I let the troops from New Lordaeron go back to relaxing, while I tried to figure out how to handle this bullshit. I was getting extremely tired of my lack of agency. Which reminded me that having a sit down would be a good idea. I called the Probes to build a table and chairs for the eight of us that were left. Which almost caused another incident. Because, of course, it would.
"Beware, My Lord! They reek of Xenos' rot!" The Guardsmen rushed to do what they saw as their duty. Protecting me. Mr. Wick twitched, he was about to reflexively shoot the grey clad men rushing to "save" me. He stepped closer to me to keep them back, but while he had drawn his weapon earlier he kept it pointed at the ground. Watchmaster 26's rifle snapped up to aim at him. Raynor's rifle came up for the first time in this encounter and he moved closer to my side, aiming at the newcomers. Watchmaster 5 countered his movement by training his weapon on Raynor. Marshal 999 aimed his pistol at the Probes, while beginning to inch nearer to me.
The Probes themselves beeped, "Hostiles? Engage?" My head, my poor aching head. You know what, fuck this.
"STOP!" I bellowed loud enough everyone took a step back. There was a snap of golden light mixed with my mana as I lost my shit for a moment. The energy released was both like lightning and an aura. The very air around us crackled for a few seconds. Okay, that was new. The energy caught everyone's undivided attention as well. Let's use that.
"These are my allies, and help me in my tasks. Leave them be." I glared at the Guardsmen, who flinched back. A terrible fear of disappointing me, as they felt they had done before, I could feel it flowing into me from the golden link that had connected us earlier. It felt not unlike I had beaten a loyal dog. Horrible feeling, though I was left wondering how they could have possible failed me before even meeting me. Oh wait, they probably felt like they had betrayed the other guy. Hmm, I just couldn't see them doing that. Even the arrogant Preacher's unwavering righteousness stuttered in the face of my irritation, even though his heart was full of vanity. Wait. How did I know that? How could I know any of this?
Only the Magos was unaffected, though his attention was mostly fixated on the Probes. He pushed something, some kind of signal, at them and they responded in a similar fashion. Then I could feel his excitement. The giddiness of a child on Christmas morning. Oh, I saw where this was going, let's nip that in the bud.
"No Magos, you may not disassemble them for study. I'll show you the forges and robotic facilities later. Once you are done with your duty you may tinker to your... you may experiment on schematics." I had my doubts that he still possessed a heart. A real self made tin man.
I read his startlement from the air it seemed, "Apologies. This one was lost in the idea of new technology." I got a jolt of disapproval from the priest. Why would he be upset at his companion's antics?
It was getting annoyingly difficult to keep track of whose feelings were whose. Great, another problem for the ever growing pile, as if I didn't have enough to go around.
The Probes assembled the table and chairs quickly and then returned to their previous work. I gestured for everyone to sit. "Look, I am sure all of this is very different from where you where from. I understand that very well, as this is not my original version of Earth either. To help us all get on the same page, why don't you fill me in on the general course of life in the Empire back home and your places in it." Hours passed as they explained the grim realities of life in the Imperium of Man. We took a break and ate some high quality rations, I didn't think ordering Buck A Slice would be a good prank here and now. Humor seems to have largely died out in their time, unless it was of a variety that was darker than pitch. The truest form of gallows humor. They were quite confused by the food, at first, but seemed to enjoy it as much as people like them could enjoy anything.
Not only were these Kriegsmen from a different universe but also from a time far into the future, the 41st millennium if I understood it correctly. They filled me in on both a general history and their own lives and experiences. Their time was within a galaxy trapped in a hellish warscape where mankind was beset on all sides by enemies I could scarcely imagine. The "Necrons" and "Tyranids" were both particulaly terrifying to me. I would pray too, if I could, that no such beings waited out in the dark of this universe's reaches. Once the rest of my takss on Earth were done I'd need to start preparing for these foes, or ones like them.
