Ch.3: Meeting of Minds

As Colonel Cranis had spent the past few days in Exilium city finalising the arrangements of the Crusade with Jarl Hrulf Wyrdmane, and Captain Stefano Salbatore. It had been a long process however the foundation had finally been put in place and the Colonel could finally return to the front lines where his men were dealing with a rampaging Ork Warboss. When Galen was heading to the port where his personal valkyrie was due to land he was met by an unusual sight. A Primaris Space Marine clad in the colours and insignia of the Crimson Fists, while also adorned in cream and red robes as well as what looked like a Psychic Hood.
Librarian Heracio Santos, The Timeflayer, was waiting there expectantly, the colonel had never met him personally but had heard about and seen him watching from afar.

“Milord, I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced, I -” the Librarian raised his hand, stopping Galen in his tracks. “Introductions are not needed Colonel, I am quite aware of who you are, and as for me…I see your suspicions, I am he.”
“I see” said Colonel Cranis, showing some confusion “Is there something I can help you with before we leave?”.
 “Yes Colonel, why were you so adamant that the Ork Warboss that has recently come forth… is directed towards the Tower of Angels?”, before Colonel Cranis responded “Perhaps you could tell me on the way...”, said The Timeflayer as he motioned to the Valkyrie coming in to land, without turning his head.

A loud roar filled the air as the Valkyrie took flight, soaring through the skies. The inside was relatively quiet compared to the violent sound of engines outside, and in the rear compartment sat the Colonel and The Timeflayer. “It was when we moved to secure the Forest of Whispers, north of Terra’s Rock. As soon as we arrived our Astropath started acting strangely, I'm not sure what you would call it but he start to give detailed knowledge of where the enemy would come-”,
“This would be signs of Divination Colonel” interrupted The Timeflayer,
“Signs of Divination, which he has never done before. After we secured the area we called in our Psyker Primaris to investigate and performed something called an auto-seance to which we found to be the work of something called a…guiding spirit”.
 “I guess you’ve been receiving visions and one would be of the Ork Warboss, correct?”, Asked the Librarian, surety firmly in his voice.
“That would be the long and short of it, yes”. Answered the Colonel, unsure as to whether he was actually answering a question or merely confirming the words of this mystic warrior.
“Curious, I don’t suppose your Psykers would assist me whence we land…?” asked The Timeflayer,
“Of course, but how did you know we were going there?”.

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The ritual had begun. Chanting of the Psykers drowned out the noise of the wind rustling the leaves and in but a single moment, even their voices were silenced, as Heracio Santos projected himself into the warp, stretched far from reality.
He saw darkness. He saw light. He saw swirling and he saw focus. His conscious turned his will into human form, reflecting his physical self. He took an illusionary breath as his presence embraced the realm beyond time itself. 

Creatures flickered towards him and were thrown away, his mind warded and shielded, weaponised to fight such foul entities that preyed upon those weaker than he. The TimeFlayer noticed something that was. It had form. He drew near to it. As he did the mass grew wider and resolved an image. A giant shadow standing tall over all its domain, proud and mighty. Then it spawned into many shadows that scuttled away. The vision then folded upon itself and swam in the currents between everything and nothing. Santos watched it go until a hand snatched it from the point of its existence.
“That is not yours to see. You are not the witness.” Came a shrouded commanding voice.
The Librarian studied the warp, searching for whom had spoken.
“Begone Timekeeper! These are not yours to see. Destiny is not fixed. Always moving. Ever shifting. Your presence endangers us here.” said the voice.
“Who are you?” quizzed Santos, as he watched a will manifest itself into that of a running humanoid.
The Primaris gave chased, pursing the spirit of the voice.
Flashes of light burst past them as they ran in no direction, somewhere to nowhere.
Santos caught a glimpse of a sky on fire, he blinked and saw a new picture, what looked to be a mighty Ork roaring and charging upon a dark tall tower.
“Leave this place at once. You are changing events the longer you dwell...”
Heracio Santos accepted the warning, but he still needed answers. Something was eluding him. Just out of reach. He reached out to grasp the spirit and has he did. He fell.

The Librarian tumbled. Then he stopped. There was no more spirit only the voice.
“Suania abhors Doom. The Mouth cannot open” this phrase repeated again and again and again.
Santo’s manifested will rose in the darkness, glowing with radiant light.
“Show yourself!” demanded the Librarian.
All went quiet.

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The chamber was cold lit by a single light set high in the celling, the walls engraved with rune markings and wards of protection. After the battle at Paradise Falls Alexandros had secluded himself to this chamber for several days, his mind adrift in the warp searching for a path through the turmoil and chaos that fought to cast him out at every turn. For days he'd before rebuffed time and time again and despite the coolness of the chamber a layer of sweat covered his frame and his breath had become ragged, testament to the effort these ventures into the warp were taking on his body.

Once more he prepared his mind, his breathing becoming focused and steady, his eyes closed in meditation and his lips reciting ancient texts of protection, “ this time he would not allow himself to be pushed back, this time he'd push though the storm and beings that fought to throw him out! ” with these thoughts resounding though his head Alexandros slowly opened his eyes, the dark green replaced by what appeared to be a blue flame which slowly grew in intensity and then it was gone and Alexandros once more cast his psychic will in to the warp.

