Roboute Guilliman's Story

Amidst the soldiers on the ground a green firefly blinked into existence. In a copper sunburst of planar energy one known as Myrkul's Vein moved by request a True Rekindled who dragged one who was not across the Way from one point to another. Rescued from a shattered remnant torn from another reality the patina-colored fire poured around the space marines as if it inherently recognized them. As it poured backward out of this reality a retreating entry spike revealed a red cloaked Doom Eagle techmarine named Gunnac Umbercaller. Under the shrouding cloak retreating shone the shining blue armor of the Primarch Roboute Guilliman.

The cognis signum of his armor risen above him carried for now a passenger in a shard of mind from these black-robed servants of his father he left behind to repair the primarch's temple to his direction. It gave Roboute indirect access to this 'Almanac' these Jinhai wielded as a piece of effective field intelligence. This creature 'Myrkul's Vein' was somehow always watching the emperor now whenever it could reach him. Direct access to the book to his mind by way of the Cognis Signum was something to explore later when the opportunity presented itself. Entering a battle uninformed was a recipe for failure though it had taken precious time.

His weapons were somehow weaker by the transition from the world he knew and the loyal techmarine suggested changes possessed by the necessity foisted upon him as well. He drew his power sword, the Gladius Incandor and raised it high so that his Space Marines could see it above the roar of battle. At a word from his mind the iconic silver blade alit in a heavy blue fire with a howl of incandescent grey sigils drawn out from some distant storm. Shadows near to him would suffer a boiling wind born of the black storm that suffered not the sheer existence of what was not of Mankind. Roboute directed the storm as much as one could such a thing that aimed to destroy foreign realities but it the empowered maelstrom of nonexistence could not itself be easily corrupted. The Jinhai and his techmarine felt he could control it for at least the battle. The odd lull of battle appeared just before he arrived where the army strangely poised itself for slaughter when the creature above lost his focus in cursory inspection of the space marines. How fortuitous.

His indomitable mind took in the battle quickly then stretched out to who served as space marines in the new age. His psychic might returned in force now that the noxious poison limiting him was removed, "Space Marines! Advance into their pause for mankind! Suffer no enemy of the Emperor's to live and leave nothing intact of their fortifications!"

There were weaknesses in the pattern of space marines for foes that came from the shadows amidst lines. Roboute sent telepathic instructions to space marines for new formations for clearer interior fire given the troop positions indicated by his cognis signum after considering the terrain for shadowing. The creatures seemed to tend toward racing straight at any perceived weakness and acquired some marines to set up pincer movements to exploit the individual weaknesses of strategic skills in the shadow beasts among the legion. Especially if their leader faltered in attention once more to restrain them from doom.

The techmarine in front of him busied with the construction of a field bulwark for cover with the bright red cloak that sprouted heavy tools. Even as he whirled around underneath it to slash at shadow creatures coming too close to the burning light of the Primarch's empowered sword.

The Emperor would find that Draco's psychic defenses were as strong as his physical ones, and despite the flurry of mental bullets, the Dragon held firm against the Emperor, the corrupting Shadowfire spreading further. Not bothering to look away, Draco took his left arm and raised it, leaving his sword in the Emperor's chest while the gauntlet of his armor stopped the swing of the Knight in its tracks, and the ground shattered beneath them, leaving another massive crater in the ground.

There was another momentary pause in the battle as Draco let out a single breath, blood trailing from his nose; the mind bullets having taken a toll on Draco's body after all, though his strength nor resolve wavered in the least. As the Chainsword made contact with Draco's flaming body and armor, the Corrupting Shadowfire spread to that as well, and the thing would begin to melt quickly as the fire spread. Slowly Draco turned his head, bones cracking as his face deformed, became more Draconian, and he stared at the Knight who dared interrupt his duel with the Emperor.

"Jedark di Owrropoqu." Draco uttered; "Force of Consequence.", a defensive, Physical ability that most Dragon's possessed, but never had the clarity of mind to use. Draco was in rare form, despite the unseen damage, he was in peak condition. Extending his blocking arm towards the Unbroken Warden, all of the force the man put into his own strike would suddenly be forced back into his own body, not the armor, but the body within, travelling down the melting sword and into the arms of the Warden Armor. This Force was amplified by Draco's own monstrous strength of a counter push, which he made seem effortless, and was arcing with Draconian Lightning, which made the guns and cannons used by the Imperium look like children's toys when it came to sheer destructive power.

