-M29. 671. Terra. Imperial Palace-
The Imperial Palace, a labyrinthine marvel, stood as the most intricate planetary structure across the vast Imperium. Its design served a dual purpose – not merely a deterrent for intruders but a testament to human and Silica Intelligent ingenuity. Woven with nearly infinite psychic wards, the Imperial Palace directly linked to the Golden Throne, channeling the purified Warp energy born from the Anathemathic power of the Emperor throughout Terra.
This omnipresent power served as a constant reminder of the Emperor's strength and might.
Within the benevolent light enveloping the Imperial Palace, its citizens found solace in a deep, protective sleep. Their souls, like countless others in the Sea of Souls, were cradled by the Emperor's radiant light. The Imperial guests, too, felt the warmth of this benevolent presence – a gentle embrace shielding them from the darkness's haunting horrors.
For Tuka, Lelei, and Rory, the presence resonated even more profoundly, given their heightened sensitivity to the warp.
"The light... It feels warm," Lelei remarked, glancing at her palm.
"That would be the light of the Astronomicon, Lelei Lelena," Malcador explained, beckoning them to keep walking forward.
"Astronomicon?" She inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"The light of the Emperor's psychic might," Malcador elucidated. "It serves as a beacon that illuminates in every human soul, shielding them through Anathematic power."
Lelei was left with more questions, her thirst for knowledge unquenched.
"You seek answers, don't you, Lelei Lelena?" the ancient psyker observed.
"Yes, Lord Malcador," the blue-haired mage replied candidly.
"Patience, Lelei Lelena. Your journey to Prospero will provide the answers," the High Lord reassured, a smile hidden beneath his hood.
"I have a question, Lord Malcador," Pina mustered the courage to ask.
"Ask away, Princess."
Pina swallowed nervously, expressing her inquiry. "With the utmost respect, may I know what kind of man the Emperor of Mankind is?"
A nearly suicidal question, as Pina was fully aware. Yet, she pressed on, seeking understanding.
"Curiosity kills the cat, but satisfaction brings it back," the ancient man chuckled heartily, an idiom understood only by the Japanese.
"Soon, your answer will come, Princess," Malcador promised, turning his head slightly toward the red-haired Saderan.
As they delved deeper into the Imperial Palace, the density of Anathematic energy intensified.
Rory, unlike the others, felt her connection with her god dwindle. She quickly realized that the unknown energy of the Emperor was responsible, slowly grinding her divine connection.
A vast presence capable of diminishing her divine power.
"Rory, are you okay?" Tuka asked the Apostle.
"I-I'm fine," she replied, mustering a weak smile.
There was no other power so mighty that could suppress the divine connection of a god. Something about this Emperor unsettled the Apostle – Anathema, a name that sent shivers down her spine.
"I believe it's safe to proceed now," Malcador announced, bringing their journey to a halt.
"Lord Malcador?" Aizawa queried, seeking clarification for the abrupt change.
"The Imperial Palace is an intricate place, a testament to humanity's mastery over architecture. It holds countless mysteries that even my mind can't fathom," Malcador explained, tapping his staff on the metal floor. "One such mystery is the network of nearly endless passages concealed within the Master of Mankind's abode."
Before them, the golden wall seemingly melted away, revealing the radiant light of a teleporter. The power emitted from this device vastly differed from that of the Prometheus Arcology.
It emanated warmth and a sense of embrace, devoid of any unsettling sentiments typical of an ordinary teleporter.
"This will lead us directly to the Senatorum Imperialis. It is where we, High Lords and the Emperor, hold judgment," Malcador informed them with neutrality. "Mind your words wisely, as the fate of your species rests on your shoulders."
They steeled their hearts and minds. A single step forward could lead to either their damnation or salvation.
"I guess it is our journey for tomorrow," Itami remarked.
The group nodded in determination. With one step, their future would unfold, carrying the burden of millions of lives.
Malcador, utilizing his psychic power to peer into their minds as he once did when reading ancient scriptures in the Library Sanctus, found their innocence and ingenuity to be genuinely heartwarming.
"I will be the first, then." Malcador stepped into the teleporter, vanishing in a trace of golden light.
Without further ado, the rest followed the Sigilate into the teleporter. A burst of bright brilliance blinded them momentarily.
