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

Chapter 939 Abaddon's Transformation
On the bridge of the Vengeance, filled with the scents of ancient mechanical lubricating oil, ionized ozone, and a lingering stench of blood, the Thousand Wizards Kayan quietly observed the massive figure standing before the observation window.

Abaddon, the Chaos Warmaster to whom he served.

A complex emotion flickered across Kayan's weathered face.

He had followed Abaddon for a long time and witnessed his rage, his paranoia, and his almost pathological struggle to escape the shadow of Horus.

But it seems that Abaddon has only now truly completed his transformation.

When Typhon's Deathguard fleet vanished into the waves of the warp, and when Loka's Word Bearers turned with fanatical aura toward the destructive feast of Cardia, Kayan expected to witness Abaddon's thunderous wrath.

That was the War General he knew, who would retaliate most cruelly against any form of betrayal and respond to any enemy who dared to challenge his authority with the most terrifying means.

This intolerant brutality was precisely the change Abaddon made in order to escape the shadow left by Horus.

After all, it is well known that before being sent to the Temple of Devon Star, the Wolf God was known to the world for his tolerant and gentle nature, and his combination of kindness and severity.

With both the gentle warmth of a spring breeze and the boundless majesty of thunder, Horus was loved and revered by countless people, perfectly fulfilling the war commander duties entrusted to him by the emperor.

Abaddon was completely different from Horus. As a company commander in the legion, he never focused on thinking, but on execution.

After all, the Legion had too many wise men: Horus, Sejanus, Malohrist, Gavial Loken...

After the Great Rebellion ended, Abaddon was forced to step up and become the commander of the remaining Chaos rebels.

In order to prove that he was different from Horus, he deliberately created a style that contrasted with Horus, thus showing others that he was not Horus and would not follow in the footsteps of the father of genes, repeating the mistakes of Horus.

Although Kayan didn't think there was anything wrong with Abaddon, there was no shortcut to truly subdue those ambitious and arrogant soldiers except to be more brutal, ruthless, and cold-blooded than them.

However, the previous failure in the Martian eternal night labyrinth made Kayan feel that things couldn't continue like this.

Abaddon was not calm enough, not rational enough, and not truly deliberate or thoughtful enough before acting.

But at this moment, Abaddon simply stood quietly, his deep eyes calmly watching the departing points of light, like a chess player calmly watching his opponent capture several of his insignificant pieces.

His fingers didn't even tighten around the hilt of the demon sword Draconion; they just rested there casually.

Kayan even saw... Horus in Abaddon.

“You’re watching me, Kayan.” Abaddon didn’t turn around; his deep voice broke the silence of the bridge, directly revealing the wizard’s thoughts.

Kayan was slightly startled, but quickly regained his composure.

In the face of Abaddon, concealment is often futile.

“Yes, War Commander. I just… noticed that you don’t seem to be angry at all about their departure.”

Abaddon let out a short, soft laugh.

"Anger? Why are you angry? Is it because they chose the obvious path to death? Or because they proved their foolishness and are unworthy to walk with us?"

He slowly turned around, his gaze landing squarely on Kayan.

The anxiety and violence about the unknown future were gone from those eyes; in their place was a calm that had settled down and was unsettling.

“Those four evil gods chose me to be the War General, taking the place my father had left vacant.”

“They call themselves gods, but I know exactly what kind of people they are.”

“I have never truly believed in them. We have only cooperated with each other. They need me to interfere in the real universe, and I need their power to support me.”

Abaddon's voice was low, but his words made no attempt to conceal his contemptuous references to the Chaos Gods.

“Look what they have done now. Just as I was about to lead those who were willing to follow me to find a new way out, they used a small reward, like fishing, to lure back nearly a third of my men.”

He took a step closer to his most trusted subordinates and brothers, his voice becoming increasingly playful.

"What does this mean, Kayan? It means they are anxious. They are not confident of victory in the face of humanity's actions this time, and they are even afraid!"

They need every ounce of power they can expend, even from the defeated forces of human empires like ours.