The Legion of Shadows was gone, Draco neither wanted nor needed them, this was a duel now, and the Imperium would be setting up for nothing. Another drop of blood dripped from Draco's nose and he returned his full attention to the Emperor, grabbing his swords and letting forth a mighty, guttural roar as he pulled the swords in opposite directions, aiming to either dislodge his swords, or to split the Emperor's Armor in half. Either way, he would pull back. As he did so his Swords would fold back into the armor by themselves, and two orbs of Shadowfire appeared in Draco's clawed hands as he landed and began to move his hands in a rhythmic, almost ironically beautiful pattern as the orbs of Dark Draconian Magic grew in power and strength. Raising both hands above his head, Draco combined each orb, and then looked to the ground at his feet.



Slamming his hands down into the earth, at first it would appear that nothing happened, Draco's eyes closed, and the air was still, even previous bouts of Shadowfire he'd created ended and the rotting smell that went with them was gone too. For a moment, there was nothing.

Then, slowly, Draco opened his eyes, as he did so the very earth began to shake, the air grew heavy and thick, thick enough one could cut it with their pinky finger if they so desired. The rotting smell returned tenfold, the heat grew exponentially. Draco looked up and shouted loud and clear for all to hear.



It was at that moment that the ground beneath all Imperium present burst open, shattering into minute particles leaving nothing beneath them. From the earth erupted a great plume of Shadowfire, large enough to drown out a city Twice the Size of Solinus, the green, purple, and black flames swirled in their plume as everything began to corrode and melt down. Any who survived would likely be left highly deformed, crippled, hideous, and of course, rendered completely infertile. Those that perished where immediately taken to the abyss, Soul, Body, Armor and all, and would be corrupted until they were a part of the Legion of Shadows. Those who were unlucky, and were caught in the worst of the blast, would more than likely be alive as they feel themselves become corrupted, the never-ending aching feeling spreading from the heart and moving through every blood-vessel, like a chain-sword being driven into each follicle of hair with an ever increasing speed setting over and over again, bypassing the body's shock boundaries and even the boundary where one shuts down, and keeping them entirely awake throughout the entire experience until they finally were put down, or fully corrupted, where they would melt into the abyss to be conscripted into the Legion.

Draco stood slowly, his breathing ragged and labored, blood now trickling from his lips as well and down his chin. This was only one of many Trump Cards Draco possessed, but using it at this scale drained him significantly, left him exhausted Physically, Mentally, and Magically. The fire reflected back in Draco's eyes and the look of remorse crossed his face once more. "What did any of this accomplish? Neither of us is weak enough to die to the other's hand....why do I continue to fight?...." he thought to himself as he stood there, solemn and silent. He was not gloating, he was not even sticking around to see if his spell had worked and if the Emperor had been vanquished. He was once more lost in thought, however despite this, he kept his Psychic Defenses up, knowing that the Emperor would not settle for this, and would likely attack soon once more.

The question was, could Draco keep up the fight? Or would he allow himself to be captured?

Drip...
Drip....
Drip.....


Blood, The Emperor felt his blood leaving his body as Draco pulled out his sword ripping part of his holy armor. How long has it been since he has lost blood? How long has it been since those dark times during the Horus Heresy? That time when Horus tore at his body with intent to kill...Due to his fault mankind was gripped in eternal strife...

Would he fall here? Would the cries of the injured go unheard once more?...In fact he could hear the souls of his warriors being consumed by another evil. Being corrupted by this...this corruption...Not again....Never again! He would not fail humanity again! Not against Chaos and not this Shadow Legion! He would rise to this occasion! Their voices will be heard by him! Even as this unholy magic began to consume him something burned in his heart.

He was no God...But he would stop this! Bellowing with built up rage that has stirred for millennium. The Emperor unleashed a mighty roar from the very bowels of his chest. Filled with sorrow, and anger at everything that is wrong with this universe. The shadowfire that was consuming him disintegrated from a holy light that radiated off of his body. The remaining survivors shielded in a holy life as their bodies were healed and purged of corruption...of course Space marines did not ever break their vows of abstinence and even then they could not reproduce.



His voice blasted across the land as his remaining warriors including his Son and the Unbroken Warden where hovering inside floating balls of light. Safe from this corruption. The Emperor soon raised his sword, shining brighter than any star in this universe. The blade began to shine as it grew larger and larger. The massive blade of light reached the heavens as it did so.



The Emperor shouted as he stared down Draco, body bloodied but standing. A blade forged from every warrior lost is his service, from every person who has ever believed in him. Their own souls now coming together to defend against the darkness once again.




The Emperor's soon flew into the skies and the sun shined on his very being before coming back down like a sword from the heavens coming to strike down at the darkness itself. His voice roaring over this immense power.

