Chapter Thirty-Five
"I am the shield that guards the realm of men,"
-Sanguinis, Eldest of the God-Emperor of Mankind
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Astranaar, Western Wall
"Incoming!" The explosion that shattered another part of the golden wall of the Protoss city sent three of the Dark Templars and another five of the Tal'Darim in all directions stumbling from the shockwave and strength of the explosion. If not for their shields absorbing majority of the impact damage and debris, they would have been dead already. As it is, they lived to fight another day as they scrambled to their feet helping also others that have been sent careening by the blast.
"Get the artisans to repair that section of the wall now!" urged High Templar Carax even as more of the enemy's bombardment landed on the city causing damage to the pristine houses and structures of Astranaar.
"Damn these Citadel scum," Carax cursed mentally underneath his breathe making sure that he maintained the privacy of his thoughts to his own else the other Protoss might hear it via their psi-link.
Currently despite his best efforts, High Templar Carax had to hold in the urge to grab his war glaives and charge against the ones trying to invade his city. He may be the one in charge of Astranaar and his days might have been reduced to that of a bureaucrat dealing with the domestic problems of this planet in the two decades of peace, but Carax is first of all a High Templar. And it is not in him to sit idly by while others of his kind lay down their lives on the field of battle. He should be there fighting not here sitting and trying to make his decisions win them the battle where every single one of them caused more deaths on his kind and those thrice cursed invaders.
"Language High Templar,"
Carax nearly jumped out of his skin as out of nowhere the golden armored form of the Emperor's heir fell at his side wings untucked with all its glory. If he had a mouth, Carax knew he would have been frowning as he espied the bits of gore that clung to the golden armor of the Primarch as he stood there grinning cheekily looking none the less for wear while looking as if the war currently besieging them barely fazed him. All in all he cut an imposing figure with his presence alone and Carax could feel the soldiers of all three races of the Triumvate that are preparing the defense of the city take heart once more at the sight of their beloved Primarch. It helped that Sanguinis is as skilled as he is loved. Already more than twenty squads of the Citadel forces have the bad luck to meet the Primarch face to face and none have survived to tell the tale. Despite their initial protests for the son of the Emperor not to venture out of the safety of the walls during the first telltale signs of battle, Sanguinis had sallied forth and as his title says, became an example for the soldiers that had followed him on all three races. Carax is willing to bet that with Sanguinis leading them, they would follow him to the bowels of hell without question if he asked them to.
"So…what's the situation here High Templar?" asked the Emperor's son in front of him making Carax shake his head to clear his thoughts before letting off a mental sigh as he nodded inside to the command center inside the Nexus that they are currently standing on.
Returning the salutes of the guards who stood up ram-rod straight at the side of Sanguinis despite them being Protoss Zealots, Carax indicated to the holo-map at the middle of the room showing Astranaar and its layouts at least sixty kilometers around. Three other High Templars are studying the table as they coordinated with the forces out of the city as they engaged the still dropping shuttles which seemed endless even with the best efforts of the anti-orbital guns and as such drones that the Protoss forces on the ground have control.
"All in all, not good," answered the High Templar looking wearily at the holo-map. "They're dropping troops faster than we can destroy them and even with Hawke's squadron out there keeping their fighters and bombers off our ground forces, their numbers are not letting up. How soon can we expect reinforcements from one of the main fleets?" asked Carax looking at the Primarch who is supporting a serious look as he watched over the map.
"Two days at most. Agents of the Inquisition and the Temple reports have been a little late than expected. Apparently most of us are fooled since this invasion isn't supposed to happen at least until next month. Our intel has been duped and our fleets aren't exactly in place on dealing an invasion this scale. Most of them are on the outer sectors of our system and it would take time to organize everyone to a cohesive force. We just had to hope that our defense fleet and the Battle-group freshly arrived to reinforce our ships above will be able to hold. I've requested additional forces and Eldar corsairs close to this planet would soon arrive later in the afternoon to aid the fleet. How goes the repair for the city-wide shield by the way?" asked the Primarch looking at Carax who winced at his words.
