing him back several steps.

Khârn roared and turned, seeing a towering figure radiating golden light, clad in immense golden armor with a cloak, wielding a golden greatsword. The newcomer's very body shone with aureate brilliance.

All human warriors bathed in that glow felt invigorated. Strength flooded their bodies; even the Battle Sisters let out frenzied war-cries.

Appearing at Calgar's side was a massive Avatar of the Emperor—and not an ordinary one. This was the very first Avatar Rhodes had ever summoned.

He was the first Ace Killer to absorb Rhodes's psyker power, then pushed by Rhodes's system to the absolute limit, bearing the Emperor's mightiest psychic force.

That power even fused with the energies of the material universe, forming a holier power of light. He was the strongest among all Avatars of the Emperor, no mere rank-and-file manifestation.

This first Avatar had been dispatched by Rhodes specifically to aid Calgar in slaying the Blood God's chosen. Having been enhanced to the state of ultimate divine power, he possessed the strength to kill a Daemon Prince or a Chosen Greater Daemon.

His greatsword was forged of extradimensional metal, alloyed with auramite, and personally quenched and enchanted by the Emperor's own psychic might—tantamount to an alternate Emperor's Sword.

"By the Emperor above, His Avatar has come."

"The great Avatar of the Emperor has come to sweep away evil and save His children."

Gazing up at the sky's holy aura, Khârn felt a crushing suppression. The Blood God's blessing seemed weakened.

"Dog of the False Emperor! Damn corpse-emperor's avatar—show yourself before me! I don't need Abaddon to kill you. I'll do it myself!" Khârn bellowed, scarlet eyes burning with rage—yet a hint of wavering crept into his voice.

The Avatar gave no reply, only slowly raising the golden, flame-wreathed sword. Where its tip pointed, the air itself warped under the holy fire.

His existence was like an unscalable mountain. Pure holy power became tangible radiance, blanketing the battlefield.

"Heretic, your blasphemous flesh will be reduced to ash in the Emperor's wrath. The crimes you have committed against Humanity will be repaid today."

As the words fell, the Avatar flashed forward like golden lightning, sword carving a brilliant arc straight for Khârn's head!

Khârn roared and swung to parry, but—clang—!!!

At the instant scarlet runes met sacred flame, cracks split Khârn's twin axes!

Worse, the holy fire crawled along the axe-blades and began burning his flesh!

"No—!" Khârn snarled in shock and rage. He had never felt such agony—the Blood God's blessing was fading! Those tendrils that had crazedly regenerated now withered and blackened under the sacred flames, crumbling to ash!

This time the Blood God did not favor him. The endless well of chaotic power in his body seemed to vanish, replaced by an indescribable pain of the soul.

The Avatar gave him no respite. The greatsword lifted again, runes along the blade flaring with blinding gold, like a miniature star forming in his hand.

"Traitor, your judgment has come."

Boom—!!! The blade fell. Holy flame became a heaven-piercing pillar of light, engulfing Khârn completely!

Under that force, the ground of Vigilus split apart. A golden storm of energy swept outward, purifying all chaotic filth in its glow!

Countless Chaos daemons and Chaos Space Marines died under the Avatar's assault, while the Imperium's forces erupted in jubilant shouts.

All cried, "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

 "Aaaahhhh—!!" Khârn's shriek echoed across the field. His body writhed madly in the sacred flames, regenerating, only to be burned again. The Blood God's boon and the Emperor's might warred within him—but this time, Chaos regeneration was suppressed!

"Daemon—vile traitor—go pray to your god again. Will your god bless you once more under the Emperor's power?"

Calgar did not miss the chance. He cranked his power gauntlets to maximum output; blue Super Beast light gathered at his palm and blasted Khârn.

"This strike is for all warriors slain by Chaos!"

The Super Beast ray and the Emperor's holy flame struck Khârn together. Two utterly different yet equally annihilating forces intertwined into an unprecedented vortex of energy!

 "No… impossible! Blood God… grant me… power—!"

A certain Chaos God seemed to hear his chosen's cry, but at this moment was powerless.

