"Victory! We've won!"
"Sons of Prometheus! They saved us!"
"Vulkan! Vulkan!"
"Ferrus! Ferrus!"
Cheers surged like ocean waves across the entire city. People shouted the heroes' names in jubilation, waving blood-stained swords and spears as they celebrated this hard-won victory.
"It isn't over yet," Vulkan murmured softly, though his words were drowned out by the roaring crowd.
Nocturne had seven sanctuary cities, and the Drukhari never satisfied themselves with the blood of just one.
They were like starving wolves; each raid ended only after they had drunk deeply from mortal suffering.
Hesiod merely happened to stand closest to the Webway gate and thus bore the first blow. But the other six cities were also in imminent grave danger. They had to reinforce them.
Ferrus placed a hand on his brother's shoulder.
"Let them celebrate. They need this comfort."
The people of Nocturne had endured oppression for far too long. This victory was like rain after a long drought, something they had yearned for.
Ferrus understood Vulkan's nature well. His heart would always ache for those who suffered.
He would rejoice for every life saved, and mourn every soul lost.
Vulkan nodded slightly, "This moment belongs to them. We should depart. Father is waiting."
The two giants tried to leave quietly, yet their movement still drew the crowd's attention.
The cheers suddenly fell silent.
Vulkan's voice rang out like a great bell, "Countless of our people on Nocturne are still suffering. Our mission is not finished!"
Ferrus' voice followed like rolling thunder, "Celebrate to your hearts' content, brothers and sisters! Let the joy of victory continue. Do not weep for our departure, because we will return with victory!"
Gabriel raised the captured cleaver-blade high.
"Take us with you, my lord! Let me follow!"
Vulkan shook his head.
"We can't carry that many people."
Juno's back was broad, but she only ever allowed her children and her mate the privilege of riding.
Under the eager gaze of thousands, the Primarchs turned and walked toward the wilderness.
Outside the blood-stained city walls, a Raider jetbike had already been waiting.
This Raider jetbike was also their trophy. The arrogant Drukhari had clearly never imagined their vehicles would fall into enemy hands.
Their poison crystal rifles had genetic locks, but strangely, their vehicles had none. Perhaps Raider bikes originally relied on psychic identification.
Aeldar vehicles were usually synchronized with the pilot's psychic power, allowing them to be controlled almost like extensions of the mind, an ability few other races could match.
But the Drukhari could not use psychic powers.
So they likely actively stripped the bikes' psychic recognition, which made things easier for outsiders.
Other Primarchs might have been excited by such machines.
But neither Vulkan nor Ferrus had any interest in riding jetbikes across battlefields.
These anti-gravity bikes were simply a means of transportation for reaching the other cities.
However, before reinforcing the other city-states, they had to detour first to Mount Deathfire.
...…..
"Father."
Vulkan guided the anti-grav bike to a steady landing and strode toward his parents, who were guarding the Webway gate.
Ferrus asked, "Father, what is the situation?"
Caelan replied, "Juno asked the salamanders in the volcano. After confirming through multiple sources, we're certain the Drukhari who attacked came through this portal. When they left the volcano, they split into four groups. At least three other cities will face attacks."
Juno raised her draconic head slightly while chewing on fire-dragon meat and gave a cooperative roar.
The dragons had volunteered themselves.
Vulkan stared at the Webway gate, cold fury burning in his eyes.
The suffering of Nocturne was not unique. Scenes like this were happening across the galaxy at this very moment.
One day, he would lead his legion into Commorragh and crush these xenos who delighted in torment.
Ferrus looked at his brother's burning crimson eyes and spoke solemnly.
"When that day comes, I won't let you fight alone."
He knew his brother too well, and the same anger burned within his own heart.
Humanity's decline during the Age of Strife was partly its own fault; Baal was proof of that.
But many worlds had fallen because of Warp invasions and opportunistic xeno predators.
Baal could rebuild. Its people could reflect. But the scars left by the Warp and the xenos would not heal easily.
Humanity would repay blood with blood. The xenos would earn the suffering awaiting them.
Ferrus asked, "We killed their Archon. Will the xeno become cautious?"
Caelan thought for a moment.
"Smaller Kabals sometimes cooperate. These Drukhari split into four groups, not only to expand their gains but also to prevent themselves from fighting each other first."
"This was likely a joint operation by four Kabals. But even when Drukhari cooperate, they never truly trust each other. They won't share spoils or intelligence."
"We didn't let a single Drukhari escape, and none of them had time to coordinate beforehand."
Though the Drukhari used Commorragh as their base, their understanding of the Webway was no better than that of the Craftworld Aeldar.
The Webway spread across the galaxy, but the Aeldar no longer possessed a complete map.
