CHAPTER IV: ENCOUNTER
This happened at the time when I had finished my wanderings through Hell and returned to Baphomet's citadel, the Icon of Sin, where I would be proclaimed his lieutenant together with the other twelve. You have seen my Lord, marine, and you know how he looked like. The ceremony that took place was long and sophisticated and I would not go into details. Hell was getting stronger and the time for conflict was at hand.
It could be said that we craved conflict – our lust for slaughter and pillaging was enormous, and our patience was running out. You had the opportunity to see our armies, and the destruction that they left in their wake. You also know that our army was supported by merciless undead servitors, vicious spirits of the vengeful dead, and cybernetic constructs that look as if they have crawled out of your worst nightmares. Together, all types of creatures formed the mightiest army that is known to any species. The fear of this army's unrelenting advance gave Hell an even darker image that appeared in various religious teachings as the symbol of ultimate evil. Not that the image was wrong – our malice was unmatched, and the superstitious fears of mortals were not mere deceptions.
The conquest of realms was our final agenda, laid down by Baphomet, and embraced by every dark inhabitant of his domain. At that time, the Earth was desolate, but the great Master of all demons promised that one day, a race would arise there, and it would become our ultimate victim. Back then, I did not know how He was so sure about the emergence of the human race. Now I know all, and soon you will learn that secret too.
It so happened that the first victims of Hell would be a race dedicated to advanced technology. They had engineered a method of Gate–traveling – an inferior technological imitation of true Gatekeepers' powers. We, the Thirteen, sensed their experiments as they produced torrents and disturbances in the fabric of reality itself. We watched them. They were undoubtedly advanced though their bodies were frail. They used their Gates to explore the Universe, sending expeditionary groups to distant lifeless worlds, seeking natural resources for their colonization agenda.
Until one day, they made a mistake.
The surge of energy that we felt was more powerful than before. Within moments we realized that a Gate was opened in Hell and those alien creatures had sent a huge scouting party, armed with powerful weapons. They were hunting for demons.
Little did they know that they had opened a Gate at a place that would be their doom. Exploring the areas around the Obsidian Canyons, they had awoken its terrible inhabitants – the Nameless ancient demons – giant masses of muscle and rage that stomp through the battlefield and destroy everything in their path... You have seen them before, marine, though they looked differently and had high–tech cybronic implants. You mortals know those fierce destroyers as... Cyberdemons. Indeed, those ancient tyrants lived in that canyon and in their fury, they utterly exterminated the alien scouting party. The invaders could not even attempt to defend themselves.
Baphomet decreed that intrusion into His realm were an unforgivable offence that He could not bear. The invasion of their home world and swift retribution was at hand.
This war lasted for five months. It was probably the first real campaign that demons led, utilizing their immense bloodlust, excellent combat skills, and burning hatred. The battles were glorious, but there is no time for long vivid tales. I will only tell you of my first real battle experience.
After successfully opening my Gate, I, for the first time, had to control it and summon forth the hordes of Hell. Being Baphomet's lieutenant I had the power to be morphed (for a short time) into my current form – a giant demon that could be integrated into machinery. I felt the Gate as if it were a part of my body. Then I reached out with my consciousness and sought the children of Hell. Then I concentrated – a pod of power came into my mind and I thought of protruding it into existence, with its core – the heart of a demon.
And it worked – a metal pod with skulls on its sides came forth and flew through the humid air. It landed and shattered into pieces – and a Hell Knight proudly stood up from the debris. Filled with confidence, I summoned forth many other demons – Barons of Hell, Imps, and Cacodemons. Once I had fully mastered that technique, I could muster the ravenous legions of Hell. This first battle of mine was bloody and victorious.
I fought many other battles – in deserts, frozen wastelands and mountains. I learned of the advantages and dangers of those various types of terrain and how to best make my strategy to various situations. I also learned that I had to always watch for any threats towards my only weak spot – the Orifice of Summoning, the hole in my forehead that was an opening into my burning brain and its swirling summoning powers. Through there I was able to "grab" and instantly carry my troops to any place I wanted.
The war was not won easily – the aliens had advanced armor and plasma weapons that gave them an advantage over our warriors. This was rectified when the Barons of Hell launched a massive assault on that civilization's center of power. It was a slaughter to remember. Still, we did not destroy their cities completely – we preserved or corrupted them. Their planet was to be an outpost of Hell... What? Hah, I knew you would ask whether it still exists. I won't tell you. It will bother you for a long time – you will spend days and night wondering about that last outpost of Hell and does it still exist... Worry not – you'll never find it so do not waste your absurdly short life looking for it. The Universe is vast.
In the final battle to claim their world, we, Gatekeepers, had the duty to summon forth more and more hordes of demons. We were attacked several times, but those aliens did not know what our weak spot was – the orifice of channeling that is on my forehead. They tried to win with power, but we won with sheer numbers. Their defenders were literally drowned in the waves of our invading forces. Soon afterwards, my warriors spread through the city and all Hell broke loose. It took us two months more to wipe out all residual resistance and dominate the planet.
With the conquest of those creatures, we had gained experience, their planet for a new outpost to build and, most important, their technology. Technology that would make us much more powerful than ever before and change the way we wage war by adding some important additions to it.
I will now tell you about the new things that came to Hell with the conquest of that alien race...