The Shadow Eye of Be'lakor

Aetsak leapt down from the hovering Shadow-pattern Stormbird, and the moment he slammed into the sea of sand, instinct screamed danger.

Four short but sturdy figures raised guns that resembled the Shadow of Order's weapons, only much smaller, and aimed them at him.

He rolled aside with blinding speed and said calmly, "Aetsak. Lord Nimrod's mercenary."

During the voyage, Aetsak had used his free time to quickly learn everything he could about his surroundings.

He had learned about the Primarch, and about Nimrod's status.

Pragmatic as ever, Aetsak accepted calling his employer "lord" as others did. Through study, he had also mastered the Vostonian Language commonly used across the fleet, enough for basic communication.

The Squats immediately understood what Aetsak meant when they heard him speak.

The centenarian Squats of the League of Votann had all mastered the Vostonian Language through their close trade dealings with the Shadow of Order.

For the newly born Hearthkyn and Ironkin of the League of Votann, the Ancestor Core had implanted the Vostonian Language into their minds at birth.

"There's a monster here. He can turn invisible," a Hearthkyn Warrior shouted.

"That is exactly why I'm here." Aetsak drew the Falcon Dagger. After receiving Librarian training from the Shadow of Order, he already understood the enemy Nimrod had hired him to deal with—the Psyker.

Aetsak's eyes, raptor-sharp behind his lenses, swept across the sea of sand.

From his contact with the Librarians, he had summed up his own experience: the direction that filled him with disgust and discomfort was where the Psyker was.

Aetsak looked around, and his eyes suddenly twitched. In the next instant, he hurled himself forward.

Rat-tat-tat...

His skin itched and stung, as if insects had bitten him.

Aetsak grew even more certain that the Psyker hiding in the dark was