Thousand Sons Struggling Amidst Flesh and Blood Aberrations

Nimrod ordered Arsena Dunn: "Move the Sixth, Tenth, and Eleventh Chapter to assemble at Lucius."

"After leaving some troops behind, the First and Twelfth Chapter also joined the assembly."

The 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th and 11th Chapter and two companies from the First Chapter participated in the "First Rangdan War". Nimrod should have let the other six Chapter be the main fighting force.

However, Nimrod considered that the 7th Legion was responsible for clearing the area around Incaladion, while the Ninth Chapter, centered on Thalassa, was conquering the territory of the Sahar-Duin. He did not want the two Chapter to stop.

He decided to use the Sixth and 10th Battalion as the main force, while the First and 12th Chapter would each need to leave some troops to garrison the Osiris Sector and Tanith, respectively.

The 11th Chapter recruits troops from Vostonia, and has sufficient manpower to cope with continuous combat.

The Mitu are powerful, and the battle is expected to last for some time before other Chapter are deployed to join the fight.

"Following deliberations in the War Council, the First and XIV Legion were added to the campaign and ordered to assemble at Lucius."

"During the War Council, the Emperor informed me that I needed to retrieve the Primarch of the Fifteenth Legion."

"Order the 28th Expeditionary Fleet to proceed to the Sol System and await my arrival."

"As you command, my lord." The Primarch's Attendants recorded the order.

The 8th month of the year 840, Mars.

The Sage of the Adeptus Mechanicus spoke through a synthesized Sonic Array from within his mask.

"Assets // Gloriana-class Battleship / Length 25.01 km / Mass 143.96 megatons."

"According to contractual obligations, at the current time, Mars may provide Nimrod Primarch with the means to fulfill the treaty. Please confirm whether you accept the transfer."

"Accept." Nimrod nodded, then said to Bukayo House Arshavin, "My Dark Lord, go and take possession of your ship."

He watched Bukayo's retreating figure and thought to himself.

[My legion now possesses four Gloriana-class Battleship, surpassing the First Legion to become the legion with the most Gloriana-class Battleship.]

After his reflections, Nimrod boarded the Stormbird. Instead of returning to the Shadow of the Throne as usual, he headed to the flagship of the 28th Expeditionary Fleet.

An hour later, he met Azek Ahriman.

Ahriman, clad in Scarlet Armor, tried his best to keep his face looking the same as always.

"Lord Nimrod."

Nimrod astutely noticed Ahriman's weakness.

Possessing a superhuman physique, weakness would not normally be associated with Astartes, especially for a powerful figure like Ahriman.

But Ahriman was indeed very weak; his skin was dull and lifeless, like that of a traveler who had trekked through the desert for countless years.

There was some kind of Psionic Energy suppressing him within him. That energy had not yet caused any change in a single cell of Ahriman's, but once the boiling energy was unleashed, it would devour him.

His willpower was exceptionally weak; even when facing himself, he would lower his gaze and want to close his eyes tightly.

Ahriman's complex emotions were like a boiling, colorful vortex; he felt fear, sadness, Affliction, and self-blame...

He knew that Ahriman felt guilty for being forced to isolate his twin brother, Ormuzd.

He was also horrified by witnessing the horrific scene of his fellow warriors, including Ormuzd, undergoing Flesh Mutation.

Ahriman was haunted by Nightmare throughout his life, and they affected every major decision he made.

To end the Flesh Mutation, he used Rubric; without the Psionic Energy Thousand Sons, they would become a Ghost bound within the Power Armor.

"The Emperor has confirmed the world where your Primarch resides, and I will travel there with you," Nimrod said.

"I will do my best to help you during your journey."

"My lord, thank you for your help." A glimmer of hope appeared on Ahriman's face. He knew that the Emperor's Children's fate of destruction had been changed after Fulgrim's return.

But by then, how many of the legion will still be alive?

Ahriman gathered his thoughts and pondered how to get help from Lord Nimrod and his entourage.

"My lord, my legion has been infected with a strange... contagious disease."

"I think the Apothecary is probably powerless to help with this."

The Fifteenth Legion's Apothecary tried everything, but to no avail, they could not suppress the mutations among the legion's Warrior.

Ahriman didn't think the Apothecary in the "Shadow of Order" had any solutions.

He didn't utter the name "Flesh Mutation," always hoping that one day Flesh Mutation would be resolved, and he didn't want this secret to be known by other legions.

Ahriman struggled to restore clarity and reason to his chaotic mind.

"When a disease outbreak occurs, it can affect those around the affected person."

"I've put all the Legion Warrior in separate dormitories. If anyone falls ill, they'll be taken to the Medical Deck."

"The Apothecary will place them in a crystal coffin with Stasis Field activated; some of the infected will eventually be cured."

