Chapter 8 :A Show of Power
Emperor Ainz slammed his fist down on this metal throne in his ship above Stormvald. It had taken one week to clear the entire system. He was not angry he was enraged at this affront to the start of his glorious crusade. They had 5 more critical systems to go until the got to the front, what they had destroyed was a mere splinter of the main hive fleet. I must show my power or this crusade will come to a grinding halt. Sparks sharted to shoot out of the arm of his chair that telepathically linked him to his ship. That's when he realized he was crushing the arm of this throne with his grip in anger, he calmly released his robotic hand and regained his composure.
"They call me a god and I will fight like one" he muttered under his breath.
The next system they were going to was the Colax system, this would be a different fight all together as now the Emperor realized he would have to get involved. They were in the warp when they exited and the bulk of the crusade ships came out in force outside of Colax.
When Ainz looked out into the system it was a truly revolting site, the surface of entire planets moved and shifted with chitonous horror. Great bio spires built to the heavens feeding mother ships that spewed out bioships and had wiggling masses of maggot looking pupae that burst out into differing forms of tyrants on their backs.
"There is nothing to save here engage magic cannons" Ainz said in a low growl that scared even the most senor officer on the deck of the ship.
"Engaging magic cannons complete, testing compatibility and compatibility is confirmed Emperor you are clear to caste." A stiffly dressed officer said as the two large cannons from the Emperor's ship extended.
He voxed the next words to the entire group of ships, "I declare Exterminus on this system I shall cleanse it with fire and let it be purged by flame." He declared with fury in his voice as the magic cannons aimed at the center of the system.
The magic cannon was an invention of the old one not just to project magic but also amplify it as well. Ainz knew this so he did not want to caste a super tear spell as it would kill everyone including the planets so this was a great time to test out its capabilities.
Ainz sat in his chair and thought of the spell [Nova] as he did the two large magic circles formed around the two barrels of the cannons as the Ether ports drew in the immaterium and charged the cannon. This is what made the cannon so strong, instead of drawing the ether from the caster it drew it from the warp only using the caster for the magic sequence of to activate the warpcraft. Then two great beams shot forth from the cannon converging making a small star that then exploded and sent a wave of fire every direction. The wave of boiling hot plasma burned everything in its path and in complete silence as millions of tyranids were vaporized in its wake. Everyone that saw what happen watch with fear and awe as the entire sector was cleansed, the planets blacken from the touch and nothing moved but the orbit of the planets. As the wave made its way back it slowly faded and cooled as a ocean wave hits a beach and expends all it energy.
In a cold inhuman voice the servitor behind the Emperor said, "Auspects read no signs of life, Extermination complete"
"Let us go to the next system Gaurdian Mare will seed life after we are done with the menace"
What happened to the next system was up to much debate and slowly faded into legend as the Crusade emerged into real space just outside the Lithran System a more revolting site was seen at the previous Colax system. Many who saw thought it was much worse as they had destroyed and traveled far enough within the main hive to see massive birthing ships that had not only strip the planets surface of all biomass but also had started to feast on them by sucking a nutrients out of the plants and sucking out the atmosphere turning the planets into husks of rock devoid of even microba, minerals, oxygen a water. It was not this revolting site of insectoid infestation that scholars of the Administratium Magos would argue for centuries over it was what happened next. As the Emperor's ship fired it massive magic cannons and several enormous overlapping magic circles enveloped the uncountable mass of Tyranid horrors both on and off the planets.
Immediately after what occured was carnage, pure and unadulterated carnage but it was not a battle between the Imperium and the Tyranids but the nids hand turned on each other and started to rip their claws at their kin, the ships fired acid and crushed eachother with pure hatred. The largest of the ships stopped stripping the planets in the system as the writhing maggot like pupae burst forth on their backs then started to rend and tear into the one that birthed them slashing clawing and firing flesh boring live ammunition as they gorged themselves until they exploded with eggs that spawned hundreds more multiplying exponentially. The large queen ships flailed and crushed as many of its kind on its back only for more to burst forth and continue the attack. The lesser ships fired their bio cannons at each other then ramming and crushing with their massive mauls dying in a death embrace.
The Tyranid infantry on the ground rip and tore and cannibalized, great hyve trants were swarmed by their own troops, they fought off hormagaunts and lichters they stood thier ground killing countless of their kind until they were toppled and stripped clean of their biomass. Having no sense at all they gorged themselves on each other until they burst and died, it was madness a great and mighty killing machine with a singular hive mind purpose hand been shattered. The vulnerability of a synaptic creature was exploited and the result were devastating, every Tyranid thought that they were fighting a singular war against each other but with not purpose other than to kill. Digestion pools spawned nids as fast as they could and as soon as they burst out of their form they would rend and tear at each other, large Bio-Titans fired their massive bio-cannons at the pools and towers that reached to space crushing countless nids as they fell. While they swarms crawled all over the large Bio-Titans as they destroyed countless brethren the before gaunts and purestrains found the kinks in their massive armor plates and began to burrow into the the large lumbering giants. The Bio-Titans crushed, vaporized with acid and even fought among other titans that shook the ground and killed thousands that tried in joining the fray. The Bio-Titans stood strong among the attack the smaller nids until the endless gaunts and hormagaunts that poured into their body cavity while killing each other in the process of reaching the vital organs of the BIo-Titans. As they riped and fired at its heart the Tyranid Titan, the perfect biological killing machine screamed out in defiance releasing a toxic gas from it body that killed everything within a mile radius, then fell silent hunched down swiping and firing its last at the enemy then and fell over and breathed its last. It only took a few moments for a wall of flesh to cover the circumference of death the giant had made in its last moments of life then titan and the wall of flesh gorged themselves to death or slane by another of it kind while it greedly feeding on the flesh of the giant. Without the synaptic orders from the Hive tyrants they reverted back to basic instinct which was to kill and eat and nothing more, no instruction to dump the mass into the digestion pools to reproduce, so they all simply ate until the burst and died of internal bleeding.
