56: Baptism by Fire (II, 5k)

Garviel Loken struggled to his feet and searched for more information.

How many times has this happened? He asked himself, but received no answer. He and Akurduana had indeed opened the door, but frankly, what followed wasn't a pleasant experience.

He was thrown directly into a river of blood, a place far more bizarre than where he had been before. Fortunately, he managed to get out, although Garviel Loken himself didn't know how he had escaped.

In short, he hoped Akurduana was alright.

He bent down, trying to grip the sword at his waist, but the Power Armour seemed to malfunction and could no longer respond to his nerve signals as immediately as before; his fingers were completely unable to bend.

A genuine chill swept past with the howling of cold air, creating frost on his skin. He looked up and saw the dissipating black mist, and within it, the shadowy figures of hanging corpses.

He exhaled softly and began to slowly back away.

Garviel Loken would absolutely not step into this fog until the issues related to the Power Armour's neural signals were resolved. Leaning against the corridor wall, he looked around at his current location, and an unlikely conclusion slowly formed in his mind.

Garviel Loken lowered his head again and began to examine his Power Armour, trying to figure out if there was any other problem like with his fingers, while thoroughly going over the conclusion in his mind.

Ultimately, the conclusion was confirmed by him, albeit very reluctantly.

This really is the eighth deck of the Vengeful Spirit, if those nightmares weren't deliberately trying to confuse Deceit him.

But the question is, where did those bodies come from?

He looked up at the hanging corpses and drew a second conclusion from their uniforms and builds— Garviel Loken's eyes twitched slightly. He finally knew where the missing crew and servants had gone.

Moreover, judging from the state of decomposition of the bodies, they had been dead for a long time. It's worth noting that this wasn't the first time Garviel Loken had come to the eighth deck; he had visited several times during the voyage, and each time he appeared perfectly normal.

If this is the case here, then what about the rest of the Vengeful Spirit?

Garviel Loken dared not think any further.

He patted the nail on his right forearm, trying to manually clear the problem. Perhaps it was luck, but after a few pats, the malfunction in his right fingers actually resolved itself.

He took another half minute to make sure this wasn't a fleeting moment, then immediately drew his Power Sword and stepped into the thick fog. Garviel Loken knew the Vengeful Spirit too well; he could figure out which deck and which path he was on even with his eyes closed.

The eighth deck was indeed shrouded in thick fog, but that didn't matter. He cautiously slowed his pace, traversing the forest of the dead. The cold chill caused his breath to freeze, turning into tiny ice crystals on his chin and above his lips.

The deeper Garviel Loken went, the more serious his expression became. He noticed that the number of hanged men was increasing, and there were more signs of battle along the way.

For example, bullet holes left by Boltgun, distinctive marks left on walls by Chainsword or Chainaxe —some even resemble claw marks, and not Lightning Claw, but the claws of a living creature.

He suddenly stopped in his tracks, a huge dark shadow not far ahead catching his attention. Garviel Loken slowed his breathing and observed the area for several minutes before continuing forward.

The thing hadn't moved even once during this time. As he approached it, he smelled an extremely strong stench of blood and filth. This was also very unusual; the intensity was enough to cause physical discomfort to an ordinary person, and the place where he had just been shouldn't have been unaware of it.

Can this dense fog mask the odor?

Garviel Loken kept this discovery to himself and continued to observe the corpse.

It has contorted joints and an extremely strong body, with bulging muscles and large bones. Its skin is jet black and covered with downy hair, and it has a pair of hideous, twisted horns on its forehead. The creature's face is a typical monster image, yet it is overly realistic.

This was no monster imaginable; every detail of its face was incredibly lifelike, especially its eyes, which resembled a pair of burning emeralds.

Etc.

Garviel Loken suddenly raised his sword.

The creature growled and stood upright, lunging at him. Garviel Loken struggled to resist while retreating—he had immediately realized from the previous collisions that he was no match for this thing; the force of its attacks had even made his servo motors protest.

If he didn't evacuate quickly, something terrible might happen. Just then, a burst of gunfire interrupted his retreat. It wasn't the sound of a single Boltgun, but rather the extremely dense sound of dozens of guns firing at once.

Garviel Loken was all too familiar with that sound; he could even tell where the person firing was just by feeling. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a group of Astartes dressed in blue and white armor, who had also noticed him.

This gave Garviel Loken a chill—he knew the War Hounds were coming, but the War Hounds didn't know who he was.

But they didn't spare any manpower to fire at him; in fact, they even stopped using firepower to contain him.

Garviel Loken chuckled inwardly: Well, that makes sense. Let a monster kill the traitor you all see.

He gripped his sword tightly, not intending to surrender so easily.

If he survives, he'll have a better chance to tell the truth. The sooner the mutations of the Legion and Primarch are known to others, the better, because only then can the Emperor and the Imperium resolve this matter as quickly as possible.