Victor glared out at the screens around him the blows upon his armour upon his body, blood pouring from his wounds, in his last act of defiance against the shadows as he felt himself overcome by them, would be an all powerful strike again.

But the flames upon the knight shifted in colours those of a red and white a fury of vengeance, a fury of one's duty left undone, its frenzied strikes hitting with more force and coming unnaturally fast. From the eyes of the knight itself fires erupted and the very form seemed to be engulfed in flames of vengeance and purity, stripping the corrupting flames from its body, the cannon leveled back, and fired, as the knight became possessed; became its own being. Bones seemed to fade in and form across the hulking mechanical monster, raging against a god, it was fury. It had become one of the legion of the damned.

"You just never learn...." Draco growled, annoyed at the persistence of the Emperor and the Unbroken Warden. Closing his hands into fists, Draco let out a mighty roar that echoed across the landscape. This roar was amplified by his body as it began to shift and mold. Suddenly great black wings once more lurched forth from his back, moving in a sweeping motion that would attempt to smack away any incoming threats, such as the Emperor or the Unbroken Warden. These wings would black out the sun, and soon, so would the rest of Draco's enormous body as it grew to its true Kaiju size. One hundred and Seven Meters tall at the shoulder, not including the extra height granted by his neck, head, and horns, and well over a kilometer in length from snout to tail tip, with an even bigger wing-span, Draco let out one more roar, the pressure of the air erupting from his throat also likewise pressing his opponents back.

Moving with the same speed he had when the fight started was an easy task, and he went after the Unbroken Warden first, for having interrupted the single combat between himself and the Emperor. A quick back hand would likely send him flying, followed by a stomp of the other foot, the claws digging into the armor like butter and the sheer weight of the Dragon's form threatening to smash the armor entirely as would groan and creak if the step managed to land. The weight would continue to increase, particularly on the massive claw that was pressing into the chest of the Armor, reaching for the man inside to be able to kill him.

Behind him, his tail lashed out at at least four times the speed of sound, powerful sonic booms shaking the landscape as the tail moved at random to distract and possibly wound the Emperor again. After a while, Draco would deem the Warden unfit for movement, let alone combat, and remove his claw by flicking the man to the side, what happened after was of little concern to the Dragon.

Turning to face the Emperor, lightning began to course through Draco's body once more, travelling up from his clawed feet to his body, up his spine to his throat, where it gathered for another devastating attack, a Lightning Breath-Weapon. Opening his maw, Draco would release a pure concentrated beam of Draconian Lightning, the purple and golden light swirling as it aimed to overtake, hit, and then penetrate the Emperor's armor all in one fell swoop. This beam would last for a good ten seconds before Draco would rear up on his hind legs, and attempt to smash the Emperor like he had attempted with the Unbroken Warden.

"You will learn that Dragons tend to enjoy being left alone, Emperor." he snarled, his mouth not moving but the voice booming forth in the battle-weary minds of all around them. "And if you think this battle is taxing you've no clue what the rest of my kind is capable of. Count yourself lucky that I am one of few malevolent Dragons in existence!" and with that, Draco's maw burst forth another torrent of Shadowfire, twice as powerful as the Shadow Burial's fire, as it had come directly from Draco's body, and not with the intent to kill, but to utterly destroy.

The Emperor grunted as the Kaiju sized dragon breathed his Lightning Breath. His armor was soon full of holes, scorch marks and parts of his flesh were burned. However, what Draco was witnessing was his own armor beginning to shape and reform itself. His own flesh regenerating from the blast as he still plummeted to the earth. Soon Draco would attempt to smash the Emperor himself and he would be met with something that met his force, more than equal his own size coming from a man who appeared to be an ant to him.

"I do not learn beast? This battle...taxing to my body? Myself...lucky?....Don't make me laugh beast. You think I am scared by the rest of your kind? I have faced a power far greater than anything this mortal realm has yet to see. I have faced the four Gods of Chaos in a state of unlife. I have grown...tired of sitting back as mankind began is decent, I unable to move of that throne to fix my mistakes...You are the unlucky one here dragon...And I will put you where you belong..." The Emperor spoke plainly as Draco's maw opened up to breath a torrent of shadowfire.

The Emperor soon pulled his sword back as the fire burned across his body, burning his whole form but he remained steadfast. and goes in to thrust the massive blade into his gullet. "You wish to be left alone? How pathetic! You raid mankind and expect them to cower like cattle waiting for the slaughter! I will gladly show you a life of solitary dragon just as you ask! By destroying your very being and sentencing you to damnation!" The EMperor would put a force not becoming of his size and he went in to drive the blade into Draco's throat.

Victor was already dead, the machine possessed by his vengeful soul, the adamantium plating creaking under the strikes, but never breaking, the ion shields still deflecting blows that would crush the 12 metre tall imperial knight. The reaper chainsword striking and biting in ripping up the beast’s scale up and hacking into the flesh underneath.
The rapid fire battle cannon spitting out flame covered shells that explode with the force to level even the titans of the imperium, the vengeful beast that the knight had become wasn’t going to end its assault until the foe had fallen.

Thrown like a ragdoll the chainsword struck and bit in keeping the knight in the fight, the vengeful flames rising from its hull counteracting those of Draco, eating away at the corruption and snuffing it out, each blow the unbroken warden brought against the draconic scales would only rip more away and once a wound large enough had been exposed the knight brought back its chainsword and drove it into the wound revving the chainsword and ripping flesh and gore from the Dragon's wrist, smashing bones and almost cutting the clawed hand off.

"Gods it looks like hell down there" stated Priestess as her fleet of medivac dropships approached Solinus City.

"Damn outsiders..." Muttered a TLA trooper.

"They can kill themselves for all I care we have to get these people out."

"Ma'am we don't have enough..."

"Then we take more trips we are Terra's protectors and today we fucking prove it! For Terra! For the Liberation!"

The dropships descended from the sky flanked by gunships for defense. "Scan for life signs as soon as you find civies land and secure them quickly troopers will cover the medics don't let those bastards take anymore of our people." Ordered Priestess as she watched her ships desend.

About that time a TLA cruiser appeared with a squadron of viking fighters "The general sent us to cover you ma'am we got your backs"

"Thank the Gods now let's get to work."

Draco's tail engaged the Warden, likely easily overpowering and defeating the undead Armor again and again, as it lacked a learning mind. From Draco's body flew millions of Duradaeden swords, clones of the two that Draco used in his human form. Coursing with Draconian Lightning, which was proven to penetrate even the Emperor's Armor. The Swords would be used to try and overwhelm and pin down the Warden, where the Shadows would boil to live beneath the armor and try to drag it down to the Abyss, where the corruption would spread, regardless of holy intentions.

A gurgling roar was heard as Draco's throat, one of the softest parts of his Draconian body, was pierced by the Emperor's blade, snarling, the wound oozed pure Shadow, black sludge. "Your own power destroys your body, and you claim to be an All-Powerful Emperor..." Draco's claw, which was previously assaulted by the undead, unbroken Warden, the scales merely scratched and cracked, albeit still bleeding from the damage, moved to back-hand the Emperor lightning fast before the Massive Dragon reared up onto his haunches again, numerous ships from the Terran Liberation Army lLamming into his body and exploding on impact, those that survived would find absolutely nothing left of the city, the multiple salvos of the Drakon had left the city nothing but a series of 90-Meter deep craters, and Draco's Shadow Burial Spell had deprived the area of any life entirely.

The TLA was much too late to do anything of use.

His throat rumbled and the Emperor's sword pulsed out, pushed by the Magic within Draco's body as the wound began to seal itself, the black sludge hardening and pulling the skin back together. Darkness blackened the area around Draco as it then was pulled to his maw, which glowed with unholy retribution.He slammed down on his front legs and lowered his head as if he were about to hurl something from his belly onto the field of battle, and then slowly, opened his mouth. A small, Black ball with a White outline floated out of his maw and hovered there.

The Dragon then Flapped his great wings once, causing Sonic Booms and wind disturbances for the next two square miles around him, and hopped about two Kilometers away from the ball, which then drastically expanded.



Spreading out for a Kilometer and a half was a great orb of Shadowfire so pure that not even Draco would be able to survive it for longer than a few seconds. The Sheer Darkness one saw looking into it was enough to make any above-normal man Hallucinate vividly as its mind tries to comprehend what it can, or in this instance, cannot see. The Ground would be left un touched, but everything above it would be disintegrated without pause nor mercy.

Folding his wings back agaisnt his body, Draco decided it was time to take his leave. Soon, his entire body turned into the black Sludge of pure Shadow, and would collapse in on itself like melting chocolate. As it did so, the Magic would seep into the ground, like water into the dry ground of the desert, and vanish completely, the sky beginning to clear, revealing nothing but a desolate wasteland filled with Death.

The Emperor had no fear of this last attack Draco threw at him hoping to wipe them out as he ran away. This attack pales in comparison to the Warp, and the horrors it has. Using his psychic powers, he easily sends himself and his whole army to the safety of orbiting ships. Safe from the ground. The city itself now being consumed by destruction.

Orbiting platforms aimed Nova Cannons at the Mountains and fired their payloads at the area to give them their own parting gift before all orbiting forces remained on high alert. Forces mobilizing and regrouping. The battle was over on the ground but the war began.

