The golden hull of the Custodes' Ares-class gunboats gleamed under the sunlight, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
Then, the gunboats sharply descended, kicking up clouds of dust.
It was as if a coming storm had been heralded.
Amidst the swirling dust, the heavy, powerful sound of footsteps grew clearer. One squad after another of golden-armored warriors, like silent giants, approached aggressively.
Each step seemed to leave a deep imprint on the ground.
Along the way, Imperial personnel—be they soldiers or officials—all unconditionally dropped to one knee, offering the highest respect to the Custodes.
Their uniform and precise movements demonstrated absolute obedience and reverence for the Custodes.
This was the Custodes, the embodiment of the Emperor's authority. Their mere presence was unstoppable, overwhelming, and stripped all thoughts of resistance from the minds of men.
Such a large-scale Custodes deployment often foreshadowed events that would shake the entire Imperium.
"The Voice of the Emperor descends upon this place, as you wished!"
Lycias's voice carried a subtle undercurrent of anger, and the Custodes behind him were stone-faced, ready to engage at a moment's notice.
This Custodian Tribune locked his gaze on the Savior not far ahead:
"You ordered an attack on Custodian Tyrys, causing her to lose contact. If she still lives, surrender her immediately, along with all who participated in the attack.
Those disloyal will face punishment and repay their sins with blood!
As for you, Lord Primarch—
You must return with us to Holy Terra and prove your loyalty beneath the Golden Throne!"
As the Custodes approached, the Thunder Warriors quickly reacted, forming a defensive perimeter to protect the Savior.
This made the atmosphere even heavier.
The Imperial personnel present felt a rising wave of tension and fear, knowing that perhaps an internal conflict within the Imperium was about to erupt.
They, as witnesses, would have to make a choice—one that would prove their loyalty.
In truth, the situation was more dangerous than most could imagine.
If a Primarch and the Custodes truly drew blades against each other, such a conflict would involve far-reaching taboos. All witnesses would likely be silenced by the Inquisition, and the entire incident would either be classified or erased from the records entirely.
Even now, certain high-ranking officials on Holy Terra, who had learned of this event through special channels, were already gripped by anxiety and fear.
They were making preparations in secret to weather the potential storm.
Under the shadow of this turmoil, everyone present, and perhaps even the fate of the Imperium itself, was teetering on the edge of an unknown abyss!
"Guards, lower your weapons! The Custodes have never been our enemies…"
Eden, sensing the rising tension, raised his hand to signal the Thunder Warriors to stand down and lower their weapons.
A confrontation like this was unwise.
If the warriors, on edge as they were, accidentally sparked a firefight, it would be catastrophic.
"Savior, allow me to negotiate with them."
Tyrys stepped forward respectfully.
The Custodes had risked much to cross dangerous Warp regions and take a shortcut to get here quickly. They hadn't had a chance to learn the truth of the situation.
She had to ensure her comrades understood the Emperor's will.
Eden nodded.
"Very well. Let's go together—some things are better explained face-to-face."
With that, he led Tyrys forward without any guards, approaching the Custodes' formation.
On the other side—
"Tyrys?"
Lycias, seeing the two approach, seemed startled, as if he couldn't believe his eyes.
The Tyrys they had lost contact with was now appearing before them, showing great respect to the Savior.
This made the Custodes' position awkward.
They had come in force to demand answers for the attack on Tyrys, but now, the supposed victim and the supposed attacker were getting along like trusted allies.
Tyrys even seemed like the Savior's attendant.
This was deeply unsettling. Custodians could never submit to anyone outside the Emperor—not even the Regent of Terra!
This change made Lycias even more wary.
He fixed his gaze on the female Custodian and demanded:
"Why do you obey the orders of the Primarch? Have you betrayed the Custodes and the will of the Emperor?"
"No, Tribune Lycias! My loyalty to the Emperor is beyond question. My respect for the Savior is part of the Emperor's will as well."
Tyrys's voice was resolute, trying to explain the situation. "The Primarch's loyalty is unshakable. Once you see the Emperor yourself, you will understand."
She knew words alone could never convince her steadfast comrade.
Only before the Emperor Himself could they be persuaded.
Lycias shook his head.
"Your words are hollow. Prove it to me, or your treachery will be cleansed with blood!"
The Primarch's hand had reached into the Custodes' ranks—he had influenced a Custodian.
This was far more egregious than simply taking a Custodian's life. Internal collapse was far more dangerous than any external foe.
This act was a direct affront to the Custodes' core principles!
Lycias drew his power weapon, its field crackling with energy, and issued a final ultimatum:
"You have one chance. Prove your words to be true…"
He had already resolved to launch a purge and cleanse the traitors with war.
"Custodes Tribune, we do not need to come to blows."