Khârn's roars twisted. His flesh collapsed under light and fire; even his soul was quenched by the Emperor's power. Finally—ka-thoom—!!

After a blinding flash, only a vast, charred crater remained.

Khârn, the Blood God's chosen, the undying berserker—the enemy of Mankind—was annihilated! The battlefield fell silent, then the warriors of Humanity erupted in thunderous cheers!

 "Long live the Emperor!!!"

Ultramarines, Battle Sisters, even local mortal militia shouted as one.

This is the Emperor's power!

 "The claws of the Chaos Gods have been severed, but the war is not over." He looked to Calgar, his voice rolling like thunder.

"Advance, warriors of the Imperium, sons of Humanity—attack until every inch of the galaxy's chaotic filth and xenos evil is purged."

"For the Emperor! For Humanity!" The Imperium's reply shook the heavens.

The Avatar's figure gradually faded, scattering into countless golden motes, yet his power lingered on the field, inspiring every warrior to fight on. In the depths of the Warp, the Blood God's roar shook the realms of Chaos—His chosen had been utterly erased!

With the Chaos champion slain, the Imperium's morale exploded, and they began a counteroffensive against the Chaos host.

Chapter 547: Vigilus Meat Grinder—Fight to the Bitter End

"For the Emperor! For Holy Terra!"

With Khârn's fall, the warriors of the Imperium erupted with unprecedented morale. All believed they would win under the Emperor's Avatar and His Angels of Death. They had defeated the vile Orks; now they would defeat the Chaos traitors.

Ultramarines' blue armor gleamed beneath golden light. The Battle Sisters' flamers roared, purging Chaos filth. Even mortal soldiers raised their lasguns and charged the collapsing Chaotic line with a roar.

The Chaos front began to crumble. Deprived of the Blood God's chosen, the Chaos Space Marines fell into disarray. Their mutating flesh twisted and collapsed under the Avatar's afterglow.

Khorne berserkers still roared, but their axes could no longer breach the Imperium's lines—holy flames still burned across the battlefield, and anything profane that touched them turned to ash, screaming.

"Retreat! Retreat!" a Chaos lord howled, his armor charred black by the Emperor's sacred fire.

But it was too late. Calgar raised his power gauntlets, Super Beast energy gathering at his knuckles.

"Whole Chapter—advance! Leave none alive! Exterminate these traitors!"

Blue beams of annihilation swept the field, vaporizing swathes of Chaos warriors. With the beam upgrade, Calgar's combat power had soared.

Ultramarines' heavy tanks crushed wreckage; bolter fire blanketed the sky. The Battle Sisters' purifying flame scoured every tainted inch of ground.

The Chaos army fell back in stages. Their war-cries became howls of fear. Daemons screamed and dissipated in sacred flame; traitors' flesh withered in the Emperor's wrath.

The Avatar radiated golden brilliance head to toe. Not only did that light sear daemon-flesh and destroy their souls—it also healed nearby allies, mending their wounds in an instant, and cloaked them in golden glow that made their bodies stronger.

A few mortal soldiers, working with a single Battle Sister, even brought down a Chaos Space Marine.

Though he was only an original-pattern Astartes, being felled like that still shocked the forces of Chaos.

"No! This can't be! The Blood God… would not abandon us!" a Khorne champion knelt, his axe broken, scarlet runes guttered out.

The next second, a meltagun round blew his head apart.

The Chaos Space Marines began to fall back. The Alien Barbarue, impersonating Abaddon aboard the Vengeful Spirit, put on a show of roaring orders, commanding all Chaos warriors to sally out for a fight to the death with Humanity.

"Warmaster, now is not the time. We have no means to deal with that Avatar. This one is unlike any we've faced before," said a Daemon Prince of Chaos.

In recent years of war, Avatars of the Emperor appeared often across battlefields, often with the Emperor's zombie legions.

Whenever an Avatar appeared, Imperium troops received incredible morale—but those Avatars' golden psyker power usually could only erase common daemons. This time, the Avatar's power was completely different.

