"I smell Chaos."
Nibelung's voice rang out in the ship compartment, low and wary.
His hand closed around Zhang Jian's hilt in an instant, his gaze fixed on a patch of shadow near the ceiling.
That shadow was out of place amid the surrounding darkness. It writhed faintly, like some living thing breathing.
He drew Zhang Jian, its blade tracing an arc through the air, and pointed its tip straight at the shadow.
He crouched slightly, lowering his center of gravity, ready to attack at any moment.
"Chaos?"
Hercules spoke immediately after him, raising the greatsword that was as tall as he was. Its blade gleamed coldly beneath the lights.
His gaze swept toward the spot Nibelung indicated. Although he lacked Nibelung's powers of perception, he trusted the Perpetual's judgment.
The Word Bearers warriors beside him raised their Bolters in unison, every muzzle aimed at that patch of shadow. The clicks of disengaging safeties echoed throughout the ship compartment.
The warriors stood ready, their breathing steady and deep, their fingers resting on their triggers, prepared to fire at any moment.
"Whoever's here means us harm."
Nibelung spoke again, and a layer of psychic lightning began to coat Zhang Jian.
Blue-white arcs danced and coiled around the blade, crackling as they cast a little more light over the surrounding space.
His gaze sharpened, and an invisible pressure radiated from his body.
"Strong. Extremely strong," Royst added, his voice tinged with gravity.
As a Librarian, he was more sensitive to Warp energy than anyone else.
He could feel the power within that shadow. It was pure Chaos energy, so concentrated that it made even his senses sting.
As Nibelung's words faded, the shadow abruptly came alive.
It poured down from the ceiling like a black waterfall, coalescing into a pitch-black figure that