2
The Eldar ship and it leaders watched in awe and horror at what they saw, the Eldars and Farseers or Psykers as the (Imperium would call them)that elected to observe the crusade to watch the Emperor could not believe what they were seeing. They had submitted to the Dead King 40 years ago but they were all still very weary of trusting this new being born of the warp, this was the second display of this new god had shown in and few weeks. They feared that if he was not the promised god that they foresaw to save them from she who thirst but now their doubts were being turned away, if he was not they were doomed. If he turned his warp craft against any race or people they surely would die in a way he wished.
"My brothers, do you supposed the Dead King is showing us a lesson." A ancient farseer rasped with his gravely stare. He was the oldest and wisest out of all of them so when he spoke everyone listened. Most were amazed he could take his eyes of the sight he or they all were seeing and trying to make sense of it.
"My exalted one, what lesson would that be?" One of the younger Farseer that was ambitious and eventually want a seat at the Senatorium that his master had and he felt he was the one to take the job when the time was right in a ten or twenty thousand years.
"We are all soul bonded to the Dead King as all who have the gift of warpcraft to keep us safe from Chaos, feel brother use your gift, that fraction of power that he gave us all according to his evaluation of our souls, think young ones that also works both ways and lets us feel the embers of his being and thinking. Think young ones at Stormavald he had us the Eldar, the Elve, the Mon-keh, his Sons, and all other lower races on the Imperial Registry destroy the enemy. Then at Colax he cleansed with holy fire, then here at Lithran he made the enemy turn at itself, think young ones." The old Eldar said as he rose and stood in front of the rentiue of his kin as a teacher would giving a lesson as the scene of carnage took place behind him.
The next oldest Farseer tapped his staff as all attention turned to him, " Listen to this young ones there is truth in these worlds I feel that the Dead King does nothing without thought. I feel that he allowed us to fight the enemy, to show us the horror of the Great Devourer, then after we saw the cost he showed us his power by cleansing the next sector nothing to be saved. Then this system he wished to show us how our thinking about this enemy is wrong!" He shouted as other Farseers pounded their staffs in disapproval as he stated they were wrong in their assessment which was their entire purpose to see the future and steer their people.
The eldest of them who was stood yelled, "Silence, our brother speak the truth, we have seen the Great Devourer or the Galaxy Eaters as an impossible foe, one to be dreaded but yet they are flesh as we are flesh and are susceptible to the same things we are. Listen brothers it does not take a powerful psyker to see what he had done but let us all join together to see how the Emperor has done
this!" He said as they all formed in a circle, they all chanted a ancient tombe to make their minds one as halos of psychic energy formed around their heads raising their hair. Bright lights of crystalline circuits glowed in their ancient hoods amplifying the warp craft. Then streams of energy made a chain as their collective consciousness came together and jetted out into the void and went towards the nearest planet. It was as each of them were standing 100 feet over the nearest planet while the carnage happening underneath them, then confusion, anger then the anger slowly turned to rage then to madness.
Suddenly the feeling lifted as the avatar of the Dead king himself appeared before them in his robe that looked like he was wrapped with the stars themselves, a dark cowl over his head and a the bone white death mask with the one red glowing eye hole. This was the same look he had been known for since the last century. He muttered a dispel warpcraft that turned into a shield of interlinking sphere of octagons protecting their astropojected bodies. The Eldar all shuttering coming out of the mouth of madness, the youngest of the Farseers hair had turned grey under the duress they had endured for just a moment, The Emperor floated over to the stared at the group a cast [courage] and [heal] then l stood in front of the lesser and said,
"Eldar my sons of the Imperium, that was a rather rash thing to do, did you think this an allusion? I know you would wish to say that was the case but I can read your minds as a open book and what you seek is knowledge. Since we have time until the enemy destroys itself, we have time you make speak so proceed and ask me, please ask and do not hold back as many would do anything to have this opportunity ." Ainz said sitting on a invisible throne ignoring the carnage below him.
The Eldar's were speechless as they all were close to sinking into the insanity that the Dead King had wove unto the warp around them, finally the the Ancient one asked, "Dead King why do you treat the Humans, Eldar and other races the same? You say yourself not all are equal, all in the Imperium see those born from The warp in Nazarick a help above all, so why care of the lesser species? It displeases is as well as vex us so?"
"All those born of the flesh are equal those of Holy Nazarick are born of the Warp are superior, that said I do not treat Eldar the same you can see I have fondness of the Eldar I do not share with others, you know this by how your kind hold the high places in the Senatorium, as well in the Imperial Nebula? Why do your kind feel slighted?" Ainz asked, as he knew the answer already as if it were not for Ainz and the promise of their death god he would be at war with them.