The gods have revealed their true intentions, my brother. The victory they promised is so tempting that they need to so eagerly scavenge for cannon fodder. Don't you find that suspicious in itself?

Kayan remained silent, his powerful brain working at lightning speed, processing the information in Abaddon's words.

He had to admit that Abaddon's analysis hit the nail on the head.

The fact that the four gods are so united and generous is itself the biggest problem.

"They may be able to cripple the Empire and cause humanity to bleed in Kadia, but they can no longer truly destroy the Empire that has regained its footing."

Abaddon continued, his gaze drifting to the bizarre and perilous subspace outside the observation window.

"The Emperor and Loxi, who controls the power of the Star God, have established a new order."

If they don't take action against the Eye of Fear, the gods won't even be able to unite against them.

To fight such an opponent to the death in a universe that is about to be repaired is a foolish act of suicide.

The Four Gods will most likely fail, or at best, they will only be able to keep the Eye of Fear in a stalemate once again, but what would that mean for us?

Are we really going to hide in fear, like a band of bandits who periodically plunder resources and slaves to survive?

“This has never been what I wanted. I lay low before because the opportunity I needed hadn’t come yet. But now, the opportunity is right in front of me, and I can just reach out and grab it.”

Abaddon's words revealed a transcendent clarity that deeply shocked Kayan.

He was thinking about survival, the future, and the possibility of transcending this endless conflict.

“That’s why you were so determined to leave,” Kayan said in a low voice.

“Yes, leave.” A resolute glint flashed in Abaddon’s eyes. “Go to a new universe without an emperor, without the shadow of the Chaos Gods. There may be new enemies, new challenges, but there will also be… new possibilities.”

"If we stay here, no matter who wins or loses, we are just pawns. But if we leave, we can at least try to be the masters of our own destiny, even if the road ahead is unknown."

Abaddon seemed to be answering Kayan's question, and also answering his own inner voice.

He patted his brother on the shoulder. The Thousand Wizards looked rather petite next to Abaddon, which only made Abaddon look even more imposing.

"Alright, those who were going to leave have left. I should do something to reassure the remaining people."

Abaddon stood on the command platform of the Vengeful Spirits and opened the all-channel communication.

"My warriors!" His voice echoed through the communicator on every one of his followers' warships.

“Look around us, those fools blinded by fleeting desires have left. They have chosen to become pieces of meat on the gods' plate, to fill the meat grinder that is about to come to Cadia!”

His words were laced with merciless sarcasm, yet they also contained a powerful optimism and confidence.

"And you, you stayed, which proves that you possess what they lack—a clear mind, calm judgment, and the ability to see through false promises."

Abaddon addressed his Black Legion loyalists, as well as the Angortai Chaos Legion, a group of the Emperor's Sons led by Fabius, the Prodigal Warband led by Ahriman, and Omega's ubiquitous Alpha Legion...

He did not advocate for loyalty; for people like him, loyalty was an extremely distant concept.

The only reason they have come together and remain united to this day is because of their wisdom and clear thinking.

"We are no longer slaves to fate!" Abaddon's voice rose.

"We have emerged from this inevitable destruction; we will be explorers, pioneers! We will plant our flag in uncharted territories. Now, follow me to the true future!"

Whether they were veterans of the Black Legion or members of other warbands, they all felt a powerful sense of unity in Abaddon's words.

A flame of hope rose, and they felt that the previously dark and unclear road ahead seemed to have become clear at this moment.

Without further incitement, Abaddon decisively issued the order.

The remaining fleet began to sail deeper into the Eye of Terror, into the mysterious realm of warp space, a place rarely visited even by demons.

Human beings' subspace travel often involves only the surface of the sea of ​​the soul.

The area where subspace creatures are most active is the middle layer of this endless ocean.

The storms at the deepest part of the warp are even more chaotic and disorderly. The danger there is so great that even beings of the level of Chaos Demons are unwilling to venture there easily.