After I had gotten enough of an idea of who they were, for one day, I laid out what life was like for people in Night City and on this version of Earth in general. They didn't in the slightest react to the troubles of the people in the city. It was as if they expected people living in cities to suffer. There was a lot of misunderstandings between us that were going to have to be corrected as time went on. However, I think I at the very least got them to accept that things were very different here and that their usual methods of incinerating all problem immediately might not be the in the best interest of my cause. It only took a few more hours.
"It is like the start of a Grand Crusade for the soul of Holy Terra itself!" The Preacher maybe didn't get it. Fervor bubbled up and flooded our connection.
"As your Hammer, we will grind all foes into dust. For your honor, Emperor!" Marshall 999 might be a lost cause as well. The Watchmasters seemed eager to slaughter any who opposed me. If I understood them all properly these Kriegsmen, even amongst the people of the dour Imperium, they were seen as grim. What a joyful experience. Great, I guess I just wasted my breath, trying to explain things to them. It was all water off a duck's back.
"So many new machines to study! This one needs to make a new servitor skull, perhaps this will help to allow create a better interface with this version of the Noosphere. The Machine Spirits here are quite strange, but this one detects no Heretek." Okay. It was a horrid realization that the almost soulless seeming man-machine was the one that seemed the easiest to get along with. Does that say more about me, or them. His "mechadendrites" twitched about, appearing to be more "alive" than the body to which they were attached.
You know what, I'm going to see what the Command Bunker, as they labeled it, had to offer me. As I place my hand upon it, my BTC shook.
[ Adjusting... ]
[ Command Bunker has been added to the Great Tree Network.
Options:
Choose Class
Raise Level
Summon Servitor
Summon Tech-Priest (Random)
Summon Basic Krieg Infantry Squad ]
What the hell is a Servitor? Were they like Probes. I queued one up as well as a squad of infantry. Wow, hours for the Servitor and a few days for the squad. I wasn't going to wait around for this though, we had already spent enough time fucking around here. I just wanted to take Raynor and Mr. Wick to hunt some more Gangoons and then go back home for a while.
Might as well see what Classes I was offered.
[ Voice of the God Emperor of Mankind
+2 to to all stats
You are the embodiment of the nascent God of another reality. Wield Faith to bring about a Glorious Future.
Starting Abilities: Divine Wrath, Blessings of Mankind ]
[ Daemon Prince of Hope
+5 to Intelligence
+5 to Cool
-5 to Spirit
You bring Hope to the troubled masses, but is it real? What is Hope anyway? Hehehehehehehehehehehe!
Starting Abilities: Daemon Form, Eldritch Blast ]
[ Lord of the End
+5 to Body
+5 to Will
-5 to Spirit
You follow nature. It is the nature of all things to die. Bring them all to their proper rest.
Starting Abilities: Rest, Peace ]
What the... Nope, not going to think about it. Too much fuckery going on here. Too much bullshit I don't have a clue about.
I took the only one it made sense to choose. Fuck my life. How many ways can I get railroaded today?
I wanted to raise the Voice of the God Emperor Class to match the others but found that it was a whopping 5000 XP per level. That seemed bloody overpriced. No, let's not worry about it. I needed to see what it could do for me. I went ahead and increased it once, leaving me with almost 12,000 XP. +1 to all stats per level past the first seemed like a good thing, but the that cost was hefty. The Class also added a new special stat that wouldn't go up when I leveled, Divinity: 1.This stat had a sub category, Faith: 51. My head just kind of went blank when I started thinking about that and what it all could mean.
Had I somehow highjacked my way into godhood, or at least the path to godhood? The class said I would embody a god but who would believe that? I've never been a particularly religious person, and my exposure to faith of any kind was minimal. Until now. Wait, Faith was probably that golden energy. I nodded to myself, that made sense. So Divinity was what, how well I could use it? How much I could store? Maybe both. Not enough information. I had gotten another new ability with the level up as well. Foresight. From what I could sense it was pretty literal, I could get images of the future, though it would be extremely limited at first.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
I turned my attention to the other abilities. Divine Wrath was pretty similar to Smite. Had the same feel and everything it just didn't require a prayer, also it would damage anything I considered an enemy, but spare anything I considered to be an ally. Nice, no friendly fire. The Blessing of Mankind burned Faith energy to give courage and fury to my chosen targets, or despair and dread to my enemies. Hmm. So it would only be useful in battle? That required more study.