Nimrod nodded slightly, thinking of Sobek, Ahriman's future Apprentice, who was the most important person to him besides Magnus and his twin brother Ormuzd.

When Sobek was undergoing Flesh Mutation, Hathor Mhat temporarily put him into a state of rapid freezing, and then placed him in a crystal coffin covered by Stasis Field.

After trying various methods to save themselves, the Thousand Sons found a way to temporarily contain the situation.

"My Apothecary will try their best to help you find a solution." Nimrod knew that, as Ahriman had said, his Apothecary had no way to help, but he had other ways to assist.

"The Shadow of Order are highly perceptive; I will have them patrol, and if they spot anyone acting strangely, they will be taken to the hospital immediately."

Nimrod knew that once Thousand Sons underwent Flesh Mutation, it would affect the Thousand Sons around him, but this only applied to the Thousand Sons.

When the Space Wolves and the Thousand Sons fought together in the Ark Fringe Cluster, Hasta underwent Flesh Mutation, the surrounding Thousand Sons began to be affected, but the Wolf Pack was unaffected.

If the Flesh Mutation was indeed manipulated by Tzeentch, then its impact would obviously be limited.

A look of surprise flashed across Ahriman's face. He hadn't expected Nimrod to put his son in danger while rescuing Thousand Sons.

He also knew that the help provided by Lord Nimrod was very important to Thousand Sons at this moment.

The Thousand Sons, whose Flesh Mutation, become manic due to the Affliction they experience, making them unapproachable and uncontrollable by the Legion's servants.

They can only be controlled by the Thousand Sons, mostly Biomancy Thousand Sons, by suppressing the cells.

However, they may also be affected, undergoing Flesh Mutation.

Ahriman said gratefully, "Sir, thank you for your help."

The Apothecary and the Honor Guard immediately sprang into action under Nimrod's orders.

The Apothecary of "Shadow of Order" ascended the grand staircase to a spacious hall paved with white marble, the entrance to the central apothecary.

The central pharmacy is constructed of gleaming, crystalline glass and steel, with more than twenty medical rooms scattered around the circular hub.

The Shadow of Order looked around at the surrounding chambers and found that the windows of nine of them were lowered, Damping Field them from superhuman senses.

They noticed that many of the mortal servants were trembling, trying their best to hide their fear.

The gleaming lab bench was covered with various instruments, but it was covered in liquid, as if it had just been cleaned.

A Thousand Sons Apothecary dressed in white armor walked up to them.

"Welcome, fellow Apothecary of the Shadow of Order."

The Apothecary at "Thousand Sons" are already a high-risk group due to the Flesh Mutation, and there is a severe shortage of them.

After being welcomed, he followed Ahriman's instructions and said, "This 'contagious disease' is extremely dangerous, and we are already very grateful that you can provide us with assistance."

The Apothecary knew that Ahriman's order was correct: the Shadow of Order must not be allowed to witness their battle brothers undergoing the Flesh Mutation.

Once their Flesh Mutation, they will become like monsters.

Even if it's not Curse as many desperate people say, it's a genetic defect like that of Ghouls.

"But we can't put you in danger. If the people you're responsible for show signs of a rapid rise in body temperature, pale skin, excessive sweating, and difficulty breathing..."

He listed over a dozen symptoms of the initial stage of Flesh Mutation, saying, "Please inform us immediately, and we will take over the follow-up treatment."

The Apothecary of "Shadow of Order" then began taking on the "patients" in their wards under the tutelage of Apothecary Thousand Sons.

Nine minutes into the ship's timeline, a Shadow of Order inside the control room noticed a sudden and dramatic change in the vital signs of the Nathersim Gauntlet, which were connected to the medical system within the Stasis Crystal Coffin.

Body temperature 42.9 degrees, body temperature 50.9 degrees...

He remembered the instructions from Apothecary Thousand Sons and immediately turned on his Communicator.

"Combine Ninth, our combat comrade's vital signs are at a dangerous level."

I'll be there right away.

The Apothecary, Thousand Sons, spoke urgently, rushing to cabin Ninth with the speed of someone charging into battle.

As soon as he stepped into the cabin, he reached out and pressed his hand against the inside of the cabin wall.

The runes on the wall became even brighter.

"Brother of the Shadow of Order, please leave. Leave the rest to me."

The Shadow of Order Apothecary then stepped out of the door and saw four members of the Honor Guard leading an Astartes with his head bowed as they approached.

The Thousand Sons Apothecary quickly discovered that the Shadow of Order were unaffected by the Flesh Mutation, and their arrival provided considerable assistance.

The Thousand Sons, whose Flesh Mutation, were transported to the Medical Deck, reducing the chances of others being affected.

Commanders like Ahriman quickly received the news. While thanking Nimrod for his help, they couldn't help but think...

[Do we have a genetic defect like Ghouls?]