"Not as fast as we would like," answered the High Templar. Let it not be said that Astranaar had been idle since the first invasion of the Citadel Forces. The moment that the Protoss on Astranaar claimed victory over the Turians that had failed to subdue them, work over the planet had increased overtime, especially with the Turian soldiers that the Triumvate captured. Powerful guns and anti-orbital weaponry are set up by the hundreds and the once damaged city is reinforced to the point that not even a speeding rocket can breach the walls of the buildings. Contingencies are set by the dozen that such an attack the city can weather without it turning to rubble. And from all the work of the greatest minds of the elder race, the Protoss managed to create one of their greatest achievements, the city-wide shield.
Extending in a circular form around the golden city, it is one of a kind that unfortunately can't be duplicated to be used as shields for ships thanks to its heavy power requirements. Roots dug deep down over the very planet where the city stood are its power source, coming from the lifeblood of the planet itself. Powerful and costly, it is the epitome of strength and the ultimate defense of the city. One that the Protoss in Astranaar had held hope to withstand the invasion that once more appeared over the planet.
Said shield weathered countless orbital bombardments over the city before the Imperial battle fleet arrived. The only reason that it is down now was thanks to a suicide run by one of the enemy ships above orbit. Damaged and unable to fly anymore, one of the Turian Dreadnoughts taken out by the defense fleet above orbit attempted to crush the city as he directed his damaged ship at light speed below towards the city in an effort to wipe it out and guarantee complete victory over the planet for their forces. Seeing that he is still standing here, it's painfully obvious that the attempt ended in failure as the shield overloading at the powerful impact force of the burning ship from orbit like a judgement of the gods flattened everything in a ten mile radius rending the once green scenery to a no man's land. Of course with half of the generators of the city shield pathetically indisposed now, the city is once more open to suicide attempts like that. Something that the fleet above is making sure no one would try again without being turned to pieces along the way.
"How's our defenses High Templar? Can the city survive a full frontal assault if the enemy takes a break for it?" asked Sanguinis looking over the clustered red dots thirty miles away from the East wall of Astranaar. Obvious signs of a base of some sort being made there.
"We can, we have managed to repair most of the damaged heavy weaponry that have been lost during the first invasion and we have at least seven of our colossi on standby hidden on the lake. If they ever tried on taking the wall, they would have a nasty surprise waiting for them,"
"At least we have that," sighed Sanguinis flicking off one of the bloody bits sticking to his armor. "What's the status on the forces outside the city?"
"Good so far," shrugged the Executor. "We are lucky to have some of the best commanders out there. Governor Constantine is leading majority of the PDF stationed here and they have set a fire base North of Northeast of the city wall to deal with the majority of the Citadel Forces dropping on that area,"
"Wait, the head Governor of the Imperium is out there in the field and you allowed him?" asked Sanguinis in disbelief. Sure he knew that Constantine was no slouch when it comes on the battlefield, but accidents tend to happen in wars and battles and not even the greatest veteran can predict an accident that might happen.
"Yes, we lost the head of the PDF forces during the early start of the attack," informed Carax. "He and his squad had been doing a favor on trying to find a mother of a lost child in a nearby forest and he had been caught unawares when the bombers of the enemy started dropping their payload on everything that moves,"
"I see," nodded the Primarch looking over the dot on the map colored blue where the Imperial PDF are situated while at the same hunting down Citadel forces that is within their sphere of range. "And who leads the Protoss and Eldar forces outside there?"
"We don't have any Eldar forces on Astranaar present at the meantime other than your sister's honor guard Primarch. They have been on standby here in waiting for Farseer Laerys' arrival before the invasion began. Currently they are following the footsteps of the PDF forces lending aid and preventing casualties as best as they can. I believe they are led by Exarch Talitha of the Banshees at this moment,"
"And the Protoss?"
"Technically, Executor Selendis is supposed to be the one leading our forces here Primarch, but the Executor chose to fight and she had led a small group outside the walls while leaving me in full command. Apparently she disliked sitting around doing nothing while there is a fight that needed to be done. She and her group had the next highest tally count of enemies killed next to you Primarch. They had been wandering around the no-man's land simply hunting down Citadel forces that managed their crash landings preventing them from reaching the enemy Forward Operations Base and adding to their number,"
"I see, is she present on the map?"
