The Empire Of The Multiverse

Chapter 80 - Fafnir's Rule

In the year 377 of the Imperial Calendar, within the heart of Genesis Prime, the sprawling Capital Planet of the Imperium, the God-Emperor Fafnir assumed his seat upon the illustrious Golden Throne. An air of gravity surrounded him as he meticulously absorbed the myriad reports emanating from the far reaches of the Imperium. A century had elapsed since the eruption of the War in Heaven, and the celestial tapestry of conflict had woven a complex narrative comprised of millions of minor skirmishes and battles.

Among these conflicts, the most significant were those personally orchestrated by the Primarchs, titanic figures whose clashes often resonated across the cosmos. The Star Gods, once omnipresent and formidable, seemed to have either withdrawn into shadow or ceased their celestial interventions altogether. Victories and defeats were etched into the annals of Imperial history, with the Korrks consolidating their dominion over a substantial expanse south of the Imperium.

In a strategic dance of power and treacherous politicking, the Korrks engaged in internecine strife to determine the monarch who would lead them into the next phase of their conquests. Their method of selecting a ruler was as unconventional as it was brutal – a veritable civil war among Warbosses, each vying for supremacy. The delicate equilibrium in the Korrk territories hung in the balance, presenting a conundrum for the Imperium.

Should the Imperium choose to intervene, it risked becoming the focal point of the entirety of Korrk Armies, a formidable challenge that could strain its resources to the limit. The Eldranthii, opportunistic and cunning, seized the chaos to launch daring raids on Imperial worlds. Their incursions predominantly targeted the Rim worlds, the outermost bastions of the Imperium.

Across the celestial divide, the Eldranthii had carved out their own dominion to the west of the Imperium, constructing a territorial expanse that posed a constant threat.

The Eldranthii, cognizant of the formidable technological prowess possessed by the Imperial Forces, executed their raids with precision and speed, avoiding protracted engagements that might invite the relentless pursuit of Imperial starships. Swift and elusive, their primary targets were the vulnerable supply lines and frontline Agriculture Worlds, exploiting the Imperium's vast expanse to strike and fade before the Imperial fleet could react like sharks drawn to the scent of blood.

The Imperium, an indomitable behemoth that had ascended to the position of the universe's de facto ruler, had secured its dominance by vanquishing the ancient civilization of the Old Ones. Now perched upon the throne of the cosmos, the Imperium waged a relentless war against both the Eldranthii and the Korrks—the last creations of the Old Ones that had ignited the flames of the War in Heaven.

In recognizing the insurmountable technological gap between them and the Imperium, the Eldranthii and the Korrks acknowledged a grim reality: facing an Imperial fleet required a numerical advantage. The ratio for challenging larger variants of Imperial ships stood at 5:1, a testament to the overwhelming firepower and advanced technology wielded by the Imperium. Even against smaller vessels, the odds were stacked at 3:1. This stark contrast led the Eldranthii and the Korrks to adopt a strategy of quantity versus quality, where sheer numbers became their desperate ally in the face of Imperial might.

The early years of the War in Heaven bore witness to the consequences of this technological asymmetry. The Eldranthii and the Korrks engaged the Imperium, inflicting significant losses on both sides. However, as battles prolonged, the gravitational pull of conflict attracted more Korrk fleets to the fray. The intensity escalated, and the battlefield became increasingly volatile. Prolonged wars, lasting beyond three Imperial months, posed a precarious scenario for the Imperium, as the massive influx of Korrk fleets—whether to aid their Eldranthii allies or simply to revel in the thrill of battle—tilted the scales against the Imperium.

Within the sanctum of Genesis Prime, God-Emperor Fafnir, ensconced upon the resplendent Golden Throne, transcended the limitations of mortal perception. As reports streamed in from every corner of the Imperium, his consciousness expanded, traversing the cosmic expanse with the fluidity of a god overseeing a grand game board.

To Fafnir, reality had morphed into a colossal real-time strategy game, where galaxies became sectors, planets transformed into strategic assets, and civilizations danced to the rhythm of his divine orchestration. With a mere thought, he could zoom in and out, manipulating the ebb and flow of events with the finesse of a virtuoso conductor. This seamless integration of sensory input and strategic analysis was not only efficient but also imbued with a sense of exhilaration akin to a celestial game of chess.

The intricate web of information pulsated through the Golden Throne, its divine machinery synchronizing the myriad data streams, movements, and machinations that defined the Imperium's vast dominion. Fafnir's omniscient gaze surveyed the unified Imperium under his benevolent rule, where progress, justice, equality, and prosperity flourished like celestial blooms in the fertile soil of his vision.