The onslaught of colour and sound that struck Alexandros was like a hammer and for a moment threatened to throw him back out of the warp but he pressed on, something was different this time there had been a shift in the current of the warp and after a few more moments the onslaught subsidised and for a instances there was nothing just silence which was then replaced by a voice, a voice that started as nothing but a whisper at first as if far of but slowly getting louder and moving nearer the words beginning to take form till Alexandros could finally make out  what the words were saying, “Show yourself! ” came the words, now no longer a voice but a hurricane which was followed by a light searching the warp as if sensing his presence was near but unable to find it and if he wish it the light would never come to rest on his whereabouts but he had waited in the shadows long enough it was time to see who else had set their eyes on Krillion.

The Chaos and onslaught of the warp faded away as Alexandros stepped into the light, much like when a pool forms on a mighty river, a moment of peace.  

“A Timeseer..?” The voice came in a hush whisper has if right in his ear, the warp shifting around as the words played out and a humanoid shape began to form before him has the being started to become visible. The scream of colour in the warp began to fade replaced by an illusion of stone walls, the glaring light by the dull flicker of candles  and the overpowering roaring drifted away till it disappeared completely leaving nothing but a hush silence behind.

 Heracio Santos, the Librarian of the Crimson Fists extended his psychic will adjusting the altered surroundings and to the being that had formed before him, it's body shrouded in a cloak that hid the upper half of its face but all that met him was a blank nothing ness, this and the lack of any presence beforehand or even the slightest hint that something was coming set him on edge.
“…Are you the Spirit I am following? ” Inquired Heracio has he took in the new surroundings that had been created but made sure to keep his focus fixed on the being before him never allowing it to slip from his senses.
“I am Alexandros Arathorn, Chief Liberian of the Exorcists”  came the reply, his voice was quiet but followed by a faint echo has if repeated by a unseen person.
Heracio weight this answer carefully searching for signs of deceit but could not find any, aside from their name Heracio had heard preciously little about the Exorcist Chapter and so remained guard in case of an attack if what this being said turned out to be false.

“Why wasn't I able to sense your presence in the warp..... brother” Heracio added this last word carefully his mind alert and probing for any sign of hidden intent but there was none.
Alexandros admired Heracio's directness and allowed a faint smile to play across his lips before replying.

“Induction into any chapter will leave scars weather of the physical or not, the Exorcist are no different and our.... training has a more noticeable effect. But now I pose you a question…Timeseer, do you think it is by chance or design that we have met today and if by design then whose?”
As if in response the whole structure shook has if hit by a bomb, the impact causing a sharp stab of pain to shoot though Alexandros's body but he composed himself and focused on maintaining the structure within the warp but the assault was relentless and the next blow caused the whole building to flicker and crack. Alexandros had attempted to shield them from the notice of any warp entities that passed by, at least for a brief period of time but there was only so long that minds such as theirs would go unnoticed in the warp..... However they should not have been found this quickly, whatever was breaking though the barriers he'd put in place had been looking for them.

A wall to the right of Heracio crumbled away and the assault of colour pushed in, dancing over the stone work that remain. “Ready yourself Dorn’s Son!” the voice came quietly in his head “I cannot hold it much longer.”
More of the structure turned to dust and was sucked into the warp and briefly he caught a glimpse of what was attacking, it was crude and disgusting.

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“Come out. Come out. Sarcoma can hear you. Sacroma can hear you scheming and plotting…” came the slurring and flem-filled voice, followed by a series of coughing.
An obese arm of rotting muscle leaking with pus swung in collapsing a portion of the wall.
“Tell Sarcoma your whispers… Sarcoma can take away your troubles…I can see you little ones…” The daemon dribbling his words with each syllable.

Heracio and Alexandros took cover behind a chunk of fallen wall, a wall that existed but all the same was formed from willpower. The Daemon poked his ugly fat head through the breach.

“It’s going to the right” informed Heracio with a whisper.
“Sarcoma! How did it know we were here?” Asked Alexandros as a familiar sight slid its plump form through the gap.
“You know this Daemon?” counted the Timeflayer with his own question
“Paradise Falls…” began the Exoricst
“…You are on Krillion?”
“…Indeed, should I surmise you are too Timeseer?”
The Daemon Sarcoma threw his sweaty, giant flabby arms around knocking debris everywhere, the candles blowing out one by one.
“We cannot linger here Alexandros, Realspace.”
“Where are you going mortals? Planning to find Sarcoma? You cannot stop Sarcoma. Let Sarcoma embrace you…”

The words of the Daemon fell faint, as Heracio Santos was sucked back into reality with such force that the Primaris Librarian shot backwards and onto the floor, scorch marks remained in the ground from where he stood.
Many of the Imperial Psykers had blood running from their eyes and noses, some had fallen to floor comatose.

Colonel Cranis stood over The Timeflayer, so too did his Primaris Psyker; Castus Rourke, both looked concerned.
“I’m sorry my lord, we…we felt it best to pull you from the Ritual. Your form was agitated and many of our psykers were shrieking and bloody. Did you get the answers you were seeking?”
Heracio allowed himself a moment to sit and take in all he had witnessed. If anything The Timeflayer had more questions than answers. But perhaps…if he was to find Alexandros then maybe the answers would soon follow.
“I need to go” remarked the Crimson Fist has he picked himself up and headed for the nearest Valkyre.

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The Daemon Prince Sarcoma the Intumescent fizzled away, gurgling with laughter as his prized mortal Alexandros retreated from the warp. The Warp fell dark with colour once more.
Only one was left. He turned to enter realspace himself. Ardashir opened his eyes.