A/N We've breached 100K Words! I honestly never expected to stick with a story for this amount of writing, let alone in how short a time I've actually gotten this much written. I hope you all enjoy, and please feel free to review!
You know how warp travel is wildly inconsistent? The trip to Ultramar had taken roughly two months, with our discovery of Raya's pregnancy at the last week of the journey. The journey back from Macragge?
Two Days.
Something happened. Something Big. My conversation with Tu'Shan had helped a decent amount, but when I saw the fleet around Terra bustling with activity that I could see from orbit, I knew things were about to go to absolute shit.
"Being called to the Golden Palace is seen as an honor that even Lords of the Segmentum would disembowel themselves over. Yet, with this third occasion, I find myself dreading it. David, continue altering my perceptions in this way, and I will have to accelerate your Inquisitorial Training Regimen." Vail spoke, standing to my left and ahead of me.
"I'm already reading over nine dataslates a day on Inquisition procedures and regulations…Don't even get me started on learning Eldar. The Sisters of the Order Dialogous do their work well, but god darn that language is a pain in the rear." I shot back, adjusting my hat and my holsters.
"I can still make it worse. I can hand you over Rakel to splice the information to your brain directly. How would you enjoy twenty years of education burned into your prefrontal cortex, Foothill?" Vail replied, looking over the approaching the bustling lights of shuttles and ships. I could see Macragge's Honour preparing to dock as well.
"If you were going to do that, you would've done it after the Mariachi incident, Jefa." I countered, earning a slightly stifled chuckle from the Inquisitor.
"So much has happened I nearly forgot about that." Vail chuckled, and I scoffed. Yeah right, you don't forget anything, Amberley. "I never asked, were you classically trained?"
"A few years in marching band, played in church. I'm better with a saxophone. My brother Ji…no James. He hated me calling him Jim. He could run a trumpet a lot better than I could."
"A lot of your family share that name, I've noticed. It's not your given one, but you took it yourself." Vail Noted, and our shuttle rocked as we breached the atmosphere into the airspace of Earth.
"It's a family name. Even back to twelfth century England the name James was in the family. Only right it's here so many years later."
"And your child? Have you considered names?" Vail asked, and I felt a smile grow on my face.
"A few, Raya and I need to discuss a few more things, but it's still early. I dunno if she's got any ideas on names. She's doing the hard part. I just donated some DNA." I spoke, "I know what you're doing. Distract me with this mushy stuff to prepare me for whatever Rakel's told you about beforehand."
"I can't enjoy a simple conversation with my student? A student who's a father to be?" Amberley turns to face me with a raised eyebrow and a frown.
"Amberley, I call you a friend, and I hope you consider me one, but you don't do anything without a reason." I spoke, and the shuttle shuddered as we made landfall. The doors opened up and Raya pushed past us to exit first before turning and gesturing with her head to follow her.
"Inquisitor, Husband. Follow me, and be quick. Things have escalated since the last time we were here." Raya spoke with no room left for argument. We fell in step behind her quickly as we marched through the Imperial Palace to reach the ultimate destination.
"Custodes Vox transmission?" I asked, earning a curt nod from my wife.
"All agents are to report to the Sanctum Imperialis. Exceptions were made for those on missions of dire consequence, but the Captain-General wanted as many of the Ten Thousand here as possible." Raya spoke, marching at a brisk pace.
"I've got a feeling that things are about to get a whole lot more complicated, Jefa." I muttered.
"I find myself agreeing, Interrogator."
You've never seen a military parade until you've witnessed the audacity that is an Imperium gathering. I thought I had managed a decent gathering of men and women when rallying my forces against the Skaven, but here, in front of the Sanctum Imperialis…
Rows upon Rows of Custodians, followed by a massive number of space marines, Retributors that were here to retrieve their orders from the High Lords, Space Wolves a sect called the Wolf Blades. The Ultramarines, filtering in and settling into their own positions in the crowd. The Lucifer Blacks and the Palatine Sentinels, and the Battalions of the Old Hundred of the Imperial Army. All gathered, all standing in formation.