"Yes, last time we checked, she could be found outside the Eastern Walls scouting out the edges of the enemy forwards base in case we decide to attack,"
"And she's dotted on the same color as Governor Constantine right?"
"Yes,"
"Then why is she not here on the map?"
"Ye-, what?!" Dropping the data slate he is holding on his hands, Carax immediately stepped beside Sanguinis looking over the map of the land. He had to blink twice to make sure that he's not seeing things. Primarch Sanguinis is right, there is no sign whatsoever of their Executor.
"Computer, access data files. What is the last known place of Executor Selendis before her signal gone silent?" Carax asked loudly to the AI making track of the data on the map.
"Thirty degrees North of East High Templar Carax,"
"Paint it on the map, I want eyes on that area ASAP. Inform any nearby forces that the Executor is missing and if they could, to assist and check. This is a high priority mission. Make sure that they are aware of that,"
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Forward Operations Base North of Astranaar City
"Make sure those barricades are up and running. As long as we are alive, I don't want any of those bird-heads jumping over it, understood?!"
"Yes sir,"
Constantine cursed beneath his breathe as another round exploded too close for his comfort outside the sacks of sand that he is taking cover at. Already he could feel the telltale signs of weariness as he lay crouched here as the fire of the PDF he had taken control of and the bird-heads exchanged fire with one another.
"Damn I really need a vacation," the Governor said more to himself as he took a swig from the hip flask that he always carried with him, glad at how the whisky traveled down his sand clogged throat.
Everything had been going smoothly ever since he had taken command of the PDF forces here at Astranaar. It's not intention to be caught on the war mind you. He had been simply visiting the planet, making sure that it is battle ready in its defenses thanks to the information filed by the Temple and the Inquisition. The early start of the enemy invasion trapped him on the planet and instead of cowering like a frightened dog like most bureaucrats back at the old Imperium who used their positions to be able to make a run for it while their men died, Constantine opted to fight. He might be getting on in years, but he still remained his vitality in his younger days. Something that he had been extremely proud of.
Another explosion made Constantine curse as bits of sand come close to him before pushed away by the prototype shield that the Imperium managed to reengineer from the Protoss ones. At least this way, he could be clean despite fighting unlike most of the PDF with him.
Peering through an eyehole between the sand bags, Constantine let his face grace a small frown at the two six wheeled tanks currently bombarding their position with heavy ammunitions. There had been three at first, but one las cannon shot later made the two remaining tanks las-shy retreating to a safer distance as they peppered the defenses of his Forward Operating Base. Apparently the Citadel must have enough of them hunting down the reinforcements that crash landed in sixteen different ways on their perimeter preventing much needed manpower for the birds forcing them to send this armored convoy along with its escorts to finish them off.
"Governor! Governor!" a panting messenger skidded beside Constantine taking cover also like him and the others making the officer put his hand at the shoulder of the messenger to calm him down.
"Easy boy, speak. What is your message that you had to run down here at the trenches instead of back at the command center?"
"I-I have word from high command at Astranaar," panted the messenger as he spoke. "It seems we have lost contact with Executor Selendis along the eastern route and Command is requesting that nearby forces investigate as to what happened,"
"I see," nodded Constantine his mind flashing to the vision of the graceful Protoss on that ball once in all her showy regalia. "Inform command that I am personally heading off to investigate. And also tell General Tulius to ready every vehicle we have here that has four wheels and armor alongside all the men he can spare. Now go and Emperor speed your way messenger,"
"Yes Governor,"
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Outskirts in the East
If Selendis had a mouth right now she would have been screaming paragraphs of profanities at her capturers. As it is, she just kept her trap shut at the moment. No need to let the enemy know something about her kind's ability to read minds. Like what she is happening today.
She had gleaned enough from the conversations he had listened to that she had apparently been run over one of their trucks when she wasn't looking. Her shield got most of the damage but still, she cracked her skull on a nearby stone forcing her to lose consciousness where his captors then bound and gagged her like a piece of turkey where her wrists are bound to her ankles on the knee making her back ache alarmingly at the very uncomfortable positon. It didn't help that in her position, her loincloth is in bad angle to cover her privates. Sure she had a shift below, but her arse is still in full view for anyone to eye at their leisure. If she had her hands free, Selendis is sure that she would have able to escape by now. Trussed up as she was currently, Selendis can do nothing but glare at the occasional soldier that stopped either to sneer at her or ogle at her curves that is shown through the less than modest armor she had.
Listening to their conversation also made her aware that these humans garbed in Alliance gear are in fact Cerberus Agents sent alongside the invasion fleet to capture or bring something valuable that the terrorist group can study about or research. Unfortunately, that something of value is currently her. She's just glad that the officer, Kai Leng had no time for theatrics or distractions. When one of his men asked to "sample" her, he had immediately found his head separated from his shoulders. Though at the same time she isn't also happy having the sword wielding commander three feet from her all the time. She could read in his mind that unless she'll be willing how to divulge how to communicate soon, he'll torture her and he won't have any remorse about the hows on doing it.
She did however notice the sudden new arrival that hovered over her side of the camp that the Cerberus had made as they rested for the day as they head towards the rendezvous where their shuttle might land. Once more fear gripped the Protoss' Executor spine's at the very thought of it. She knew that at the moment they manage to get her off world, there is a chance that she would never be found again maybe at least until the Inquisition managing the sectors out of the Triumvate devote a large part of their manpower and resources on finding her.
Turning her head as best as she could on her trussed up position, Selendis can only glare at the man dressed more like a researcher than a soldier with his white coat stood at her side eyeing her like something that must be cut up and put in a test tube. Beside him stood Kai Leng and the two are talking with her as the subject of their conversation.
"-must finish this evening Kai Leng. The Illusive Man wanted secondary measures just in case this one escapes," The new arrival's thoughts are so blurred and monotone that Selendis found it a little hard to understand. It's like reading a blank brick with hard edges.
"Mordeci," Kai-Leng's voice sounded unusually pleasant and pleased though Selendis could feel the irritation and annoyance beneath his psyche. "You may take your samples as requested. However you need to clean her once you're done and make sure that her bindings are secure. Understand….researcher?"
"As you wish commander,"
Selendis cannot turn her head anymore and she can only hear the boots of Kai Leng stepping away and Selendis found herself alone with this new person and not quite sure of what to expect. Already she wished she's alone than under the scrutinizing gaze of the "researcher".
Heavy, heavy boots of some metal stepped over her side making her spine shiver and crawl.
"Good evening alien," he greeted out loud in a montone and plain voice.
Selendis didn't respond glaring simply with her shining blue eyes at the bulky form gazing down at her. The afternoon dying lights wriggling like small snakes at his side.
Several seconds passed.
"I require samples. Please do not move so that this maybe completed faster,"
More seconds ticked by. Selendis felt sweat fell from her limbs as she struggled to move in her stuck positon. The man seemed satisfied at her immobile form as he began to do his thing. Some sharp blade scraped along her arm lightly cutting a small part of her skin making Selendis hiss mentally as she felt warm blood seep down her elbows. It's when the man leaned down and pressed an arm against her side that Selendis began to squirm despite her bonds as the man's hands sullied her skin.
"I require Cerebrospinal fluid, do not struggle,"
Selendis nearly felt her eyes pop from her skull when without warning her back experienced a blinding pain of agony as something sharp went inside her back.
She screamed loudly through her psyche and struggled even as her wrists and ankles bled, her bones straining to its best though the strong binds held her steady.
The agony abruptly vanished as fast as it came though the Cerberus soldiers gathered around in a loose circle to watch as they obviously heard her scream. Her back screamed in protest and Selendis can weakly roll as best as she could trying and failing to crawl away.
