Chapter 138: Chapter 138: Showcasing in True Form
At the foot of a mountain in Barbarus, Hades gazed thoughtfully at the selection line before him.
Floating overhead, the mechanical teaching skeletons, designed for broadcasting and recording, were ready to live stream the pre-enlistment briefing to the people of Barbarus.
This was at the request of Mortarion. The Primarch hoped to use this enlistment as an opportunity to communicate with his subjects.
At a special site on the mountain, a prepared obsidian obelisk stood silently. It was surrounded by countless untouchables and Death Guards, serving as a security measure for this selection.
After a Barbarus-standard week of new recruit registration and screening, standing opposite the podium now were the children about to undergo selection.
These children, wearing gas masks uniformly distributed by the Death Guards, were set to be sent into the mountains in batches.
Perhaps influenced by the Death Guards beside them, most of these children, with pallid faces and calloused hands, had chosen silence. Some even clenched their teeth in quiet determination.
Fully armed Death Guards stood on either side of the line. Their meticulously cleaned chain scythes were grounded, and their bomb guns hung silently at their sides.
Small damages on their power armor bore witness to the battles they had endured. Unlike some legions who meticulously maintain and decorate their armors, the Death Guards preferred to retain the battle scars on theirs. As long as these damages didn't compromise the armor's function, they wouldn't repair them. These marks were badges of honor to them.
The silent Death Guards added an atmosphere of grim solemnity. They exuded an imposing aura, visibly projecting their killer intent.
Those Death Guards present today were renowned for their distinguished service in the Galaspa campaign, all of Barbarus descent.
Apart from Mortarion, other Death Guards also attached great importance to this selection. When Hades groggily left the forge, he sensed an indescribable tension among the Death Guards.
Soldiers silently congregated in the training area, repeatedly cleaning their weapons. The dueling cages were unusually popular.
Were they nervous?
Realizing this, Hades couldn't help but chuckle. Indeed, the Barbarus-born Death Guards under Mortarion hadn't yet experienced such a "showcase of honor."
For these Barbarus people, it felt like returning home in glory.
Though Hades wanted to laugh at this realization, he stood solemnly on the podium. The six-spiked skull emblem on his right shoulder guard gleamed, while the cogwheel skull of the Mechanicum on his left shoulder guard seemed to snarl.
Hades deliberately wore his most ostentatious artificer backpack. The intricate yet massive Mechanicum gear obediently hung beside him. The menacing servo-skulls extended their cables, staring at the line before them.
Curious children occasionally sneaked glances at Hades' distinctive equipment, their eyes filled with wonder and envy. Noticing their glances, Hades wondered if he was prematurely recruiting for the Death Guard's forge.
The black scythe gleamed in the sunlight. The star, Stellar, moved slowly but surely to its designated position.
It was time.
The heavy footsteps of power armor echoed, their mechanical sounds piercing everyone's ears. The sound of metal censers striking power armor resonated.
Ding—
A gray cloak billowed without wind.
The overwhelming aura of the Primarch enveloped the entire venue. Some of the more timid children even held their breaths.
Eyes gleaming from beneath the shadow of a hood.
Mortarion walked to the podium, standing at its center.
The Primarch stood firm.
Every Death Guard present unleashed an unprecedented killer intent and oppressive aura. Some children, overwhelmed, knelt tremblingly.
Seeing the first few children kneel, others hesitated, wondering if they should kneel too.
After all, this was the "Great One" their parents spoke of.
Kneeling and bowing to Imperial bureaucrats and the priests of the Mechanicum was common.
In the lineup, Antaeus watched the boy in front of him kneel and clenched his teeth.
There was no other reason; he just didn't want to kneel.
"Don't kneel," ordered Mortarion, removing his hood. A raspy voice emerged from behind his respirator, and the Primarch's brow furrowed.
Standing beside him, Hades also frowned. This wasn't the scene they had hoped for.
To their surprise, even before the selection began, they could already eliminate some candidates.
The Death Guards flanking the line began recording the kneeling children.
To give the kneeling children time to rise, Mortarion reached behind his head and slowly removed his respirator.
His lips, long corroded by toxic gases, appeared dry and cracked. His pallid skin, under the sun, resembled that of a corpse.
Now, all of Mortarion's protective barriers were removed.
Hades blinked. It seemed Mortarion was taking this seriously.
The kneeling children, upon hearing the command, shakily stood up.
