---Debut Day---
Joining Dorn aboard the Imperator Somnium, my family and I greeted him warmly as we stepped onto the bridge. Turning around to return the greeting, the old man froze up when he caught sight of . Completely unaware of the procedure I had undergone, he was taken aback by the sudden changes to my body. Walking over to take a closer look, Dorn nodded his head in approval after walking circles around a few tis.
“There can be no denying now that you are Aremus’ descendant now; you look identical to him in every way.”, Dorn comnted as I interfaced with the ship’s computers and began backing us out of drydock. “Not to be rude, but was there a reason you changed your physical body?”
“The Blackstone Fortress expedition kicked my ass hard; I refuse to let myself be that vulnerable ever again. When I pushed my magic arts to their current limits, my body could not keep up with the demands, and I nearly died. If I had kicked the bucket, not only would the party have joined a few weeks later, I would have also widowed my wives just a few weeks after our wedding.”, I answered, glancing over at them. “Failing to fulfill our shared dream and leaving them alone in this cruel universe was all the reason I needed to perfect my body.”
Looking quite relieved by my answer, I assud he thought I had done this just to fit in better with my uncles. While it certainly would have looked a bit weird, it honestly did not bother much that they dwarfed in size. Suggesting we take our seats, as the ship began to rapidly climb into the atmosphere, Jarvis let know that my newest vessel was in position.
(Jarvis)
“Thank you, Jarvis, I am over the moon that our interstellar mothership is finally ready for her first space voyage!”, I replied via our data link.
Completed during the fortress expedition, Bannister and her team had pushed hard to use Project Hobase today to commorate this montous occasion. Believing it would show off our military might and technological prowess, I personally had mixed emotions about it. While I was certainly eager to use her in the field, it seed like overkill as the Emperor of Mankind already recognized as his grandson and a Primarch. No one was going to openly complain about taking the position, but I agreed to use the city-ship as it made Bannister happy.
Opening a Force Storm, once we were out of the atmosphere, I slowly guided the Imperator Somnium through the portal and into the Sol System. As we crossed into the Imperium’s territory, countless ships filled with civilians, nobles, and service mbers were there to greet us. Inundating us with countless communication requests, everyone was desperate to see Dorn and I first, but they all fell silent when they caught sight of the vessel. Forcibly opening communication channels with ships as we sailed by, nobles and service mbers stood at attention and saluted us while the civilians joyfully wept seeing the visage of their beloved Emperor’s battleship.
“Lord Rogal Dorn, it is a pleasure to see you alive and well!”, Chapter Master Gregor Dessian said as the Phalanx ca into view. “All those who bear your Gene Seed have traveled here today to welco you ho, my Lord. We are all truly happy to have you back among us!”
“Is that so?”, Dorn replied, with a softened expression. “While for it has only been a few weeks, it is good to be ho once again. After this ceremony is completed, we will head out at once to beginning rebuilding the Imperium’s defenses.”
“Of course, my Lord!”, Gregor answered, brimming with excitent. “The Phalanx is fully stocked and ready to set out at a mont’s notice.”
Saluting Gregor, the Chapter Master and all the Imperial Fist marines behind him saluted Dorn back. Escorting us to Terra, the massive warship got into a stable orbit while we descended into Terra’s atmosphere. Engaging the planetary engines to slow our descent, as we ca in to dock alongside the palace, the locals began celebrating the Imperator Somnium’s arrival. Elated to see the Emperor of Mankind’s battleship back where it belonged, nobles were snapping photos of it while civilians tried their best to burn its glorious image into their minds.
Heading down to the forward hangar, Dorn and I stood at the ready as the massive doors began to open. Engaging the light construct bridge outside the doorway, the chanism connected to the walkway where El’Jonson, Guilliman, and the High Lords of Terra were awaiting us. Heading out first, per Guilliman’s plan, the Lord Commander wanted to welco ho his brother first before formally introducing to the Imperium of Man. Confidently striding down the ramp, the crowd erupted into a frenzy of celebration and cheers.
