Warhammer: Don't Call Me the God of All Machines

Chapter 856 Abaddon: I have returned!

The Light Alliance's massive fleet, after traversing half the galaxy and overcoming devastating warp storms, finally arrived in orbit around Terra, humanity's most sacred throne world.

No matter how vast or ancient the human empire may be, Terra will always be the most important source.

After the postwar governance of Makado and Guilliman, Terra was more prosperous than before the Horus Rebellion, but this prosperity gradually began to change after the rise of the Terran state religion.

Euphrates Kira stood on the bridge deck of the Imperial Light, gazing through the huge observation window at the home planet shrouded in the shadow of war below.

Her gaze pierced through the void, as if she could feel the frenzied and stubborn resistance on the surface of Terra.

"Alfreda still chose to put up a fight, and she ordered her guards to retreat to Terra's state palace and some of the defensive bases that they could control."

"She is determined to fight a positional war with us, and to use those modified fortresses and strongholds to delay our progress."

“They know we dare not bomb Terra. If we do, the Imperial Fist and the Solar Forces guarding Terra will certainly not remain indifferent. It would be a foolish act to put them on the opposite side.”

Qi Le lamented, feeling sorrow for those humans who were being exploited.

"Then let's shatter their illusions with strength. It's just a positional war. They don't have enough qualified soldiers. They can only arm a large number of fanatical state religious believers and use them as cannon fodder to fill the defense line."

Loken looked at Terra with a complicated expression, then spoke to Qile.

A century ago, he and his fellow fighters fought on Terra, using every means possible to resist the siege from the rebels.

They never expected that now it would be their turn to attack the state church defenses on Terra and completely destroy Alfreda and her followers.

Some of the fortresses and defenses are remnants from the Siege of Terra, and Loken and his fellow warriors may have even stayed inside.

"Qile, you are still too soft-hearted. Although you keep telling yourself that ending the war quickly is the best way to reduce human suffering, you still can't completely suppress your nature."

"In this respect, the missionary Saul was more outstanding and mature. He also had compassion for the believers and soldiers who might give their lives, but he would never be held back or hesitate because of this."

Qi Le agreed with Loken's assessment of the missionary Thor.

"Yes, Saul is far superior to me in being a religious leader."

"I was originally just a chronicler, and even after so much time of study, I still couldn't truly become a leader."

"After the matter of the Terra State Church is settled, it might be a wiser choice to let Saul replace me as the new pope."

Qi Le had no attachment to the power and status she held; for someone like her, these were merely heavy burdens and responsibilities.

Loken and the others also remained silent. As Qi Le's close friends, they were well aware of how heavy this responsibility was.

"Alright, let's not talk about this now. We can discuss it after we take down the defenses of the Terra State Church and overthrow Elfreda from the throne."

Qi Le also rallied her spirits and announced the convening of a battle meeting.

The bridge of the Imperial Light was now filled with a large number of imperial elites who had been called upon by Qi Le and had chosen to follow her.

Loken, Garo, and other grey knights stood out among the crowd, their silver-grey Astartes figures particularly conspicuous.

Judge Carter Eisenhall represents the Inquisition. Now that the situation is clear, the Inquisition behind her is no longer keeping a low profile and is fully supporting Qile's Alliance of Light to achieve final victory.

Sebastian Sol was surrounded by a large group of cardinals whose ideas conflicted with Elfreda's.

Each of them represents the choice and will of the believers of a planet, or even a galaxy, of the state religion.

As for the Space Marines from the various Astartes Legions, although they are currently only responsible for some guidance, training and maintenance work in the Light Alliance, they are the sharpest decapitation blades as long as Qile gives the order.

“We have a new communication request, a signal from the Advanced Technical Community and the Cult of Mechanics.”

The captain interrupted everyone, and Qi Le immediately ordered the signal to be connected.

As the holographic projection began to appear, the figure of the Great Sage Belisarius Caul appeared on the bridge command platform.

In the current advanced technological community, Archsage Arkan Rand is in a semi-retired state, while his prized disciple, Kaul, has become the de facto new leader.

"It seems I've arrived at just the right time."

