This was Lox's first time staring directly into the Warp without the protection of a Gellar Field. Given humanity's natural mental resilience, the only outcome of facing the Warp directly should have been utter madness, one's consciousness shattered by the aftershocks of the Sea of Souls.
Only humans with the strongest wills could retain their sense of self after coming into contact with Warp energy and overcome the inner demons awakened under the Warp's influence.
Yet under the restrictions of the Blackstone altar, the opened Warp rift extended no further than this. Its power was bound and constrained, like a raging flood sealed beyond a dam.
To be safe, Lox had gathered five hundred of the most elite undefeated troops. Even their commander, Glod, had come in person to oversee the operation.
Chief Librarian Titus Praetor had arrived on the moon with his Librarian force, and Dulles, leader of the Untouchables, had also arrived. Once the daemon was summoned, it would be their turn to perform.
As usual, Barabas Dantioch remained at Lox's side to protect him, while the Eldar seer Uslan had also arrived.
The Hermit loudly chanted the prayer used to summon Warp daemons, calling upon an ancient enough being. Back when he had still been with the Word Bearers Legion, he had dealt with it once.
It was an exceptionally cunning and vicious Warp daemon. Even among its own kind, its greed for souls and flesh was extraordinary. Naturally, it was also ancient enough—not some Warp creature that had only recently come into being.
Lox intended to pry enough intelligence from the Warp daemon's mouth, especially information concerning the actions traitor Horus was currently taking across the galaxy.
Because of the Ruinstorm, astropathic communications throughout the galaxy had been disrupted. Much of what Macragge knew about the