After sending the acquired Twilight Giant uniqueness to the Kingdom of Disorder, Nareth did not leave immediately.
His golden wings beat, dodging the charging thousands of blue-black giant eagles.
The "Mentor of Disorder" stared at the orange-red rock surface, the blue-black rivers, still entwined with complex, layered grey-black "threads of law."
'The uniqueness's influence on the Dusk Moon did not vanish when I took it.'
'Though the Twilight Giant lacks the Divine Kingdom authority of the Red Priest and Demoness, it has still formed a similar domain on the Dusk Moon, affecting Vessor.'
An image flashed through his mind: millions of years ago, an orange-red greatsword fell from the sky.
Time passed. The cold rock surface turned blazing orange-red. Blue-black rivers of dusk flowed.
As the image flashed, light flickered in his eyes.
It flickered, rose, then extinguished.
'I still cannot use psychic power. The blockage is just less.'
He slid, dodging over a dozen pairs of claws.
He raised his right hand, pressing his communication bead.
Static indicated vox interference.
Without surface comm relays, vox was disrupted.
He grew more certain of his hypothesis. He concluded:
The "Twilight Giant" had fallen here countless ages ago. Its influence was deeply rooted in the Dusk Moon.
'Hmm, for a considerable time, this influence will not fade.'
As he thought, he rose, quickly leaving the pursuing eagles behind.
He stopped at ten thousand meters, turning. The orange-red light reflected on Vessor's surface had obviously dimmed.
Light and shadow flickered in his eyes. He felt the Warp again.
He pressed his comm bead, opening the vox channel to contact Arsena Dunn. He was about to order full-power auspex scans when he received the report.
"My Lord, auspex scans show the Dusk Moon's inclined orbit has shifted again."
"The shift is slight. Estimated to return to normal orbit in 52 hours, 38 minutes."
"Auspex matrix scans show no structural change..."
'Indeed. No fundamental change physically.'
'Without the uniqueness's influence, future Vessorine newborns will have weaker psychic resistance. Fewer Blanks will be born.'
'The Dusk Moon could replace it... No, the Dusk Moon itself is the most suitable world. Those born here will have stronger psychic resistance.'
He frowned. But survival on the Dusk Moon would be too cruel, more dangerous than any feral world.
Clearly influenced by the "Twilight Giant's" uniqueness, the Dusk Moon was a place of decay. Those living here would suffer physical and mental torment.
Their bodies would decay. Their lifespans would drastically shorten.
More cruel, their souls would lose their connection to the Warp, worse than living near Blanks. Like living in the Null Zone covering the Niflheim Sector after the Great Rift opened, they would often panic or lose consciousness.
Every day, the Imperial forces would face a test of will.
His nascent idea of migration was quickly dashed.
He could not send millions to their deaths, especially since they would serve him only briefly.
As he struggled, Arsena's voice came again, reporting on Vessor's surface.
"My Lord, when the Dusk Moon's orbit shifted earlier, causing the premature eclipse, the entire planet was enveloped in orange-red light."
"The Apothecaries observed pine trees and other plants rapidly decaying. Beasts grew weak and aged."
"Notably, the Vessorines' vital signs showed no obvious change."
Inspiration struck. He recalled the "Twilight Giant's" primary authorities: besides Twilight, Combat. Derived from Battle were subordinate authorities: Strenght, Gigantism, Protection.
'The Vessorines' tall, robust physiques are clearly influenced by the uniqueness.'
'Over vast ages, the Vessorines have evolved under the "Twilight Giant's" influence!'
His eyes lit up. Humans migrating to the Dusk Moon might, over vast ages, likewise evolve, becoming a race with even higher psychic resistance.
Though mortality would be high initially, he thought of a suitable source, the dangerous populations in his domains.
He pressed his comm bead. "Order the Apothecaries to perform new tests immediately."
He flew towards the Shadow's Sovereignty, his living metal covering him like a golden angel.
The next day, in the Primarch's Office, he leaned back on his throne, clad in a black silk robe.
Chief Apothecary Mikael, in black armor, holding a data-slate, reported.