Kaur's holographic projection looked around and found that Qile and others seemed to be having a meeting.

"In that case, let's skip the invalid parts and get straight to the point."

"The Higher Technical Community and the Mechanical Education Society are willing to provide you with a certain degree of forced demolition services for illegal structures."

"I think you need to demolish the illegal buildings erected by the Terran State Religion, but relying solely on your flesh and blood is far too inefficient. How about considering the Titan Legion?"

"Don't worry, this service is a friendly donation from us, and there will be no charge whatsoever."

Kaur's witty remark startled Qi Le; the great sage's "humor" was truly something that left her speechless.

"Don't overthink it. The reason we're making our stance clear at this time is because we've had enough of that idiot Alfreda."

"Secondly, since the Great Sage Loxi has chosen to support you, we will naturally come to lend a hand without hesitation."

Qi Le suddenly realized that this was the key reason.

Lord Rosie's influence truly seems to be everywhere...

“In that case, thank you for your assistance. Countless human lives will be saved because of the intervention of the advanced technology community,” Qi Le said in thanks.

Kaur's holographic projection then remained silent, waiting for Qile to continue chairing the meeting.

Elfreda really made the Terran state religion universally hated, even the tech priests of the High Tech Community, who were uninterested in politics, stepped forward to give it a push.

"In the name of the Emperor, we will wage the final battle against the State Church of Terra."

“Sol, you command our mortal auxiliary army and the militia composed of devout believers to besiege and sever the state palace’s connection with the outside world.”

"I will be responsible for negotiating with the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice to try to get them to remain neutral or stand by our side."

A glint of light flashed across the aged face of Missionary Saul.

He seemed to have suddenly become younger; the wrinkles on his taut skin began to fade, revealing a resolute and iron-willed temperament.

“Understood. We will trap Elfrieda’s guards in the palace,” Thor said in a deep voice.

He had already understood Qi Le's meaning: to hand over the heavy responsibility of attacking the battlefield to the mechanical cult that had volunteered.

Although he wasn't sure if mobilizing the Titan Machines near the palace was feasible, that was clearly not something he should be concerned about.

"Loken, Garo, you lead the Grey Knights, along with the other Space Marines, and be ready to provide support at any time."

“Alfreda will definitely not sit idly by and wait to die. She may have some unrevealed tricks up her sleeve. I need you to step up at the crucial moment and stop her plot to end.”

In Qi Le's heart, she still did not want the Space Marines to directly intervene in this war of faith.

Sometimes, if you set a bad precedent, the impact on the future can be exceptionally profound.

Space Marines should no longer intervene in human civil wars. Unless the situation is urgent, Qilu would rather let his mortal army advance slowly.

Although Locken felt a little disappointed, he still demonstrated the appropriate military skills and completely obeyed his superiors' orders.

This former Shadowmoon Wolf felt an inexplicable attraction constantly swirling and echoing in his mind as he approached Terra.

It was as if something within the Terra Palace was calling to him.

The feeling was both familiar and incredibly strange, and Loken instinctively didn't want to delve into it.

He was afraid that the source of that feeling was just as he thought.

"Judge Carter, you are tasked with gathering the forces of the Inquisition on Terra to disrupt and interfere with the defenses of the State Church of Terra."

“I think this should be your area of ​​expertise.”

The judge bowed gracefully and accepted Qi Le's order.

"Finally, I will contact the Grand Master of the Assassins' Court and have them infiltrate the State Church's palace complex to assassinate Elfreda."

"Gentlemen, the hope of ending the internal strife within the state religion is right before our eyes. Only by uniting and working together can we end the conflict as soon as possible!"

Qi Le concluded, and everyone present was filled with excitement, throwing themselves into this great undertaking.

……

Meanwhile, on Mars, adjacent to Terra, on the mechanical godmother planet covered in red rocks and soil, dotted with ancient forging temples and roaring furnaces, a silent summoning ritual is taking place.

Mareotis built the temple.

Since leaving Ganymede and returning to Mars, the Great Sage Ezekiel Sennet has lived in seclusion here, not participating in any outside affairs.

The other sages were also aware of Ezekiel's eccentric temperament, and almost none of them were willing to mention Mareotis's construction of the temple unless absolutely necessary.

