Nazareth sat upon his throne, his armour shining with a godly and otherworldly aura surrounding him, as his sword, the terrifyingly sharp blade, shone with a thirst for blood which sent quiet vibrations into the standing attendants.
"M-my Lord, the scouts sent to investigate Astapor have sent images."
Previously, when Nazareth had captured Meereen, he had sent two Kriegmen who arrived with him to explore the region surrounding the city. This exploration was then expanded when daemon activity became apparent within neighbouring city Volantis.
Furthermore, when Nazareth's mind had finally cooled after the thirst of Khorne and he sat in his new armour, points from the previous week started to thaw at Nazareth as to why Daenerys, who was quite docile and love-struck in his eyes, suddenly turned to banish him.
What didn't help was the weirdness of the city and the corruption within Daenerys when he looked at her soul. When he had given the necklace to her, he had watched the 'others' infestation on Dany's soul disappear.
But he still couldn't wrap his head around why she would do a 180-degree turn in relations and why Selmy and Jorah had pushed for such a proposition. All these factors for Nazareth being pushed from the city swirled.
The attendant who had just spoken waited for a moment, unsure whether to interrupt his god's thoughts.
"My Lord?"
The simple question made Nazareth's mind stop, and he realised he hadn't replied to the attendant.
"Yes, yes, show the images."
The device implanted on the floor hummed as a green screen appeared, hovering in the air. Previously, when the throne room was redesigned, Jurten had seemingly placed this data-slate-looking device which could connect to the vox-caster, which could connect to Jill's and the one given to the scouts.
Using radio waves from the vox-casters, it could show up to 8K images. Unfortunately, the data-slate-looking device was limited, as it would take over a day for an image of that size to transfer.
This meant that only a poor 1080p-sized image could transfer within four hours.
The image, clearly showing with a green hue, revealed Astapor—yet from where the scouts had taken the picture, it showed a massive pile of skulls with a symbol bearing the top of the pile.
The attendants showed open disgust, and some hurled at the open display of thousands of skulls being piled with a symbol dripping with blood that hovered ominously above it.
The image was then swapped to an angle at the top of a hill overlooking Astapor. It showed hundreds of red-skinned and charcoal-looking goat daemons towering over the human slaves being whipped and gutted.
The images marked a cruel outlook on Astapor. Nazareth's face bore a searing, downtrodden look as the final image was shown.
With the image now less than what seemed two hundred metres from the main gatehouse of Astapor stood two daemons. One was covered in blood-red armour with a longsword equalling Nazareth's before its enchantment. The other was the definition of a daemon—its body, a size which overshadowed the first, looked to be at least eighteen metres; its legs were that of a goat, and its head bore multiple horns crowning its daemonic face.
The blood-coloured wings, torn and broken, sent shivers down the attendants' spines at the sight of such a daemonic beast.
Nazareth quickly analysed the photo with two things sticking in his mind. One: the knight in armour with a longsword bore the traits of Barristan Selmy's armour when he would prance around telling stories about his deeds to Nazareth when he had requested a meeting with Daenerys. Two: the daemon, its fiery red and bloodied eyes, was staring straight at the camera.
Almost immediately, Nazareth shot up.
"Get me a vox now!"
The attendant holding the vox was still stunned at the images before realising his god had called for him and ran to place the speaker into Nazareth's hand.
"Scout Team Ox, come in!"
The static line was all that was left as Nazareth listened carefully into the receiver. The silence was suffocating as a minute passed.
The attendant holding the vox looked to be sweating bullets as he watched Nazareth's face contort in a multitude of different emotions.
The static came to an abrupt end as a voice like metal being torn asunder and people crying for help came through the vox.
"Primarch… whelp of the Anathema… HEAR ME. MY GOD HUNGERS FOR YOU. He yearns for your spirit, your strength, your blade—every blood-slick inch of the warrior you claim to be. Tell me, Nazareth… do you truly believe you can defy my god? Do you think you can stand against the Lord of Rage Himself?
"You insulted Him the day you fled into the void. And so He has unleashed me—Skarbrand, His most wrath-drenched servant. KNOW MY NAME, for it shall be the last sound that ever claws at your mortal ears.
"Steel yourself, fragile mortal… for I shall rip your skull from your quivering flesh and lay it upon His towering throne of bone!"
With a sound of crushing and the breaking of steel, the vox returned to its normal silence as the static was deafening.
Nazareth's mind ran with trepidation, fear, and overwhelming anxiety for what was soon to arrive. What Nazareth didn't expect was for the attendants within the room to start attacking one another. They tore into one another, fingernails against skin, as the room started to be soaked with blood.
The guards outside rushed in to see the attendants ripping each other apart.
"Get Inquisitor Erich now!"
One guard yelled as more and more guards began to rush into the room to separate the manic servants.
Nazareth stood watching the scene unfold with awe at what had just occurred. The mere acknowledgement of Khorne in the materium had made every attendant within the room fall to madness.
The guards, gaining control, placed cuffs on the maddened attendants and forced them out, moving them under heavy armament towards the dungeon within the pyramid.
After a few minutes, Erich arrived with an entourage of Kriegmen and some newly promoted inquisitors.
"My Lord, what happened?"
Erich's eyes explored the room as he took in the sight of blood and flesh ripped off the attendants, still staining the floor.
"I need to amass an army, Erich."
Nazareth spoke with anger at what had happened, and Erich looked at his lord, confused.
"But my Lord, even now the total number of soldiers within Luminar is a few hundred, with most being former gladiators."
From the reports Jurten had given to Erich after the battle for Meereen, most of the soldiers dispatched were slaves freed when the slaver house Yherizan fell, whereas the total amount of gladiators barely reached a thousand.
"Abominations beyond reckoning gather to the south, daring to seek my head. I bow to no god, be it of blood or lust or knowledge or plague.
"Conscript every man and woman, for this war is beginning. The fortification of Luminar must be pushed forward. If we fail, then we will die."
Erich listened to his god before performing a draconic salute and shouting at the top of his lungs, with his entourage following their commander:
"Your decree is our holy order. Even if you order us to charge into hell, we shall do it."
The entourage then shouted for Nazareth before moving towards the administration offices to alert Jill and Jurten of their lord's decree.
Nazareth, still within his blood-covered throne room, moved to collect the vox which had been dropped by the corrupted attendant and signalled on the channel of the Mechanicus.
"I am Primarch of the II Legion Astartes, Lord of Luminar and son of the Omnissiah. Mechanicus Outpost N.1, and Magos Archer—heed my words and attend my decree."
The static reply of the vox erupted with chatter as a mechanical voice was pushed through.
"Primarch Nazareth, I, Magos Archer, receive your message. For what ends do you call?"
Nazareth racked his brains as he spoke with confidence.
"Magos, although over a week ago, when I requested aid, you rejected it due to the importance of defending the outpost. Listen to what I have to say.
"In less than one change of the moon of Noyolea, daemons, heretics, and all manner of abominations have begun their march on Luminar. I request with utmost urgency the aid of the Mechanicus."
The static on the vox was deafening as Nazareth, holding the speaker, waited for a reply.
"Primarch Nazareth, it seems your situation is more dire than expected. If possible, I could send a legion of skitari and one titan, as currently the hordes attacking have retreated and aren't expected for another three days."[1]
A smile crept onto Nazareth's face before the words of the Magos made it disappear.
"Although deploying the embodiments of the Omnissiah to help a son who still hasn't been confirmed would be too important for a mere Magos to decide, I shall send your request to the Fabricator-General Dux and Grand Master Halifa."
Annoyance and anger swelled within Nazareth at the possibility that the reinforcements might not come, due to some decrepit hierarchy of the Adeptus Mechanicus. So foolish—why, all of a sudden, had the Magos who would reply to all enquiries from Nazareth suddenly decide that sending a few Skitarii and a Titan would be far from the reach of a Magos?
With little more, Nazareth simply let out a half-thank-you before ending the conversation and opening his system menu.
– M.I.C.H System –
– System Main –
– Shop –
– Pets / Allies List –
– Holdings –
– Industrial Planner – (Alpha)
– STC Scanner – (Beta)
– Advisor Skills –
Nazareth opened the shop, hoping for something.
— MICH's Shop —
Points available to spend: 14'600[2]
A Fragment of a Warp Demi-God — 850,000 pts — (WARNING! Purchasing this item has effects on the purchaser's psyche)
A Planetary Planner (This machine can scan the whole planet it's placed on and provide information on key locations for habitation, mining, production, etc.) — 100,000 pts —
A Robotic Helper (This helper can build anything from any show or novel, as long as there are corresponding materials) — 6,000,000 pts —
A contingent of Kriegmen from 40K (All knowledge of the Imperium and corresponding allegiance will be forgotten, and these Kriegmen will be loyal to the purchaser until and after death) — 100 pts per soldier — Each soldier differs in equipment and rank
Gene-Seed Maker — (Input DNA and can produce gene-seeds) — 25,000 pts
Phase Iron — (Ten tons per purchase) — 500 pts — NEW
Adrathic Weapon Cache — (Anything from a simple handgun to tanks) — 2,500 pts — NEW — PURCHASE AT YOUR OWN RISK
When Nazareth's eyes fell upon the two new options, he visibly jumped, causing quite a stir as the servants cleaning the floor looked towards their god with questioning eyes.
Nazareth quickly waved the servants to carry on as he looked at the options. From his previous life, he remembered the properties of Phase Iron. The material acted like necrodermis, disabling the warp, but instead was a version made by humanity.
And the Adrathic weapons—they could damage even the soul. The weapons were so dangerous that the Emperor banned any from using them, all except the Adeptus Custodes.
Immediately, he placed multiple orders and, before confirming, moved from the throne room. The servants, dutifully cleaning, bowed before continuing as Nazareth walked through the pyramid. Lines of soldiers running and attendants moving stopped to bow as Nazareth neared the storage room of the Yherizan family.
Previously, when he arrived, all valuables placed within the vault were inspected, with most being moved, leaving the massive vault seemingly empty.
Stepping inside the vault, his armour shone with light as the darkness of the vault disappeared. With a quick movement of his fingers, he confirmed the purchase.
Immediately, a tear in reality appeared, and with it, fifty fully armed Kriegmen entered before kneeling and shouting their joy at joining his kingdom. Behind the Kriegmen lay two crates taller than even Nazareth, which hummed with a strange aura.
And behind even the crates lay neatly piled bars—piles upon piles of iron-looking bars which periodically phased with red and white shielding appearing around them.
A smile of cheeriness made Nazareth's white teeth gleam as he looked at his new soldiers, weapons, and ore.
[1] Every attack, if I remember, I said that the attacks are every three days or four, as each attack from the natural 'gods' of AGOT dislikes the interference of those beyond the planet.
[2] Although he shouldn't have this many points over the few days of administrative care and rebuilding, I decided that he gains a few thousand.