Haratek, Rahkikh, Thaszan and I stood at the tomb's top, watching the clouds dissipate, the Months of Storm ended.
"…The tomb's repairs progressed unabated with the Greenskins leader's defeat, and the cover granted by the storm allowed the abundant use of Scarabs, Spiders and Wraiths. I can initiate the tomb's full awakening with your order, my Lord." The Cryptek reported.
"And our troops?"
"The tomb's flooded areas were drained and damaged units fully repaired, returned to their peak efficiency with the mined materials."
"Hm... That pleases me. You did well, Haratek, but what about you?"
"Me, My Lord?" He asked hesitantly.
"Yes, how are you? If I remember correctly, I sent you on a mission while damaged. How do you feel? Is there a problem? Do you need some rare ore or time to recover?"
He looked at himself, analyzing his body.
"I believe not, My Lord, but I am grateful for your concern." He bowed slightly.
"And you, Rahkikh and Thaszan, do you two need anything?"
"No, My Lord." The shield bearing Lychguard replied.
"Serving you with all our might is the only reward we desire." The scythe wielding one completed, making me mentally sigh.
Having absolute authority is annoying sometimes! I can't have a normal conversation without praises and royal treatment! I offered them the chance to ask for anything and they refused! I'll think of something later!
"My Lord, if I may ask…" The Cryptek spoke and I nodded in affirmation.
"When will we eliminate life on this planet and conquer it? These so-called humans have stained our glorious home and invaded your territory like a plague. I can accomplish it if is beneath you, just order me."
Well, the time has come, I hope my speech works.
"Haratek, what would be the point of it?"
"Forgive me, my Lord, but I don't understand."
"What would be the point of eliminating all life on this planet?"
"To reclaim what rightfully belongs to you and restore it to its former glory!" He spoke happily.
"And then?"
"Then we would travel from planet to planet, elimination organics and awakening tombs."
"And then?"
"Then we would establish your power with capable rulers on each planet and conquer nearby systems, elimination organics, awakening tombs and reclaiming your territory."
"What would be the point of all this in the end? Kill and conquer until only Necrons remained in the galaxy. Let's suppose we conquer everything, what will we do next? We are ageless immortal machines that don't eat, sleep or feel. What will we do next if every planet becomes a metallic, lifeless rock?"
"I… I don't know… My Lord." He looked away ashamed.
"That's the problem, you're not thinking in the long term. The galaxy's beauty is its variety, there will be nothing to do if everything becomes Necron, it would be boring, we would become stagnant like the Eldar. We would repeat the mistakes that led to their empire's downfall. Do you want to be like an Eldar, Haratek?"
"No, my Lord! I'd rather be permanently eliminated than bear any resemblance to the Old Ones' damned creations!"
"Hump! So you agree, that pleases me."
"But my Lord, if I may ask, what is your plan?"
"The humans of the Imperium are ignorant and superstitious, afraid of the unknown and the new, they fear innovation and pray to a man who never wanted to be a god! Most of their planets are ruled inefficiently by incompetent leaders, so I plan to be a good one for them! I don't wish to replace the Imperium, but I won't allow myself to be destroyed by it! We will build our power! We will conquer planets with subterfuge, manipulation and placing loyal humans and Necrons in positions of power! We will show humanity that we are their best option! We will give them prosperity and they will submit to me in return! We will become so powerful that every faction in this galaxy will think twice before challenging us!"
I walked to the tomb's edge and opened my arms. Suddenly, the clouds opened and the sun reflected on my body as the wind blew my cape.
CLAP!
CLAP!
CLAP!
Haratek, Rahkikh and Thaszan clapped their hands at the my speech's end.
"That… That was beautiful, my Lord! Only you could create such a plan! No wonder I couldn't discover it sooner!" Haratek wiped an invisible tear away.
"Impressive, my Lord! We will follow your plan masterfully!" Rahkikh spoke.
"We will eliminate anyone who stands your glorious plan's path!" Thaszan continued.
For the Emperor's sake, what I said was that impressive?! I improvised this speech as I spoke!
"My Lord, what will be our first step?" The Cryptek asked.
"Controlling those who rule the planet is the best way to conquer it, not by destroying its armies. In other words, the nobles and the governor, we won't worry about resistance or the Imperium retaking the world if we can achieve their loyalty to me, or ultimately, control their minds."
