In the fourth layer of the Kingdom of Disorder, Hasik Noyan Khan of the White Scars found himself in the realm of black mist.
He looked towards the majestic figure upon the throne, deep within the mist. "My Lord."
Before the Black Emperor could speak, he reported.
"I have been summoned by the Great Khan to join him at Chondax, to purge the remnants of Urlakk Urgg's Ork empire."
"The Warmaster has betrayed the Imperium." Nareth paused, giving Hasik time to absorb this.
"The Warmaster." Hasik's pupils dilated.
After a few seconds, he asked, "My Lord, what shall I do?"
"The Alpha Legion has sided with the Warmaster. They arrived at Chondax before you and have built numerous hidden space stations in the void."
"Each station can intercept and block astropathic communication. The entire system was isolated before you arrived."
"At the same time, they have seeded hidden outposts on many worlds, subtly hindering the campaign's progress, ensuring you cannot achieve a swift victory."
A long-held suspicion crystallized in Hasik's mind. With his "Conspirer's" perspective, he analyzed.
"So that's it. Shiban discovered on Phymos IV that five warriors of the Brotherhood of the Claw, deployed three months prior, were dead, with no Ork corpses nearby."
"They must have been killed by the infiltrating Alpha Legion."
"You have revealed this mystery to me so that I can break the Alpha Legion's trap."
"Correct." Nareth nodded. "You are to break through the Alpha Legion's blockade as quickly as possible and proceed to Prospero to investigate the truth of its destruction."
"Upon arriving at Prospero, you will search for the trail of Sul Kontep and the other Thousand Sons, and deliver them to Torghun's ship."
He thought of the Magnus fragment on Prospero and Torghun Khan, who had recently digested the "Conspirer" potion.
With a thought, he sent information about the Burning of Prospero and Magnus's soul fragments to Hasik.
"You will have Torghun devise a scheme en route, to capture Magnus's soul fragment, reveal his full plot before him, and consume the potion in the moment of his fearful regret."
If he were facing the complete Magnus, this would be suicide. But Magnus's power was now divided, greatly weakened. He was as powerful as a Krave Master, but without a clan to command.
'The ritual for my Lord to grant power.' Hasik thought.
"By Your will."
At the same moment Nareth returned Hasik to reality, aboard the Hound's Tooth, flagship of the 18th Company of the World Eaters.
Mago wore a simple cloak, woven from iron threads, its bronze, cream, and midnight blue hues clashing with the colors of the World Eaters' current armor.
This cloak had been given to him by Khur, the last Legion Master of the War Hounds, after the Cybermantic Conquest.
In that battle, Mago, as a commander, had led his company through the tech-barbarian host, shattering their will and turning the tide of the war.
After the battle, Khur had personally draped the cloak over him in the Conqueror's Triumph Hall, before all the War Hounds.
Mago looked around at the assembled warriors. "The Warmaster has rebelled."
The meeting hall fell silent for three seconds. Then Captain Kourage of the 21st Company stepped forward.
"Mago, you are accusing the Warmaster of rebellion. The Emperor's beloved son."
"I have not fallen so low as to misremember a name." Mago met Kourage's gaze.
"Gahlan told me. And he told me something even worse."
"Our brutal father will purge the disloyal from the Legion on Isstvan."
"Think. Who will be his targets?"
Captain Keptra of the 37th Company spoke, his voice heavy. "Gahlan is trusted by Angron. If he says so, it is likely the truth."
Since Chief Apothecary Gahlan Surlak had developed the Butcher's Nails, he had become useful in Angron's eyes.
The consensus in the Legion was that, besides Khârn, Gahlan was the one Angron valued most.
Varris, who had been stripped of his position as Chief Librarian before the Council of Nikaea, spoke, his eyes deep.
"At Mago's request, I scanned our fate and the Isstvan system in the Warp."
"The Warp storms around Isstvan are churning more violently, spreading from the galactic southwest to the west and south. It is an ill omen."
"Brothers!" Mago shouted.
"Even if what Gahlan says is not true, this is our only chance."
"Do you remember?"
"What did he promise us?"
Kourage's Nails clicked. "Of course I remember. He told us to be patient."
"But now, what have we been waiting for?"
"The fall of the War Hounds? Angron's slaughter?"
"No!" Mago said, his voice calm.
"We have been waiting for hope."
"Gahlan told us. This is the opportunity we have been waiting for."
"We will break free from Angron's slavery."
"Where will we go?" Keptra's Nails hummed.
"Defy orders, be branded traitors by Angron and the Imperium, and be erased like the Thousand Sons."
Mago's cloak billowed. "We will be reborn."
"We have the help of another Primarch."
"The great Monarch of Vostroya, Conqueror of Xenos, Ever-Victorious One over the Enemies of Mankind, Lord Nareth."
As Mago spoke the High Gothic words, Nareth, Varris felt a shift in the air. The high-frequency waves of the device they called the Pacifier, its layered maws, seemed to hum through the deck.
One by one, the humming Nails fell silent.
Kourage's eyes gleamed. "Before they met Lord Nareth, the Reapers were no better than the World Eaters are now."
"Lord Nareth accepted them. He reshaped them."
"How will Lord Nareth help us?" Keptra asked. All eyes were on Mago.
"Gahlan told me to go to the Coronid New Zone, not Isstvan." Mago revealed his plan.
"I will order all ships to alter their logs, to claim we were caught in a Warp storm and drifted to the neighboring Coronid New Zone."
"That way, if the Imperium questions us later, we will have an excuse."
"The only variable is Angron's fury."
Mago smiled grimly. "But have we seen too little of Angron's fury and slaughter?"
"Have you forgotten Ghenna? Have you forgotten Bucho, Tricatton, Systres IV."
With each word, Mago invoked a memory of decimation.
"Now we have a chance at redemption. We have Lord Nareth's help."
"Are you afraid to take the leap? Would you rather live as monsters?"
"I have waited for this day for a long time." Kourage said.
Keptra raised his fist. "We go to the Coronid New Zone!"
"To the Coronid New Zone!"
"To Lord Nareth!"
The roar echoed through the deck.
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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