In the fourth layer of the Kingdom of Disorder, Nareth sat high upon his throne, listening to the report of Gahlan Surlak, Chief Apothecary of the World Eaters.
Gahlan was wrapped entirely in a black robe, surrounded by twelve bizarre humanoid corpses.
Each was three meters tall, with elongated limbs. Their arms, when outstretched, spanned the width of two tables.
Their bodies were covered in a reflective carapace, reminding Nareth of the nauseating superiority radiating from Aeldari like Slau Dha.
"...In the early stages of Hrud parasitism, the human host bodies do not change."
"As time passes, all organs responsible for eating, breathing, and sensory perception disappear."
Following Gahlan's report, Nareth looked at the heads of the corpses.
Their heads resembled black eggs, devoid of eyes, noses, mouths, or any other organs.
"Vorias told me the psykers felt a powerful psychic shock."
The World Eaters' Librarius had been disbanded by Angron, and Gahlan was gradually becoming accustomed to referring to them as psykers.
"They gathered, combining the power of all the psykers for periodic divination. They found no trace of any xenos ships or bases."
"Vorias determined that the Hrud appear from beyond the system's boundaries, launching their attacks from an unknown location. Their potent psychic power astounded the psykers."
The "Scarlet Scholar" produced a data crystal. "I conducted a psychic divination on the Hrud and confirmed they are a psychically nourished species residing in some kind of psychic domain."
Nareth beckoned, and the glowing data crystal flew into his hand.
He nodded, satisfied. "You have done well."
Beneath his hood, a smile touched the pale face of Gahlan the "Scarlet Scholar."
"It is my honor to enact Your divine will."
Nareth flicked his wrist, and a crystal vial appeared in his palm.
"The blood of a Primarch, diluted at least ten times more than Alpharius's. Drink."
Though within the source substance, Nareth was still mindful of the oath the Emperor had required the Primarchs to swear.
He did not specify that this blood belonged to Hannibal.
Considering Hannibal had devoured many xenos, making his blood complex, he instructed the "Scarlet Scholar" to increase the dilution factor.
The "Scarlet Scholar," sensing the enticingly delicious blood within the vial, joyfully thanked the Black Emperor for the reward.
"Thank You for this gift."
Nareth returned the eager Gahlan to the real world, then extended his spirituality, touching the glowing orbs.
He bestowed the Hrud corpses upon the "Druid" Marlena, the "Scarlet Scholar" and Chief Apothecary Mikael, and the "Scroll Professor" Thomas, who possessed the "Eyes of Mystery Prying," for their research.
After a moment's thought, Nareth also bestowed corpses upon Santiago Borgkamp, who needed to establish a unique coordinate to advance to "Traveler," and Sanchez, who needed to capture a significantly more powerful target to advance.
The remaining seven corpses he moved to a palace on the first layer, to be used as a medium for divining the source domain.
He then rose, stepped into the third layer, and picked up the Dice of Prophecy.
"The cooldown time increased by a year and five months directly."
"Last time, after a divination, I waited five years."
"The Hand of Darkness truly is a Uniqueness." He turned the triangular prism in his hand and glanced at the black claw in the distance.
"The Hand of Darkness is a Uniqueness. Could the Eye of Night also be a Uniqueness? The Uniqueness of the Darkness Pathway?"
"Should I divine Blackstone IV, or the Eye of Night?" Nareth's tone wavered.
Divining the Eye of Night might increase the cooldown time substantially again.
After a moment's thought, he made his decision.
"Ultimately, the Blackstone Fortresses are within my domain. I'll divine the Eye of Night."
"Even if the cooldown time increases significantly, I can adjust my plans accordingly."
Information about Ornsworld that Nareth knew flashed through his mind.
'The planet where the Eye of Night is located.'
'The Eye of Night is embedded in an ancient statue. It can emit energy beams that cause device paralysis or internal damage.'
'The Ratling cultists worship that statue, revering it as a deity.'
'...'
Nareth had more information about Ornsworld than he had about the Purgatory.
He knew that before the Imperium brought this world into compliance, the Ratlings already worshipped the statue.
When Chaos forces first attacked, they were repelled by the Ratling Astra Militarum regiments.
