Aboard the Shadow's Sovereignty, Primarch's Office.
Arsena Dunn, holding a data slate, reported. "My Lord, I have compiled the Legion's casualties."
"Since the Battle of Taxal, during the cleansing of xenos within Imperial territory, the Dulan Campaign, and the war on the Rangdan homeworld, fourteen thousand eight hundred fifty Shadows of Order have fallen."
"Besides the one thousand nine hundred sixty Librarians trained on Macragge, reinforcements over the past five years totaled seven thousand three hundred twenty. The Legion's current strength is approximately two hundred thirty-seven thousand."
Nareth nodded silently. After the war with the Rangdan, Shadows of Order had decreased by about forty-eight thousand compared to before the conflict.
Compared to the Dark Angels' one hundred forty thousand casualties across two wars, his Legion's losses were over ninety thousand fewer.
Analyzing the reasons, Nareth concluded: The deciding factor was his in advance initiation of the Third Rangdan War, drastically reducing the time the Rangdan had to recover.
Second, he had mobilized more forces. Other Legions shared some of the casualties.
Finally, the accumulated power of his Legion's Beyonders and other technologies had reduced losses.
Nareth leaned back. His Aide remained silent.
'For the glory of one, thousands perish.'
After a moment's reflection, his thoughts shifted.
'Fortunately, my Legion survived the most brutal campaigns of the Great Crusade relatively intact.'
'Shadows of Order remains the largest Legion, at least forty thousand stronger than the Dark Angels.'
'Hmm, and that doesn't even count those under Luther and Urian Vendraig's control.'
Nareth also recalled that after the Taxal, the Lion had actively gone to the Osiryne Cluster to fight the an Ork Empire.
In his memory, that responsibility had fallen to the World Eater, supported by the Ultramarines.
'This is the butterfly effect.'
'The position of the largest Legion is secure, even with the Hrud and Enslavers still to fight.'
Reining in his thoughts, Nareth picked up a grey container from beside his feet.
The silver-haired Arsena quickly stepped forward and took it.
"This contains the knowledge of the Slaugth, including the civilizations they enslaved and destroyed."
The "Detective" accepted it joyfully. "This is precisely what interests me."
"Record it on data-crystals."
Nareth spent his spare time reading the Starlight Record Stone.
To acquire the complete knowledge of the Slaugth, he had not yet promoted Santiago Borgkamp to Sequence 6 "Scribe."
'Before launching the war against the Hrud, I should at least have deciphered one stone.'
Though he was delaying Santiago's promotion, others were advancing.
After Arsena left the office, Nareth went to the Kingdom of Disorder and ordered the Jokaero to concoct Sequence 8 "Sheriff" and Sequence 7 "Weapon Master" potions.
Returning to realspace, Gren Vosotho, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines 1st Chapter, and Lucius, in his long robe, were waiting as commanded.
Nareth slid the potions, one iron-black and crimson intertwined with silver-white, the other dark gold, to each of them.
"Drink these."
Knowing they were receiving another bestowal, they drank with joy.
Moments later, Lucius's body was a size larger. He moved lightly, feeling his agility had not decreased, but increased.
He knelt with Gren. "Thank You, my Lord, for Your gift."
Nareth nodded slightly, transmitting the method of praying to the Black Emperor to both via thought-pulse.
After the Terran celebrations, they would return to their Legions.
Nareth revealed this method not only to them, but also to Akurduana, Ghalan Surlak, Apothecary of the World Eater, Zso Sahaal of the 8th Legion, Zadkiel, Chapter Master of the Feather-Quill Scions, and Balsar Kurthuri, Librarian of the 19th Legion.
"My Lord."
After absorbing the information, they immediately changed their address.
In the final month of 874, as the combined fleet reached the Solar System, Nareth scrutinized Pat, newly promoted to Sequence 8 "Telepathist."
"You will leave the Legion for a time, serving as a Shadow Guard, joining our allied navigator House."
"I want you to learn to read people, to grow, in the political maelstrom of Terra, alongside the Navigators."
Nareth thought highly of Pat. During his time as an Honor Guard member, he had shown courage in facing Russ on Dulan, and had demonstrated natural speech and motivational abilities. He was a key figure for cultivation.
Pat contemplated the deeper meaning of his gene-father's words. Though leaving the Legion saddened him, he knew becoming a Shadow Guard meant developing comprehensive skills as a future commander.
Only exceptional figures from the Chapters qualified.
He had been personally chosen by the gene-father. He raised his head with pride.
"Father, I will not disappoint Your expectations."
The people of Terra were ecstatic about the great victory against the evil xenos and the arrival of the two Primarchs.
They gathered before the holographic screens in their hives, anxiously and eagerly watching the start of the celebrations.
When Nareth and Perturabo stepped from their black and grey Aquila Landers, Terra erupted in thunderous cheers.
"Lord Nareth."
"Lord Perturabo."
Perturabo walked beside Nareth towards the Sigillite, scepter in hand, listening to the roaring cheers praising him.
"Lord of Iron!"
"Hammer of Olympia!"
"Primarch of the Iron Warriors!"
Since his return to the Imperium, this was the first time he had returned in triumph after a victory.
Fighting alongside Nareth, his value was seen by all. He was no longer overlooked.
Perturabo was unconcerned that the cheers for Nareth were louder.
"Primarch of Shadows of Order!"
"Monarch of Vostroya!"
"Conqueror of xenos, destroyer of Rangdan!"
"Eternal victor over humanity's enemies!"
"..."
