871.M30. Segmentum Ultima, Chogoris.
Jaghatai's legion fortress, Quan Zhou, had been under construction for over five years. Its main structure was now complete.
It received its first visitor before construction was finished.
The Jade Hall, the magnificent central chamber at the heart of Quan Zhou's labyrinth.
Flames danced in the fire pits between the stone steps. Clouds of fragrant incense drifted among the wooden ceiling beams.
Moon-shaped lutes played. Attendants in fur-lined Khitan robes, or kaftans, or Masari robes, brought in large trays of food and drink.
On the raised platform, before Jaghatai, were stone slabs taken from the ancient courtyard of the palace on the eastern coast.
His braids were bound with gold rings. The scar running down his left face, extending to his eye, followed the chessboard before him.
Beside the Khan stood the Stormseer, Targutai Yisugei.
Across from Yisugei stood two other psykers: Arsena and Balsar.
Balsar watched the board. During his time studying with Nareth, he had noticed the Shadows of Order used Regicide to train their officers. He hadn't expected the outwardly rough Chogorians to have the same practice.
He observed the two masters' game. Lord Nareth seemed to have met his match.
"My warriors train with Regicide," Jaghatai's refined voice held an aristocratic air. "From it, they learn to perceive threats from all directions and respond to a variety of enemies."
"Coincidentally," Nareth's voice was calm, "so do Shadows of Order."
Their eyes met. They found common ground in this shared appreciation of culture.
Balsar watched Jaghatai Khan, his fingers adorned with gold ornaments, lift a cup of wine, toasting Lord Nareth, who calmly did the same.
Simultaneously, they reached for a piece, with the precision of swordsmen, placing them swiftly and accurately.
A liver-shaped territory took form on the frontier. He had opened a new domain.
"I accompanied Father to Molech to quell the rebellion in the Knight World. Horus, Fulgrim, and Vulkan were also there."
"After the rebellion was put down, Serpuan of House Devine was appointed governor. Father stationed a hundred regiments and three Titan Legions on Molech."
"That world holds secrets. Secrets Father doesn't want known."
A flicker of admiration crossed Nareth's eyes, along with relief.
Molech was the last campaign he wanted to participate in. Fortunately, he had been occupied with the Taxal decisive battle in 869 and had been fortunately overlooked by the Emperor.
He knew the Emperor had entered the realm of Chaos from Molech, gaining the power and knowledge to create the Primarchs.
He had erased the memories of all the Primarchs, concealing the dark secrets.
Nareth was uncertain if the Kingdom of Disorder could shield itself from the Emperor's psychic brainwashing while also concealing its own existence.
That Jaghatai could perceive the anomaly despite the memory wipe was remarkable.
'For this alone, your perception is sharp.'
'Fulgrim was enraptured by his journey with Him.'
'Horus only recalled his erased memories after his fall, when the Four revealed them, and went to Molech seeking power.'
Nareth's eyes deepened, his thoughts shifting.
'Hmm... It might not be just sharp perception. Jaghatai has always been suspicious of the Emperor.'
'He values truth, but doubts the Imperial Truth, and despises civilizations built on lies.'
'His relationship with the Emperor is far from cordial. They rarely even communicate.'
As Nareth pondered, he saw the new white territory taking shape and placed a black stone.
Balsar watched the expanse of black territory forming in the center of the square board, also noticing Lord Nareth's gaze lingering on Yisugei.
"Your Legion possesses a number of powerful psykers."
As Yisugei bowed in return, Jaghatai said, "Naturally."
"There are voices on the War Council and on Terra that psykers should be confined. These voices have never disappeared; they are growing stronger."
Hearing this, Balsar felt a shadow fall upon him. He looked at Lord Nareth.
He knew Lord Nareth had championed their cause, standing firm against the attacks.
As Balsar looked at Lord Nareth with reverence, the calm voice struck his mind with force.
"We cannot wait idly. If we do nothing, we will pay the price."
In Balsar's eyes, the black-armored, golden-winged figure, seemingly confined to the hall, suddenly transcended its bounds.
Lord Nareth stood like a mountain on Chogoris, overlooking all.
Balsar instinctively lowered his head, avoiding the blinding light.
"Since you came to me," Jaghatai's voice suddenly sharpened, "let us be open."
"Speak your mind."
Balsar's body swayed. He felt as if pierced by a blade. He could only imagine the pressure Lord Nareth was withstanding.