Maintaining his usual facial expression, he waved to the crowd a bit uncomfortable with the warm reception he was receiving. Exchanging firm handshakes with his brothers, the three n hugged one another and began to laugh heartily. Falling in line with his brothers, Guilliman was about to begin speaking when the doors to the Golden Palace began to open. Hearing organized and synced footsteps echoing from within, the Adeptus Custodies and the Emperor of Mankind exited the gigantic doors together.
Having kept his appearance today a secret from everyone but his Custodies, the crowd quickly fell silent as he approached his sons. Bowing their heads as they dropped to their knees, the nobility warmly welcod him while his sons greeted him fondly. Looking out over his people, the Emperor of Mankind waved to them all with a calm, confident smile. Stopping before Guilliman, he placed his hand upon his son’s shoulders and began to speak.
“I know you spent a great deal of ti planning this event, Guilliman, but I felt it was only right to be here to greet my grandson in person.”, the Emperor of Mankind spoke as he turned to speak to the populace, “Several years before the Horus Heresy, my son Klordius Aremus, Primarch of the Second Legion, departed with his legion to brave the great unknown beyond our borders. Foreseeing a future where my leadership and our technology would fail to protect us, he believed our salvation lay sowhere in the far reaches of space. In my folly, I ignored the visions he was having, causing my son to take matters into his own hands. Departing my side, after months of stonewalling him, Aremus and his legion made their way to the border and then ultimately vanished soon after their crossing. I sent several search parties to find them, but none found any trace of Aremus or his n. In a fit of grief and rage, I made the decision to erase any ntion of him and the legion from our history…”
Seeing the pained expression upon his face, the Emperor of Mankind truly regretted not heeding his warnings and missed Aremus terribly. Had he heeded my ancestor’s words, there is a chance the Horus Heresy may have never happened. Not only would all eighteen of his sons still be standing here today, but his citizens would have also avoided paying such a terrible price for his miscalculation.
“As the future of our nation continues to grow darker every passing day, a new hope has begun to grow within our borders. Arriving when we needed him the most, Aremus’ heir, Victor von Stark, ca to our aid and has continued to help our people from the shadows. During his brief ti in the Imperium, he has successfully captured the seventh Blackstone Fortress, slaughtered Khârn the Betrayer and his Butcherhorde, and vanquished the Servants of the Abyss warband, the very group rumored to have stuck the final blow to Cadia. In addition to these feats, Victor is the reason Rogal Dorn and I are standing here with you today.”, the Emperor of Mankind proclaid, turning to look at , “I wish Aremus were still alive to see what his lineage has beco. Victor von Stark, on behalf of my Imperium of Man and its people, I welco you ho not only as my grandson but as the new Primarch of the Second Legion.”
Retracting my helt, I calmly walked down the ramp with my head held high. Cheering my na loudly, their excitent and joy were palpable. Officially recognizing as the one responsible for Khârn and Obsidius’ deaths, the public was relieved that two powerful enemies had fallen by my hands. Giving them all a friendly wave, as I looked down upon them, I was horrified by what I saw. Comparable to mummies, many of the citizens that had shown up today were barely clinging to life. Seeing children skinnier than my forearm, my rage boiled over as I shot a nasty glare at where the nobility was kneeling.
While the public was hanging on by a thread, the ruling class was in perfect health and well-fed. The sheer arrogance they had to show their piggish faces here today was astounding; their atrocious mismanagent of the Imperium was on display, and no one was the least bit bothered by it. Due to generations of abuse and mistreatnt at the hands of governnt officials, their spirits were broken, and any hope they once had for a better future had been extinguished long ago.
“The kid is about to lose it on the nobility.”, Lion comnted, glancing over at his brothers. “Should we intervene?”
“Fuck them.”, Dorn scoffed. “I read the reports… If Victor did not do it, our father or one of us was going to do it eventually.”
“I assud this was liable to happen; everyone of importance has been instructed to not intervene in what unfolds. Since they choose to abandon the people, they can deal with the repercussions.”, Guilliman stated, crossing his arms.