A route leading to an intact human world was priceless to small Kabals; they would fight each other fiercely over such a discovery.
A Kabal poor enough to raid Nocturne for slaves was clearly a minor one. The great nobles of Commorragh rarely raided the realspace personally.
Commorragh already offered them endless entertainment, and smaller Kabals eagerly sold their captured slaves to them.
If those nobles did raid in realspace, they would not bother with something as trivial as simple slave-taking.
Vulkan clenched his fists, "Father, help us!"
Caelan replied calmly, "As long as you ask, I'm here."
The Primarchs were already three and a half years old. They were no longer fragile children.
Caelan trusted them to protect each other.
After all, the attackers were merely opportunistic Drukhari, not Slaanesh itself.
Nothing to fear. Still, Caelan had no intention of splitting up from Vulkan, just in case.
Among the seven sanctuary cities of Nocturne:
Hesiod was the tribal royal city. Many nomadic tribes kept residences there.
Nomadism existed because the Sauroch, a cattle-creature raised by the Nocturnean, fed on nutrient-rich soil. The soil in Hesiod could be eaten, but people feared damaging the foundations of the Cindara Plateau.
Thus, the permanent population of Hesiod remained small.
The other six sanctuary cities were:
Themis, located on the Arridian Plains
Epimethus, north of Hesiod along the Acerbian Sea coast
Heliosa, backed by the Gey'sarr Ocean.
Aethonian, on the eastern edge of the Gey'sarr Ocean.
Clymene, in the eastern hemisphere near the T'harken Delta and the Gey'sarr Ocean.
Skarokk, near Clymene.
Among these six cities, Epimethus was the most endangered.
Clymene and Skarokk were the safest, rarely affected by Drukhari raids.
Thus, Vulkan and Ferrus headed first to Epimethus.
Ferrus said, "Do you remember the story Father told us?"
"Of course," Vulkan replied.
In Greek mythology, Epimetheus and Prometheus created humanity from clay.
When creating animals and humans, Epimetheus was tasked with giving each animal beneficial instincts. By the time he got to humans, nothing was left.
So humans are neither the bravest, nor the fastest, nor the strongest, nor the fiercest in the animal kingdom. Prometheus pitied mortals, so he secretly stole fire for them and taught them wisdom and intelligence.
Thus, Epimetheus symbolized human foolishness, while Prometheus symbolized intelligence.
On Nocturne, the moon was called Prometheus, and the Sanctuary City Epimethus was a variant of Epimetheus.
Ferrus continued:
"Hesiod was an ancient Terran poet whose work Theogony described the Greek pantheon."
"The sanctuary city Hesiod stands on the Cindara Plateau, like Mount Olympus."
"Themis was one of the twelve original Titans, the goddess of law and justice, who helped Zeus overthrow the Titans."
"The sanctuary city Themis is the City of Warrior Kings."
"Helios was a Titan of light. Heliosa is the City Beacon."
"Clymene was an ocean goddess. The city Clymene lies beside the sea."
"If five of the seven cities correspond closely with ancient Terra's history, and four align with mythology, then perhaps the remaining three also carry symbolic meanings."
"Prometheus brought fire to humanity, and the Time of Trial to Nocturne."
The Time of Trial brought suffering, but also served as a test.
The sanctuary cities allowed nomads to shelter before disasters arrived.
Animals lacked such foresight and often died in large numbers during these periods. It was part of Nocturne's ecological balance.
Without the Trials, soil-eating species would overrun the planet. Human cities might survive the disasters, but not endless tides of beasts.
Thus, the Trials, strangely enough, protected humanity from extinction.
Vulkan asked, "Then what does Epimetheus represent? Ignorance, or creation?"
"Perhaps creation," Ferrus said.
"Why?"
"Father once suggested Nocturne might have been a theme park built by ancient humans." Vulkan smiled unconsciously.
Even without turning around, he knew Ferrus was smiling too.
But neither could move much; the bike seat was too small. The two Primarchs filled it completely.
"If Epimetheus symbolizes creation," Ferrus continued, "then perhaps Nocturne's native species originated in laboratories beneath that city."
"Records from the Dark Age of Technology might still lie buried there."
"Even if ancient humanity wanted to preserve the theme-park aesthetic and avoided leaving advanced technology behind, traces would remain when they built the sanctuary cities and engineered the local life."
"Perhaps," Ferrus suddenly fell silent.
On the horizon, the silhouette of a city appeared. Black smoke twisted upward like monstrous serpents.
Under the crimson sky, countless dark shapes drifted in the air with sickening grace.
Drukhari vessels were already raiding the city.