"I require Gastrointestinal fluid,"
Selendis knew immediately what is coming and her struggling quickened despite the bloody furrows of her limbs. A hand grabbed her side and Selendis can only stare in her weakened state as he produced a long needle and plunged it hard at her navel piercing through the sensitive flesh and abdominal muscle not covered by her golden armor. Selendis unable to help herself cried out once again, lost in the agony.
It seemed like forever as the man called Mordeci, pulled out the needle, followed by a light searing sensation. It took a few more seconds before it was fully then pulled away. Feeling light-headed at the painful intrusions, Selendis can only weakly groan out loud as a hand grabbed her chin and she felt her head pulled to the side facing the eyes of Kai Leng looking at her with a smirk in victory.
"Now you're talking alien and you better keep talking or else some…..accidents might happen to you. You don't want that to happen no?"
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Craftworld Biel-Tan
"I know she's good but I didn't expect her to be that good," Caerys mentally thought as she watch Farseer Macha throw another Exarch off his feet bruised and battered out of the sparring arena of the other Eldar who followed the Pathe of Khaine.
The Bone Singer guiding her merely shrugged watching as the famous Farseer of Biel-Tan laid the smack down again on another Eldar aspect brave enough to face her head on in hand to hand combat. Caerys can't help but wince at every smack and kick that the cold faced Farseer placed on the other Eldar before one thunderous kick sent the unfortunate contender face first into the ground knocked out like a sack of potatoes.
"Anyone else?" the cold voice from the red-headed Farseer practically made shivers crawl up the spine of Farseer Caerys. Sure she knew that some Eldar are a bit off on showing their emotions thanks to the rigidity of their paths but she had never met anyone yet so…..detached ever.
"There's a Farseer of Ulthwe wanting to speak with you honored Farseer," the Bone Singer suddenly answered beside her making Caerys slightly jump as two Guardians guarding the entrance she just entered manhandled her without warning ignoring her protests as they removed the heavy Farseer robes she wore and pushing her inside the sparring area with only her under-armor synth attire hugging her body tightly as she landed on all fours on the cool wraithbone floor with her palms and knees.
Just as the young Farseer of Ulthwe managed to regain her bearings, the cold voice of Farseer Macha made her freeze as it spoke in a condescending tone above her. "You're either very brave or very stupid to come here and meet me face to face after what your Council has done to me,"
Caerys only blinked as she met the deadened and cold grey eyes of Macha looking down at her. "Wuh-what are you talking about?" asked Caerys unable to keep the stutter out of her voice. By Isha's name, she's facing the legendary Macha of Biel-Tan and it seems that the red head veteran Farseer is less than pleased at her presence. She maybe a Farseer herself, but Macha is on a different level than she would ever be.
"Still acting naïve I see,"
"Excuse me?"
Caerys nearly bolted as the red-head moved without warning grabbing the front of her cloth pulling her like she weighed nothing in simply one arm face to face with those cold grey eyes. Caerys had to gulp as she tried not to wriggle away as the hot breathe of the other woman touched the tip of her nose.
"You've taken her away from me!"
"Who?"
The sudden pain that erupted on her gut made Caerys exhale all the helium in her lungs as the hand then holding her front released her making the Farseer of Ulthwe crash to her knees once more holding her midriff as it blazed in unwanted agony. For her it seemed like the entirety of her innards have been rearranged on that single punch. That doesn't mean that her mind stopped working though. It's pretty easy after all to connect the dots once Macha mentioned the "someone" that had been taken from her. Its big news after all and if she could, Caerys would have slapped herself from missing it.
"Ela, you mean Ela….AHHHHHHHH!" tears immediately flooded the side of her eyelids and Caerys despite her rank ignored all sorts of decorum as pain flooded her senses thanks to Macha's foot immediately planting once more at her already damaged gut right at the soft flesh that none of her bones protected.
"You are not worthy to say even her name you bigoted fools," she heard Macha speak coldly though she didn't say anything thanks to her blurry eyes. "She gave up everything just to make sure that every single one of us will have a bigger chance to make it through this and all of you condemned her to a life of misery and loneliness. Worse, when she found refuge on me, you fools took her away once more and back to that cage that you want her imprisoned,"
"Ela," Caerys struggled wheezing at her breathe as air seemed to disagree with her lungs. She needed to speak as to why she is here else Macha might just kill her without knowing. "Ela's….my friend," finished the Ulthwe Farseer rolling away just in time as another kick would have connected with her skull. The silence that followed is almost deafening as no one made a sound other than her painful groans before Macha spoke out loud in a broken voice.
"What did you just say?"
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Temple of Isha, Planet Acheron
"Are you sure that everything's gonna be okay?" Maila asked nervously at the glowing former Seer, now a Bone Singer walking alongside her.
"She's not going to be mad at me will she?" asked the girl trying and failing to hide her nervousness as they entered another corridor where more than one Eldar acolyte and priest froze at the very sight of her.
Cana's soft voice sounded eerily beautiful as she giggled. The clanking of her support staff made in white tree bark sounded eerily out of place on the hallowed halls as she held Maila's hand gently with her own. The young Eldar can't help but marvel at how soft the former Seer's hand is.
Apparently staying alongside their beloved goddess and her immortal partner brought wonders to Cana even if it is just for a few hours. Gone are the blemishes on her skin that had been the result of her ordeal on the hands of the Batarian slavers in her attempt to protect her protégées and the other Eldar miners. Now she looked as beautiful as Maila's master though the damage of hers internally hasn't yet been cured. For some reason not even the goddess of healing could heal her. Fate for some reason doesn't want her fully healed. That's why the lover of Farseer Laerys is still leaning on a cane every now and then as the pain in her womb and damaged limbs remained.
She had opted to be the one to fetch Maila with King Noctis' prompting to deliver her to Laetri. Apparently Cana is Laetri's close friend and the one that could calm the Farseer down ever since her depression on Maila's death.
"We should have brought Noctis alongside with us," mumbled Maila softly as they passed the Halls of Peace where the personal rooms of those who needed healing are situated.
"And have Laetri gut him inside out with an unsharpened banshee blade and hang him outside on his intestines for stealing your body from the morgue? I don't think so," laughed Cana. "It's better this way. Trust me, she misses you a lot little one and she blames herself for not watching over you that led to your demise,"
"It's not her fault. It's my decision,"
"I know,"
Stopping finally at one of the doors with the Farseer's emblem on it, Cana looked once more at her making Maila gulp as she nodded. Rapping the door twice with her knuckles, Cana entered first before also beckoning her in. Maila almost felt her heart crack in two at the sight of her inspiration, mentor and friend looking such a mess and not the dignified Farseer that she looked as an older sister sharpening her Singing Spear. Clearing her throat, Maila called her name out like a gentle breeze making the representative of the Exodites of Daltyr freeze as she craned her neck back, her sharp but beautiful features one of disbelief.
"Maila?"
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Omake: Laetri's vengeance against Noctis for stealing Maila's body
Noctis slumped happily on his bed savoring the sweet smell of his wife's body. He had just finished exploring every inch of that soft flesh and in his drunken state he had never felt so blissfully content. Luna really is a godsend for him. With her as queen and his wife, he would never be so bored. However a soft sniffling made him frown.
Why is my queen crying?
Turning to his side, Noctis froze like a statue as the face that met him is not that of Lunafreya Nox Fleuret but Farseer Laetri of Daltyr, her wrists bound with his bed's cords over her head. How in the hell did he not notice this?
Before he could even think on what to do, the door opened revealing her wife looking like a lion which had its cubs stolen from her. Adding insult to injury, Laetri immediately cried "HELP!" making his queen grown like the Chaos gods themselves as she advanced on her nude husband, hell opening on her every step. Of course he knew with the bindings and all, he looked like the culprit and he simply didn't know how it happened.
Several loud cracks later and a lot of screaming and protesting and begging as Luna made the almighty king of the Lucii into a human pretzel, the two didn't notice the victorious smile on Laetri's face as the bound ropes simply disentangled themselves with a small order of her mind.
Vengeance is sweet.
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Please Review guys. Almost done maybe in six chapters. Im hurrying the story as best as I can.