Prologue
Karl Franz was, to most, a fair, just ruler who wasn't afraid to do what was needed. Even if he had to do it himself. The best example of this was when he rid the earth of secessionists, stopped a Greenskin invasion into the heart of the Empire, and FINALLY GOT THE ELECTOR COUNTS TO STOP ARGUEING WITH THEMSELVES.
"Your Highness, I can't put that last part in your memoir." Said the court scribe.
Franz frowned. "Why not?" he asked.
"Sir, the first draft of the memoir is sent to the Elector Counts. They would most likely take offense." Said Derick von Stine, Franz's Witch Hunter, and personal friend.
Franz frowned again. "If I want to put that in my memoir, then I can." He said.
Derick shook his head, and took off his hat. "Well, when the Elector Counts rebel again, don't bring me into it."
Franz laughed and dismissed the scribe with a wave of his hand. "You would still fight even you didn't want to."
"True, but I would complain all the time."
"Not when you're fighting for the good of the Empire."
Derick laughed again. "True, but still complaining."
Franz shook his head, chuckling slightly. Turning from the scribe's desk, Franz walked to the door and stepped outside, Derick following up after him. Walking down the hall, Franz exited onto a balcony and set his hands on the railing. Derick came up behind him, standing a bit off to the side.
Franz looked over the city of Altdorf, capital of the Empire. Below, people were going about their daily business. Groups of soldiers in twos and threes patrolling the street, people buying and selling in the market, shop keepers sweeping the front of their shops, and the occasional Dwarf talking with an engineer from the Royal Engineering College.
Franz could remember what the Empire looked like before he unified it. Now, to say he had his work cut out for him would be a lie. Split Elector Counts, secessionists, and being recently elected emperor didn't help matters. But, he did it. He removed the secessionists of the face of the planet, unified the Elector Counts, and brought peace to the Empire.
"Derick, do you remember how it was before all…this." Said Franz, waving a hand.
Derick snorted, "Aye, of I do. Why wouldn't I."
"True, those were sometimes you don't just forget." Said Franz.
Both of the men were silent as they looked across the city. As they stood on the balcony, bright light filled their vision. As they both looked up, the saw that the sky was opening up like when a Celestial Wizard cast the Comet of Cassadora.
"Why would the Celestial Order cast the Comet of Cassadora? There is no reason to." Asked Derick. Franz wondered this as well. The Celestial Order was the best place to learn the Celestial arts, but even a novice would know that casting the Comet of Cassadora was a very bad idea near a city, especially bad if it wasn't wartime.
"I have given the Celestial Order an official order not to cast spells in sight of the city. They wouldn't dare break an order given by me." Said Franz. Derick didn't respond, as he was to focused on the opening, or rather, the object that was falling from the opening.
"That's not the comet is it?" asked Derick, finally speaking.
Franz looked harder into the opening. "Now it's not, BY SIGMA!" yelled Franz
"What, what is it?"
"That's a person falling." Franz turned from the balcony and ran toward the stairs. Derick following, wanting to find out what was going on. Franz was yelling at the palace guards. "Guards, tell the quartermaster to have my armor ready for me and to have Deathclaw saddled!"
Derick chased after Franz, telling the guards to have his Pegasus saddled. Minutes seemed to fly by as they ran to the armory. The quartermaster had Franz's armor ready, and he nimbly put it on, replacing his casual garb (for an emperor that is) and grabbed Ghal Maraz, the legendary hammer of Sigmar himself.
"Sir, Deathclaw and Ace of Spades are saddled in the courtyard." Said the quartermaster. Franz nodded his thanks as he headed out of the armory, Derick following him. Walking into the courtyard of the palace, Deathclaw and Ace of Spades were saddled and itching to take to the air.
Deathclaw, the proudest and by far the most powerful gryphon in the Imperial stables. Standing a good six-foot taller than other Gryphon's and sporting a wingspan of 15-feet, Deathclaw put terror into even the hardiest of Green Skins. Ace of Spades, on the other hand, was much, much shorter than Deathclaw, but taller than most pegasi. Sporting a wingspan of 12-feet and powered by pure muscle, Ace of Spade got Derick faster to where he needed to be than any other pegasi.
As Franz and Derick mounted their respected mounts, a squadron of pegasus knights got ready to fly with them. Since Franz integrated the Bretonnian Dukes into the Empire, Franz has the ability to call on the legendary Grail Knights and the rightly feared Pegasus Knights, mounted terror of skies, under the Gryphons of course.
"KNIGHTS! Form up behind me!" yelled Franz. As the knights got into formation, Deathclaw let out an ear-piercing screech and took to the sky, Derick and the knight following after him.
Franz, though he wouldn't admit it, loved flying. Yet the feeling of joy he got while flying wasn't present with someone falling from the sky.
"Come on Deathclaw, you have to catch him before he hits the ground." Whispered Franz, with only Deathclaw hearing him. SKREE! Down below, people looked up the gryphon flying overhead. They started to cheer as Deathclaw and the Pegasi flew overhead.
Franz looked down at the cheering people. He allowed a small smile to grace his face, but quickly steeled it.
"Come on men," Called Franz, "We need to catch whoever is falling and figure out what is going on." The riders cheered, showing they heard him. Derick did nothing, face set like stone.
Franz shook his head. He needed to focus and while the Pegasus knights would assist him, it was up to him to catch the mystery person. Willing Deathclaw faster, Franz soon sped closer to the opening. As he got closer, Franz saw a glint come off the falling person. "Must be armor." Thought Franz.
Flying closer, he got closer, and closer, and closer still. As he got ever closer, time seemed to slow down. Deathclaw stretched out his claws, and…caught the falling person.
Franz quickly directed Deathclaw toward the ground. Nearing the ground, Deathclaw set the person on the ground and landed a few feet away from her. Franz quickly got off Deathclaw and rushed to the person's side.
Reaching her side, Franz saw that the person was female, if the long hair and slim figure were anything to go by. Her armor had crossed axes surrounded by a wreath on her shoulder plate. Her red hair was in a braid that reached a bit past her waist.
"Quickly, I need a healer over here!" yelled Franz. A cough from behind him made him turn from the soldiers rushing to him. The Shield Maiden, as Franz called her, sat up slowly. Franz knelt beside her, helping her sit up.
"Dear Maiden, do you know why you fell from the sky?" asked Franz politely.
She shook her head slowly. "No, I do not."
Franz frowned. If she had no memory of how she got her, it would be much harder than normal to help her.
"Then, if you do, what can you recall?" he asked gently.
"I remember fighting around the city but, BY OUM I NEED TO GET BACK!"
Franz backed off a bit. If she came from a battle, then who ever she was fighting for would need her back as soon as possible. "Do you require assistance in getting back to your fight?" Franz asked.
"No, but I do remember why I was sent here."
"And what is that?"
"To find the greatest army and bring them to my world."
Franz was in shock. Mostly by what she said but also saying she was looking for the greatest army. Well, the Dwarfs might argue, but the soldiers of the Empire were some of the best in the world, but not close to Dawi warriors of course.
"If you are looking for an army, then the two most powerful armies are currently here at Altdorf." Said Franz.
The Shield Maiden looked at Franz queerly. "And what armies what that be?" She said, crossing her arms.
Franz wasn't sure how, and wasn't going to try to figure out, but her crossing her arms seemed to make her more imposing.
"15,000 Dawi warriors with accompanying artillery and Gyrocopters and the 50,000 strong Imperial army. Normal units included." Answered Franz. "And, that doesn't include the separate forces across the land."
The Maiden smiled. "That would work quite perfectly. I will send the forces here as well as the ones not here as well."
As Franz was about to talk, she cut him off.
"And I will send over three cities, of your choosing." Franz couldn't tell if she was joking or not.
"If I was to have three cities with me, then I would want Altdorf, Nuln, and Marienburg." Franz also realized what she was saying. "But what of the rest of the realm, with the Imperial forces gone, our enemies will certainly take over."
She laughed. "Do not worry, good sir. I will take of that."
"Then, may I ask your name?" asked Franz.
"My name is Vora. I am the patron saint of the Kingdom of Vale and goddess of pure joy and love." Franz had a look of surprise on his face.
"And I will be sending you and your armies to Remnant. Oum knows it needs a competent army there."
"Dear Maiden, I would love nothing more to help a people beleaguered by war, but I cannot leave my own people to a fate worse than death at the hands of my enemies if I were to leave." Said Franz. By this time, the people running to him and Vora had caught up to them.
"Sir, who is this Maiden and is she alright?" asked a Captain.
"Her name is Vora, and she says there is a Kingdom that needs our help." Answered Franz. Vora giggled, her armor clanking with her laughing.
"There are four Kingdoms in need of your help, Karl Franz."
Vora cut him off from speaking.
"Yes, I know who you are. I know of your deeds in this world. That is why, with the three cities you have chosen, and your entire military, to my realm." She started waving her hands. "Good luck. Oum knows you will need it."
Franz could only watch as his vision faded and slowly blacked out.
As the Empire's leader and armies left the Old World, the one they were going to was going to have roots shaken.
Morokei Krongrah Karl Franz.