This was exactly the outcome Ezekiel needed. He knew that once he was exposed, he would inevitably face endless retaliation and punishment from the empire. In such a situation, the more discreet he was, the safer he would be.

Inside the Temple of Forging, in a hidden laboratory deep within ancient magma conduits, the colossal figure of Ezekiel Sennet slowly moves under the glow of a dark red light.

The air inside the laboratory was unusually hot, filled with a mixture of ozone, engine oil, and an ancient, cold, metallic rust smell.

"The plan is ready."

"As long as I open a warp rift, the power of the Forge Master will connect it to the location of the Black Legion, thus guiding the Great Raiders into the interior of the solar system."

"This was a great adventure, and the rewards were incredibly rich."

“I will get more.”

Ezekiel stood before a blasphemous altar made of twisted metal, crystals that shimmered with a sickly green light, and writhing pipes, chanting blasphemous incantations and calling upon the great beings of the warp.

There was no one alive in the entire temple of casting except Ezekiel.

All the technical priests were transformed into his puppet servants by this great sage, their lifeless eyes reflecting a deathly stillness as they witnessed Ezekiel's fall from grace.

Some of them were Ezekiel's disciples, while others were his enemies. This sage of the Mechanic Church gave up almost everything just to fulfill his own destiny.

The sage who once followed the Emperor and assisted the Lord of Humanity in perfecting the Astartes Project has long since degenerated into a non-human being.

The soulless flesh puppet echoed Ezekiel's whispers, while the oil and blood of pure mortals burned and flowed on the altar, leveraging the power of an even greater warp.

Eight hours, eight minutes, and eight seconds later, an unstable vortex composed of boiling subspace energy is forming.

The space around the vortex twisted and deformed, and a furnace door burning with soul fire and flashing with blasphemous light suddenly opened, spewing out a strange aura composed of industrial waste heat and subspace cold currents.

To think that one could open a stable warp portal so close to Holy Terra within the solar system through a single sacrifice is simply a pipe dream.

But all Ezekiel had to do was shake the veil and throw a hook into the warp that could be anchored.

After his ritual was completed, Vashtor, the Lord of the Forge, took over everything and used His immense power to maintain the existence of the warp portal.

Not long after, a pair of heavy metal combat boots, their surfaces radiating an ominous glow, stepped out from the warp portal.

Abaddon, Lord of the Black Legion and Warmaster of Chaos, has finally returned to the Solar System from the Eye of Terror, once again trampling upon the core territory of the Imperium of Man.

Although the Warmaster wasn't as large as Ezekiel, the powerful aura he exuded was unmatched by the Martian Great Sage. Abaddon stretched his body beneath his heavy armor, once again savoring that captivating, familiar sensation.

The massive claw of Horus hummed softly, and the great sage Ezekiel immediately felt a profound threat of death approaching, followed by Abaddon's extremely aggressive and sharp gaze.

Ezekiel had not felt fear for a long time, but at this moment, he instinctively lowered his proud head to Abaddon under the pressure of fear.

"Welcome to Mars, great war commander."

“Seneca Ezekiel has been waiting here for a long time.”

The Warlord accepted the Martian sage's salute, then passed Ezekiel and began to observe whether the surrounding environment was safe.

"I have returned!"

"The end of the empire has come."

Abaddon raised his power claw, and from the warp rift behind him, waves of Chaos Space Marines poured out, filling most of the laboratory's space.

"I never imagined that we would actually set foot on Mars."

"During the Great Expedition, I visited Mars once to receive the Glory Queen-class warships belonging to our legion."

"This time, we will bring destruction."

These Chaos Space Marines were overjoyed, and the subtle influence of the warp made them more inclined to express themselves in an exaggerated and extroverted way to show their emotional changes.

However, Abaddon simply waved his hand, and all the Chaos Space Marines present immediately fell silent again, like a silent steel tombstone.

In Abaddon's view, a lone Space Marine might not be much better than an Oglin, but when a large number of Space Marines are united by discipline, a qualitative change occurs.

Even after escaping into the Eye of Terror and spending his days among warp demons, he never relaxed his control over the Legion.