Eden raised a hand slightly, signaling that he had no hostile intent. "I can prove everything. I can take you to the Warp itself, to stand before that great being."
However, as he glanced at the Custodes' gunboats nearby, his expression grew tense, as if recalling something.
"But before that, there's something urgent we must address. Could you move those gunboats out of the way?
Soon, there will be—"
"What could possibly be more important than loyalty to the Emperor?!"
Lycias, seething with anger as if insulted, cut off the Primarch's words.
"My apologies, but just give me a moment!"
Eden checked the time and looked a bit embarrassed.
He quickly tapped his comms device and contacted the leader of the garrison forces: "You guys, hurry up and—"
There wasn't even enough time to explain. If the situation wasn't stopped immediately, an even greater conflict would erupt.
"Primarch."
The Custodian Tribune activated his power sword's disintegration field, nearly losing all patience. "How long do you intend to humiliate us?!"
BZZZZZZZZ—
Seeing the beams of light activating in the distance, Eden gave up with a sigh:
"Sigh, forget it, it's too late now…"
It couldn't be helped—the Custodes were simply unlucky, leaving their gear scattered everywhere.
Suddenly, the transmission beam appeared, and the ground trembled violently, drawing everyone's attention.
Lycias steadied himself, turning toward the source of the tremor.
BOOM—
The massive mechanical foot of an Emperor-class Redeemer Titan stepped out of the tunnel—right onto a Custodes' golden gunboat.
KA-BOOM!
The gunboat visibly caved in under the colossal weight before bursting into a shower of sparks.
The explosion rocked the nearby Custodes' gunboats, causing more destruction.
Three powered-down Custodes' gunboats were obliterated in an instant.
A Redeemer-class Titan had just crushed the Custodes' cherished transports right before their eyes.
Debris from the gunboats scattered everywhere, clattering to the ground in front of Eden and the Custodian Tribune, deepening the oppressive silence.
???
The guilty Emperor-class Redeemer Titan paused, lowered its massive head slightly, then lifted its foot.
A pile of shattered gunboat debris slid off and clattered to the ground.
Inside the cockpit—
The red-robed, masked Titan crew exchanged glances, realizing the enormity of the mistake they had just made.
The newest member of the Savior's Guard, who had been assigned to the Titan due to their exceptional combat record, was drenched in cold sweat.
Because it was his responsibility to manage the movement module.
"That... that looked like... Custodes' gunboats?"
The trembling crew member asked, barely able to recognize the golden paintwork from the fragments that hadn't been completely destroyed.
Almost every Imperial servant knew of the Custodes.
Once the others confirmed with a nod, the rookie pilot went completely numb.
This was his first day on the job—his first mission with the Savior's Guard—and he had just flattened the golden chariots of the Emperor's most elite protectors, right in front of the Savior himself.
What a disaster to start with!
"Uh... there weren't any people inside, right?"
The pilot's face had turned pale as a sheet. If there had been Custodes inside those gunboats, there would have been casualties.
And no flesh-and-blood body could survive the crushing force of an Emperor-class Titan's step.
That would be an unforgivable blunder.
This rookie pilot had just obliterated several Custodes, an act that would go down in Imperial history.
Even the Daemons of Chaos would be envious—no Greater Daemon could claim such a kill count against the Custodes.
But for the one responsible, it was far from glorious.
He was already wondering how he'd explain himself before the Golden Throne.
"By the Emperor's grace, there are no life signs inside the gunboats. They're empty..."
One of the Titan crew, in charge of scanning targets, reported back, relieving the pilots. At least the situation hadn't gotten any worse.
"So... what do we do now?" another pilot asked.
The senior pilot made the decision:
"Continue the mission. Gather at the target location. Be careful not to step on the Custodes' gunboats again!"
After all, they were following orders.
If anything went wrong, the Savior would shoulder the responsibility.
...
On the ground.
Everyone fell into a stunned silence as they watched the Emperor-class Titan carefully tiptoeing, walking with exaggerated caution, giving off a strong sense of stealth.
"Lord Custodian, if I say this was just a mistake… would you believe me?"
Eden finally spoke.
This really was an accident—who could have thought that shortly after deploying the teleportation beacon, the Custodes would park their Ares-class gunboats in that exact spot?
And to make it worse, they arrived with such an accusatory air, drawing everyone's attention.
Boom, boom, boom—
Before Eden could finish, another teleportation beacon activated. More Redeemer Titans emerged from various directions, subtly encircling the area.
"This might be a trap laid by the Primarch…"
Lycias grew even more tense. Eight Titans—three Emperor-class, five Warlord and Reaver-class!
If it weren't to eliminate the Custodes, why set up such a terrifying array?