"I can spy on the governor and the nobles with Scarabs if you wish."
"Do it, but it would be nice to interrogate some local population's members."
Suddenly, I saw something approaching the tomb with my enhanced vision, a human ship.
"An opportunity arose."
-Outside the Tomb-
"So, why are we here?" A member of the Planetary Defense Force asked his comrades as they approached the Forbidden Ruins.
"Haven't you heard it?! Green lights flashed in the sky midst green bolts tearing across the months of storm, with ghost ships flying through the clouds, all coming from the Forbidden Ruins!" Another answered.
"HA! These are rumors created to irritate the governor! Don't you think everyone is tired of having their houses destroyed and hand over everything to the nobles in exchange for rebuilding it?! They can't do anything to the governor other than piss him off!" One spoke right after.
"I don't know... People are scared... Don't you think something happened?"
"Who knows? The galaxy is a big place. Maybe it's some brain-devouring Xeno or the Imperial Guard's vengeful spirits haunting us?"
"Don't play with that kind of thing! What if the Emperor hears you?!"
"HAHA! Calm down, it's just an abandoned ruin, don't let the stories scare you."
"Is it just me or this place look brand new?"
"It must be you, who would bother to fix an old ruin?"
"Hey, I see an entrance!" Another pointed to a metal platform extending from a large opening into the ruins.
"Dock the ship!"
The ship docked beside the platform and it side opened, forming a ramp for four defense forces to descended while the remaining four stayed on the vessel.
They entered the ruins, walking in formation down a long dark corridor made of a black material.
"Light your lanterns!" The leader ordered.
Turning on their autogun's attachment, they lightly illuminated the path ahead.
"Wow! This place is huge!" One shone his light upwards, but it wasn't enough to reveal ceiling.
"Focus, we are here to investigate!" The leader pointed his light forward, only darkness stared back.
"Come on! What's the worst thing that can… AAAHHH!" One of the members screamed as he was dragged away, passing through the floor.
"What was that?!"
"Where did he go?!"
The others shouted, shining their flashlights where he had disappeared while the leader dragged his hand across the floor.
"Did you see what happened?"
"He sunk to the ground!"
"Something pulled him down!"
The leader slammed his fist on the ground solid ground.
"A trapdoor?"
"I don't… AAAHHH!" Another was dragged away as the team pointed their flashlights, seeing a metallic tentacle wrapped around his waist before he disappeared into the wall.
"AAAHHH!" Other was dragged toward the ceiling with a metallic tentacle wrapped around his neck.
The leader looked around desperately, searching for the thing that dragged his men away. Suddenly, a metallic noise echoed through the corridor and the little light that entered dimmed, the entrance slowly closed.
He ran as something metallic hitting gave chase, so he pointed his gun back and fired.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
However, the bullets bounced off something.
He wasn't fast enough and the entrance closed, so he turned around and found nothing, until a green light shone on the ground, rising inhumanly and revealing the thing that took his men.
A large eight-legged green and silver machine supporting itself on a long metallic tentacle extending from its torso.
"AAAHHH!" He unloaded his weapon on the thing as it opened its legs like a spider ready to attack, then everything darked.
-Tomb-
"Are these all the men sent to the tomb?"
The eight men knelled in front of my throne, each with glowing green eyes.
"Yes, my Lord, and they are all under Mindshackle Scarab's control."
I approached, only for them to scream in agony and hit their heads against the floor. Rahkikh, Thaszan advanced ready to kill, but I held up my hand, stopping the two.
"Haratek, what is happening?"
The Cryptek quickly typed into a green holographic screen and a light scanned the men, forming a hologram of their brains.
"It doesn't seem to be a problem with the Scarabs, my Lord, but a reaction to your Shadow Ankh."
My Ankh, what's wrong with it? All it does is generate a null field and... Ohhh I think I know. It generates a powerful null field similar to the Blanks, causing the despairing sensation of your soul being sucked into a black hole, where death is preferable to staying close to what makes it.
I lowered my Ankh's power and the men stopped, looking at me uncomfortably.
"I'd like to ask you a few questions now that you've calmed down. Firstly, why are you here?"
"We were sent by Governor Mathias to investigate the rumor's source." A man answered.
"What kind of rumors?"