Even greater daemons, Chaos Space Marines, Chaos champions, and Chaos lords turned to dust at a touch of this one's power.

Even the Blood God's chosen, Khârn, had perished under this Avatar's blade.

It was inconceivable—this Avatar's might far exceeded their expectations.

He could kill Daemon Princes, even Greater Daemons—feats usually requiring an artifact or the Emperor Himself.

This particular Avatar was clearly not normal. Until they gauged the enemy's depths, it was best not to attack rashly.

"You mean to tell me that I, the great Chaos Warmaster Abaddon, should retreat?

I brought you lot to take the False Emperor's head and wreck his plans, and now you tell me to retreat?" The Alien Barbarue, playing Abaddon, roared in fury.

"Great Warmaster, it's only a temporary strategic withdrawal. We're not suited to a head-on clash now. There aren't many mortals or Astartes on this world, while your Black Legion numbers in the hundreds of thousands. If we drag this out, victory will be ours," a Chaos lord said, stepping forward.

What was with the Warmaster today? Normally he wouldn't be like this. And the Warmaster himself had retreated before—often, in fact.

Since the first Black Crusade, our great Warmaster Abaddon had been constantly retreating—for "preserving strength"—rarely going toe-to-toe with the Imperium.

"No! That was then—now it's different. You are all my gene-sons now, no longer Horus's.

He has abandoned us. You will follow me to annihilate these accursed Ultramarines and take this planet," Abaddon shouted in rage.

…And how exactly are those two things related? We never said we weren't your sons!

"Can't you see? Calgar is stalling. They're just a spent arrow. He's waiting for imperial reinforcements—waiting for Guilliman's crusade.

Once Guilliman arrives, we face hundreds of thousands of Imperial Space Marines. Our original-pattern Chaos Astartes cannot match these new-model Marines," Abaddon said from his throne.

At that, some Black Legion champions and lords fell silent.

Indeed. Though they'd seized a trove of transhuman organs at Macragge, the number of new-model Chaos Space Marines actually created was pitiful.

The Black Legion had only about ten thousand of them; other warbands and legions had only a smattering. Over 80% of Chaos Astartes were still original-pattern.

The disparity was obvious. The new Primaris-type Space Marines could casually mow down six or seven original-pattern Chaos Marines, if not more.

If Roboute Guilliman himself arrived, they'd have no chance. Even with equal numbers, they'd lose. The Imperium's mortal super-soldier drugs could even let a mortal burst-kill them.

"Great Dark Warmaster, great gene-father—allow me to lead the charge!" a Black Legion champion knelt on one knee before Abaddon.

"I know this war will be bitter and grueling, but we must take Vigilus and give Guilliman no chance.

All Chaos sorcerers—open Warp rifts for me. Release hordes of daemons," Abaddon ordered.

His master wanted a balanced, prolonged struggle. The Black Legion could not lose too quickly; they must hold out until Guilliman arrived, draw out the master's true target, and even seize a measure of advantage in the meantime.

"To battle! Warriors of the Black Legion! The great gene-father Abaddon watches us!"

"Fight! Fight!" Numerous Astartes rode drop pods down to the surface once more.

In addition, many warp-sorcerers teleported to the ground and hastily began sacrificial rites, opening rift after rift to vomit forth uncountable daemons.

The field plunged back into chaos.

Daemon roars and war-cries split the sky. From the rifts poured warped shapes—bloodthirsty Khorne Bloodletters, Tzeentchian Flamers, Nurgle Plague spirits, and Slaanesh Daemonettes.

They surged at the Imperial line like a tide. Chaos sorcerers' foul arts whipped up psychic storms, corrupt energies twisting reality's fabric.

Yet the Avatar's golden radiance stood like an impassable wall. He raised his flame-wreathed greatsword; wherever the tip pointed, daemons screamed and turned to ash.

The Avatar's mere presence was purifying force. Any Chaotic construct that neared him unraveled and dissipated.

"Hold the line! For the Emperor!" Calgar's voice carried through command channels.

The Ultramarines' formation did not waver; bolter fire wove a shroud of death, shredding charging daemons.

The Battle Sisters' sacred flame burned all profanities to cinders.

The mortal soldiers no longer feared. In the Avatar's glow, their las-bolts carried a faint gold tint, each shot punching through Chaos Astartes armor.

A commissar raised a chainsword and led a countercharge, even driving back a squad of Khorne berserkers.

The fighting was savage in the extreme. With a steady stream of daemons from the Warp, the Chaos host stabilized the situation; both sides fell into a grueling stalemate.

All of Vigilus became a giant meat grinder. At some point, the Avatar had already left the field.

This fight now belonged to Ultramarines, Imperial mortals, and the Chaos horde.

…

In the depths of the Warp, the Blood God's throne quaked, His furious roars tearing the veil between real and unreal.

"Khârn… failed?!"

Khorne's wrath became a deluge of blood. His daemons cowered in corners, not daring to look upon their master's rage.

Chapter 548

The Blood God had not been this angry in ages—so long they had nearly forgotten.

When their master raged, the whole Warp drowned in bloodstorm.

"The False Emperor's avatar… dared to touch my domain?!"

His fury was not only Khârn's fall, but the Avatar's appearance—that golden light, that purifying force—effortlessly erasing his greatest warrior. This was not just defeat. It was desecration.

"Blood sacrifice! More blood! More skulls!"

Khorne's will thundered into realspace. Countless Khorne cultists on battlefields fell into frenzy. Their flesh warped and swelled; scarlet light burst from their eyes. Axes and chainblades swung out of control, hacking everything around them—friend and foe alike.

Khorne's wrath also swelled Chaos strength; countless Khorne daemons poured from the Warp.

"Kill! Kill them all! Wash away shame with blood!" His voice filled every believer and daemon. The slaughter became madness.

Empowered by Khorne, Imperial forces were suppressed.

…

Upon the Golden Throne, the Emperor shone with golden radiance. A mighty psychic force wrapped the Warp, hauling human ships swallowed by the bloodstorm back out and returning them to orbit.

"My children, do not make Warp jumps now. Use FTL drives. Under no circumstances enter the Warp for the time being," the Emperor's voice reached Navigators across time and space.

Those ships He saved immediately knelt to pray to the Emperor, then engaged their realspace FTL and traveled without touching the Warp.

Those without FTL engines made for nearby safe regions to lie low. Entering the Warp now would be suicide—the Blood God would devour all.

…

On the Vengeful Spirit's command deck, The Alien Barbarue impersonating Abaddon felt the Blood God's rage. His skin burned; Khorne's roar drummed at his ears, as if he would be torn apart the next second.

"Master… we…" he stammered, looking toward the shadow.

A low, icy voice from the darkness: "Keep attacking—but do not win."

The Blood God had just juiced the Chaos army.

Perfect.

"But the Blood God—" The Alien Barbarue faltered. The terrifying crimson power had brushed him, too.

Fortunately, his Master's presence shielded him from the frenzy.

"The Blood God wants vengeance—give him the chance."

The Alien Barbarue gritted his teeth and spun around to roar: "Black Legion! Advance! The Blood God watches us!"

Chaos Space Marines aboard the Vengeful Spirit howled. The battle grew even fiercer and bloodier.

The Chaos army charged again—this time, more ferocious and more chaotic.

Khorne's Chaos Marines and mortal cultists exploded with unimaginable bloodlust.

Some World Eaters in berserk fury began attacking everything around them, even allies.

Kill! Kill! Kill!

That one word filled their minds. All other Chaos troops pulled away from these terrifying madmen.

Calgar sensed the Chaos host's disorder.

"They're unraveling. The enemy is unraveling. The Emperor's light has weakened them—now the Blood God's wrath is tearing them apart."

Fools and fiends, through and through.

"This time we'll defeat you—defeat the Warmaster Abaddon—oh wait, Abaddon's already beaten. Then we'll wipe out the Black Legion!"

 "Whole army! Advance! End them now!" Calgar's gigantic form led the charge; the Ultramarines followed tight behind their Chapter Master.

