In the seventh layer of the Kingdom of Disorder,
Nareth gazed at Slau Dha, bound by 'ropes' formed from threads of law.
Over a dozen threads also connected him to the Silent Cry..
Slau Dha's body was firmly bound, his mind and soul in a state of silence.
The "Baron of Corruption" raised the Hand of Order power gauntlet and shouted in Dunnic: "This place forbids entry into any state of consciousness!"
Then, light and shadow flickered in the Primarch's eyes. His consciousness expanded, pressing down on Slau Dha's mind like a mountain.
BOOM!
Invisible collisions echoed in the supernatural psychic realm. The Aeldari Autarch's mind was like a small boat tossed on immense waves.
"Mon-keigh..." a blurred voice sounded. Slau Dha stirred from the silence. "I... will... never... yield..."
"You will... get... nothing..."
"I have already obtained many secrets from your mind. The Aeldari states of consciousness. The Aspect paths you have walked." The Primarch's voice was cold, his words crashing against Slau Dha's mind like waves.
"Mon-keigh!" Slau Dha roared in fury.
The "Baron of Corruption" channeled psychic energy into the Hand of Order. He swung his arm and shouted in Dunnic: "Rope!"
Slau Dha was struck by an invisible whip. His white armor, already battered by countless "lashings," had lost its former elegance.
Tattered fragments fell. His Aeldari flesh was torn, white bone exposed.
The "Baron of Corruption" continued channeling psychic energy into the Hand of Order. Slau Dha's mind felt electric shocks, coalescing into barbed whips.
The "Whip of Pain," lashing his soul, caused both pain and numbness.
Slau Dha trembled, but still held his head high.
"Mon-keigh... do you have... no new... tricks..."
"If it works," Nareth said coldly. "I will get every secret I want to know."
Seeing Slau Dha's eyes open, filled with both pain and defiance, with a thought, Nareth brought him to the fifth layer.
Then, he drew the shaft from his back and held it.
In Slau Dha's eyes, the Mon-keigh Primarch immediately changed.
For an instant, he seemed to see a great Aeldari hero, a figure as great as Eldanesh.
Slau Dha instinctively wanted to kneel, to follow this great hero and restore the Aeldari.
His lithe body bent slightly, his knees forming a curve.
"No..." Slau Dha straightened abruptly. "You are a Mon-keigh!"
Nareth scrutinized Slau Dha's every movement. 'Having walked the Warp Spider path, daring to dance on Slaanesh's doorstep, even part of the Charisma authority can't make you submit.'
'But it's close. After advancing to "Mentor of Disorder," with the ability to command submission, stacking the "Red Priest's" uniqueness, I should be able to make him yield.'
With this thought, Nareth went to the third layer, set down the "Red Priest's" uniqueness, and looked elsewhere.
A lion-shaped sculpture strutted through the black mist.
Further away, more sculptures.
They were all created by the "Baron of Corruption" using "Soul Sculpting."
'Now I only need the Enslavers. After the "Liberation of Drune" in 881, I can perform the ritual. These sculptures will be useful then.'
'After the advancement ritual, I can extract the secrets of the Perpetuals from Slau Dha's mind and convert Arsena and the others.'
With this thought, he went to the first layer and took from the Jokaero the "Polymath" potion, concocted from Hrud mycelium books and other materials.
A minute later, the Primarch's Aide entered the Primarch's Office.
After treatment from the biomancer, taking medication mixed by the "Apothecary," and sleeping in a life-support capsule for five hours, his age spots were gone, his skin no longer wrinkled.
But in the "Baron of Corruption's" Spirit Vision, the dim light of Arsena's spirit, drained of life force, was still visible.
Nareth slid the potion to Arsena and said with concern:
"Drink this. You will feel much better."
"Thank You, my Lord, for Your gift." Arsena, as calm as ever, examined the blood-red potion from the "Detective's" perspective.
Bubbles churned, leaping symbols, as if containing endless knowledge.
Arsena drank. The potion slid into his stomach.
His eyes stung as if pricked by needles. He instinctively covered them.
Information flooded his mind like the Big Bang.
His temples knit, enduring the vast, endless influx.
Moments later, the newly promoted Sequence 6 beyonder released his hands.
The "Polymath" felt runes imprinted on his irises, allowing him to observe from different perspectives.
