Howdy,
Constructive criticism is welcome.
Disclaimer I own nothing.
/
Finding the Luxion is going as I'd expected, mostly. Enemies are much stronger than I thought. Just me being to low level, I'm sure. The second oddity is a repeating decayed symbol I can almost recognize. Probably nothing, but it sends a chill down my spine all the same.
The big robot in the oddly sci-fy ship had done more damage to me than I'd like to admit. A few ribs are definitely broken and must have pierced a lung as I'm coughing up blood. It's amazing how much it's like the hydraulic fluid the robot spurted out when pierced.
I managed to drag myself to the nearest console. A hissing sound comes from a large cylinder nearby, and it opens, revealing a man with a staff. He looks like "Grandfather Bartford?"
Looking closer, his red robes cover a body more machine than man. It's the same symbol of a two-headed bird. No, not just a bird, an eagle, the Aquila. The realization hit, and I started to panic. "Mech priest... hu... Imperium?" He was saying something, but I'm already passing out, so it sounds underwater and far away.
/
I awaken with a start to a large red lens in my face. I grab the silver sphere behind the lens. "Please be careful with that. It houses my brain." Looking over, I can see the Mech Priest slumped in a chair.
I quickly let go of the brain ball. "You keep your brain in a ball?" Said ball floats over to the slumped body and attaches to the top of its staff.
The Mech Priest stands up. "Well, part of it. What we need to discuss, however, is you. Wile I thank you for waking me and destroying the rouge servator. Your gear is not Imperium."
Shit. The Imperium isn't kind to 'heretics' or most 'Xenos', and I might be all kinds of both. Sitting up, I can see I've been moved to some kind of hospital room. "How long was I out?" I'd like an answer just as much as I'm stalling for time.
Priest, "A little over one of this planet's rotations. By the way, your gear is unusable, so I brought you new clothes."
Sure enough, I'm naked under the hospital sheet. "Thank you, Venerable one." I got up and started dressing quickly.
Priest "You may call me Luxion." Shitty game didn't even make its own assets. They just had to steal from Warhammer! Shitty game's shitty thieving developers.
"I'm Leon. It's a pleasure to meet you, machanicus Luxion."
Luxion, "Leon Bartford?"
"Um.. Yes. My full name is Leon Fou Bartford."
Luxion, "And you mistook me for your grandfather."
"Yes. You could almost pass as him." If you wore a high color to mask the machine parts. "He disappeared many years ago."
Luxion, "And you seam familiar with the Imperium. Could it be the colony is still thriving?"
"My grandfather was the one to teach me about the Imperium of Man. After he disappeared, I've never meet another person who knew of the Imperium." That should also help cover any lapses in how much I don't know or remember.
Luxion, "A pity but recoverable. If he began your education, I will continue it. Now follow me." As I steeped up behind him, full of dread, I can't help but notice how small he is. He only comes up to the middle of my ribcage. Well, when you're 99.99% machine, I guess size truly doesn't matter.
/
"Seriously, were all humans of the Imperium short?" Even the Thunder Hawk feels small to me. The light cruiser we used to get back was also smaller than I figured to should be.
Luxion is part of a group of Ultra Marines trying to relearn the secrets of the Golden Age of Human Tech. Good for me, sort of, but now I'm stuck with a crazy cyborg that wants to see the world, recover lost experiments, and bring back Imperium control to the planet. And is going to imitate my grandfather to that end. Oh, let's not forget the other Imperium factions that might think we are Heretics for diving into the Dark Age of Technology.
Luxion gave me a quizzical look. "Maybe it's the blood of Yvraine." Right, according to Luxion, this is a garden world given to Guilliman for his alliance with the Eldar. This could also be why 'magic' is so prevalent. I don't remember the Eldar being particularly big, though. "Oh, we are close, and the welcome party is gathering."
"We are in a heavily armed transport. Open the hatch. If my dad sees me, we should avoid any problems."
When Luxion gave the go-ahead, I went to the door and looked down. "Dad, it's me! Don't shoot!" My father and his knight's lowered their guns. As the drop ship landed, I got out and made for my father. "You are not going to believe what I found." I was going to give my dad a hug, but it just hit me.
Looking at my father... looking DOWN at my father. I'm suddenly head and shoulders taller than my pops. For his part, he couldn't decide who to gawk at me or Luxion. When he spoke, it was in almost a whisper. "Leon, you found my father?"
/
The first chance I got away from the rest of the family I confronted Luxion. "When did you use a Geen-Seed on me!?"
Luxion. "You finally noticed. To think it took you this long to realize you now possess the best traits of both Guilliman and Yvraine."
"It was when I was out after killing the servator. I've been around nothing but new thing since. Wait, Guilliman and Yvraine?" My hands shoot to my ears. No still round not pointed. And I thought those two being together was more fan theory than lore.
Luxion, "My yes, the Eldar DNA is most fascinating. Though it seems to lead to a slimmer build than other Marines."
I wanted to say more, but my mother interrupted us. "Lord Bartford, lady Zola has arrived and is demanding to see you."
Luxion, "Thank you, good daughter. Leon, be a good kid and take your mother out to get ingredients for supper. While I deal with the problem children."
"Yes, Grandfather." Anything to stay away from the hag.
/
"Luxion!"
Luxion, "There is no need to shout grandson. My ears are functioning at 100% efficiency."
"What did you do?!"
Luxion, "Just now I finished an excellent treatise on..."
"I meant them." I point to the fields where two NEW and familiar looking servators are instructing my vary frightened and cowed half siblings.
Luxion, "Zola and her servant have been dealt with in accordance with the law."
"That's... Just... I mean... It's not how it's done anymore."
Luxion, "Then we need to change it back to the right way, don't we?" He said it with the same gentle smile one might have for correcting a child on how to use a spoon.
/
Luxion, "Now remember grandkids, here I am the professor of lost item studies. And I will be holding you to the highest standard of both the Academy and, more importantly, Imperium elite." His robe has been replaced with a vary well cut suit that covered all his machine parts.
Jenna, "Yyyesss Grandddfather." Her scared attitude is understandable given the Cat boy servator behind her. It's her own fault, really. She had demanded money for a servant, and Luxion granted it. After she bought the cat boy, Luxion modified him. Instead of a pleasure slave she got a guardian that would keep her in line.
Nicks, "For Courage and Honor. Venerable Grandfather." He, on the other hand, had gotten a Gene-Seed. How quickly he took to his role as a Marine is its own sort of frightening.
"Understood, Grandfather." I'm a giant mob. Any hopes or plans I had got crushed when I found you as part of my overpriced premium item. Now I just hope I can survive. My luck their will be a Necron tomb next.
/
"I know I asked for help. But are you sure this is the best way?"
Luxion, "Four birds with one stone it is most efficient."
"I guess so, though..." I glance at Ange and Livia happily sharing tea. Though these two are supposed to be bitter enemies in a crappy Otome game. A game I haven't told you about or my apparent reincarnation. Or why this Marie stealing Livia's place as protagonist bothers me.
Luxion misread my expression. "They are your friends. And they seem to be friends with each other now. Besides bringing them on this expedition to find my colleague is getting them away from there troubles." If friends means the only people that aren't afraid of me that isn't also family, then yes.
Nicks comes down from the bridge. "We will be over the drop in five. Bucket on Leon." He punctuated that by slamming his own helmet on.
"Come on, Nicks, it's a peaceful elven village, not a war zone." I put my helmet on anyway. Frankly, the heavy plate puts the two of us leagues above any other Armor used by Holtfort.
Ange, "We are there. Do you think your friend is still here?"
Livia, "Can they take us around the ruins before we leave."
Both girls are excited thinking we are meeting some renowned scholar. Instead of defrosting a thousand years old lunatic. And I have no idea how to tell them. Worse, I'm not sure what I'd be trying to tell them anyway.
Luxion, "I'm quite positive they are here and more than happy to show you the interesting parts of the ruins. Now, let's not dally it is inefficient." We made our way to the hanger.
"Wait, aren't we taking a Thunder Hawk?"
Nicks had walked right past them to the Hanger's door. "No need, we have our packs." The next moment, Nicks with Luxion in his arms went over the side.
"OK, I guess I got you two." I pick up a girl in each arm. The size difference makes it like picking up a pair of older children.
"Now hold on, Leon." "Sir Leon, this doesn't seem safe."
Two large strides and the three of us are over the edge. It wasn't a large drop, maybe two hundred meters. And my jet pack gave us a soft landing.
"See, nothing to worry about." Looking at the two, I am treated to quite a sight. They had gripped me so tightly that their boobs had flattened as much as physics allowed against my chest plate. Dam armor, I can't feel anything. "Come now, girls, it wasn't that bad."
Livia kept her eyes tightly shut. Ange, "Maybe not for you, mister super soldier!" She made to hit me in the head but must have thought better given the heavy helmet.
Any further complaints are cut off as a load *Bang* and a shouted "WE ARE NOT ASKING!" Looking over, I can see Nicks has his Hammer out. The giant mauler was almost impossible for normies to lift, yet Nicks pulls it from some shattered paving stone easily with one hand.