"Well the Space Marines think better than us, The Emperor's Sons they say, we have put the most on the line for you while refugees and beggars come to you with their hands out and offer nothing! While we share our technology and push your Imperium forward more than any, I do not mean disrespect my king but many of us feel this way." The Ancient Eldar said.
"You speak nothing I do not know, Elthach the Ancient but have I not freed Isha and your laughing King? Defeated Nurgle and sent Slaanesh into hiding, bonded you to me and freed your souls from being consumed by the warp, defeated the dark city and the cabals and sent the remnants to hide in the Webway. Also have I not promised the favored life everlasting? Elthach have you read the Necroteuch? Ainz asked.
Elthach bowed and said, "Yes my King!" Emphatically.
"Have you not read those who come and serve me from the beginning will receive the reward to rule with me in the crossroads the Nexus and shall be as gods?" Ainz said, he was growing weary of the misplaced smug sense of superiority of the Eldar, if he did not need them he would have wiped them out but it was a necessary burden to have them "apart" of his Empire even though they wanted to be as unassociated as they could. He had remade their old world, gave them safety, protected them from a fate worse than death and they still complained. Demiurge want to kill them all and he had to admit it was tempting at times.
"For 80 years Elthach the Ancient you have watched me, sudies my though the warp, watch me through the unification wars on Terra. Then for forty more year after you revealed yourselves you have watched me after I have ben benevolent to you along with other Species deemed worth that you have been apart of. Now you have been sent to watch me on the crusade all the while looking for the smallest bit of taint. You honor me with your speech, but you secret high council and yes I know about them dissecting everything I do making plans to escape from the Imperium if you find I am wanting. I know that your cities are made to take off with as complete craft worlds into the webway, Elthatch a day is coming when you must decide, the truth is I have given you and your people much more, so much more than the other races. You Eldar are so focused on yourselfs that you do not realized that you are slowly being hated by the races, they know of your disparaging nicknames for each race. Discontent so much I have ordered traders and merchants to not increase prices on food and wares, a time must come no a time is here, think pride is what destroyed your people and I say pride is still holding your people back, I know you are an ancient race but can that keep you from harm or stop the enemy? I tell you this Elthach as I know you have a more liberal view of the Universe, will you people adapt?" Ainz said with a weariness in his voice as he knew this speech had been a long time coming. The last 75 years had not seen the Eldar grow closer to the rest of the Imperium but the the same gap that was their when they started with no movement.
"It is time for the Eldar to take thier place in the Imperium and th Galaxy, as I have been given the power and responsibility to bring order and peace. You as the one of the ancient races have to pick up the mantel the guide the younger races. Since you have not done this the Ether has had you slowly die out and until you accept you role you will never prosper, such as the law cosmic, " Do go unto other and it shall be done to you."
They all marveled at his wisdom as all present knew the path they were on would slowly lead to their demise.
The Ancient Eldar stood there he looked and felt younger when they joined the Imperium due to the juvant treatments he had taken, he was 1500 Terran year old. He knew everything the Dead King said was true, so true, he looked around at the maylee of the bio-monsters slaughtering each other it was a fitting place to have this conversation. One of the main problems with the Eldar was that due to they countless craftworlds that came together to make the Eldar Federation within the Imperium they all had countless leaders that would never act as a cohesive people. He thought that even if he could speak for all his people which he could not their was no way he could order or tell his people to change millions of years of thinking in a hundred or thousands of years. Their youth that had been born the last thirty years would be true members of the Imperium but not the Ancients ones not until the newest generations replaced them. Then it hit him the reason why he turned the Tyranids against each other and how they had been guided to do what they did.
"My master, you put this all together did you not as a lesson, if we do not become a part of the Imperium we will end up like these beast endlessly arguing with each other and destroying ourselves like we did in the past?" He asked.
Ainz nodded, it was actually a convenient coincidence but he would take credit for this as he had done time and time before. He would let them think what they wanted but one thing he did not know for sure was the Eldar had a place in his Imperium.
"Try to learn sons of Lilith that a house un-united will fall" Ainz said as they all marveled at his wisdom that Ainz had borrowed and used for himself. "Now go back to your ships and think about what have seen and heard, The Ether bore me to save you," while
uddenly, the psychic link was broken and all of the Farseerers young and old were back where they started before they projected themselves above above the world they never learned its name nor did they want to know as the story as the psychic residue from the dead was strong and fresh.
"We must go to our own quarters and meditate on this for the good of our people." The Ancient Eldar said as he signaled far them to go.
Ainz went back into his robotic avatar and it was time, he hailed his astropath to send a direct link to the Old one.
The astropath was linked directly into a holograph projector and sudenly the image of the Old One working at his bench turned around ordering his thralls before acknologing the God-Emperor. Most would have been slain for the minor slight but the Old One knew he was much to important to this creature of the Warp.
"How fares the war?" The Old One said.
"Good your venom has worked perfectly as well as the magic cannons, we have taken three systems and cut into the swarm." Ainz replied.
"So my theory was right then, the first magic circle is no more than a portal to draw raw warp energy, the second circle codes the warp energy into the desired "magic" the last is a seal so percent warp entities from passing through or it creating a warp portal." The Old one said with a smile.
All of the sudden a multi armed leader of the Mechanicus lept into the picture, " I was the one who laid down the base theory of warp based power magic along with the relation to magic circles my lord!" Master Engineer of the Mechanicus added.
