Warhammer: Start with a dog.

Chapter 691 This is not in the plan! -
The brush of Vahamastu Callimachus rustled across the parchment, writing down in beautiful words what the narrator saw.

"When the glorious weapons of the Space Wolves fleet poured down from orbit above the clouds, the majestic power beyond human cognition was like the fire of divine punishment sent down by the gods. The blazing torrent of energy was like the Milky Way hanging upside down, vowing to burn the ground to scorched earth. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes - the noble Primarch was watching with his children in the audience with great joy, accompanied by his beautiful dog, surrounded by warriors from three different legions who joined in the celebration, and the Grand Marshal of the Guards from Terra, who acted on the will of the Emperor, with a solemn expression - I would almost agree with what our new friend Utherma Atla once said to us: We drove away our gods with the Imperial Truth, but there must be something above that position."

The pen stopped abruptly, and the elderly and venerable chief recorder stared at the words that were not yet dry, and suddenly frowned.

After repeated consideration, he quickly slid the tip of his silver feather pen across the paper, erasing the second half of the record.

Although the scholar from Terra was knowledgeable, he was too young and unknown. It would be inappropriate for both parties if his name appeared in such a solemn document. What's more, the word "god" echoed the previous description and could easily be considered as a hidden metaphor of heresy.

After a brief pause, Callimachus once again immersed himself in the long-lost pleasure of being able to independently decide on his own writing.

He enjoyed the process of his mind weaving memories and thoughts into beautiful chapters, like a silver thread shuttling back and forth of his own accord.

His pen tip danced lightly on the paper, and new paragraphs came into being.

"That world-shaking daytime fireworks display continued to burn the sky from dawn to dusk. With the roar of the Hrafinkel's first shot, an ice-blue spear of light pierced the sky. Although His Highness Leman Russ was not present, when this energy flow that was powerful enough to tear apart the stars turned into scattered bright stardust on the force field shield built by the masters of the Falcon School, everyone present felt relieved. Whether this relief came from awe of power or gratitude for the disappearance of a possible crisis, at that moment, everyone's breathing quietly became smooth in the interweaving of shock and tranquility."

"Then, the sky seemed to be split by an invisible axe, and beams of light poured down. They were like waterfalls of light falling from the sky, or like towering pillars piercing the sky, falling into the vast sea in an orderly manner, just like a magnificent organ playing a piece of music that shook the world. The sea water touched by the light beams boiled instantly, and the steaming water vapor turned into spectacular waves, surging on the blue sea, as if the clouds in the sky were picked and spread on the earth. As the sunlight penetrated the misty water vapor, , gorgeous rainbows flashed one after another - this was the magnificent sight of the subsequent ships firing light spears one after another. At this moment, I couldn't help but feel emotional: perhaps what the Lord of Steel said was true, and his intentions were indeed somewhat sincere. When an ordinary person can witness this destructive and beautiful power up close and safe, who can still doubt the strength and protection of the empire? The things behind this awe-inspiring power and precise control can crush all these doubts into dust. "

"Then, a torrential rain of ammunition will begin to fly in from outside the clouds. At first, I was worried that even if these ammunition fell freely, they would cause a huge disaster on the ground. However, it turned out that when the planners were the two Primarchs, everything was under their exquisite control. With their extraordinary wisdom and strength, they turned this grand display into a thrilling and safe visual feast. Every detail demonstrated the power and majesty of the Empire."

"Before the roar broke through the sky, the ammunition had already come with a sharp whistle that tore through the sound barrier. Those meteor-like projectiles were speeding at supersonic and even hypersonic speeds, as if leaving time and sound waves far behind, leaving only a fleeting glimpse of the world. The citizens who were still immersed in the glorious spectacle just now were now pouring into the streets. They looked up at the sky, and their pupils reflected the brilliant tracks that cut through the sky. There was no fear on their faces, only childlike curiosity and amazement at the unknown spectacle.

"The force field shield carefully constructed by the Falcon School is like a transparent dome, standing in the sky above the city, isolating potential crises. When the citizens saw that the city buildings were safe and sound, their doubts suddenly disappeared. They flocked to the seaside in groups, like pilgrims rushing to a holy land, just to see this once-in-a-lifetime visual feast. At this moment, the streets that are commonplace on weekdays turned into corridors leading to wonders, and everyone's eyes were fixed on the vast sky that gathered human wisdom and power."