"Is there a problem."
Luxion, "The locals don't seem to want us to go into the research station."
An elderly elvish man, probably the leader, "I've told you the ruins are off limits at this time."
Luxion, "The 'ruins' are not yours. They are the property of the kingdom of Holtfort, and as I am said kingdom's foremost expert on lost items. You lack the authority to deny me access." He then pulled out an official seal out of his robe.
The elf, "I.. Fine, give me a moment to get an escort ready."
"No need. In fact, we insist you don't bother." He looked from Nicks and me to the light cruiser over the village.
Luxion, "Come children, I wish to be back before sundown." The magus sets off down a path as if he knows the way, well he probably does. Halfway down the path, he cuts off the beaten path.
Livia hesitates on the path. "Professor, aren't we going to the ruins?"
Luxion, "Yes, but not on the beaten path. You'll get to see the ruins that haven't been looted yet." Livia almost glowed with excitement and ran to catch up with him.
I'm more worried about something else. Opening the armor's com, "Bro, you see this on the thermal scope." A group of people are gathering half a klick down the path. From their mannerisms they are both armed and getting ready for an ambush.
Nicks, "Ya, that elf must really not want us to go into the ruins. Think Gramps will let us go say 'hi'?"
"He'll probably say, 'It's inefficient.' " Nicks parroted the last part with me, and we shared a good laugh out of it.
Luxion, "You two can go play after we are done, not before."
Nicks, "You mean it? YES!" Seriously, nearly three meters tall and half a ton should not be allowed to act... or move like a kid in the candy store. Especially wearing heavy plate armor.
It still took two more hours to get into the ruins and down to the area Luxion wanted. The large blast doors are as decorative as it is solid. Luxion got it to start opening, and then it stalled with just a small gap. "Boys, the lock is broken. Would you two open it for your grandfather."
Two marines made quick work of the jam. The inside was not what I expected it looked more like a warehouse. At the end is a similar blue cylinder. Sure enough, as Luxion activated the machine, it opens to show an Eldar Lady with white hair in a blue dress. When she opens her eyes, she shows surprise for just a split second before Luxion says. "Lady Cleare, it is a pleasure to see you again."
Cleare, "Magus Luxion, and who are your companions?"
Luxion, "Apprentices of the new chapter, I shall explain as we walk. There is much to do, and we are much below the efficiency rating I allotted."
/Gala
How did this all get so out of hand. Livia and Ange have been joined by an elf lady, Yumeria. Cleare insisted on taking over their training personally. Something about their magic, sorry, physic ability shows how close the three are to Eldar blood. Cleare is also taking over upper magic education at the Academy.
Just don't tell Yumeria that Cleare considers her son, Kyle, a massive disappointment, for more than supporting Marie. One of the first things that happened when we got back was Cleare and Yumeria trying to separate Kyle from his employment. Cleare gave up after determining Kyle is unfit, an offspring of a talentless Mon-Keigh.
Luxion and Cleare are both the strictest and, as a result, the least popular teachers at the Academy. Between my connection to them, Ange and the big public fight with Kyle that dragged Marie and the five idiots into it, I am easily the least eligible marriage candidate in school. Let's not forget my stature either. Seeing two boys get beaten for just trying to talk to some girls, I can at least be grateful I'm spared that.
Livia comes running up. "Leon, come quick. Ange is in trouble."
"Ange can take care of herself. She's a big girl." And she can now sink a Holfort battle group with a single spell. I may need to go and help whoever she is pissed at. Or just let the bloodbath happen.
Livia, "Oh, come on." She grabs my hand and tries to pull me along. "For Courage and Honor, Marine."
Sigh.. "Fine."
/
It's almost time. "Marines, Ten hut!" Even if there are only about twenty Marines its unnerving. They are all older and of higher noble rank, except my dad and brother Nicks. "You all remember the briefing. Main objective is to destroy the dormant Tyranoid hive mind, Arcadia. Lord Roseblade, remember your squad is only to paint and secure the route to the target for Luxion."
Roseblade, "Sir, we will ensure no one interferes in the bombardment."
"Lord Redgrave, secure the heretic Royalty."
Vincent, "Sir, my men and I will ensure they can't escape."
"Dad you and the rest of squad one are with me. After we destroy the so called 'Holy knights' we move to aid the Sisters and Guardsmen who should have joined the battle by then. Everyone, In the name of the God Emperor, For Courage and Honor!"
"""For Courage and Honor!"""
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AN: Leon got stuck in one game he didn't like. How about one he might have liked but wouldn't want to go into.