After returning to the Shadow's Sovereignty and his own quarters, Nareth stepped into the Kingdom of Disorder.
He ascended to the throne in the fourth layer and extended his spirituality, touching the glowing orbs of Chief Apothecary Mikael, Ramsey of the Tenth, and William Wood of the Twelfth.
"The War Council has placed the Bone Drinkers, plaguing the Segmentum Solar, under my responsibility."
"This matter is now yours. The assassins and the marauder teams will coordinate with you."
The Twelfth Chapter's "Faceless" had grown significantly, and, like the Tenth Chapter's "Shadow Ascetics," were well-suited for infiltration operations.
"I am very interested in the Bone Drinkers. Hunt them and offer them to me."
The "Scarlet Scholar" Mikael, the "Shepherd" Ramsey, and the "Marionettist" William could vaguely discern each other through the black mist. They exchanged glances and bowed.
"By Your will."
After returning the three to the real world, Nareth extended his spirituality again, touching the orbs of the marauder's leader, the "Dream Stealer" Tierney, and the assassin leader, the "Pleasure" Maria Kournikova, issuing his commands.
He leaned back against his throne, thinking of the man who would soon become Remembrancer Lemuel Gaumon, one of the four future founders of the Inquisition.
Nareth extended his spirituality, touching the orb of Captain Keon of the 5th Company of the Fourth Chapter, stationed on Terra. After confirming he was alone, Nareth drew him into the Kingdom of Disorder.
Keon, cloaked in black, his face hidden behind a mask, looked around at the surrounding black mist.
He looked up at the Black Emperor, deep within the mist, and knelt on one knee: "My Lord."
Nareth leaned back in his throne. "What news of Lemuel Gaumon?"
"My Lord, I have followed Your command, keeping watch over House Gaumon and the lord of the Sanga region."
"Lemuel Gaumon is a commercial prodigy. He is well-connected and generous, donating most of his wealth to charity."
"He has never been cheated in business, even when he first started and dealt with the most cunning individuals. I believe he possesses some form of mind-reading ability."
"You are correct. He is a born psyker," Nareth said.
"He is also one of the few psykers with a special ability. He is an aura reader, able to discern truth from falsehood by reading the auras of others."
Aura is a clearer emotional expression than the Aetheric vision of psykers, similar to the spirit vision of beyonders.
Besides Lemuel Gaumon, Nareth remembered that Cassia, a Navigator of House Orsellio in the future Koronus Expanse, also possessed this talent.
The gifts of the Warp are varied. Psykers have a bewildering array of abilities.
Lemuel's future friend, Camille Shivani, an architectural archaeologist among the remembrancers, was also a special talent psyker, a psychometric.
She could read the impressions left on objects by anyone who had touched them, even experiencing the emotions of the memory.
A psychometric's ability in this regard can yield more complete information than even the best divination-psyker can obtain.
Another of Lemuel's friends, the historian Kallista Eris, was also no ordinary person.
Her prophetic abilities were exceptionally powerful. When Tzeentch's influence obscured the Corvidae Cult's prescience, blinding even Ahzek Ahriman, she was sacrificed to foresee the future.
Her death ultimately led to the rift between Lemuel and his teacher, Ahriman.
Lemuel Gaumon, based on his aura-reading talent, would develop the technique of the Psychic Probe, which would become the Inquisition's most common form of psychic interrogation, shattering the mental defenses of countless individuals.
Of course, most of the Inquisition's future psychic techniques would also derive from what Lemuel learned from Ahriman.
Nareth set aside his memories of Lemuel and listened to Keon's report.
Enlightened by the Black Emperor, Keon now understood why Lemuel Gaumon had risen so rapidly and amassed such wealth. He continued.
"Lemuel and Marika met at a charity gala. Marika is the daughter of the lord of the Sanga region."
"At the time, the Sanga lord was raising funds to purchase an entire quarry of Proconnesian marble from the Anatolian peninsula, to be donated in its entirety to the Imperial Guild of Stoneworkers."
"The then-Guild Master, Duke Singh, promised to commission a statue from the stone, which might even be unveiled by the Emperor himself."
Keon paused, then added: "The sculptor chosen was Ostan Dreyfuss, who had created the statue of Lord Corax that stands in the Heroes' Square."
Keon looked up at the Black Emperor on His throne. Seeing no reaction to his mention of the Emperor and Corax, he continued, frowning slightly.
"Lemuel and Marika fell in love over a bottle of palm wine and the stars at the gala, and they were married the following year."
"The wedding expenses far exceeded the annual income of many of House Gaumon's families." Keon looked with awe at the Black Emperor, shrouded in mist upon His throne.
"Because You had previously mentioned it to General Barton, he had been watching the collateral branch married into the Sanga region. On the wedding day, he sent a great-grandson to represent him."
Like Barton, Keon did not know why the Black Emperor placed such importance on a wealthy merchant, whose fortune was insignificant.
He was a rare psyker, but the Legion's Librarians were far more powerful than Lemuel.
Someone like Arsena and Marlena were also far stronger than Lemuel Gaumon. Was it really worth keeping him away from the company, stationed long-term on Terra?
Keon's obsidian eyes glanced at the majestic figure in the mist. He shuddered, gathered his thoughts, and continued.
"Their first seven years of marriage were very happy. But not long ago, Marika fell ill, shattering their idyllic life."
"It began with migraines, progressing to unexplained fainting spells and short-term memory loss."
"Lemuel Gaumon sought out the best physicians in all of North Africa. They eventually diagnosed Marika with an aggressive astrocytoma, a malignant brain tumor. Radiation and intensive chemotherapy both failed."
Nareth nodded slightly. Keon's report matched his memory, with the only difference being that his own interest had prompted Barton Drake's attention to the Sanga lord.
Without his intervention, the general who had missed the chance to become Lord Commander of the Solar Auxilia would not have taken notice of a minor North African lord.
"Based on your understanding of Lemuel Gaumon, how deep is his obsession with Marika?"
Keon hesitated. 'Could it be that the Black Emperor had focused on Lemuel Gaumon all along?'
'What is so special about him that he has earned my Lord's attention?'
He did not answer immediately. After reviewing all the intelligence, he cautiously offered his assessment.
"Lemuel's love for Marika is unwavering, as deep as the sea."
"For every cancerous cell destroyed, new ones arise, continuing to destroy her brain."
"Having exhausted all conventional medicine, he has begun seeking out all manner of bizarre treatments: hypnosis, molecular corrective therapy, holistic herbalism, Ayurvedic psycho-spiritual therapy, even qigong, acupuncture, and breath control."
Keon added, with a sense of wonder, "Lemuel refuses to give up. No matter how slim the chance of success, he is willing to try anything to save Marika."
"He has even begun to dabble in the forbidden, to summon profane powers."
Nareth frowned slightly, nodding. His original plan had been to have the "Gatekeeper" Keon take Marika's soul, then use their reunion to control this founder of the Inquisition.
Saving Marika's life was not difficult. But Lemuel Gaumon, in his current state, held little value for him, hardly worth such an elaborate scheme.
Nareth needed the man of the future. He needed Promus, one of the four founders of the Inquisition.
He needed the man whom Magnus had commanded Ahriman to teach all his psychic knowledge and techniques.
He needed the man forged in the crucible of fire after the "Burning of Prospero."
He needed the man who would be utterly transformed by temporarily bearing a fragment of Magnus's shattered soul.
Not the man basking in love with Marika on Terra.
But now, he began to doubt: Would Marika's shade be enough to ensure the stubborn Lemuel would be content with only a spectral reunion, and always bend to his will?
On the other hand, would Promus, shaped by countless trials, be swayed by his dead wife's spirit? Would a living Marika be more effective?
'Life or death?'
'What is the best way to plant a spy in the Inquisition?'
Nareth pondered for a long time before making his decision.
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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