The Emperor Falls.

Part of 1/? - Holy Fire burning in Hell.

Within the grim darkness of the far future, there is only war. War and the species that act in the plays of higher powers. One such power is the Emperor of Holy Terra, the Leader and Master of Mankind. Once a walking deity amongst man, he led humanity to great heights out of Old Night. Now however, he is a rotting carcass, interred within the Golden Throne, a life support machine that keeps a dying god from his rest, forced to live ONLY to suffer for the good of the people he cultivated and saved from the legions of his own sons at the hands of the Ruinous Powers. If, no, WHEN he dies, Holy Terra will burn, the Imperium will split and the laughter of thirsting gods will drown out the screams of the galaxy for in the 43rd Millenium, all gods decay and all heroes fall. 

The Emperor, in his undying vigilance, lies on Terra within the Imperial Palace. It is a most holy of sites, pilgrimages made in honour of him by all across the planet. Within the palace, the Legio Custodes, men bio-engineered as children to be nigh immortal in all aspects, defend his form upon the Golden Throne, however, his might is not purely physical. His soul is his strongest aspect, his psychic abilities able to raze planets with a thought when he was amongst his men. Such a soul is so large within the Immaterium, the land of the souls, that he is at constant war with godly powers within it, unknowable and undefeatable entities that attempt to pull at him and his Imperium, sustaining itself on Chaos it breeds. It is here, our story begins and it is here The Emperor Falls. 

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A strange feeling runs up His body and pulses in his mind. He hasn't felt this since his soul battled with Tzeentch in the Warp. The God of Change attempted to end the Great Game there and then with a suprise attack.  A long skirmish ensued and He nearly destroyed Tzeentch with His otherworldly strength. He soon realizes what this is. The Chaos Gods are pulling him in. Is this it, does he join the Great Game? Across the warp however, axes are sharpened, plagues are spread, tricks are played and pain is felt. He feels and senses the screaming and laughter of chaos. No. This is not an invitation to join them. This is an invitation to battle, a call to destroy him.

He is fully engulfed into the warp and sees miles of purple and lavender ground and air. As he looks ahead, the beckoning becomes louder, the Warp draws around Him. His mind and soul untainted by the pain brought on his mortal body by their champion, He moves with lightning speed, believing the chaos gods to be alone and thus an easy target for the Anathema.

He sees their figures over a hill. He takes large and proud steps, finally ready to vanquish His mortal enemy. However, as he reaches the top, his face turns from pride and readiness to that of worry and panic. They are all here. He looks down upon the land, Fulgrim, Magnus, Angron, Mortarion, Lorgar, Perturabo, Omegon all leading armies of Daemons and Marine alike. He sees the chaos gods behind them and one that he has not seen in a long time, the Chaos God of Trickery, Malal, one he thought dead or long gone.

He readies himself, this fight will determine His and mankind's eternal fate. The hordes rush him. His sword cleaves and hacks through daemons like butter.

However, his first task is up, defeating the Primarchs. Fulgrim attacks and immediately He feels the taint of chaos' deepest blessings upon him and the rest. His sword takes Fulgrims head off. Magnus attacks and the Emperor uses his psychic will to force Magnus back. Angron jumps and attempts an attack from behind. The daemon Primarch's talon slams into his armor but doesn't reach flesh. The Emperor spins around, slamming his back fist into his face. Using his talon, he picks him up, before splitting him in half. Lorgar, Perturabo and Mortarion attack, their weapons dealing massive blows to the Emperor. However, a loud deafening screech bellows out from behind them and the gods are tricked in a play that may just end the game here and now.

"FOR MALAL, FOR ALPHARIUS AND FOR THE EMPEROR!" Omegon belllows out, leaping from smoke as he charges at Lorgar and Perturabo. The Pale Spear is stabbed through both of them. Lorgar succumbs to the wound but Perturabo snaps it using his upper body before turning around and knocking down Omegon. He prepares to destroy Omegon when he feels his mind and soul being pulled apart. During a brief moment of respite, the Emperor turns to see Magnus looking defiantly at Perturabo, straining himself. Magnus drops Perturabo allowing Omegon to stomp on his head. Mortarion is then struck down by the Emperor.

However, before he can finish the job, a disgusting mess of steel strikes the Emperor's chest. Mortarion's scythe, wallowing in Godblight, collides with the Master of Mankind. The Emperor recoils in pain, before Magnus banishes the Pale King. The Emperor is taken aback, a ferocious poison burning inside him, his body fighting back an intense surge of decay. 

The Daemons of Chaos in the ensuing power vacuum left by the Primarch's death all turn on each other. Grey swathes act like raiding parties, rushing into battle against the Pantheon in swift strikes for Anarchy, while red berserkers and blue tricksters defend from unflinching, horrific hordes and avatars of excess. Tzeentch and Khorne however are losing, their immortal foes finding new ways to taunt them and in one last desperate bid, calls upon warriors old and new. Disturbances in the warp appear, one near to the raging battle between the gods and one nearer to the divine entities standing far afield. Marines of times gone by march out of both portals. bearing the insignia of the Alpha Legion, Night Lords and Sons of Horus. However, superhuman feet march forward behind them, quaking the vorpal land beneath them. Three figures, dressed in ancient armour and in similar iconography to the marines meet their ancient rivals.

"Brother? You stand with the Emperor now?" The first voice bellowed.

"Hm. Magnus, always knew your loyalty was as faulty as your men themselves." The second voice snarled.

A final voice that shakes the ground they stand on, lets out:

"Father. I will not fail again. Your petty Imperium shall burn!"