Able to see what was about to occur, the Emperor of Mankind and his Custodies stepped back to show they were not going to intervene. Sensing the ungodly amount of bloodlust I was pouring out, a few nobles fainted while most staggered up to their feet. Looking at with confusion, they began to argue amongst themselves over who had upset . Picking up on what was happening, the Imperial citizens in attendance turned to look at the brewing conflict.
“All of you cease your arguing and bickering, you fat pigs! You ca here today to show off your family achievents and heritage to us, but all I see are the atrocities you have committed against the Imperial people.”, I shouted, as the palace itself began to shake. “I have seen many horrible things in my journey throughout the universe, but this is by far the worst I have witnessed yet. When I look down at the Imperial people, I see n, won, and children devoid of life with one foot already in the grave. Many of them are injured, sick, and starving, yet they still ca here today to show their support for their holand. They are the Imperium’s greatest treasure, but you have treated them worse than dog shit!”
“Lord Stark, surely we can talk things out like reasonable n…”, one of the fatter noblen asked. “If you so desire, we can request additional food and dical supplies be distributed to the people of Terra.”
“Your pitiful attempt to pacify my anger only enrages more, fool. If this is how nobility treats those living on Terra, the Imperium’s most sacred word, I cannot begin to imagine how you treat those living on the fringes of the Imperium of Man.”, I remarked as I slowly began flying toward them. “Long before I ever set foot in the Imperium of Man, I heard many rumors about how the nation was operated. The nobility sets outrageously high taxes on poorer worlds to goad them into a revolt just so you can turn their populace into free slave laborers. When distant and isolated worlds call for food supplies, munitions, and support, leadership sends them empty cargo ships and demands they fight to the last with what they already have. While the Imperium of Man struggles to produce enough food to feed its people, the nobility gorges themselves and gives their subjects literal corpses to eat!”
“We… We inherited this ss from our ancestors and predecessors!”, a noblewoman sheepishly argued, slowly reaching for a hidden weapon under her skirt.
“Who was it that prevented the Adeptus Custodies from joining the battlefield during the 13th Black Crusade? When the battle was lost and the surviving people of Cadia asked for your assistance, what answer did you give them?”, I questioned, hovering in the air in front of them, “You mongrels have shown ti and ti again over the millennia that your highest priority is yourselves, not the Imperial people. During the absence of my grandfather and uncles, you feasted upon the Imperium’s prosperity and wealth to the point that you have left nothing but bones for its people. My plan was to initially whittle your numbers down over the coming months, but I have changed my mind.”
Hearing a crackle of thunder overhead, massive bolts of lightning began slamming into the ground all around them. Instinctively reaching for their weapons, hundreds of them attempted to defend themselves, but I simply knocked their weapons away with the Disarm Shout. As the power of the Thu’um reverberated throughout the region, the nobles recoiled in fear while my extended family looked on in shock.
“Not only did you help destroy the spirit of the Imperial people, but you also stole away their hope for a brighter future, that is unacceptable.”, I growled, pulling Dawnbreaker from my inventory, “Since the people can no longer muster the strength to fight for their futures, I will do so in their stead. Wastes of space like you have no place in the revived Imperium of Man we are about to rebuild. By the power vested in by the Imperial people, I sentence all of you to death!”
Montarily awestruck by the sword’s visage, as their colleague’s heads began to fly, the nobles began fleeing for their lives. Taking this opportunity to reveal themselves, the New Genesis appeared in the sky over the palace in a brilliant flash of light. Bathing the entire area in its golden light, my Helldivers teleported down and cut off all escape routes. Executing my order without skipping a beat, they began to rcilessly crush and strike the nobility down. Filling the area with their dying screams, their blood began to flow down into the abyss beneath the palace.
“Holy Terra… What is that!?”, Dorn gasped, looking up at the magnificent ship above their heads. “It is bigger than even the Phalanx!”
“It must belong to Victor, but how did it get here? Why has the planetary defense system not alerted us to its presence here?”, Guilliman inquired, awestruck by the power it radiated while simultaneously concerned that their defenses were not working properly.