Abaddon himself stood in front of the navigator, relying on the information given to him by the Four Gods and some intuition he couldn't quite explain, guiding the fleet through the perilous gaps in the High Heavens.

Kayan stood beside him, and the wizard could clearly feel Abaddon's taut nerves and highly focused will.

Even Kayan, the most powerful son of Magnus second only to Azak Ahriman, was terrified by the fleet's current situation.

As Chaos rebels, they no longer need something like the Geller Force to protect themselves, but that doesn't mean the warp poses no threat to them.

After all, in the chaotic and unknown subspace, there is no shortage of dangers that are completely incomprehensible, unpredictable, and impossible to resist.

We have no idea how long we have been sailing; time has long since lost its meaning here.

Finally, after traversing a bizarre region that seemed to consist of pure silence, where even the background noise of warp space had vanished, Abaddon's fleet reached their destination.

It was a structure that was difficult to describe in words.

It was like a constantly spinning vortex that devoured all the energy around it, drawing in countless dense subspace energies and crushing those entities along with it.

Abaddon knew that this was by no means a naturally formed thing.

Because in the space surrounding the vortex, there seemed to be some ancient runes that Abaddon could not understand at all, and it was these runes that protected the vortex in such a terrifying environment.

“This is it…” Abaddon let out a long breath, and even he could not hide the fatigue and shock in his eyes at this moment.

He could sense that this ancient teleportation channel exuded a chilling aura, its antiquity and power far surpassing any creation he had ever seen.

“This is the end of the path guided by the Four Gods…” Kayan said softly, his psionic tentacles cautiously probing, but it was like a stone sinking into the sea, only sensing a vast emptiness.

“I must warn you, War Master, that vortex and those runes are dangerous, and their horror may be far beyond our imagination.”

"If we get involved without sufficient preparation, we could very well end up dead."

“There’s always a price to pay for escaping this prison.” Abaddon gripped Draconion tightly, his gaze fixed firmly on the passage leading to the unknown universe.

“Any price is worth paying compared to staying here and becoming a sacrifice in the final battle between the Four Gods and humanity.” He turned to face the fleet awaiting his final orders and then gave the command to enter the vortex passage.

“I will lead the way, and you will follow,” Abaddon said to everyone before stepping into the perilous area first.

The massive Soul of Vengeance appeared as insignificant as dust before that unknown vortex, seemingly on the verge of being completely crushed by the energy turbulence.

But it stubbornly continued forward, and under the tense gaze of everyone, it entered the vortex.

"We'll follow too."

"Abaddon's presence in the lead serves as a warning to us."

Various complex communications were transmitted within the fleet, and soon warships began to follow Abaddon into the inter-universe tunnel, disappearing without a trace.

……

As Abaddon led his men through the intercosmic portal, Luo Jia and Typhons were also about to arrive at the destination where the gods had issued their summons.

"In the end, only Typhon chose to stand with me. Even Omega chose to betray me and escape the galaxy with Abaddon."

Loka Aurelion gazed at the increasingly dense and chaotic warp landscape outside the porthole, his fingers unconsciously stroking the newly written "Book of the Holy Word" in his hand, his thoughts gradually drifting away.

During the Great Expedition, while he was still serving the emperor's grand ideals, Luo Jia wrote a book of sacred words that expounded his understanding of religion and faith.

However, after the Perfect City incident, Luo Jia, disheartened, chose to fall into chaos. The Great Manifestor then abandoned his Holy Words and turned to faith in the primordial truth and the gods of chaos.

Later, when the Hydra Lord revealed the truth about the Dark Lord to Loka, the Primarch, who had been elevated to a Demon Prince, once again turned to the God of End and Death, and picked up the old Book of Words, rewriting it as his worship manifesto.

Perhaps some people, such as Abaddon or Fabius, would think that Luojia's faith is so fragile and fickle that it easily changes sides.

But in Luo Jia's own view, this is precisely his gradual process of pursuing truth and constantly questioning the answer.

A devout believer should not flee alone when their god is suffering.