"Strange lights in the sky during the months of storm, things resembling ships flying among the clouds, all coming from the ruins."
"Hm... Do you know what a Necron is?"
"No."
"T'au?"
"No."
"Eldar?"
"No."
"Have any of you ever seen a Space Marine?"
"The Emperor's angels? No, I don't think anyone has saw one."
"Have you ever seen a Space Marine depicted in statues or other art?"
They all responded negatively.
Perfect!
"Last question, do you know about Chaos? Are any of you a cultist?"
Negative responses again.
"Listen carefully, you will return and tell your governor that you found nothing wrong. Do you understand?"
Everyone nodded.
"Excellent! Haratek, alter their memories and return them to the Governor. Then ready yourself, for we will soon control this planet."
"Yes, my Lord! If you have time, there is something I would like to show you."
"Of course, lead the way."
-XXXXXX-
"Haratek, is that a Pylon?!"
"Yes, my Lord, and it is ready to be activated."
The huge monument was a seven hundred and fifty meters high smooth dark stone obelisk, covered in human head-sized holes. The Pylons can mess with the Imaterium, leaving it strangely calm and stabilizing the area's spacetime, a perfect weapon against Chaos and Daemons.
"What else do we have in the tomb?"
"We have a Tesseract Vault."
"Show me!" I grabbed his shoulders, making him retreat surprised and node slowly.
We reached a large metal door where Haratek typed a command on a holographic panel, reveal another opening door that revealed another one.
This process repeated itself until we entered a large chamber with thousands of Necron warriors pointing their weapons at a large floating machine inside a containment field.
"Open the Vault!"
It revealed a gigantic green energy being, a C'tan shard screaming in agony.
"Haratek, do a full overhaul on the Vault. We don't want the C'tan escaping, do we?" I playfully patted his shoulder.
"N-no, my Lord!" He answered nervously, probably due to how lightly I treated the dead God.
"Is there anything else I should know?"
"Well… Let's say there are unwanted guests in your tomb, my Lord."
Unwanted guests?
-XXXXXX-
Now I understand what he meant.
We were in the tomb's prison with Destroyer Cultists and Flayed Ones locked behind green energy walls. The Flayed stood in the cells to my left Flayed and the Destroyers to my right.
"Shall I eliminate these disgusting stains on your tomb, my Lord?" Haratek asked.
"No, I won't waste something useful. Hello, is there any leader among you?!" My scream echoed down the long corridor.
"Well, well, well! Who could guess? The Overlord graced us with his presence after many millennia!" A voice mocked to my left.
A taller Necron appeared midst the Flayed, dressed in a finely sewed skin cloak, and wearing bone crown and bracelets. A Flayer King, a Necron Noble who kept his mind intact after being infected by the Flayer Virus.
"Release me! I must exterminate all this miserable galaxy's life!" A strong angry voice came from my right, and a large, heavily modified Necron approached with its torso attached to a floating platform, a Lokhust Lord.
"How are your stay, my dear guests? Would you like something? Food? A massage? Freedom to quench your incessant madness?"
"I would like the living's blood and the flesh, raw if possible." The Flayer King leaned against the cell barrier.
"Cease your mocking and release me!" The Lokhust Lord punched the barrier.
"If that's what you desire, then maybe you would listen to my proposal?"
"You have my interest!" The King rubbed his hands together.
"Speak!" The Lokhust crossed his arms.
"I wish conquer some planets, but the galaxy is full of dangers, so I would like to enlist your forces to fight on my behalf."
"What is our reward?" The King asked.
"You can sink into your vices as you desire, meat and destruction until you can't anymore."
"And what's the catch?" The Lord said right after.
"You will keep your troops in check and I will choose which enemies you will fight. I can't let you run free, it would damage my reputation."
They went silent for a few seconds, looked at each other and answered simultaneously.
"We accept!"
"Perfect! You two will receive an area in the tomb, until then, prepare your forces for when I request your services. Haratek let's go!" I hurriedly left the prison.
"Yes, my Lord! But if you allow me, was employing these lunatic's services wise?" He responded nervously, running after me.
"Only time will tell, but we must not overlook possible resources, not in this deadly galaxy."
"I… I understand, my Lord."
-Governor's Palace-
Governor Mathias watched the city through his office's large glass window until...