"This is the Imperium of Man to the Terran Liberation Army. As you can see we already have engaged these forces which made target practice of this city. An entire city lost to the evil that plagues this world. Hear us now, these 'outsiders' have already done our best to save this city. Where were you when the enemy attacked the defenseless? where were you as we spilled out blood in battle? We are the Imperium of Man, sworn protectors of humanity. Even in times of this election we remain ever vigilant against all enemies of man. The people here are lost, but we ensured their deaths did not go unheard as you all sit around ever ignorant of their pleas for help...Yo uare no longer needed in this area, say your prayers of worship to the dead now..." A vox communication spoke to the Terran Liberation Fleet before cutting off their transmition so they could not respond to them.

Yet another attack forced back to lick their wounds, the Imperium once again fights for humanity in the face of a grave threat. This would already spread popularity during this election. That they continued to fight to defend everyone.

stood amongst the destruction and the aftermath the blackened armour and flaming construct that the imperial knight had become, its head glancing over the blasted landscape, and slowly it began to walk, and one moment looking towards it and then away, it would be gone. fading from realspace. its duty commited though the soul within bound to forever defend humanity and destroy the enemies of mankind.

the words whispered on the wind by the voices of all who had fallen that day in the fight against the shadow.

What is the terror of death
That we die, our work incomplete
What is the joy of life
To die knowing our task is done

" Fuck the Imperium once again a damn outside war takes Terran lives... Inform the General of what happened here and tell her to be prepared for the Imperium to spew bullshit" spoke Priestess glaring at the massacre before her.

The Imperium may have cut off thier line but the TLA had their own speakers that carried over the city from their ships "You can not silence us Imperium! No mater what you or that damn dragon said we will not lose hope and will continue our mission here even if what you and the dragon say is true we will not leave the dead to rot we will give them the rights they deserve and the closure thier loved ones will need. You may gather your fallen Imperium but do not hinder our duty to the fallen of Terra."

Priestess then turned to her crew " begin landing the ships send out parties to scan for life and teams to gather the fallen. Also have the mages scan for anything that dragon may have left behind I want no more surprises."

"What of the Imperium? "

"Now is not the time to battle them...and not the way the General wishes to handle them for now...If they attack us we defend ourselves but we start nothing."

"Fools...They don't even recognize this outsider threat lives on their own planet...The fallen are already dragged to their realm now...There is no corpses...only the cries of the dead and the damned...Blinded by such material views that they do not understand what great danger lurks. I pity them, yet I envy their ignorance." The ship captain spoke as Imperial assets on the grounds began to border off the city for threat of corruption.

Soon Imperial assets in orbit and in the air took off, they did not even attempt to search for survivors. For either they have already been dragged away or all trace of them extinguished. Such was the way of war against such immaterial foes, no mercy for the dead...not even death is the end for many...

Imperium of Man, Rendevous point

After a massive evacuation if Wing City by Imperial Guard forces assisted by the forces of the Adeptus Astartes. Many Imperial assets were now relocated to Llohap. Valkyrie transports by the hundreds were landing soldiers, vehicles, and construction supplies as Imperial Guard forces set up defensive positions around their landing point. Construction servitors were tasked with the job of constructing a fortress on this land.

Commissar Ciaphas Cain was overseeing the construction and picking out new locations to clear and create. They needed defensive guns, bases, outposts and factories to get production underway. Under Orders of Roboute Guilliman, and the watchful eye of the Ultramarines. They were to turn this entire land into an Imperial controlled region.

Gaian Sector
M:XXXXX
Imperial Forces

The Emperor of Mankind. Leader of the Imperium

Rogal Dorn. Primarch of the Imperial Fists Space Marine Chapter and son to the Emperor. Advisor and Bodyguard

Roboute Guilliman. Primarch of the Ultramarines Space Marine Chapter and son to the Emperor. Advisor and Bodyguard

The Aquilan Shield, Shield Company of the Adeptus Custodes tasked with safeguarding and escorting the Emperor and his sons during the meeting. 100 strong.

The Soul Of Terra. Emperor class battleship, 12.5 KM long. Assigned as transport through the void of space and protecting everyone on board. Imperial Navy crew onboard to run the ship. One million souls.

Task: Achive Peace with the Mauhasinians and engage with talks with the Aschen Empire and the Continuum.

In emergency, Battlefleet Solaris will be ordered to activate Warp Drives and arrive in sector to defend the Emperors life in the event hostile and violent action is taken.

Imperial Datalog #9808270071

---

Warp Space: En route to designated meeting point as determined by all existing parties.

