It is double today!
First, I hope you enjoyed the newest chapter of ATKO, sorry for making it shorter, but I'm trying to see if I can make chapters fasters this way.
Anyway, as you remember once I wrote a 40kxOverlord Fic, and I think I made mistakes writing it. I'm not apologizing for writing it, but for the fact it had a very rocky start. Thus I decided to give it a new try and see if I can make it better this time.
Must admit this came out of my writing block, as I couldn't give a good wrap on ATKO, so I started writing and before I knew it, I already had 8k words of this. I'm again using the Gate concept on this one. It is really useful to level things properly when you use universes like 40k.
I really hope someday I can reach a writing skill like Parcasius. Being able to write that fast is incredible. I've also planned to release my book, I already had a good chunk of the story written years ago, but I think I may redo it so I can fix a lot of things there.
Well, I hope you can give a chance to this one.
[X]
"Neia Baraja... I hope you understand the meaning of your actions."
Those were the words she heard, the voice of one of the most influential figures in the Holy Kingdom; Kelart Custodio.
Neia took a deep breath over and over again, but no matter how much she repeated this, her body and mind could not find a way to remain calm and formulate a response to those words.
Remedios Custodio's actions were not helping either, in fact, they had made it worse.
Remedios Custodio, champion of the Paladins and Praetorian of the Holy Queen. In the whole Kingdom there was no one who could stand up to her, her combat capabilities were, to put it simply, inexorable. It was said that she could measure up to Gazef Stronof of Re-Estize himself.
But right now, Remedios was frozen, her hand trembling on the hilt of her sacred sword. And an expression of terror that everyone else in this palace shared.
And the reason was the giant standing behind Neia.
To describe the sensation was something akin to saying they were in the presence of a Demigod.
It was a perfect being, so perfect that it caused awe. His very presence provoked in everyone, an overwhelming sensation of emotional myriads ranging from adoration to fear. It was as if an aura enveloped everything, as if the term 'Divine' was rewritten for them.
Said giant, in blue and gold armor, was not alone. There were six other beings with him, smaller in size and smaller in presence. But they knew that they were beyond any human being that existed in this world. four of them wore armor similar to the Demigod. But two of them wore golden armor so richly exquisite that even if they sold the entire country, it would never come even close to its value. These golden beings carried spears twice as long as a full-grown man, and glowed with a halo they could not comprehend.
The other four of lesser stature carried weapons in their hands that they did not understand. They looked like metal boxes, bearing no sharp edge whatsoever, or seeming to serve as mace for striking. But they seemed to cling to these with the greatest reverence and fervor.
Lastly, the Demigod. In his belt he carried a sword, but just by looking at it they could understand that this weapon was superior to anything that existed and had ever existed. Even if it was sheathed, it was clear that anyone who carried it would be invincible.
Calca Besarez was still trying to recover from the shock, multiple prayers and psalms had been hurled at her that should have calmed her shock. She had no idea what to say or do. She wished these beings didn't have to see her in such a pathetic state.
"Like I said..." Neia swallowed saliva, trying to undo the lump in her throat so she could continue. "Lord Commander Roboute Guilliman... the Avenging Son of the Emperor of Mankind... regent of Terra, has requested an audience with you."
Neia repeated the words as they had been taught to her. She tried to suppress her emotions, almost succeeding, but it would never be enough.
But she still tried her best to give her best effort at the presentation.
Because she felt she had found her destiny, something to give her all for.
Something to have faith in.
The giant, over four meters tall, brought a hand to his ostentatiously decorated helmet. A depressurizing sound was heard, as well as a heavy click.
What was behind the helmet took the breath away from everyone present.
He was the most handsome man they had ever seen.
He made each of them lose what little composure they had left. It was more than enough for the only mortals present in the throne room to lose control of their bodies and minds, reduced to being commanded by their instincts. The pre-established desires of every creature, desires to secure the future of its lineage, propagating itself by choosing the strongest specimens.
Neia had not been so affected by this, after all, she was not looking directly at the Primarch. She knew that, if she did, she would be caught up in whatever it was that had stunned the Queen and her advisors.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you." The Primarch said, finding the correct tone developed on a genetic level and through practice that had taken hundreds of years. Modulating the voice was a useful tool in politics, and at times, the ultimate weapon in securing a victory.
It took Calca Besarez a minute to respond, but she finally found the words in her chest to address the being that could easily surpass her in any sense.
"...W-welcome, Lord Guilliman. Truly, I did not expect to meet someone like you."
The Primarch found that statement with humor, he knew that the Queen of this nation was going great lengths to maintain her composure in front of him. Her nature demanded such a task of mortals.
"Indeed, for I did not expect it either. But circumstances have brought about this situation. Events have formed that even I could not have predicted."
"Lord Guilliman..." Kelart managed to shake off the shock. "...I-if I may ask. Do you come from somewhere across the sea? Forgive my boldness, but on this continent I have never heard of any 'Empire of Mankind', much less an Emperor bearing such a title."
The Primarch caught the barely perceptible tension in one of the Custodes accompanying him. He hastened to respond to clear up doubts and avoid a scene. "No, we do not come from across the sea. In fact, we are not from this world. As I said, events beyond my control have formed, and chance has caused our worlds to be connected. I hope you have already been informed of a certain apparition in the so-called 'Abellion Hills'?"
"I have... I have heard the reports. Certainly, a structure like that is something that is quite a mystery. Worse, the demi-humans in the area have not allowed us to investigate further."
A slight frown of apprehension crossed the Primarch's face at the word 'demi-human', but it was something that no one might have been able to pick up on.
