Nareth looked at Captain Börger and Apothecary Stache of the Star Hunters 33rd Company before him. He took five seconds to confirm that neither of these men was anyone he recognized from his memory of future notable figures among the White Scars.
The "Baron of Corruption" felt a slight disappointment, but it was good that at least the Apothecary was alive.
"I need your assistance. Until Xana is relieved, you will remain by my side."
Börger and Stache exchanged glances. The Primarch's command broke their long-standing habit of operating alone, but it also lifted a great weight from their shoulders.
For over fifty years, they had reconnoitered dangerous sectors, slowly and steadily suffering massive losses and attrition from casualties.
The Star Hunters now live by a single creed: every new day is a victory.
Xenos, using psychic powers, could often detect them, engaging in guerrilla warfare that inflicted significant losses. Their company had already lost forty-nine battle-brothers.
Accepting temporary command under a Primarch would be a good opportunity to rest and recover.
'Lord Nareth would not, like Lord Horus Lupercal, assign tasks that might tarnish a glorious image.'
'Nor would he, like Lord Ferrus Manus, treat us as cold, calculated numbers to be sacrificed.'
'The Legions under his command had all won their own glory. The First and Fourteenth Legions had earned theirs in the war in the Coronid Deeps.'
Thinking this, Börger immediately replied:
"As you command."
After the others had left, Nareth looked at William Wood and said with a smile, "William, you performed well in the operations to locate Nerat and the Star Hunters. You made good use of the power I bestowed upon you. You are a mature "Seer" now."
Hearing this, William Wood suddenly felt his body, mind, and spirit enter a marvelous state.
He felt something dissolve within him, merging with his own spirit.
"You deserve a reward," Nareth continued, when suddenly his psychic senses were triggered.
He opened his Spirit Vision, his tone unchanged as he continued, "You may go to my private armory and select one item."
The "Baron of Corruption" saw William's spirit body and aura were now seamlessly integrated, like a piece of pale blue crystal. He smiled.
"Now, you are truly a Seer."
"Your choice will come after I bestow new power upon you."
"Come see me again in five minutes."
Nareth left the Dionysian Spear. After avoiding everyone's sight, he entered the Kingdom of Disorder.
He immediately ordered the Jokaeros to concoct the Sequence 8 "Clown" potion, using materials including the gold, yellow, and red Clown Mask.
Moments later, William restrained the urge to untie the blue crystal pendulum from his wrist and perform a divination that would be disrespectful to his father.
He focused on the bubbling liquid. Gold, yellow, and red fluids interwove yet remained distinctly separate, unmixed.
William tilted his head back and drank it in one gulp. The bitter taste made his face twitch slightly.
Immediately, his face flushed red, followed by similar changes across the rest of his body.
William's own reflection appeared in his mind. Through this strange reflection, he discovered he could precisely control his facial expressions and bodily movements.
"Ha!"
The layered orb of light William had imagined slowly entered a meditative state, gradually reining in his overflowing energy.
The "Clown" suddenly bent forward. The tip of his nose stopped a millimeter from the ground, then he instantly rebounded like a spring, standing upright, then fell backward, the back of his head also stopping a millimeter from the floor.
William stood steady again. He understood the meaning of his father's words and also felt that his earlier decision not to choose his armor had been correct.
He now possessed precise control over his own body. Superb coordination and balance, exceptional agility and speed, these would allow him to grow further in technical skill.
After spending a solar month familiarizing himself with his abilities as a "Clown," William finally took a Stormbird to the Shadow's Sovereignty to select his reward.
As a former member of the Honor Guard, he knew the full procedure.
Periodically, Shadows of Orders received rewards from the Primarch for various reasons. Combat merit was the most common, but not the only one.
Excellent evaluations in governing territories, exploration and discovery of new knowledge and technologies, contributing special items favored by their Father, such as animals or plants, any of these actions could lead to a reward.
William found the new Honor Guard contingent guarding the Armory. He spoke in Dunnic: "Thorn."
Since the Campaign of Gardinaal ended, many locations within Shadows of Order required permission access using Dunnic as the key.
Compared to Vostroyan, Dunnic, imbued with mystical power, was more difficult to master.
Not every Shadow of Order knew it. Only the Court Brothers were taught this language.
As a former Honor Guard member, he knew the key for each location changed daily. The key to open the private armory at this moment was different from the one for the Librarius armory.
For every location requiring access, there was a unique corresponding keyword for each of the thirty-three standard days.
Only the Court Brothers responsible for guarding the vicinity knew this key phrase.
They would be replaced by other Court Brothers in the next cycle, and the key phrase would change simultaneously.
William had been informed of today's opening key only after confirming his selection time.
"Key correct." The Third Chapter member, with a moon painted on his right pauldron, placed his hand on the control panel.
The pale green light of the scanning laser played across his fingers. The control panel slid out, revealing a black keypad.
After William entered the encryption sequence, which changed randomly every eleven hours, a series of metallic clangs echoed continuously.
With the hiss of hydraulics, the bolts disengaged. The stasis field, murder-curse, and impact locks all deactivated simultaneously.
The door slid open. Freezing mist seeped out.
"I will accompany you inside to make your selection."
From the sword emblem on the right pauldron of the speaking Honor Guard member, William could see he was from the Eighth Chapter. They were most often responsible for guarding the armory.
He entered the Primarch's private armory. Thick adamantine pillars, arranged in asymmetrical intervals, stood before him.
William was immediately dazzled by the array of weapons. He sensed each one was masterfully crafted.
"What do you want? A weapon?"
"If there's a suitable one."
"This section contains weapons gifted by the Primarch Vulkan, based on an agreement with our Father."
"There are fifty-two in total. Nowhere except Lord Vulkan's own armory has so many weapons crafted by a Primarch."
William nodded. He knew Vulkan was one of the Primarchs most skilled in forging. But looking at the thunder hammers and power fists on the racks, he knew they weren't for him.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He walked to a weapon rack.
The "Warrior" approached. "It's somewhat similar to lightning claws, but different. It consists of ten monomolecular blades."
"Each monomolecular blade can attack different targets independently, and is drawn back by magnetic attraction. But it requires skill to wield."
"Unlike other weapons forged by Lord Vulkan, I believe this was a special weapon the Primarch crafted to hone his skills."
"It suits me perfectly. I'll take this one," the "Clown" said, his eyes bright.
As William stepped off the ramp, he saw Börger and Stache waiting to board.
He walked over and asked Börger, "You're leaving?"
William keenly noticed Börger hesitate for a moment, as if changing what he was about to say.
"Lord Nareth ordered us to search the surrounding area for Rangdan xenos."
William watched the two men board, sensing they were completely different from a month ago.
Only after returning to his own company did he confirm it: both Star Hunters' attitudes towards his Father had transformed entirely.
It was reverence, beyond the ordinary.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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