He knew, through them, he could identify, discern, remember, and imitate abilities he had seen.
He then felt the hidden weakness deep within his mind recede. His body, mind, and spirit seemed to return to before that night.
"Thank You, my Lord. I am much better."
The "Baron of Corruption" watched Arsena's spirit. The dim light, though not as bright as before, was much improved.
The Primarch sent a thought-pulse to Arsena.
"I will instruct the Court Brothers to cooperate with your 'Analysis.'"
"When 'Analyzing,' use the Euclidian runes for shielding."
The "Polymath," unlike the "Scribe" on the Door Pathway, did not rely on understanding an ability to 'Record' and use it. Understanding did not enhance their power.
The "Polymath's "Analysis" required learning within a mystical framework. The more they understood, the more powerful their "Imitation" of an ability.
Of course, no matter how thorough the "Analysis," the "Imitation" would never be as powerful as the original beyonder's.
This required the cooperation of Court Brothers.
Without Nareth's command, even the Primarch's Aide could not make them reveal their abilities, let alone discuss them.
Nareth permitted this because, on one hand, Arsena was his most trusted aide. On the other, he controlled the potion formulas; he had granted every beyonder their potion.
Another advantage of the "Polymath" was no limit on the number of times they could use beyonder abilities. As long as they understood the ability and had enough spiritual energy, they could "imitate" it.
The "Scribe" had a limit. Upon advancement, they could only record one beyonder ability with divine influence.
The higher the target's sequence, the higher the failure rate. Even at Sequence 4, a dozen attempts might not succeed once.
Currently, the only abilities meeting these criteria were those Nareth himself used and those from his mystical items.
Though he was only a "Baron of Corruption," as a Primarch, his beyonder abilities already had similar influence, their power far exceeding Sequence 6.
After the Golghis campaign, Nareth had lent the "Red Priest" path's Sequence 4 Flame Ring to Santiago Borgkamp.
With enough attempts, eventually, it would be 'Recorded.'
With the uniqueness, and as the master of the Kingdom of Disorder able to use it, any mystical item of the same path was redundant.
The "Scribe" could also "Record" eight abilities of Sequences 6 and 5, at half power.
And twenty abilities of Sequences 9 through 7, at near full power.
After digesting the potion, the number of 'Recorded' abilities with divine influence would increase to two.
"Thank You, my Lord." After bowing, Arsena began his report.
"As commanded, I have read and recorded thirteen Hrud mycelium books."
"The Legion's Librarians have accessioned another twenty-five."
"From the records, I have found two items of note."
Nareth leaned back on his throne, listening.
"One: the mycelium books mention the Hrud, recorded on the stone slab obtained from the Squat League, as slavers of other races."
"The other: Be'lakor, the Daemon Prince, is recorded in artifacts excavated at Vigilus."
"The Hrud records state that the ruins of Sak'trada Deeps are remnants of civilizations destroyed by Be'lakor."
Nareth nodded slightly. The Hrud were likely a potion ingredient, already in his plans.
He had not previously known that the original civilizations of Sak'trada Deeps had been destroyed by the first Daemon Prince, shrouded in Be'lakor's shadow.
'Hmm, is this why the Aeldari warned humanity before they approached?'
'I arrived here early, unexpectedly. The Aeldari had no chance to warn.'
'Could a fragment of Be'lakor's power be here?'
His eyes deepened, considering whether this discovery would affect his plans.
'Perturabo's campaign in the Gurgan system was not influenced by Be'lakor.'
'If it exists, it would be deeper in Sak'trada Deeps. My current objective is only the Gurgan system.
'Hmm, after I advance to "Mentor of Disorder," I will conquer the entire Deep. If I encounter Be'lakor then, I will be better prepared.'
With this thought, he spoke. "Acknowledged."
"My Lord," his Aide continued, "the Hrud ships in the Gurgan system appear to be gathering, trying to unite."
'The Hrud are intelligent. They know they need numerical advantage to close the distance with Imperial ships, to negate their range disadvantage.' Nareth thought silently.
"What is the status of the Ramillies-class Starfort deployment?"
"The first has been deployed at the Vulpa Straits. The second is being deployed. Estimated one Terran month."
Hearing this, after a moment's thought, Nareth issued the order.
"Plot a course. We will engage the Hrud in decisive battle."
.....
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