"Ravasch."
Ravasch Cario turned at the familiar voice. "Lord Akurduana."
Akurduana studied Ravasch. "In the Venetian Theatre, you were the only one not swept away by the performance."
"I saw no art in that decadent display. Forgive my bluntness, but Bequa Kynska's song, and our father's… that hideous painting both disgusted me."
"The creatures that appeared later they were repulsive and ugly."
"You don't agree with our father's actions?" Akurduana asked.
"I believe our father's rebellion is justified. The Emperor said the Warp was false."
"But what I witnessed tonight, and on Isstvan, proves that was a lie. His Imperium is not perfect either."
"I still admire our father. I will still follow your path, pursuing perfect martial skill but I will never fall as Eidolon and the others have."
The Palatine Blade looked at the swordsmaster with reverence.
Akurduana was silent for a few moments after hearing Ravasch's words.
"Palatine Blade, from now on, you are my personal bodyguard."
Ravasch's eyes blazed. He dropped to one knee.
"I thank the Lord for his trust!"
Akurduana did not return to Isstvan V. He took Ravasch to his flagship.
Returning to his quarters, he drew the blade Thierry Vierra had given him and quickly tapped out runes on the floor.
As the geometric patterns were lit by his spreading spirituality, the nauseating, oily residue from the theatre was completely dispelled.
His prayers felt especially long.
Images flashed through his mind: the Emperor's Children's mutations, the wanton slaughter.
The Emperor's Children had fallen. His father had fallen.
He gathered his scattered thoughts and prayed with devotion.
Only on the fifth recitation did black mist rise, enveloping him.
"My Lord, a performance was held at the Venetian Theatre."
After listening to Akurduana, Nareth said: "Bequa Kynska did not die. Her song pleased Slaanesh, tearing the veil between reality and the Warp."
"Most of the Emperor's Children have fallen. Kynska's artistic talent in creating Maraviglia pleased the Prince of Pleasure. Her devotion delighted Slaanesh."
"Aseneca and the other five were possessed by daemons. They are hosts, Slaanesh's claws reaching into reality. Through them, Slaanesh transformed Kynska into a Daemon Prince."
Nareth knew that killing Kynska at the moment of her ascension would satisfy the advancement ritual.
Even if it didn't meet the requirements for his optimal potion evolution, it could allow Per Koscielny and others to advance.
But it was practically impossible. The Isstvan system currently held four rebel Legions, and the Pride of the Emperor was Fulgrim's stronghold.
Even if he could infiltrate and kill Kynska under Fulgrim's nose, he would never escape a Primarch and three thousand Emperor's Children.
After hearing the Black Emperor's revelation, Akurduana thought of all that had happened in the Venetian Theatre.
He thought of the Emperor's Children's former pride and glory, now collapsed in a single performance, as if it had all been a fragile illusion.
"Promoting Ravasch to your bodyguard was the right decision."
Nareth knew Ravasch Cario was an anomaly among the Emperor's Children. Though he no longer believed in the Emperor, and worshipped Fulgrim, he had always resisted Chaos.
During the Battle of the Kalium Gate, when he fought Shiban Khan of the White Scars, Shiban was surprised to find no sign of mutation on Ravasch's body.
But when Eidolon sacrificed Konenos to the Keeper of Secrets, countless Slaaneshi daemons descended upon the Emperor's Children.
In their final, fateful duel, Ravasch defeated Shiban, but sensing the daemons about to claim him, he shouted Purity and chose to die by Shiban's blade.
'I can still gain more Emperor's Children, I want all the duel champions, the Palatine Blades.'
He knew that in the Emperor's Children, admiration for their commanders was stronger than in other Legions.
The Palatine Blades existed outside the Legion's structure. They were the finest swordsmen, the best duelists.
They had the authority to act independently of the Lord Commanders, choosing their own battles and challenging the strongest enemies to single combat.
Every Palatine Blade worshipped their champion, Akurduana.
He spoke. "Will you continue to stay by Fulgrim's side?"
Akurduana was silent for a dozen seconds. "I will stay not to save my father but for Emperor's Children like Ravasch."
"Some haven't seen the truth yet. Others are still struggling. I will lead them out of the fallen Legion."
"I will heed Your warning. I will not provoke our father or the daemon in his blade."
Nareth nodded. He also needed Akurduana to warn Perturabo.
"Gather all the Palatine Blades."
A dark gold gem appeared in his palm.
With a thought, it shot towards Akurduana.
He caught it with both hands. It burned against his palms.
"Set it into the hilt of your sword."
"If you face Chaos corruption, channel your spirituality into it. It will help you resist."
Nareth had given Akurduana a magical item crafted from the beyonders characteristics of a fallen "Notary."
Such items were rare. He usually used them as supplementary ingredients for potions, to cultivate more Beyonders.
Especially since he still lacked the primary ingredient for the Sun Pathway's Sequence 5 "Priest of Light," making Sequence 6 the highest he could cultivate for that path.
But Akurduana was deep in a Legion that was only growing more corrupt; a magical item would make him safer.
"I thank my Lord for this gift."
Akurduana carefully put away the gem, then continued.
"The World Eaters never arrived. Angron raged at Khârn, knocking him unconscious, then dropped to the surface..."
"Finally, Ezekyle Abaddon led his forces in storming the Hymn City palace but they did not find Garviel Loken."
"One strange thing: the Warmaster sent Sons of Horus to enter the Kraken's Keep, capturing many civilians and bringing them back."
After Akurduana's report, Nareth had a good picture of the Isstvan III campaign.
Overall, because he had taken most of the World Eaters and Emperor's Children, the scale of the battle was greatly reduced.
He had gained nearly thirty thousand additional World Eaters. The fighting had been less intense, and the rebels had lost slightly fewer warriors.
In his memory, the Emperor's Children had lost twenty thousand warriors in the purge. The Legion had been reduced by fifty thousand overall.
By taking twenty-four thousand nine hundred and thirty, the current Emperor's Children were about twenty-five thousand stronger than at this point in his memory.
Of course, Akurduana could still take about ten thousand of those with him.
'Hmm, overall, the rebels' strength has decreased somewhat, and most of those losses have become my forces.'
Nareth returned Akurduana to Isstvan and was about to return to reality when ethereal prayers reached his ears.
He extended his spirituality, touching a pulsing orb.
He saw Zadkiel, holding a massive chainaxe, a weapon that had once belonged to a Primarch.
...
Jinzu: Wilshire is not sequence 5 "Priest of Light", that's an error on my part he's still a sequence 6 "Notary"
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu