Chapter 76: Chapter 76: The Imprisoned Corpse
*Endurance*, the Library of Wisdom.
Now.
"So, that's how it was," Fernando recounted his past to Hades.
Hades fell silent.
In his memory, the Four Gods began their aggressive erosion of the physical universe only after the incident at the Perfect City.
Yet, clearly, Fernando and his team had encountered a Greater Unclean One of Nurgle.
This was even before the Twilight Raiders had encountered their primordial forms!
Could it be that the words spoken by the Greater Unclean One meant that Fernando and his team were bait?
A seed of corruption buried within the legion, a fuse leading the entire legion to fall?
However, the last words spoken by the daemon, "Except for him," lingered in Hades' mind.
Who was this "him" that was immune to Nurgle's curse? It couldn't be Mortarion. Could it?
Hades, not one to be arrogant, felt that the answer pointed to one individual - himself.
Had a Greater Unclean One of Nurgle been plotting against him even before he joined the Death Guard?
A shiver ran down Hades' spine. Was he targeted because he tried to change the fate of Mortarion's betrayal and ascension to daemonhood?
Was he really that significant, or was he reading too much into it?
Regardless, Hades had a way to verify.
He turned to Fernando again, "Did your comrades fall in that battle?"
Fernando hesitated, then finally whispered, "I couldn't kill him."
But perhaps José was already dead.
"So, I seek your help," Fernando admitted, choosing to withhold the results of his divination for now.
Hades' current card was the *Reversed Titan*, indicating his plans were disrupted. However, Fernando's card was the *Upright Titan*, suggesting that if he took the initiative, he could triumph.
Fernando was desperate.
Hades, armed with his scythe of doom and wearing an enhanced MK3 power armor with a flamethrower at his waist, stood behind a fully armed Fernando.
After a brief explanation from Fernando, Hades decided to retrieve his scythe.
They had also informed Barasin, sealing off a ship section centered around the Library of Wisdom and discreetly evacuating all personnel, servitors, or rather, all living beings.
Fernando might not fully grasp the power of Nurgle, but Hades knew that even a slight oversight could be catastrophic.
The fact that a carrier of Nurgle's plague had been contained within the Library of Wisdom without incident was a blessing from the Emperor.
Perhaps the Chief Librarian believed his psychic prison was effective. Hades hoped so, but he always preferred to prepare for the worst.
The daemon might be intentionally staying on this ship, waiting for the right moment.
Waiting for the moment to complete the "plan" the daemon spoke of.
Only Fernando truly knew what was hidden within the Library of Wisdom.
Hades gripped his scythe tightly, finding solace in its weight.
Fernando's request was simple: help him kill "José" and rid the Chief Librarian of his torment.
From Fernando's description of "José", Hades was certain that the only ones capable of confronting such a powerful psychic entity were the psychically potent Fernando and Hades, who could isolate the warp.
Regular Space Marines would be doomed in the presence of such a powerful psychic being.
Or worse, they would be consumed by Nurgle's plague, then corrupted and fallen.
Although the creature was currently imprisoned by Fernando's psychic power, approaching it was still risky.
Against a warp entity, one could never be too cautious.
But Hades had no other choice.
He couldn't just walk away and pretend nothing happened.
He couldn't forsake his journey to Mars or the battlefield to guard the Library of Wisdom indefinitely.
Could he guard against the warp's corruption forever?
As an outsider, Hades once again felt a profound sense of powerlessness.
He was trying to change fate, which meant his adversaries were the warp gods, beings that could manipulate time and toy with mortals.
How could he fight against them? With his Untouchable nature?
No, there had to be a way.
For now, he had to kill a blessed one of Nurgle.
Hades realized he couldn't just follow the path of the legion. He couldn't just coast by as he had planned. It was too passive.
But for now, without other resources or avenues, he could only take things one step at a time.
As for Mortarion, Hades planned to inform him after this matter was resolved.
He didn't want Mortarion to directly encounter Nurgle's blessed one. Who knew what could happen?
Hades didn't want Nurgle's plague to claim Mortarion directly.
Fernando glanced back at Hades, who snapped out of his contemplation, signaling Fernando to begin.
They stood in a concealed corner of the library, darkness silently observing them.
A bright light surged, and Fernando's psychic energy violently erupted around him.
Ancient incantations flowed from the Chief Librarian's lips. As he chanted, bookshelves in front of them slowly moved aside.
Hades' eyes widened.
Golden runes densely covered the entire space. Intricate patterns were drawn on the floor, and the walls were adorned with weapons blessed by the Emperor.
Countless papers filled with prayers were attached to thick chains, which quivered with the flow of psychic energy.
At the center, a brutal psychic cage emitted blinding white light. Chains from the room's corners held down a creature, their ends appearing scorched and multicolored.
That creature... Hades recognized it instantly.
Even though its armor was soaked and blurred, even though it wore MK2 armor...
It was a Plague Marine!
A Plague Marine had been bound on the flagship of the Death Guard!
By the Emperor!
Countless swollen, pale-gray intestines protruded from the ruptured power armor, wriggling slightly. Maggots twisted amidst yellow-black intestinal fluid.
From every joint of the power armor, putrid fluid oozed, staining the already rotting and greenish armor.
The most suffocating sight was the marine's head. Its breathing tubes and tongue had fused, and where its eyes should be, there were spider-like black compound eyes.
Hades could imagine those eyes moving, but now they looked like dusty glass, distorted and filled with pain.
The marine's body was still alive, even though it seemed dead, its soul trapped within.
Even Hades, who had seen Plague Marine models in his past life, was utterly shocked.
Sensing Hades' astonishment, Fernando spoke with a mix of calm and pain, "Every night, I burn him with a flamethrower to hinder his awakening."
In truth, to protect his comrade, Fernando armored himself every night, sleeping beside this rotting body.
The room filled with psychic bindings, the decaying and painful body of his comrade, the pus-filled corpse; Hades realized the determination and resilience of the Chief Librarian before him.
Taking a deep breath, the pungent stench of decay piercing his senses, Hades raised his scythe, signaling Fernando to lower the psychic cage.
However, the corpse stirred.
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