The Ultramarines surged forward like an iron tide. Battle Sisters' holy fire burned the scattering daemons. Mortals roared and charged, lasgun and bayonet felling traitor after traitor.

Yet just as victory seemed within reach—

The sky split.

A vast blood-red rift slashed the heavens. Brass horns blared. Human soldiers collapsed, clutching their ears.

"That is…" Calgar's pupils shrank.

A massive brass-clad hand reached from the fissure—then a second. They seized the edges and ripped it wider.

"A Daemon Prince of the Blood God… no, something worse—a Greater Exalted of Slaughter…"

With an earth-shaking roar, a colossal being descended—Skarbrand, the Exiled One, King of the Bloodletters, Khorne's mightiest greater daemon, once banished for arrogance, now recalled for revenge!

His wings blotted the sky; his axes burned with unquenchable rage. Each step turned ground into a pool of blood. "Dogs of the False Emperor… your end has come!"

Even after Skarbrand appeared, the rift did not close. A still greater, more terrifying figure stepped through, wielding two titanic axes, hair wild, skin crimson.

It was Khorne's most powerful Daemon Prince—once a human Primarch—Angron. Now Angron had undergone colossal augmentation; his body was no longer merely Warp-energy incarnate.

Aboard the Vengeful Spirit, Rhodes frowned. Khorne truly was enraged, dispatching his trump cards: the greatest Khorne greater daemon Skarbrand, and the Daemon Prince Primarch Angron.

"Dogs of the False Emperor!!" Angron's roar crashed like thunder. His voice was no longer human, but a chorus of tortured souls shrieking. His body was more massive than ever, corded crimson muscle etched with the Blood God's runes, each sigil burning with wrath.

"Now… it's your turn!" His eyes were wholly crimson. The Butcher's Nails in his skull throbbed, driving him into endless homicidal frenzy.

He no longer remembered being a Primarch, no longer remembered being human—now he was merely Khorne's most loyal executioner.

Skarbrand laughed and swung his axes. Brass blades cleaved the earth; dozens of Ultramarines vaporized into blood-mist in an instant.

"Skulls! More skulls for the Blood God! For the Brass Throne!"

Seeing this, Rhodes sighed and released the Avatar once more from the system's space. Without the Avatar, either Angron or Skarbrand alone could hang Calgar out to dry.

Just as the Chaos tide was about to drown the Imperial line, a light brighter than the sun tore the blood-red sky.

The Avatar descended again, his radiance fiercer than before. Sacred flame roared along his blade, as if to burn all blasphemies.

"Angron." The Avatar's voice was calm and icy, yet laden with power that made daemons quail.

"You could have been Humanity's guardian. You had a great and noble purpose," Rhodes intoned through the Avatar.

Angron's mad laughter stopped short. His body shuddered violently; the Butcher's Nails screamed in his skull.

"Shut up! Shut up!! I don't need your pity!!" To Angron, these words were needle-sharp, making him only angrier—making him want to hack apart the golden monster that looked so much like his father.

Calgar knew this battle was beyond mortal reach.

"All units, fall back! Reform the line!"

"But, my lord! The Avatar—" an Ultramarines officer cried.

"That is not a fight we can join!" Calgar snapped.

"Our task is to hold the line—don't let the Chaos scum break through!"

The Battle Sisters began chanting hymns, their purifying flames forming a sacred barrier to blunt the daemon charge.

Mortal soldiers dug in behind cover, lasgun and heavy weapons suppressing the traitor assault.

Angron swung his twin axes with annihilating force as he charged the Avatar. The earth cracked beneath his feet; the air tore with his rush.

Skarbrand roared and joined the fray. Khorne's two greatest warriors struck the Avatar together.

Their battle surpassed physical law. Angron's great axe fell with mountain-shattering power, yet met the Avatar's sacred sword in a blaze.

Golden psychic tempests crashed against the Blood God's fury, bending space.

Skarbrand lunged from the flank, his axe streaking for the Avatar's head, but holy fire erupted, heating his brass armor to glowing red.