“Those are two excellent questions, Guilliman; unfortunately, I do not have the answers to them.”, the Emperor of Mankind admitted. “To start with, I want a thorough audit done to see what systems on Terra have failed and what is still operational.”
“By your command.”, one of Raskian’s caretakers swore.
Finishing the brutal extermination of the corrupt nobility who had shown up today, I used Wide Area Purification to cleanse the Golden Palace and its surroundings. Removing not only corruption and warp taint but also millennia of filth and gri, the ancient fortress and palace began to glimr in the sunlight. Reflecting light off its tallic exterior, it began to illuminate the city once again like it once had in olden days. As the crowd stared at the ornately decorated facility, I proceeded to cast Mass Heal on all those that had co out to attend the ceremony.
“For many millennia the Imperial people have strived to achieve the vision that the Emperor of Mankind laid out before your ancestors during the Great Crusade. All of you have fought hard, tirelessly braving everything that the universe has thrown at you. Over the millennia, though, you have grown weary from trudging down this path alone while carrying the weight of the Imperium’s nobility on your backs.”, I proclaid, holding Dawnbreaker high above my head. “I am here today to tell you that your suffering is at an end. No matter what the future holds for this nation, I will always be in your corner, ready to give my all to help you. When a call for aid goes out, the Second Legion will be the first ones in and the last ones out. Every Imperial citizen, no matter your age, appearance, or gender, is an irreplaceable treasure in my eyes, and I will not allow you to be treated as anything less than that.”
Feeling the sincerity in my tone, the people began dropping to their knees as they bawled their eyes out. Holding their families and loved ones closely, all the weight they had been carrying began to slowly fall away. Believing that the future their ancestors had been shown millennia ago was achievable once again, for the first ti in many generations, hope began to smolder in their hearts.
Seizing upon this mont, I ntally commanded the Imperator Somnium’s many bay doors to open. Lifting their heads and turning around, the crowd was shocked to see mountains of food supplies neatly piled before them. Catching whiffs of various items inside, many people began to drool as they stared at it hungrily.
“Until I resolved your food deficit, I will see that the needs of the Imperium of Man are t. As we speak, mbers of my legion are ferrying sorely needed supplies across the Imperium to those in need.”, I said with a smile as my relief workers moved into position. “To mark the return of Rogal Dorn and my arrival, I have brought a hearty feast that all Imperial citizens are welco to partake in. Eat and drink to your heart's content; there is plenty of fresh, hot food to be had! All I ask in return is that you please do not harm one another to get your als."
“Mister Stark… Is there… Is there really enough food for everyone?”, a young boy questioned from within the group of civilians below.
“Samuel!”, his mother shrieked, hiding him from sight. "Please forgive my son, Lord Stark. He… He does not understand how to address you properly.”
“You have nothing to worry about, ma’am.”, I remarked, descending to them, “He has every right to ask that question; there is no reason to punish him. To answer your question, Samuel, I assure you there is more than enough food to be had for everyone. I have many more ships on the way with enough food to keep the Imperium fed for the next few years while I work on fixing the food shortage.”
Pulling a bright red apple out of my inventory, I offered it to the young boy to try. Nervously reaching his hand out, he took it from and quickly took a bite out of it. Watching his face light up with unbridled joy, he began to jump around with excitent.
“Momma, you have to try this!!”, the boy said, offering it up to his mother. "It is really yummy!!”
Taking a bite of it, she agreed with him as tears streaked down her face. Motioning for the crowd to spread out and grab a bite to eat, the sea of people thanked for my generosity before shuffling out to find food. Waving to the little boy and his mother, as they disappeared into the crowd, I flew back up to where my grandfather, uncles, and the high lords were. Motioning for them to follow , Guilliman asked where we were going.
“The people are not the only ones that get to have a feast: I have food waiting aboard the Imperator Somnium for all of us.”, I chuckled, “My grandfather and his Custodies included.”
“It has been so ti since I have eaten a proper al…”, the Emperor conceded, with a smile, “Lead the way.”
Leading the group aboard the ship, we joined up with my wives and began our private celebration.
Catch you guys in the New Year!!
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