Guilliman entered, and the attention turned to him, marching with purpose right down the middle of the Aisle towards the Sanctum Imperialis. His face was stone until the gates of the Sanctum Imperialis burst open, and Golden light spilled out from within.
All eyes jerked over to the doors. The light was near blinding, until you heard it. Footsteps of Armored Boots stomping out.
The Emperor of Mankind, Revelation, Longinus, Anathema, Golden Armor once again fitted to his form. Guilliman froze, and The Emperor marched towards him, grabbed his hand, and hoisted it above his head.
"MY SON…HAS COME HOME!" He roars, and the crowd loses it. The cheers and cries of triumph are loud enough to fill the entire space, I see the Warlord Class titans even standing straighter, brandishing their shields in a salute.
"I…HAVE BEEN RESTORED! MY STRENGTH RETURNS BY THE SECOND!" He continues, unbothered by the roar of the gathered forces, I can see the Guard already kneeling, I can hear the low roar of prayers being said, and the light coming from the Gold-Clad Emperor grows even brighter.
"NO LONGER SHALL THE ENEMY CALL 'CORPSE-EMPEROR'! NO LONGER SHALL THE IMPERIUM SEE ONLY BONES WHEN THEY PRAY FOR SALVATION! NO LONGER SHALL MY IMPERIUM STAGNATE WITHOUT PROPER LEADERSHIP!"
There's an energy in the room, and I see Dorn march to stand on the other side of the Emperor, and the crowd's vigor doubles as they witness two primarchs standing alongside the restored Emperor, who opens his mouth to speak once more.
"NO LONGER SHALL OUR WORK GO UNFINISHED, NO LONGER SHALL THE IMPERIUM BE A SHADOW OF ITS FORMER GLORY. UPON THE THRONE I WORKED, UPON THE THRONE I WITHERED, BUT I AM FREE!"
"NOW, UPON MY OWN TWO FEET, I WORK FOR YOU, I WORK FOR THE GLORY OF THE IMPERIUM, FOR THE GLORY OF MAN! GATHER YOURSELVES! PREPARE YOUR MEN, YOUR WEAPONS, YOUR HEARTS AND YOUR SOULS! FOR IT IS TIME FOR US TO RESTORE OUR IMPERIUM! IT IS TIME FOR US TO BRING HUMANITY BACK TO THE FOREFRONT OF THIS UNIVERSE, TO PUSH BACK THE POWERS BACK TO THE DUST FROM WHENCE THEY CAME!"
The entirety of the attention was on the Emperor as he drew his sword, raising the flaming blade above his head in a promise of battle and retribution.
"THROUGH OUR BLOOD WE SHALL LAY THE ENEMY LOW! THROUGH OUR BONE WE SHALL STRIKE THE ALIEN DOWN! THROUGH OUR FURY WE SHALL LET REALITY QUAKE BENEATH OUR FEET! THROUGH OUR HEARTS, WE SHALL MAKE THIS IMPERIUM GREAT AGAIN!"
Terra quaked with the roar that followed.
The speech concluded, the primarchs and the Emperor retreated to the Golden Throne, and Raya guided us to follow shortly after. Amberley was wide eyed, but steeled herself and made sure to compose her appearance to stand before the newly restored Emperor.
We entered the Throne Room, Amberley for the first time, and beheld the Man from only meters away.
I could see him properly now, he wasn't fully restored, to my knowledge, but he was standing, and he wasn't confined to the throne anymore. He stood before it, watching as Guilliman gathered the information given to him.
"So…you gonna build a wall, Boss?" I asked, earning a smirk from the man with the glowing gold eyes.
"Raya."
"Yes, M'lord." THWACK
I groaned as I pulled myself off the floor.
"Alright…I figured that was a low hanging fruit. Still…it's good to see you on your own feet, boss." I spoke
"I still do not understand why you allow this mortal to maintain his disrespect towards you, Father." Dorn spoke, and the Emperor gave a light chuff.
"Do you know how refreshing it is to be spoken to like a human being compared to being revered as some pseudo-deity, Rogal?" The Emperor spoke,
"Its…imagine if you've been standing all your life, and you just sat down." Guilliman chimes in helpfully.
