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Still trapped in the Webway, Ahriman is eventually able to regain his memories and formulates a new plan to stop the Pyrodomon, which has reactivated inside Isidorus and is spreading throughout fleets of the Thousand Sons.{{Fn|28a}} Setekh is reborn afflicted by the [[Flayer Curse]], and both he and Ahriman travel into the past using the Key of Infinity.{{Fn|28b}} Allying with his Cabal in the past, Ahriman battles a group of [[Daemon]]s known as the [[Bitter Kin]] that have been sent from the future.{{Fn|28c}} The Pyrodomon spreads to the past, converting [[Gaumata]] who launches an attack on the rest of Ahriman's Cabal.{{Fn|28d}} Ahriman is seemingly killed by the Bitter Kin, but Ctesias is able to enter his mind and communicate with the Sorcerer.{{Fn|28e}} Ahriman hatches a plan to have Ctesias erase his mind once more, adopting the name "Horkos" to hide from the Pyrodomon and reach the Key of Infinity. Ctesias agrees at the cost of his own life just as Setekh and his [[Flayed Ones]] attack their flagship Hekaton.{{Fn|28f}} Both Ahriman and Setekh are able to enter the Key once more, restoring his identity and using the device to have the Necron Overlord completely consumed by the Flayer Virus and trapped within his own device.{{Fn|28g}} Ahriman is able to use the Key to reset the timeline, traveling back to the moment of casting the Second Rubric and erasing Isidorus' soul. Ahriman reappears on [[Sortiarius]] just a few days after the casting of the Second Rubric, preventing the creation of the Pyrodomon. Fleeing the Planet of the Sorcerers a second time, he declares his objective to find the [[Black Library of Chaos|Black Library]].{{Fn|28h}}
Ahriman has of late turned his relentless predation upon the [[Eldar]], determined in his belief that the lost knowledge he seeks can be found in that darkest of halls of enlightenment, the vast repository of arcana referred to in whispers as the [[Black Library of Chaos]].{{Fn|2}} To that end he led the [[Prodigal Sons]] warband during the [[13th Black Crusade]] to the world of [[Arcadia (Eldar)|Arcadia]] in order to plunder the ancient library there and gain entrance to the Webway. This scheme was foiled by the actions of members of the [[Blood Ravens]] and Eldar [[Harlequins]].{{Fn|3x}} Another of Ahriman's schemes centred around using the captured [[Inquisitor]] [[Czevak]] and a long forgotten webway portal on [[Etiamnun III]].{{Fn|4}} At one point, Ahriman captured the [[Daemonifuge]], [[Ephrael Stern]], intending to use the former [[Sister of Battle]] against his rivals after conquering the Black Library.{{Fn|5}}
===Thirteenth Black Crusade===
Sometime shortly before the [[13th Black Crusade]], Ahriman was summoned back to the [[Planet of the Sorcerers]] by Magnus himself. Magnus agreed to once again work with Ahriman towards a common goal.{{Fn|15b}} During the subsequent [[Siege of the Fenris System]] the two fought together in mutual vengeance against the hated Space Wolves.{{Fn|12}}
Ahriman has of late turned his relentless predation upon subsequently summoned a [[Leviathan (Daemon)|Leviathan]] from the [[EldarWarp]], determined in his belief that to bring chaos to the lost knowledge he seeks can be found in that darkest [[Eye of halls of enlightenmentTerror]], the vast repository of arcana referred to in whispers as the a giant voidbound [[Black Library of Chaosdaemon|warp beast]].{{Fn|234}} To that end he led the Ahriman again captured [[Prodigal SonsInquisitor Czevak]] warband during and was able to extract from him a way to rip open the walls of the webway aiming to reach the fastness of the [[13th Black CrusadeLibrary]] to , but was rebuffed from reaching the world of library's doors by [[Arcadia (Eldar)|ArcadiaHarlequins]] in order to plunder the ancient library there and gain entrance to the Webway. This scheme was foiled reinforced by the actions of members of the a garrison from [[Blood RavensUlthwé]] and Eldar . To make matters worse, Czevak escaped his capture taken by the [[HarlequinsHarlequinade of the Red Masque]].{{Fn|3x33}} Another of Ahriman's schemes centred around using and the captured [[Inquisitor]] [[Czevak]] and a long forgotten webway portal on [[Etiamnun IIIWebway Gate]]he used to enter was sealed, never to be used again.