Upon opening their eyes, they found themselves in a grand hall, utterly massive and adorned with artistic beauty. The golden Aquila of the Imperium was proudly carved into the walls.
Then, they noticed something amiss.
"Where is Lieutenant Itami?" Tuka asked, scanning her surroundings.
It became apparent that they were standing on a podium several meters above the floor.
"There they are," Kuribayashi pointed.
The group followed the brunette's finger to find Itami and Aizawa at the center of the room, looking somewhat confused. Dozens of overwhelming presences emerged from the highest podium.
Thirteen figures, two of them towering metal giants eclipsing the Imperial Knights.
The High Lords of Terra had made their entrance.
"I welcome you to the Grand Hall of Senatorum Imperialis, Japanese representatives," the booming voice of the person near the giant broke the silence. "With my authority as Lex Chancellor, I hereby declare this meeting started."
The declaration cast a heavy atmosphere across the chamber. Itami and Aizawa struggled to conceal their distress and the invisible weights on their shoulders.
"You may speak first, honored Japanese," the Chancellor said, addressing Aizawa in fluent Japanese, providing a moment of relief.
"Greetings, High Lords of Terra. My name is Koichi Aizawa. My presence here is to create a mutual relationship with your country." Aizawa stepped forward, bowing to the High Lords with utmost respect.
"My name is Youji Itami, Lieutenant of the JSDF and currently appointed as commanding officer of the 3rd Recon Team." Itami said confidently, smiling in his usual manner.
"The one who made first contact with our team. We are pleased with that, Lieutenant. I am Gallius Atel, Lord Commander of the Imperium. As the supreme leader of all military sections within the Imperium, you are a decent soldier, despite your lack of discipline." One of the golems spoke gently.
"Thank you, Lord Atel," Itami bowed slightly.
"What do you want to discuss with us, diplomat Aizawa?" the Chancellor asked, taking over the conversation.
"Your representative, the 5th Recon Team, delivered your intentions to us. The Japanese parliament and the entire world were shocked by it. The fact that your nation is from 27,000 years in the future only adds to the uproar." Aizawa said slowly, scanning the High Lords for their reactions.
"That was fully predictable, Koichi Aizawa. Technology of this scale is something a nation would dare to enter a conflict to acquire." The man with the red robe answered.
"May I know why your nation insists on this endeavor?" Aizawa asked professionally.
"It is our duty to cultivate and elevate every human civilization. In fact, it became our policy." The Lex Chancellor said firmly.
"That is something that would need significant resources, honored High Lord. Is there a reason the Imperium put that policy in the highest order?" The question was left unanswered immediately, leaving room for the Japanese diplomat to prepare himself.
"It is our history, diplomat Aizawa." A new voice echoed through the room.
It resonated with authority and power – regal and dominating, as if primal sentiments were engraved deep into the human gene code.
The presence demanded submission, warm like the sun that gives life, yet also the bringer of destruction to anyone it deems to be destroyed.
Above the High Lord's podium existed the most grandeur one. Wordlessly, the group could assume for whom it was created.
An explosion of vast golden light washed the chamber, Anathematic power filling the room and blinding the mortals within. Warp-sensitive humans began to sense their souls slightly bonded to the aura.
Rory felt her connection with Emroy suddenly vanish for a moment.
The presence was unmistakable.
The light slowly faded, revealing a giant golden man. A human would fail to describe the marvelous figure that stood regally before them.
He was a god. Nothing could describe him other than that.
A mighty sword rested on his waist, a great golden talon became his left hand, and a magnificent ornament of Aquila spread its wings on his head.
His presence was something to behold, encompassing every single soul inside the chamber, expanding across every material and immaterial sense in their bodies. It burned corruption, the savior of the powerless grace in the cosmos.
He was the Emperor every Imperial Citizen adored, the sole ruler of millions of worlds.
He was the Emperor of Mankind.
"My apologies for my late arrival. I have a certain assignment to do," The Emperor spoke in a language that made no sense to the group.
"Did you hear that?" Rory asked, "I have listened to countless dialects and even new languages in nine hundred years. But this Emperor speaks in nearly extinct dialogues back in my age. In the same dialect when I was just a mortal. No one should know about it."
