Chapter 222: The Dawn of Eternal Glory
Terra, Imperial Palace
The bells rang out.
Dong!
Dong!
Dong!
Loud and clear, the sound echoed through the air and across the Imperial Network, reaching every region, every planet, and every warship in the realm of mankind. Everyone heard it.
Even the Shadow Wolves, Emperor's Children, Space Wolves, Salamanders, and other Legions campaigning tens of thousands of light-years away at the galaxy's edge heard the call to witness.
Under the gaze of countless eyes across the Human Empire, the grand expedition ceremony began.
First came carefully choreographed weapon displays and dazzling firework shows. Then the singers raised their voices in chorus, performing "Glory of the Imperium of Man." The soaring melody quickened blood in mortal veins, kindling the desire to throw oneself into battle and carve out a bright future for humanity.
Many soldiers and civilians sang along, their voices rising in strong, clear voices. People from worlds like Terra and Mars joined the chorus, and for a moment, the singing drowned out even the eternal roar of machinery.
The Tech-Priests organized their own gathering, chanting praises to the Omnissiah in binary cant, pleasing the Machine Spirits and ensuring all technical equipment would function at peak efficiency.
Then, under the gaze of billions, the Legio Custodes marched forth in formation.
Each Custodian was clad in gleaming auramite, their faces obscured by heavy helms. What could be felt was their towering stature and the weight of their presence—an oppressive aura of controlled lethality. Capes emblazoned with the double-headed aquila streamed behind them.
They moved like the gods of ancient myth: majestic, inviolable, perfect.
Hovering servo-skulls buzzed through the air, their pict-captures focusing on the golden warriors and broadcasting the moment live across the entire Human Empire.
Their appearance pushed the excitement of Imperial citizens to a fever pitch. The live broadcast platforms filled with fervent declarations.
"The Golden Custodians! They say they possess god-like power, capable of bending reality itself to their will."
"The Custodians are out—can the Emperor and the Raven be far behind?"
"The great Emperor and the Raven are about to arrive."
"The Eternal Emperors."
"The Emperor and the Raven are the only suns in our hearts."
"The Emperor is eternal, the Raven is eternal, humanity is eternal."
"Annihilate all enemies, rule all heavens."
Petra-Lani and the others stood on their exclusive platform, watching the ceremony unfold. The scale was vast, designed to display humanity's strength and proclaim the might of the Human Empire to its citizens.
History would remember this moment.
Today marked the beginning of humanity's march toward infinite glory.
Petra-Lani's heart raced with excitement. Those around her felt the same. No one could remain calm. For most people, experiencing such a moment even once was a rare gift. They would carry this memory for the rest of their lives.
"He is humanity's protector. He is humanity's guide. He represents hope and light. He symbolizes the future and salvation. Cheer, rejoice, SCREAM! For HE comes to us now!!."
A resonant voice rang out, transforming into electromagnetic messages and quantum signals transmitted through complex quantum array facilities to every ship, weapon platform, and planet.
The noisy network quieted.
The clamor disappeared.
Everyone watched in silent anticipation.
Under the gaze of countless Imperial citizens, the Emperor walked toward a podium carved in the shape of a crouching aquila, turning to face His subjects.
He stood radiant, enveloped in brilliant light like a blazing sun made flesh.
Golden servo-skulls circled Him, recording this moment destined to be etched into history.
The Emperor did not spoke immediately. His mere presence brought countless souls to tears. Some knelt before their screens, calling out His name with streaming faces, their voices trembling with devotion.
"My people."
The Emperor's voice was strong and resonant, making every listener feel as though He spoke directly into their ear. Without artifice, it filled them with exhilaration and purpose.
"Forgive me for once again asking more of you, but a new era cannot be forged without sacrifice."
"Terrifying darkness once swept across the entire universe. Civilizations lay shattered. Immeasurable humans suffered in misery beyond measure, plunged into despair, with no voice, with no hope, and no future. The innocent became prey for malevolent entities, cast into endless hells to endure torment."
"But all that is ending. All will become the past. Humanity no longer cowers like frightened children in a collapsing ruin. Humanity no longer scavenge for scraps of its ancestors' gifts like beggars."
"We will forge a new era—an era of infinite light and Eternal glory. Our warships will traverse every realm of space and time, and every enemy we encounter will kneel or be destroyed."
"The Imperium of Man will surpass all civilizations humanity has ever built, and none of this would be possible if not for the dedication and sacrifice of every soul that bled and toiled against odds that were unbeatable."