{{Fn|4}} At one pointNevertheless Ahriman managed, only in astral form, Ahriman captured to reach the Black Library allowing his physical body to transcribe onto hermetic parchment what his simulacrum saw inside the [[Daemonifuge]]library halls and in so doing, managed to copy the contents of the fabled ''[[Ephrael SternTome Labyrinthus]], intending to use '' - the map of the former hidden [[Sister of BattleWebway]] against his rivals after conquering the Black Librarypassages.{{Fn|515a}} Despite summoning a In the eyes of his [[Leviathan (Daemon)|LeviathanPrimarch]], a giant flying [[daemon|warp beastMagnus the Red]] and Ahriman bringing horrendous casualties on both sides of the conflict; Ahriman was ejected from the Webway, his goal unattained, Inquisitor Czevak captured by Harlequins, the webway gate Ahriman used star was sealed, never to be opened again. Nevertheless it is believed that his star is on the rise with Magnus once again, mostly due to the great chaos caused by his battles in the Webway, prowess in capturing Inquisitor Czevak, and ability to come close to entering the Black Library.{{Cite ThisFn|33}}
===Dark Imperium===
==Appearance and Abilities==
During his tenure as an Imperial Astartes, Ahriman was equipped with the red power armour of his legion, a highly artificed [[bolt pistol]] that featured swept-back hawk wings made of gold on the casing and a stippled [[psychneuein]]-hide handgrip, and a hooked [[force weapon|hequa staff]] of ivory and blue copper. Ahriman's [[Tutelary]] was named [[Aaetpio]], and was a vision of ever-turning wheels and eyes of light. His [[Enumerations|Enumeratory rank]] was that of ''Adept Exemptus'', meaning that he had attained mastery of a psychic discipline (precognition in Ahriman's case), connection with a Tutelary, could unshackle his astral form from that of his body, sense and read the auras of ensoulled creatures and possessed complete knowledge of the legion's rites and practices.{{Fn|1l}} According to [[Iskandar Khayon]], in the years since the Heresy Ahriman's face has been replaced with a screaming void. However, Ahriman is unaware of this fact and believes himself to be completely unaltered.{{Fn|17}}
Ahriman's pre-Chaos life appeared to be one of dedication to his calling, studies and Primarch. Indeed, Ahriman's relationship with Magnus is pivotal to his character and personal history.{{Fn|1}} Apart from his gene-sire, Ahriman is noted to have formed close connections with his twin brother Ohrzmud and his mortal student, Lemuel Gaumon. Interestingly, it was only after their respective deaths that he was able to admit to himself that both Apophis and [[Phosis T'Kar]] of the legion had been old and true friends. His relationship with Othere Wyrdmake was an important one in that the treachery and (as Ahriman saw it) hypocrisy of the Space Wolf personally affected Ahriman during the tumultuous times surrounding the fall of the Thousand Sons; Ahriman's murder of Wyrdmake was not only notably cruel, it also placed personal satisfaction over doing what may have been best for the legion. When considering the importance of his decision over Wyrdmake's fate, it is unlikely to be a coincidence that immediately after the event, Ahriman's [[force staff]] spontaneously changed from its original colouring to jet black.{{Fn|1m}}
==Sources==
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*{{Endn|1}}: [[A Thousand Sons (Novel)]] {{Cite this}}
**{{Endn|1a}}: Chapter Twenty-Two, pgs. 381–389
*{{Endn|31}}: [[Codex: Thousand Sons (10th Edition)]], pg. 22
*{{Endn|32}}: [https://web.archive.org/web/20250923192338/https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/mkh26zdt/meet-the-lords-of-war-venturing-to-the-warhammer-40000-grand-narrative-this-week/ Warhammer Community: Meet the Lords of War venturing to the Warhammer 40,000 Grand Narrative this week (posted 22/09/2025)] ''(archived from [https://www.warhammer-community.com/en-gb/articles/mkh26zdt/meet-the-lords-of-war-venturing-to-the-warhammer-40000-grand-narrative-this-week/ the original], last accessed 23 September 2025)
*{{Endn|33}}: [[White Dwarf 287 (UK)]], pg. 36 – ''Ahriman''
*{{Endn|34}}: [[White Dwarf 292 (UK)]], pg. 95 – ''Eye of Terror Event Cards - Leviathan Rises from the Warp''
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