Fourth layer of the Kingdom of Disorder, deep within the black mist, Nareth sat upon his throne, having listened to the report of Sanchez, Lord of the Seventh Chapter.
Though Sanchez had kept some crew aboard his warships to divide the enemy's strength, their numbers were few, and the Khrave that had infiltrated were quickly eliminated.
In Nareth's memory, a third of the crew of the Dark Angels' flagship, the Invincible Reason, had mutinied, causing more damage to the first Gloriana-class battleship than even the Rangdan War.
"You have achieved a glorious victory, defeating a Khrave Progenitor, a feat only a Primarch has accomplished."
Though Corvus Corax had defeated an aged Khrave Progenitor on Indra-Sul, it was still a powerful xenos.
"My Lord, all was thanks to Your gift. With it, I wounded the Progenitor." Sanchez's right arm was wrapped in binding seals.
The Seventh Chapter's "Potions Professors" had mixed a special tincture for him; his fractured arm was healing rapidly.
"I believe it wounded its distant, true form."
"Your plan is proceeding smoothly. When you enter the source domain, you will face an aging and wounded Khrave Progenitor." Nareth confirmed Sanchez's progress.
The "Provocation" had enraged it. The black blade had dealt wounds that no amount of soul-devouring could heal.
'Sanchez is truly adept at "Provocation." Besides his natural talent, the squig he used for his potion was Gargant-grade, making him even more effective at it.'
He turned his gaze to the Fifth Chapter's Lord, the daemonologist Santiago Borgkamp.
"Santiago, you will immediately study the traces the Khrave left on Indra-Sul, and find the entrance to their source domain."
"The Khrave once had a physical homeworld in the galactic north, six blank and worthless star systems, thousands of light-years ahead of the Great Crusade. The entrance is there."
He remembered that the Lion himself had gone to the edge of the Ghoul Stars to do battle with the Khrave.
Nareth had given Santiago a direction, but he did not place all his hope on one who had not yet advanced to Sequence 5 "Traveler."
His Dice of Prophecy would be ready for another divination in three months, in 998.
Nareth hoped Santiago would hone his skills and deepen his understanding of the Warp while searching for the source domain.
"By Your will," Santiago acknowledged.
Nareth finally looked at Wilshire, Lord of the Second Chapter.
"Wilshire, your task is to command the intelligent machines, assisting Sanchez in carrying out his plan."
Having given his commands, he moved his mind, returning the three Lords to Indra-Sul.
Nareth stepped out, back into the real world.
He strode from his private chambers to his office.
As expected, he found Petronella Vivar waiting outside the office door.
His personal chronicler, her private bodyguard Maggard watching with envy, entered the spacious Primarch's office.
She gathered her skirts and sat gracefully on the reception sofa.
"My lord, before coming here, I reviewed the records concerning Muspel and found some very interesting information."
Petronella smiled at the most perfect of Primarchs.
"Oh? What information?" Nareth asked with a smile.
"In 997.M30, the 123rd year, two chartered ships went missing in the Warp en route to Muspel."
"In the 125th year, an Ark Mechanicum, passing through the subsector, was forced to make an emergency translation. The Mechanicum has received no further word; it is presumed lost with all hands."
"In the 129th year, five thousand armed personnel of the 1st Muspel Irregular Regiment were all lost during a training exercise, being transferred to the Muspel XII Astropathic Relay Station. No cause was given, and no trace of the missing transports or their escorts was ever found."
"In the 131st year, a fire broke out at an orbital substation, cutting off ninety percent of the planet's communications and augur arrays."
Her memory quill twirled as she looked questioningly at Lord Nareth.
"Clearly, there have been many 'accidents' involving the resident Mechanicum contingent."
"Additionally, a transport ship, due to deliver a new detachment and an enhanced Mechanicum Skitarii cohort, is now months overdue."
"Imperial authorities have yet to take note of these subtle anomalies. But you seem certain that a powerful xenos has invaded this world."
Nareth smiled calmly. He was, of course, certain a Khrave Progenitor had invaded Muspel.
Lion El'Jonson had been dealing with this very threat, which had caused him to miss the Imperium's largest war against the Ork Empire before the "War of the Beast", the "Ullanor Campaign."
'Lion, I've arrived at Muspel first. Will you still miss the Ullanor campaign?'
The thought flickered through Nareth's mind. His gaze fell upon the delicate piercings in Petronella's ears and the two pendants that hung from them.
"Excellent. You are already well-prepared for the dangerous journey ahead."
Petronella, not getting an answer, pouted slightly, expressing her dissatisfaction in a manner befitting a young lady.
She had grown used to not always receiving answers. Even so, she was the envy of the hundred or so remembrancers and fifty-odd iterators who followed the 33rd Expedition Fleet.
Her success had made her the object of envy for countless others. In the bars, the remembrancers whispered that she had only won Lord Nareth's favor because of her position as House Carpinus's senior court representative.
But her success had also ignited their ambitions. She had set a precedent; everyone wanted to be the second.
Petronella raised a smooth hand to touch her earring, suppressing the instinctive unease. She said, happily, "Though I am not on Terra, I found an excellent jewelry designer. He is from the same family as your own Star Lord."
"Borgkamp. Your finest jewelers all come from that family."
"Even on Terra, few possess such skill. Look at this perfect cut, he completed sixty-four facets in a single session, preserving its integrity..."
Petronella launched into an effusive praise of the master jeweler's craft; she had clearly paid close attention to the process.
"Petronella, I must interrupt..." Nareth heard two sets of hurried, heavy footsteps and knew the plan had changed.
Petronella, startled, followed Lord Nareth's obsidian gaze. She rose, curtsied, and left with reluctance.
Hasik Noyan-Khan and Torghun Khan strode into the office.
Nareth had entrusted the planning of this military operation to Hasik, to allow him to complete his advancement ritual to Sequence 5 "Reaper."
He had originally intended to send Hasik, a "Conspirer," to Indra-Sul to devise a plan for hunting the Khrave Progenitor. But Torghun's arrival had changed his mind.
Nareth decided to keep both men with him, to "corrode" Torghun, who in his memory had been Horus's fan, but now seemed to admire him.
"My lord," Hasik waited until the office door was closed before reporting.
"There has been an unexpected development. Muspel's orbital defense systems have been activated."
Nareth considered for a moment. "The Progenitor has learned what happened to its kin on Indra-Sul. It knows we have found it."
"It is younger, but it too witnessed the 'War in Heaven,' saw the rise and fall of countless galactic empires. We must not underestimate its wisdom."
"Moreover, it is in its physical prime, the most powerful of its kind."
He looked at the "Conspirer." "So, do you have a new hunting plan?"
"My lord, I have a plan." Hasik spoke with confidence, gazing with admiration at the Black Emperor.
"Your presence allows me to adapt to any change."
....
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