"Yes, my friend and I have told you that if you deliver me the nexus along with my Orc Lords you will be give title and land in the Royal family," Ainz said with a sigh.
"Good, how fares the other problem" The Old one asked.
"They are incorrigible, arrogant I do not even think the revelation of your existence would stop their hubris." Ainz said.
"The creation of the Nexus will fundamentally change the thinking of all species, they will believe in you and only you, thus weakening the warp."
"What of the Pylons on Cadia?"
"We are very close, we have 7 working prototypes, but as I said I have peered into the future Lord Ainz the Tyrands are your main threat, they have devoured the Galaxy below ours and that is how they were able to attack from underneath the plane. I fear I have underestimated them, the have fleet to attack Tau and Utramar, is just a remnant of the first fleet. We must shore up power over all the Galaxy before the main fleet crosses the gulf." The Old One said.
"HOW LONG DO WE HAVE! AInz yelled at this new development.
"One thousand years, I am sorry my Lord the fleet that invaded the Hyperion Empire in Segmentum Tempest was no more that a scouting fleet, I did not think they could make the gulf to the next Galaxy but they must of went into hibernation and slingshot around the Imperium's space and wiped out the neighboring galaxy."
"I expect you to make up for your mistakes, I will give you anything you need and let the Master Engineer help he is a being of the Warp and has insight, understood." Ainz said sternly.
"Yes, Lord!" The Old One replied, in the history of his race he had never shown another being such respect as most beings were by his creation but something about Ainz scared him, he knew he hid his power, but there was something about him when he pried into the warp and looked into the well of power that was Ainz he would find himself falling in a in a darkness that was terrifying, A being that could materialize matter from warp energy was unheard of, he was a nexus of warp and material matter.
3
On a Twisted planet full of eternal violence and struggle, the skys were red the seas were filled with blood, all laws of the universe were suspended it was a Deamon World, not just a Deamon World but one of the favorites in control of Korne the god of of Blood and war in the Eye of Terror. The world was covered with shabbily made coliseums were contestants would hack and kill each other each day to cheering rabble then the contestants would awake the next day put himself back together and fight again and again for eternity. The people watching would take to killing each other as well after the slaves in the pits were done, they would raise from where they fell the day before and repeat the process as well. There was no peace to be found on this world whose name could not be said as it was one of the 96 blasphemies, those that tried being that tried to escape from the pits were hunted down in parties and torchered to death to awake the next day still tied to a rock where the deamon beasts would feast on their innards each day until the ropes would break 20 or 40 years later. Many that were crucified spent centuries nailed in place as a external example to fight for Kornes pleasure or live a nightmare.
Above a mountain that was hollowed out and turned into a enormous coliseum that held and had a full size war with over 25,000,000 beings, human, deamon, Eldar, Kroot, Orks, Tau, and every other type of species in the universe would fight out a long bloody war that took months to complete to his delight then they were all resurrected told to put themselves back together and start over. All of the beings were mismatched as most being could not find their lost leg so they would put on whatever they could find. One human had the arm of a kroot, two legs of a Ork and the bottom jaw an a eye of a deamon. That's what all the poor creatures that looked like it this enteral war, many would steal and take parts on purpose to increase their strength because the only way to please the master would kill the most and be the last one standing, If you were able to do that he would elevate to to a hunter to find and punish those who ran and if you did a good job at that you could become a deamon prince and have your own world.
In a giant throne the avatar of Khorne watched over his eternal war just for him and watched eternity, it was in day three and things were getting desperate and the death city of units being overwhelmed and killed was music to his ears. Then the most annoying sound scratched in his ear it was Deak a winged messenger deamon that used to be a mortal warrior who had a loud commanding voice but overtime he had crushed Deak for bad news that he spoke with a calm voice with a tent of fear that he now hated.
"Master, Arvatartis deamon of Slaanesh and the current master of the deamon world Hedistar is her to speak with you." Deak said.
Khorne knew Arvatartis well over the last 10,000 years he deamon generals had fought for Hedistar and it had been won and lost more times than he could remember as a part of the great game in the Eye of Terror. Arvatartis was a good tactician and a fearsome warrior and had not reason to work for Slaanesh who seeked pleasure and pain the exact opposite of Bloodshed and War that he was the god of.
"Master I present Arvatartis!"
Khorne nodded and then reached up and grabbed Deak and crushed him in his hand as black ichor spilled out of the large 5 foot hand and threw the mangled corpse in the corner as he has finish his job for they day. Khorne then looked a Arvatartis and spoke.
"What brings me a enemies General to one of my strongholds, do you wish to defect or die?" He boomed of his fiery face, his body looked like it was made of lava and hair of fire.
"Neither Mighty Khorn, my master wished to make an alliance as you know the eldest of us had fallen to the new Chaos Dead God and he amasses some type of weapon or force on Cadia that cursed planet that clams they Eye of Terror." Arvatartis said, he was a large Deamon with a human upper body with horns and goat legs and a serpent's tail. He wore the purple robes of slaanesh and demonic armor covered with unholy sigils.
"Really, word had it the your masters favorite world is dead and had lost a third of her Army, not returned to the warp but had the energy solen from the dead king so tell me why I should team up with your master when I can take your world first along with as many as I wish. Word is that Slaanesh is working on gaining her power back and is weak, her deamon worlds cry out her but she does no answer and she has lost many to mortals!" Khorn said laughing.