*KNOC*
*KNOC*
*KNOC*
"Come in!"
The office door opened and Jacqueline entered.
"Governor Mathias." She bowed politely.
"Speak Jacqueline." He demanded without turning around.
"The defense forces returned, reporting nothing unusual in the ruins."
"Hump! As expected, it was a waste of time to send men there."
"Governor, if you allow me…"
"Say it!" He exclaimed impatient and annoyed, making her flinch
"I had more visions, Le Refuge Ombré surrounded by a green sea as the sky glowed pink and opened, releasing screams of pain and pleasure while silver knights emerged from the sea and harpies swarms from the sky."
"Another cryptic vision, any meaning this time?"
"Visions are difficult to interpret, but I sense that Hidrus Quintus is in great danger. We must contact the wider Imperium immediately!"
Mathias breathed deeply, clutched something on his chest and muttered inaudible words, turning around with a smiled and clasped his hands.
"You're right, but we can't do that today, I have a celebration tonight and I'd like everything to go uninterrupted. Would you like to participate?"
"Governor, this is not the time to party, our world is in danger!"
"I see, I think I can postpone the party, but it may take time to contact the wider Imperium, after all, I need to ready a speech on why the Imperium should worry about our little planet."
"I appreciate it, Governor, talk to me when you're ready." She bowed and left the room.
"She is a nosy girl." A sultry velvety voice spoke to him, if it was real or in his head, only he knew.
"I know, wouldn't it be better to dispose of her?"
"We need her alive, you want to fell the greatest pleasures my Goddess has to offer, don't you?"
"Yes!"
"So, do as I taught you, bring the girl tonight and claim your reward!"
"Tonight." He took something from under his shirt, a pink and purple medallion representing a mixture of the male and female gender's symbols, then, pressed several buttons on his personal cogitator, opening a holographic screen with a man's face on the other side.
"Start the plan." He spoke and the man nodded, ending the transmission.
-XXXXXX-
Jacqueline walked the governor palace's halls, her enhanced "vision" due to the soul-bonding ritual allowing her to observe the world in a way no one else could, a colorful mass revealing the different energies covering the galaxy, and the Emperor's calming golden light watching and guiding all his people.
However, Jacqueline saw something strange midst the colors, a small green stain entering a corridor to her left.
She tilted her head in confusion and followed it as the stain made several curves, left, right, straight, walking on the ceiling or walls and stopping on a window frame.
She stirred her psychic powers, viewing better the thing in front of her, a small metallic six-legged insect with two glowing green eyes.
"What are you?" She pointed her staff at the creature and sensed the strange energy within it.
"A soul? No, a fragment, a small piece, smaller than an ant. How did you get that shard?" She approached the insect, seeing a green line connecting it to something over the horizon.
However, it flapped its metallic wings and flew away before she could do anything, following the green line invisible to normal individuals and creating more questions.
So she walked, thinking about what happened and sensing three individuals following her as more waited ahead.
"You can stop, I know you are here." She stopped in the middle of the hall as six men dressed as servants approached.
"Could you accompany us, Miss Jacqueline?" One of them spoke with false politeness.
"To where, exactly?" She scanned the hallway, analyzing her fighting chances.
"Unfortunately I cannot reveal it, but we need your presence for a glorious purpose." He spoke with zeal in his voice.
"What if I refuse?"
"Well, I'm not giving you an option." He removed a small staff-like object from his pocket and pressed a button, making electricity surge at its tip as all the other men did the same.
"I'm glad, because I didn't intend to accept it." She pointed her hand at a chandelier and it fell with great strength, hitting the man's head and killing him.
"Bastard!" Another stepped forward.
However, she pointed her staff at the hallway's window and the glass shattered, hurling towards the advancing person, sending him to the floor with several shards piercing him.
"AAAHHH!" She screamed in pain as electricity ran through her body, due to one of the men advancing from behind.
Suddenly, she forced the man's arm towards his chin with her powers, electrocuting him with his own weapon as he fell spasming.
Unfortunately, that blow broke her concentration, leaving her open against the remaining three, who electrocuted her repeatedly. She screamed with each hit, loosing her consciousness as the world darkened.
-XXXXXX-
It was night and the party was about to begin, the governor palace's gates opened and Hidrus Quintus nobility entered, dressed in extravagant clothes, adorned in glittering jewels, and wearing absurd hairstyles.