"Ah, yes. I suppose that is what you call these mutants or Xenos. Our scholars are still debating which of the two terms to use for these creatures. Though I don't think it matters one bit, after all, we've exterminated them all."
Calca felt a knot in her stomach to hear that statement so casually. After all, the demi-humans had been a headache that the Sacred Realm, not even with all its power, had been able to neutralize. They could barely contain them, for a demi-human was naturally stronger than an ordinary human. She turned to Kelart for confirmation, and she nodded. "The latest reports indicate zero activity in the last few days outside the great wall. Normally, the Bafolks would attack us from time to time, but there hasn't been a hint of them."
"May I ask... How did you accomplish such a feat?" Calca asked the Primarch.
"It wasn't complicated at all. Those pesky creatures tried to cross that 'Gate' and attack Terra. The Custodes took it upon themselves to repel them and hunt them down and purge them. They found some sort of breeding ground for humans in the Abellion Hills themselves. All the more reason to exterminate them all in a matter of hours. I think I can say that no trace of that scum has been left."
The words 'matter of hours' had stuck in Calca Besarez's mind, adding more to the denial, for a moment he wanted to accuse the Primarch of embellishing his statements too much. But he had said it with such confidence, that she had no choice but to accept that truth he had revealed to her. A cold sweat ran down his back, the lunge of words had been obvious, this Regent was making clear the capabilities that his Empire had over his small and insignificant Kingdom. They had accomplished in a few hours what the Holy Kingdom had never achieved with all its resources in a decades-long wearing struggle.
"Terra..." Calca continued. "Is that the name of your capital?"
"Our Capital world, the first and only Throne World where the Emperor resides."
The word world crossed her mind and she tried to understand this term. Did they have a whole world under their power and named it as their capital? She did not understand what the Primarch meant by world. She knew that the Holy Kingdom was on a continent, still unexplored, but a continent that was part of the world that was larger. That alone gave her a headache.
Guilliman had noticed her confusion, it was not uncommon for a feudal world to be ignorant of the reality beyond its skies. To enlighten that ignorance was a dream his Father had had millennia ago.
"Let me ask you, do you understand the concept of outer space?" The Primarch asked as he made a slight gesture to point upwards, hinting towards the sky and beyond.
Kelart was the one who took word, her wisdom was the most seasoned in these kinds of discussions. "Our sages have studied the stars for centuries. And lately the theory that our world is nothing more than a sphere moving around a huge sphere of fire has been making the most noise among scholars across the continent. There are still discussions going on, but apparently the idea that our world is the center of the universe has been getting more and more erased."
"Well, that makes this much easier." Guilliman gestured to one of his guards, and he advanced a couple of steps that echoed through the hall. This one carried a chest, it was not very ornated, austere, but it served its purpose. The Astartes opened it and pressed a button.
The throne room was illuminated by the glow of a sphere of light that had emerged from the chest. It was larger than a grown man, and thousands of multicolored points of light formed a spiral of stars. It spun slowly and revealed details that would escape anyone who wasn't paying attention.
Custodio thought it was some kind of magic, and was about to attack if she hadn't been stopped by her sister's harsh eyesight.
"This is our galaxy, just one in trillions." Explained the Primarch. "The Imperium of Mankind, encompasses most of the stars that make up this galaxy. Almost all of those stars possess one or more worlds. Terra lies at the center of the Imperium and this world lies..." Guilliman wiggled his fingers deftly and the hololith moved as well, changing shape as it seemed to dip into the galaxy, it stopped at the edge of the galaxy, far away from the center of the same spiral. "Here, or at least that's what our Astro cartographs have discovered. Way out on the edge in the Segmentum Ultima, beyond the Eastern Fringe, beyond the Tau Empire."
Calca Besarez couldn't help but feel so small. She knew space was vast, but to be shown her place in a galaxy, right next to such a massive civilization, was frightening in a way. Few in this world would be prepared for such a revelation, there could even be massive rebellions as chaos gripped the nations.
Seeing that she would not speak, Guilliman continued. "I do not know how, nor why. But a portal has opened between Terra and this world. It is a portal unlike any other I have seen, but it is something incredibly valuable. This world has great value in this galaxy, and I believe it is timely to secure it."
Those words made the queen uncomfortable. Words that in short meant that this Imperium sought to expand, to annex this world. They certainly could, they had the resources to do so. It only remained for her to wait to find a way to minimize the repercussions.
"That's why a relationship between the two could be beneficial to a great extent." A group of people in tattered clothes and old robes approached carrying chests. They were part of the retinue with which the Primarch had entered. When they opened the chests, a huge sum of gold and jewels was displayed before the ruler of the kingdom. It was a sum that easily equaled the national treasury, was the Primarch wishing to buy the country?
"Consider this a welcoming gift." Guilliman said, one of the servants approached with a richly decorated sword. Jeweled inlays filled its hilt. The sword was offered, but it was Remedios Custodio who took it instead of Calca. She unsheathed it and ran her armored finger through an Orichalcum gauntlet. She barely touched it and the gauntlet was cut like the air itself.
She only knew of one sword that could do something like that.
Razor Edge, one of Re-Estize's treasures.
"This... This is..."
"Monomolecular edge." Explained the Primarch. "Of course the sword is not yet activated. Press the ruby firmly, just don't touch the blade while doing so."
Remedios did as the Primarch said and a halo of cerulean energy covered the blade of the sword. Small arcs of electricity formed from the energy field. The air itself crackled with the power emanating from the sword. It felt like it could cut through anything.
A scroll was handed to Kelart, and Kelart, after reading it, handed it to her Queen. They both looked into each other's eyes as they understood what was written on this scroll.