Antaeus silently pulled the boy in front of him to his feet. They then realigned, focusing on Mortarion.
The Primarch took a deep breath.
"My people,"
He began,
"I am pleased to see you enlisting in the Death Guards."
"I know the people of Barbarus don't have a substantial understanding of the Imperial legions."
"Yet, you chose to stand here."
Mortarion surveyed his surroundings, his piercing gaze seemingly peering into every soul.
"You are not here because of the Imperium's Death Guards."
Since Barbarus was incorporated into the Imperium, the legions hadn't directly appeared in public view.
Historians, meant to extol the virtues of the Imperium, were drawn to the glory of the frontline and largely overlooked this bleak and impoverished planet.
Hence, the people of Barbarus had no impression of the Imperium, the legions, or the Great Crusade.
"They didn't come here with the dream of becoming 'stellar warriors.'"
"Among you, some are here because of the Death Guards of Barbarus."
The generation oppressed by the tyrannical alien overlords still existed, and the memory of Barbarus' harshest times continued to circulate.
The legendary rebels who stood amidst the fog and atop mountains remained a vivid chapter in the sparse culture of Barbarus.
Perhaps, in the bleak dreams of this Barbarus generation, a blood-stained rebel flag once appeared.
The children standing here now had ancestors who might have been rebels or peasants rescued by them. Regardless, every Barbarian had lived through that liberation.
They were drawn to the rebels, to the Primarch, and they yearned to break the monotonous cycle of life. They wished to partake in the continuation of that rebellion.
"For those of you who aspire to join the rebel cause, I sincerely hope you pass the selection."
Mortarion's scythe gleamed coldly as he earnestly looked at these determined souls.
"You and your families represent the indomitable spirit of Barbarus."
At the foot of Mount Barbarus, Hades gazed contemplatively at the queue of draftees before him. Floating above were mechanical skeletal drones, ready to broadcast this recruitment event live to the people of Barbarus.
This initiative was at the behest of Mortarian, the Primarch, who wished to use this opportunity to address his subjects.
As the children prepared for selection, they were provided with gas masks, distributed by the Death Guards. Perhaps influenced by the foreboding presence of these guards, many of the children, their faces pallid and hands calloused, chose to remain silent. Some clenched their teeth resolutely.
The Death Guards, fully armored, stood at attention on either side of the queue. Their chainsaws gleamed menacingly, and their explosive rifles hung silently at their waists. Scars and marks on their armor spoke of battles they'd weathered. Unlike other legions that took pride in maintaining and decorating their armors, the Death Guards embraced the scars as long as the armor's functionality wasn't compromised. To them, each mark was a badge of honor.
Their silent, intimidating presence added a weight to the atmosphere, a sense of looming violence.
Hades, standing on the podium, was adorned with emblematic gear. His shoulder plate shone with the insignia of the Death Guard, while his left bore the symbol of the Mechanicus. Children sneaked glances at Hades' unique equipment, their eyes filled with wonder and envy.
The Primarch, Mortarian, stepped forward, the weight of his power instantly pressing down on everyone present. Some children, overwhelmed by his presence, instinctively knelt. Others hesitated, unsure of the proper protocol.
"Stand," commanded Mortarian, his voice raspy and commanding. "You need not kneel."
There was a weighty pause as Mortarian addressed the assembled.
"My people," he began, "I am heartened to see so many of you here, willing to join the ranks of the Death Guards."
His gaze swept over the crowd, each individual feeling as if the Primarch peered into their very soul.
"Yet I know not all of you are here for the glory or the legacy of the Death Guards. Some of you are here out of necessity, driven by the dire circumstances of our homeworld."
Mortarian continued, touching upon the history of Barbarus, how its people had suffered under tyrants, and how the Death Guards had risen as its saviors. He spoke of the resilience of the Barbarus people, their determination, and their sacrifice.
"And now, it's your turn," he declared, gesturing towards the looming mountain behind him. "The climb will not be easy. Only the most resilient will survive. If you lack the fortitude, you will succumb."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. The weight of Mortarian's words sank in.
"However, if you think you have the resilience, the strength," Mortarian concluded, his voice echoing powerfully, "then begin your ascent."
*Hello everyone translator here- I think there may be some repetition that was utilized by the original author that probably didn't translate very well during the speech but there were enough differences in the text that I decided to leave it in. Hopefully it wasn't too annoying.*
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