Boom!
The multicolored light of a psychic explosion blazed in Sasebo Tezuka's eyes.
He also heard Librarian Okafor beside him murmur "Nearsightedness" and throw a brown scroll.
'Nearsightedness?' Before Sasebo Tezuka could voice his confusion, he felt a massive tremor beneath his feet.
Amidst the rumbling roar, the crystal path before him blazed with shimmering light.
The twisting path rose and straightened, like a giant serpent turning over, stretching and extending through the air.
"A Seer who once walked the Path of the Warrior," Okafor the "Scrolls Professor" spoke, his mystical eyes reappearing, his face pale.
Sasebo Tezuka recalled the materials issued by their gene-father: Seers were the psychic specialists among the Aeldari, a term for those who walked the Path of the Seer.
The Aeldari's potent psychic gifts came with inherent risks.
All activities related to psychic power were ritualized and used with restraint.
The Warlocks they had encountered used their psychic abilities in this manner, focusing on enhancing their Aspect Warriors and augmenting their combat power.
But Seers were different. They actively drew upon the power of the Warp, wielding potent psychic abilities.
The Path of the Seer was the most dangerous of all Aeldari paths; consequently, each craftworld had very few Seers.
All who walked the Path of the Seer had walked at least one other path, often several.
No Aeldari of the craftworlds would be foolish enough to attempt to control the power of the Warp without first controlling themselves.
Magc'Sithraal was very different. They were known among the Aeldari for their madness. Many more chose the Path of the Seer, reveling in the unleashed potential of their psychic gifts.
After a moment's recollection, Sasebo Tezuka understood that the Seer ahead had once walked the Path of the Artisan.
His advanced psychic powers allowed him to create a symphony of physical form and motion.
A chill ran down Sasebo Tezuka's spine. He immediately opened the vox channel. "Evade!"
As he shouted the warning, the mountain descended.
Sasebo Tezuka leaped back.
Shadow engulfed him.
Sasebo Tezuka realized with despair that he was still beneath the mountain; there was no chance of escape.
'Lord Ramsey, I have broken my oath.'
'I did not fall in battle by your side.'
'Still, I die in service to my father...'
Amidst a mixture of guilt and pride, a robust figure flashed before his eyes.
'Lord Pell!'
Pell Koscheny, Chapter Master of the Eleventh, landed. His obsidian eyes were fixed on the Seer, around whom shimmering light swirled.
He raised his hands. Blazing psychic light tore at the sky, gathering around the mountain the Seer had shaped.
The "Baron of Corruption's" spirituality surged. The Seer's hand suddenly slipped.
The dazzling psychic light writhed like a serpent of lightning.
The mountain rumbled, tilting askew.
The tilt grew more pronounced.
The Seer's thoughts were "twisted."
Rumble!
The crystal dome shattered. Shimmering fragments rained down.
Crystal paths crumbled, ground into the earth.
The mountain fell within the crystal gate, not on the dock area.
The full-fledged "Briber" raised his boltgun and pulled the trigger.
"Here's a bolt shell for you."
Bang!
Amidst the roar, the Seer's powerful telekinetic barrier shattered.
The "Baron of Corruption" didn't stop. He strode forward.
His spirituality overflowing, rings of light formed beneath his feet, rapidly closing the distance to the Seer.
The Seer bent, his arms sweeping elegantly behind him.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
On the far side of where the mountain had fallen, crystal roses rose from the flowers.
The Seer's arms swept back in front of him. A storm of crystal roses spun and shot forward.
Shimmering light coalesced around the "Baron of Corruption," forming invisible mirrors that swirled around him.
The crystal roses slammed into the shimmering "Multi-Prism," deflected and scattered.
In an instant, the "Baron of Corruption," following the "geometric" rings he had created, stood before the Seer.
The "Baron of Corruption" twisted his waist. Muscles bulged. His arm swung. His fist, like a cannonball, whistled as it struck the Seer.
Bang!
A bloody hole burst open in the Seer's body.
As Pell slew the Seer and the Shadows of Order repelled the counterattack on the docks, on the far side of the craftworld, at another crystal gate.
Dakus Berus, clad in black armor, walked through the crystal gate.
He was not a Shadow of Order, but the Warden of the Rampart of the Blood Angels.
The Wardens were the guardians of the Blood Angels. They were stern instructors to the young initiates, battlefield mentors, and knowledgeable veterans who shared their experiences with their brothers.
They were responsible for maintaining the cohesion of the Legion's nearly one hundred thousand warriors; their role was similar to the Chaplains of other Legions.
Berus's status was comparable to that of the Word Bearers' Chief Chaplain, Erebus, or the Shadows of Order Primus Chaplain, Patr.
The cold, merciless gaze from his black skull helmet caused even the dark-skinned Blood Angels around him to break out in a cold sweat.
Berus looked toward the front of the formation. Veterans of the assault squads raised heavy bolters, unleashing a stream of large-caliber rounds.
Boom, boom, boom...
Storm Avengers were blasted into spheres of crimson flame.
A screaming storm of shuriken tore through the veteran initiates and the entire front rank.
A rain of blood stained the ground red.
Amidst the flames, the Dire Avengers stood unyielding.
A Seer, wielding the power of biomancy, wantonly used his powers to restore the Avengers' bodies.
Berus's gaze was cold as he stared at the xenos in their midst.
It was because of him that the Blood Angels were locked in this stalemate.
The bloody struggle for the crystal gate had already claimed over four hundred battle-brothers.
"I know each of you," Berus called out.
"The Angel is behind us. He watches us. Before us lies our glory."
"Follow my lead!"
Berus raised his Chaplain's crozius. Though the Wardens still adhered to tradition, like many Legions they had adopted the weapon promoted by the Word Bearers.
He pressed the activation rune. The force crozius blazed with light.
"For Sanguinius and the Emperor!" The Blood Angels roared as one, following the Warden of the Rampart into the enemy lines.
The Storm Avengers unleashed the full fury of Khaine. Tens of thousands of monomolecular discs tore through crimson armor, shredding Blood Angels into fragments.
Berus strode past his fallen brothers, swinging his crozius.
Bang!
In the bursting bloody mist, the shredded limbs were beyond even the Seer's power to restore.
Berus, leading the charge, his crozius sweeping and spinning.
The continuous blasts echoed. Storm Avenger after Storm Avenger was torn apart.
The Seer turned his gaze, raising his hand sharply.
Berus's blood boiled. His muscles ruptured.
Explosions of blood sprayed across the Warden of the Rampart's black armor.
Berus's gaze remained cold. His movements did not slow.
His crozius fell.
Boom!
The tearing power of the disintegration field and the healing power of the Seer's biomancy clashed.
Bang!
Berus raised his archaeotech pistol. A blazing beam flew into the writhing, fleshy form.
He swung his crozius. Blood vessels burst.
Boom!
As the Seer's body exploded, Berus fell painfully to one knee. His black armor was drenched in blood.
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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