"Your language is not unlike the myriad of low Gothic that exists in the Imperium," said Guilliman. "I hope the terms are acceptable."
Kelart read aloud from the scroll, as if trying to verify what was written there was real. "The Empire of Mankind will have control over a portion of the Abellion Hills, for protection, as well as a center of operations. An embassy will be built in our capital to improve relations between the two sides. A trade and exchange line will be opened, as well as exchange in technologies to improve food production and future trade with the Imperium..."
She paused, as if saying what was missing felt unreal. "...Both... Both parties will work together for the expansion of influence over the continent, with the goal of establishing a single world government..."
Was that even possible?
World domination was literally what this Imperium was aiming for.
How powerful did a nation have to be to achieve such a feat?
This cosmic map was evidence of that.
Calca pressed her hands on the armrests of her throne, her nails trying to sink into the metal it was made of.
This was a declaration of annexation, a new player who was ready to claim this world for his own.
Apprehension washed over her, the idea of being ruled by strangers, the loss of borders and the standardization of laws. It was obvious that chaos would be around the corner, even in her own realm, the people were divided. What means would they use to keep control of the population? What kind of new government would come?
"I believe this is an opportunity you should not pass up for anything, Calca Besarez." Guilliman spoke, he looked into her eyes, but she did not have the strength to do the same, his presence was too much for her. "The Imperium is made up of millions of worlds, each ruled in different ways. Democracies or tyrannies, kingdoms or councils. But they all share the same characteristic. They all have a planetary governor. A figure, or family, who is in charge of the planet and all its resources. And I am giving that opportunity to you, Calca Besarez. I am giving you power to rule over this entire planet. But for that, you need to expand, you need to abandon your weaknesses and accept the strength of the Imperium."
Calca was trembling in her chair, so much power... it was a frightening thing. She would lose herself, she would cease to be herself. But something told her that if she didn't accept, someone else would. Self-preservation took her in, if they were going to end up dominated by an invincible Empire, her people had better be the biggest beneficiaries of it all.
"I expect... it will be a human-only government..."
"Of course." The Primarch replied. "Leaving the Xenos alive is only inviting doom. Even more so considering the myriad of inhuman beings that inhabit this world and are hostile to the human race. They must be exterminated."
"So..." Calca sighed, feeling like she was sealing the fate of this world, by her own selfishness. "We accept." And so, she would begin the bloody purge of the southern nobles, unifying the once Holy Kingdom in the name of a queen who would now serve a god.
[X]
Meanwhile, elsewhere, far away, a new power had established itself in the area.
After the defeat of Khajit and his undead army, a new hero had arisen, one of whom songs and legends would be written for a long time to come. Momon, the Dark Hero, had earned his name through his own power.
But the truth was that this hero was but a façade for the Overlord who had come into this world.
After congratulating and rewarding his servants, Ainz Ooal Gown had locked himself and the two greatest minds in all of Nazarick in the office he used to plan future plans.
Honestly, Ainz wished he could sleep in his bed and enjoy the sweet smell the sheets always had.
But the importance of this meeting had prevented him from such leisure and now he found himself facing Albedo and Demiurge, the latter wearing a mask of regret and anger that he struggled to hide in front of his master.
"You are telling me our source of scrolls in the Abellion Hills have been completely destroyed." Spoke the Overlord, Ainz Ooal Gown, Master and Lord of Nazarick and future ruler of this world.
"My sincerest apologies!" Demiurge bowed in embarrassment, but Ainz raised his hand to calm him.
"Alright, I'm glad we managed to save some of those sheep, but, still, you lost a lot of demons in that attack. That's something we need to discuss further."
"If I may, Lord Ainz." Albedo raised her voice, gentle but firm. "Based on the information from the inhabitants of this world that we have found... it was impossible for them to take that place, let alone not suffer a single casualty..." This last she said in all seriousness. "...The sentries stationed there were level 60 at the very least, and they had support ready to teleport if necessary, and even with all that, every single one of them was wiped out every last one of them... in a matter of hours..."
Ainz was silent for a moment. What surprised him most was that whatever had attacked had defeated his servants in a matter of hours. Yes, the 'farm' wasn't a fortress, but it wasn't undefended either and he knew that, by the standards of this world, unless there was a player in this world, that place wouldn't fall.
That meant that there was a huge possibility that a Player had appeared. Had it been the same ones who had attacked Shalltear? He had his doubts, but it didn't hurt to be sure.
"Did Nigredo get any information on this attacker?" Ainz asked, directing the question to her Sister.
Albedo took a moment to answer, as if trying to sort out the words to give the best explanation she could give.
"Nigredo managed to capture some recordings, but this enemy has anti-divination measures. Which is very concerning, as my sister is fully specialized in divination and clairvoyance magic. Only a world-class Item could completely blind her. But after the recordings... I must admit I have my doubts about the latter."
It was worrying indeed, for Nigredo's creator, Tabula Smaragdina, had designed her to be almost infallible. Very few things could escape the eyes of a level 100 NPC specialized entirely in espionage and surveillance. Ainz's first thought was a world-class item, but there was a paradox to this; a world-class item of the right characteristics would instantly nullify any attempt at espionage, so how had she managed to record them?
A screen appeared in the air, Albedo zoomed in and adjusted it so that everyone could see it. She tapped a few icons, and the video began to play.
Ainz watched carefully. With a cool head, he just watched to the smallest detail. The image was sharp, showed just enough, and could give him a good view of what had happened.
They were giants, golden giants.
