In orbit above Dahinta, aboard the hovering Shadow's Sovereignty.
The "Mentor of Disorder," Nareth, activated his spirit vision, scanning the intelligent machine, as large as a Dreadnought, encased in amber, and the Overseer, as large as a Warhound, enveloped in shadow.
Gazing at the spiritual luster, he thought to himself.
'It is indeed potion material.'
'Not a known material from my memory, so it must be for Sequence 4 or above, likely a material for the Paragon Pathway's Sequence 4, "Alchemist."
'The Overseer's spiritual luster is clearly brighter than the intelligent machines; it should be the primary ingredient.'
Nareth deactivated his spirit vision, thinking of the Grand Machine Master, the leader of Dahinta's intelligent machines.
'The Grand Machine Master is the best material among the Overseers. I should claim it personally.'
He gathered his thoughts and issued the command.
"Prepare for airdrop. Target: Ruined City Number One."
As pilot Nelson started the engines, preparing for the drop, Nareth walked over to Gabriel, who was inspecting the intelligent machine and the Overseer.
"Marshall of Ordnance, your task is to use these as a foundation to research intelligent machines we can control."
"You'll receive one complete Overseer and two intelligent machines, along with all the remains."
The full-fledged "Artisan," who had long studied the Necron constructs at the Ymga Monolith, eyes gleamed.
"My Lord, by Your will."
Nareth nodded, turning to Wilshire, Chapter Master of the Second Chapter.
"You will work closely together. 'Contract' ensures the intelligent machines remain within our control."
The black Stormbird flew from the Shadow's Sovereignty, diving into the smoke-shrouded clouds.
Light and shadow flickered in the Primarch's eyes. His consciousness unfurled.
It swept across the airspace. Steel Hammer Bunkers were raining down, blooming across the ruined cities.
Drop pods followed like a storm, establishing a perimeter around the bunkers, methodically clearing the intelligent machines.
His eyes narrowed. Through the narrow window, he locked onto a massive mechanical form on the surface.
It was the size of a Warlord Titan, flanked by two Warhound-sized attendants.
Great discs ravenned their heads, from which radiated crimson light.
Their bodies were adorned with swirling, colorful patterns, seemingly untouched by time, unlike the ruined cities, the intelligent machines, or even the Overseers.
The Grand Machine Master.
"Open the hatch!" Nareth commanded.
Cold mist billowed. The red warning light turned green.
Nareth spread his golden wings and leaped from the craft, surveying the battlefield.
A blinding crimson light blazed from a massive red disc, its edges cutting through Tartaros-pattern Terminator armor like a blade, as if clipping it away.
The "Mentor of Disorder" folded his wings, his boots pounding through the air.
With his left foot, he crossed three thousand six hundred meters. With his right, another three thousand.
Boom, boom, boom...
With each detonation, the black-armored, golden-winged figure flickered across the sky.
The red disc tilted. The Grand Machine Master looked skyward.
Boom!
A detonation sounded at its side. Nareth appeared between the Grand Machine Master and the two Overseers.
Three crimson beams struck his black armor. The temperature spiked, the air crackling with disorder.
The "Mentor of Disorder's" spirituality unfurled, tearing at the fabric of spacetime around him.
"Entropy" spread around Nareth, accelerating in bizarre ways.
The atmosphere shifted, growing dense in an instant.
The beams, pushed beyond their natural limits, their hues sliding imperceptibly towards the black end of the spectrum.
The beams shrieked, twisting through the air, bending from straight lines to arcs.
Three crimson arcs of light skimmed past the black armor. The beams from the two Overseers arced skyward, gradually straightening.
The beam from the Grand Machine Master, bent, struck the Overseer on the right.
Boom!
Steam rose from its mechanical body. It toppled, crashing into the mottled tower beside it.
Rumble!
The Overseer crashed down, tumbling amidst the rubble.
The Grand Machine Master's and the Overseer's mechanical arms rotated, their movement rippling as they rose.
The spacetime distortions spawned by "Entropy" slowed the Overseer's arms as if caught in a bog.
Cracks spider-webbed across its metal frame, rivulets of sand streaming down.
The Grand Machine Master's colorful arms faded rapidly, their millennia-old paint jobs suddenly ancient and worn.
Rust spots appeared on its head, the crimson disc, its speckled light dimming.
Nareth channeled spirituality into his golden gauntlet, swinging it, and intoned in Dunnic: "Imprisonment!"
Viscous fluid rained down, layering over the Grand Machine Master.
The crimson light flickered, then was encased in layer after layer of translucent walls.
"Father!" The Shadows of Order below looked up at their descending gene-father, who had defeated the terrifying machine with overwhelming force.
The light shone upon them. Their bodies filled with power, the black-armored warriors surged against the intelligent machines.
Nareth's right hand, with its pinkie wrapped in a crimson chain, began to glow. With a series of sweeps, he used "Imprisonment" on the two Overseers, then with a beat of his wings, flew before the Grand Machine Master, now encased in amber.
The "Mentor of Disorder" regarded the amber-encased Grand Machine Master. 'Its spiritual luster is certainly greater than the other Overseers. Who should receive its potion?'
'Perturabo? Or Rosicky…'
'Hmm, Perturabo doesn't actually need a Paragon'pathway potion.'
Nareth knew that when the Emperor had created Perturabo, He had imbued him with all the secrets of technological knowledge, just as He had infused Nareth's genes with knowledge of races like the Aeldari and the Orks.
Unlike other Primarchs skilled in forging, Ferrus Manus, Vulkan, and Fulgrim, Perturabo was not taught; he simply knew.
This was both Perturabo's fortune and his curse. He had never known the joy of learning.
'What suits Perturabo is not the Paragon Pathway.'
'The pathway I choose for him should make up for his flaws.'
'His flaws... Perturabo lacks empathy, is too harsh on his sons. I should choose for him...'
As Nareth pondered, he selected a pathway for Perturabo.
His gaze returned to the Grand Machine Master. Other candidates for the Paragon Pathway crossed his mind.
'Rosicky is the Forge Lord, commanding the Legion's Techmarines.'
'Anacharis is the pinnacle of combat capability. Arkhan is best at excavating ruins. Malevolus specializes in armor forging. Lian is an expert in starforts.
'Hmm, and there's Cawl, whom I plan to 'corrode' by the time of the Heresy. His creativity is the greatest, nearly rivaling Perturabo's.'
Nareth gathered his thoughts, focusing on the "Alchemist's" abilities.
'The "Alchemist's" core ability is "Alchemy," which can create puppets and imbue them and crafted items with souls.'
'From that perspective, Rosicky, Gabriel, Cawl, and Anacharis are all suitable.'
'I'll choose from these four, depending on the situation.'
....
Term Correction
Dasinta -> Dahinta
Rampart Sector -> Ark Reach Cluster
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu