บท 2: Chapter 2
Once more, Adam felt his consciousness stirred and his mind felt awake.
Opening his eyes, he saw a different environment. No longer is he strapped to an operation table. But instead, he was inside a pod of some sort and he could feel the bone piercing chills lingering on his body but rapidly disappearing.
Outside the pod is that man again, the one with a black priest-like robe and holding a staff with a golden eagle on top.
Once the pod hissed open, Adam remained still for a moment, staring at the man with hate. The one responsible and ordered those lunatic machine cultist fanatics to cut him open and stuff him with numerous implants, making him less a human and more of an augmented transhuman abomination.
In the next moment, Adam did not hesitate. He knew what those augmentations they made on him did. He can see those changes reflected on his Status Screen that is his only entertainment throughout the long and torturous operations.
He lunged out from the pod to catch and crush that frail looking man to death in revenge. However, the man smiled instead of looking worried.
Suddenly, an invisible force slammed on him from above and smashed Adam face first into the hard metal floor.
"A feisty one, I see. That's good. It means you are in good shape and ready for your test." The man said before two tall towering figures in golden armor with gun-halberd hybrid weapons arrived to pick him up and drag him off somewhere else.
———
Moments later, Adam found himself thrown into a gladiatorial ring and some weapons thrown at him. A bulky gun and a chainsaw sword. Before a door on the other side of the ring opens to reveal a creature he could only describe as a demon.
Red leather like skin, pair of twisted horns on its odd shaped head wielding a sword wreathed in fire of hells.
The demon snarled upon seeing Adam and immediately ran at him with bloodthirsty glee.
Adam to his credit, did not panic. Probably due to the realization that death is no longer a possibility, chained to his body and forever blessed or in his case, cursed to be returned once his unnatural regenerative power took hold of his corpse.
He calmly bent down and picked the two weapons given to him and immediately information of the method necessary to fully wield the weapons poured into his mind along with techniques like marksmanship and swordsmanship despite never once holding or wielding a gun and blade in both lives.
Then he aimed the weapon he identified as Bolter at the incoming Lesser Daemon of Khorne, Bloodletter, which was indicated by a screen floating above it that displayed its name and a green bar underneath.
Once he pulled the trigger, the Bloodletter noticed the shot and dodged the rocket propelled bullet aimed at its head before continuing its charge. But Adam unfortunately placed another shot immediately after the first one which aimed at the spot he predicted the Bloodletter would move to and the bullet found its mark, causing the Daemon's skull to explode into a shower of gore.
Adam lowered the arm holding the Bolter and turned his head to the left, looking at the gathering of high profile people on the elevated stand where he can see those golden giants surrounding an even bigger one talking with the guy in black robe.
Perhaps sensing his gaze, the man he assumed to be the Emperor the one in black robe refers to, turned to him briefly and his cold and calculative eyes stared at Adam for a few seconds before he turned back to the one in black robe, ordering something.
Soon, the door that released the Bloodletter opened again and this time, it released a group of three Bloodletters.
As before, with a calm mind, Adam dispatched those Lesser Daemons with ease.
Then five more are released and the cycle repeats until it reaches a group of ten before a bigger and stronger Bloodletter is released as the process repeats again and again.
He managed to defeat all although no longer with ease. He received quite a lot of injuries although his obscene regenerative power heals them up at a rate visible to his eyes. Making him frown at the further realization of his inhumanity.
Then, at last. They released an opponent that doesn't look like a grunt. A hulking Daemon unlike its previous kind. Along with its intimidating form, it also wields a bigger and more sinister looking sword. Its name is Bloodmaster and it displays some degree of intelligence unlike the Bloodletter.
The Bloodmaster surveyed its surroundings and realized its role. Then with similar bloodthirsty glee, it charged at Adam with a roar while Adam tightened his grip at the Chainsword and blocked the incoming strike, trading a few blows before overpowering Adam with its greater strength.
However, unlike its usual prey. Adam is not the one to worry about the mortal coil such as death. He did a suicidal move, revealing an opening to the Daemon which swiftly take the bait and stabbed Adam at his chest but he did a minute dodge to displace the attack at his shoulder instead.
Unaffected by the pain searing at his flesh, Adam swung the roaring Chainsword at the throat of the Daemon and with a loud war cry, he beheaded the Bloodmaster, showering himself with its blood spurting out like a fountain.
The corpse of the Bloodmaster joins its slaughter on the ground as Adam rips the sword off his shoulder as the door once again opens. To reveal more Daemon similar in size as the Bloodmaster.
He fought and was killed as before. No longer bother to think about it and treat it like a chore. It didn't matter anyway as he could never die and was forced to fight. He just did as they wished, hoping to be done with these tests.
Adam also did not miss the flat expression of the Emperor turning into a faint smile as he observed Adam fought against increasing odds and won. Probably elated that he has more useful tools at his disposal.
———
After the tests, he is once again brought elsewhere. But this time, instead of being dragged like a prisoner. He was simply escorted following the black robed man. Probably because he stopped resisting.
True to his guess, the black robed man confirmed it.
"Here is your room and you may rest for now. Starting tomorrow, there will be more things to do and you will need to be in top shape. Also, I will provide you a servant that will attend to your needs later." The man pointed him to a room that looked decent with proper furniture.
"Although, I suggest you to show good behavior because even if you are graced with the Emperor's favor. We will not tolerate rebellious behavior." He said while hinting at the two towering figures in golden armor which he learned to be a Custodian Guard, whatever that name or title means.
After that, the man left with one Custodes following him while another stood next to his door. Probably to prevent him from running away or plotting another revenge. That should be obvious when his room didn't even have any windows which raise the concern of ventilation.
Adam, who is mentally tired, didn't bother with anything anymore and immediately hit the bed which felt heavenly after an exhausting battle. Although his body didn't physically feel tired at all. Another proof in his inhumanity bucket list.
———
A while later, Adam woke up from his sleep, well rested and heard a series of knocking at his door.
Guessing it's probably the servant assigned to him. Adam rose up from his bed and sat on it before giving his verbal permission to enter.
The door soon opened as a woman not at all dressed like he would expect a servant and instead his first impression of her is of a hardened warrior of many battles. Dressed in worn yet sturdy armors such as a chestplate, arm brace, tasset and greave under a bodysuit which align somehow with the theme of this place so far. Also, she wore a red robe on top of everything while carrying a pistol attached to her right hip and a sword on her left.
It does make him wonder out of curiosity, why people here are generally armed to the teeth. Even those red robed people that did the operation on him carry halberd if he remembers correctly.
His assigned servant soon entered, carrying a tray of food with her that she placed on the desk before silently standing near the wall.
Somehow, he can sense hostility from her and her scrutinizing stares. But he didn't feel bothered enough to ask and eat his food in a gusto.
His appetite is quite large probably because of those augments done to his body. Thankfully she brought quite a lot probably knowing about his appetite or someone ordered her to.
After that, he arranges those empty dishes back on the tray and stares blankly at it.
What next? There's nothing to do in this room and he still needs to wait until he is called upon and he doesn't know when he will be called. He wanted to go back and sleep some more but even if his emotions are numbed, he still is not numb enough to not feel awkwardness of being stared at like a hawk by a stranger. Servant or not.
Perhaps sensing his trouble. The servant finally opened her mouth for the first time and broke her silence.
"Would you like a tour around the Imperial Palace, My Lord?" She asked. But Adam didn't miss the disgust in her voice when addressing him in such a title and she also sounded like she was forced to use it.
To that Adam's question, "Am I even allowed to leave?" He wonders as he himself is oblivious to his standing here.
A lab rat? Weapon? He remembers the contract he signed stated he needed to help the Emperor with something before he could earn his freedom. But he didn't even know what the Emperor wanted from him.
"The Imperial Reagent gives you the permission to wander the halls of the Imperial Palace with the exception of the restricted areas. That is if My Lord would keep up the good behavior. Otherwise the Custodian Guard will lock you up in the prison cell." She answered and didn't bother to hide her disdain like how one would treat an uneducated country bumpkin.
"Hmn."
Adam gave no further verbal reply and strode out from his room, half expecting he would be stopped. But even after he entered the hallway and walked a little further, the Custodian guy made no effort to stop him and instead only followed behind him along with his assigned servant.
