Scabellasax strode forward, flowers of decay blooming wherever his enormous feet fell.
Newly sprouted black plants rotted and blackened, finally dissolving into pools of stagnant water.
Over Seven Hours, Seven Minutes, Seven Seconds, they completed the cycle from growth to death.
Seven thousand Nurglings bounced over his corpulent body, fighting to tear fat maggots from Flyblown's belly and stuff them into their mouths.
After eating seven apiece, they lay on the Great Unclean One and rolled about in delight.
Scabellasax wrapped his tongue around his rusty cleaver. "Ethan, accept my gift."
Flyblown's body shuddered. The seven thousand Nurglings scrambled up and tore clumps of maggots from his belly.
"Ethan, partake of the great Flyblown's bounty."
"Eat them, and you will become more resilient."
Dawn Light rose around Ethan. "Heretic."
The seven thousand writhing maggots melted like thawing snow.
"Daemon, you are only slightly less disgusting than Mortarion."
His swollen tongue slipped off the rusty cleaver, and Scabellasax opened his mouth wide, exposing rotten teeth.
"You will feel the limits of your talents."
"You will accept."
His corpulent body suddenly surged forward, reaching Ethan in an instant. The Rotting Blade slashed at his exposed abdomen.
A foul wind struck him head-on. Green mist pressed the Dawn Light back until it hugged Ethan's body.
Dawn Light enveloped his marble-statue physique, condensing into a suit of armor.
The Dark Apostle Inzar Thyrus planted his armored boots in the sticky sludge as the rusty cleaver swept across his vision, whistling with an eerie green glow.
He followed the holy light with his gaze and saw the Rotting Blade strike the armor the Librarian had conjured.
Boom!
Amid the explosive roar, that layer of light actually stopped the Rotting Blade.
Thyrus's thoughts froze. How is this possible?
The Book of Lorgar recorded that the Rotting