Chapter 70: Conquering the Crystal Mirage

Deep within the mountain, a colossal statue rose, piercing through the upper half of the crystal peak, its head towering above the summit.

At its base was a smaller crimson altar, surrounded by six massive circular ritual altars, evenly spaced.

Each of these ritual altars was constructed from psychic-reactive crystal, their runes drawn with the heart's blood of captives from other tribes.

Six Heart-Eater priests, robed in purple and wielding crystalline ritual daggers, chanted loudly:

"The 666th offering, may it draw our Lord's gaze!"

They raised their daggers and plunged them downward.

The Heart-Eater followers kneeling before them did not flinch. With exposed chests and serene smiles, they welcomed this "glorious" moment.

Beneath their feet lay 665 still-beating hearts.

The bodies were hauled away by fellow believers to feed the kin of the Heartpiercer, the monstrous creatures they lived beside.

At the central altar, the final ritual began.

The chieftain of the Heart-Eaters drove a ritual dagger into the chest of the last sacrifice, then tore out the still-beating heart with his bare hand.

"First offering, nourishment for our Lord."

"Sixth offering, bless us, O Lord!"

At that very moment, Nareth was just a kilometer from the mountain chamber's exit when a ghastly, inhuman screech echoed from ahead, equal parts pain and ecstasy.

His Warp Insight flared, and he sensed the veil between realspace and the Warp had been briefly torn, allowing a power from the Sea of Souls to seep in.

Looking forward, he saw a grotesque creature, bloated, blood-red, with six pairs of tentacle-like arms twitching behind it.

Its neck bore six heads, each with snake-like tendrils dangling from its lips.

"Erlin!"

Arsena gasped, recognizing the one normal-looking head as a once-human friend.

'How… how did he become this?'

The silver-haired psyker began to truly believe that some supernatural being, perhaps even the Heartslayer itself, was real.

"Die!"

The bloated Erlin shrieked, and the six priests echoed in unison:

"Die!"

The twelve tentacles lashed out with crystal daggers, curved blades, and ornate longswords, aimed at Nareth.

Nareth instantly recognized that the chieftain of the Heart-Eaters had likely been fused with six others by their "god", almost certainly the Greater Daemon of Slaneesh, into a single chaos creature.

They couldn't withstand the "blessing" and were turning into a Chaos Spawn of Slaanesh.

Whatever consciousness remained now only sought to attack.

With a swing of his heavy halberd, Nareth unleashed the 6th stance of Otsberg-Vaya, carving a perfect arc through the air.

All twelve tentacles were severed in a single blow, crashing to the floor and writhing before going still.

The abomination screeched again, equal parts pleasure and agony, as its body began to mutate further. Its six heads twisted and stretched in different directions, transforming into a prism-like creature with a head on each corner.

Through the eyes of a Primarch, Nareth saw through the Chaos Spawn's weaknesses.

The source of its ritual power was Erlin's head, which had now sunken into its neck.

With a powerful leap, Nareth struck downward using the 23rd stance of Otsberg-Vaya, cleaving straight into that head.

Boom!

The head shattered, and with a howl of terror, the creature's body melted like wax, collapsing into a disgusting, sludgy heap.

"Purify it!"

Nareth ordered.

Snapping out of his daze, Arsena raised his right hand. Flames engulfed the corrupted mass, reducing it to ash.

Now fully convinced that Nareth could wipe out the Heart-Eaters, Arsena stood tall.

"Attack!"

Nareth charged into the mountain chamber. The 'Warrior' Gul'gul led the 8th regiment behind him.

He was immediately greeted by dazzling light.

Nareth's eyes lit up. All along the path, the crystals were of high purity, free of impurities. Perfect for crafting data crystals.

Now, deep within the mountain, he saw vast fields of psychic-reactive crystal. His Warp Insight confirmed they were largely pure, ideal for forging psyker staffs and other mystical gear.

An unexpected bounty. The only obstacle, these damned heretics.

He stared down the onrushing Slaanesh cultists and charged.

Arsena watched in awe. Nareth cut through enemies like vegetables, whether agile cultists or mutated beasts; none could slow him down.

He also noticed the officers, one of whom raised his left hand, a precise energy beam shooting a swift cultist meters away.

Another dodged a lunging, water-based mutant, his humming sword slicing through the creature in a single blow.

Even the soldiers stunned him. Their long, rod-like weapons fired blasts of energy.

In the wide expanse of the mountain interior, they had a clear firepower advantage. Their concentrated volleys annihilated the Heart-Eaters in waves.

Though each soldier's firepower didn't match Arsena's flames, there were over two thousand of them, and each bore these incredible weapons.

'Even with a telekinetic shield, I couldn't hold against them for long…'

Arsena silently marveled:

'Divine-level combat strength… elite commanders… advanced weaponry…

This is King Nareth's true power. No tribe can resist him.'

As more companies joined the fight, the Heart-Eaters realized they were surrounded.

The battle ended within one solar day.

Afterward, Nareth stood before the giant statue, an image of what might have been a Heartslayer.

He quickly noticed the sculpture was incomplete. It seemed the Heart-Eaters lacked proper psyker craftsmen; its shape was so vague, it was hard to tell if it truly represented the Heartslayer.

'It's being carved from a massive, naturally-formed psychic-resonant crystal… No wonder communications were disrupted.'

'Some Warp daemon energy had seeped in, but not stabilized. It's still usable.

As long as no more rituals are performed, the energy will fade. In a few decades, it'll be safe to use.'

This massive crystal wasn't top-tier, but it was enormous, and Nareth was delighted.

He turned and approached the silver-haired psyker.

"Arsena, will you serve me?"

Arsena knew he had no power to refuse. But more than that, this was an opportunity.

He's destroyed the evil Heart-Eaters. He's a hero to all tribes.

Arsena bowed.

"My king, I pledge my loyalty."

Four solar months later, Nareth had conquered all the tribes of the Crystal Mirage.

With guidance from Vostroyan engineers, 16 mining bases were under construction.

Fearing future xeno raiders, Nareth stationed the frigate Piszczek and the destroyer Termalica in orbit. The surface was defended by ten full regiments.

Satisfied, he ordered the fleet to return to Vostroya