Nareth smiled. His purpose in attending this celebration was not for himself, but for those he had... 'recruited'... no, for the Legion task forces that had fought under his command.
They deserved this honor.
What he anticipated was whether the Emperor would reward him.
With more Primarchs returning, the Emperor devoted more time to governing the Imperium.
He spent increasing amounts of time on Terra.
Nareth fingered the Pegasus ring on his right index finger. Fearing the Emperor's scrutiny, he rarely wore it, keeping it in the stasis field of his private armory.
He had never even placed this ring, corresponding to a high-sequence item, into the Kingdom of Disorder to be linked.
Until now, it was just a ring.
But today, meeting the Emperor, he had to take it out and wear it.
As Nareth pondered, he reached the Sigillite.
"Your Father awaits you."
"Board the carriage, heroes of the Imperium."
Nareth and Perturabo boarded the ornate golden chariots prepared for them, covered in oak leaves, garlands, and other decorations.
Representatives from nine Legions assembled. Banners and emblems fluttered, forming a dazzling sea.
Black Shadows of Order held the center, but grey Iron Warriorsalso occupied a central position.
Purple Emperor's Children, blue-white World Eater, blue Ultramarines, red Thousand Sons, grey-limestone Word Bearers, the 8th Legion.
Of the 19th Legion, which had fought at Xana, only Balsar represented them.
The Dark Angels, who had sacrificed so much at the Taxal decisive battle, had no one present.
Thousands of Astartes moved slowly through the cheering crowd.
Servo-skulls circled. Streamers flew.
Vox-systems played a powerful march, blending with the Astartes' march.
Scanning arrays transmitted the images to the Mechanicum's control center, where multiple angles were compiled and broadcast across Terra.
Nareth smiled and waved to the people of Terra, provoking waves of cheers.
His gaze fell upon the figure in golden, single-piece armor, standing on a raised platform.
Nareth ascended the steps, approaching the Emperor.
The Emperor smiled. "My Pegasus, you did not disappoint me."
"All enemies of humanity will be crushed by you."
He looked at Perturabo. "My Lord of Iron, you have passed another trial."
"I have prepared many trials for you."
"Tireless. Unyielding. Unstoppable."
"As you will." Nareth and Perturabo bowed.
The Emperor placed victory wreaths on the two Primarchs' heads. "Enjoy the cheers of your victory!"
Nareth and Perturabo stood on either side of the Emperor. The Astartes stood proudly beside hundreds of armored vehicles.
The victory celebration ended amidst the rapturous cheers of the populace.
That evening, after seeing off Violette, the Grand Matriarch of House Visscher, Nareth's gaze shifted from Pat to the approaching figure in golden armor.
"Lord Nareth. The Emperor wishes to see you."
"Lead the way, Custodian."
Nareth walked out of the courtyard, following the Custodian.
He soon realized the Emperor was not meeting him in the Throne Room.
Nareth's eyes lit up when he saw the castle-sized golden doors.
'The Emperor's vault... finally...'
As the doors closed with a rumble, the Emperor turned to Nareth.
"You crushed the xenos. You liberated over a thousand worlds enslaved by the Rangdan. Countless enslaved people were freed."
"My Pegasus, you did not disappoint me."
"I have decided to place Ar Rija under your administration."
Nareth recalled Ar Rija.
Ar Rija was a crucial logistical hub for the Great Crusade, also providing a large number of highly educated, high-quality recruits for the Auxilia.
Because it was a civilized world, it was not considered a recruiting ground by Legions that viewed harshness as essential to Astartes culture during the Great Crusade.
Only the Imperial Fists recruited some personnel there.
After the Heresy broke out, Ar Rija, far from the front lines early on, became a key recruiting ground for many Legions.
The White Scars' Jangsai Khan was the most famous example.
'Jaghatai, I didn't mean to recruit your sons.'
"My Lord, I will not disappoint Your expectations."
"Ar Rija, under my administration, will inject new vitality into the Imperium."
The Emperor nodded with a smile. "Besides Ar Rija, you may choose one item from my vault."
"All Terrans know what you most enjoy."
"Thank You, my Lord." Nareth's praise was sincere.
He followed the Emperor, examining the items one by one.
The vault beneath the Palace was far larger than the Emperor's vault aboard the Bucephelus, its collection more extensive.
Nareth saw a familiar black blade, which Malcador would later bestow upon Sigismund.
The "Baron of Corruption" activated his Spirit Vision, examining each item: ornate black Baroque-style armor, a silver mercury sword...
Among them were psychic items. The mercury sword had the most brilliant psychic luster.
Brighter than the Bloody Chain on his pinky, but not as bright as the Hand of Order gauntlet.
Nareth noted that the Emperor did not mention any unusual phenomena associated with these items this time.
Before being placed in the runic stasis field, the Hand of Order gauntlet had occasionally reshaped order.
'Is it because they are now enclosed in a runic stasis field?'
As the "Baron of Corruption" pondered, he walked past the vault's center. His Spirit Vision abruptly shut down.
'Hmm?' Nareth's heart skipped a beat. He had been carefully avoiding looking at the Emperor.
'What is it? Something that made me instinctively shut down my Spirit Vision.''
He continued his examination carefully. Though his Spirit Vision was gone, his transhuman perception, honed by the Emperor, remained.
Nareth's gaze swept over a scepter with a golden shaft and silver head, a mask covered in unfamiliar runes...
His gaze finally settled on an unassuming banner.
Its shaft was iron-black, stained with blood.
On its purple field was embroidered a dazzling crimson flame.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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