The Ogryn psyker lazily raised a shield of flame, lifted his hands high, and bathed in his surging power while attacking any enemy that came near his treasured crystal.
The explosive round struck his flame shield and immediately detonated in a blaze of psychic fire.
The Ogryn didn't care.
But at that very moment, the flames surrounding him abruptly vanished, his shield snuffed out without warning.
It was then that Nareth, having used his beyonder ability "Bribe-Weaken" to momentarily disable the Ogryn's shield with a gifted explosive.
Activating his power gauntlet mid-dive.
Upside down in the air, he slammed his fist into the Ogryn's head.
A golden energy field tore through the creature's skull and neck instantly, its massive body toppled and crashed to the ground.
.....
After securing control of the Black Mountains, Nareth renamed it the Twinpeak range, as the growth patterns throughout the range clearly reflected two numbers: 11 and 33.
He named the black crystalline metal found there Twin Blacksteel.
With this ore as a symbol of local power, the Ogryn tribes swiftly submitted.
Using a communications array, Nareth reported the conquest to Horus.
"Horus, I've conquered System 33-5."
There was a brief silence on the channel, then Horus replied:
"Congratulations, brother."
Recognizing the strategic importance of Twin Blacksteel, Nareth decided to station Astartes on the planet. After some consideration, he selected Lieutenant Commander Dixon of the First Company.
Dixon had consistently remained rational while other brothers succumbed to madness, a reliable son.
Nareth granted him an Arbiter potion, making him the seventh member of the Black Duke's Court.
He believed Dixon, armed with the authority of an Arbiter and the power of the Twin Blacksteel, could control the planet with just three squads.
Dixon's top priority was to build a mining base and begin extracting Twin Blacksteel, especially the giant core crystal at the mountain's heart.
After Horus completed the ocean world conquest, Nareth returned to the Void Hunter and summoned Arsena.
Looking at the silver-haired psyker before him, he asked:
"Do you like to read?"
"Yes," Arsena replied instantly.
Before he could say more, he noticed Nareth extend his hand, a small bottle of white liquid rested in his palm.
As confusion flickered in Arsena's eyes, a thought pulse entered his mind:
"This power shall serve your vision. Drink it"
Without hesitation, Arsena took the bottle and drank it in one gulp.
Moments later, the Reader's narrow blue eyes gleamed with brilliance; the power granted by his lord was perfectly suited for him.
Following Vostroyan tradition, he knelt on one knee.
"Thank you, my lord. I shall use this gift wisely and serve you with all my ability."
Nareth nodded slightly and issued his command:
"From this day forward, you are my attendant."
"Your duty is to read every report addressed to me, analyze and evaluate them, categorize by priority, and report back accordingly."
"As you command."
The Reader accepted without hesitation. If it were any other mortal, such an appointment might overwhelm them with both honor and anxiety.
After all, reports sent to a Primarch were voluminous and complex: combat data from every company of the 11th Legion, fleet movements, Astropathic messages, development updates from territories like Vostroya… enough to break an ordinary mind.
But the Reader was different. He had the ability to read everything simultaneously and fully understand it.
"I'll give you time to adapt," Nareth added. "Before the fleet departs, study the reports I send you."
"From them, you'll learn to grasp my mindset and identify how I prioritize information."
Nareth believed that once Arsena adjusted, they would develop perfect synergy, dramatically boosting efficiency.
This was critical as the legion, fleet, and territories would all expand in the future.
This wasn't his only task. Considering the Reader's abilities, Nareth gave him a second order:
"In your spare time, focus your reading on the languages of various races."
He then sent a thought pulse conveying his intent:
"Language holds hidden power. Once you fully understand them, I want you to create a new occult language."
Ritual magic requires specific scripts and sacred words. Nareth didn't want to waste his own time designing these, so he handed the task to the Reader.
While not as powerful as a Seer, the Reader had gained the ability to use ritual magic, making him more than capable.
...
After five star days, Horus completed the conquest of the ocean world. Another eleven days passed before Nareth received an invitation to board the Vengeful Spirit.
The two discussed the conquest of the Ogryn star system in depth.
After one stellar hour of debriefing, Nareth remarked:
"Horus, I admire your use of Companys and squads, especially the Reaver squads."
"Equipped with chainswords and bolt pistols, they excel in boarding actions and trench warfare. Their agility makes them adaptable to complex environments."
This was heartfelt praise from Nareth. His biggest takeaway from working alongside the Luna Wolves was learning how Reavers operated.
Although he had decided to reduce the number of Reavers in his own legion, the experience was worth keeping.
"Your tactics have inspired me, too, Nareth," Horus replied. "Father was right, you're always able to seize the key point and strike with precision."
"That's why you completed your conquest ahead of me. You found the Ogryns' source of faith and took it for yourself."
Nareth accepted the praise calmly. His black eyes glinted as he asked:
"So, what's our next move?"
Horus stood, took a chilled bottle of red wine from the cabinet, poured a glass for Nareth and then for himself.
"After speaking with Father, we both agree: you've learned all you need."
"You've adapted to the Imperium faster and better than we anticipated."
"From now on, you're free to choose where to conquer and how to act. Let's toast to this new beginning."
Nareth gladly raised his glass. Now that he could operate solo, he would have greater freedom. He clinked glasses with Horus and drank.
Unlike the scorching edge of liquor, the wine was thicker, smoother, and sweeter.
Then Horus smiled broadly.
"One more bit of good news."
"What is it?"
"Your command ability impressed me. After speaking with Father, he agreed to assign you Expedition Fleet 22 of the 2nd Legion and Expedition Fleet 28 of the 15th Legion."
"It's a sign of trust, and a well-deserved honor."
'The 2nd Legion… one of the two that will eventually be erased. The 15th Legion… the Thousand Sons?'
Nareth understood that before the return of all Primarchs, most legions were led by the Emperor himself or by the two senior Primarchs: Horus and Ferrus Manus.
'Looks like I've become a legion commander before Ferrus returned. For the Emperor to entrust me with the 15th Legion, he must truly value my leadership.'
"I will not fail the Emperor's trust," Nareth solemnly vowed.
After chatting with Horus for a while longer, he returned to the Void Hunter.
He ordered the Astropaths to send word to the 22nd and 28th Expedition Fleets, instructing the 2nd and 15th Legions to rendezvous at the Vostroya system.
Then, he issued a final order:
"Fleet, begin the journey."
.....
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