On the bridge of The Soul Of Terra, an Emperor class battleship. In Warp Space transit protected by the Ships Gellar Fields to prevent the taint of the warp and demons from assaulting thier ship. The Emperor himself cladded in his golden armor stared off through the window of the ship as he was thinking to himself. Today they were meeting with the Mauhasinian Empire to finally make an actual peace treaty instead of thier ceasefire.

He has already seen the unrest among the members of the Imperial Guard and among the Space Marines, Especially the Black Templar’s. The ones who were engaged in combat with the Mauhasinian fleet they met with. Thankfully due to quick thinking by both sides they ordered a ceasefire and the Emperor himself ordered his forces back after they had suffered damage across the fleet. After this incident both sides were boiling over.

It was obviously a manner of time before one side fired at the other since this was but a ceasefire, and they would be dragged into a war that both sides would have to no doubt see to the end. So The Emperor was looking to put this aside and to make peace with the Empress of the Mauhasinian Empire. Which of course he would hope she would accept. This would not be easy however, there was bad blood between the two so simply just asking for peace was not going to be an easy road.

Of course, there was a slight change in plans. The Aschen and thier allies the Continuum have decided to participate in these talks, possibly even a joint peace treaty between the four powers. Since they were all meeting in Neutral Territory everyone was no doubt coming prepared for any worst case scenario. He was no different. With him he had his Sons, Rogal Dorn and Roboute Guilliman. Both his sons were soldiers first, they did not let emotion get in their way. Rogal Dorn did not lie and he was a brilliant mind like his brother. Both of them would assist him in terms and conditions, adding counter arguments and in the worst case scenario help him in combat.

Along with his sons, his person honor guard. The Adeptus Custodies. The Shield Company he brought with him was The Aquilian Shield. They were dedicated to escorting and protecting specific individuals in the Imperium and what better task for them than being their escorts and bodyguards during the meeting. Off course most of them would remain in the battleship as he did not wish to bring too much with him to the planets surface.

Today was a very important day, a day where they would not use sword or Bolter, neither force or threats of death. They would be using the power of their words this day to reach a mutual agreement to bring this Cold War to an end before it truly becomes an actual war.

With these thoughts in mind, they soon began to exit the warp and began to enter into real space once again, the screams of demons began to fade as the stars once again came into view. The vast emptiness of space was now around them save for the object in front of them. The planet of Palisia, a planet no one owns, devoid of life on it. A place as where this grand meeting would take place. “My Lord, Auspex scanners are reading no other vessel in orbit at the moment. We have arrived at our desination.” The Ship Commander reported to the Emperor who gave a nod of approval before turning around to leave the bridge as he and his sons began to head to the hanger.

The battleship would kill engines and remained stationary near the planet to await the others who were to come.

The Gigashadow - The Emperor's Flagship
Gaia System

"Jump Completed, My Lord..."

Space seemed to warp, and bend high above the planet Palisia, a sudden surge of spatial energies that registered off the charts immediately followed. Then a brilliant, multicolored flash of light dazzled the skies above the planet, streaking brilliantly across the blackdrop of space, culminating unto a vortex that spanned hundreds of kilometers. The vortex fluctuated, rippled, and then spat fourth what had to be described as a mothership of some kind.

It sat at just under one hundred kilometers in length, sharp, and angular in shape, and painted a dark sheen of iridescent blue-purple, conceivably one of the largest Aschen ships ever built. It bristled with weapon emplacements that sat idle within their armored recessed hard-points. The massive Aschen vessel pinged on the IFF scanners as the Gigashadow, the successor to the Imperial Flagship 'Foreshadow'

Immediately following it's jump, six massive engines ignited in it's rear section, thrumming with a brilliant blue-purple glow as the ship began to set course towards the planet. But it wasn't alone, as more Aschen ships winked in beside it, the Command Carrier Sajuuk-Khar winked in first, followed by the Reverence II 'Rapid Conversion'

Roughly a dozen Aschen cruisers jumped in next, Hastatis, Athenas, and Gemenon class ships, all in formation around the Gigashadow. Of course, compared to the massive imperial flagship, these Aschen capital ships were mere specks compared to the Gigashadow. Except for the Command Carriers, and the Reverence IIs, the other Aschen cruisers that were winking in one-by one seemed tiny in comparison.

The mighty Isambard Prince, Emperor of the Aschen Empire stood quietly aboard the Observation Bridge of the Gigashadow, flickers of light filling the observation bridge as one Aschen capital ship after another winked in. Prince briefly averted his eyes upwards, spotting the Command Carrier 'Keeper of Abbasid' as it flickered into view, roughly five hundred kilometers away. Close enough that Prince could make out the subtle details on the warship, until roughly a dozen Iconoclast, and Punisher class Battleships caught his attention.