"So you will not help when this crisis faces us all as you will attack and weaken chaos instead of attack the mortals who amass at our gate? Avartartis asked with a bowed head.
"Yes! I will start by killing you! He said as he drew a sword and swing down at him, Khorns avatar was so large it was easy for Avartartis jumped to the side as he saw Khorne berserkers started to rush his at both sides to hold him in place.
He shook his head and said, "You fool! The enemies at the gates and threatens our existence and all you care about it the paltry prize of a warp world! My master suspected this and wants to take you favorite world from you!" Avartis then pulled out device and pressed a button.
"We place warp fusion bombs at each fault 35 total and will kill this world the next time we meet be ready!" Suddenly, large flashes followed by booms erupted all around them, the Avartartis pushed a button on his wrist and there was a electric discharged then he was gone!
Khorne Cursed, he would not want to admit it but this was his favorite world and Slaanesh took it from him just as he/she had lost hers. Khorne flew up to see the planet break up into pieces in a maelstrom a strange warp fire, The people of the world should still reincarnate on chunks of the rock the the planet was ruined, for those poor souls floating in the void an eternity of dying in space awaited them. The war was on he would got to his next stronghold and gather his deamons and generals and attack Slaanesh on all fronts, with Nurgle gone it was time for a showdown between him and Slaanesh they were mortal enemies. This new Chaos God was not worth his time now he would deal with this upstart when he was done taking over the Eye of Terror.
Avartartis appeared on the deck of a ship that was carefully cloaked several thousands of miles away form Khorne, he began to laugh maniacally as he pushed another button and his appearance changed to the Laughing God. The plan had gone off without a hitch and Khorne was so arrogant he never suspected it was someone else to make things better they never talk to each other, they would decimate each other before they suspected foul loved the new toys the Dead King gave him and there was lots of tricks to play to keep the war burning so the weapon of Caida would on unnoticed from now one unlike before. He had to admit he had made a lot of promises that he thought he could not deliver on but here he was, these were the thing the harlequins dreamed of doing and he hated to admit it but the Dead King Delivered and more. His Harlequins had planets the bombs while he was talking the entire mission took only a few minutes, they would write a saga about this. He and his harlequins in his new ship were laughing and in a good mood but this was just the beginning, he smiled as long as he had missions like this he and his men would follow follow the Dead King!
4
Personal Log Entry M 1 034
My name is Titallus Quintus Martel and I am a Top level scholar among the the brethren at the Administratium Scholastic Imperius and was honored to be in the household of one of the greatest Noble houses in the Imperium. I hail from the Southern Continent of named Australia by the Emperor after its discovery. Unlike the Holy Eastern Continent that held the Palace and the industrial Western Continent that was a large ship yard ran by the powerful unions the Southern Continent was completely owned by the Martel Family. It is also the training and living center for the 4 major Navius Noblite families, the House of his holiness the Guardian Martellus. I am personal happy to rid of this place as it rivals the capital for political assassinations, intrigue and positioning as the three lower houses fight for number 2 position as the Navis Nobilite part of the Martel family will always be first as they are the founding family of which all other families splintered off due to marriages from other royal ancient families formed before the founding of the Imperium. This would make one think being apart of the greatest Noble House of Navigators and Third from the top only under the support house Sapato and the Royal House of Gown would be a great thing, but the only thing the three other Navis Noblites can agree upon is to try and tear down the House Martel which make no sense considering they are all of Martel blood. So as illustrious it is to wear the red inner gown color of the House and wear the Family crest of the Hammer of Gaul but as much as they were a source of honor they also made a very large target, I personally have been almost killed when a sniper bullet was stopped inches from my head thanks to the ballistic force generator around the balcony I sat at every night enjoying the sunset to a new exoctic liquer I had aquired with a freind.
I have been called upon to be one among hundreds of scholars to chronicle the Holy Black Crusade to put segmentum Tempest into the fold of the Imperium. My situation is unique as I received my credentials and position from the Administratium I am also sworn by oath to my House and receive my wages, lodging, as well as food from the House Martel. It is because of this very reason that I was called on this mission as our Lord will not be present on this part of the crusade and will be protecting Segmentium Sol while the Fleet is out claiming segmentium tempest for the Imperium. I am suspecting due to the politcal nature of this glorious campaign that I will be given the leading role in the monumental task of sifting through the massive amount of data to get the most precise accounts for future generations to read. I left in the 40th year of my life which would have been around the middle of my life before the advent of juviant treatments that can extend mens or should I say humans normal short life span to over 400 to 500 years and for elves and other demi-humans to live a millennia and beyond no one really knew. Although the Eldar refused to use it due to it using hemovore gene therapy that the Eldar consider unclean.
