The bronze-skinned commander did not dare to meet Nareth's gaze, keeping his eyes fixed on the latter's chest, where faint traces of dark purple blood could be seen.
"I am… Vieri Barella, warrior leader of the Tirani… Our chieftain was slain during negotiations by vile xeno forces. I have temporarily assumed the role of clan leader."
As a high-ranking member of the Tirani, Vieri had interacted with Vostroyan envoys before, giving him a shaky grasp of their Low Gothic dialect. With each word, his memory of the language gradually returned.
Nareth had previously reviewed the Symphony of the Sea's information. The locals called themselves the Sicilians in remembrance of their ancient homeland in Terra.
The Tirani were the largest Sicilian group, occupying Castello Island, where they had established a small kingdom made up of one main town and nineteen smaller settlements.
"Thank you for your rescue. Without your arrival, we would have become corpses beneath the xenos blades," Vieri said gratefully. Without the giant before him, the Tirani might have already been wiped out.
"The invading xenos are called the Fra'al. They've built a nomadic empire among the stars—in simple terms, they are space pirates."
"I must tell you, one of their main battleship and five escort vessels escaped. Nareth explained. "They now know the path to this world. They will return."
"There are even more terrifying xeno creatures and abominations in the universe. This beautiful world will face further catastrophes."
Vieri was stunned. He recalled how the Fra'al warriors were stronger than their own and even possessed evil shamans. Without Marlena, the Tirani would've perished.
Could they survive another invasion?
He turned to the tall shamaness, hoping for some comforting sign.
Marlena's tea-brown eyes grew distant, her voice airy and ethereal, as though echoing from another dimension.
"He speaks the truth. I see flames burning… a sea of blood rising…"
Nareth keenly noticed the colorful glow emanating from Marlena's body, with faint, delicate threads hovering around her.
'That familiar sensation... It's the Warp, threads of fate—she's using foresight.'
He also noticed a strange flicker within the colorful light. Just as he was about to seize it, the glow faded.
Nareth contemplated briefly and understood the vision he had just witnessed.
'Marlena is a psyker, using divination. The Emperor designed this body with extraordinary perception, not just physical, but also warp-attuned.
'Yet, the Emperor disapproved of psykers. He didn't include such knowledge in my gene-memories, preferring I rely on instinct to wield it vaguely.'
'That means, if I invest even a little effort, I can rapidly develop Warp sensitivity.'
He recalled what Roboute Guilliman would one day tell Felix: "We all carry a fragment of the warp deep within our souls."
'I should properly explore this and integrate it with my Primarch abilities and Beyonder powers.'
As his thoughts scattered, Marlena softly parted her lips. Her tone regained its solemn, magnetic timbre.
"I saw a broken fragment in a shadowed future… shrouded in black mist. But I believe it is connected to you."
Nareth looked at Marlena, pale from her vision. Not wanting to waste time, he spoke directly.
"I am Nareth, from Vostroya. I rule four hive cities."
"Soon, I will unify all of Vostroya and bring it under my banner."
Vieri frowned deeply. He knew Vostroya had powerful noble houses and the servants of Omnissiah, the tech-priests of the Cult Mechanicum.
Instinctively, he wanted to refute such arrogant words, but the giant's confidence and certainty carried a weight, almost like a prophecy, different from the shaman's, but equally powerful.
"If the Sicilians submit to me, I will offer them protection," Nareth said, gripping his heavy halberd. If Vieri refused, he would use force until the Tirani recognized reality.
The Symphony of the Sea's produce was vital for both Vostroya and the nation he intended to build. Without food, rebellion would spark instantly.
The Symphony of the Sea was an agri-world, one that must be under his control.
Sweat beaded on Vieri's forehead. The pressure was overwhelming. He had seen the giant's godlike strength firsthand—if he refused, there would only be one outcome: death. Not even Marlena could save him.
Yet he also remembered his responsibility, as the leader of the Tirani, he had to think of the entire tribe.
'If I refuse, our whole people will be annihilated. If I agree, we escape immediate danger… but perhaps face a future worse than death. He might enslave us.'
As his mind wrestled with the decision, Marlena spoke.
"Vieri, submit to him. I believe that the hope hidden in the black mist is brought by him."
Her words shattered the last resistance in Vieri's heart.
"Shaman Marlena, I trust your prophecy."
"On behalf of the Tirani, I offer you our loyalty."
"A wise choice," Nareth said seriously, making a promise, "You will not regret today's decision."
He immediately gave orders: "Reorganize the Tirani warriors. We will wipe out every last Fra'al xeno on this world."
As for food, there was no need for requisition; the Fra'al had not yet moved their plundered goods to their ships. From what Nareth had seen, along with potential loot from other large islands, the fleet's holds would be filled.
Wojciech, following Nareth's orders, had already begun organizing pilots and crew for transport.
As Vieri carried out his orders, Nareth turned his gaze to Marlena.
"You're a shaman?"
"Yes, my lord."
"What god do you worship?"
Marlena smiled, raising her hand to gesture.
"Please, follow me."
Maria and the others eyed Marlena warily, gripping their weapons. To Vostroyan eyes, shamans were dangerous, evil sorcerers.
Nareth followed Marlena all the way to the seaside.
The female shaman looked ahead. "The Tirani worship the Coral Sea itself. Not everyone can sense its presence… but I believe you can."
Nareth walked to the water's edge, eyes scanning the blue sea.
His gaze pierced the waves, seeing vibrant, multicolored coral formations on the nearshore sands.
Some spread like antlers, others were round and plump like mushrooms. Tree-like coral stood tall, resembling an underwater tropical rainforest.
In the deep blue water, coral reefs shimmered in pink, emerald, and snow white—like nature's most exquisite palette.
At once, Nareth understood the origin of the sea's name, but he sensed a deeper meaning in Marlena's tone.
He asked no questions. His black eyes calmly gazed at the sea, his spirit vision showing no unusual signs.
Using meditation, he stilled his mind, seeking that wondrous sensation he had noticed in Marlena before.