Music echoed toward the commoners district, who watched the party lights from their partially destroyed houses. Meanwhile, servants entered through the palace's back door to not tarnish the noble's honor with their presence.
Suddenly, small metallic insects left the palace's drainage system and stuck to their necks, knocking them unconscious. Then, the system's bar flew away and four skeletal metallic beings left it, an Overlord, a Cryptek, and two Lychguards.
-XXXXXX-
"Haratek, do your magic."
"As you wish, my Lord." The Cryptek typed something on a green screen and a mini Eternity Gate opened beside us as Warriors and Immortals left it.
He scanned one of the servants and pointed at a Warrior, using his hard light technology for him to assume the human's appearance, repeating the process with all units, replacing twenty servants with fifteen Warriors and five Immortals.
I ordered them to infiltrate the party and act as servants.
"Now, we will enter with style, I hope you are ready, blend in, do not get into trouble or kill any humans, no matter how much they anger you."
"I don't feel sympathy for the organics, but I'll bury my feelings since you ordered, my Lord." Haratek replied.
"I am indifferent to humans, but I wish to learn more about them if you allow me. I desire to embark on a dialogue with some of them." Rahkikh spoke.
"You have my permission, in fact, I would like you to do this, try to find something useful during your interactions."
"Yes, my Lord!"
"My Lord, how shall we proceed of something happens?" Thaszan asked.
"Hm… I'll send a command if something happens. You two will move out of sight and toward the problem's source. Eliminate it if necessary, but try not to break your cover."
"Yes, my Lord!"
"Now, let's enter the party!"
Haratek used his hard light technology on us, changing our appearance into something more presentable.
-XXXXXX-
The nobles celebrated in a large hall, servants carried food and drink's trays while a band played pleasant music as Governor Mathias talked to other nobles.
"Is everything ready?" A nobleman asked.
"Yes, we will start soon."
"I hope to get what you promised me." A noblewoman covered her face with her fan.
"Don't worry, you'll have a young body again when we're finished."
Suddenly, a servant announcing guest's arrival interrupted their conversation.
"Announcing Lord Akarion Ultaniel's arrival!"
The door opened, revealing a tall, strong, young man with tanned skin, dark combed hair, brown eyes and pleasant features, wearing a black suit with green and golden details.
He passed a group of noble's daughters and smiled, revealing aligned teeth white as pearls, while blinking, making them blush and look away.
"And accompanying Lord Utaniel, Minister Harold Terchion!"
An old man came right behind, with a strong physique, fair skin, age-white hair, a sharp and serious face, and piercing green eyes, with a monocle in his left one.
He wore a black suit similar to the Lord, but carried a cane adorned in silver and gold with an emerald at the end.
"Accompanying them, the couple of Marchioness Thassiana Kihen and Marquis Rahon Kihen."
The Marquess and the Marchioness entered, a middle-aged man, with blond hair, yellow eyes, a party suit, and a woman holding his arm, with long red hair, black eyes and a beautiful red dress.
"Do you know these people?" A noble asked the governor.
"No, but I prefer to avoid problems, so I'll treat them with courtesy."
Lord Utaniel crossed the hall, greeting guests or holding a brief conversation while Harold kept a straight face and ignored the attention.
"Governor Lafaille, it is an honor to be in your presence!" Utaniel offered a handshake while looking into his eyes.
"Likewise, Lord Utaniel! Tell me, have we met before?" Mathias returned the gesture. Imperceptible to him, a tiny insect crawled from Utaniel's sleeve into his own.
"No, but you must have known my aunt."
"Is that so, could you tell me her name?"
"Necilia Utaniel, my grandmother's fifth cousin on my mother's side."
"Of course, how could I forget dear Necilia?! How is she?"
"Unfortunately, not very well, her health is fragile due to a serious illness."
"Oh, a pity…" Mathias pulled a pocket watch and checked the time. "…But I feel that our meeting ends here, I have important matters to attend."
"Of course, I wish you a good night, Governor Lafaille!"
"Same to you."
Mathias walked towards a door, accompanied by other nobles, and pressed a button, opening it and revealing an elevator. Everyone entered and the door closed as the screen above indicated that it moved upward.
