章節 12: Partying All Night
"...That's how my family became one of the most influential in Hidrus Quintus" A noble boasted, puffing out his chest and swinging his wineglass arrogantly.
"I see, that was an interesting tale…" Marquis Rahon replied disinterestedly without paying attention, watching the ballroom's movement.
"I agree, it has been told in my family for generations and I will make myself worthy of being remembered by the future generations. What about you? What is your family history?"
"My family serves Lord Utaniel."
"Oh, the young noble accompanied by the minister? He must trust you to invite your wife and you, probably due to years of well done services."
"A few millennia you could say."
"HAHAHA! I see you have a sense of humor." The noble placed a hand on Rahon's shoulder, who looked into his eyes, making him sweat nervously due to the gaze's coldness.
CRASH!
A noise echoed through the hall and the noble used the distraction to removed his hand from Rahon's shoulder.
Everyone turned towards the source, five servants dropping their trays with a fixed gaze and walking towards the elevator in perfect synchrony, pushing away anyone who tried to stop them with enormous strength.
"Governor Mathias should be careful with who he allows into his palace! This inappropriate display will tarnish his reputation! Hump! As if it wasn't already stained!"
"What do you mean?"
"This stays between us, but there are rumors that Governor Mathias contacted unreliable people, the dregs of society, a few days ago. A ship from Hidrus visited our planet, the Mechanicus verifying if Hidrus Quintus' machine spirits were appeased, but a group of strange crewman left the vessel, giving everyone a feeling of wrongness. I don't know how they contacted the governor, but he acted differently since when they departed."
"I see, anything else?"
"Unfortunately not, and you, any interesting stories to share?"
"Hm… Did you hear about the ork fleet's remains?"
"Yes, something really shocking! Who knows what would have happened if the storm hadn't destroyed it?!"
"Yes… The storm…"
"Changing the subject, what do you think of the party? The drinks are wonderful, aren't they?
"I am not a drinker."
"It doesn't surprise me, you haven't even touched yours." The nobleman pointed to the wineglass Rahon held.
CRASH!
Five more servants dropped their trays, walked to the elevator and ascended. Meanwhile, Rahon threw his wine from his glass out the window midst the noble's commotion.
"Where is Governor Mathias?! He must know about what's happening here!"
"I wonder the same thing!"
His eyes met Marchioness Thassiana's, who found herself in conversation with noblewomen nearby, nodded, and returned to their interactions.
"You know, I wonder why Governor Mathias keeps that woman around." A noblewoman said.
"What woman?" The Marchioness asked.
"An astropath, Jacqueline! I know she's important to interplanetary communication, but I can't help but worry with a psyker this close! Who knows when that witch will lose control?!"
"Witch, why do you refer to her as that?"
"Who wouldn't?! That woman talks about absurd visions and terrible futures!"
"Wouldn't it be better to hear what she has to say and treat her with the respect that her role demands if she is that important to the planet?"
"HAHA! As if that were to happen! Loose psykers doomed planets throughout the Imperium's history! They need to be kept in check!"
CRASH!
Five more servants entered the elevator.
"But what is…" Thassiana spoke.
"RAHKIKH, THASZAN! COME HERE NOW!"
A scream heard only by Rahon and her echoed in their heads, making them jump surprised and crush their wineglasses.
The couple faced each other and walked towards the elevator, accompanied by three more servants, and ignoring the nobles in their path. They entered and a metallic insect stuck to the button panel covered in green lines took them up.
The humans disappeared in a flash halfway across, revealing two Lychguards, two Warriors and an Immortal.
"Thaszan, what do you think happened to our Lord?" Rahkikh teleported his sword and shield to his hands.
"I don't know, but something unforeseen appeared, judging by his tone." Thaszan scythe appeared in a green flash.
"It doesn't matter; those who stand in our Lord's path will be eliminated." The Immortal muttered monotonously, readying his Gauss Blaster.
The elevator stopped and the doors opened, only for a purple-skinned creature to squeal at the Necrons. It did not last long as Rahkikh split its head in two and Thaszan's severed its torso from its waist.
The Lychguards exited the elevator before the sliced creature hit the floor, allowing the Immortal to deatomize the remains with his Blaster.
"What was that thing?" Thaszan asked.
"An unknown Xeno species?" Rahkikh completed.
"No, it was bloodless when cut; the creature was not made of flesh." The Immortal continued, however, they stopped talking, as battle sounds echoed through the corridors.
A door beside them flew off its hinges and Warriors carrying furniture placed the objects in the way, blocking the passage and positioning themselves behind it, firing at something further ahead.
Thaszan approached a group of two Warriors and an Immortal, and demanded:
"What's happening here, why not help our Lord?"
"Our Lord's orders, we shall not allow these creatures to leave the tower." The Immortal replied monotonously.
"What is your defenses' status?" Rahkikh asked.
"This floor forms a perfect circle, our Lord and Haratek are in a room across it. We have four defense points, two on the left and right, with three units in each. The creatures are weak but agile, they keep advancing as our Lord tries to close their entryway."
"Hold your positions; we will move towards our Lord's location." Rahkikh spoke.
"Fail not; or it will shame our Lord's name." Thaszan completed.
The Immortal nodded and the Lychguards passed the first left barricade, but several purple creatures blocked their path, rushing forward in a display of inhuman speed with a mixture of screams, groans and laughter.
One tried to pierce Rahkikh's chest, but he blocked the blow with his shield as a metallic noise echoed through the hall, making the purple creature grimace in pain and pleasure for damaging its own claw.
The Lychguard swung his sword, leaving a trail of green light, and severed the creature's claw from its arm. Not a single blood drop left the wound, just a small multicolored explosion.
The creature tried to slash him with its remaining claw, but he stepped aside, dodging the blow and swinging his shield, hitting the monster's face and disorienting it.
It cried painfully, but that turned into a gurgle as the Necron slashed its throat and severed its head in an eye blink. A green line being the only proof that the blow was delivered as the body disappeared in an energy burst.
A second creature leaped towards Rahkikh as he raised his shield to block the impending blow, but the thing used his weapon as a springboard and leapt over him, landing crouched behind the Necron and striking before he turned, however, the attack never hit.
The creature screamed in pain as a great green blade halved it from groin to head, falling to the ground and disappearing right after thanks to Thaszan's War Scythe.
The Lychguards cut down all the creatures in their path as the Warriors and Immortals shoot at the beings attacking through their blind spots, and reached the second barricade where their troubled defenders held back the oncoming crowd.
Thaszan stepped on the barricade and landed into the mob, smashing one of the creature's head against the ground, then swung his scythe, slashing another one's shoulder, nearly splitting it in two.
He sliced off another approaching creature's legs and stomped its head as other closed from the side, blocking the thing's claws with his scythe's hilt, unfortunately, more monster approached and piled up against him.
"Move away!" Someone shouted behind him, Rahkikh running like a train with his shield raised. Thaszan pushed the purple creatures aside and stepped way as the Necron collided with them, clearing the path like a battering ram.
The creatures flew away, slamming into the walls as the Lychguard seized the opportunity, swinging his scythe faster and faster, turning it into a hurricane of green slashes as he advanced.
He sliced through arms, legs, and heads as his feet moved with grace and precision akin to a deadly dance, cutting the creatures to pieces. The seething gashes left on the floor, wall and ceiling being the only evidence of the massacre that occurred there.
Eventually, the Lychguards reached a large broken wooden door, finding their Lord delivering the final blow to a large quadruped creature in the room ahead.
"My Lord!"
"Rahkikh, Thaszan, I don't have time to explain, I need you to help me here! Haratek, return to the tomb and activate the Pylon!" The Overlord shouted.
"Yes, my Lord!" Haratek opened an Eternity Gate and prepared to enter it until a distorted scream echoed through the room.
"NO!"
Governor Mathias' medallion left his neck and stopped in front of the portal, absorbing its energies. The tower shook and lightning ran through the room as the power peaked, there was a blinding flash and…
BOOM!
-A Few Minutes Before-
"Join us."
"Enjoy the greatest pleasures our Goddess has to offer."
"All we ask is that you tell us your name."
ALERT!
ATTEMPT OF BODY CORRUPTION DETECTED!
WARP ENERGY REACHING UNACCEPTABLE LEVELS!
ACTIVATING SHADOW ANKH, MAXIMUM POWER!
"AAAHHH! BASTARD!"
"DAMN YOU!"
"YOU DARE DENY OUR GODDESS?!"
The voices disappeared and my mind cleared.
That was dangerous, I deactivated my Ankh to enter the party without problems and it almost cost my soul! Soul, do I still have one?! If chaos tried to corrupt me, then maybe I have!
"AAAHHH!" A nearby Daemonette screamed before being banished to the Imaterium by the Ankh's null field, disappearing in a colorful shower.
They are Slaanesh's basic daemons, so the Ankh is deadly to them. I believe the stronger ones can approach, but they would have to fight having the worst headache of their lives.
"My Lord, what are these things?!" Haratek smacked a Daemonette's head with his Rod of Night, then electrocuted her to death as it thrashed and screamed.
"Daemons, beings created by the Chaos Gods born from the negative feelings generated during the War in Heaven! But in the case of the Daemonettes, blame the Eldar!"
I swung my Staff, hitting a Daemonette who threw herself into my null field even if it was deadly. Her body fell apart in her suicidal attack and she darted across the room, coated in ice and shattering when she landed.
"Daemons, Chaos Gods, what are you talking about, my Lord?! And what did the damned Eldar do?!" Haratek dodged a Daemonettes claw and slammed her arm to the ground, hitting her head's sides repeatedly with powerful blows thanks to his increased speed, and down on her head, creating a bone-crunching sound before the daemon disappeared.
Well, let me analyze the situation.
The psyker is keeping the portal open, I can cancel her powers and close it with my Ankh, however, the Daemonettes in my way are a problem.
"Its too long to explain right now! Haratek, I need you to help me reach the portal!" I teleported a sword in my left hand.
"I am at your side, my Lord!" Lightning flowing through his rod.
"So let's go!"
We ran towards our target portal as more Daemonettes left it and advanced.
Haratek closed towards the group's leader as the daemon thrust her claw forward to pierce him, however, he leaned aside, dodging the blow and hitting his enemy's face with such speed that it released a shock wave, hurling the almost-beheaded Daemonette away.
Two Daemonettes came from both sides to surround him with slashing claws, but the Cryptek dodged the blow coming from his left and hit the Daemonette on his right, then swung his rod again, hitting the left one.
He alternated between the two creatures, precisely deflecting blows and attacking at the openings.
They charged again as he did the same, hitting the left one's chin with a speed burst, throwing her in the air, and touching her stomach with his rod's tip as she fell, electrocuting her with deadly voltages before she disappeared.
The second one tried to attack from behind, but he moved faster, spinning his weapon at absurd speeds and breaking her legs with a sickening crack as she screamed in agony.
"I would keep some of you for study and experiments if you weren't such an inconvenience to my Lord, but I believe I have time for a little test. How much energy can your body hold before you returns to wherever you came from?"
Haratek placed his rod into the Daemonettes stomach and energized it with low power that gradually increased, making the daemon scream more and more as it futilely tried to slash him.
Its form flickered and distorted as the damage banished the Imateriun's energy that composed its body. The creature couldn't endure anymore and returned to its Goddess' realm.
"Unsatisfactory results, more specimens needed for experimentation." The Cryptek muttered disappointed. Fortunately, test subjects were not lacking that night, more Daemonettes left the portal and advanced at him.
I stayed behind since I was not as fast as him, but there was no shortage of Daemonettes in my path. Even with most of them banished upon entering the null field, there were those that took time to disappear, enough time to try to kill me.
I energized my staff and hit a Daemonette's head, freezing and shattered it.
A second one leaped towards me, but I swung my sword at its neck, catching its body in my blade and shaking it, but it was stuck.
Another Daemonette advanced and I swung the body towards her, beheading both daemons and freeing my weapon.
A mob advanced soon after, but I aimed my staff and shot a lightning arc at them. Some survived, but I closed the distance before they recovered.
I raised my gauntlet and released an incandescent green wave, making the daemons scream midst the flames, reducing their forms to ash and banishing them the Imaterium.
I walked through the flames towards the portal as some Daemonettes tried to stop me, freezing one's head and crushing it with my staff's butt.
Another jumped at me, but I spun my sword upwards, piercing her stomach as her weight halved her in my weapon.
A Daemonette tried to hit my legs, but I jumped and stepped on her back, crushing her spine as she tried to escape, so I crushed her head beneath my heel.
Well, we will close the portal before anyone knows what's happening at this rate.
We engaged the creatures, slashing and crushing heads, incinerating with fire and frying with lightning. However, I glimpsed something disturbing, the Daemonettes bringing surviving nobles and servants close to the portal.
The terrific sight freed them from their ecstasy, making them vainly scream and kick away from the creature's clutches, but the Daemonettes cut their throats with their claws, creasing their lives as the portal sucked a light ball with a pained face from each human.
But for what purpose?
I had my answer when the psyker screamed and the portal expanded, the reality tear enlarging as more figures emerged from the colorful mass of agonized faces.
Hate-Angels, winged Daemonettes who flew above their sisters, and a large, pink-skinned, centaur-like and scaly creature, it had a long tail, a humanoid torso, an elongated face with a long tongue protruding from its thin mouth, horns, and large claws, a Fiend of Slaanesh.
"Haratek, deal with the flying things! I'll face the centaur and call our infiltrators, the situation is worsening!" I sent a command to my hidden units before the Fiend advanced, hoping that they arrive in time.
"Yes, my Lord!" He took flight to face the Hate-Angels as the normal Daemonettes ignored him and ran towards the only exit.
I didn't waste time stopping them, it would be useless now, I need to close the portal and severe their connection to the Imaterium.
The Fiend whined and rode toward me, trying to decapitate me with its left claw, but I ducked and swung at it ribs as it jumped away, dodging the blow and swinging its tail like a whip.
I blocked with my staff, but the strength made my feet slide a little.
It took the chance and advanced again, delivering several blows as I stepped left, avoiding a blow to the chest, and right, dodging a cut to the neck, then jumped back, escaping a bear hug.
I swung my staff, hitting and freezing its left shoulder as it whinnied in pain, but the daemon quickly grabbed my staff with its right claw, pulling me face to face.
Its long tongue retreated into its mouth and shot like a spear while I tilted my head aside, receiving light cut. I tried to use my sword, but the daemon caught my wrist with its other claw.
We stood awkwardly with our arms crossed, its tongue retreated and darted towards my face again as I dodged, receiving another cut.
I released my staff, leaving it in the Fiend's grip and grabbed its tongue, curling it in my palm and violently tearing it away, making the creature scream in agony.
The creature's piece flailed like a severed lizard's tail before disappearing, and the pain was enough for the daemon to released my wrist and drop my staff and retreat.
It tried to hit me with its tail, but I swung my sword as it closed in, slicing it off, and leaving it thrashing on the ground like the tongue.
I picked my staff as the Fiend tried to cut me down, but I froze both of its claws with two hits.
The daemon stood on its hind legs and tried to stomp me, however, I aimed my gauntlet at it and released a fire blast as it tried to escape, landing sideways on the floor.
I aimed my staff at the chandelier and fired a lightning wave, dropping it on the Fiend and pinning it to the ground.
Now how was Haratek doing?
I saw the Cryptek fighting the Hate-Angel in the air, pointing his rod at one and unleashed a lightning shower as the Angel gracefully flew away before trying to slash him.
An Angel removed its body from the wall and advanced as another came from behind, but he spun in the air, letting the first pass over and the second underneath him.
