At the summit of the black basalt peak, after three hours of negotiation with the fourteen tribal chieftain s holding falcon short swords, Nareth reached an agreement.
He used a quill to write line after line of clauses on both sides of a parchment, in Dunnic and Phuthu.
'The employee, during the employment period, will follow the commands of the employer, Nareth, and his sons.'
'The employee must keep all secrets of the employer, not revealing anything seen or heard to anyone, including but not limited to the following aspects: ...'
'The employer will pay Vostroya-pattern lasguns in advance as the first year's payment.'
.....
He decided to assign the Vessorines to various parts of the Legion, to use their Blank nature.
Etrich's Sorbor tribe would remain on the Shadow's Sovereignty. The other thirteen negative-Omega leaders would lead their largest tribes to the twelve Chapters and the Librarius.
Besides psychic suppression, another use of Blanks was to prevent prying.
Masters Astropath kept two Blanks nearby for this reason.
Astropaths, responsible for Imperial long-range communication, were at the core of information flow, like spiders at the center of a web.
Important information from various systems would be sent to them after decryption.
Though Chapter Lords, Chaplains, and other high-ranking Legion members had mastered the "Euclidian Runes," they could only use them promptly on their flagships. Elsewhere, they needed preparation.
Blanks, simply standing in a meeting area, could shield a region. This was crucial before Chaos's rise, to conceal Legion intelligence.
Blanks accompanying Librarians were also useful. Besides gathering data-crystals, Legion action archives, and other information, they could suppress out-of-control psykers.
Though all Librarians had mastered the third level of the Thelema mindstate, and those of higher rank had CORV drones, loss of control was still possible in large-scale war.
CORV drones could be destroyed by enemies. Mental defenses could also weaken due to battle-brothers' deaths and fatigue.
Other tribes would be assigned to officer positions like Techmarines and Chaplains, to be deployed as needed.
Etrich was the first to sign his name in Phuthu on the bottom right of the parchment, under 'employee.'
Nareth then took the parchment. With a thought, his spiritual energy surged into the orange-red greatsword on his back.
A shadow silently fell on the parchment.
A barely perceptible line of text appeared between two lines:
If the employee goes to a place without the concept of time, the timer will stop until they leave, at which point time will resume.
This clause was similar to the one he had made with the Hrud Damian in the second shadow layer.
Though he had not yet mastered shadow-based beyonder abilities, with the "Twilight Giant's" uniqueness, he could proxy "Shadow Contracts."
He signed his name at the bottom left: Nareth.
The moment he finished, he and Etrich trembled.
The "Mentor of Disorder" saw the shadows behind them suddenly leap, as if looking down from above.
In an indescribable sensation, a subtle connection was established between them.
Etrich trembled. He felt that violating the contract would bring terrible punishment. Death.
He looked around. He saw nothing.
He touched the falcon short sword at his belt, suppressing his unease.
He would abide by the contract, whether the sensation was real or not.
After signing contracts with the fourteen tribal chieftain s, Nareth returned to the Shadow's Sovereignty.
The next day, his psychic projection crossed countless light-years, arriving at Terra's Golden Palace.
Malcador had not yet arrived. Angron was absent. He, in his black robe, stood out among the eighteen armored Primarchs.
Perturabo's rock-like voice held concern. "Nareth, your armor?"
"During the integration of a feral world, a disaster erupted in battle. My armor was shattered." He said calmly, attributing the decay caused by the"Sword of Dusk's authority to the environment.
Since the Vessorines would be fighting with the Chapters and could not be hidden, he would report the integration campaign to the war council, and use the opportunity to report '2,584 Shadows of Order killed.'
Perturabo nodded. He recalled the magnetic field reversal during the Morningstar rescue with Magnus.
They had found the decay was caused by the Warp entity, Shai-tan, controlling an organization.
His ice-blue eyes rippled, recalling integrating the Squats with Nareth and Magnus in the hazardous galactic center.
Light blazed in Russ's eyes. Nareth's shattered armor showed he was not invincible.
He grew more certain he could find a way to defeat him in Fenris's underworld. But the cost in Rune Priests' lives was too high.
Unless Nareth turned traitor. But that would not happen.
He was loyal to the Allfather.
Shame crossed Vulkan's face. Shadow of Order had built fortress-grade void shields for many hazardous worlds. The armor he had forged for Nareth was destroyed.
He clenched his fists. 'I will forge tougher armor for Nareth.'
Ferrus Manus's silver-coin eyes stared at his flowing robe.
"Nareth, the armor I forged for you is complete."
"I suffered my first defeat. I learned much from the duel. It has made me more perfect."
Horus and Sanguinius exchanged glances, reading the same thought: only they could defeat Nareth.
Lion El'Jonson and Jaghatai Khan looked at him with the perspective of transcendent swordsmen.
Ferrus was stronger than Russ. That Nareth had defeated him showed his transcendent combat ability.
Roboute Guilliman thought of the statues of the five Dauntless Few brothers he had erected on Macragge.
Nareth had defeated two of the other four: the hot-tempered, combative Russ, and the unshakeable Manus.
He was indeed the key to the Dauntless Few.
Konrad Curze's arms were folded like a bat's wings, his black nails tapping his armor rapidly and irritably. A shadow fell over the dark river.
"This was reflected in the forging." Ferrus raised his silver arm. Liquid metal flowed.
After his defeat, he had immersed himself in the forge, unlocking the power of his silver hands.
He had forged more perfect armor.
Fulgrim, his silver hair like snow, stared at Manus. His leaden voice held the heat of a forge.
Manus enjoyed defeat, the competition, the losing.
He had found a way to perfect himself.
'Perhaps I should accept Manus's challenge.'
He thought hesitantly. 'But if I lose, my perfection will be flawed.'
"Ferrus, I suggest you challenge Angron." Nareth smiled.
To advance to "Count of the Fallen," his two primary targets were Angron and Fulgrim.
Fulgrim, fearing defeat would mar his perfection, would not accept.
Angron would never refuse a fight.
Whoever won or lost, Ferrus would forge Angron a weapon.
If he chose to kill Angron, he would gain another trophy.
'If I choose Fulgrim, it's fine. I will meet the ascended Angron eventually. I can kill him then and take his trophy.'
'The Krakenmaw, Helwinter, and the Sword of Vaul.'
'Many of my sons could potentially advance to Sequence 4. I still lack many...'
His eyes deepened. Ferrus's silver-coin eyes flickered.
"A good suggestion!"
BOOM!
The Golden Palace doors opened.
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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