No, rather they were covered in golden armour. One that looked so elaborate, Takemikazuchi would die of envy and try to replicate it. They all carried spears, huge spears that moved so fast he could barely keep up with their pace and direction. He watched with great interest as one of the giants took aim at a Greater Hellhound, probably level 60, with his golden spear, and consequently shot it, that's right, those spears had a huge gun at the tip with which huge projectiles flew at hypersonic speeds. The Greater Hellhound was pierced through and through by these projectiles, instant death.
A Pit Lord was in a fight against one of the giants, even with the Pit Lord's great size, he could barely reach the golden giant. The Pit Lord, level 60, was fighting one of the giants, and he was losing. It was a matter of microseconds, and one of its arms was flying through the air, severed by the spin of the golden giant's spear. A flash erupted again, and the Pit Lord's head was severed from its shoulders. The golden giant did not stop to stare at his fallen foe, but went towards a Hades Worm, and cut it into three pieces in an instant. Ainz couldn't follow the spear blade this time.
"Hmmm..." Ainz let out unintentionally. Hundreds of thoughts formed in his mind, each as far-fetched as the next, trying to figure out what was going on. Without realizing it, Albedo and Demiurge held their breath, thinking that their master was angry.
Was it some Player? It could be, but if they were, they were not of any kind he knew. And those weapons were not something you could find in Yggdrassil. The game didn't favour firearms, despite their existence thanks to "The fall of the Valkyrie" expansion , most of them were just useless items against a level 80 player. It could be some kind of custom weapons, but weapons of that power would have to be divine class at the very least. And no matter how many resources a guild had, only those above top 20 could spend resources on creating so many weapons, that is why you wouldn't see any Gun in use for any NPC, and even the Treasure had only a very few ones. And Ainz, who had studied each of those guilds for years, was sure that there was nothing similar to those armors.
From their design, and the way they fought, he could only assume that they were at least level 90 warriors, but it was too early to draw any conclusions.
His analysis came to a halt as he watched a wall of Hellfire disappear on contact with one of them. And from what he had learned in this world, there was no physical way to stop such an attack, not to mention that it was a spell that would directly destroy the target's soul. A flare of [Devil's breath] was reduced to nothing when it touched another. Were they some kind of Paladin? This would be a new conjecture for Ainz. They probably specialized in divine magic. So they were some kind of warrior based on holy arts, and, therefore, specialized in eliminating demons.
That made the chances of confrontation almost certain. They were not neutral and their alignment probably made them natural enemies of Heteromorphs, in short, a threat to Nazarick.
With one order, he could mobilize an army to subjugate them. And he would have, were it not for his cautious nature born of years of experience as a solo player.
So he decided to wait, and see how things developed. Perhaps Demiurge's plan should be done sooner than planned.
[X]
The Astrologer of a Thousand Miles was an extremely introverted person. Some might say she was an antisocial person who never left her tower. Always spying on neighboring nations, always watching through the "Eye of the Heavenly Eagle" that had been left by the 13 heroes who had saved the world 100 years ago.
It was not uncommon for the Eye to occasionally end up pointing to irrelevant or unhelpful places for observation. Sometimes some of the members of the high priests controlling this nation would call her out for spying on places she had no reasons spying on, such as bathrooms or change rooms.
But ever since that incident in a small village in E-Rantel where she had been injured while trying to spy on a powerful sorcerer who had appeared out of nowhere, she had not left her tower at any time. Sure, they would provide her with food and water, and there was even a bath. But she had become obsessed with understanding what it was that had denied her from trying to spy on this sorcerer. Surely a countermeasure, some anti-information defense. But one powerful enough to counter the celestial Eye of the Eagle was simply too much information to pass up, so the high pontiffs had decreed.
After all, the sorcerer had annihilated the Scripture of Sunlight. An elite force sent to take down the Warrior Captain Gazef Stronoff. A character who, despite being one of the strongest humans, was an obstacle to the downfall of the kingdom of E-Rantel. A nation rotten with corruption and on the verge of collapse. Better to let Jirniv annex them to his empire.
And so she had spent day and night, trying to find this sorcerer. And in the process she had found several things. One, an increase in activity in the Forest of Tot, numerous beasts and demi-humans had begun to move, which meant that something very big was happening in the forest.
She had also found a certain individual with potential working for some bandits. One of the pontiffs had said that calling him to work under the Theocracy would be a huge help.
That human farm on the Abelion plains had made her nauseous, and helped to further cement her hatred of all that was not human.
But what had been her amazement to see how a strange group had wiped out that farm and eliminated the demons and demi-humans occupying it. They had killed everyone there with such ease that it made Gazef Stronoff look like a beginner.
Golden Knights. That was what the High Pontiffs had called them. And they had also been kept secret. For indeed, those demons and undead on the farm had been of a level that only members of the Black Scripture would have been able to cope with. To see how they had been slaughtered in a matter of minutes was something that set off all the alerts.
They were human, or at least that is what the Astrologist had deduced. There were humans who had arrived shortly after. Humans with strange uniforms and weapons that fired energy bolts of considerable power, for a beastman had fallen under fire from one of these clearly lesser soldiers.
She had spent days watching, at first thinking that these Golden Knights were nothing more than automatic golems. But there was no way a golem could move like that. They were fast, impossibly fast. A rush of speed and power that made her shudder and try to refuse to believe.
Today she had discovered something very interesting.
A structure, about fifty metres high and thirty metres wide, had appeared in the Abellion Hills. It appeared to be made of stone, of an unknown design of which she had found no record.
But what was really interesting was the city that had formed around this structure.
It was as big as E-rantel. But built very differently. There was not a single wooden building, they were all made of concrete and metal. Only the theocracy had managed a few decades ago to understand the process of creating concrete and had covered their cities with it.