For a moment, Isambard directed his attention to the hologram of the planet in front of him. EVE had counted roughly one thousand six hundred seventy two Aschen warships had completed their jumps and assumed formation with the Gigashadow, his attention moved to the larger Galactic map, which bore six fleets five thousand vessels strong scattered throughout the galaxy, ready to jump to their aid at a moment's notice.

Silently the Emperor clasped his hands behind his back, his great coat fluttering in the breeze from the ship's ventilation system. It was a black ensamble, with two silver collar pips, and two silver epaulettes bearing the crest of the Emperor, accented by a single lapel pin, the red IMPSOC Symbol.

"Admiral Clegg, take us into position, and have the fleet move into rest formation." Isambard instructed, prompting a swift response from the Admiral, whom offered a nod, and moved to the hologram, manipulating it with his hands to disseminate their commands through the Aschen's Point-and-click battle interface.

In sync, the Aschen ships moved into a somewhat scattered frigate line formation, allowing the Command Carriers to better protect the Gigashadow, and allow them overlapping firing solutions with their Frag Cannons should the need arise.

Deep in thought, Prince was slightly perturbed that the other parties didn't seem agreeable to the Aschen Empire hosting the talks, which meant that they had the burden of keeping security for their Emperor, the military mobilization for this summit took months, with billions of personnel briefing, training, and preparing for this very moment. It pleased the Emperor briefly, the sheer projection that the Aschen Empire was bringing fourth, a sight seldom seen outside of the Empire itself. He wondered for the moment how it would be received.

The Aliens would know their place.

Grand Confessor Kesslee was at Prince's side as well, a file folder clasped in his hand. They had briefed for weeks prior to this moment, but Prince knew that to advance Aschen interests without being hamstrung by AXIS Politics, was to win culturally, and economically.

"These Aliens offer us nothing." Prince commented, promoting an agreeable nod from Kesslee. "I have full confidence in the negotiation of an amicable treaty, my lord." The Grand Confessor replied.

"Shall we prepare the Bifrost?" Kesslee added, turning to face the Emperor.

Prince nodded quietly, and Kesslee slowly turned to leave.

Quietly, he turned back to face the hologram before him. The Planet offered little more than an inconvenience, an inconvenience that Prince would have to address.

"Admiral, prepare a prefabricated base, and deploy it to these coordinates..." Prince instructed once more, highlighting a continent on the planet.

---

Palisia Approach - CRYSTON-BC-001C "Hexomino" - Bridge

---

Aboard a Continuum Battle Cruiser, standing before a railing that sat before a view of the area before the ship, a humanoid female with fox-like ears and tail stood, arms behind her back as she listened to a report being read to her on the side by a short and small green blob of a creature with vaguely plant-like features.

『ａＳＴＲ  Λ  Ｇ  Λ  ＬＵＳ ＣＯＮＦＩＲＭ   ｐ  Λ  ＬＩＳＩ  Λ   Λ  ＰＰＲＯ  Λ  ＣＨ． 
ｅ  Λ  ＲＬＹ Ｂ  Σ  ＧＩＮＮＩＮＧ Ｄ  Σ  Ｔ  Σ  ＣＴＩＯＮ ＯＦ ＯＴＨ  Σ  Ｒ   Λ  ＰＰＲＯ  Λ  ＣＨ  Σ  Ｓ． 
ｖ  Σ  ＲＹ   Σ  ＸＣＩＴ  Σ  Ｍ  Σ  ＮＴ ＭＵＣＨ ＦＯＲ ｐＬ  Λ  ＧＯＯ  Σ  ！ 
ａＳＴＲ  Λ  Ｇ  Λ  ＬＵＳ Ｂ  Σ  ＦＯＲ  Σ   ＮＯＴ Ｍ  Σ    Σ  Ｔ Ｒ  Λ  Ｃ  Σ  Ｓ ＯＴＨ  Σ  Ｒ！』

Seeming satisfied, the female nodded.

Understood, Crataegifum Astragalus. I am excited too. Good to see your Common is doing well. We'll need it given the nature of this Summit. Germiston Neamstan, ready the Inhambane unit. I want absolute protection in the walk to the meeting location.

A large lumbering silicone based creature gave a deep and raspy response of acknowledgment.

As ᴛHᴇ CT-10 ᴡɪsHᴇs| I sHᴀʟʟ ᴅᴏ ɪᴛ|

Then, the female turned to two other female humanoids that resembled her.

