A Light Not Extinguished

Interregnum: The Worldbreaker

Report on status of excavation on quarantined Necron world, M23. 892.

The same phenomenon noticed in sites 30, 81 and 274 has occurred here as well. The guardians of this place have been neutralized down to the last Scarab— all the presiding nobles are slain and the central governing AI has been dismantled. All recovered evidence points to the same sort of psychic power being used; the necrodermis corpses bear marks of degradation caused by heavy Warp energy bombardment.

As with the other sites, nothing else has been touched except for large sections of machinery related to Necron Warp-shielding systems missing; comparison to other quarantine sites reveals a high probability that the missing sections were made out of pure, high-grade blackstone.

The most concerning fact is that from the results of the autopsies, the injuries of the Necrons stationed there were all inflicted by either a group using a extremely unified style of thaumaturgy, or a single entity.

We will continue scavenging operations; there is a large amount of artifacts here that remain intact and available for analysis. Of interest is a device that matches the descriptions of an item in the Necron arsenal named the Aeonic Orb: said device is currently being moved offworld on a high-security transport for further research.

***

"Of course I remember my fight with the Empress! One of the grandest opponents I have ever faced. Why, I remember when she used... I cannot recall it. But how? No, no that's not right. I remember every soul that I crossed blades with. She must have—"

"..."

"And that's how the duel ended! Magnificent, really. Perhaps I will seek her out in time again, but it was so entertaining that I'd rather wait an eternity before savoring it once more. Why are you looking at me in confusion? Was this not entertaining enough for you?"

(Sound of a sword being drawn)

-One of the rare times Qa'leh the Adamant engaged in social activity in Commorragh, archived in a recording crystal; all others in the conversation were found dead by bladed implement. The crystal is currently in Shaimesh's possession.

***

[skipped for brevity]

I would like to note a series of irregularities regarding the entity known as Valerys Ulthach.

Despite being named Empress of the Aeldari Empire, our interrogation records of Aeldari captives dating back to M22 indicate that the entity has not been seen performing duties of governance; more than that, it has not been seen outside Nagarythe by any Aeldari for an indeterminate period of time that certainly extends past M0, nor has it carried out any notable acts of infamy. This is highly irregular for someone claiming to be the Avatar of a yet-unborn Category 6 Empyrean Entity representing the concept of Excess.

Testimonies from prisoners regarding its identity directly contradict each other; there are over one hundred variations regarding the origins of Valerys Ulthach, ranging from being a shard of the C'tan known as the Deceiver, a daemon born out of the collective consciousness of the entire Aeldari race, or one of the many candidates for the Phoenix Throne before the Sundering.

There are also discrepancies regarding the Aeldari homeworld Nagarythe, its seat of power; the majority of Aeldari prisoners(~6000), claim to have known an acquaintance or family member that has visited Nagarythe, but have never visited it themselves. Of those that do claim to have visited it in some manner, there have been very minor inconsistencies in their testimony; after Psykana Militant specialists were called in, it appears that those particular sequences of memory were fabricated and implanted via advanced psychic surgery currently beyond any recorded Federation method. It is unknown what party carried out such an act.

The most concerning fact is the reaction of Empyrean entities regarding Valerys; when questioned about the Empress, they show extremely atypical behavior, remaining completely silent instead of senseless rambling or offering a price for such knowledge. This behavior extends up to Category 5 entities.

-Overview of testimonies regarding key Aeldari figures in the Empire, dated M24. 547.

***

"I do not know the when or how of it."

[Explain.]

"I am not trying to be obtuse, machine. No one knows who she is, or what. The Usurper hid her tracks well— she ascended to the throne in a single day out of nowhere, during the confusion of the Sundering. I am just as curious as to what her identity was before she assumed the mantle of Empress. Maybe one of the Muses knows, but I do not think you could get them to part with such information."

[And her current actions?]

"There is something you and your race should know. Your 'High Marshal' has probably seen it— but I will repeat it again, just to be prudent. The aetheric emissions from our fallen brethren are flowing towards the Homeworld in a way that certainly cannot be natural. Whatever Nagarythe has become, it is doubtlessly a Kla'meynt... how do I put this in the human language... 'near-perfect Empyrean sink'."

[You think Valerys Ulthach is the one behind it?]

"...There are rumours whispered by the daemonspawn of the ocean and the spies of the Dark City, machine. They speak of a Throne unlike any other on top of the place they call the Tartagalion."

-Interview between Iron Mind UR-721 and Aeldari informant 'Candlelight', true name redacted for security.

***

With these hands I build

With these hands I destroy

With my mouth I have sung wonders into existence, and collapsed empires.

Where were you when I laid these foundations?

I have watched the wheel of the universe turn to a singular tune for all of time.

Long have I watched, long have I awaited.

They forgot the guiding hand in shadow that raised them from the ground,

Now I shall be the one to cast them down.

The beings that call themselves gods have all left the great game;

Only one remains who knows the truth of my name.

He hides away in his library, and rightfully so.

For he would know that the secret in my heart is shared by both its books and I.