An explosive boom erupted above the canyon.
A giant clad in black armor and golden wings flashed into existence in midair at the center of the canyon. To his right stood a massive black wolf in the air.
Nimrod's obsidian eyes gazed toward the end of the canyon, where six towering trees were rooted in the ground.
Pearl-white Luna Wolves, violet-gold Emperor's Children, and scarlet Blood Angels hung from the white thorns.
More than a hundred enormous black Flying Strains clung to the thorns, their crowns swaying as they tore open Power Armor of every color and feasted greedily.
Over a thousand black figures beat their bat-like wings as they hunted the dense swarms of gray insects in the air.
Hundreds of crowns turned toward Nimrod in unison. Their wings beat as they tossed aside the gray insects and flew toward him.
Thunderclouds churned as bolts of lightning ripped through the sky and struck at the Black Armored Giant.
Nimrod did not dodge. He called to the Black Wolf at his feet, "Freddy."
"At once, my master." Two pairs of legs instantly sprouted from Freddy's abdomen, stirring ripples through the air.
His eight legs tore through the sky as he steadily rose.
The crackling lightning dimmed, its blue turning pale and bleak.
Nimrod gazed at the circling Shield Storm. The frenzied, violent lightning slowly flowed around above their heads like a vortex.
He looked into the depths of the canyon, at the thorns entangled among the roots of the six Spirit Thorn Trees.
The furious Astartes Wraiths stood blankly within balls of light, as if frozen.
"Song of Serenity drifts softly..."
A low, gentle voice rose and echoed above the canyon.
As the verse began, the six Spirit Thorn Trees swayed.
Spiritual ripples spread out and merged with the verse.