The single eye on the quill's barrel constricted suddenly, a distorted symbol identical to the patterns on the silver chains surfacing within its pupil. A faint purple light flowed along the barrel, tracing a fractured halo in mid-air.
"As you command, Lord Rehti."
Following the response, the eye on the quill slowly closed. The pen then pivoted and flew toward the wooden door of the storage room. As it passed over the iron box, the silver chains on the barrel unfurled, sweeping up both the box and its lid. With a swift whirl, it vanished exactly as Tim had.
With the quill gone, the face in the purple mist within the storage room began to dissipate. Eventually, only a faint residue of energy remained, along with the spatial fold created by the face's appearance.
At that moment, the five-minute mark was reached. The Live-Action Video Camera emitted a soft "beep" and automatically deactivated the playback mode.
Byrne was unfamiliar with the title "Apostle of Lies," but he knew the name mentioned in the quill's response—Rehti—all too well. Rehti was a core member of the Thousand Sons, part of a group of nine Exalted Sorcerers whose status was second only to the Daemon Prince Magnus the Red.
Byrne, possessing knowledge of the Warhammer universe, understood the Thousand Sons perfectly. They were a legion of Space Marines who once pledged loyalty to the Emperor but ultimately fell to the service of the Chaos God Tzeentch due to psychic controversies, the Emperor's Edict, and Chaos's manipulation. The Thousand Sons excelled in manipulating psychic powers, weaving lies, and constructing intricate schemes; their actions were erratic and unpredictable.
He never expected that Tim's seemingly ordinary disappearance would involve a faction as formidable as the Thousand Sons. Tim was just an average man driven by a need for money, yet he became a pawn in a grander design, reduced to a manipulated corpse even after death.
Rehti and the quill known as "Apostle of Lies M" were clearly the players behind this board. Who was the "Child of Prophecy" the Thousand Sons sought, and what was their objective?
While Byrne didn't know the specifics, he had encountered a prophecy once before. He vividly remembered the prophetic visions that emerged from the great furnace in the underground passage of the abandoned Desert Test Site.
[The rift shifts, the Raven shall fall, the Savior is to be born, and then must be tempered with pure fire...]
The Child of Prophecy... the Savior...
In Byrne's view, though the titles differed, their essence was remarkably similar—both referred to individuals mentioned in ancient foretellings. Could they be the same person?
He forced the thought down as soon as it surfaced. He shook his head, pushing the absurd idea to the back of his mind. The Warhammer universe was vast, and prophecies were notoriously ethereal. Equating the two based solely on similar titles felt far too arbitrary.
After the playback ended, Byrne put away the camera. He walked out of the storage room and into the living room. As he passed the sofa, he heard a slight movement. Turning his head, he saw that Old Anton had finally woken up.
Anton rubbed his heavy head and looked around with a dazed expression, murmuring, "I... why am I lying here?"
Then, Anton saw Byrne standing before him. He paused, then glanced at the wall clock and asked in confusion, "Byrne, it's not even three o'clock yet. Why are you back?"
Byrne was prepared for this. He immediately explained:
"Oh, it's nothing. I suddenly felt unwell at work, so I took half a day off. When I came back this afternoon, I saw you lying on the floor. It gave me a fright, so I helped you onto the sofa."
Byrne's explanation was a mix of truth and lies. It explained his early return, provided a plausible reason for Anton's collapse, and perfectly avoided mentioning the man in black.
Anton's eyes remained somewhat vacant—a side effect of the memory erasure Tim had performed on him. He frowned for a long time but couldn't recall anything before he fainted. He eventually shook his head. "Maybe it's just old age and poor circulation. Thank you, Byrne."
"Well, you get some rest. I have something to take care of; I need to head out."
Anton nodded, still trying to remember something. Byrne said no more and walked out of the yard. He found a secluded corner, pulled out his communicator, and pressed the yellow button again.
Two seconds later, Marco's voice came through: "Byrne, what is it?"
Byrne replied, "Captain, I have a new discovery regarding Tim's disappearance to report to you."
The next day, inside an office of the Heresy Investigation Bureau.
Aside from the storage room on the basement level of the Tax Bureau building, the Investigation Bureau had multiple teleportation sites to facilitate the daily gathering of various investigation teams.
Currently, Marco sat opposite Byrne and Selena, maintaining his usual lethargic demeanor.
"First of all, congratulations to you both on officially becoming regulars. These are your formal investigator badges and identification documents."
Marco took out two egg-sized metal badges and two dark brown ID booklets from his drawer and pushed them toward Byrne and Selena. The badges featured the Imperial Aquila, its talons clutching a burning scepter, with "Heresy Inquisition" engraved around the edge. The ID booklets contained their respective portraits and a red steel stamp that read "Blackstone City Branch, Heresy Investigation Bureau."
Byrne and Selena stood up to receive them. The cold touch of the metal felt heavy—not just in physical weight, but with the responsibilities and risks of being official investigators.
"Thank you, Captain," they said in unison.
Marco waved his hand, his previous lethargy largely dissipating as he stood up. "Let's go. I'll introduce you to the other team members. You'll be interacting with them frequently from now on."
Just as Marco stood, Selena—having tucked away her badge and ID—suddenly spoke up. "Excuse me, Captain, I have a question."
Marco stopped, turned toward Selena, and raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What is it? Speak."
Selena asked, "Do you happen to know a man named Maurice? He's quite tall, has short hair, and has a crimson scar on his left cheek."
Before Marco could respond, Byrne's brow furrowed. This was the third time he had heard Selena ask this. The first time was to Marcus, who reacted with blank confusion. The second time was to Hall, who shook his head repeatedly. He hadn't expected Selena to ask Marco as well.
Just as Byrne assumed Marco wouldn't know either, Marco smiled. He stared at Selena and asked back:
"Oh? And what are you looking for him for?"