A black landing craft entered orbit around Wheel of Fire Seventh Planet. Through the viewing port, the Primarch saw plumes of fire erupting skyward.
He knew, those were the flames set by the 7th Chapter's hunts.
Moments later, the landing craft descended. Nareth disembarked, accompanied by Sanchez, and stepped into the camp of the Snakebite tribe.
He did not first visit the squiggoth, already known to be material for the "Provoker" path, but instead went straight to the Snakebite clan's serpent pit.
In front of him lay a massive pit, filled with thousands of venomous snakes writhing together, tongues flicking, hissing wetly, venomous spittle splashing into the air.
Opening his spiritual sight, Nareth gazed into the pit, where countless glimmers of spiritual light shimmered among the serpents.
'Not every snake carries spiritual light, likely only those that have bitten Snakebite Orks count as potion materials. But in this pit alone, hundreds qualify. These could serve as main ingredients for Sequence 7 of the Moon pathway, the "Vampire."'
'And there are thousands of such pits across the planet's surface, each with at least a hundred snakes. Without doubt, "Vampire" is the Sequence 7 path I can cultivate in the greatest numbers.'
As he pondered, an image flashed in his mind: an Apothecary leaping across the battlefield on the Moon, dragging the Shadow of Order to safety.
He knew that was the Apothecaries' duty, they often risked themselves to save brothers in battle. They would even use their own backs to block bullets, which explained why unlike other Astartes, their power armor was most often damaged in the rear.
'The Sequence 9 "Apothecary," which reduces rejection of implants and boosts medicinal efficacy, flows naturally into Sequence 7 "Vampire" with its regenerative powers. This makes the "Moon" the most fitting path for my Astartes Apothecaries.'
'The Vampire's optimal nourishment is not human blood but blood rich in spirituality. My stockpile is plentiful, Kraken blood alone could sustain a hundred Vampires for a century.
And their aversion to sunlight? For Astartes clad in power armor, that weakness is meaningless.'
Closing his Spirit Sight, Nareth turned to the Reaper Lord beside him.
'Catachan is a dangerous world, but also a treasure trove. The "Beast Tamer" could thrive there. Better yet if promoted to "Vampire." I wonder if Mikael can digest the Beast Tamer path before the 7th chapter departs…'
The "Beast Tamer" descended from the landing craft, followed by one hundred and thirty-four thunderwolves.
By natural reproduction, there should not have been so many.
Together with other "Apothecaries", he had concocted various potions to boost progesterone and other hormones, accelerating the wolves' breeding.
They varied in size, the largest no bigger than a horse. None were yet fully grown, they were the offspring born under the Primarch's orders, with the Beast Tamer using his Beyonder ability "Taming" to coax their reproduction.
Chief Apothecary Mikael advanced. Using the Augur Arrays to scan, he locked onto a region with the lowest life-signal density.
By the array's statistical analysis, there were fewer than a hundred Orks there.
Among the gray-furred wolf pack ran an orange-furred Gyrinx, frolicking alongside them as they circled around the Beast Tamer.
After a few hundred meters, the Shadow of Order felt the ground shake. His cheeks tightened, facial muscles contracting.
A staccato chirping call rang out. The tamed thunderwolves instinctively grouped into packs of three, forming wolf squads.
The central wolf advanced, the other two lagging half a body behind to its sides. Each bowed low, preparing to strike.
Thirty-five Snakebite Boyz charged forward atop squiggoths, followed by dozens of gretchin with rifles.
From Nareth, Mikael knew the Snakebites despised advanced technology, relegating ranged weapons to gretchin. Unlike in other clans, these gretchin bore the finest guns.
The Shadow of Order raised his left arm and fired a bolter volley at the gretchin.
The thunderwolves lunged at the squiggoths. Each central wolf issued a taunting howl.
The squiggoths roared in rage, jaws snapping.
But the provoking wolf always leapt back, while its companions surged forward to bite.
Orks swung weapons to fend one wolf, but the other always struck true, sinking fangs into green legs or tearing chunks from squiggoth flesh.