My adventure started by taking a house transport ship off of Holy Terra through the wonders of the officially named "Imperial Nebula" as the Emperor despises the other name the vulgar and pretentious Eldar call "The Eye of Hope". Honestly, I never could understand what the Emperor (may he live forever) sees in those blasted Space Elves. I am aware that the rest of the populace of the Imperium hate the Eldar and the Eldar hate everyone except those exalted Gods from Holy Nazarick made from the Ether and be blessed forever. They live alone and aloof from the rest of the populace in Imperium space in a corner of the Imperium only to grace us on occasion of senate meetings, and how they sneer and scoff at us. They are most hated by those races living in what we who are fortunate enough to live in the Nebula call the "Netherlands" which are a worlds and moons outside the blessed space in Segmentum Sol. The Emperor is expanding this area by a few dozen worlds or so but little consolation is it to those who live in squalor while they can see heaven in the sky above them. Then to make it to the senate for registry to be voted down by the Eldar on the committee who vote against everyone, to get on the registry you have to get favor of all three fourths of other races never the Eldar who so passionately call us the "Mun key" and most say horde the secret to eternal life.
Enough of the interspecies politics of the imperium as I could write a volume of books about the subject since the Unification Wars to great migration of species and peoples started before I was born creating the first millina of the Imperium. I found myself relaxed on the great transport ship with the Hammer Signet of the Martel family embossed on the side of the ship, it was comfortable inside I was by no means the only passenger and not the most prominent either. There were some upper Noblite of our house Navigators marked by the blessed third eye that came from our house founder and given to all navigators. Even if the lesser houses did not want to admit it they all had Martellus gene's in them and are nothing but offshoots of the main family. I would be only of a few to see this blessed mark as it was covered when not in the presents of the kin, then there were some other officials of the house, some of the treasury, scribes and servators as such. It is odd to think of all these hundreds of thousands of workers all claiming the house of Martell but only a few share his blood. Even less of direct lineage since our lady who built the house while Martellus was leading the first part of Holy Crusade had left us to sit over the senate in living statue pouring her virtue over the proceedings. Then there was Martellus second wife who carries his two sons, I was not thrilled to hear it was a lowborn women who was not human but many have speculated that a human could not carry his prodigy. I know this to be true as most of us do not think she will survive labor and that is why such a vessel was picked to carry the Holy blood of a demigod.
Much to my distaste her picture was up along with our blessed lady saint Nemu and our House head in the transport as I walked around the portion ment for passengers. That is when I saw the largest hand made thing I have ever seen, they call it a wonder of our age the great "World Makers" in the Nebula working their unseen magic within their great shell. They say each one was blessed and have a small piece of the Emperor in the machine spirits within the vessel and that is how they create worlds as our Emperor created the first worlds weaving the ether into rock and water, ocean and sky. It was as sight to behold as I have only been off world once and it was to the rings around terra. There was an unusual presents on the ships passengers two enormous space marines who were charged with house guard duty, no one went near them but they were a site to behold. We made a few stops at other planets picking people up and dropping them off. Then we finally reached the edge of the nebula the golden glow of the light of the Astronomicon flowing through the remade webway and etheric tubes turned to dark space dotted with distant stars that held far off plants.
It took and hour before one could really see the grandness of the fleet, the largest ship the behemoth ships were I was to be away from the fight and protected by the countless, Kastral class fightings ships, the great Juggernaut ships of the Guardians. Last was the sleek ship that glowed a deep crimson, it seem almost a negative space that light did not escape. I asked one of the Navigators what is was and he was all too happy to tell me that was the Emperor's ship that would lead us into battle. He went on to say that each ship had two or three navigators but that ship was so powerful it needed over ten navigators. We docked the the biggest ship of all the size of the small moon the Behemoth, I was ushered onto a transport train where it took four hours to get to our rooms. My room was a single with a bathroom and full amenities, the room open up to a common area that all the other scholars rooms connected to, down the hall we were escorted to the Libarus Lexicanum were all records and updates were digitally sent for us scholars to make a coherent record of it for all the rest of the population to read.
As we were all ushered in and marveled at the holographic screen projections of the fleet and a hundreds on cogitators printing out real time statistics and troop movements, commands from Generals, Navy Admirals and even decrees from the Emperor (May he be Blessed). A rather unfriendly looking man with the with jet black imperial uniform of the cadre of the Emperor himself came in, he had scars and burns on the majority of his face, he could have had them heald but I guess that he liked them to scare anyone who would question his authority.
"My name is General Tillman I fought in the Unification Wars and serve the Emperor, many of the things that you will hear and see in this place are secrete and will remain so. We will filter out many of the things that are classified but that does not mean from time to time the servators or cogitartos will miss something. It is your duty to report it and have it destroyed, if you fail to do so you will be mind wipes and turned into a servator. Do I make myself clear?"
"Everyone nodded or simply stated "yes" in uniform fashion that lacked military discipline. Only I lifted my hand and asked,
"Sir or umm, General how do we know what is considered classified and what is not?" I stammed over my words."
The General smiled as if he was wanting someone to ask and said, "Any and all information that puts the imperium or the Emperor in a negative light, all information that could be used against the Imperium, toop formations, tactics and size, if you use common sense as your guide your will be fine. Remember you are not only writing a historical account of what happen here but you will be the one and only source for all major news outlets to write stories on the annexation of the Hyperion Empire and the war with the Tyranids. Do you understand now?" The General said staring right at me this time.
"Yes, yes Sir I do, thank you!" I snapped back giving my best salute I could muster and he gave one back and exited the room.
One older looking man with a long flowing beard and the square hate if a mid ranking scholar the administratum shook his head, "We a scholars not propagandist." he hissed
"What do you think history is, who are the ones who write it? The ones who win that's who!" A tall thin man from the House of Bloodfalled said.
