RWBY 40k – Salem, Mistress of Inquisition.
Intermission 3 : Edelgard, the Lady of Chemos.
853.M30. Chemos.
Chemos has changed a lot since joining the Imperium.
Fulgrim began to build a confederation of kingdoms sharing family ties by marrying nobles from Chemos to those from other planets.
As time passed, this confederation increasingly shared common interests with their close family ties.
In addition, Fulgrim made them dependent on him after giving the newly conquered planets to these same nobles.
Fulgrim was also married to Udili von Himmlischen Turms, a daughter of the king of Trappist, a rich kingdom made up of 7 rocky planets.
That year, Udili was 9 months pregnant and watched the city from her bedroom balcony.
Udili: "The view is beautiful, isn't it?"
She stroked her belly.
Udili: "I know, my baby. When you are in my arms. You will be able to fully admire it."
She suddenly felt shots in her stomach.
Udili saw that his belly was deformed by small blows. Probably the baby kicking. The mother smiled.
Udili: "You can't wait, aren't you?"
A few days later, in a sector to the east.
The III Legion was fighting against the Orks of the Karkmork Empire.
Fulgrim was planning his offensive against the WAAAGH on his own in the Pride of Emperor.
Knocks are heard in the door.
Fulgrim: "Enter."
An Astropath entered.
Fulgrim: "What's going on?"
Astropath: "This is your wife... Edelgard has just been born."
Fulgrim: "Edelgard? What Edelgard? What are you... Wait. Udili just gave birth?!"
Astropath: "A girl who has your eyes and your hair."
Fulgrim smiled with relief.
Fulgrim: "That's good news. A future warrior."
Astropath: "I retire, great Phoenician of Chemos."
The Astropath left the room, leaving Fulgrim alone.
Fulgrim: "I'll be back soon. Don't worry..."
A few weeks later... Fulgrim returned to Chemos and saw Udili with Edelgard in his arms.
Fulgrim: "Let me see her."
Udili presented the baby to him and Fulgrim picked it up.
Fulgrim could see Edelgard up close.
The baby had hair as white as snow and an elegant face.
Fulgrim: "Edelgard. You look beautiful."
Right after those words, Edelgard opened her eyes, revealing her deep purple eyes.
Fulgrim: "You have the same eyes as me... I feel that I will teach you a lot of things."
In the years that followed, Edelgard grew up in an environment that was both warlike and civilized.
She quickly became a child whose beauty and agility approached the perfectionist vision of her father Fulgrim.
When Edelgard reached the age of 5, Fulgrim began to teach his princess poetry, painting, culture and then politics as well as the art of waging war.
He wanted his daughter to be a perfect heiress in all areas who could one day lead crusades in the name of the Imperium but also of Chemos.
Like his father and uncles, Edelgard was able to learn and understand at superhuman speed.
When she reached the age of 7, she had already mastered everything that the sages of Chemos and her father could teach her in terms of philosophy and culture.
So, Fulgrim decided it was time she learned how to fight.
We find her 8 years old, in the Proud of the Emperor leaving on a new Crusade.
She is dressed in a workout outfit while her white hair is tied in a braid and falls down her back.
Edelgard: "What are you going to teach me father?"
Fulgrim: "I think the time has come to learn how to fight. Know that the enemies who will face you will be merciless."
Edelgard: "I know father."
Fulgrim: "Come. The first vital thing to be a good warrior is to have a good weapon."
He showed his daughter a rack of weapons, wooden weapons.
Edelgard could see a sword, a spear, an axe, a bolter, a glaive, a halberd, a chainsword, a sabre, a foil, a scythe and others.
Fulgrim "Follow your instincts and choose wisely and calmly."
Edelgard picked up the sword and began trying it out by flicking it in the air.
Dissatisfied, she took it away and took the other weapons to try them out.
But one ends up suiting her more than the others. It was the wooden axe, she wielded more skillfully than the rest.
She wore a slight smile.
Edelgard: "I found my weapon."
Fulgrim: "Good. Now, Edelgard. Let's start at the beginning."
He walked to a lever and pulled it. Floor hatches opened and mannequins emerged from the floor.
Fulgrim: "Start hitting those targets."