The city was also being designed for defense. The streets were built to provide the greatest cover for the defenders while forcing any invaders to pass through strategically placed 'Kill Zones' in order to attack them from a distance. The walls, though unfinished, were already over forty meters high, and were thick enough to put ten ogres in a row and still have room to spare.
She quickly recalled some of the passages written by one of the 13 Heroes. Something called [Modern Warfare], the actions of these new visitors gave a clear example of that. In the words of that Hero, that Player. [Modern Warfare] involves mostly ranged attacks with devastating and powerful weapons. Avoiding close combat altogether, as well as making use of ambushes, drones, air superiority and surgical strikes. Of course, these visitors did not fulfill everything these passages said, for more than once she had seen them charge towards demi-humans, sometimes even at a physical disadvantage. But the strength of a beastman would not deter them, even if it took a dozens of them to kill a single one, the fervor with which they threw themselves to their deaths could turn battles where even the Theocracy would try to find another method.
These humans came from another world, how then had they built all this from nothing? This was an event that only happened every century or so, and every time it happened it was an event that would turn the whole world upside down. And this time it was worse, for not only the arrival of the new possible Player in the vicinity of Tob's forest, but these who had come through that huge gate. This was totally new, were they even Players? She doubted it, for never, in all of history, had she seen players like these arrive in this world. They all came from the same place, from Ygdrassil.
The astrologer withdrew her eyes from the artifact that the 13 Heroes had left behind. She rubbed her eyes, she needed to sleep after so many days of wakefulness.
It was already night.
She looked up at the starry sky.
The Theocracy knew that, logically, these players had to come from another world, from another planet. With the Theocracy's scientific advancement, knowing that this world was not the only one in the universe was getting closer and closer to being a general idea.
That meant that out there, in the other stars, there had to be more worlds like this one.
She wondered if there were more humans up there.
[X]
Shield-Captain Galileo Kalel Tharsus Jason had been looking at the map of this world that had been made by the thousands of servo-skulls that had been deployed. It was still a work in progress, they still needed a lot of information about this planet, the locals could barely give any information relevant to the Ten Thousand. But he already had a more or less clear idea of what was around the Holy Kingdom.
To the east was Re-estize, ruled by a king who could barely keep a lid on the corruption that breathed through the nobles of that kingdom. It was obvious that he did not have much left, some sort of rebellion was inevitable as the constant wars with the Baharuth Empire sapped his power more and more. According to the words of the Captain General, it was imperative that the Holy Kingdom expands as quickly as possible to ultimately annex this world. The ships were already on their way, but they would take a long time to arrive given where they were in the galaxy, beyond the eastern fringe, where the Astronomicon can barely be seen. Only the help of the Gate was the only beacon of light that could guide the astropaths to this planet.
The Draconic realm was further north. A country made up of humans, but besieged by mutants called "beastmen". Forming a purgatorial force was one of the many priorities he had pending. In less than a nanosecond he calculated using the data he had obtained how long they could hold out and came to the conclusion that not much more than six months.
They were not an immediate priority.
The Shield-Captain took another look around. To the northwest was a nation of mutants and abhumans, to the south was what was left of a country devastated by time. But what caught his attention was the Slane Theocracy. A country with a deep hatred of all that was not human. Galileo approved of the existence of this nation, even if the idea of being ruled by a religion was bittersweet. He knew what the Ecclesiarchy could do, and at the same time he understood how powerful faith used properly could be. The battle sisters had won seemingly impossible battles using their faith in the Emperor as a god. He didn't entirely like it, but he had to admit it was necessary.
A knock sounded at the office door. Soon after a female voice came from the other side. "My lord. May I come in?"
The Custodian allowed entry. There stood Neia Baraja. Her robes had been changed to a dress similar to that of the Commissars. On her belt she carried a sword that had been given to her by one of Guilliman's emissaries, as well as a relatively new las-pistol. Her eyes, always piercing and hostile looking, regarded him with apprehension. A mortal would not be used to talking to a demigod.
"What is it, Baraja?"
Neia knelt down and delivered her message. "A delegation from the Kingdom of Re-estize has arrived. They have been sent to respond to your request to surrender their territory to the Grand Imperium."
"I understand. Have them prepare their stay. Negotiating might give us better results." It was to be expected, after all, this was practically a declaration of war. They were not claiming a portion of the kingdom, but its entire territory. It was an action that would provoke the Re-estize government to send their army to march against them. But as Galileo walked towards the audience chamber, he dismissed that possibility. Re-estize was already decimated by the constant attacks of the self-proclaimed Baharuth Empire. Not to mention the constant attacks on villages that the Theocracy had carried out to further deplete them.
It was the reason for a peace delegation to arrive. A smart move, but a futile one, after all. Oh, Galileo did not hesitate to use words and diplomacy to establish his dominance over Re-Estize. But conquest was inevitable.
"Do you recognize anyone?" asked the Guardian of the Golden Throne.
"Ah...! Y-yes, my lord! It is Princess Renner herself, third daughter of the King. She is accompanied by the Adamantite grade adventurers party; Blue Rose."
Galileo recalled the reports on the adventurers compiled after months of research, his Eidetic memory brought back the information. Adventurers were nothing more than a flowery name for simple mercenaries. The difference was that they only took on missions to take down mutants and xenos, which he would applaud. Blue Rose was one of the few Adamantine teams, of all the ranks, that would enjoy the most status and power. The most skilled and experienced could earn the title of Adamantium, which to the state of this world would be like watching heroes.
