It was true, in a sense. When Vorlese was pulled into the warp, when the great beasts of the empyrean descended to glut themselves on the planet’s dullard souls, it would indeed be glorious. They would all be beautiful and unique: each one a delicate morsel, a singular blend of fear and torment that would be savoured. Radimir still hadn’t decided whether to take Eichner with him or not. He was leaning towards not. Let the archivist experience what he so deeply desired. Otherwise Radimir would have to explain why they weren’t staying to witness the glory, and that could get awkward.

The Children were hanging on Eichner’s words. Radimir could see the eager gleam in their eyes, the edge of delighted smiles on their faces. They had the courage to look past the fear that had been drummed into them since the moment of their birth, to hear the message and accept it into their hearts.

It was time.

He stepped out of the shadows of a generator stack – literally out of the shadows, concealing his amusement at the gasps of wonder and shock that momentarily filled the place – and strode forwards to appear at Eichner’s shoulder just as the archivist finished speaking.

‘I’ve been making preparations,’ Radimir said, looking around at them. ‘Gathering what I need to call down the attention of the gods, the True Gods, to this miserable rock. When we can do that, when we can prove ourselves worthy of their notice, they’ll accept each and every one of you, and reward you richly and justly.’ He paused. Took a breath.

‘But to carry out the final part, the ritual that will allow us to commune with them, I will need your help.’

He let that sink in for a moment. Let them feel needed. Let them feel important. Give them a taste of agency, the notion that their insignificant lives could truly affect their world. They were used to endless labour without reward. Salvation presented on a plate might taste too sweet, might put them off. Better to dress it up in terms that they were used to, of labour with reward: better rewards, and coming oh so soon.

And besides, it would give him a wall of bodies to put between him and anyone who might come investigating, should that come to pass.

‘What do you need from us?’ Eichner asked eagerly. It wasn’t play-acting: Radimir hadn’t told Eichner the next stage of his plan, and the archivist was genuinely excited. He looked as though he could almost taste the forbidden knowledge that he craved… whatever it was.