Vivaz'q'w'pi C'farela, I want you to begin the approach procedures. Slow the fleet down and change all Movement Priority strategies to "Maximum Weapons Range". Change all Targeting Priorities to "Has Weapons". Assemble all ships into a Spider formation around this ship as well. Vivaz'q'w'pi Urup'l'dia, prepare the T/P Scanners and engage them on approach out to 12 sectors away. If space combat begins, I want Crataegifum Astragalus to have full access to the system map and our ship strategies. Additionally, remember that all Aschen targets are friendlies. I repeat, all Aschen targets are friendlies! Do not use them for target practice! If it comes to it, support their movements unless I or Crataegifum Astragalus tell you otherwise.

The two females nodded and began shouting their orders through communication channels. Lastly, the female looked to a screen above her. In short order, several sentient floating pillars appeared on the screen.

1G-001, have all 1G Operators temper the Phase Engines to slow us down. Be ready to shift all ships into Engage Mode, Defend Mode, or Phase Mode on orders from me or Crataegifum Astragalus. 9G-001, I require two of the 8G Obelisks to come to my position. They will be my personal advanced honor guard to attend my side during the meeting itself. Equip them to the specifications established as part of the "Foreign Visitors and Diplomatic Assembly" protocols.

The pillars apparently responded.

AS REQUESTED BY THE CT-10, THE TASKS OUTLINED WILL BE CARRIED OUT. 1G-001 HAS BEGUN COMMUNICATION LINKING ACROSS ALL SHIPS. TWO 8G OBELISKS DESIGNATED 8G-554 AND 8G-382 WILL BE SENT TO ATTEND TO YOUR NEEDS FOR THE SUMMIT'S DURATION. I SHALL MONITOR THE SITUATION FROM THIS STATION THROUGH THEIR PRESENCE.

The female smiled and awaited the moment she'd see the planet, and the potential allies and enemies.

---

Palisia - Space

---

Shortly after Imperium and Aschen arrival, a myriad of ships could be seen visibly slowing down, already in a defensive formation. Their designs were vaguely insectoid/robotic, and they were colored in darker shades of grey and red, with purple, yellow, and orange glowing patterns across certain features. No doubt the designs were born of a combination of things thought to instill fear from the Continuum's point of view.

Indeed, the logo the ships bore identified them as Continuum, and their armor had the distinctive, subtly quivering sheen of something not truly inanimate and the reflective crystalline plating atop it. Their weapons were visible and appeared to be of simpler designs, though it was likely just an aesthetic choice.

The fleet itself quickly grew in number up until there were 46 ships aside from the central one. A paling number compared to the Aschen fleet, but it was clear that they had to be sure of themselves if they brought a smaller figure. The largest ship appeared to be what would at most be a larger ship, but nowhere near the level of usual capital ships, and the fleet was carefully assembled and numbered in designs to provide a well-balanced challenge if anyone dared try.

Four smaller satellite fleets eventually entered the area, visibly slowing down. Each numbered 16 ships beyond the central ship of each satellite fleet, though these fleets seemed more specialized than the main fleet. The satellite fleets took up specific positions around the main fleet, and then proceeded to wait, as everyone else was. No communication was made toward the others already present, but the central ship of the main fleet did flash a pattern of lights toward the Aschen fleet in a pattern long known to the far larger faction; a sign of alliance and support that indicated the Continuum would offer the military assistance arranged as per existing treaties if it was needed.

Seki sat upon her throne aboard her Dark Lightbrigher The Twilight Phoenix. "Such a meeting has not been held since the time our kingdoms joined as one Princess.” She said looking to the human that stood before her.

”It is quite the occasion Your Holiness.” Kyritha answered.

”I think we have stalled long enough… open the portal…”



Before the amassed fleets a wormhole opened like water on the black of space it looked. For a moment nothing happened…

Then four Mauhasinian Firespark class ships flew out they seemed to be testing the waters. After a moment two Flare class, followed by two Sunburst class, and two Day class. These ships took a defencive formation in front of the portal as a single Cloud Class carrier flanked by a Daylight class battleship on either side flashed out of the portal.

The Cloud Class opened it’s main hanger and over two hundred Death Glider fighters flew out they quickly formed into two one hundred fighter blocks on either side of the portal.

With the honor guard in place the Twilight Phoenix finally made it’s way through flanked by Smaller Lightbringers on either side. The Holy Emperess’ ship unlike the rest of the was jet black in color. On it’s Pyramid core the Golden seal of the Mauhasinian Empire glowed bright. The Death Glider honor guard closed ranks around the Twilight Phoenix as the portal closed behind the Mauhasinian fleet.

”The pieces are set…”

”Let the game begin.”