Though pockets of resistance and dissent lingered within the Imperium, Fafnir foresaw their inevitable dissolution beneath the weight of his unwavering authority. For him, the most effective form of governance lay in the monarchical model, guided by a singular, omnipotent leader—himself. Indeed, to Fafnir, the very essence of godhood imbued him with the eternal mantle of leadership, rendering the risk of mortality a mere triviality in the tapestry of his eternal reign.

The specter of monarchy, upheld by a ruler of divine caliber, ensured the Imperium's cohesion and resilience against the tides of time. Unlike other forms of government that teetered on the precipice of fracturing upon the death of their leader, the Imperium stood steadfast, anchored by Fafnir's immortal sovereignty and fortified by the counsel of his illustrious advisors.

Thus, the Imperium thrived under the indomitable gaze of God-Emperor Fafnir, its destiny interwoven with the immutable threads of his divine providence. In the grand cosmic theater of conquest and dominion, he reigned supreme—a sovereign without equal, eternally guiding his empire towards the zenith of glory and transcendence.

As the echoes of history reverberated through the annals of time, God-Emperor Fafnir stood as a colossus, a titan whose reign had spanned close to half a millennium. His indomitable will and unwavering ambition had propelled the Imperium to heights undreamt of by mortal kings. "I came, I saw, I conquered," his words etched in the annals of history, a bold testament to his unyielding resolve—borrowed shamelessly from the annals of the greatest historical generals who had tread the paths of conquest before him.

Gazing upon the sprawling expanse of the Imperium, Fafnir's heart swelled with pride, a pride tempered by the knowledge that his ambitions were yet to be fully realized. The War in Heaven loomed before him, a cosmic crucible where the fate of empires would be decided. Yet, beyond this conflict lay the boundless expanse of the multiverse, beckoning him with promises of conquest and dominion.

With a wave of his hand, Fafnir dismissed his mortal officials, their duties fulfilled for the moment. Seated upon the Golden Throne, his divine soul transcended the mortal realm, ascending to the celestial heights of the divine realm. Adjacent to it lay the Aetherian Plane, the wellspring of psionic might that fueled the Eldranthii and the Korrks—a source of power that now faced the wrath of Fafnir's divine intervention.

Gesturing towards the Aetherian Plane, tendrils of celestial energy emerged, coiling and intertwining with the fabric of the psionic realm. The Imaginary Space, an ethereal manifestation of his divine will, surged forth, attacking and consuming the very essence of the Aetherian Plane. In this act of cosmic upheaval, the Phoenix King and his pantheon were stirred from their celestial repose, confronting Fafnir with a mixture of astonishment and indignation.

"What are you doing, God-Emperor?" the Phoenix King cried out, his voice tinged with urgency and disbelief. "This is the point of no return! Do you understand the consequences of your actions?"

Undeterred, Fafnir met the Phoenix King's gaze with steely resolve. "Young god," he intoned, his voice resonating with divine authority, "the time has come for the War in Heaven to reach its climax. No longer shall we be bound by restraint. The arsenal of destruction shall be unleashed, for we shall not rest until you and your brethren gods are vanquished. In the Prime Continuum, there can be only one God-King!"

With his declaration ringing through the celestial realms, Fafnir's resolve was cast in adamantium, his gaze fixed upon the horizon of conquest and dominion. The stage was set for the final act in the cosmic drama—a clash of titanic forces that would shape the destiny of the universe itself.

God-Emperor's proclamation heralded an era of unbridled conflict and unfettered aggression—a cataclysmic struggle that would echo through the annals of time as The War in Heaven, the Breaking of the Void, The Great Cataclysm, and by many other names. But above all, it would be remembered as the shattering of the Void—a titanic clash of cosmic forces that would reshape the very fabric of existence where the Divine Entities would clash in the Material plane.

In the Prime Continuum, where realities intersect and dimensions intertwine, the War in Heaven transcended mere mortal conflicts. It was a battle not just for dominion over galaxies or control of territories, but for the very essence of existence itself. The stakes were nothing less than the fate of the universe—a universe teetering on the brink of annihilation or rebirth.

As the God-Emperor unleashed the full might of the Imperium against the Eldranthii, the Korrks, and their divine patrons led by himself, the celestial realms trembled with the intensity of their clash. The boundaries between reality and unreality blurred, as the energies unleashed in the conflict threatened to tear asunder the very fabric of creation.