While I would definitely have to use the abilities to really start understanding then, I was somewhat reluctant to start experimenting in front of the newcomers. I had a feeling showing any weakness in front of them would be a very bad idea. For some reason, I didn't get the same feeling of trust with them in my gut as I did with Raynor and Mr. Wick. Correction, the Kriegsmen were absolutely loyal, like big human shaped doggos. It was the Preacher and the Magos that had my guts all twisted up. Maybe for different reasons though, but I couldn't trust them, like I could the others.
Given the Preacher's attitude, they were turning out to be a problem. One that I had no ready baked solution for. Worse I wasn't in the slightest sure how useful they would be. Otherwise, I might just eliminate them.
Huh? Where the fuck did that come from? I rolled that around in my thoughts.
Oh!
Oh.
Oh, no.
This was what I was warned about. My personality was probably already being affected by the new identity. Shit. My pile of problems grows. My bag of solutions seemed empty, unless I started thinking like a ruthless tyrant hellbent on a, "My way or the Highway" policy. If I went that route, I had as many solutions as I had bullets, and I could make a lot of bullets.
I grew weary of all this contemplation. My thoughts seemed to be chasing themselves in circles. If I had to be an asshole to control these fucked up people, so be it. I wanted to change in the first place. "Marshal 999, your orders are to secure this area while avoiding contact with the locals. Minimize time on the surface and do not go more than a hundred yards from the lift when you do. Harm none that are in my service, regardless of what they look like. Any others you find in the area, capture and hold until such time as I or one of my representatives can pass judgement on them." I waved my hand towards the walls. "In the meantime, build all of your infrastructure underground. Go deeper if you must, but not closer to the surface. Get your production lines setup for weapons and whatever else you require. I will have food and material supplies shipped to you as fast as possible. Build me an army loyal to me and me alone. Do you understand?"
His fist smashed like a comet into his chest and he bowed, "Yes, My Emperor! I obey!" The Watchmasters mirrored him. The preacher look nonplussed, I could feel his irritation, even if I didn't fully understand it. I was beginning to suspect that he didn't actually see me as his Emperor. Perhaps, he saw me as just a mouthpiece. Argh, his heart and mind were labyrinthine, loaded with twists and turns. Impossible to explore for long periods of time.
"Preacher Grais, you will come with us. I want to see what ideas you have about the expansion of our bases. Also, so that I might learn more about your Imperium, after all, success is worth emulating." That shut off those sour feelings. A sense of pleased self importance. What a piece of work, this guy was. "Of course, It would be my honor, Emperor." No "glorious" this time? It seemed that the mask had begun to slip.
Emulate their Empire, of course not. It sounded horrific. what sane being would want to go anywhere near that clusterfuck. No, I'd never trend that same road, but I needed him to think I was on the same path. I'd absorb the lessons and mistakes, probably couched as victories, and use those to forge something better.
"Magos Helifern, I have considered also taking you with us. Learning more about the technology of Mars had great appeal to me." A flash of jealousy flared up from the preacher. What a child like level of emotional control. Considering he was supposedly approaching 200 years of age, that was highly incredulous. Something was deeply wrong with this man. "However, if I understand your talents properly, it would be more efficient to use you here. I'll show you the Forges we already have set up and how to use them, though the Robotics Facilities are working on important projects that cannot be disturbed right now."
"As the Omnissiah decrees." His "Vox Modulator's" distorted sound still bothered me, but I was getting used to it. "Lastly, one of my Probes will scan all of your equipment, so that they may be reproduced in the Forges. We'll determine later if your methods of manufacture or ours are more suited to our needs." None of them objected, though the Magos's mechadendrites writhed almost like they were afraid.