Some laughed and others agreed at the grim reality of what their jobs really were which was pure propaganda, to make the victories glorious and the defeats plans to lead to future victory. It was a bitter pill to swallow but such was the Imperium, anyone who dared to write negatively against it would be taken away in chains by the Inquisition. Later we would find out that one of the "scholars" was and Inquisitor.
I know that the Emperor and the Holy being of the warp made of immense power but after the Emperor gave his glorious speech that we recorded in High Gothic in the master archive, Thane of the ancient house Renner recommended us to go to the observation bubble as we jumped into the warp. As we all ushered in and strapped into our seats with the help of Naval Helmsman we eagerly watched the countdown.
"Do you think we will see any Daemons of the warp?" Theocrates of house Mcgill a powerfill union family said like a giddy boy in the Administratium Scholastica on a trip.
"It is possible but not likely, the warp is large and a wrathe or daemons wandering in the middle of nowhere would be unlikely." Stratus Kin a direct representative of Administratium spoke out.
The clock went to zero and as everyone eagerly looked outside, then time stopped, everything leapt forward while standing still, then the blackness of space dotted with the pinpoints of light faded away. Thick currents of red, pink, purple and colors their words for like fluid and clouds spun violently like an ocean, lighting strikes constantly hit the ship as other sheet lighting arced across the sky if he could call it that he thought. It was not at all what he thought, space was a unorganized place but there was laws of time, gravity, distance, here all those things went away into a chaotic maelstrom.
"What is that" I said pointing to what looked a whirlpool.
The tall thin man from the house of bloodfallen who I later found his name was Light turned to me and said, "All that you see is called immaterium it is a psychoactive fluid that is benign in the warp. Whenever there is a large group of collective emotions; suffering; hate and most of all death the immaterium reacts creating storms, our very presents is causing pools and eddies and the warp from our collective feelings. With enough raw emotion or craft warp storms can appear" Light said with a smile.
"Are they...dangerous?" I said in a hushed tone as if everyone around me so no one could hear.
"Oh yes, are you not from one of the greatest Navigators houses? Do you not know that if it were not for the Navigators the Warp would be impossible to traverse as they are able to navigate around the warp storms and deamon held areas the are forbidden to go to until the Emperor sets those systems free from their hellish realm?" Light asked with an upturned eyebrow giving me a quizzical look.
"Well I knew they were guided by the astronomicon that guided it like a ship as is at sea, and without the two Warp travel is impossible but I have never seen the warp until today, it is a terrible place!" I exclaimed, then in a low voice I asked Light.
"How could the Emperor and the Holy Being of Nazarick be born from such a place while nothing but evil beings, daemons, wraths, Chaos gods and Hell itself come from this place?" I asked.
"Ah, that question could be considered Heresy and the answers even more dangerous?" Light answered back. "Come walk with me back to the quarters were less ears are about.
We both unbucked from the chairs as the jump was complete and the disorientation was over and jumped on a transport and rode back to our area. In deep thought Light scratched his chin considering carefully what to say.
Finally he spoke with a rather odd question, "What would you give for the Emperor?"
"Everything, Terra was a dark cruel place and so was Segmentum Sol before he took it for himself, the Galaxy is dark and he is the light! Although I am pledged to the House of Warmaster Martellus I would never betray my God and King!" I replied.
Light smiled, "Good, I was not wrong about you, even though you question you still have faith in the Emperor instead of those who blindly follow. Those who have not tested their faith will fall away when adversity comes." Light said smiling.
"Since the ancient ones seeded the Galaxy with life it unexpectedly made the warp, it is where are fears, hopes, dreams and eventually our souls go, what the ancients call heaven and hell." Light said quoting the Necroteuch word for word.
"The war spread across the Universe in the War of the heavens, that's when the Chaos god of war, Khorne, the god of disease Nurgle, and the god of pleasure and hedonism Slaanesh were born of the evils of the creatures across the Galaxy. Even though these "gods" could not exist without us they see us as nothing but play things but they all made one fatal error." Light said.
"What was that? Everything the Light had said was in the Necrotech except for what he was about to say.
"There is one other thought or emotion that is more powerful than fear, death, war, hate, death, pain or pleasure and that is faith! With faith, you see is not just an emotion but also an expectation and a belief that creates a core of a person, if you cut faith open it is /made of hope, joy, peace the very essence of all that is good in creatures across the Universe. So when those filth Chaos gods or unspeakable wars happened those that died in fear and fed chaos but they also all died with a little faith bringing the hope that something or someone would come along and break the cycle it took thousands of millenia or it to form the Emperor but it did. If you look in every civilization from the core of the universe to the Halo stars on the rim they all have a messiah, or great warrior or God that will come to save them, even the uppity Eldar do as well, that person is the Emperor. Rumor has is that when he was born a entire Galaxy died to give him life of its own free will. It was in fact the Galaxy he live in but that is just rumor in the darkest shadows of the Royal court." Light said with a wink.
"What of the Chaos Guardians, how were they born of the warp if it took so much to create our Lord?" I asked not knowing if the information was getting was true or just rumors.
"Ah, they are creation of the Emperor brought to life by him, he weaved their bodies as he did with the first world in the Holy Nebula then he breathed not just life but a personality that he wanted just like Lord Demiurge remade your master Martellus in in to what he desired?" Light said as he watch two beautiful Temple prostitutes zoomed by on foot.