Utaniel and Harold returned to the party, chatting with guests, but always refusing food or drink were offered. The numbers on the screen descended, indicating that the elevator returned. Nodding to Harold, the two walked towards it and entered.
-XXXXXX-
"Where are they now, Harold?" Uthaniel asked.
The man in question raised his arm, displaying a 3D map of the governor's palace where a green dot floated above the highest tower.
"Interesting, as per the tracker Scarab, they're on an unlisted floor in the palace's blueprints. The elevator can't reach there normally, but probably with a secret key or password on the button panel. Fortunately, we don't need that."
Harold touched the button panel, covering it in several green lines and making the lights flickered shortly.
A green triangle rose on the 3D map, passing the roof and stopping beside the green dot. The elevator stopped and the doors opened, taking Utaniel and Harold to a large circular hallway.
"This is the palace's secret floor, my Lord."
"Lead the way."
They walked along the large windowless corridor, passing by several doors leading to rooms filled with antique quality furniture, and arriving at a large wooden double door with voices echoing on the other side.
"Remember, Harold, we will negotiate with the governor, moving to mind control only if he refuses our proposal."
"Yes, my Lord."
They opened the door, entering a nest of luxury, a hall with gold-adorned walls, extravagant noble's paintings, a large golden chandelier illuminating the room, expensive tables full of food, drinks and drugs, and velvet sofas.
However, the scene across the hall made the sigh in surprise, a naked woman floated in the center of a circle of indecipherable arcane symbols.
Strange marks carved her skin as she screamed, corrupting energy flowing through her body while nobles and their loyal servants held hands and spoke an indecipherable language around her, naked or partially naked, their pupils dilated, stomachs full and minds delirious due to hedonistic actions performed.
Governor Mathias stood in front of the woman with a glowing medallion around his neck as he uttered profane and demonic words.
"Uz'ak Marchiion namote'k urazon Slaanesh!"
"Uz'ak Marchiion namote'k urazon Slaanesh!" The nobles repeated.
"Karov Jorak Karvin Slaanesh!" Mathias spoke again.
"Karov Jorak Karvin Slaanesh!" His followers replied, and that was enough for Utaniel.
"Governor Mathias, you have fallen to Chaos!" His scream echoed through the hall, however, the nobles chanted in a trance as only Mathias acknowledged Utaniel and Harold's presence.
"It is wonderful to have you here, Lord Utaniel! I would love to invite you, but you don't plan to join us judging by your tone! Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to leave!"
He retrieved a pistol-like autogun from a nearby table, aimed at Utaniel and fired.
BANG!
CLANG!
"My leg!"
Only for the bullet to ricochet off Utaniel's chest and hit one of the noble's leg.
"What?!" Mathias exclaimed, firing repeatedly.
BANG!
CLANG!
BANG!
CLANG!
"Please stop, you have a better chance of killing yourself by shooting me than killing me!"
BANG!
CLANG!
"Haratek, enough of this farce!"
There was a flash, Harold and Utaniel disappeared and two great metallic beings took their places, one eight feet tall with a single eye, and another ten feet tall, wearing a cape and a golden headpiece.
"What are you?!" Mathias demanded in a panic.
"AAAHHH!"
The woman at the ritual's center screamed in agony, an unearthly wind blew through the windowless room as the fabric of reality cracked, expanding and revealing a colorful sea of yelling faces in a perpetual state of pain and suffering.
Music left the portal, accompanied by a pleasant scent that flowed through the room. Suddenly, a female silhouette emerged as Mathias received it with open arms.
That silhouette left the portal and grabbed the sides of Mathias' head, kissing his lips as he moaned in pleasure, turning into a pained cry as his tongue was ripped out and blood sprayed from is mouth.
The silhouette threw Mathias aside and moved away from the multicolored light, revealing itself to everyone, a purple-skinned figure with sharp teeth, a long tongue, long dark hair and pincers similar to a lobster, a Daemonette of Slaanesh.
"HAHAHA!" It spat Mathias' tongue onto the ground with a sadistic laugh. The Governor partially got what he wanted, summoning a daemon was one thing, but controlling it was an entirely different story.
More female silhouettes left the portal, revealing an army of Daemonettes. The Prince of Pleasure's forces reached Hidrus Quintus.
END OF CHAPTER