"When the first batch of shells, with a tearing sound, hit the force field shield like a meteorite, my heart, which had experienced many vicissitudes of life, instantly hung in my throat. As someone who has accompanied the Primarch through many battles, I know very well how high a price the Thousand Sons warriors of the Falcon School have to pay to maintain this transparent dome - the maintenance of each energy wave when being hit is accompanied by the consumption of psychic energy and the use of the source of life. If these shells really have half the power as rumored, the Falcon Pyramid today will probably be filled with the busy figures of medical personnel, and countless warriors will have to endure the torture of psychic backlash in pain."

"Then, a whistling sound so sharp that it almost tore the eardrums cut through the stagnant air and reached our ears first. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the shells exploded as expected. The sound was like thunder rolling deep in the clouds, dull and shocking. The lightning that burst out instantly flowed freely among the clouds on the sea that had just been burned by the spear of light like a silver dragon. The magnificent black and red fireworks overlapped layer by layer, reflecting each other with the colorful fireworks. This scene gave us an unprecedented visual impact. At first, I was full of doubts. Why not follow Terra's example and arrange such a grand event after nightfall? At this moment, I finally understand that this performance in the daytime is far more shocking than any celebration at night."

“It is by no means comparable to those fireworks that are only for show and rely on complicated colors. It is more like a carefully designed war simulation, which is not only the ultimate display of destructive power, but also the perfect presentation of the outstanding wisdom of the genius design master.”

"As the fireworks shells and the light spears continued to fire and advance together, the clouds and mists evaporated by the high temperature and the gray-white smoke that spread after the fireworks dispersed gradually became the unique materials of this artistic feast. The clouds and smoke were like precious marble waiting to be carved, while the blazing light and leaping flames of the light spears turned into the chisels and carving knives that carved them."

"Above the vast sea and the clouds that covered half of the sky, heroes from myths and legends, ancient and mysterious buildings, and symbols of glory and inheritance appeared one after another, as if they were given life. At this moment, I suddenly realized that this grand fireworks show was clearly using the sky as a curtain and fireworks as a brush to slowly unfold to the world the magnificent picture of the Great Crusade that set out from Terra, as well as the glorious history of Prospero's return to the embrace of the Empire."

"Such a great power and such a spectacle, how can it not make one's heart surge with emotion and be filled with admiration from the bottom of one's heart!"

"When the fireworks display entered its sixth hour, the whole city was in a frenzy of carnival. Factories urgently announced temporary holidays, institutions suspended operations, and school children cheered as they rushed out of the classrooms and ran towards their parents who were eagerly waiting at the school gates. The crowds spontaneously gathered towards the seaside and the city walls, and the exclamations and cheers that came one after another seemed to overturn the sky. Some smart vendors quickly seized the business opportunity and hurriedly made and sold snacks, benches and other items to the crowds. In order to deal with the influx of people, the guards of the Prospero spire had to urgently strengthen the deployment of troops to maintain order on the scene."

"When the seventh hour arrived, the cheers became more deafening, and the crowd began to praise the Empire and the Primarchs. In some areas, people even spontaneously danced the traditional dance to celebrate the Harvest Festival. However, this carnival also brought an unexpected episode - due to the overcrowding of the crowd, a total of 64 citizens were unfortunately injured and hospitalized. But this small episode did not dampen people's enthusiasm, and the celebrations were still in full swing."

"The ninth hour came quietly, and the noisy crowd gradually quieted down. As dusk deepened, people, with tears in their eyes, immersed themselves in the last scene of the fireworks display. Under the illumination of searchlights, the final work was like a miracle descending on the earth. It was the image of Magnus and his brothers: Scarlet King Magnus embraced a planet, sitting in the center, showing majesty and kindness; his two brothers, the Lord of Steel and the Space Wolf, stood on the left and right sides, respectively, with great momentum."

"This exquisite cloud sculpture is generally considered to be a beautiful metaphor, indicating that Magnus will lead Prospero to a more glorious future, just as he did when he came into the world, hand in hand with his two brothers."

"People prayed devoutly towards this stunning spectacle, wishing their families good health and a smooth future. Couples embraced each other affectionately under this dreamlike cloud sculpture, exchanging their feelings, letting love flow forever in this magnificent scenery."

"I swear on my honor as the chief recorder that this fireworks display is a great masterpiece. Considering the nature of fireworks that are ephemeral and beautiful, it is even more precious. At this moment, my heart is full of regrets. I wish that a recorder like Euphrates Keele, who is famous and good at capturing wonderful moments, could be present at the scene."