"If all this is tue how do you know this Master Light? I hope you have not gotten any forbidden codex?" I asked as gentle as nicely as i could.
"What if I did?" Light said in an intimidating voice his countenance completely changed as I could tell he was doing everything he could to intimidate me.
"I would report you, you could kill me if you wanted but I always have the last 12 hours of my day recorded through my vox and in the case of my death it would be sent to the local arabites as I lived on Terra with the Noble families feuding I am no stranger to assassinations and have a a few aimed at me." I said as confidently as I could trying to expose the fear I felt.
Just then we got to out stop and we both got out without a word I quickly went into the common area where there was food and snacks. I peeled off quickly to my room waved my hand in front of the DNA reader and the door opened to a dark room, I flicked the lights on and I jumped as other people were in my room just as I saw the I heard a error warning from my door that meant it did not lock and close because a hand blocked it. I looked over my shoulder to see Light standing in the doorway then took a few steps in so the door would now close.
I grabbed the ring on my finger and activated it and said, "Stay back this a an explosive and will kill us all." Well I more or less screamed it like a frightened boy.
"Ah yes a Jakaero micro=weapon must have cost you a fortune, genius race even though they do look it six foot tall apes, one of the first race we brought into the fold what they have done for our weapons tech is amazing, I have one as well although this one shoots a single large discharge of plasma and as with all micro weapons it takes a week to recharge." He said as he walked toward me at first the ring looked a simple decorative ring but when he set of some type of mechanism the ring transformed the tiny red skull representing the mask of the Emperor and the setting around changes into a I with three lines though the middle of it and a skull on top of that.
"But that's a… that means you a an INQUISITOR?! I could not help but yell.
"Yes you are correct and I have been testing you ever since your selection to be on the committee a year ago, but I believe so, introductions are in order this is my Technical specialist of the order of Mechanicym Gogitus Delta Boel.
"Greeting my baptismal name if from holy being of Nazarick who made the first Guns!" He explained as he shook my hand.
"The next person who might recognize, I will let her introduce herself. As I looked up standing there was my ex-girlfriend and the one who convinced me to take this assignment and the dumped me after I had signed the contract.
"YOU! I guess I was that you never did love me, is Gamora even your real name or should I call you 00 witch or something?
She looked down and back up at to gathering her words and said, "Yes that is my real name, and over time I did develop feelings for you, my assignment was just to become friends and influence you to take the job while I collected information on you so take that anyway you wish but we are coworkers now so we must put the past behind us and have a good future." She finished with an outstretched hand and I took it and shook on a successful future.
Then it hit me, "What a minute what do you need with a scholar with a background is Historical documentation I do not have 21 years of training as the Inquisitors do I am not qualified I have never shot a gun?" I asked
Light smiled and said, "Many do not know anything about the Inquisition and we like it that way, Except for the few inquisitors that work alone most have a retinue that specialize in things they need. Delta he is a expert in machines, weapons and also is what we call a slicer, he can hank into almost any code in minutes that would take cogitars hours. Gamora is a actress and played her parts perfectly when we are undercover she usually plays my wife as inquisitors do not get married a work hazard. Then there is you, I am sure you are not aware but you are a very wanted man, Many of your assassination attempts were to get ahold or your brain, you, Zane the personal servant to Martellus and your professor who died due his age all had a memory spell go wrong during a experiment correct?
"Yes" I replied.
"It was a memory spell that activated nearby nano machines that were experimental the container exploded when the spell when wrong, you then breathed then in, they entered all of your bloodstreams a replaced the memory portion of your brain giving you perfect recall. One of those nanomachines cost about a thousand credits your brain is worth 10 billion credits Titallus. After a lot of infighting the Inquisition won you and put you in this position you are now.
I suddenly felt sick, I am guess I am property of the Imperium? I asked.
"Oh no just your brain but if you had it removed you would not last long, you would not believe the fight over you in the high command but the Inquisition got you and now you will work with me and other for the rest of your life! Congratulation to a new life of excitement!
Then everything went black, because after hearing the new because I passed out at that point from the revelation that I was not longer a simple scholar but a part of one of the most secretive organization in the imperium. I abruptly awoke to the smell of salts and sat up in my bed, from the looks of it I had only been out a few moments.
"So you and I as I am playing another scholar will be privy to some of the most sensitive secretes in the Imperium during the archiving of the Crusade, we are to make sure no information get out of protective custody and to sniff out any agents working for other governments." Light said as his other two cadre stood up with him and walked to the door..
"We will leave it for there for the rest of the night it is late, get some sleep" Light said as they all left leaving me in my dark room with my mind racing finding unable to go to sleep.
Authors Note: Back to the chapter I had Ainz finally show and his power plus his schemes for the Chaos Gods and the Universe, I also explained how magic works in this universe, the big question is that are Terran's and Psyker's the only ones who can use it, what do you think? The Tyranid King is coming and if Ainz does not get ready the Universe has a freshness date of 1000 years...dun...dun..dun. Also whats this about the Orc Lords Ainz is creating? Will he kill the Orcs or find a way to bring them in the fold? Which one do you think would be cooler? Also I finally got a side story with a Inquisitor in it for all you Rossette fans, we might also see some officio assassinorum action to! Since I am feeling better the next Chapter will be out sooner, probably not over 10k words long!