When Luo Jia thought of this, he felt even more disdain and dissatisfaction towards Omega.

The other party brought him before the Lord of Darkness, and could even be considered a guide to his faith, but at the crucial moment, he exposed his cowardice and hypocrisy.

Such a person is better off without colleagues.

However, I am not alone.

As Luo Jia was thinking, a thick, dark green smoke suddenly began to rise from the deck of his flagship, emanating a peculiar aura that instilled an instinctive sense of dread.

In the eyes of the Great Speaker, the thick smoke was a product of countless writhing, flying flies, which was the psychic medium of Typhons.

"Lord Loka Aurelion, Typhons pays his respects."

The figure of the Death Guardian emerged from the thick smoke, and Luo Jia could even see the dense black holes on his body, and the buzzing Nurgle flies within them.

"Lord Luojia, now that it's just the two of us, I'll get straight to the point."

Typhon was more eager than Luo Jia had imagined, and he went straight to the point and expressed his purpose.

Luo Jia was not surprised by this. Even if Typhons became Nurgle's demon prince, there was still a world of difference between him and himself.

If Mortarian were here, he might be qualified to speak with him as an equal, but Typhon... he's far from that level.

“We need to unite, my lord. The will of the Father has called me. We will continue to fight against the human empire, but the native demons under the Father’s command are hostile to us.”

"Death Guardian is willing to fight alongside Wordholders; it would be beneficial for both of us."

"Please believe in our sincerity; facts will prove that what I say is true."

Luo Jia maintained a calm demeanor on the surface, but inwardly she was sneering.

Typhon was clearly frightened by Abaddon's departure and the Four Gods' ambiguous attitude, and was eager to find a stronger ally.

However, this was just what he wanted.

An obedient Death Guard, eager to prove itself, will be very useful in the upcoming war.

“Of course, Typhons, you are the son of my brother Mortarion, so I naturally trust you.”

"Those native demons of the Four Gods were more or less influenced by the heretical ideas of that rebellious great demon, Kabanha."

"They really believe that the arrival of us human ascendants will lower their status in the eyes of the gods, so they will ostracize us openly and secretly."

“But that doesn’t matter. We will do better than them, and the gods will know who their most trusted followers are.”

A slightly ferocious yet gentle smile appeared on Luo Jia's face. The face that once most resembled the emperor's had long since transformed into an appearance covered with scales and bone spurs.

“A loving father will forgive your mistakes; He just needs to see your unwavering heart.”

"The Word Bearers and the Death Guardians will be united in unwavering solidarity under the glory of chaos."

Luo Jia agreed to Typhon's request. At this critical moment when chaos and humanity were at war, he needed allies, even if they were allies like Typhon who reeked of decay.

Of course, besides that, Luo Jia also had a selfish motive.

There was a time when he also loved and worshipped his father with the same fervor and unreserved devotion.

He regarded the Emperor as the god of mankind, the only truth. He led the Legion of Word Bearers, spreading the Emperor's glory to world after world, purifying all heresy with fire and preaching.

At that time, his eyes shone with a light of faith that was as pure as Typhon's at that moment, almost blind.

However, the foundation of faith collapsed so completely.

The emperor denied divinity and the piety for which those who cherished the word had given everything. The pain of being denied by one's own father and regarded as wrong and shameful was like the most vicious plague, corroding Luojia's soul.

The dramatic shift from extreme worship to extreme hatred has shaped him into who he is today.

Now, he directed this twisted, burning emotion toward the Dark Lord, the being who whispered to him from the depths of the warp, promising true transcendence and domination.

He longed for the Lord of Darkness to rule over humanity and lead them toward a destiny he considered more sublime.

"Abaddon was just a mortal after all, a brilliant warlord, nothing more," Luo Jia murmured to himself, as if trying to convince himself.

"He cannot comprehend true divine achievements and will only flee like a stray dog. As the Primarch, I possess a more sublime essence and a vision closer to divinity."

"I will prove myself right by winning this war."