This left him confused. From suddenly kidnapping him at the spawn point to being subjected to horrifying body modification. Then they suddenly treat him like an important guest? He cannot wrap his head around the intention of the Emperor.
After standing in the hallway and scratching his head futilely trying to figure out the reason, he concluded he lacked information. So, Adam turns his head to his servant and she immediately gets the cue to step forward.
"Can you bring me to a library?" He asked and assumed a place like an Imperial Palace should at least have a library, right?
Upon hearing his request, his servant looked shocked although she controlled her expression well to not be obvious. But Adam's eyes aren't exactly normal either after the augmentation with bionic implants to greatly enhance his visions.
Without exchanging words, she gave him a nod and gestured to him to follow.
Along the way, Adam traveled through numerous grand hallways made with gold, silver and marbles adorned with beautiful jewels and other precious stones. Also the scale of the 'Imperial Palace' dwarfs his modern mind.
The Imperial Palace is such a grand structure that a glance out of the open hallway made him gasp in surprise. The scale of the building itself is like an entire city, not to mention other structures he saw in the distance and those up in the sky reaching to outer space.
He also noticed the disapproving look on the servant's face that honestly started to feel annoying. But his reaction seems to reinforce her view of him as a bumpkin. The Custodian is a way better companion. At least he just silently follows without giving him any judgment unlike his servant that seems to silently nitpick his every action.
Anyway, they reached up to the top of somewhere and ended up in a landing site of some sort and then Adam learned that they are not even remotely close yet as they are at the outermost edge of the Imperial Palace and reaching there by foot would take forever without an aerial transport.
So, after a few minutes of riding, They finally arrived at the library. A very grand one with constant traffic of what he assumed to be scholars from the choice of their attire, lining up to get in. But for him, the crowd simply opened up a path when he arrived and was given access without any procedures. His guess is because of the intimidating Custodian although the gaze from the crowd didn't seem like that of fear but of worship.
Upon entering the library, he swiftly finds himself accompanied by someone with an occupation equivalent to a librarian that manned this grand library, asking him what material he requires. Adam immediately requested a book about the history of this place and anything about the record of the recent events.
While he is asked to take a seat while the librarian goes to collect the requested materials, his servant points out a question to him.
"Does My Lord require assistance to read those reading materials?" She asked with well concealed haughtiness in her look.
However, rather than dwell in the behavior of his servant. He is giving her question a deep consideration.
He could converse with the people just fine. That indicates the language they use should be similar. Although he does notice some words she speaks sounded a little strange. Almost archaic in some sense compared to modern English.
"Sure." He replied, not afraid to ask for help. But his response seems to leave her dissatisfied for some reason.
A while later, the librarian returned with a large pile of tomes and scrolls, large enough to form a small hill on his table.
With his servant's help, Adam starts learning about the history of this world. Oddly enough, his servant set aside her prejudice when she start to regale the tale about the Unification War spearheaded by the Emperor for hundreds of years that unite the fragmented old Earth Interstellar Civilization from Earth or Terra itself to a Galactic wide Great Crusade in order to unite all humanity under one banner.
Adam simply listened to the passionate explanation that went on for hours that neither of them noticed the passage of time.
What he can learn from this lecture session is humanity is actually quite fucked to say literally. The growing presence of the Warp which apparently is kept a secret from the common folks and is what the Daemon fought. There is a literal hell spilling into reality trying to devour humanity, Xenos race that wants to enslave humanity and countless other problems present left and right.
That same problem now is his problem because he is expected to wipe after the Emperor's proverbial ass to regain his freedom from this indentured service.
Now he can somehow understand why these implants and augmentation are done to him. If he wants to be even remotely useful, need to be as strong as the Warmaster Horus that his servant boasts about making any significant effort to try and fix those problems the Imperium faces.
But, just because he understands doesn't mean he isn't resentful of it. They could at least explain this shit to him before kidnapping and strapping him on the operation table.
His lecture and contemplation session was suddenly interrupted when the Custodian suddenly speaked.
"Lord Malcador demands your presence." His voice boomed and Adam immediately turned to the Custodian and sighed before he nodded.
As for the pile of books, the librarian assured he would be eager to help return them back to their storage.
As such, Adam and his two escorts left the library and went to find this Malcador guy which he assumed was the black robed man.
—————
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