With that I think I've covered my bases for now. There would probably still be a ton of fuck ups to fix later but this was a good start. After we got the scans sorted, I took the Magos to the Forges and explained everything he needed to know. He seemed joyous, if such a being was capable of emotion.
Somewhat later, Raynor, Mr. Wick and I were sitting by ourselves in the living area south of the lift, discussing our impressions of the newcomers.
"Those folks are a few stalks sort of a bale. If I understand even half of what they said about their home, that place is a nightmare." Raynor shook his head, frowning. He was worried.
"Fast. Accurate. Always ready." Mr. Wick paused, "Too quick to shoot."
Raynor and I whipped around to stared at him like he had grown another head. Silence in the room grew heavier, as we couldn't believe he had just said that. Mr. empty a mag before anyone can get a word in edgewise.
Then he started laughing. It was a rich, but broken, sound as if he was utterly unused to laughing.
Was the World about to combust into a ball of flame? John motherfucking Wick had just cracked a joke. Will miracles never cease? Raynor and I looked at each other and shrugged. What else could we do? After a moment more of stunned disbelief we joined him. The laughter itself built up between us until it became an uncontrollable release of tension. All that frustration of dealing with such strange people, released in a torrent of sound.
Wasn't it wonderful to have friends.
We finished laughing. Hell, I even had to wipe tears from the corners of my eyes. That was a great laugh. Something around us had improved, the air even felt lighter somehow. The gloom cast by the Imperials dissipated.
"You can call me John." Whoa. I turned to look at Mr. Wick, wondering if this was another joke. Nah, seemed legit.
"Alright, John." That felt so bizarre, "Are we ready to go hunting for some metal freaks?" I gave them a wolfish grin, as we all stood up.
"Good to go, Hoss." Raynor slung his rifle over his shoulder. He still had his faceplate down, so I had no clue how psyched he might be.
"Sure." John nodded. His expression had returned to his normal blank page.
"Alright, I'll go get preachy. Just so we are all on the same page... he's not coming back, right?" I felt uncomfortable even saying that much, out loud, but that man was a problem. Ideally, he'd get flatlined by some Gangoons.
"Hoss, uh, are you feeling alright?" He was actually concerned. Raynor being himself probably had no clue how to ask what was really on his mind.
"Honestly, no. I feel pretty off since this little episode started. My Paladin Class broke, and now I'm supposed to be some incarnation of another reality's God. All because these new bastards are too fucking insane to listen to reason. I feel like garbage, and my new class is some path to Godhood. More problems, not many solutions. Not good ones anyway." Maybe I was snarling a little bit at the end there.
"Yeah. Rough." John nodded. Unflappable as ever.
Raynor hesitated, "It's just you're the last person I would expect to plot an endin' like that. Fight, sure. Kill, of course, but this is a bit cold for you." He waved his hand.
I closed my eyes and unclenched my teeth. I nodded at him, "Cold is a good way to describe how I feel right now. I'm furious but it's not like before, were being angry was all emotional, this is a calculated thing. As wrong as that sounds, it's worse to feel it. Like something has a plan and that plan is for me to be angry. I know it's not me, but it's still there burning coldly." I opened my eyes. "Something vast is trying to get me to play a role, I'm sure of it. The Company, this other God, or something else, I don't know what it is." I sighed, trying to let my troubles out, in the hopes that expressing them would relief the pressure. But no, no real help there.
"Sorry, Hoss but I had to ask. I'm worried. Amanda would kill me if anything happened to you. If Sally didn't get me first." He chuckled.
"Ah, the truth comes out at last. How's thing with her working out?" I smirked. It was nice to know Raynor had someone to care about.
"Good, Hoss. She's a good woman." His voice sounded wistful. There was some pain in there too.
"Don't worry." John said looking at me. "I've got this." I knew he was referring to the Preacher. Well, if John said it, I believed. After all he was as much an idea as a man.