The monster roared and flexed its muscles as it lunged at him, its body riddled with wounds from which black, putrid blood gushed, yet it seemed oblivious to the danger. Garviel Loken observed its movements, resolving to attack its eyes first.

He twisted his wrist, intending to swing his Power Sword at it, but the monster suddenly flew out of the air. At that moment, a huge sound, almost like an explosion, reached his ears.

Garviel Loken stared intently and saw a giant hacking at the monster with twin swords, bits of flesh flying everywhere as it howled and tried to fight back. The giant raised its right claw, let out a deep snort, and with a backhand motion, severed the claw entirely.

Lightning flashed across his bare back, a perfect embodiment of power and beauty. His right claw, spraying blood, flew up, and before it even hit the ground, the giant closed his twin swords, instantly piercing the monster's skull.

But this was still not the end. He brought his right hand together, spinning both blades, and reached out with his left hand, grabbing one of the monster's horns with tremendous force, and tearing its head off its neck amidst its thunderous scream.

Garviel Loken stood there, sword in hand, not yet regaining his senses, when a still-steaming, bloody head was thrown at his feet.

He looked up and saw a blood-stained, angry face emerge from the mist, gazing at him thoughtfully. Veins bulged on its forehead, and steel braids danced wildly. Like a demon, it materialized from the mist, its entire body covered in blood.

A few seconds later, he smiled, straightened up in a friendly manner, patted Garviel Loken on the shoulder, and the devil vanished.

"I am Angron," he introduced himself. "What's your name, Brave One?"

"Garviel Loken, sir, I am--."

"--The tenth company commander of Luna Wolves." A voice rang out from the other side. Garviel Loken turned his head and saw a familiar face. He breathed a sigh of relief, put down his sword, and before he could say anything, Kharn threw four magazines at him.

"Use it sparingly, Garviel Loken." Kharn gestured with his chin. "We're running low on ammunition too."

Garviel Loken remained silent for a long time before accepting the situation. He didn't understand where the trust shown by the War Hounds and their Primarch came from, after all, he hadn't explained anything yet. But since they could fight side by side, other things could be discussed later.

He nodded, changing his magazine as he inquired about the current status of the War Hounds —whether intentionally or unintentionally, he did not correct the legion name Kharn used.

"The situation isn't good," Kharn said succinctly. "We clashed with your Primarch shortly after boarding. A battle ensued, and what was supposed to be a breakout attempt turned into a black mist that appeared out of nowhere and brought us here."

"Your men?" Garviel Loken carefully chose his words, trying to ascertain whether the War Hounds were truly reduced to such a small number.

Kharn shook his head at him and then let out a muffled laugh.

"Have some faith in us, Moon Wolf. Actually, we've almost wiped out all the monsters here except for that one just now. You're lucky, aren't you? If we'd been any later, you might have been cut in two."

"Perhaps it's the one that's broken in two," Garviel Loken said. He still didn't correct Kharn's way of addressing him.

"Indeed," Kharn nodded. "You're always very brave in battle."

"Alright, Garviel Loken Commander Locken," Angron's voice rang out from the front. "Please forgive my Eighth Company Commander; he's always had this eccentric personality, always telling jokes that aren't really jokes to everyone. Anyway, I hope you can explain something to us."

They've arrived.

Garviel Loken's heart tightened, and he immediately began to recall the prepared statement he had prepared beforehand. He wanted to recount the entire story in detail and quickly, but Angron did not ask the question he had prepared for.

In reality, the War Hounds' Primarch was simply standing by a door, beckoning to him.

"Excuse me, do you know how to open this door?" Angron asked, his brow furrowing slightly, a hint of helplessness on his blood-stained face. "We've tried many methods, but it just won't open."

Garviel Loken walked forward silently and saw the words "Infirmary" in the number above the door.

He raised his hand, rubbed his chin to remove the ice crystals, and then spoke.

"Can't open it?" He looked at the door, then at Angron. "Is it a mechanical malfunction? That's easy, the Chainsword can fix it—"

"--No, no, Company Commander Garviel Loken." Angron shook his head at him, stood there for a moment, thought for a moment, and then spoke again.

"Actually, I believe you've already sensed something from the scenes we just passed through and the enemy we fought, haven't you?"

"These things do not originate from the world we know. Their existence cannot be simply explained by physical laws or mathematical formulas, nor can it be summarized by common sense. They are supernatural monsters, originating from the Chaos of the Warp. And this door..."

The commander of the Twelfth Legion sighed, then casually swung his right fist, striking the metal door. A loud crash followed, but the metal remained unmoved; the door didn't even tremble.

"He's probably one of them."

Garviel Loken took a deep breath, barely able to process what the Twelfth Legion Commander had said. He only knew that the Fulgrim was inside, along with that mad, Apothecary Emperor's Children.

His and Akurduana's mission was on the verge of success, but now this has happened?

