997.M30.
Kalium Gate system, aboard the Shadow's Sovereignty, in the Primarch's office.
Nareth leaned back against his throne, addressing Petronella Vivar, who was delicately pinching a Rynn-special jade berry.
"Petronella, I am about to embark on a dangerous expedition."
In the past four years, Petronella had proven her worth. Horus had chosen her as his chronicler not just because she was a senior court representative of House Carpinus.
That she had not been "corroded" by him was proof of her extraordinary will.
"My flagship has arrived at the Kalium Gate. You may wait here."
"Or you may visit any known world."
Petronella was wearing a simple emerald green dress today, its hem adorned with topaz and silver ornaments.
She savored the crisp, pear-like mid-palate of the berry, her eyes half-closed in pleasure.
Without pausing to appreciate the finish, she shook her head, a small but firm motion.
"No, my lord."
"I am your chronicler. Recording your prowess on the battlefield is my duty."
"This is a perfect opportunity. A dangerous battlefield is precisely the scene I most desire, the most compelling of all."
'Just the type to dare set foot on Davin.' Nareth looked at Petronella with approval, a note of warning in his voice.
"The xenos' mind-control abilities are stronger than Magnus's. You won't have a chance to write your own thoughts."
Though Nareth believed Magnus would be the Primarch best equipped to handle the Khrave Progenitor, besides himself, in the domain of the mind, neither he nor Magnus could match the Khrave Progenitor.
The Khrave Progenitor could exert mental control across thousands of light-years, even reaching into the consciousness of Titan crews.
Before the Heresy, whether entering Horus's Warp Image to prevent his fall at the Davin temple, or sending a message to the Emperor on Terra, Magnus had needed to sacrifice psychic servitors for power. For the latter, he had also required the Webway gate discovered by Ahriman.
"I can maintain the calm required of a chronicler. That is why you chose me, isn't it?"
Petronella raised her chin with pride, making the grey necklace at her throat stand out.
She lifted her left hand, pulling a faintly shimmering gem from her chest.
"My father, upon learning I had become your chronicler, sent me this heirloom."
"It allows me to remain calm."
"Which is not easy when I'm with you, especially when your deep eyes are fixed on me."
"Don't rely on it," Nareth warned.
He knew Petronella hadn't been "corroded" by him because of this necklace, but it might not offer complete protection.
Nareth looked toward the door, his gaze brushing past the golden-bladed rapier.
'Against the Khrave, Maggard's Kirlian Blade will be very effective.'
As his gaze passed over the standing Etrich, he added, "You've convinced me."
"Wonderful! Thank you for understanding." Petronella tucked the grey gem back inside her dress.
"The moment you defeat the xenos will be the most brilliant chapter of all."
Nareth opened a drawer, making a show of retrieving something, while in truth, black mist churned in his palm and a skull materialized.
It pricked his palm as he took it.
He placed the skull on the desk.
"It's a gift for you."
Petronella's body trembled slightly, but unwilling to show weakness in front of Nareth, she steadied herself and examined the unsettling object.
The discomfort was not from its appearance, House Carpinus's vault contained many sacred relics, and about a quarter of them were skulls.
Petronella's unease was an instinctive revulsion, a rejection at the level of the spirit.
"Is this... a Blank's skull?"
Petronella had encountered those unsettling women in the presence of the Emperor and the Regent.
She had examined her own feelings and knew her revulsion was not mere aristocratic jealousy, but something beyond the mundane.
"Exactly. You can have it crafted into jewelry, like a ring or earrings."
"It will protect you on the journey ahead."
This skull belonged to a deceased Vessorine Blank.
Over the past sixty years, Vessorines had inevitably died from war and natural causes.
Vessor, who had little ancestor worship compared to most Imperial citizens, upon learning their god, Nareth, was interested, naturally offered the skulls of their dead.
Nareth now possessed forty-nine skulls; another forty-five had been crafted into magical items by "Astronomers" like Forge Lord, Rosicky.
"I love this gift." Petronella took the skull happily.
It was cold to the touch. Her carefully maintained, smoothly filed nails trembled slightly.
She beamed like a child receiving a present.
"It's the best gift I've ever received, like when my father gave me the maple desk the Emperor gifted to our great-grandmother."
"I'll have it made into jewelry, something I can keep close."
"My lord," a low voice interrupted.
"Hasik, come in."
Petronella held the skull, turning her smooth neck towards the door.
Two Astartes in white armor entered the Primarch's office, one after the other.
Their pauldrons were emblazoned with golden lightning bolts, the symbol of the White Scars' swiftness.
Petronella's eyes flickered. 'Hasik Noyan-Khan.'
'The commander of the largest brotherhood under Lord Jaghatai.'
Hasik glanced at the noblewoman seated on the sofa beside the desk, then stopped before it.
"Lord, Torghun Khan of the Brotherhood of the Moon has always admired you. He wishes to fight under your command." Mindful of Torghun's presence and the noblewoman, he didn't address Nareth as "My Lord."
"Lord Nareth." Torghun Khan stood beside Hasik, looking at the majestic figure on the throne.
