(Ixion/Warp Gods POV)
Location the Chaos Wastes/Monolith of Kjarl Deathaxe
Nurgle has won the battle and we killed, Kruger Vaal Deathaxe in their Undivided state, then to take control over the khornate northmen we quickly switched with Khorne transforming our avatar into his state, and demonstrating his power and worth as a Champion of the Hound, by showing off the claimed head of the late Blood-Drinker Chieftain.
We are being praised and cheered by the Blood-Drinkers, that are now under our service and apart of the Dark Legion now.
As we prepare to embark further in our conquest of the Chaos Wastes, we sensed a presence...shrouded in weaker Chaos forces.
A huge orb of swirling energies of red, blue, purple, and green started to manifest before them immediately, Laharl knew what that is...telling the others that this being is a Herald, a speaker for their counterparts.
Immediately they knew that meant that the weaker Chaos Gods or the Old World wanted something from them...or wanted to pass some kind of test...and just as the Dark One mentioned right before them appeared a hooded specter with chaotic accessories of all four Gods, this being has no face only a void and tentacles showing through the sleeves and bottom of the dark robes.
Floating before them, all we thought was, "What insignificant insect..." this was a show of force and dominance towards them, but they are dark all-powerful Gods of the Immaterium, so all they felt was animosity, and anger towards this form of contact to them.
They sensed the power of Chaos, strongly emenating from this being...compared to the mortals around us, even Khorne's latest addition the Slaughterbrute was emenating more chaotic energy than this creature.
The speaker, bowed respectfully to us and spoke in a echoed, graspy voice, "Hail great warrior of the Gods. For I am the herald of the Gods, here under their wishes to tell what they desire from you, might Ixion." they, stood silent as the Blood-Drinkers came to our side.
They were going to attack as we commanded Ixion to rise his hand to stop their khonate warriors, we commanded them to preceed loading everything inside Enzium, find their area within the Castle Fortress they watched, as the Blood-Drinkers look at the Speaker one last time before bowing to us and doing as we commanded.
We made Ixion Daemonhart, to look at the Speaker, and we spoke through him, "What would the Gods have us do, Speaker?" the Speaker chuckled as it continued to speak to us, "I am Zxaie-xie, and the Gods have a task of great importance. Prove yourself, and you'll become the most favored, and greatest champion ever to risen of the Gods!!!" Laharl mentally thought, "This is so familiar, to Thorgar's storyline...regardless, the Kurgan obtain great power listening to the Old World, Chaos Gods." so he convince us to listen to Zxaie-xie.
We kept our guard up, as we continue to listen to the corrupted entity in front of us...
Zxaie-xie spoke again, "Heed these words, Ixion, the Gods see great things. I forsee great glory for you all to win. This, Speaker shall guide you to your destiny. Listen to the call of the Dark Gods..." it continued to speak to us, trying to manipulate and tempt us with rewards that we can already obtain on our own, eventually the floating specter mention that the Gods have prepare, important tests for them, so he can prove themselves and even surpass...if not take the mantle of Archeon.
This earned our interest, as they start discussing thing in secret...eventually all three Warp Gods, they decided to accept as Zxaie-xie told them of...four trails...that was the only surprise for them, especially the Dark One, apart from Archeon there hasn't been a Chaos Champion or Lord that has been this tested before.
But regardless, they still accepted as the Speaker, Zxaie-xie told them, "Then, let's us depart as the journey to the first trail is long...you must pass this trail, before the Herald of the Tempest finds your army, for that is also a trail that you'll must overcome as well."
This surprised the Dark One, but in reality it was a welcomed one facing Kholek in the early game before he established his full army, or gets to a higher level...
That's when they heard Laharl tell them, "This provides us with another opportunity of power my brothers. The Dragon Ogres are a powerful and loyal race dedicated forever to Chaos. I created the Giants of our homeworld...speaking of that we should add more giants from Titanomachy. (Giant Planet name) I can create another planet for them and add them to our legions, what do you say, Khorne? Nurgle?"
They agreed, so now they spoke to the Speaker, "Very well. Guide us to our destiny." but instead of telling us, the annoyance floated pass them and towards our Enzium and Khorne asked us, "Is this ant, actually coming with us on our fortress?" and we only responded with a tired, and exasperated "Yes/Seems...so."
We shuke the head of Ixion, and allowed Zxaie-xie to enter Enzium without harm...for now, as we remain on this former battlefield, of khornate corruption littered with the bodies of Nurgle's victims, as the Blood-Drinkers continue to do as we ordered, taking crates, jars, barrels, and skulls into Enzium.
(General POV)
Location Within Enzium, the Throne Chamber
Once all was settled and the Blood-Drinkers are now inside Enzium in the infernal forge/refinery level of the castle fortress.
The brothers, have decided to accept the four trail of their weaker counterparts, so they can benefit from the rewards without any backlash or trick used against them.
Right now their heading northwest towards the ruined domain of the Chaos Sorcerer, the Folly of Malofex, named after the fool that freed Kholek Suneater only to die by the dragon ogre shaggoth's hands, under the guide of the Speaker, Zxaie-xie who was currently within their throne chamber, under their permission alone.
Zxaie-xie commented and complemented on their mobile and living, daemonic domain, also mentioning how he couldn't sense the powers of Chaos from outside of Enzium, but could sense every single source of Chaos within it...asides from them, of course.
The Warp Gods, found it amusing the obvious attempts of spying and digging for information from them, and sensing their dark masters anger growing, the mortifinis drew their weapons at him, and the flesh hounds growled at the Speaker menacingly, while Khorne and Nurgle were amused by this, the Dark One reminded his younger brothers, "Let me remind you two...we need this bug to find the first, and the other trails." he heard the Blood God grumble and the Rot Lord sighed as they commanded their daemons to back down.