Can't open it?

Why can't I open it?

Luna Wolves angrily raised his foot and kicked the door hard. The War Hounds seemed somewhat surprised by his action, and he himself immediately realized the change in his emotions. He wanted to apologize, but Angron laughed instead.

"Don't be angry, Company Commander Garviel Loken," he said. "I was just asking. After all, given your position, I wanted to know if you had a more convenient solution. If you did, that would be great; if not, there's no need to worry."

"You don't understand, behind this door," Garviel Loken suppressed his emotions, making his voice calm, "Is Fulgrim."

"I know." Angron's smile faded, and he nodded calmly.

The impressive metal torture device was still twisting behind his head, instilling considerable fear and creating a rather eerie contrast with his calm expression.

You know?

"Of course I know, otherwise how do you think I found everyone so precisely in this maze-like place?" Angron raised his right hand, lightly tapped the Butcher's Nails, and a smile returned, this time very gentle.

His twitching facial muscles didn't ruin the smile, Garviel Loken was momentarily stunned—not that he was wrong, too many things had happened today that he couldn't understand.

The 10th Company Commander closed his eyes, shook his head, and took a few steps back. He began to breathe deeply at a steady pace, and within a few seconds, his heartbeat had completely calmed down.

He temporarily set aside the matters of the Legion and the Primarch, and also temporarily set aside the life and death of Akurduana and his brothers, focusing all his attention on the matter at hand.

A moment later, under Angron's admiring gaze, Garviel Loken opened his eyes seriously and offered a suggestion.

"Each deck of the Vengeful Spirit has a central control room that can manually open every door and power every room on that deck by entering a key. You said this door has become some kind of supernatural entity, but it's still on the Vengeful Spirit. I think we might be able to try this method."

"You're very clever, Moon Wolf." Kharn grinned at him, raising his hand as if he were raising the right hand of the victor in a duel cage.

The War Hounds roared and cheered for him. Garviel Loken put on a deliberately strange and proud smile, lowered his head, and a wave of bitterness rose in his heart.

Once upon a time, his legion was like this. Why has everything changed in such a short time?

"Cheer up," Angron said with concern, interrupting his momentary reverie. "We're counting on you to lead the way, Company Commander Garviel Loken."

"I will," Luna Wolves replied solemnly.

--

Kolus Corax channeled his thoughts into a somber calm, closing his eyes and a hint of melancholy flickering across his pale face. The main bridge of the Emperor's Shadow was utterly silent, save for the incessant hum of footsteps and the hum of the Cogitator's array.

After a long while, the Lord of the Crows silently opened his eyes, his pitch-black pupils devoid of any other emotion.

At that moment, his company commander, Bran Neff, also spoke up at just the right time.

He had followed Corax in the uprising on Deliverance, saving innocent people. His understanding of war was exactly the same as Corax's, and the two knew each other to an unparalleled degree.

"Attack?" Bran Neff uttered a single word.

Not for now.

The Lord of the Crows pondered for a moment before giving an answer, his expression quite solemn.

"The Vengeful Spirit is not a good target for boarding. Try to approach at high speed first and get the artillery positions ready. Then issue the order: all ships in the fleet must prepare for battle, prioritizing their own survival while doing their utmost to contain and weaken the Vengeful Spirit and its associated ships."

He paused for a moment, frowned, and added, "At the same time, dispatch multiple groups of boarding personnel to target the Pride of the Emperor."

"The Primarch?" Bran Neff expressed his surprise. "We—"

"--Don't rush, Bran," Corax said, squinting, his expression quite similar to that of one of his equally pale brothers; it was hard to tell who had copied whom.

"We cannot withstand the firepower of two Gloriana-class. Although the Firm Resolve would help us, why not weaken the enemy if it does? Furthermore, if we can actually recapture the Pride of the Emperor, or even temporarily control a portion of its artillery positions, it would be entirely worthwhile."

"Inform Sukahunu and have him do this. I have faith in his expertise in guerrilla warfare and rapid reaction operations."

"Clear."

"Then it's you, me, us," Corax continued issuing orders without pause.

"Prepare assault boats, gunboats, and shuttles. Prepare heavy firepower and rapid strike teams. Once the assault on the Pride of the Emperor begins, immediately concentrate fire on the engine area of Vengeful Spirit and board it immediately. Also, get me in touch with the Firm Resolve."

"Joint operations?"

"Of course, Bran." The Lord of the Ravens smiled slightly at him. "Many hands make light work; didn't we already prove that during the rebellion?"

Bran Neff nodded and left the bridge. Silence returned. Kolus Corax reached into his pocket and pulled out a bag of dried sand eel. He took one out, stared at it for a moment, but didn't eat it.

Outside the porthole, the stars were silent.

Update complete.

There might be more, but I don't recommend waiting. If updates are scheduled for this late at night in the future, everyone should probably go to bed earlier.