The War in Heaven became a crucible of unimaginable devastation, where galaxies were rent asunder and stars extinguished in the fires of celestial warfare. Planets trembled beneath the onslaught of unimaginable forces, their inhabitants caught in the crossfire of cosmic titans locked in eternal struggle.

But amidst the chaos and destruction, there lay the promise of unity—the dream of a Prime Continuum united under a single banner, guided by the divine hand of the God-Emperor. For every blow struck, every world conquered, brought the Imperium one step closer to its ultimate goal: the grand unification of all existence.

And so, as the War in Heaven raged on, the very foundations of reality shook with its fury. But in the crucible of conflict, amidst the wreckage of shattered galaxies and broken dreams, the destiny of the universe would be forged anew—a destiny shaped by the will of gods and the courage of mortals, bound together in the eternal struggle for supremacy in the cosmos.

As the resounding voice of God-Emperor Fafnir reverberated through the celestial expanse, it stirred the very fabric of existence itself. Across the countless galaxies that knelt beneath the banner of the Imperium, hearts swelled with a fervor born of divine inspiration. For the Emperor had spoken, and his words carried the weight of destiny—a clarion call to arms that ignited the fires of fervent anticipation.

"Gather in the Milky Way," his voice thundered, commanding the attention of all who served beneath his immortal reign. "For I call for a Crusade, the Holy War—the second stage of the War in Heaven. It is time to march forth, to carve our path to victory with the righteous fury of the faithful!"

In the wake of his proclamation, the Imperium stirred with newfound zeal. Generals, hardened by the crucible of war, rallied their fleets with unyielding determination. Across the vast expanse of space, the wheels of logistics churned as civil officials labored tirelessly to prepare for the monumental undertaking ahead. Some harbored concerns, others saw opportunity shimmering on the horizon, but all were united in their readiness to heed the Emperor's call.

For Fafnir, Augustus Aurelius, God-Emperor of the Imperium, had cast aside all restraints, signaling the dawn of a new era where the shackles of caution were shattered, and the full might of the Imperium would be unleashed upon the cosmos. With a fervent cry that echoed across the stars, he declared, "Let the universe burn, for I shall remake it in its ashes!"

80.2 Gathering

As the vast armada of the Imperium descended upon the Capital Galaxy of Imperium Dominus, a spectacle of cosmic proportions unfolded before the eyes of all who beheld it. Countless starships, their hulls gleaming like beacons in the void, blotted out the stars themselves, casting a shadow that stretched across the Milky Way. The zenith of this armada was marked by the presence of "The Herrscher," the God-Emperor's personal capital ship—a colossus whose sheer magnitude dwarfed entire worlds, a testament to the boundless power of the Imperium.

Upon the central stage of "The Herrscher," amidst a sea of cameras capturing every moment for posterity, stood God-Emperor Fafnir himself, clad in his iconic golden combat skin, Eternity's Edge gripped firmly in hand. Beside him stood Empress Esdeath Aurelius, her frosty blue combat skin a stark contrast to her husband's radiant form, Frost Sovereign held aloft in readiness for battle. Flanking them were the Custodes, led by Budo Daishogun, their unwavering loyalty a testament to their dedication and prowess.

Below the stage, a pantheon of leaders and strategists gathered—Primarchs, Lelouch the Grand Strategist, Liver the Prime Minister, alongside countless officers and officials, their eyes fixed upon their Emperor with unwavering reverence.

"My people, my children," Fafnir's voice echoed across the expanse of space, resonating with the weight of centuries of leadership and sacrifice. "A hundred years since the start of the War in Heaven, and still we stand. Victories and defeats alike have shaped us, but know this: the Imperium shall emerge as the final victor."

With a raise of his halberd, Fafnir infused his words with divine power, igniting a fervor that swept across the Imperium like wildfire. "In Nomine Meo Semper Victoriosus Esto! Ad Astra Vincimus!" he proclaimed, his voice a clarion call to arms that reverberated across the cosmos, fueling the fires of determination in the hearts of all who heard.

"Ad Astra Vincimus! In Nomine Tuo Semper Victoriam!" came the resounding reply, a chorus of unity and resolve that echoed through the halls of "The Herrscher" and beyond.

And so, with banners raised high and hearts aflame with purpose, the Great Crusade began—a celestial juggernaut led by none other than the God-Emperor himself, poised to carve its path through the stars and claim victory in the name of the Imperium.