The Andres swung their tails, striking the runes engraved on their disk-shaped war chariots.
The psykers, jolted by electric shocks, unleashed surges of psychic lightning that intertwined and converged into great serpentine dragons of electricity, thundering toward the Honor Guard.
Arsena raised his staff, summoning a telekinetic shield that enveloped the Honor Guard.
BOOM!
The psychic lightning struck the barrier, shaking the entire underground city with the force of the impact.
The rebounding psychic energy crackled violently, striking several unlucky Andres guards.
In an instant, the bolts of lightning tore their bodies apart.
The Arsena, who had raised the shield, staggered weakly, his face pale.
Just as he struggled to maintain the barrier, Nareth spoke:
"There's no need to force yourself."
Golden wings flared open behind him, bursting into radiant flame as Nareth soared into the air.
With a single beat of his wings, a wall of fire rose before the Honor Guard.
The psychic lightning, like a swarm of serpents, slammed into the wall only to be devoured instantly by its golden blaze.
Nareth, however, was never one to remain on the defensive.
His golden wings might not rival Ferrus Manus's Silver Hands in raw defense, but the Burning One's true strength lay in flame, the burning fury of the stars itself.
He had long mastered the power of the C'tan fragment.
With another mighty flap, he surged into the enemy's heart.
His wings moved thirty-three times in the blink of an eye, scattering golden fire.
The flames rained down from the heavens, engulfing every Andres who stood atop their chariots.
A sea of fire consumed their ranks; the last thing they ever saw was the blinding radiance of their immolation.
Arsena and the Honor Guard could only stand frozen, within a minute, the Andres were gone, reduced to ash.
The Andres King watched in horror as a golden-winged figure rose from the enemy lines, unleashing torrents of annihilating flame.
His elite army perished in seconds, and before he could even turn to flee, an arrow of fire pierced the back of his skull.
Once the battle for Stivnich I was secured, Nareth ordered Thomas to lead the Librarians and handle all matters regarding the enslaved psykers of the Andres.
Returning aboard the Throne of Shadow's Sovereignity, Nareth began receiving reports.
The Primarch turned to Lucas and said calmly:
"Let's start with your debrief."
"Father," Lucas began, "the 18th Legion successfully liberated the humans enslaved by the Andres, approximately two million in total."
"Our techmarines have also completed your request. For the mushrooms of Stivnich III, they've developed specialized harvesting gloves."
"These gloves are made from composite materials that allow safe collection, protecting both the hand and the fungus itself."
Nareth nodded.
"The 18th Legion is few in number. They'll resume anti-piracy and spacewreck recovery operations. Send one company from the 11th Legion to accompany them, let them learn from the 18th's expertise in ship reclamation."
Though small by Astartes standards, the 18th Legion's reach extended across multiple sectors, its effective strength equaling nearly twenty standard Chapters.
Nareth then turned to Alex and Shkodran.
"Your turn."
"Father," Shkodran said, "the Dusk Raiders are masters of timing, striking precisely when light shifts between day and night. Their use of storm shields and defense tactics is superb…"
Alex added, "Their heavy infantry is excellent, unyielding in spirit and meticulous in weapon maintenance."
Nareth nodded.
"Both of your squads will continue to serve alongside the Dusk Raiders."
Turning to his aide, he added, "The Dusk Raiders are best suited for frontal warfare."
The 11th Legion fleet soon departed, bound for Vostroya
During the return voyage, the Chief Librarian reported:
"My Lord, among the liberated psykers, we've identified 529 stable adult psykers.
Using the Imperial Grading System, 293 of them rank at lota-class or higher."
Lota, Theta, and Eta were mid-tier psychic levels, capable of perceiving the Warp and manipulating it through willpower and training.
"We also found 194 adolescent psykers, 92 of whom display Zeta-level or higher potential. Two even rank as Delta-level psykers."
"And one, an eleven-year-old named Ramsey, possesses Alpha-level psychic power."
Nareth's eyes widened slightly.
In Imperial medical theory, Gamma-class psykers were considered the biological limit of human capacity.
Delta and Gamma psykers appeared only once per billion births, and most untrained individuals at that level either perished or became possessed.
Beta and Alpha-level psykers were rarer still, often unstable and nearly mythic.
"Ramsey must have an extraordinary will, then?" Nareth asked, tapping his fingers on the table.
"Indeed, my lord," Thomas replied. "I've seen into his mind. The Andres used him for experiments, testing his psychic limits. They severed his leg…"
"Yet his bio-psychic energy healed him completely. Despite such torment, he never broke. He built barriers within himself to contain his power."
"He is," the Librarian said with a smile, "a born Shadow of Order."
"He studied his captors, observed their behavior, and devised strategies beyond even adult reasoning."
"Then raise him carefully," Nareth said, noting down the boy's name.
"As you command, my Lord."
Thomas's only apprentice, Nicholas, already displayed Beta-level ability, he was eager to see how this Alpha-level prodigy would surpass him.
"What of your research on how the Andres create psykers?" Nareth asked.
The Mystery Pryer replied, "Father, I've analyzed their cultivation fluids, the ingredients and ratios. Most involve the colorful mushrooms found on this world."
"But psykers created through liquid immersion typically develop bio-psychic abilities. Their success rate is less than one in a hundred thousand."
Thomas added, "When they're electrocuted, their first reaction is to discharge lightning, that's why the Andres built those psychic war machines."
Nareth pondered, then issued his order:
"Record the knowledge, but cease all attempts to create psykers."
He decided to preserve the Andres' methods as reference material for the Gene-Forge Project once he obtained the original Primordial Genome Template.
The colorful mushrooms, once used in the potions of the "Trickstermaster", were far too valuable to waste on unreliable artificial psykers.
'The cost of making them is too great, the yield too low… Artificial methods are wasteful.
But what of those born by heaven's will instead of man's hand?'
He thought of the future when Warp storms raged and mutants and psykers appeared across the galaxy in unprecedented numbers.
'Perhaps, then, we can create a psychic divination system, to find those with the highest potential.'
When the fleet reached Vostonia, Nareth had barely returned to his palace when an attendant reported:
"My Lord, Magos Wojciech Blyek has arrived. He says he has selected a forge world."
"Magos?" Nareth raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"After he announced the discovery of the Blyek Battle Tank on Nova Borilia, the Mechanicum was thrown into upheaval. The Magi declared it the greatest find since the Great Crusade began, a true blessing of the Omnissiah."
"Wojciech was elevated to the title of Magos."
Nareth smiled, as expected.
Recovering an STC always brought immense prestige, turning a mere Tech-Priest into a legend.
"Send him in."
Moments later, Wojciech entered the hall, wearing a deep crimson robe trimmed with the black insignia of the Shadows of Order.
"Wojciech…" Nareth smiled. "Or should I say, Magos."
He emphasized the title, amused.
"My lord," Wojciech replied humbly, "all my achievements stem from your grace."
"Not only that, my lord, you too are now regarded among the Mechanicum as Favored by the Omnissiah."
"In my negotiations with various forge worlds over the Blyek STC…", his voice trembled slightly at his own name, "the responses were overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Their offers far exceeded expectations."
"Forge World Gryphonne IV requests production rights within the Segmentum Tempestus. In exchange, they propose an alliance, and pledge the Legio Gryphonicus to accompany your forces."
"They also offer to construct a Knight suit for House Vextrix."
Nareth nodded approvingly, Gryphonne IV's terms were indeed generous, rivaling even the price once offered for the Attack Moon.
"The most generous offer, however," Wojciech continued, "comes from Stygies VIII, a forge world within the Segmentum Pacificus…"
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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