Blue Rose, a team made up of four women. They were said to have completed epics worthy of being sung on the lips of missionaries from the Ecclesiarchy. But to him, the constant use of sorcery was a sin, and how these women, nay, all adventurers dared to use 'magic' was something no imperial citizen would tolerate. He decided to be even more vigilant, especially of this one called Evil Eye, an unsanctioned psychic.
The room that had been set up for him in the Queen's palace had been strategically chosen so that, if necessary, he could quickly reach the throne room and extract Calca Besarez. For Guilliman himself had instructed him that in the event of an attack, his priority was to secure the queen of this country and then use her as a political figurehead to further justify the expansion of the Imperium. Which was no secret, for the Ecclesiarchy itself had spread the rumour that Calca had been chosen by the Emperor and therefore the Custodes would come to her aid. And considering how they had witnessed the prowess of the Custodes when they hunted the rest of the Demi human, it had been more than enough to deter any assassination attempt.
So it was a short walk to the conference room where the negotiations would take place. It was obvious that they were in no position to simply demand that they stop, but they were trying to get something out of it.
There were two paladins who had been placed here as guards. Their weapons had been replaced, instead of carrying the characteristic swords, they now carried Hellguns attached to triple-blessed energy packs on their backs. Their usual mithril armour was also replaced by Tempestus grade ceramite armour. Both saluted at the sight of Galileo, he didn't bother to greet them, instead Neia nodded firmly, also greeting the warriors she had always wanted to be a part of.
The Conference Room was not very large, just a six metre long room with two tables with their respective seats. One for the visitors and one for the local government. Both were the same, with no frills or distinct qualities. This was planned by Calca so that they could negotiate on equal terms, though Neia doubted if there would even be any of that in this situation.
Inside were six people. All women, the one who stood out the most, Princess Renner, with golden hair and beauty typical of any daughter of an imperial noble, whether by genetic manipulation, controlled selection of progeny, or simple cosmetic treatments. She wore a white dress, perhaps denoting the call for a ceasefire, and although she looked presentable and dignified for a noblewoman, austerity was also evident in her attire. For she wore only a gold chain with a sapphire around her neck. And her crown had been replaced by a wide-brimmed hat which she removed when Galileo entered.
The others, Blue Rose. Galileo had studied them before, and found them familiar from the descriptions of his spies. Tia and Tina, specialists in stealth, Gagaran, the strongest and softest-hearted, the leader Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra in her shining armour and finally Evileye, who held her staff tightly as the Custodes turned his attention to her.
"Captain-Shield Galileo Galileo Kalel Tharsus Jason, has arrived and welcomes you." Neia announced. All the others bowed stiffly, for standing before one of the Ten Thousand would be no easy task for anyone, not even for Adventurers of Adamantian rank such as they were. Lakyus instantly recognized when he saw the four-meter-tall golden giant, that he stood before a being he could never surpass even if he spent a lifetime training.
Renner was the first to speak and with all the will she could muster, she addressed the Golden Guardian.
"I thank you infinitely for your welcome, your excellency." Renner spoke. "I certainly hope we can put aside our differences and come to a common understanding."
"I understand why you are here." Galileo replied, gestured to one of the tables and continued. "Please sit down first, then we can talk."
Neia put a hand to her ear, the Blue Rose leader raised an eyebrow. A few seconds later the wooden door opened and four paladins in their new ceramite armor entered carrying a huge chair carved from oak so massive it could be used as a battering ram in a siege. Neia hastened to push aside the seats to make room for what was more of a wooden throne than a seat. Once it was in place, the Paladins saluted and retreated as quickly as they had arrived. Lakyus thought that had been a [Message] spell but her keen eyes noticed the strange device in Neia's ear, was it some magical Item?
Galileo removed his helmet, a depressurizing sound was heard and revealed his human features.
Tina wiggled her fingers rapidly, this did not escape the Custodes' notice and in a matter of nanoseconds he quickly tried to decipher what they were saying to each other. The Sisters of Silence would do similar things, and from the patterns he could only decipher something to do with "I won" thus Tia reluctantly handed a bag to her twin. Galileo decided not to pay attention to something so trivial and returned to the matter at hand. He sat down on the rather wooden throne. Neia remained at his side.
"I think our message was clear enough, Princess." Galileo spoke with cool calm. "But the Emperor is not merciless. I am sure the terms are fair enough. And, above all, convenient for Re-Estize."
His first words were direct and without room for second choices. Lakyus frowned as she realised that the room for maneuver for negotiations had been considerably reduced. But Renner remained calm and spoke.
"I am afraid that is a very difficult choice to make, Lord Kalel. But first I must ask, why should we pay obeisance to an Emperor we have never seen? And I am sure Emperor Jirniv does not have the means for this."
"Let me ask you, Princess... Have you bothered to observe the citizens of this country?" asked the Custodes.
Of course, that had not gone unnoticed by Renner when they arrived. The first thing he noticed was the Great Wall. Which had once been about ten metres high, was now three times that size. What's more, when Evileye had approached to inspect it, they noted with surprise how the concrete from which it had been built was as hard as a solid iron wall. In its turrets had been stationed weapons unknown to her, huge metal machines with long tubes that looked menacingly skyward. The soldiers no longer carried spears either, but instead wielded strange objects that the Blue Rose members did not understand how they worked. She deduced that they were probably some sort of crossbow without a bow, which fired using some unknown mechanism.
Then she came across fields of crops as far as the eye could see. But what really struck her was how golden the fields were ready for harvest, and it was barely spring. How had they managed to grow wheat in such a short time? There were also machines, huge metal things that moved of their own accord, spewing out grey fumes. Their razor wheels turned, cutting all the wheat and harvesting it on an industrial scale that no other nation had ever achieved before.