A standard month later, a Chaos fleet blockaded Ornsworld and launched a full-scale invasion, killing millions of Ratlings and ultimately seizing the Eye of Night.
After the details of Ornsworld flashed through his mind, he silently intoned:
'The star chart from the Kalium Gate to Ornsworld.'
'...'
After intoning it eleven times, he tossed the Dice of Prophecy.
Whoosh!
The moment the triangular prism left his hand, it hovered motionless above his palm.
"Hmm?" Nareth exclaimed in surprise.
"This... how is this possible?"
"I have more information about Ornsworld than I did about the Purgatory!"
After a moment's thought, Nareth spoke, his tone uncertain.
"Could the Eye of Night be of a higher order than the Hand of Darkness?"
"Could it be a sefirot substance?" A slight tremble entered his voice.
"If I don't interfere, the divination will fail." Nareth took a deep breath, gathering his scattered thoughts.
He raised his right hand, and the flagpole appeared in his palm.
With a thought, his surroundings shifted. He arrived in the second layer.
The "Mentor of Disorder's" spirituality surged. Black mist churned, and a jet-black altar rumbled upwards.
Chaotic black arcs rippled outwards. Enormous wings unfurled, overshadowing the altar.
Spikes shot skyward, supporting a jet-black crown.
Nareth raised high the Red Priest Uniqueness and spoke in the Dunnic, his voice deep:
"I, by my name, bestow upon the Red Priest the power of the Kingdom of Disorder to aid the Dice of Prophecy in its divination!"
Whoosh!
The banner billowed. Black mist surged.
The motionless triangular prism began to spin, rising rapidly.
Its ascent slowed, but propelled by the black mist, it continued to climb.
It paused briefly at its zenith, then slowly descended.
Nareth moved his mind. The flagpole vanished. He raised his hand and caught the triangular prism.
"Also in the Segmentum Obscurus, as expected. Not within my domain, either."
He looked at the dim, lusterless prism and sighed softly.
"This time... the cooldown time will likely increase substantially."
Nareth contemplated how the Dice of Prophecy had almost failed its divination for the first time.
His eyes gleamed. "Could the Eye of Night truly be a sefirot substance?"
He ascended to the First Level of the Magnus state, calming his turbulent thoughts.
"I shouldn't get my hopes too high just yet. It might be a Darkness Pathway Uniqueness with authority over Concealment, or a Wheel of Fortune with authority over Fate and Disorder. Or perhaps something interfered with the divination."
"Though the source substance can isolate interference, it's not absolute. There are many factors that can affect divination, including Concealment and Fate."
"I don't know much about Ornsworld. The divination target is almost equivalent to the Eye of Night itself."
Nareth then, without high expectations, extended his spirituality and instructed the "Winner" Flamini and the "Marionettist" William Wood to perform divinations.
.....
Aboard the battleship Fortune, within the Fate Lord's divination chamber,
Flamini set down his quill, leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and silently intoned the divination incantation.
After intoning it eleven times, the "Winner," amidst the rising incense, sank quickly into slumber.
His consciousness left his body, then immediately became lost in a thick fog of emotions and sensations.
The information from the data crystal bestowed by the Black Emperor flashed through the diviner-psyker's mind, and he let his thoughts drift with it.
No trace. No pull.
The "Winner" looked around in astonishment. He had never encountered such a situation.
'Even when that Blank stands beside me, I can receive revelations. I made him leave temporarily for this.'
Flamini had never encountered this situation before. Since becoming a "Winner," as a true master of divination, he had never experienced this.
The "Winner" reluctantly gathered his thoughts and returned to his body.
He then picked up a Sovereign's Coin from the table and silently intoned: 'Ornsworld is dangerous...'
After intoning it eleven times, he flipped the coin.
The coin tumbled and fell.
Clink!
It landed squarely on its edge on the table, perfectly balanced.
The "Winner" had received no revelation whatsoever!
The "Winner" then attempted pendulum divination, astrolabe divination, and other methods, all of which failed.
...
Nareth received the news of their failed divinations without surprise. After a brief thought, he decided to deploy Librarians with the "Eyes of Mystery Prying" and the Tenth Chapter, which focused on the high-Inspiration Hanged Man Pathway, also adept at concealment.
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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