These Astartes, from various legions and with different traditions, customs, and cultural beliefs, were molded into a part of the Black Legion by Abaddon.

"The Lord of the Forge will maintain the existence of this portal indefinitely."

"But we also need to hurry. There are a large number of anti-psy energy black stone matrices on Mars, as well as reconnaissance systems that are extremely sensitive to warp contamination."

Abaddon nodded slightly. There was no need for Ezekiel to say more. He was more worried than anyone else about being trapped in Terra. At that time, he would be a sitting duck for the Empire, with nowhere to escape.

But for Draconian...

Abaddon was certain that as long as he could acquire Draconion, it would be worth it even if he lost most of the elite Black Legion he had brought.

The thought suddenly popped into the mind of the great raider, and he shook his head to clear his mind of all those distracting thoughts.

Bah! This plan is highly confidential and no one knows about it. How could such a stupid thing happen?

Abaddon calmed himself down, suppressing the unsettling warning of danger.

"Now set off and lead us to the place of Draconion, the Sage Ezekiel."

"If you can lead us to achieve this unparalleled feat, then you will naturally receive the reward you deserve, but if you fail..."

Abaddon's chilling gaze swept over the Martian Sage's body, sending shivers down one's spine.

“I understand,” Ezekiel replied.

The Black Legion that Abaddon brought this time consisted entirely of elite troops, each of whom was a veteran of countless battles who had experienced the Horus Rebellion.

Although these people were few in number, only about a thousand, they included the psychic wizards of the Thousand Sons Legion, the enchanted warriors of the Word Bearers Legion, and the Blood God Champion of the World Devourers Legion...

This is also Abaddon's greatest asset, his most reliable trump card for dominating the Eye of Terror and the Warp.

The Black Legion boarded Ezekiel's private airship and then swiftly departed from the Temple of Forging.

“I have tried to find Draconion’s location; it is hidden somewhere on Mars.”

Ezekiel opened the holographic projection map and described the target location to Abaddon.

However, there was no joy in Abaddon's eyes, only suspicion.

He feared this was a trap set by the Empire to lure him to Mars and then trap him there.

The Great Raider made a silent resolution: if Draconion was hiding in some extremely easy-to-find place, then no matter how tempting it might be, he would immediately return to the portal to the Temple of Forging and flee back to the Eye of Terror's lair.

Draconion may be tempting, but he's gone, so what's the point?

However, the wise man Ezekiel was completely oblivious to the turbulent undercurrents beneath Abaddon's calm surface, and he continued his incessant chatter.

"According to intelligence, Draconion is hiding somewhere between Mariner's Canyon and the Tharsis Plateau, and he will randomly change his location to conceal his presence."

This airship was extremely fast, and since it bore the mark of the Great Sage Ezekiel, no one would dare to intercept or question it. They quickly arrived at their target area.

By observing the holographic projection formed by the bird astrolabe scanning, the intricate canyon landforms of this area can be clearly seen.

Numerous valleys and canyons formed by faulting are interconnected, and in some places there are geological changes caused by landslides, which is incredibly daunting.

How are we supposed to find Draconian in such a complex terrain?
"Why is there no mechanical training factory here, or even a living area?" Abaddon questioned.

He was like someone with persecution complex, reacting violently to the slightest disturbance.

"This area is a forbidden zone for the Cult of Mechanics. Every mechano priest who wants to establish a forging plant here has coincidentally encountered some kind of technical problem."

"The mechanical equipment here decays much faster than in other places, but no one has ever given a proper answer."

Ezekiel's answer reassured Abaddon somewhat.

There was no other way to find Draconian. Ezekiel, along with Abaddon and the Black Legion's Space Marines, searched the Noctis Labyrinth area for three days, but still found nothing.

Just when Ezekiel thought Abaddon was about to lose his temper and even start to vent his anger, the great raider showed unexpected patience.

It seems that the longer he searched, the fewer concerns Abaddon had, and the more confident he became.

Finally, just as Ezekiel began to sense something was wrong and wondered if he had received false information, Abaddon's confidant, Iskandar Kayan, brought good news.

"I found it!"

