Aboard the Shadow's Sovereignty, Primarch's Office.
Nareth leaned back on his throne, addressing Arsena and Thomas.
"You both have extensive experience in ritual magic. Now, I have a task for you."
The Primarch looked at the ritual magic master, the "Polymath," and the "Warlock" who commanded vast knowledge. With a thought, he transmitted his requirements to them through a psychic link.
As the information flooded their minds, the "Polymath" and the "Warlock" understood the Black Emperor's request.
They were to design a ritual, create talismans, and invoke the Black Emperor's power.
The "Polymath" and the "Warlock" exchanged glances. They were both quite interested in this new endeavor.
"By your will."
"Thomas," Nareth gazed at him, keenly noticing his furrowed brow and somber mood. "What troubles you?"
"My Lord," the Chief Librarian, seeing the Black Emperor had perceived his worry, spoke frankly.
"Since the war with the Rangdan began, four hundred and one have fallen."
"The Lexicanium of combat and the Codicier of knowledge have both been affected."
Nareth nodded slightly, recalling that the Dice of Prophecy would be fully charged in about a month.
"When we arrive at the Kalium Gate, I will tell you how to resolve it."
The Chief Librarian immediately felt the weight lift from his shoulders.
"Praise be to my Lord."
At the same moment Arsena and Thomas left the Primarch's office, on the upper decks.
Luther and Zahariel sat comfortably in a corner of the officers' mess. Luther glanced around; those seated nearby were all his followers.
The "Lawyer" turned his gaze to his adjutant and spoke the words he had prepared.
"Zahariel, do you truly believe the Lion will ever accept us again?"
"Lord Lion..." Zahariel, beneath his psychic hood, began to speak, then suddenly paused.
A memory flashed through his mind: after the nuclear crisis was resolved, during the subsequent war meeting and ground operations, he had twice met the Lion's gaze.
Recalling it now, the Lion's eyes had revealed no emotion whatsoever. But that very lack of emotion meant he had lost the Lion's trust.
He had been special to the Lion. He had never seen that look of indifference in his eyes before.
Zahariel also remembered that night on Caliban, after he had slain the lion-beast, the night the knights celebrated for him.
He had walked alone with the Lion outside the fortress walls. He had been astonished and honored when the Lion had leaned in with a cunning look and said to him,
"Do you know that now, on Caliban, there is a unique bond of brotherhood between us?"
He was the only one, besides Luther, whom the Lion had ever called brother.
But now they were estranged.
Zahariel knew he had had a chance. But he was Luther's adjutant. Based on his sense of duty, he had kept the secret, telling the Lion nothing.
"Lord Lion commands you and Astelan to accompany Luther back to Caliban." The cold words echoed in his mind.
Zahariel's body trembled slightly. He picked up the Terrican black coffee from the machine on the table and downed it in one gulp.
"He values loyalty..."
"He will never forgive us."
Zahariel said with difficulty. He realized he would never again have the chance to follow his gene-father, the great hero, into battle.
"We disobeyed his exile order. He will punish us."
"Correct," Luther said, seeing Zahariel was as rational as ever, facing reality.
He continued, "Lord Nareth has provided us with a new opportunity."
Zahariel looked at Luther in astonishment, scrutinizing him carefully.
Zahariel realized Luther was completely different from before.
The regret and gloom were gone from his eyes. His gaze was resolute, just as it had been when he led the knights in their charge against the great beasts.
Zahariel exclaimed, "Lord Luther, you have decided to swear fealty to Lord Nareth?"
"The Lion will not permit this!"
Zahariel looked around. Face after face met his gaze. They were all listening to his conversation with Luther.
He surveyed the one hundred and thirty-five Dark Angels around him. Then he realized none of them would tell the Lion what happened here today, just as he once would not have.
They were Luther's knights.
The liege they served was Luther, not the Lion.
The "Lawyer's" eyes were sharp as knives. "Do you have another choice?"
Seeing Zahariel fall silent, the "Lawyer" spoke again, his words striking directly at the other's heart.
"The Lion has abandoned Caliban."
"Our home has been treated as a place of exile. He took his knights and left the Terran-born on Caliban."
"Do you know why?"
The "Lawyer" said coldly: "He resented that the First Legion was already established before his return. The Terran-born are the exiled, and we are the exiled as well."
"Everyone on Caliban is a prisoner!"
"I bring new life to Caliban!"
The surrounding Dark Angels knelt as one. "We shall follow Lord Luther to the death!"