As they passed through the streets, they met smiling people, people who looked to the future with hope. They praised the Imperium for wiping out the Demi human, bards and juglars sang of feats beyond imagination. And they spoke of the son of the God-Emperor himself who had walked among them to free them. The streets themselves were also beginning to change, the horse-drawn carriages were beginning to disappear, instead, vehicles that did not need draft animals and that seemed to move on their own went to and fro on the fully paved streets, clearly arranged so that pedestrians and drivers had clear lines of travel. The buildings were beginning to change, here and there were already partial constructions of buildings so large that not even the best architects could understand how they could stand up at all.
Knowing what had been going through Renner's mind, Galileo continued. "Re-Estize will enjoy all this and much more. What we have brought to Roble is only the beginning of a growing Imperium."
"A global government where the fate of nations is decided by a few? My apologies, Lord Jason, but no country would accept that." This time it was Lakyus who spoke, and Galileo brought his blue irises to her. He noticed how Neia hesitated at the thought that he had been offended. Galileo simply relaxed his features.
"We are an Empire. Not just an Empire, but the Empire of all mankind. And to survive a hostile galaxy, it is necessary to stick together. I have studied your world, young Aindra, and I am sure it is not a pleasant place for you. Beasts, Xenos, Mutants and abominations stalk humanity. Had we not intervened in Roble, the Xenos would have wiped out this country within a generation. And the same will happen to Re-Estize... corruption plagues their realm, it's only a matter of time before it all collapses into civil war, not the first time I've seen something like this. The Imperium has lived for ten millennia, patience is no problem. We can wait for Re-Eztise to burn and then take the land for ourselves, but what's the point of building on ashes? I think, being a noblewoman and a princess, putting the welfare of her citizens first would be the right thing to do."
While Lakyus was clearly angry, Renner could not help but feel an emotion he had thought long lost. This man, this being, was at a level of intelligence that simply surpassed her. She knew the Kingdom didn't have much time left, she thought its downfall would come by an outside hand, probably Baharuth or Slane. but a civil war? It hadn't even crossed her mind. And it was a possibility that, on closer examination, was becoming a clear reality.
And at the next words of the Custodes, she was even more attonished. "And please, let's drop the masks. As you see, I have removed my helm as a sign of respect, I only expect you to do the same with your 'mask', Princess."
"H-how is that-?"
"Your gestures are forced. All this time you have been tensing a portion of the muscles in your face, especially in your eyebrows and cheeks. I have navigated through the politics of the Imperium, and even without my abilities, it is evident that you are wearing nothing more than a mask to hide your true face. If you wish to continue our discussion, then drop the act."
Lakyus was about to reply, but Renner held up a hand to silence her. And when the Blue Rose leader turned around, she couldn't believe her eyes,
Lakyus had been one of the few friends of the Re-Estize princess. She had grown up with her, she knew her... or at least she thought she did.
But this thing standing next to her... it wasn't Renner.
It was like looking at a monster, an empty being with whom you could lose yourself in the abyss of her eyes. The incredible intelligence she possessed, mixed with growing up neglected and with no one to share her wisdom with, had twisted her in a way. Almost making her say out loud to Lakyus, "Who are you?
But to Galileo, this was nothing more than a child who had been wasting her potential for several years.
Characters like this abounded in the Imperium. Whether by genetic manipulation, neural augmentations, academic training or simple generational lineage. The Sabbant operated at the same level, dealing with information, intelligence, planning or strategy. They could not be absent from the Imperium. That there was one here was mere luck.
"I can see why it was you who decided to come here over your father's ideas."
Renner smiled, amused that they already knew even this detail. She tried to wonder who the spy might be, but there was no time for something like that. "That's right. My father would have sent Marquis Raven... I would describe him to you, but I think you might already know about him."
Galileo shrugged. "Yes... practically the only one competent enough to keep your corrupted kingdom afloat. Our agents have been studying him, and I must admit... if these negotiations didn't work, I would have ordered his execution..."
Renner cocked her head, still smiling. "I hope that's not another way of putting pressure on us, your excellency. It sounds rather unfair that they've already infiltrated... I wonder how far they've gone~ But to assassinate someone as useful as the Marquis, I think it would bring more loss than gain. After all, it's better to build on firm foundations than on ashes."
"Your Highness!" Gagaran demanded. "You will not think of..."
"We can't just give up, just like that to the Imperium... not now." Renner continued, not caring in the least about Gagaran's words. "We don't even know your policies or your models of administration, law and economics. Such an abrupt annexation could cause the Kingdom to burn in anarchy, blood would have to be spilled and compliance would last for years with risks of rebellions."
Galileo raised an eyebrow, impressed by this little mortal's vision. "May I think you are about to suggest something?"
Renner nodded. "A peace treaty and ceasefire."
The Custodes gave him a wry look. "And why should I agree to such a thing?"
"Because it is the option that will prevent more deaths. From what I can see, you are far more technologically advanced than we are. But, above all, your Empire must be made up of several worlds." I could hardly imagine such a possibility, but after reading your statements, it is obvious that you seek a global government.
Galileo gazed for a moment at the small figure of the Sabbant princess, amused at how such a mortal could reach such conclusions with so little information. He decided to amuse himself for a while, just to see her reactions.
"The Imperium of Mankins rules over millions of worlds. Its armies are countless; this is only a fraction of the Emperor's power."