"The tomb where Draconion is buried contains the secret chamber that sealed the end of the empire."

Upon receiving the signal, the Black Legion immediately gathered together. The Thousand Sons Wizard stood in front of a hidden tunnel buried by sandstorm. He waved his staff, and a hurricane instantly blew the sand and dust to another place.

Abaddon's body trembled slightly; he couldn't believe that he had actually found the being capable of harming the False Emperor.

"Open it!" the war commander ordered.

The Chaos Space Marines used molten metal bombs to destroy the exit of the hidden tunnel, blasting open a tunnel of unimaginable depth.

The tunnel extends downwards, seemingly reaching the bottomless depths, as if it leads directly to the core of Mars.

The extremely conspicuous sword marks on the wall looked exceptionally ancient. Abaddon stretched out his hands, carefully feeling the charm within them.

“This is it!” Abaddon shouted.

A sense of unease rose within Abaddon; he seemed to sense that being calling to him.

It can only be Draconian, and it must be Draconian.

Abaddon immediately led the charge into the tunnel, followed closely by the rest of the Black Legion. They instantly entered stealth mode, like the most cautious ghosts, gliding along the unsettlingly smooth black walls into the depths of the labyrinth.

The noise of the servo system was suppressed to the limit, and the oracle was turned on at full power, alert for any abnormal movement.

It was unclear how long they had been traveling here, but the Great Raiders keenly sensed that the space within the tunnel had become distorted and warped, which meant that the space here might be far larger than they had imagined.

He followed the throbbing in his heart and relied on instinct to navigate the intricate underground labyrinth.

Here, psychic prophecy completely fails, and there are almost no good methods other than wandering around and trying your luck.

However, fate seemed to be on Abaddon's side, and the Chaos Warmaster found a half-open door without much effort.

And Draconian's call to him came from the open space outside that door.

“I’ll go check,” Kayan volunteered. “Your safety is more important than mine. You are the core of the Black Legion; no one can do without you.”

"The world can live without Kayan, but it can live without Abaddon."

Even the great raiders were moved by their good brother's words.

But Abaddon reached out and stopped Cayan.

"Only I can get close to Draconion, and no one else, no matter who they are, can gain its recognition and may even suffer its backlash."

Then, without further hesitation, Abaddon strode confidently toward the door that emitted a dark red light.

In front of the gate, a withered, blood-stained figure lay sprawled on the sand.

He was still alive, and Abaddon could sense that the damned alien beast was watching him.

Even upon seeing Abaddon's arrival, an intense joy appeared in the Bloodlust's eyes.

It was as if... he had been waiting for Abaddon to arrive.

A black mist swirled around the Blood Spirit, from which faint curses and shrieks emanated.

Abaddon took a deep breath and slowly stepped forward. As the War General approached, the mist quickly solidified, transforming into a cold, gleaming greatsword covered in serrated edges.

Draconion solidified its form, transforming from a formless chaotic demon into a materialized demonic sword.

The sword blade is not metal, but a flowing substance that seems to be made of solidified shadows and blood, with eerie green energy veins flowing across it, like the pulsating blood vessels of a living creature.

At the hilt of the sword, a dark green gem, like an evil eye, pulsed incessantly, radiating a cold, thirsty will filled with pure destructive desire.

It is like a black hole, greedily devouring the surrounding light and mind, and its mere existence exudes a suffocating resentment and murderous intent.

“This is it…” Abaddon’s voice carried an irrepressible longing.

He could feel Draconian resonating, roaring, and yearning.

With it, the power to overthrow the empire and eliminate the false emperor would be readily available.

Even now, Abaddon has not completely let his guard down. He fears that once he draws the demon sword, the Imperial ambush forces hidden in the unknown will swarm out and capture and kill them all.

Moreover, the half-open door in front of Abaddon was highly suspicious.

What being is imprisoned within the portal? And why is it placed alongside Draconian?
Abaddon's imagination ran wild, and he immediately made up his mind to summon the great sage Ezekiel who was behind him.

"Come here, go through this door and take a look at the situation."

Abaddon raised the claws of Horus, threatening the Martian sage.

(End of this chapter)