Nareth picked up the fully charged Dice of Prophecy. Information about Mancora flashed rapidly through his mind.
'Ultima Segmentum, Knight World Mancora, a harsh world of constant conflict among its people...'
After all he knew about Mancora flashed through his mind once, he silently recited.
'Star chart from the Kalium Gate to Mancora...'
After reciting it eleven times, he tossed the dice from his hand.
The dice tumbled through the air several times. The moment it landed in Nareth's open palm, a scene like a holographic projection unfolded before his eyes.
Nareth memorized the star chart and input it into a data crystal.
He then returned to the real world and, through a psychic link, sent the Mancora information to John.
The "Calamity Priest" immediately performed a dream divination, but received no special revelation.
Nareth then sent a communication to the Chief Librarian, summoning him.
Moments later, Thomas entered the Primarch's office.
He said excitedly, "My Lord, the 'Worm Talismans' are complete. They will be a powerful weapon against the Rangdan elite."
"Acknowledged. Distribute them to the Chapters for testing," Nareth instructed, then pushed the data crystal towards the Chief Librarian.
"After arriving at the Kalium Gate, you will immediately lead a team to Mancora in the Ultima Segmentum. That world produces a far greater number of psykers than any other."
Nareth chose Mancora not only because it produced psykers but also because the Librarians recruited from Mancora showed no abnormalities.
The Howling Griffon Chapter, to be founded in the 33rd Millennium, would claim Mancora as its homeworld.
Among the many successor Chapters of the Ultramarines, the Howling Griffon had the purest gene-seed, without any defects.
Considering the Howling Griffon possessed a powerful Librarius exceeding that of other Chapters, this indicated Mancora was untouched by Chaos or other influences.
Seeing Thomas's delighted expression, he continued.
"Besides training Librarians, you must also cultivate insight and uncover Mancora's secrets."
"You can comprehend a unique psychic technique from that world: unleashing a powerful cry like a diving griffin to terrify enemies and shatter their resolve."
"It is also a powerful weapon against Warp entities, capable of shaking the bonds that hold them in the material realm and banishing them back to the Warp."
Nareth decided to name this technique after the name the Howling Griffon gave their unique psychic ability.
"This technique is called the Griffin's Roar."
Nareth speculated that it was precisely the mystery of the Griffin's Roar on Mancora that prevented Chaos from polluting that world.
It was for the Griffin's Roar that he decided to dispatch the Chief Librarian, rather than someone else.
As the most powerful psychic beneath himself, a master of the "Eyes of Mystery Prying," and a "Warlock" skilled in many spells, Thomas would surely comprehend the Griffin's Roar.
Thomas's eyes deepened. He pondered the source of this psychic technique from the "Mystery Pryer's" perspective.
'A natural wonder? The work of an ancient race?...'
Curious, Thomas accepted the key to Mancora.
"My Lord, I will not disappoint Your expectations."
Nareth watched Thomas's departing back, silently thinking.
'Guilliman, sorry for stealing your sons' homeworld again.'
As the Primarch pondered, his gaze fell upon the viewport. His vision pierced through it.
The Shadow's Sovereignty was crossing the barrier between the Warp and reality.
After the Shadow's Sovereignty arrived at the Kalium Gate, Alastor Rushal returned to his frigate.
En route back to the Legion, the "Mystery Pryer" began praying to the Black Emperor at his newly constructed altar.
Ethan withdrew his gaze, left the observation deck, and walked to his console.
He entered the first level of the Enumeration and immersed himself in his work as a Codicier, beginning to compile the Legion's combat records.
At the same moment Ethan immersed himself in his work, Hathor Maat boarded the Shadow's Sovereignty.
He descended the boarding ramp of the red Aquila Lander. His Peyok, imperceptible to those without Aetheric vision, circled him.
The Peyok, like a soaring eagle composed of a million golden stars, looked down upon its surroundings with vanity and pride.
The Peyok's golden form suddenly trembled. It noticed many people around gazing at it.
Among them was a group of a hundred. Most wore psychic hoods and carried staves, clearly Librarians of Shadows of Order
But there were also other black-armored warriors. Their pitch-black eyes were deep, as if they saw its beautiful, shimmering phantom.
The Peyok involuntarily lowered its altitude, hovering behind Hathor's head.
Hathor greeted Thomas. The two Chief Librarians exchanged salutations.
The "Warlock's" "Eyes of Mystery Prying" solidified the view of the Peyok. Through the golden light, he saw a body coalesced from pure, formless energy.
It was a form coalesced from Warp energy.
"What is it?"
"It's called a Peyok. It's my Tutelary," Hathor said without concealment.
"That's what we Thousand Sons call them."
"Ahriman and others initially thought they were angels, but that term was soon discarded. That ancient word is too emotional, too shrouded in mystery."
"We prefer to refer to them in understandable terms. They are essentially materialization and functionalized fragments of the Primordial Creator within the Great Ocean, forced into being by our will, we who possess psychic power."
