+ENOUGH. Cease this butchery. The XIII Legion will stand down immediately. Your Majesty, come down and talk with my nephew peacefully, as a father and son should- OR I WILL MAKE YOU.+
-Psychic proclamation from Mistress Jorenn of the Grand Scholarium, after deflecting the orbital strike meant to raze the city Monarchia at the infamous Khur Incident.
M30. 755
Terra
A silver star fell from heaven to the earth of ruined Terra.
The monster that emerged from the earth began to run over the plains and the mountains, seeking the target of his hunt. As rad-rich mist rolled in with the night, the beast came before the gates of a grand palace already opened, and his target there. A procession of golden giants armored in auramite flanked their leader- a giant in burnished golden warplate taller than all of them, flaming sword in his hand. The Emperor of Mankind. Master of the Lines. Breaker of Ursh.
+You shall go no further.+
A lone amber eye flashed. The abomination clothed in technology from an age long past stared at the warlord, and began to laugh.
"Is this the best you can do, little Overseer? These toy soldiers are but simple creatures when compared to even the Solar Operators. Have the standards of genecraft fallen so low? I could butcher all of them here and now, and they wouldn't even slow me down."
The Emperor's expression did not change. "Have you come to swear your fealty?"
"Fealty?" The Blank howled with laughter. "You and I know that will not happen. And after I'm done with you? I hear tell that the former High Marshal has found her way to this planet. I'll fight every single person worth fighting on this rad-blasted hellhole." He flexed a fist. "And then... well, I hear something's been brewing on Ullanor."
He leapt forward with the Pale Spear in hand, ready to eviscerate the psyker. The golden giants reacted, but they were too slow- their spears had barely begun moving before Sarrisanata struck the flaming sword in a burst of violent sparks.
"Good!" Lukaen exclaimed as he swung the spear back for another blow. "It's been too long. Give me the fight that I deserve-"
The Emperor slammed his sword into the ground, a telekine hammer pushing him back as the psyker drew an oblong object from his hip and pushed the button on top of it.
The Blank's joints locked up, weapon systems powering down as he crashed to the ground. The psychic alterators in his body were forcibly set to minimal, restricting as much of his null aura as possible.
"I took this from the General's mainframe right before he died." The Emperor said. "They never trusted you, after all. A kill-switch tailored specifically for you, and you only."
"You..." Lukaen snarled. "You little fuck." Locked out of control, the piece of flesh that was Lukaen could do nothing. "Fight me like a warrior should!"
"I think not. I have an empire to build, and a species to save."
Two more figures emerged from the mist- one with crimson hair and carrying a mace, the other a stooped old man in grey robes holding a staff topped with the sign of the golden aquila.
The woman knelt next to him, eyes blazing with psychic fire. "Welcome back... Commander."
"Jorenn. Long time no see."
The former High Marshal stood up. "We should kill him." She hefted her mace threateningly. "He's a loose cannon- can't be trusted."
"Not yet. Valdor." The Emperor said. A golden giant stepped forward. "Put him in the Dark Cells."
YOU ARE READING
A Light Not Extinguished
Action[40k DAOT What-if Fic] We all know the story. The Men of Iron rebel, humanity degrades into barbarism during the Age of Strife, Slaanesh is born through the depravity of the Aeldari Empire, the Imperium rises and falls and the galaxy burns in strife...