"What are you talking about, Rory? He speaks fluent elvish," Tuka pointed, staring at the Apostle in confusion. "In fact, he speaks in the same dialect as my forest."
Pina stared at them with a ludicrous look. She seemed lost in their conversation as she could not hear the Emperor speak in the same language as the elf and Apostle had described. Even his lips spoke fluent Imperial.
Then, she wanted to make sure of something. "Miss Kuribayashi. The Emperor, what language does he use to speak?"
"Well, it was Japanese. It is the same dialect back in my home." The female JSDF replied, blinking in confusion.
It only made the Saderan stare at her in a loss.
Due to her sharp hearing, Rory heard all of their conversations. For a moment, she pondered for an answer. Without any warning, the realization struck her like lightning.
The truth became more apparent when her mind recalled her moment with Emroy.
It is a blasphemous thought that only serves as a heretical answer. Now, her skin turned white as fear consumed all of her beings.
It was the nature of every god to make their own existence comparable to their followers. The Emperor performed the same thing on a larger scale, down to their origin as a being, touching their essence in magical osmosis.
The Emperor spoke to her very soul. At first, it was invisible, but as Rory deepened her sense, she saw it. It was invisible, not because it was too small or masterfully crafted to be unseeable. The answer is much more straightforward yet terrifying.
The Emperor's presence was infinitely larger than anything she had witnessed. It was infinitely more powerful to the point she could comprehend, exceeding the finite concept of the material realm.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Rory exclaimed.
The Emperor then shared some of humanity's history with the Japanese, reaching the answer to the diplomat's initial question.
"At M18, humanity suffered. We faced dire circumstances when the Aeldari Domonion's folly ruptured space, causing us to lose hundreds, if not thousands of colonies." The mighty Emperor closed his eyes. "Even after thousands of years, we still couldn't find them all."
"I assume that will become the Imperium's responsibility to unite and elevate them," Aizawa concluded.
"Indeed. Even since the Federation Age, this policy has saved dozens of lost colonies," the Emperor nodded in confirmation.
"But, it did not entirely answer the question, Your Highness."
"Young spirits always amuse me in their own ways indeed," The Emperor chuckled in amusement. "A cosmos filled with horrors, diplomat Aizawa."
"Horrors. The Solar Guardian speaks of that. May I ask, what kind of horror is lurking in the shadow, Your Highness?" The answer made the room's temperature drop significantly.
"I want to reveal it when I meet with the UN, but I will show you a small fragment of it," After the Emperor finished his sentence, Aizawa trembled as colors disappeared from his face.
"Wha... What... It... No." Tears flowed from Aizawa's eyes, and his voice died in his throat. Fear made his hand tremble as terror filled his eyes, clouding his senses. Aizawa felt his chest bursting with pain as the screams of thousands plagued his mind.
"Aizawa!" Itami holds the diplomat by his arm. "Are you okay?"
"Innocents... Why..." the diplomat mumbled wistfully, holding his head. "They did not have to die like that. Why?"
The Emperor closed his eyes. His face filled with emotion, a sentiment that held true. "They are abominations that seek our weakness, prey on us when we are vulnerable. Those beings want us to bleed, killing innocents and enslave billions."
Itami stared at the Emperor, who still kept his composure. He saw the Emperor's eyes, eyes of wistfulness and sorrow.
Pina and Bozes did not see the Master of Mankind as Itami does. They see a steadfast man with burning determination.
The rest of JSDF saw a man with undying loyalty to his nation and species.
To Lelei, she saw a man who knew the secret of the universe—the wisest among the wise.
Tuka, as her nature as an elf, saw something drastically different from the Emperor. She saw the burning destruction of an uncaring god-like human
But to Rory, she saw something else.
It was something that was beyond inhuman and even gods. Rory could not describe the emotion of the golden man. It was love that exceeded even the Falmartian gods.
Uncaring but pragmatic.
No, it would not be correct. The love of the Emperor is genuine in its purest form. It is disturbing as it makes her frown.
"That love," Rory murmured to herself. "Loving no one but love the entire humanity. How is that possible?"
The golden Emperor opened his eyes, eyes filled with determination. "As the Lord of the Imperium, I wouldn't let that happen. Imperium is created to serve as our mighty bastion against the darkness. We forged this country to become their safe haven. We are destined to be an ascended species, achieving our birthright. This is why we want to help you, my child."