"Many call Me a god, believing, insisting all the achievements of the Human Empire belong solely to Me. This belief is mistaken. Flawed. I did conquer every world. I did not fight every battle."
"It was Humanity that bled. It was humanity that sacrificed. It was humanity that stood in every corner of this galaxy, burning with fire, moving towards our cause."
"I gave you the light, and you chose to walk that path of eternal glory. I rely on you to accomplish our coming glory. You are the Imperium of Man's bones, its flesh, its heart, and its blood."
"Without you, without the indomitable of Humanity, this Empire does not exist. Without you, we would have nothing."
"Perhaps some fear failure. Perhaps some dread the disaster this action might bring. But today, you will witness the true might of the Human Empire that we have forged. Our fleets are gathering. Our forces will strike terror into every enemy's heart."
"The Era of the dark age of Mankind has ended. The Era of Despair for our enemies has begun."
The Emperor drew His sword.
Golden flames rose along the blade, illuminating His face with a terrible, beautiful light.
"FOR THE EMPEROR'S!!" x(Uncountable!)
"Annihilate all enemies. Rule all heavens. The Glory of Mankind is Eternal."
Soldiers raised their arms and cheered, their voices hoarse, their faces flushed with fervor.
"FOR THE EMPEROR'S!! Purge all enemies. Rule all heavens. The Glory of Mankind is Eternal"
"FOR THE EMPEROR'S!! Purge all enemies. Rule all heavens. The Glory of Mankind is Eternal"
Again and again, the chant rose, surging through the air like a living thing.
At that moment, a high-pitched avian cry rang out—piercing through stone and metal, echoing across the stars.
The Raven tore through space itself and landed upon the Emperor's shoulder, declaring that the flames of war would begin from this realm and continue until all heavens fell beneath Imperial dominion.
One by one, the Primarchs ordered to depart appeared, each swearing to the Emperor that they would use the swords in their hands to expand human territory and conquer all realms.
Excited shouts echoed across planets throughout the Imperium.
Mankind's collective emotions across the galaxy reached such a high fever pitch that even the Warp stirred in response.
The terrifying collective will of Mankind caused even the Chaos Gods to take notice.
The Warp.
The Brass Realm
On the boundless blood-red plains, countless gladiatorial pits stretched to infinity. Bloody battles unfolded within them, one after another. The victors would receive Khorne's blessings.
The emotions of the Human Empire's populace rippled through the Immaterium, reaching even here.
Khorne sat upon His Brass Throne, feeling both excitement and concern. The martial, powerful humans would bring Him greater strength, perhaps even enough to catch up to Tzeentch, the Architect of Fate, or even surpass him.
He felt the urge to bestow blessings upon those fanatical souls.
He cared only for bloodshed. It didn't matter whose blood was spilled.
Kill! Kill! Kill!
Chop! Chop! Chop!
The only problem was the Cursed One. The Anathema grew stronger with each passing moment, becoming an ever-greater threat to Chaos itself.
Khorne felt a pang of regret.
How glorious it would be if the Human Empire existed without the Cursed One.
The other three Chaos Gods shared Khorne's complex emotions. They both loved and hated the rise of the Mankind's Empire. Their power stemmed from the influence of real-space beings upon the Warp.
The stronger humanity became, the stronger they would become.
But the existence of the Anathema made them wary.
The Soul Forge Realm
Countless furnaces roared with infernal heat. Vast numbers of Daemon Engines and weapons were being continuously forged within Vashtorr's domain.
The Arkifane could perceive the events unfolding in realspace, and he secretly rejoiced at his decision to align with the Human Empire.
He had previously dispatched a contingent to support the Empire's war in the Transformers Universe. The battle there had been brutal, but the information brought back by the surviving daemons revealed an opportunity.
Those mechanical lifeforms represented another evolutionary path. They possessed their own creator god.
If he could glimpse the ultimate secrets of those beings, perhaps he could use that knowledge to undergo a transformation, gaining power that transcended his current state. To ascend to true godhood. To become a true creator.
"Depart for war."
The Emperor spoke His final words, then withdrew, bringing the ceremony to an end.
Commands rang out across communication channels. Warships ignited one by one, their dormant engines erupting in brilliant light as they set course for the outer reaches of the Solar System.
There, a super space-time passage large enough to accommodate several stars stood open, waiting to swallow the assembled might of humanity and deliver it into new realms of conquest.
[End of Chapter]
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