868.M30.
Piraeus, Surface Temporary Base.
Arsena held a data-slate, reporting to Nareth.
"My Lord, the 'Readers' have reviewed all reports from the Honor Guard members."
"The 'Student of Ratiocinations' have analyzed them in conjunction with the auspex matrix scan reports."
"I conducted a final review of the records. Fifteen anomalies were identified. After comprehensive analysis, twelve were ruled out. There are three findings I should report to You."
The "Polymath" spoke, connecting the data slate to a cogitator. A green holographic image materialized in the Primarch's Office.
Within shifting grey mist, a red, heart-shaped, gem-like tree-like creature appeared.
As the image zoomed in, its front was smooth and delicate, radiating light. Its back was wrinkled like an old man's skin.
The entire tree continuously expanded and contracted slightly, as if breathing.
"The 3rd Squad discovered this strange tree-like creature in Sector G-3."
"The Apothecaries cannot classify it as animal or plant."
"Stepping near it interferes with the helmet's internal positioning system, and static appears on the comms."
Nareth immediately recognized it: Mist Tree, the main ingredient for Sequence 7 "Magician" of the Fool Pathway.
The image shifted. Hundreds of leopard-like creatures of varying colors leaped and pounced in the desert, biting and tearing.
The next second, several of them suddenly changed color.
Yellow fur turned green. Purple turned brown...
The shifting colors were like a vivid magic trick of nature.
"The 1st Squad discovered these color-shifting leopard-like creatures in Sector C-7."
Nareth nodded slightly. These were also the main ingredients for "Magician", the Shifting Leopards.
He stroked John beside him, thinking to himself.
'I've just arrived at Piraeus and already have all the materials for "Magician." A good omen.'
As Nareth pondered, the image shifted again, revealing a bizarre scene.
On a lush grassland, there were statues of people, deathly still.
Nareth examined the image. Among them was an officer, body straight, arm raised, directing an advance.
Also soldiers in a search posture, alertly crouched, weapons raised, moving forward.
The image shifted. An Honor Guard member entered the frame, drawing his combat knife.
"As you can see, the statues are indeed human corpses."
"Upon examination, the Apothecaries could not determine the time of death. The bodies were not severely decomposed; some even retained body heat. But their consciousness had long vanished."
"Most bizarrely, no one's face showed expressions of shock or pain."
The "Polymath's" eyes flickered as he voiced his reasoning conclusions.
"There are only three possibilities for this: First, they died at different times and places, then were moved here."
"Second, they died simultaneously, becoming these bizarre statues."
"The final possibility: they died at different times without realizing it, in situations like sleep, and were then driven by some force to gather here."
Nareth nodded. Without a doubt, this plain was the most likely location where the C'tan shard Kalugura, the Silent Cry, was imprisoned.
'Hmm, a rather bizarre way to die. This is why Szarekh, the Silent King, forbade the Necrons from using the Silent Cry.'
'Would Necrons die like this too?'
Nareth knew that other C'tan shards like the Nightbringer, the Void Dragon, and the Burning One he had obtained were not forbidden by the Silent King.
The only C'tan whose power was forbidden that he knew of was the Silent Cry.
"Dispatch five squads. Use the Arc Projection Guns to hunt the color-shifting leopards."
Nareth instructed, then selected Beyonders with high spiritual intuition like "Monsters" and "Sleepless," as well as "Seers" who could divine directions, to gather the Mist Trees.
Then, taking only Arsena, Diana, Luther, and seven others, he boarded a Stormbird and flew towards the grassland region.
Glen Vossoto, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines First Chapter, gazed through the viewport at the endless expanse of statues below.
The various forms of the statues were captured by his transhuman vision. Suddenly, his pupils contracted.
"My Lord, the statues below seem to form a pattern."
"All the statues outline..."
"A human form," the "Polymath" said admiringly to Vossoto.
"Correct." Nareth withdrew his extending consciousness and instructed the pilot.
"Nelson, fly towards the head."
"As you command, Father." As a true "Robot," Nelson had already calculated and extrapolated the overall image of the entire statue zone.