"My Lord, following Your command, the Apothecaries retested the Sorbor tribe. Their vital signs showed no obvious change. No signs of aging."
He nodded with satisfaction. As expected, the Vessorines had adapted to the decay of dusk through evolution.
'Life finds a way.'
Leaving Terra, humanity had shown adaptability surpassing many species.
They survived in all environments: ocean worlds like Naktis, volcanic worlds like Mundus Pira...
Even Catachan, with its dangerous flora and fauna, and Fenris, Medusa, Nocturne, with their frequent disasters and few permanent landmasses.
The Aeldar, with their powerful psychic technology, had created countless maiden worlds at their civilization's peak.
Humanity lacked such ability, only on a smaller scale, but had taken root on over a million worlds through sheer adaptability.
'Perhaps the words of Albert Einstein, who may have been an avatar of the Emperor: "A person's highest ability is to adapt to the objective world."'
As he thought, Mikael continued.
"The Vessorines' psychic resistance showed a slight increase, obviously decreasing with age."
"Of the 63 male children, 5 improved from Sigma to Tau: two 4-year-olds, one 5, one 6, one 7. One 3-year-old improved from Upsilon to Phi. One 2-year-old from Phi to Chi. One 1-year-old from Chi to Psi."
"Of the adults, only one improved from Sigma to Tau."
He nodded. 'Indeed, the Vessorines evolved under the "Twilight Giant's" influence.'
'Over vast ages, they gained robust bodies and psychic resistance.'
'Each year, the Dusk Moon would slightly increase their resistance, perhaps also turning unborn children into Blanks.'
His deductions confirmed, he looked at Arsena and instructed.
"Send the mutants from the Legion's worlds to the Dusk Moon in batches."
Mutants were a vast population in the Imperium. From the Emperor to planetary governors, even most citizens, they were seen as 'pests.'
Under harsh policies, they hated the Imperium.
During the Siege of Terra, Horus had gathered mutants from countless worlds. Their hatred of the Imperium made them the first into battle, heavily consuming the defenders.
In his domains, though mutant populations were declining on worlds like Vostroya and Parafigm City, and their conditions had improved, billions still struggled to survive.
Their inhuman appearance, their unstable emotions, naturally repelled them.
This was especially true on populous hive and industrial worlds.
Countless mutants lived in the underhive, infiltrating the lower hive, launching attacks.
During the Heresy, Warp storms would drive them mad, making them a potential unstable factor.
In his domains, the distinction between industrial and hive worlds, the latter with populations over a billion, was numerous.
The Imperium's million worlds were constantly in flux, but overall, they comprised one-tenth to one-quarter of Imperial planets.
In his domains, there were one hundred twenty-nine hive worlds.
Plus industrial worlds and those he had taken that would have become Forge Worlds, the number of worlds with populations over one hundred million exceeded two hundred, slightly less than a third of his total worlds.
If things continued, Shadows of Order would need to deploy significant defensive forces to these worlds before the Heresy. But now, he had an opportunity to eliminate this threat.
And the Dusk Moon's cruel environment offered the mutants a new path.
The Dusk authority's suppression of supernatural powers would ease their mental suffering.
They would adapt, their wills tempered.
Their descendants' mutations would fade after dozens of generations, gaining psychic resistance, producing countless Blanks.
Under the residual influence of the Dusk and Giant authorities, their descendants would become as robust as the Vessorines.
Under the Battle authority, they would fight each other, becoming natural warriors.
A sea of blood rose in his mind. Countless would die on this cruel world and in war, tempering a resilient warrior race.
His eyes flickered. He ordered.
"Provide them with ample food and weapons."
He gave the mutants what they would never have had, enough food, a benefit on their bloody path.
"By Your will."
After Arsena acknowledged, he thought of the tens of thousands of blue-black giant eagles. Their bones, though not as good as the Sisters of Silence's skulls as anti-psychic material, still had value. He ordered.
"Send Techmarines to the Dusk Moon to collect the giant eagle remains."
He watched the two leave, thinking.
'A decaying dusk moon, a deadly feral world, can still be used.'
'Eliminate threats. Forge a powerful warrior race.'
'The Black Emperor"uses the rules!'
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu