Arkhas Fal, Legion Master of the Nineteenth Legion, Librarian Balsar Kurthuri, and Captain Nerat Kirine waited at the temporary landing pad as ordered, awaiting the Primarch.
After they saluted, Nareth's gaze fell upon Nerat.
His wounds had healed, and he was clad in a fresh suit of power armor.
The "Baron of Corruption" addressed the three: "Follow me."
Arkhas suppressed his excitement, exchanging glances with Balsar and Nerat.
When Horus had commanded them, they had seen him only a few times to receive orders, never having the opportunity to follow a Primarch.
Nareth then led Arkhas and the other two aboard the Stormbird. Nelson ignited the engines.
The black Stormbird soared into the air, weaving through the pervasive coppery-brown haze.
Nareth ascended directly to the fourth layer of the Enumeration. Through practice, he could now directly enter the level he needed without first stepping into the first level and then rising.
He scrutinized the three men opposite him, observing them through their eyes and movements.
The Primarch's consciousness divided into countless probes, surrounding the trio.
He conducted a careful spiritual observation of them without alerting the three Astartes.
Arkhas excitedly restrained his battle-lust. Balsar rationally curbed his surging emotions.
Nerat's admiration was the most evident among the three. Clearly, the rescue at the moment of life-or-death crisis had already taken effect.
Combined with past experience in "corrosion" and his understanding of the three, he drew a conclusion.
'This is a good start. I should be able to "corrode" Arkhas and Nerat before the Xana campaign ends.'
'Balsar will be more difficult.'
He descended to the third layer of Thelema mindstate, extending his consciousness beyond the Stormbird while shifting his gaze away from the trio, looking down upon the battlefield through the viewport.
The Tenth Chapter was pursuing the demoralized Rangdan xenos. Bolts detonated within the xenos ranks, tearing through their flesh.
The xenos' sporadic return fire could not stem the Shadows of Order's fury.
They vented their rage over their Lord's death through slaughter.
The Primarch's consciousness, surpassing his vision, grasped more information.
Among the fleeing xenos, he noticed dozens of mantis-like creatures, driving over a thousand slaves as meat shields, fleeing in the opposite direction of the Stormbird's flight.
Their wings wrapped tightly around human slaves, their mandibles piercing the slaves' spines.
A Librarian wearing a psychic hood led a squad of Shadows of Order attacking the xenos.
The Librarian swung his Osiris mind staff. Blue light rained down upon the human slaves.
Instantly, most of the slaves halted. The hundred or so continuing forward were immediately highlighted.
The Shadows of Order aimed, bolts precisely striking the green xenos bodies.
The Primarch keenly noted one xenos, larger than the others, likely an Overlord.
Its mouthparts contracted, tearing a human slave apart. Flesh and blood sprayed.
It emitted a piercing screech, its wings vibrating as it launched into the air.
Over a dozen xenos followed suit, taking flight.
The xenos Overlord's crimson compound eyes locked onto the Librarian. It turned and flew towards him.
The Shadows of Order immediately opened fire into the air. A volley of shells hammered the xenos.
One xenos' massive abdomen was struck. Dark green ichor sprayed, drenching the Shadows of Order.
The Shadows of Order ignored the disgusting slime on their armor, but thei but their visors were coated. Five Shadows of Order shots went wide.
The "Mystery Pryer," "Monster," and "Sleepless," guided by psychic intuition, instinctively pulled their triggers, striking their enemies.
Rain-like sludge slapped against black ceramite.
The Shadows of Order felt as if they were trapped in a swamp, their movements sluggish.
A whoosh sounded overhead. Xenos dived to attack, foul odors invaded their rebreathers.
The "Hunter" and "Warrior" simultaneously pressed their runes, rushing to the Librarian's side.
They realized the xenos would prioritize killing the Librarian to re-enslave the humans and escape.
The slime covering the ground did not slow them. In an instant, they reached the Librarian.
Chainswords screamed, tearing two xenos apart. A torrent of mucus cascaded over them, sticking to their power armor like amber.
They struggled to swing their chainswords, their movements seemingly in slow motion.
The Librarian raised his bolt pistol. Rounds detonated at the Overlord's waist.
In his warp vision, something like colored glass rippled. The Librarian knew it was a personal energy shield.
He quickly raised his staff, conjuring a psychic shield.
THUD, THUD, THUD!
A series of impacts paled the Librarian's face. He knew his psychic defenses wouldn't last long.
At that moment, a familiar, commanding voice thundered in his mind like lightning.
"My son, do not panic. I will help you."
"Open your mind to me."
'Father.' The "Mystery Pryer" looked up at the Stormbird, now kilometers away.
Despite the distance, he trusted his gene-father.
The moment the Librarian opened his mind, Nareth, who had descended to the second layer of the Enumeration, extended his consciousness towards the Librarian's mental gateway.
The Primarch's mind merged unilaterally with the Librarian's.
The second layer of the Enumeration allows a psyker's thoughts to detach from their body and establish a psychic link with another.
This spiritual purity increases the fidelity of telepathic communication, but also means both parties equally sense each other's minds.
The Primarch, however, can selectively achieve unilateral mind-sharing. He can know any information he desires.
The Librarian's name was Okafor. He hailed from Elysia. Five years ago, he completed all the implantation surgeries and became a Librarian aspirant. A year ago, he passed the trials and became a Codicier...
Through the psychic link, Okafor instantly grasped all the information the Primarch wished him to know: the secrets of the Banshee's Mask
The young Codicier, newly promoted, trembled slightly from the psychic communion with his gene-father.
Following his father's guidance, he opened his mouth and let out a resounding shriek.
The mantis-xenos' minds were pierced instantly. They crumpled to the ground.
A portion of the Primarch's psychic power, beyond Okafor's control, radiated outwards.
The sound pierced the gloomy clouds. Xenos within several kilometers wilted and collapsed.
Arkhas and Nerat immediately pressed closer to the viewport, looking out.
Balsar, however, gazed thoughtfully at the Primarch. In that instant, he had sensed the psychic fluctuations emanating from Nareth.
A golden light flickered in his eyes. Faint whispers echoed in his ears.
Balsar's suspicions were confirmed. His pupils were wide with astonishment.
'Lord Nareth's psychic power is too vast!'
'He just channeled it through his son to attack the xenos, slaying tens of thousands.'
'Perhaps only the Crimson King's psychic might could compare to Lord Nareth's.'
Nareth noticed Balsar's gaze. He nodded slightly towards him, thinking to himself.
'Though the Librarians using the mind staves can counter the Rangdan's tactic of using slaves to wear us down and also save some human slaves, the danger to the Librarians themselves increases.'
'Most Rangdan xenos possess psychic abilities. They can sense and pinpoint Librarians, concentrating their attacks on them.'
'It's foreseeable that Librarian casualties will be high in this war with the Rangdan. The next time I use the Dice of Prophecy for divination, I need to address this issue.'
.....
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