Warhammer: The 11th Primarch - The Black Emperor Chapter 248: The Golden Garuda

Unlike so Legions' Terran-born who only symbolically rged with their Legion's howorld, Ferrus Manus demanded his sons fully integrate with dusa.

Storm General Amadeus DuCaine, though nostalgic for the "Stormwalkers," eventually ca to terms with this.

Yet so Terran-born still resisted the sweeping changes. When forced into dusan clans, ideological clashes erupted.

Manus crushed the rebels with thunderous severity.

Though he did not directly rule the clans, any tribe that defied his laws was struck down with overwhelming force.

On the eleventh stellar day after Manus returned to dusa IV to deal with the last stubborn Terrans, both Adams' and Gabriel's altars were completed.

To store relics excavated from dusa, Nareth gave Gabriel the first battleship built in the Triken system.

Gabriel nad it Sorrgol, a gesture of friendship with the Iron Hands.

He and DuCaine traveled to Clan Sorrgol to study the dusans.

At the sa ti, Adams aboard the Tombship and Gabriel aboard the Sorgue began their ritual.

"Black Emperor of the Shadows of Order,"

"Mysterious Sovereign of the Kingdom of Disorder,"

"Monarch of Light and Shadow, who governs the holds the rules."

"I beseech Thy gaze. I beseech Thy favor."

"O Balance, foundation of the Kingdom of Disorder, grant strength to my invocation."

"O Iron Laws of Monarchs, basis of the Kingdom of Disorder, grant strength to my invocation."

By the third recitation, black mist surged and engulfed their bodies.

When they regained awareness, they saw their Gene-Father seated on the throne.

Adams looked around curiously, waiting for him to speak.

'The Black Emperor is simply another na for Father, just as on Vostroya, he was Monarch. Whatever na he bears, he is always my Gene-Father.'

Gabriel, chosen as a child, had been educated in the Imperial Truth.

Later, his chanical talents earned him selection as a Techmarine, trained on Mars, where he encountered the Cult chanicum and its faith in the Omnissiah.

That faith clashed with the Imperial Truth.

'From what I had seen, the Magi and Tech-priests did not truly receive knowledge from a god. None of their abilities ca as a divine gift.'

'This convinced for a ti of the Emperor's Imperial Truth.'

'But after Father granted beyonder abilities, my certainty wavered.'

'Drinking a potion and gaining powers defies all scientific explanation.'

He looked around the mysterious realm cloaked in black mist.

'This mystical space too cannot be explained by science.'

'Other Legions, even those of Horus and other returned Primarchs, never received such varied powers, only the Shadows of Order did.'

'If Father wields the power of a god, then all is clear.'

While Gabriel pondered, Nareth gauged the spiritual drain, comparing it with when he drew in Arsena Dun.

'Drawing multiple people from the sa star system into the fourth layer consus spirituality proportionally with the number, no exponential increase.'

'I could sustain about thirty-three people for over an hour.'

'Thus, intra-system high command etings are possible. Interstellar gatherings will require further growth.'

Having concluded this, Nareth said: "Remain on dusa. Only in ergencies or secrecy shall you use the ritual to report to . This shall be the first ti. Begin your reports."

The Death Lord was prepared and spoke first:

"Father, the Fourth Chapter, during the Wheel of Fire campaign, received two waves of reinforcents. We now number 5,416."

"1,084 ca from Necromunda, raised amid a culture steeped in death, they adapted swiftly."

"2,347 from other worlds adapt more slowly. I've assigned court mbers to aid them."

Nareth nodded slightly. He understood Adams' aning: the Death Lord wished Necromunda to beco the Fourth Chapter's recruitnt world, as Vostroya was for the Third and Catachan for the Seventh.

But Nareth had other plans: Posul, in the Segntum Tempestus, was ideal for the path of their Chapter.

Posul, a world of endless night, fostered tribes steeped in death-culture. It birthed the Mortifactors Chapter in the Second Founding, whose warriors ditated before battle, entering death-like trances to commune with their Primarch and ancestors.

'No rush. Posul won't be discovered until after the Horus Heresy by Sasebo Tezuka, who will found the Mortifactors.'

'Necromunda's vast population can sustain the Fourth's recruitnt for now.'

'I should instead divine the location of unknown Forge Worlds, or intercept STCs before the chanicum claims them, to bargain for influence.'

Thus Nareth said: "I will find the most fitting recruitnt world for your Chapter."

"For now, recruit freely from Necromunda. I'll tell Arsena to cease conscriptions, and begin elsewhere on your behalf."

"Father," the Death Lord replied, "By your will."

Once Adams finished, Gabriel began his report.

"My Lord, the Iron Father of dusa is undergoing augntation."

"Joint developnt is on hold. Aside from studying dusan culture among the Sorggol clan, my main subject is the Golden Garuda."

"I tried many thods, electric charging, standard activation rites, yet the golden chanical bird remained inert."

Nareth nodded faintly, recalling the "Burning One": Nyadra'zatha, a Star God of living fla.

The Burning One had once taught the Necrons to use the Doln Gates to enter the Webway, so he might spread his fire there.

He was known as the cruelest C'tan, delighting as fire consud all.

Nareth mused:

'He was made of fla, satisfied only by burning.'

'The C'tan fragnt I possess also manifests fire.'

'The Golden Garudas resemble fragnts in form. To awaken them, fire must be the key.;

So he spoke: "Drench the Golden Garuda in prothium and set it afla. Then test its runes."

Gabriel frowned. This contradicted all chanicum doctrine.

Not an invocation of the machine-spirit.

Not chanical logic. Fire lts tal, how could it be the key?

'But Father is divine. He cannot be wrong.'

So Gabriel said: "Father, I understand."

After the council ended, Gabriel watched the black mist fade.

With lingering doubts, he ordered the Golden Garuda moved to Deck H-106 of the Sorggol, sealed for experints on unknown machines.

His Techmarines prepared extensive safety asures, including fire suppression.

A drum of prothium was poured over the golden body.

Gabriel then used a flar, engulfing it in fire.

To his shock, the flas vanished in an instant, absorbed. A rune upon the Garuda glowed faintly.

'The fire… it truly is the key.'

'No wonder the dusans never discovered this. Without Father's teaching, I never would have.'

'Praise the Black Emperor!'

"Bring ten more drums of prothium!" he ordered his attendants.

As Gabriel's research advanced, Manus purged the last stubborn Terran among the "Stormwalkers."

anwhile, six relic-class battleships gifted by the Emperor were ordered by Nareth to Vostroya.

After being fitted with aether-cannons, they would be transferred to the Eleventh and five other Chapters lacking such ships.

The Imperial fleet then set course for Terra.

On Terra, the "Swindler" Tierney learned that Lord Nareth would soon arrive to attend the Triumph celebrations.

"It is ti to draw in the net. The greediest nobles of Terra have all taken the bait."

.....

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