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The Emperor, now trapped on the Throne, revealed that he had not only been expecting Vulkan but had been guiding him this entire journey and had been the force that compelled him to construct Urdrakule and the Talisman of Seven Hammers. The Emperor told Vulkan that the Primarch's purpose had always been intended for this moment, for he was designed to construct the Talisman and oversee its true purpose. The Emperor revealed that the Talisman was weapon of unprecedented power, a [[Wikipedia: Dead man's Switch|dead man's switch]] that would consume all of Terra should [[Horus]] succeed in the [[Siege of Terra|coming struggle]]. It would be Vulkan's duty to press the switch that would destroy Terra but deny the world to the powers of [[Chaos]]. Vulkan was horrified by the prospect, but the Emperor told him that he must be the one to oversee the device for the Primarch has always been the most hesitant to use the weapons he forges. With that, Vulkan installed the talisman into the Golden Throne and took up position by the [[Eternity Gate (Imperial)|Eternity Gate]].{{Fn|16}}
===Siege of Terra====
Keeping his existence a secret save for a select few during the [[Siege of Terra]], Vulkan next saw action when [[Magnus the Red]] and a group of his [[Thousand Sons]] infiltrated the [[Imperial Dungeon]] to kill the Emperor. Vulkan blocked a lethal blow by Magnus' staff that had been intended for the Emperor's form upon the Golden Throne{{Fn|19}}, but quickly backed down and alongside their father bid Magnus to return to the Imperial's fold. Vulkan became disheratened when Magnus refused the offer to return to the loyalists after the Emperor told him that he would have to purge his [[Legion]] due to its rampant mutations. Vulkan himself admitted he would have made the same choice as Magnus, but nonetheless again defended the Emperor against the Crimson King's assault. Vulkan and Magnus then engaged in a furious duel, but was saved from a decapitating blow thanks to the sacrifice of [[Igen Gargo]]. Horrified by his sons death and taking up his [[Thunder Hammer]], Vulkan wielded twin hammers to seemingly beat Magnus to submission. However before a visibly despairing Vulkan could deliver the final blow Magnus fully gave himself to the powers of [[Chaos]] and vanished from the Throneroom.{{Fn|19a}}
With Magnus now inside the [[Webway Project|Imperial Webway]] and enacting a psychic ritual to sap the Emperor's remaining strength, Vulkan was dispatched by Malcador to put an end to his brother as the Eternity Gate itself was besieged. As he moved through the Webway he ignored Magnus' lies and goadings along the way{{Fn|20a}}. After journeying to the Impossible City to the Webway, Vulkan finally came before Magnus. Again ignoring his brothers manipulations including a vision of the [[Burning of Prospero]], the two came to blows.{{Fn|20b}}
Initially in their battle, Vulkan seemed to hit nothing but smoke and it became apparent he was swinging his hammer at smoke. The real Magnus was behind a psychic barrier, steeped with his own ritual to weaken the Emperor. Vulkan took advantage of this by smashing through the already-stressed Magnus' barrier, forcing the Crimson King to try and kill Vulkan directly so that he may be allowed to complete his work. Magnus tried every method conceivable to kill his brother. He beheaded him with his khopesh, suffocated him by turning his lungs to amber, drained him of his blood, and immolated him with psychic fire. However nothing worked, and each time the [[Perpetual]] Vulkan would regenerate and continue to hammer away at Magnus. Attrition took hold, and Magnus grew increasingly desperate. He entered Vulkan's mind as the noble he had once been, attempting to explain his actions. Vulkan had none of it however, scolding Magnus for his arrogant and reckless use of sorcery that had turned him into a slave to Chaos. In the Webway, Vulkan stood above Magnus ready to deliver the killing blow. However he hesitated despite the Emperor's own voice ordering the Salamanders Primarch to kill his brother. Magnus used this moment to unleash the spell he had been working on, undoing Vulkan at a genetic level in a desperate bid to finally kill him. As Vulkan crumbled apart he nonetheless was able to swing his hammer, smashing off Magnus' head with [[Urdrakule]] and banishing him into the Warp. Later, Vulkan's regenerating form was seen slowly making it back to the Palace's Webway portal, Urdrakule in hand.{{Fn|20c}}
===Post-Heresy===
*{{Endn|19}}: [[The Fury of Magnus (Novella)]]: Chapters 13-14
**{{Endn|19a}}: Chapter 15
*{{Endn|20}}: [[Echoes of Eternity (Novel)]]
**{{Endn|20a}}: Chapter 7
**{{Endn|20b}}: Chapter 27
**{{Endn|20c}}: Chapter 34
{{Primarchs}}