"Fortunately, Camille Sivani's camera miraculously survived the accident she had encountered before, which allowed me to attach the video footage of the scene after this text. However, even with these images as a supplement, what they show is only the tip of the iceberg of the magnificent scene, and it is difficult to truly restore one ten-thousandth of the magnificence of this visual feast."

"This fireworks display was perfect, without any flaws. I dare say that it surpassed any similar display held by any noble lord or highness I have witnessed in Terra, and it will surely leave a strong mark in the history of the empire."

As he wrote this, Callimachus had slowly come back to his senses from the shocking performance of the day. Now, he was sitting in a restaurant on the seaside with a cup of hot drink in front of him, while Lemuel Gaulmont and Camille Sivani also had a drink in front of them. They were all busy organizing the precious materials they had obtained today in front of him.

"Where's Callista?" the old man asked. "If she missed the ceremony today, she would definitely regret it for the rest of her life. Hasn't she recovered from the attack yet?" "Ah." Lemuel and Camille exchanged glances. "Not really. In fact, after the last checkup, she has almost recovered."

"Then why didn't she come with you? There are only forty-two recorders in the 28th Expeditionary Fleet, and you three are already the best among them. You can't miss this moment."

Finally, it was Lemuel who spoke.

"Thank you for your concern, Callimachus, but she didn't come today because she has a great location for filming and recording, high up on the hill in the city fortress. There's actually a panoramic view there, which is probably even better than the viewing platform, but it would be too cramped and rude to arrange for the primarchs to sit there."

"Really? Isn't that the defensive position of the guards of the spire? Ordinary people can't get there."

"But her suitor - oh, maybe her fiancé soon, was on duty there today, and he used a suitable excuse to second her." Camille chuckled. "Captain Sokum Visala of the 15th Assault Infantry Regiment in Prospero, he is a very, very handsome and promising young man."

A smile could not help but appear on the wrinkled and very old face of the Scarlet King's chief narrator.

“But I find it even stranger,” Lemuel added.

"what?"

"Today I saw the two captains of the Thousand Sons who are currently in charge of affairs, Fusis Taka and Hathor Mat, both attending the ceremony at the VIP stand. As you all know, my mentor Azek Ahriman and Carlophis of the Fire Phoenix School are still lying unconscious in the medical pyramid."

"I'm really sorry for the recurrence of Carlofis' injury. He protected me! I regret now that I thought he was..." Camille's face showed a look of shame. "I visited him several times later. I hope he can get better soon. I must apologize to him and thank him in person."

"You were also injured and frightened at the time. We all thought that the Astartes were more resilient and would not be easily injured." Lemuel patted the back of her hand comfortingly and continued, "What I find strange is that since the first four captains all had clear destinations, the other captains were obviously scattered everywhere to perform their duties..."

He pondered for a moment, "Why haven't I seen Lord Magnus since this morning? In an occasion like this, the final theme is even based on his image... If he doesn't appear here, the narrator will always feel a little regretful and awkward when writing."

This question caused silence at the table for a moment, and then Camille said, "Perhaps you are overthinking it. There is no problem, isn't Lord Leman Russ here? One absence can be considered awkward, but two absences are quite normal."

"That's true...but I always feel like there's something strange that I can't explain."

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"Where the hell is Magnus?"

After the Thousand Sons captains similarly said they had no idea, they began to interrogate everyone who had last seen Magnus.

The final conclusion is that Magnus has definitely never left the city of Tizca, so where are the people?
When the third hour arrived and the Scarlet King had not yet appeared on the viewing platform as promised, Constantine Waldo had already forcefully sent his search team to the city of Tizca. Fortunately, at least he did not send out the Imperial Guards, but instead sent out several teams of Silent Sisters. At this time, Ramizarn still felt that the Imperial Guards Marshal was making a fuss out of nothing.

After the Silence Sisters returned empty-handed in the sixth hour, Ramizane began to feel that something was wrong, so they quietly sent more Iron Warriors to help search.

The seventh and eighth hours of searching were fruitless. The wrinkles on Waldo's forehead were already enough to kill a dozen mosquitoes.

After the ninth hour, a report finally came in: Although someone had carefully and skillfully erased all traces of Magnus after he left the beach viewing platform this morning, Azek Ahriman, the master of the Thousand Sons Black Crow School who was best at prophecy, kept shouting a place and a name in his coma. The Space Wolves in charge of the supervision thought it was just the nonsense of the wizard, but the Iron Warriors finally thought it necessary to report to the Primarch.

"What place is he shouting about?"

"Reflective Cave."

Ramizane's brows suddenly furrowed like Waldo's.

“This was not in the plan!”

(End of this chapter)