Vulkan's voice rumbled, "Get ready, brother."
Ferrus grinned, "I've been waiting."
As the Raider flew above the city, Ferrus hurled himself downward like a cannonball.
Vulkan drove the Raider jetbike screaming straight into the swarm of airships.
The vehicle, designed for slender Eldar bodies, looked absurd beneath his massive frame.
It was fine for travel. But in combat, it only restricted him.
Vulkan preferred raw violence.
The moment the bike collided with an airship, Vulkan leapt high into the air and landed on the deck of another.
Boom!
The deck warped and shattered beneath his feet. His hand closed around a Drukhari's skull.
Before the xenp could scream, the skull burst like rotten fruit in the Primarch's grip.
Sticky blood splattered across Vulkan's dark skin. The Drukhari had been too busy torturing mortals to notice anything unusual.
By the time they realized the Raider approaching carried two massive figures unlike any human, it was already above the city.
Even if they had realized earlier, they would not have feared.
They would only have sharpened their blades in anticipation of new prey.
The Drukhari assumed the unarmed Vulkan and Ferrus were harmless until the Primarchs crushed their skulls with their bare hands.
Vulkan seized control of the airship and slammed it into another.
Still, the Drukhari failed to react.
If these arrogant xenos had taken the threat seriously, using the speed and maneuverability of their craft, Vulkan would have struggled to fight them.
He couldn't throw rocks at them every time.
But arrogance was carved into the bones of the Aeldar. And that arrogance was exactly what destroyed them.
Their ancient fall had begun with arrogance. Nothing had changed.
These twisted souls would never change, or they would never have fled into Commorragh.
"ROAR!"
A deafening roar erupted from deep in Juno's throat. Scorching dragonflame gushed like molten lava.
A Raider was instantly consumed in flame, falling as burning wreckage.
But a shadow leapt free at the last moment.
A Drukhari warrior sprang upward with astonishing agility, poison blade flashing toward Juno's long neck.
But just before she landed, her armor cracked with a horrifying sound.
As if seized by an invisible hand, her body froze midair.
"Psyker!" The Drukhari squeezed out the words through gritted teeth. Her pupils abruptly contracted to pinpricks.
The Aeldar were naturally psychic. This was once their proud talent. Now it was their eternal curse.
Drukhari souls were constantly drained by Slaanesh, forcing them to fill the void with pain and stimulation.
If a Drukhari used psychic power, their soul would be claimed instantly.
But Aeldars are a naturally psychic race. They unconsciously stir psychic power with every gesture.
Craftworld Aeldar constrain their power through strict Paths. Drukhari, unlike their cousins, lack such protective methods. Instead, they sealed their psychic potential completely.
A sealing is so thorough that they can't use it even in life-threatening moments.
The warrior could feel every bone in her body groaning under crushing pressure.
Her slender waist twisted unnaturally. Fragments of armor pierced her flesh as blood seeped out.
She opened her mouth to beg for mercy, but only helpless hissing escaped.
Like a moth tangled in a spider's web, struggling as death closed in.
Then she burst apart like a crushed berry.
Yet instead of terrifying the other Drukhari, the sight drove them into manic delight.
Compared to the screams of weak mortals, the dying tremors of a psyker were far more intoxicating.
Their favorite victims were their own kin. But Aeldar kin were dangerous prey.
Human psykers made the perfect substitute.
And Juno, a strange dragonlike creature, would be an exotic prize in Commorragh.
They would love to torture her. Torturing the two giants would surely be thrilling, but they were too dangerous.
The Highborn of the Drukhari enjoyed tormenting powerful warriors.
But the lower ranks preferred easy prey.
Compared to two towering monsters, a fragile psyker and a beast looked like far softer targets.
Seeing more than a dozen Raiders swarm in like blood-hungry insects, Caelan frowned.
"Have I been too polite with you?"
He had deliberately restrained his psychic power so his sons could fight freely, not so these fools would treat him like easy prey.
Shuriken fire rained down in a storm, weaving a lethal web in the sky.
A pale blue psychic shield expanded instantly, rippling as hundreds of projectiles struck it.
As former psychic masters, the Drukhari had extensive experience hunting psykers.
Even if they couldn't kill Juno, a sustained barrage would drain Caelan's power.
But they overlooked one possibility: what if the psyker was simply too powerful?
Snap.
With a single finger snap, the entire sky froze in eerie stillness. The speeding Raiders seemed trapped in invisible amber.
The pilots' cruel smiles froze on their faces. One after another, eighteen Raiders exploded across the crimson sky,
Like bats with their wings torn off, spiraling down into the burning city.
Juno spat out a burst of flame.
What kind of trash dares to challenge my man?
....
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