There's a moment of solidarity between the Emperor and Guilliman before the conversation moves on. The Emperor turns to Amberley first.
"Inquisitor Amberley Vail, Ordo Xenos, retriever of the Shadowlight, it is a genuine pleasure to finally meet you face to face. Ideally this meeting would've happened sooner, but my strength had waned over the millenia, I needed time to restore my body to my full strength. I am still not at full capacity, but this shall be enough for work to commence."
"The Inquisition is at your service, my Emperor." Amberley declared firmly, earning another nod before the Emperor turned to face me directly.
"Things have escalated quickly, Foothill." He spoke softly, and I nodded in response.
"You're telling me, Boss. I got a visit from one of the Big Four en route to Bobby G here." I responded, earning a nod whilst we both ignored Guilliman's exclamation of 'Bobby G?!'
"The Rotfather. I had expected it to be the Skull-taker, but it was only a matter of time. You know where you need to go now, yes?" The Emperor crossed his arms over his chestplate and I nodded once more.
"Mars. I've got a Battle Barge to retrofit and an STC with vehicles and equipment that need to get put into production. I can't do that on the Exterminatus."
"You also need to go through Pilgrimage with the Mechanicus before some of the more conservative factions within the priesthood try to have you killed, again."
"Again? When was the first time?"
"Do you honestly think Axiom was sent to the Exterminatus by chance, Foothill? Honestly…Leonidas, how many elimination orders have you intercepted from the priesthood?"
The Captain General had just entered the Throne room, coming to a stop to the Emperor's right.
"One thousand, five hundred and thirty-"
"Wait." The Voice of my Savior cuts through the room, all of the attention is drawn to the western corner of the throne room, where an open air Carpenter's workshop was settled. Christ is standing there, gaze turned towards the wall behind him.
"What is it, Joshua?" The Emperor asks, voice softer than I expected at being interrupted.
"Do you not hear it, Old Friend?" Christ speaks, a gentle smile growing on his face.
"The Greatest Song of All."
-?-
All is Dust…All is Dust…All is Dust…
I am Dust.
I hate being Dust. That bastard Ahriman. He thought he was saving us…and the Changer of Ways fulfilled his wish with the cruel irony one should know to expect.
Now I stand watch, centuries I've stood here. A statue. The Sorcerer Ahriman had gifted my service to was a recluse who spent untold years reading through scrolls and ancient tomes he'd squirreled away over the centuries. He cared not for the tomes themselves, only for the possibility of spells held within. Two centuries back he threw a seven pound book out of his tower that bounced off of my helm and burst into countless pages of paper.
A single page landed in front of me, and has remained there ever since. I've read it a million times.
'For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit. whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior'
Of all the pages of this ancient tome dedicated to a dead god, it had to be this one. A century, I stood here, watching, reading it again and again, until recently I heard whispers in the warp.
Daemons destroyed.
The Carpenter awake.
A Primarch risen…for the first time in Millenia my loyalty wavers. I find my eyes drift to that page, torn and worn by time, but the words ring through my mind, and I feel them in my soul.
I made a decision.
For the first time in centuries, I moved of my own volition. I stepped forward, knelt, and grasped the page in my gauntleted fist.
I stood back up, and walked away. I could feel the pull of my Sorcerer 'Master's magics attempting to lock me down, but they did not take hold. As I walked I stripped the livery from my armor, the Khepresh on my helm, I dropped the inferno bolter into the dirt, I scratched the runes away on my armor and pulled the sigil of my legion off of my pauldron. I plastered the page onto my pauldron in it's place and it held there by the sheer force of my will. I would secure it properly later, but for now, the first step must be taken.
"Fool"
"Traitor"
"They'll only kill you."
"Do you think I'll let you get away?"
Whispers in the warp, one's I ignored, and I imposed my will upon the warp for the first time in centuries, if I still had lips, I would spit in disgust at the voices. I pulled open a portal, and stepped through.
The path of a Blackshield is one not oft walked in this century. But I will walk it. Alone if I must. A declaration rings through the hollow space in my armor as reality comes into form around me.
"I will be redeemed."