Edelgard: "Yes, father."
She walked towards the targets and started hitting the dummies with her ax with all her might. But that had little effect, as it barely moved them.
Edelgard came out tired after a few minutes.
Edelgard: "I can't take it anymore."
Fulgrim: "Rest then you will resume."
Edelgard: "Yes father."
Over time, Edelgard grew stronger and trained with Hulder Derfor, an Emperor's Children among the most agile and experienced halberdiers.
While Fulgrim waged his Crusade against the human Empire of the Grisbins, Edelgard remained behind in his ship battering the dummies.
Hulder: "Hit from the side! Harder!"
Edelgard obeyed and kicked the dummy which broke and fell to the ground.
Hulder: "You're getting better Edelgard."
Edelgard: "Thank you, Helder."
Hulder: "I'm doing my duty, Lady Edelgard. Now let's try your newfound skill. What is it?"
Edelgard: "An aura of wind."
Hulder: "An aura of wind? Show me."
Edelgard clenched her fist and threw the fist at another dummy.
A gust of wind made it vibrate a little.
Hulder: "I see... A very helpful skill, princess."
Edelgard: "What can she do to me?"
Hulder: "You can throw your opponents with it, it can serve as a wind shield, or better handle weapons by making them sharper, you could even fly if you want."
Edelgard: "How do I go about it."
Hulder: "You must find it yourself. Finding our own perfection is the motto of Chemos, your father and the III Legion. Such is the nature of the Aura."
Edelgard: "..."
Hulder looked his student in the eye and took his hand.
Hulder: "The Aura is a blessing. A blessing that saves life and brings prosperity to billions of lives. A princess like you should use it with passion and awareness."
Edelgard: "With passion?"
Hulder: "Yes the passion for living, for fighting, for art, for culture and for trivial things as primal."
He let go of Edelgard.
Edelgard: "I see... Thank you."
Helder: "We've done enough for today. You can leave."
Eldegard arrived in her locker room and dressed in formal attire.
(Note: Take Edelgard von Hresvelg's student outfit but with IIIrd Legion symbols).
She left the training room.
She walked down the long hallways as the ship's crew greeted her respectfully.
She arrived in front of her apartments and entered, whose servants bowed before her.
Edelgard: "I want to be alone. Don't disturb me."
She entered her bedroom, with a large bay window.
This bay window was showing a hive world, surrounded by the fleet of the IIIrd Legion.
The skies above the planet were ablaze, showing the devastation of war in the distance.
She picked up a pot of tea before heating it on an electric heated table from Adoria.
Once it was hot, she poured it herself into her cup before sitting down on a chair facing the window.
Edelgard stared at the battle from afar.
Edelgard: "Am I going to survive this Crusade?"
In 869.M30, Edelgard is now 15 years old.
She has grown a lot in terms of wisdom and construction.
Edelgard now had long, silky white hair. Her appearance was that of a young girl.
That day she was being dressed by the maids in great armor.
(Note: Appearance and armor from Fire Emblem Three Hopes but with the symbol of Chemos on the breastplate).
Today, she was going to fight with her father for the first time.
Their enemy is the Ork Empire of Iron Teeth. Ruled by ferocious Orks of Klan Goffs, a clan known for its particularly enormous brutality.
This warlike empire was spreading panic in a sector to the west of the Galaxy. The planet of Cevos was crying out for help from the Imperium with the threat at its doorstep.
The IIIrd Legion was sent to eliminate this calamity on the planet of Cavis, the planet next to Cevos.
Edelgard: "It would be enough."
The maids finish their job and Edelgard leaves her chamber and goes to meet her father.
Fulgrim: "This is time Edelgard. You have to go to war."
Edelgard: "Yes father. I will."
They go to the Drop pods accompanied by the Astartes of the Flagship.
Edelgard: "Father. I am feeling nervous."
Fulgrim: "It's okay. The first time is always painful. But you are a princess, soon a Phoenician."
Edelgard: "I know father."
Fulgrim: "Now come."
They entered the drop pods.
Edelgard: "Let's go father."
Fulgrim: "We'll see what you're capable of."
The pods closed and then after a moment of silence. The pods were dropped from the Proud of the Emperor.
