"To the left! Down! Down!"
"Wait, shift it a bit more to the left!"
On a gentle slope, Hades was directing the placement of a Blackstone obelisk using machinery.
Resting on a movable base, the massive Blackstone obelisk descended slowly, producing a deep thud as it settled on the ground.
Higher up the incline, the air became visibly thicker with toxic miasma, becoming denser to the naked eye.
Sparse vegetation dotted the slope: a few thriving trees, shrubs, and patches of grass. Occasionally, insects scurried out from the undergrowth, and birds flitted among the trees.
Several Mechanist Sages surrounded Hades and the obelisk. Beneath their red robes, their scanning instruments glowed intermittently.
However, Hades believed the Blackstone obelisk was immune to their detection efforts.
"Commander Hades, are you certain this will work?" A leading Environmental Sage, whose lifelike appearance differed from any other Sage Hades had seen, inquired.
"I'm not sure," Hades replied honestly, "which is why I've chosen to conduct a small-scale test first."
He had specifically requested a secluded spot from the Mechanist Sages, so even if the ecosystem here was harmed, it wouldn't affect the surrounding regions.
One of the Mechanist Sages extended a hand, indicator lights embedded in his forearm flickering red.
"Good luck, Commander Hades," he said. "We genuinely hope this experiment succeeds."
The other Sages, draped in their red robes, approached to nod in agreement, sending binary hymns of blessings and words of encouragement to Hades' neural interface.
Without further ado, Hades allowed Jin to lead the Sages to a distant observation platform to await results.
On an observation deck not far from the Blackstone obelisk's minimum operational range, Mortarian led a group of Death Guards, with some Untouchables among them.
Why such a large force for a mere experiment? Because they were boldly venturing into a location deeply connected to Nurgle.
Barbarus was a planet under Nurgle's gaze. Here, any creature with a strong spiritual talent was tainted by Nurgle's essence.
But that didn't mean Nurgle could directly intervene in the affairs of the planet. The resurrection of the slain alien lords was the extent of Nurgle's influence.
The physical world has its own laws, and powers crossing barriers are inherently weakened.
Nurgle needed the spiritually gifted beings of Barbarus to spread its influence on the planet.
Until all the alien lords were exterminated, Nurgle had been using them to exert its spiritual power.
Now, Nurgle could only influence creatures that were obviously under its sway and couldn't directly interfere with others on the planet.
Thus, Hades wanted to give it a try, but he was wary of Nurgle's interference and chose to bring a substantial military force.
As for Mortarian, well, he was there for the spectacle. Yet, even here, he continued to approve administrative tasks.
From a distance, a coded message from the Mechanist Sages signaled Hades to commence.
Several sages exchanged whispers via electromagnetic waves.
\[Is this alien tech?\] One's indicators blinked.
\[Let's not get hung up on that on foreign soil. Besides, his report mentioned it as a legacy of Sage Kirkland. He's clearly being discreet in his phrasing.\] Another shook slightly.
\[I don't care. I just hope his tech works. We've been delayed on this planet for too long.\]
\[That's because you haven't found the tech you wanted.\] A neighboring sage teased.
\[Indeed, this planet's terrain is so typical. Perfect for agricultural colonization.\]
\[But its creatures...\] The conversation ceased.
Before Hades' arrival, the Sages realized the planet's creatures might be linked to spiritual energy.
Being Biological or Environmental Sages, even if they dabbled in machinery, spiritual matters remained a challenge.
New species introduced to Barbarus quickly perished, even those tested for high toxicity resistance.
Years passed in a cycle of testing, modifying, and retesting, wearing thin the Sages' patience.
\[We should just destroy everything and start anew.\] One blurted out the collective sentiment.
\[You'd likely be hunted by a legion if you did.\] Another stated the reason they hadn't scorched the earth yet.
\[Enough. It's starting.\]
The lead sage intently watched Hades from afar. The commander stepped forward and activated a switch.
Instantly, black lightning danced atop the obelisk!
Mortarian, shutting off his ongoing communications channel, rested a hand on his sidearm, the Lamp of the Dead, ready for any threat.
He watched the anti-spiritual obelisk intently.
A hum filled the air, followed by silence.
The region around Hades seemed to fade in color, a brief mix of black and white, before returning to its vibrant hues as if the monochrome was merely an illusion.
Despairing roars echoed from gardens, and sneers emanated from labyrinths.
Hades stood at the epicenter, witnessing it all in disbelief.
Stretching out his hand, his white power armor was soon covered by a thin layer of green frost.
Lifting his head, he observed the descending toxic miasma surrounding him, settling and adhering to the ground.
Higher grounds cleared more rapidly, with the air becoming visibly transparent.
Like snowfall, tiny green crystals began to drift down.
Outside the obelisk's range, the altered air density sucked in the surrounding miasma, which then settled.
Thus, a dense green fog formed a barrier at the edge of the obelisk's anti-spiritual field.
Hades swiftly turned his attention to trees shedding leaves and bird carcasses on the ground.
With his scythe, Requiem, in hand, he cautiously scraped the grass beneath his feet.
The vegetation easily separated from the earth.
Dead insects rolled out from the grass, their tiny black bodies lifeless.
However, Hades discerned a few resilient plants still anchored to the ground, identifying them as less toxic varieties.
It meant only one thing - those reliant on the toxic miasma had perished.
The light green snow continued its descent.
Breathing deeply, Hades stared in wonder, supporting himself with his scythe in one hand and raising the other to feel this miraculous moment.
After ensuring no other events would transpire, Hades deactivated the Blackstone obelisk.
The previously obstructive toxic barrier began to dissipate, with the miasma slowly reclaiming the area, albeit much diluted.
Hades turned to face the onlookers outside the circle, their expressions a mix of awe and disbelief.
Mortarian and the Barbarus-born Death Guards stood statue-like.
A light green frost covered Hades.
"It works," he declared.
With a loud bang, it seemed a Mechanist Sage's logic engine had exploded.