A line of cold sweat ran down Renner's face, she was right, at least partially. But the giant's expressions gave her the assurance that what he said was true. Therefore, she was not prepared for such a fact, that one Empire could rule over so many, such power only made her reach conclusions that filled her even more with a terror and sense of inferiority. These people had found a way to travel between the stars, to cover impossibly long distances that would fill any lesser mind with an unease at knowing what lurked in the void of space. They simply could not oppose such a force. But it was a doubt that gave Renner a feeling she had long thought dead inside her, the small hope of possibility born of a simple doubt.
How had they come to this world?
But she put that aside, there were far more important things at hand.
"For... For that very reason, your excellency. You see, the Kingdom can be taken by force, it can. But how much will be lost to achieve that? Let this be a war of policy and not of subterfuge, and so... I will be your ally."
Lakyus, filled with anxiety, only managed to say. "...Renner..."
"This is... is not a war we can win." And, for the first time in her life, a real kind face formed on the princess's face.
Galileo then whispered in Neia's ear, shortly after, she approached one of the chests that were in the room. She opened it and from it she took out parchment, quill and inks. She returned with these items and with a bow, handed them to the Custodian.
"So be it." Galileo announced. "Let us then make a peace treaty, the first step to the annexation of the Kingdom of Re-estize."
[X]
Silence reigned inside the vehicle they called Limousine as it made its way back to the kingdom. As a sign of good faith, the Imperium had given her this vehicle as a gift, as well as assigned her a pair of Rough Riders to accompany her. The mounts of these riders, what she would call horses, were twice the size of a warhorse, and so fast that only the very rare Sleipnir could keep up with them. Of course, the speed they had allowed them to keep up with the vehicle in which the princess was travelling at over 120 km/h.
The interior was luxurious, covered in soft, smooth material. There were accoutrements they could not understand, some sort of unknown liquor and comforts that would be more befit the wealthiest of nobles.
"I can't believe you betrayed the kingdom... your father..." Finally, Gagaran spoke, steeling herself to face the regal face of Renner that she had maintained all the while since she had stamped her seal upon the treaty.
Renner, who had been sinking in thought, turned to look at them. "If a lion were to offer a rabbit a choice between eating it and being its servant... Do you think the rabbit would prefer death? What happens then when the wolves try to devour it? Will the lion's presence not be enough to keep them at bay? So, this is our situation. Our kingdom sinks into corruption day by day, the nobles gorge themselves on their greed and every day new enemies appear to try to destroy us... Truly I tell you, there is no way out this time. We are facing an unstoppable force, tell me, are any of you sure you could defeat this titan?"
All the others were silent, they accepted that fact. There was no way to defeat that giant. Its mere presence was enough to make them realise what the true pinnacle of strength meant.
"But what then of the king, of your brothers? We read that treaty too, and it is unheard of. Why did they choose you as the future ruler of Re-Estize as a future agenda?" Gagaran continued. "Practically, they are forcing you to usurp the throne and purge your bloodline. Do you have any idea what that means? They've even... already decided that you will be the wife of one of their nobles..."
Renner sighed. "All of that is irrelevant. I was chosen because I'm the only one in this rotten kingdom who can command my way out of this crisis. And with the backing of the Imperium, there will be no noble who would dare go against me."
"But what about the people, do you think they will so easily accept the Kingdom becoming a vassal country?"
"This goes beyond a vassal country." Renner replied to Gagaran. "It is something very similar to what happened to Roble. Not even Baharuth, in his ambition, would grasp the meaning of a true Empire such as we have witnessed. People will simply have to move on with their lives... and... let's face it. They would not hesitate for a moment to throw themselves into the arms of the Imperium, their quality of life would improve considerably, they would see how joining them would make their lives easier."
Lakyus finally let out the sigh she had long held in. "Let's face it, Gagaran. Whether we want it or not, an annexation is imminent. Better to surrender our weapons than lose our lives." She turned to look at the princess, her confidence in her gone. "But still... Renner, what do you make of the way that guy was looking at Evileye? It was like at any moment he was trying to take her gun and impale her."
"It's something I noticed." Renner ventured a taste of the Imperium's liquor, the amber liquid dancing in her glass. "And something else... normally, I would have seen the usual magic caster, but there wasn't a single one."
Evileye spoke. "You are right. When I went to the Guild there wasn't a single spell caster. I tried to investigate, but the receptionists only gave me empty answers. Then when I tried to visit the magic guild, it had been demolished, there was no trace... I only found ashes."
Renner took a sip of the Amasec, it was smooth and sweet. But certainly different and of higher quality than any liquor she had tasted before. "That mystery is the only thing that worries me... magic is very important in people's lives. Eliminating it might be the only factor that could cause problems."
The limousine continued on its way, the riders following it all the way.
And so Renner contemplated the steps she would have to take to fulfil her part of the bargain.
[X]
I must admit I had no idea of how far New world new galaxy would go, it was one of my first stories. I was surprised to see some comments outside this site having different opinions, mixed, bitter and encouraging at the same time. I made a mistake using a harsh tone against the overlord fandom, but to think it would devolve into this… even I must say I'm speechless.
However, while I also explored overlord fandom, as one who left it years ago due to previous actions… I also found things I not only thought long ago erased… but worse. To this day, the wanking has gone higher, bordering zealotry. Even one of my favorite writers, pta917, being raided by overlord zealots just for writing. I have grown to realize no one can molest you for writing whatever you want, no matter what, and this attitude makes me fear this fandom is starting to become as toxic as others fandoms.
I will leave something clear. I'm following a rule I learned from a fellow writer. Narrative is King. I will try to take this before any rule or power scaling on both settlings, I'm not ignoring both of their feats, but for the sake of the story, the narrative has priority.
Hope you like this. And let me see what you think.