"You are the Warmaster. The Emperor appointed you. Everyone should accept that," First Captain Ezekyle Abaddon declared, his topknot held high.
"Lord Nareth is no exception."
"He has made his position clear," Maloghurst said.
"He supports your appointment as Warmaster, but he will not obey your commands unconditionally."
"His refusal to deploy the six Chapters you ordered, sending only four, is a practical demonstration."
The Twisted analyzed, deliberately ignoring Abaddon's frown.
"He is telling you that he will only accept commands he deems reasonable."
Abaddon snorted. "The Warmaster's commands are, by definition, reasonable. The Warmaster's orders are not to be questioned."
Maloghurst shook his head. Within the Luna Wolves, only a handful dared openly dispute the unparalleled First Captain. Maloghurst was one of them.
He was never popular in the Legion. Even by Astartes standards, he was too aloof.
He had never tried to befriend anyone; his loyalty was to Horus alone.
"Nareth will not see it that way."
"Remember, he has refused the Emperor's commands before..."
Horus and Abaddon knew what Maloghurst referred to: Nareth had refused the Emperor's order to purge the lost Legion and its Primarch.
Horus stroked the ring on his left little finger.
'I will use Nareth and Corax at Akum-Sothos to establish my authority.'
'Soon, all my brothers will understand that I am their commander, their Archer, the Warmaster appointed by our Father.'
His father's warning flashed through his mind.
"I must remind you, your the other Primarchs have powerful wills, minds, and agency."
"Do not try to change them. Make good use of their unique strengths."
'Use...' Horus thought for a few seconds, then said to Abaddon.
"Send an immediate invitation to my brother, Sanguinius."
He then said to Maloghurst, "Prepare a grand welcome. I will personally receive Sanguinius."
As Maloghurst and Abaddon carried out his orders, Nareth, having returned to the Shadow's Sovereignty, summoned Arsena, Santiago, and Pat to his office.
"Horus has summoned Corax and me to put down the rebellion in the Akum-Sothos Cluster."
"I am committing four Chapters: the Fifth, the First, the Third, and the Tenth."
The First, focused on the Justiciar Pathway, and the Third, focused on the Darkness Pathway, would be the main force against the Unsighted Kings and for acquiring potion ingredients.
The Tenth was the largest Chapter, participating in every campaign.
"By Your will."
After the attendant acknowledged the order, Nareth addressed the "Traveler," Santiago.
"Mark the coordinates of the Akum-Sothos Cluster's key nodes."
'Warmaster, since you've chosen me to make a point, I will not be polite either.'
'I will certainly not be pushed around by you!'
The Akum-Sothos Cluster's one hundred worlds were industrially developed, well-connected, and now rebellious territory, ripe for plunder.
If it weren't located in the Segmentum Solar, so close to the Imperial heartland, making it unsuitable as a rear base, Horus would have used it as his foundation, rather than targeting the Cyclops Cluster in the Coronid Deeps.
The Akum-Sothos Cluster had always been under Horus's control. The rebellion could only have been caused by the xenos parasite.
After the rebellion was crushed, it would return to Horus's control. Most of its worlds would join the rebellion at the Heresy.
Then, Nareth would have a just cause to seize Horus's most valued achievement, under the pretext of putting down the rebellion.
"By Your will." Santiago bowed.
After the three left, Nareth walked to his quarters.
He stepped into the fourth layer of the Kingdom of Disorder
Seated, he extended his spirituality, touching the glowing orb of Maria Kulnikova.
"Follow the fleet. Infiltrate the Akum-Sothos Cluster."
He decided to send his "Assassins," "Instigators," "Witches," and "Pleasures" to infiltrate the cluster. This would allow him to preserve its industrial capacity and control many of its worlds in the future.
He then extended his spirituality, touching the orb of Nerat Kirine, Chapter Master of the 18th Chapter of the Raven Guard, the Ashen Claws, and drew him into the Kingdom of Disorder
"My Lord." Nerat, recently advanced to Sequence 5 "Shepherd," knelt on one knee.
"Horus will summon the Raven Guard to the Akum-Sothos Cluster. Corax will follow the Warmaster's orders and send you to assault the xenos fortress."
Nerat, his flesh-sculpting abilities allowing him to reshape his black eyes, inherited from his gene-father, into the obsidian eyes of the Black Emperor, was filled with cold fury.
"Corax has never favored us. Since his return, he has never summoned us."
"Among the Terrans, only Balsar is given any regard. He is now the Legion's Chief Librarian."
Nareth nodded. To ensure Balsar Kurthuri's future as the first Grand Master of the Grey Knights, he had not allowed him to advance to "Mentor of Disorder" in the Ark Reach Cluster.
He was still a Sequence 6 "Baron of Corruption."
"If he needs a sacrifice, he will choose us, not his Deliverance-born followers."
Nerat's voice was full of hatred. "Horus is the same."
"By Your revelation, I already understand that Horus sees us only as tools, to do the dirty work the Luna Wolves' glorious image cannot."
Nareth nodded, satisfied. Nerat had understood.
In his memory, Nerat had only realized this harsh truth after the Battle of Gate Forty-Two.
During the Heresy, the Ashen Claws, caught in the conflict in the Ghoul Stars, would fight for neither the Imperium nor Horus, looting and going their own way.
For ten thousand years, they would swear allegiance to neither.
"My Lord, what are we Terrans to do?"
Nerat looked up at the Black Emperor, his eyes full of hope.
"Rest easy." The Black Emperor's voice of "Majesty" calmed Nerat's turmoil.
"I will be there as well. I will not stand by while Horus and Corax send you to be sacrificed alone."
Nareth had accepted Horus's command, not only for the potion ingredients and to gain early control and infiltration of the Akum-Sothos Cluster, but also to prevent the Terran Raven Guard from being consumed by the struggle between Horus and Corax, preserving their strength.
After all, they would one day be his.
"I thank my Lord for His mercy." Nerat replied, his gratitude evident. With the Black Emperor's word, he had no more worries.
...
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