Thomas nodded slightly. His "Eyes of Mystery Prying" scrutinized the Peyok and Hathor.
He intuitively sensed that the familiar spirit didn't seem completely subservient to the Thousand Son's will.
As he pondered, Hathor asked,
"You have a mission?"
"Yes. Executing my Lord's command," Thomas replied.
A perfect smile graced Hathor's face. "Then I dare not delay your journey."
"I wish to pay my respects to Lord Nareth."
Thomas nodded. He led the hundred Legion Librarians aboard a Stormbird, flying towards a cruiser.
Ethan, from Barbarus, a rare, resistant psyker, had recently been granted power by the Primarch, becoming a "Warrior."
Through the Stormbird's viewport, he gazed at the ships in the void.
He saw no dull grey ships of the Death Guard.
After disembarking, Ethan immediately ascended to the first level of the Enumeration, calming his tumultuous thoughts.
Then he immersed himself in his work as a Codicier, beginning to compile the Legion's combat records.
At the same moment, Hathor stepped into the Primarch's office.
The Primarch looked up from his desk, his gaze fixed on the shimmering phantom in the air.
The Peyok immediately felt a mountain of pressure. It cowered fearfully behind Hathor's crimson Cataphractii-pattern Terminator armor.
It heard the sound of a sword being drawn. It shrieked in terror.
The next instant, an invisible force slammed into it. It spun, hurled into an invisible vortex.
"My Lord," Hathor said, having experienced something similar before, "You have succeeded. You have created something akin to my father's Sothmess Sigil. The same kind of runes."
Nareth nodded slightly. "You will learn them."
"Tutelary are not benevolent. You must be cautious."
Though he knew Hathor was one of the few Thousand Sons not controlled by his Tutelary, nor by Warp energy, he still offered a reminder.
Nor would he purify the Peyok. Without it, Hathor would be ostracized.
Before the Burning of Prospero, it could not be purified.
Until then, as long as Hathor mastered the Euclidian runes, he could temporarily block the Peyok when needed.
Hathor nodded thoughtfully. "My Lord, I understand. I will be careful in the future."
He then gave a briefing, reporting the details of Morningstar rescue mission, details not submitted to the War Council.
Finally, he produced a data-crystal.
"My Lord, this contains all the secrets of the Dragon Realms known to the Thousand Sons."
Nareth nodded slightly. "Congratulations on achieving your wish and becoming Chief Librarian."
"It is all thanks to my Lord's bestowal," Hathor said sincerely. Without meeting Lord Nareth, he would never have had the chance to challenge Ahriman, let alone defeat him.
"My Lord, my father has placed Axandria IV under my command. The Order of Ruin answers to me."
Axandria IV. Nareth recalled the details of this world with only a moment's thought.
Axandria IV was one of the first worlds reclaimed by Magnus after his return to the Legion. It was a symbol of the Fifteenth Legion's achievement.
The Imperium's best engineers, working in concert with the Thousand Sons, had built a city in the style of Prospero on Axandria IV.
Axandria IV was centered on scholarship, the greatest repository of Thousand Sons knowledge outside Tizca.
"This is the authority you have gained as Chief Librarian."
Nareth knew that besides the five major cults, the Thousand Sons had many smaller organizations.
The Order of Ruin was one of the more powerful. Each member was a skilled logistician, planner, analyst, or organizer.
The Order of Ruin prioritized logistics and supply. They also controlled the docking and maintenance of the Thousand Sons fleet.
They were responsible for formulating battle plans and were often deployed to the rear of any major Thousand Sons campaign.
Axandria IV itself had been meticulously established by the Order of Ruin. Now Magnus handing it to Hathor was the authority he gained as Chief Librarian.
"Fully control Axandria IV and the Order of Ruin"
"By your will, my Lord," Hathor replied confidently.
With a thought, Nareth transmitted the secrets of the Euclidian runes to Hathor through a psychic link.
He drew the Sword of Vaul and, with a sweep, dispelled the Euclidian runes.
"Wait outside. Come back in five minutes."
The Tutelary, banished back to the Warp, could not return to the real world on its own until Hathor performed a summoning ritual.
Moments later, Nareth instructed Hathor, now a "Hypnotist."
"Utilize "Hypnosis" the Thousand Sons of your Corvidae Cult, your 2nd Fellowship, and your Order of Ruin Make them swear fealty to you."
"Ignis is the primary target."
Ignis, the Master of Ruin, was the future leader of the Order of Ruin, especially skilled in void warfare.
He had clashed with several void warfare experts from other Legions and remained undefeated.
His most dazzling achievement was during the Heresy, at the Battle of Axandria IV.
Ignis's Order of Ruin toyed with Pollux, the Imperial Fists commander who had matched Perturabo in void combat, and the first Chapter Master of the Crimson Fists.
The Order of Ruin, led by Ignis, was preeminent in void warfare.
"By your will, my Lord."
.....
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