"Descend... stop..." Nareth directed Nelson to hover a hundred meters above the head area. He examined it for a moment, then ordered again, "Open the hatch."
Nareth's wings beat as he flew out of the Stormbird, descending slowly.
Thirty-six verdant corpses were piled into the shape of a teardrop.
The Primarch keenly confirmed that the verdancy was unrelated to the green grass.
He activated his Warp Insight. The green rose and merged into a single entity, a teardrop.
It was a supernatural green, but unrelated to the Warp.
After a moment's thought, Nareth decided on a cautious method that respected the deceased to open the entrance.
Cremation.
His golden wings beat. Golden flames descended from the sky, landing on the dozens of teardrop corpses.
The Primarch's eyes focused. Telekinesis extended, isolating the area from its surroundings.
With a crackling sound, the statues rapidly turned to ash.
Nareth's eyes focused. He saw an obsidian-like passage revealed before him.
He sent a thought-pulse to Nelson, then entered the passage, scrutinizing the walls.
The Primarch's eyes focused. He keenly perceived that the material forming the passage walls was not obsidian.
Each black stone was a triangle of varying size. Overall black, their dark cores shimmered with starlight.
The whole stone was like a night sky dotted with stars.
'Triangular Nightstone. The main ingredient for Sequence 6 of the Darkness Pathway.'
Having gathered materials for another potion, Nareth thought with interest.
'I thought I'd have to find this on Nostramo, the Night Lords; homeworld.'
'I haven't even found the Silent Cry shard yet, and I've already gathered materials for three potions, completing two. Lucky indeed.'
'Hmm...'
Nareth's smile faded instantly.
'Perhaps this isn't luck?'
'Did the humans who sealed the Silent Cry discover this planet's special nature, making it suitable for the seal?'
'Or has the Silent Cry, imprisoned here for millennia, subtly influenced this place?'
Vossoto entered the passage, following the Primarch's gaze.
"This cannot be natural. The probability is one in a billion."
Akurduana gently touched the wall. "Exquisite. Unparalleled craftsmanship."
Nareth strode forward. The others followed.
The passage widened. After descending over a hundred meters, it was wide enough for ten to walk abreast.
Descending over a kilometer along the passage, Vossoto looked ahead at the sloping, winding path with no end in sight. He exclaimed admiringly.
"Even if man-made, the calculations required would be immeasurable, exceeding even the total cogitations of an Emperor-class battleship's cogitators."
The passage of Triangular Nightstone seemed endless.
Only the thud of footsteps echoed in the faint light.
Zahariel suddenly stopped, frowning.
"The passage of time feels completely different from reality."
Since Lord Nareth had taught him how to activate his innate psychic ability, "Fearsight," he had practiced and used it countless times, developing a keen intuition for time.
"It seems..." Diana's eyes rapidly turned into golden vertical pupils. After careful discernment, the "Hypnotist" spoke, "some supernatural force is affecting our minds."
"An ordinary person would feel time infinitely stretched. They would give up, even collapse mentally, during a journey lasting months or years."
Lucius drew his sword, clenching his fist.
"A powerful enemy."
Balsar Kurthuri, Librarian of the 19th Legion, his eyes deepened, looked into the future.
He sensed a will as majestic as a mountain, yet as still as a dead swamp.
Balsar's body trembled slightly. "Perhaps... he... doesn't need... to appear."
Balsar's speech involuntarily slowed. His will was affected by an invisible force. His thoughts stagnated.
THUD!
The Librarian crashed to the ground. The others vigilantly looked around.
The dimly lit passage was like a devouring abyss.
"Don't touch him." The Primarch examined Balsar. He sensed he had fallen into some supernatural state.
Casually touching him might cause unpredictable harm.
'As long as I get the Silent Cry into the Kingdom of Disorder quickly, Balsar should wake up on his own.'
"Diana, you stay and guard him." Nareth left the "Hypnotist," the strongest in the mental domain, and looked around at the others.
"Know your limits. If you feel unwell, return on your own."
Then, he ascended to the first level of the Thelema mindstate and continued onward.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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