……

When Luo Jia and Typhon's fleet arrived at the star field that was completely distorted by indescribable chaotic energy, even they, who had seen many grand scenes, were shocked by the sight before them.

The subspace energy concentration here has far exceeded the range that the Eye of Terror should have, and even the Four Divine Realms may not have such surging etheric power.

For subspace creatures, the more concentrated the subspace energy, the greater the power they can exert.

It's like a chaotic demon that could be banished in the real universe with just a squad of elite space marines.

However, in the warp realm, an equal number of Astartes would be easily crushed by a Grand Magus as if it were an insect.

What appeared before Luo Jia were many demons, an endless stream of demons.

It wasn't an army, but an ocean, a terrifying catastrophe capable of engulfing the entire galaxy.

A crimson tide of vampires intertwines with a murky green tsunami of Nurgle; Tzeentch's ever-changing form coexists with Slaanesh's alluring and deadly dance.

They roared, howled, whispered, and groaned, their chaotic sounds merging into a grand symphony capable of driving mortals mad in an instant.

Their numbers are countless; as far as the eye can see, there are only distorted shapes and violent energy, as if the malice of the entire subspace has been condensed and poured out here.

The torrent of warp demons, like the River Styx bursting its banks, filled the void of the Eye of Terror, even covering the planets and celestial bodies dragged into it with an overwhelming mass of undead.

Bound by the covenant between the four gods, these entities, which should have been hostile to each other and unable to coexist, maintained an incredibly bizarre harmonious posture.

The Great Keeper of Secrets recklessly provoked the bloodthirsty demon who was suppressing his rage, while the Great Impure One warmly invited the Myriad Transformations Demon Lord to drink a cup of sweet, thick soup produced in the Garden of Nurgle.

The bloodthirsty maniac pinched his nose and ignored the dancing effeminate men in front of him, while the ever-changing demon lord did not use his psionic lightning to turn the writhing, foul-smelling excrement into ashes.

This unexpected "harmony" left Luo Jia and Typhons speechless, their worldviews crumbling, their minds lost in thought.

Before these chaotic demons, several particularly powerful auras stood like shining lighthouses.

Khorne's representative was Angrath, known as "The Unbound," a colossal bronze beast that moved like a mountain.

The giant axe in its hand burned with an inextinguishable fire of hatred; its mere presence emanating a murderous intent was enough to make the surrounding low-level demons tremble and boil with dread.

After Skabrand, the champion once most beloved by the Blood God, betrayed him, the Blood God created Angrass, making it a new synonym for war and destruction.

Luo Jia was very familiar with Angelus. When he first came into contact with Chaos, he defeated Angelus in a one-on-one duel.

It should be understood that in a one-on-one battle, almost no Primarch capable of using psionic energy could defeat these demigods created by the Emperor.

Primarchs and Archmages are often compared, but in reality, the former is far stronger than the Archmages.

Luo Jia fought to the limit and managed to kill Angelus with a sliver of health thanks to a slight advantage, which shows how powerful the Bloodthirsty Demon is.

Angelus clearly didn't like Luojia much; the humiliation of defeat still bothered it, but under the command of the Blood God, it dared not invite Luojia to seek revenge.

It desperately wanted to know who was more powerful, its current self or Luo Jia, who had been promoted to Demon Prince.

The chief messenger of the Lord of All Changes, the Weaver of Fate Carlos, is using his two pairs of blindly observing Luo Jia.

One of Carlos's heads spoke, its voice noisy and hoarse: "Loka Aurelion, Typhons... You have chosen to answer the call, very well."

The Lord of Change eagerly awaits your crushing of Kadia, the destruction of this planet that hinders the expansion of the Eye of Terror. Your wish will be fulfilled.

Carlos's other head spoke the opposite: "Fool, fool Luo Jia, you didn't listen to Abaddon and came here because of your arrogance and pride."

"You will die, die a horrible death. The Cursed will erase your existence, just as they erased those two Primarchs that cannot be mentioned."

(End of this chapter)