"Mortarion and Russ are steadfast opponents."
Though Russ had promised not to speak against him or Shadows of Order, he would not change his opposition to psykers.
He and Mortarion, whom he had aided, would focus their attacks more on Magnus and Sanguinius.
His visit to Chogoris was for alliance, not merely for his own sake.
"Manus and Dorn are also opposed."
"You cannot stand idly by. You must join us, defend them."
Lord Nareth's voice remained calm, as if feeling no pressure.
Balsar felt the golden light shining into his mind. He looked up and saw the two Primarchs staring at each other.
It seemed an unspoken test of wills in the psychic domain was taking place.
They placed stones rapidly, without looking down, without thinking, as if each already knew what the other would do.
The Khan's gaze was the first to shift. Then, they both smiled.
"Of course," he removed his hand from the white stone and said candidly, "you win."
Nareth smiled. Their skill was comparable, but his will had overcome Jaghatai's, forcing him to reveal his true thoughts and disrupting his play.
'Hmm?' His eyes suddenly flickered.
Nareth keenly perceived Balsar's gaze upon him.
'His expression. His posture...'
'How did playing Regicide with Jaghatai lead to "corroding" Balsar?'
Nareth did not leave immediately. He waited for the moment Jaghatai would lose patience.
Day after day, the Khan mediated conflicts between the tribes and engaged in lengthy discussions with the Mechanicum about Quan Zhou's construction.
His brow furrowed tighter. His face twitched.
Until, on the morning of the fifth day, he rose from his throne, confined to the palace.
"Enough!"
"I have been trapped here too long. I have forgotten what the world looks like."
Nareth shed his armor, adopting the local custom, donning a deel robe and leather boots.
The horses of Chogoris were powerful beasts, but even they could not bear an Astartes in armor.
In truth, this was of little consequence. His golden wings could bear the weight even without beating.
He wore the robes out of respect for local customs and culture.
Nareth, Jaghatai, Yisugei, Arsena, and Balsar mounted the powerful horses and rode out of the fortress, following the ancient pilgrimage road to Ulaf, heading west.
Above the blue-green sea of grass, a bird of prey circled on the high winds.
Its eyes swept the ground, searching for prey, locking on in perfect stillness.
"Many now call you that, Khan," Yisugei said. "Warhawk."
"Indeed. I should not be confined to a palace."
"I have an invitation," Nareth, keenly sensing the moment, said. "A hunt."
"The homeworld of the xenos that invaded the Imperium. The Rangdan."
He knew little of the xenos homeworld, and it lay beyond the reach of the Astronomican.
More critically, dealing with the Russ trouble had forced him to use the Dice of Prophecy. This meant nearly five years between the Battle of Taxal and his planned extermination campaign.
Though half the time the Rangdan would have had to recover, it would still be a major war.
Nareth decided to invite Jaghatai and also Perturabo, who had missed the Battle of Taxal.
Even though Taxal was more perilous, the glory of conquering the xenos homeworld was greater.
Seeing Jaghatai not answer immediately, Nareth knew he was considering.
The 5th Legion, scattered across the galaxy, was still gathering. Jaghatai was waiting for all his sons to assemble on Chogoris for the White Scars founding ceremony.
Nareth watched Jaghatai calmly, knowing he would agree.
Because from his return to the Imperium in 865 to the time his scattered sons would gather on Chogoris, it would take ten years.
Jaghatai would obviously realize that day was still far off.
Borger, Captain of the Star Hunters' 33rd Company, and Stache, its Apothecary, both "corroded" by Nareth, had been promoted to "Telepathist two" years prior. They might become Sequence 7 "Psychiatrists" before meeting Jaghatai.
This would help prevent the perceptive Warhawk from noticing anything unusual.
As Nareth pondered, Jaghatai spoke.
"I will join the hunt for the xenos, but my Legion will operate independently."
Nareth nodded, respecting Jaghatai and his Legion's ways.
"Of course. 11th month, 873. Assembly at the Kalium Gate."
Three days later, the Shadow's Sovereignty left Chogoris orbit.
Nareth slid a black potion towards Balsar. "Drink this."
For Balsar, the hardest to "corrode," he had chosen "Lawyer." In the future, Balsar would become a founding Grand Master of the Grey Knights, far from his side.
Instead of selecting a path suited for psykers like Hermit Pathway, Nareth prudently chose his own path.
.....
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