A buried memory stirred. He was once a boy from the Nordic Peninsula, still called Haren Svensalen.
He had been fortunate enough to watch Lord Nareth walk through the Eternity Gate on a holographic display.
Now, seeing him in person, Lord Nareth was even more magnificent than his memory.
Nareth looked with slight surprise at the fervent Torghun. 'Isn't Torghun a fan of Horus? How did his admiration shift to me?'
He recalled that among the White Scars' pro-rebellion faction at the Heresy, Hasik and others had aligned with Horus's cause, while Torghun's allegiance was more a personal admiration of Horus.
Torghun had always wanted to be a Luna Wolf. But his training scores had not been high enough to grant him a free choice of Legion.
'Since Torghun admires me, I shouldn't turn him away. I'll just have to "corrode" him.'
'Better he worship me than, after failing to incite rebellion on Prospero, spend his life seeking redemption.'
'Hmm, but I recall Torghun is under the command of Jemulan Noyan-Khan, not Hasik. Why has he come alone?'
After a moment's thought, Nareth realized that Yemulan's control over his subordinates was the loosest among the Noyan Khans; his brotherhoods enjoyed the greatest autonomy.
The Brotherhood of the Moon and others were like the free-flying eagles of Chogoris.
Understanding this, Nareth realized Torghun was on a free quest to find his 'idol.'
He rose with a smile, extending his hand to Torghun.
"Torghun, welcome."
"I am about to begin a hunt. I welcome your company."
Torghun gazed at the hand, more polished than marble, and restrained himself from using both hands.
He extended his right hand and grasped Nareth's.
"Lord Nareth, I will be your blade."
Tap, tap, tap...
The memory quill, reading Petronella's thoughts, wrote a line:
'Even warriors of other Legions hold Lord Nareth in extraordinary respect.'
'Torghun Khan of theWhite Scars admires Lord Nareth. Hasik Noyan-Khan... his respect for Lord Nareth is at least equal to his respect for Jaghatai.'
'...'
Nareth moved his mind, taking the contents into his eyes.
Light and shadow flickered in the Primarch's eyes. His consciousness unfurled, passing through a black hole, circling the olive-colored estate.
He moved his mind. 'Jaghatai wouldn't want to see these words. This would harm the bond between Primarch and son.'
The Blank's skull couldn't suppress a Primarch's psychic power, and House Carpinus's heirloom could only prevent him from probing deeply into her mind. But he was a master of the mind; he could influence Petronella's shallow consciousness, her surface thoughts.
Petronella frowned, thoughtfully twirling her memory quill, erasing what she had just written.
Nareth withdrew his consciousness. Over the past few months, he had been using this influence to control the narrative of the 'biography.'
Smiling, he said, "Petronella, you should go rest."
Petronella, her thoughts interrupted, rose, gathering her skirts. "Yes, my lord."
She walked to the door, exchanging nods with Primarch's attendant Arsena Dunn.
She watched the eight Chapter Masters and Chief Librarian Thomas, in his psychic hood, file into the office. She knew Lord Nareth was convening a war council.
It was a meeting she could not attend. Even though she had earned Lord Nareth's initial trust, and he now used her first name, military secrets were still forbidden.
Arsena approached the desk, waiting for the door to close and the click of heels to fade, before speaking.
"My Lord, astropathic messages have been sent, informing Imperial parties that the 11th Legion will handle the Indra-Sul rebellion."
Nareth nodded, looking at Sanchez, Chapter Master of the Seventh. "Your plan?"
"My Lord, having studied the data crystal's contents, I know the Khrave leader on Indra-Sul is relatively weak. My plan is..."
The data crystal Nareth had given Sanchez four years ago had already indicated that the Khrave Progenitor on Indra-Sul was weaker.
He remembered that when the Dark Angels' Librarian Aravain had confronted a Khrave Progenitor, his thought had been: "The monster Corax slew was a ravenous, emaciated creature that had exhausted the psychic resources of its world and was fading."
After hearing Sanchez's plan, Nareth turned his right hand over, and a black blade materialized.
"This will help you carry out your plan."
As he spoke, he moved his mind, sending a psychic pulse to Sanchez, explaining the blade's special effect.
The black blade was a Sequence 3-level magical item of the Death Pathway, gained from slaying a Nephilim Bishop.
"I thank my Lord for this gift. With it, I can surely execute the plan."
Nareth nodded, looking at Wilshire and Santiago Borgkamp, stationed at the Kalium Gate. "The Second and Fifth Chapters will assist the Seventh Chapter."
"By Your will."
After Wilshire acknowledged the command, Nareth addressed Howard Fender of the First Chapter, Bukayo Arshavin of the Third, Adams of the Fourth, Ramsey of the Tenth, and William Wood of the Twelfth.
"Set course. Target: Muspel."
The full-fledged "Reader," Arsena, immediately recalled Muspel's data.
"A world brought into compliance by the 9th Legion."
"Correct." Nareth nodded.
"But Sanguinius did not root out the xenos on Muspel."
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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