They fell towards a mountainous area, where there was an Ork outpost.
Fulgrim: "Go ahead my sons! Show these monsters that we do not underestimate the strength of Humanity!"
The Emperor's Children engaged in a furious hand-to-hand combat against the Ork Goffs.
They unleashed their special abilities to their aura.
Some were running as fast as a missile. Others deployed a gigantic force. Still others had offensive or defensive powers over every concept imaginable.
Some pass on abilities to others to strengthen the rest of the legion.
Edelgard and his father on their side are fighting against the Orks.
The young princess was disgusted to fight these orks for the first time in her life. To see their blood flow.
Despite this immense disgust she had because of her first blood. She fought with all her might, cutting her enemies with the air like leaves from trees.
Armed with her Adamantium axe, which she named "The Tornado". (Note: Take a silver ax from Fire Emblem Warriors first game).
She would eviscerate any ork that came her way.
Fulgrim seeing his daughter's dazzling progress could only smile. She was going to be a real warrior as an adult.
The Legion was advancing rapidly through the mountains and after hours of fighting. They arrived in front of the Ork outpost.
It was very high iron walls. Almost 50 meters. A real fortress.
Fulgrim: "Let those who can climb lead the way to the walkways!"
The Orks from the top of their walls fire their projectiles. The Emperor's Children who could climb the walls or fly came level with the Orks on the ramparts.
The Emperor's Children soon got rid of their enemies. Allowing other Space Marines and members of the Imperial Army to climb the ramparts by various means.
Fulgrim and Edelgard arrived at the main door.
Edelgard: "How to force it. This door seems very hard to me..."
Fulgrim: "With that..."
He closed his eyes before opening them again, revealing flames surrounding his eyes.
His sword ignited several thousand degrees and he planted it. Fulgrim cut a large part of the door leaving a large passage for his sons before kicking it open, opening the passage in question.
The Emperor's Children rushed down the passage, shooting and mowing down any Orks and other Gretchins throwing themselves at them.
Edelgard: "How did you do father?"
Fulgrim: "It's the ultimate form of my Aura. It allows me to manipulate the elements in addition to giving me strength. Don't worry, I'll try to awaken it in you. I can feel it."
Edelgard: "Good, father..."
The III Legion began to destroy the Orks of the outpost.
Then the duo arrived at the Warboss of the base.
Warboss: "WAAAAGHH!"
The Warboss rushed into a furious close combat against Fulgrim, which allowed Edelgard to strike him with his ax with terrible blows.
The Ork screamed and tried to hit Edelgard but Fulgrim forced him to fight him.
Finally after a fight full of strength. Fulgrim finishes him off with a flame attack. The Warboss fell dead.
The Astartes pushed the Orks and slaughtered the remaining enemies.
Shortly after, silence fell and Fulgrim looked at the fortress which was damaged by the fights but remained quite presentable.
Fulgrim: "It would be a shame to miss out on a base like this. For once, the Orks have got it right. This outpost will have the Imperium flag atop it."
Edelgard: "It's true..."
Fulgrim: "Good. Let's warn Cevos. This planet is habitable."
Later in the Proud of the Emperor.
Fulgrim was ahead of Edelgard. His eyes was normal again.
Fulgrim: "Know one thing Edelgard. This form that I have just manifested before your eyes is the result of long training and the repeated use of my powers in the heat of the moment. If you wish to obtain it, you learn to know your Aura. Then once that is done, the other elements will come to you."
Edelgard: "What makes you say that I have this same form as you?"
Fulgrim: "I can feel a force deep in your soul that is just waiting to be awakened. It will come little by little through time and experience, to manifest itself through your will. Do you understand me?"
Edelgard: "Yes... I understand."
Fulgrim: "By the way, I think taking a few lessons from your grandmother and your uncle Magnus would be nice for you."
Edelgard: "Why?"
Fulgrim: "They might get you some answers on that when you're ready."
Edelgard: "I see..."
To be continued… Episode 28: Rising of the Princesses.
Kariady and Edelgard began to take their roles seriously. Kariady tries to be a diplomat when Edelgard tries to become one of the most greatest fighters in the Imperium.