They then asked the Speaker, to tell them where their going and Zxaie-xie told them, "Folly of Malofex" Laharl chuckled at first before turning into a full-on laugh which was such a flux of emotion from the Dark One, that the laughter came out of Ixion.
This made both Khorne and Nurgle curious on what cause their brother to laugh in such force.
After calming himself he responded by telling them that regardless of them accepting the trails, they were fated to face Kholek Suneater despite of the weaker Chaos Gods manipulating thing behind the scenes.
He told them all the story involving, the Chaos Sorcerer, Malofex and the Dragon Ogre Shaggoth, Kholek Suneater.
Now the two younger Chaos Gods, understood and also found the situation quite...humorous...too.
That humor reflected and came in full bore out of Ixion, laughing louder and more hardy which gained the Speaker, Zxaie-xie's attention.
Zxaie-xie while being a herald of the four ruinous powers, but he favored the Changer of Ways more overall.
Hence the true reason he was chosen by the Gods, for this important task not only to test and guide this multi-souled Chaos Lord, but investigate everything involving them...especially if it relates to this pretender of the God, the Dark One, Laharl Valboga...
Since given the power, glory, and authority as the a God-Speaker, Zxaie-xie expected he would be able to enter and investigate the entirety of this litteral Daemon Fortress and find more information on Laharl...but not only was he cut off from the Realm of Chaos, but accessing any other chamber or level within Enzium, he has tried multiple occasions including when he first enter the daemon...
Only for him to be immediately, teleported to the Throne Chamber, he couldn't leave or approach the throne itself...so he waited for Lord Ixion, to appear leading to the current events, of him waiting for them to stop laughing and finally get the knowledge that he desires.
As Ixion/Warp Gods started to calm down their laughter, and started getting a bit serious they saw the Speaker, float slightly closer to them.
Bowing and being charming to them, it took their combined will power, not shake Ixion's head or actually kill this annoying insect...in all honesty Laharl would have preferred the tzeentchian follower the Advisor over this Starscream wannabe...
Khorne and Nurgle were confused by their brother comparison to this Starscream being, all the Dark One responded was with, "Nothing important...a greatest insect, that is at least more entertaining than this bug..."
As they said to their guide to "Quit with the useless flattery!!" and demanded the Speaker, Zxaie-xie to tell them of the first trail or be feed to the slaughterbrute in the dungeon below.
Zxaie-xie did as he was demanded of, the Speaker told them that in the Folly of Malofex will be portal leading to another pocket realm in the Realm of Chaos, were set of challenges exclusively for the Dark One's champion to perform and conquer...all three brothers could already tell this is just an excuse for the weaker Chaos Gods, to spy and get information on Laharl...but also seemed amusing to the Warp Gods, so they told the Speaker to continue explaining...
After a while Ixion/Warp Gods understood that upon completing the first Kholek which was heading to Folly of Malofex, as they speak meaning that their next opponent and future subordinate, plus his entire race shall soon be theirs.
They also agreed to return to Warp again, after the battle against the Heralds of the Tempest, so they once again rest, use their accumulated souls to empower their avatar, Ixion Daemonhart, collect some Chaos Giants from Titanomachy, and for Laharl to create a new planet for the Dragon Ogres inside the Immaterium.
Plus Laharl though it was time to create some new Elder Daemons to add to legion...Ba'al Allseer is his Authority, Mordred Deathharbinger is his Slaughter, Nidhog is his Punishment, and Beelzabub is his ruin.
The Dark One plans on creating two new Elder Daemons one to represent his Madness, the other his Horror...he plans on turning one of Kiira's Hell Seductresses into the highest rank of daemons making the she-daemon like a seiren and something in the same line or thinking. [Special thanks to ZekiraGray for this Elder Daemon idea, happy 2024!!!]
But the Dark Harbinger already had a plan for his horror concept representing Elder Daemon, by taking inspiration from two sources that closely aligned if not the same, he planing on spawning/creating not only a nuckelavee which is a horse-like demon from Orcadian folklore of SCP-3456 in modern culture but that Scottish daemon is ancient myth that combines equine and human elements, he'll make that Elder Daemon based on both the forklore and SCP, combining them into a patron daemon that will spawn nucklelavee that will haunt and hunt the dead in battlefield and the poor souls that see them, they'll become the ultimate symbol of horror aside from the Chaos God of Horrors, himself.
Just thinking about it is making Laharl, eager to return and welcome to existence his newest generals and children into being...but they first must deal with the first trail these weaker counterparts have prepare, and Kholek before that can happen...
So now that, that was all settled and they now know what to expect from this first trail, the Warp Gods can rest and prepare for the next battle...but they were interrupted by the Speaker, again.
Zxaie-xie he asked them the reasons why he couldn't feel the Realm of Chaos, or the Gods themselves looking down at him?
Staying silent for a moment, they eventually decided to enlight the herald on what is happening, saying, "Our brother patron bares many names, and many divinities one such name shall explain everything for you Speaker...the One that Dwells in the Void." the Warp Gods watched through their avatar, at the faceless specter as he shuke clearly expressing surprise, and Laharl could sense it...fear, as they continued to speak, "Seems you now understand, Speaker. The entirety of Enzium is under the cover of the Void, and hence outside the sight, sense, and intervention of the Chaos Gods. Inside this Castle Fortress...we are the Gods!!!!" they all released a smidgen of their power to intimidate the herald, as they finish speaking to Zxaie-xie, "So you best behave, and obey or be offered as a sacrifice to the Dark One."
Sending their message clear, the Speaker bowed once again and floated to the far end of the chamber, making the Warp Gods contemp and return to their rest.