I made sure that the Probes were far down their tunnels digging toward the other outposts. I was a little worried the Magos would chase after them when we left. I needed to keep my Robo-Buddies safe from the clutches of the Tech-Priest.
I was finally getting input from the total Psifield. I could now sense things all the way back to the Valley. I called some Sentries to keep an eye on the newcomers and an Observer to monitor the activity here. I set a fixed order of Rations for them to be delivered by Probes once the tunnels were done, and called some Wisps to make them a Moon Well. I still couldn't get it out of my head that something was going to go horribly wrong.
I shook my noggin to clear the dark thoughts. Well, I had done what I could. It was time to hunt.
We collected Grais before taking the lift up. I kept a part of my attention on the connection between me and him to monitor his increasingly erratic emotional state. Something wasn't right with this guy. Everything he saw made him twitch or growl. Mutters of "Heresy" often passed his lips. Twenty times before we had even got off the lift.
Well, it wouldn't matter for too much longer.
We gathered the troops before getting into the truck. I figured we'd head north to Watson and start some Maelstrom hunting there. After we were done we could swing by Lizzie's and decompress a little before heading back home. Though I was contemplating stopping to see the Mox before we got rolling just to see Grais's head explode. He'd probably declare them some sex cult and try to burn them all. As hilarious as that image was, I think we'll wait on exploding Preacher brains. The Mox deserve better. Heh.
Strange thing was that Grais had calmed down a lot when looking at the boys in power armor. It reminded him of something, something holy. Then there was shame. Betrayal. My head snapped to him. He startled, backing up. Worry, fear and resignation. "What did you do?" I didn't mean to say anything, I figured a confrontation with him should wait. It had just slipped out. Everyone else turned, looking to figure out what was going on.
"Emperor, I... I did nothing. To my shame, I did nothing while they burned." He began to speak haltingly, "I was hunting a cult on Paraxis IV. (AN: couldn't find a Paraxis, but did find a Praxis.) Your holy angels had been dispatched to deal with an infestation of Xenos. The Xenos were actually daemons of Chaos. A common mistake amongst the uninformed."
Grais had our undivided attention now.
He took a deep breath shuttering. "I ended up working with the Astartes to find the source of the daemonspawn. The Cult was located and further than usual on the path of corruption. Many were full sorcerers of the Fel Powers." His eyes were clouded, he wasn't really with us anymore. He was back there. "We slew many, but in the end they had summoned a Daemon Prince. It shouldn't have been possible, but there it was. So terrible that my mind began to tear. Were it not for my Faith and the holy protection of my Rosarius, I would have been destroyed then and there." I glared at him as I recognized that term. Daemon Prince. He flinched. I began to see the nature of the issue. He was broken. He was tested and he found that he wasn't enough, and it shattered his self-image.
We have all failed, but he couldn't move past his fuck ups. "The Astartes resisted the ruinous influence and began to attack the Foul Creature but in the end their strength wasn't enough and they began to fall one by one. To my shame, I didn't help, I could barely hold the Rosarius anymore. My prayers were faltering, I failed." He began wailed like a bereft child. He had been vulnerable. Who hasn't been there?
"When they were all slain, the Daemon turned to me and smiled. It said, "Another time false priest. After all you are already mine."" Grais wept. He'd lost his way. Hadn't we all?
I both felt pity for him, and was furious at his weakness. Nope, I couldn't shake it, but I saw his issues from two different angles. My suspicions grew, but I didn't know for sure. However, I had an idea on how to find out.
I coiled my mana and cast Nature's Blessing on all of us. I shaped it again and Cleansed us, then I gave us all a Regrowth for good measure. He flinched from each spell as it washed over him, that was most definitely not the usual reaction.
I could feel it now, his darkness.
Even the very act of him telling that story was foul. It was a poison of the soul. Sowing doubt. My sense of his wrongness was growing. He was tainted. I used Blessing of Mankind on all of us.
His inhuman screams confirmed my suspicions.