The Cryptek unleashed a mighty kick, knocking one daemon to the ground, and slammed his rod into the stomach of another, pinning it against the ceiling before electrocuting it.
When the daemon disappeared, he dove towards the one on the ground, hitting its back with his rod, cracking the floor and banishing the monster.
He is doing fine, time to finish the Fiend.
I stopped in front of the daemon and raised my staff with both hands, energy flowing through the hilt and covering the ornament as it glared and snarled, vainly trying to escape.
I lowered my weapon on its head, shattering its skull, crack the ground and create a small shock wave, then, the daemon disappeared.
"My Lord!"
Looking back, I saw Rahkikh and Thaszan; and they can't imagine how happy I am.
"Rahkikh, Thaszan, I don't have time to explain, I need you to help me here! Haratek, return to the tomb and activate the Pylon!"
"Yes, my Lord!" Haratek opened an Eternity Gate and prepared to enter until a distorted scream echoed through the room.
"NO!"
Governor Mathias' medallion left his neck and stopped in front of the portal, absorbing its energies. The tower shook and lightning ran through the room as the power peaked, there was a blinding flash and…
BOOM!
What happened? Did the explosion threw me? I think so.
I saw static, but the lack of warnings indicated the lack of damage, then I stood up, glimpsing something gigantic midst the smoke, and when it cleared, I realized the seriousness of the situation.
The tower's roof and walls were gone, creating a flat, circular arena with a purple-skinned and four-armed thing on its center, its upper ones holding large swords, its lower left one a spear, and its lower right one a circular shield.
It wore a black loincloth with the Slaanesh's symbol, a black cape around its hips, a high collar, a colorful feathered crown, and jewels, bracelets, necklaces and piercings, all gold and encrusted with precious stones, it also had an elongated face with horns and a long tongue.
It was a Greater Demon of Slaanesh, A Keeper of Secrets.
My Warriors, Immortals, Lychguard and Cryptek rose from the rubble, us against a Keeper of Secrets, the chances are slim. Luckily, there wasn't a Daemonette in sight, probably killed by the explosion, but there will be more.
"Greetings mortals, I bring you the wonders of Slaanesh!" The Greater Demon shouted like a man and a woman speaking simultaneously, pointing its spear upwards and releasing a bolt of chaotic energy.
The sky turned pink and opened, releasing moans of pain and suffering as energy balls rained, revealing Daemonettes when hitting the ground around the island, making the population of Hidrus Quintus scream horrified.
"Haratek, return to the tomb and activate the Pylon!"
He opened an Eternity Gate again without answering and jumped inside.
"Not so fast!" The Keeper fired a beam at the portal right after Haratek entered; glowing pink before closing.
"What did you do?!"
"Don't worry, he is alive, for now. One of my sisters would like to play with him. She feels lonely, you know?" The Keeper said sadistically.
"You are wrong if you think she will win! You don't know what Haratek is capable of!"
"Better still, the more the prey resists, the more pleasant its death will be! However, you will be my partner tonight! Don't disappoint me! I'd rather leave the pathetic mortals to my subordinates!"
I didn't want it to get to this point, but I had no choice. I commanded my units to form a line between me and the Greater Demon.
"Rahkikh, Thaszan, protect me!"
"Yes, my Lord!"
Unfortunately, I still can't do hundreds of things at once, so I need to stop and focus on what I want to do, so I "closed" my eyes and the world disappeared.
CONTACTING THE TOMB MIND...
TOMB MIND CONTACTED.
ESTABLISHING CONNECTION...
CONNECTION ESTABLISHED.
WHAT DOES THE OVERLORD DESIRES?
*SELF-DESTRUCTION OF THE TOMB.
*LAUNCH THE FLEET.
>AWAKENING OF THE TOMB.
START TOTAL AWAKENING OF THE TOMB Y/N?
>Y
UNDERSTOOD...
STARTING TOTAL AWAKENING OF THE TOMB...
95%
96%
97%
98%
99%
100%
AWAKENING THE TOMB.
END OF CHAPTER
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票