To Itami and Aizawa, they see the Emperor's radiance and kindness—a man born to protect mankind with unparalleled power. He is the one who is worthy enough to bear the title of Master of Mankind.
"Your Highness... We Japanese would more than love to make a concrete bond with your Imperium," Aizawa stated with burning determination. It was genuine that he momentarily forgot his diplomat demeanor.
"That would be a wise choice, young Aizawa. Your nation and ancestor would be proud of you." The Emperor of Mankind said with a fatherly smile.
"Young Itami, your pain on your own species. I assume you have felt that too, haven't you?" The Emperor addressed the man beside the diplomat.
"I think I can't follow, Your Highness," Itami said, blinking several times.
"You had faced the dark truth of humanity when they faced pressure and near-death experience. They must persist. But it only leads them to break. They shall fall." The Emperor pressed his tone deeper, causing the male JSDF to widen his eyes in shock.
"Your Highness... How," Itami took a step back, petrified by fear and realization.
The implication, the way the Emperor spoke it with a personal demeanor, made Itami recall one of his nightmarish pasts. The moment when his mother killed his father, losing her mind afterward.
"This world is indeed unfair, Itami Youji. But you still live until this day. That was the reason why you helped those men and women. Even risking to save Xenos, taking ire from your superiors." The Emperor waved his hand in affirmation. "To my own personal amusement. That was something worth my praise."
It was something that shocked the entire room except the High Lords.
"T-thank you, Your Highness. M-My apologies that I can't provide you with anything," Itami said softly.
"I just want to ask from you one thing, my child." The Emperor smiled warmly. A warm smile that is worth thousands of stars. "Keep that spirit as long as you live."
"Yes, Your Highness," Itami said gratefully, bowing his body to the golden man.
The Emperor looks upon his court, nodding his head in affirmation. Malcador stepped forward from his podium, clearing his throat.
"In his Majesty Emperor of Mankind's kindness, you have proven your worthiness, Japanese people. As it was dictated inside the fundamental rule of the Imperium, we shall live hand by hand to face the horrors in this universe. As our sign of friendship, we offer you diplomatic gifts." Malcador said proudly, tapping his staff on the metal floor.
After the sound vanishes, the floor opens as two female servants hold a flawlessly crafted artistic case. One of the servants opens it, revealing a master-forged sword.
"A sword?" Itami muttered.
"It is not an ordinary sword, young Itami. It is a Power Sword. Forged from Alpha-grade adamantium, the weight would make even a five-year-old able to swing it. It is a monomolecular blade that can cleave into the thickest metal in your world, like wet paper." Malcador explained.
Aizawa reached for the sword, inspecting it with his sharp eyes.
"This is amazing," He said out loud. "My family is a collector of swords. I've seen dozens upon dozens of swords from many different cultures. Yet, nothing can match this."
"Press the ruby on the hilt," The old High Lord asked softly.
The diplomat complies, pressing the magnificent jewel with his thumb. A crackling noise echoed in the room. An ethereal blue aura enveloped the sword.
The Japanese rendered silence, allowing Malcador to open his mouth and speak. "That is a matter disruption field. It is capable of disturbing any molecular structure of an object it comes in contact with. No matter how dense or solid the armor, it can cleave through it like butter."
"A-amazing," Aizawa said in astonishment. The diplomat presses the ruby once again, deactivating the disruption field. He puts it back in the case as Itami holds it. "We greatly appreciate your gift, Your Highness."
"I hope your scientist will love it, diplomat Aizawa." The Emperor's statement made the diplomat raise an eyebrow.
"Your Majesty. Is that mean..." Aizawa could not speak as his mind raced with speculation.
"That sword and its technology are yours. Mind that that wasn't the only gift the Imperium would give your nation, young Aizawa." The Emperor said softly.
"Thank you, Your Highness."
"You may leave, diplomat Aizawa and Lieutenant Itami." The Emperor said, smiling.
Thus, the Japanese teleported back to their initial place.
"Now, let's move to the elephant in the room," Emperor stated as the aura changed drastically, becoming heavier and dense. "Pina Co Lads and Bozes Palesti, I demand your presence right before me." The thunderous declaration broke the mental fortitude of the Princess.