"For Luther! For Caliban!"
The "Lawyer" finished his coffee. He felt his psychic energy become more lively, a dissolving sensation within him, like the coffee dissolving in his digestive system.
Luther rose, walked to Zahariel, and patted him on the shoulder.
"I trust you will make the wise decision."
Zahariel watched Luther and the other Dark Angels depart, saying nothing.
The Lion's merciless gaze at Sarosh, and his smile on Caliban, alternated in Zahariel's mind.
When the next ship's standard cycle bell chimed, Zahariel emerged from his reverie. He walked heavily towards the training deck.
Entering the training deck, he saw Librarian Balsar Kurthuri and Captain Alastor Rushal of the Nineteenth Legion.
Zahariel watched Luther standing before Lord Nareth, his expression complex. He did not approach.
The Primarch noticed Zahariel's anomaly the moment he stepped onto the training deck.
His peripheral vision swept over Zahariel, his supernatural perception capturing his mood.
'His mind is heavily burdened!'
Nareth glanced thoughtfully at Luther.
'My loyal "Lawyer" has started using "beyonder Eloquence" to persuade his followers already?'
'This will save me a lot of trouble.'
Nareth had no doubt about Luther's abilities.
He knew what Zahariel valued most, and how to persuade him.
His ability to win people's hearts, his leadership, his management skills, his aptitude for administration and development.
Beneath the Primarchs, none could match him.
"Zahariel. Balsar."
Nareth's voice, deep and commanding, broke Zahariel's reverie.
"It is time I taught you how to develop your psychic abilities."
Though he trusted Luther, he wasn't going to just coast. He had also promised Balsar he would teach him.
Most importantly, he was curious about Zahariel's special psychic gift.
"First, I must understand your abilities before I can begin your instruction."
"Zahariel."
Zahariel drew the Lion Sword, forged for him by the Lion, from his belt. Blade in hand, his eyes gradually grew resolute.
Nareth drew his Sword of Vaul. With a flash, he appeared before Zahariel.
Before Zahariel could react, the blue-white blade was at his throat.
"Awaken your psychic power!"
Zahariel looked at the towering Primarch. He hadn't even seen the Primarch's movement, neither the approach nor the retreat.
He knew he would have to use the rare psychic power his brother Librarian Israfil had mentioned, "Fearsight", to even perceive the Primarch's movements, let alone match them.
But he didn't know how to actively activate his ability. Neither did Israfil.
Perhaps the Emperor knew, but after testing him, He had not told him.
That memory was blurred in Zahariel's mind. As a Librarian, he knew the Emperor had used His immense psychic power to erase the testing process.
He only remembered a flash of golden light, and a stabbing pain.
'How can I actively use "Fearsight"?'
"You can keep up with me!"
The Primarch's majestic figure vanished. Zahariel blindly swung the Lion Sword at the spot where Nareth had just stood.
Unsurprisingly, his swing met empty air.
The Primarch appeared beside him, the blue-white blade at his throat again.
Zahariel decided to move. He executed agile turns and swift rolls across the training deck.
No matter how he moved, the blade was always at his throat.
After losing sight of Lord Nareth countless times, he swung the Lion Sword in fury at the spot where the Primarch had just appeared.
The Lion Sword effortlessly cleaved the deck, leaving a fist-deep gash.
Zahariel wrenched the Lion Sword free, fury coursing through him. Countless images flashed through his mind.
The Lion's merciless gaze. The cold command of exile. The endless days and nights confined to Caliban. The helplessness of having a blade at his throat, over and over...
Suddenly, everything in Zahariel's vision slowed down.
For the first time, he saw the Primarch's approaching form, then he vanished.
Nareth's eyes flickered. He instantly activated his Warp Insight.
He saw Zahariel, becoming formless, phasing his body, shifting into the Warp.
He saw him leap back into realspace, swinging the Lion Sword with a speed surpassing an Astartes' limits, aiming for him.
The Primarch raised his Sword of Vaul horizontally, blocking the incoming Lion Sword.
"Good!"
Zahariel flickered in and out of reality, between the Warp and realspace, constantly appearing around Nareth, launching attacks.
The Primarch's Warp Insight captured every one of Zahariel's movements.
Hundreds of Zahariel's attacks ended in a single second. Every one was blocked by the Primarch.
After that second, Zahariel's movements suddenly slowed. His "Fearsight" had ended.
Nareth gazed at Zahariel. "I can teach you how to activate 'Fearsight' at will."
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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