Caught in these repeated assaults, the mounted Snakebite riders were soon dragged down and shredded.
The Beast Tamer, through "Animal Senses", linked his spirit with the wolves, sharing their perceptions.
A strange melting sensation rippled through him, not as strong as when he first tamed the thunderwolves, but distinct nonetheless.
Suddenly, he "saw" a massive blade slash toward him.
Pain exploded, not in his body, but through the shared senses, striking his mind directly.
The Beast Tamer drew his power sword. His fury surged, and the Gyrinx's black eyes blazed with fire.
The feline raised its paw and struck hard.
Cracks spidered through the Ork's cleaver.
Unaware of the curse unraveling his weapon, the Ork bellowed and charged the black-armored warrior.
The power sword met the cleaver, its disruption field crackling.
The Ork's eyes bulged as his blade shattered piece by piece.
Mikael's follow-up strike cut him down.
With the wolf-pack trial complete, the Beast Tamer hailed the landing craft, which ferried him to the Reaper Lord's newly seized encampment.
When he beheld the Primarch, Mikael spoke:
"My lord, I have completed your task. The thunderwolves can now breed in void environments. I've also developed drugs to slightly boost their fertility."
"Well done," Nareth nodded with satisfaction. "Distribute the stabilized wolves to the warriors of the 7th Chapter, with priority for the court members."
The Reaper Lord immediately selected his men and summoned them to receive their wolves from the Beast Tamer.
Once Nareth had transferred all potion materials into the Kingdom of Disorder, he sought out the Beast Tamer again.
"Come with me."
He led Mikael to a temporary camp. "First, build rapport with it."
He placed his Gyrinx into Mikael's arms.
Sensing a predator's aura, the cat's fur stood on end.
Through their psychic link, Nareth soothed the terrified feline.
Gradually, its golden-ginger coat settled, and it accepted the Beast Tamer's touch.
The Primarch returned to his private tent, entered the Kingdom of Disorder, and had the Jokaero's brew the "Monster" potion using a Jorgall spawn and the butterflies.
He considered his powers and relics carefully:
The Hand of Order to strike and restrain.
The Sword of Vaul for sheer lethality.
The Crimson Chain to enhance regeneration.
The Ring to unleash devastating fire magic.
The black wolf companion to drag foes into dreams.
The mask, likely tied to necromancy, which could one day let him field an army alone.
The Dice of Prophecy, useful for divination but not combat.
As a Primarch, his defense and senses were already immense, he was a true "all-rounder warrior."
At this stage, the greatest factor in battle outcomes was fortune itself.
Thus, he resolved to cultivate the Gyrinx along the "Wheel of Fortune" path to transcendence.
Carrying the silvery "Monster" potion, he returned to Mikael's camp.
He grabbed the Gyrinx again, forced the elixir into its mouth, and handed it back to the Beast Tamer.
"Use your spirit," Nareth instructed, "stroke its body, ease its pain."
He knew ordinary beasts without intellect would almost always die or mutate into monsters after ingesting a potion. Only if they endured could they awaken as Beyonder beings.
The Beast Tamer could aid them through this threshold.
The Gyrinx had a spark of wit, but only barely.
The Primarch's eyes shimmered as his psychic link with the cat deepened until they nearly merged.
Faint whispers echoed in his mind. Countless chaotic images flickered past, seemingly drawn at random from infinity.
Ascending into his First Layer Mindscape, below the illusion born of the potion, he used the psychic tether to guide the Gyrinx into meditation, containing its new power.
Mikael obeyed, channeling spirit into his hands, stroking the writhing cat.
Suddenly, Nareth's eyes narrowed. A vision struck him:
The Emperor handing him the Dionysian Spear. "Nareth, this is a mighty artifact…"
The image and voice vanished. The Primarch's temples throbbed. The cat's fur was soaked with sweat.
Mikael's spirit was nearly drained, but within, a crimson star shattered to pieces.
He knew then: he had become a true Beast Tamer.
...
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