But even for a Custodes purge, this was overkill. Who would deploy eight Titans, including three Emperor-class, just to deal with an elite unit?
In the Imperium's doctrine, Titans were national treasures, not something deployed lightly. The Custodes themselves had 25 specially crafted psychic Titans, but they had only been deployed twice in ten thousand years.
Both times were during the Imperium's most desperate hours.
Lycias couldn't think of any reason for this setup other than the Primarch's intention to take down the Custodes in this region.
And to do so in a full encirclement with Titans no less!
Faced with the looming threat of the Titans, the Custodes drew their power weapons, taking up fighting stances.
But they had little hope of victory.
No matter how powerful the Custodes were, they were still flesh and blood—no match for such terrifying god-machines. Titans were built to destroy worlds, to wage planetary-scale wars.
"By the Emperor…"
Despair flashed in Lycias's eyes.
Perhaps the Chaos Gods had already corrupted the Primarch, leading him to control Custodian Tyrys, set a trap to lure the Custodes here, and even deploy the Titans—this was beyond outrageous!
The Custodes had already prepared themselves to die gloriously. Even if they were to perish, they would fight to the last breath!
"H-Hold on, brothers! Let's stay calm! This really is just a misunderstanding—I deployed these machines to exterminate a Tyranid infestation!"
Eden quickly ordered the Redeemer Titans to power down, trying to soothe the triggered Custodes.
In truth—
These Redeemer Titans really weren't meant for the Custodes.
But it wasn't their fault for being suspicious.
After all, Titans were so rare and precious that no one—not even a Primarch—would casually bring a whole squad of Titans around, let alone deploy them like this.
And here they were, used as glorified security or, frankly, just to make the place look grand and impressive.
Finally, under Eden's calm attitude and friendly gestures, the Custodes' hostility eased somewhat.
They lowered their weapons—at least for now.
Lycias wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and looked at the Savior.
"Lord Primarch… can you now prove your loyalty?"
After the recent debacle, his imposing demeanor had somewhat deflated.
"Of course."
Eden smiled faintly.
"I can assure you—there is no one in the Imperium more loyal than I am…"
He then signaled for Tyrys to contact the Silent Sister and Captain Malachai, instructing them to hurry over.
Because the Imperium's Sacred Level 6 Scenic Site – Holy Warp Sunlight Pilgrimage Tour was about to depart, and those two had to board quickly.
This was an incredibly rare opportunity.
Tyrys contacted the Silent Sister and the Captain, her face alight with fervor.
She would get to see the great Emperor again!
Perhaps, only by following the Savior—this being so deeply trusted by the Emperor—could one obtain such a chance.
No one else was as loyal or as capable.
Not even the Captain-General of the Custodes had ever been granted such an audience—face to face with the Emperor Himself.
Captain Malachai of the White Sanctum and the Silent Sister arrived at the scene, trembling with excitement.
The Silent Sister formed a silent gesture of gratitude, while the Captain gazed at the Savior like a son seeing his father, overwhelmed with thankfulness.
He felt a deep sense of protection and privilege, knowing he would be the first in his Chapter to directly behold the Emperor.
Once the other battle-brothers heard of this, they would be envious beyond words.
Such a loyal experience—he could boast about this for a thousand years! Who would dare say the White Sanctum wasn't loyal? That they were traitors, the children of a rebellious Primarch?
With Tyrys's explanation, the Custodes too became filled with anticipation.
These warriors, who had guarded the Golden Throne for millennia, had never truly seen their Master, the Holy Sun to whom they had pledged their eternal loyalty.
Eden looked at the excited, fervent crowd and felt, for a moment, like a tour guide.
Bringing so many to the Warp to witness the Holy Sun—shouldn't be a problem, right?
Ah, whatever. They were already here.
Besides, under the Holy Light's protection, there wasn't much danger. It was just taking their soul-essences to briefly witness the slumbering Holy Sun.
Leading the Imperium's most loyal, those who had given their blood and lives, to behold the great Sun—what could possibly be wrong with that?
As long as the Emperor didn't wake up, everything would be fine.
Eden made up his mind, raising his hands high.
"Everyone, focus your minds! Prepare to witness this ultimate act of loyalty…"
As he spoke, a golden sun slowly rose behind him.
It was so sacred, so dazzling.
"Th-that's… our Lord!"
Lycias felt it—the strongest, most overwhelming sense of the Emperor's radiance he had ever experienced.
It was a miniature Holy Ash Bomb, a custom-made, slow-dispersion effect designed specifically for special occasions, like making a dramatic entrance before Daemons.
Using it now, Eden intended to leverage this energy as a psychic medium, to draw everyone's soul-essences temporarily into the Warp.
As the golden light engulfed the area, Eden's psychic power surged forth. With the help of the Holy Light, everyone's soul-essence was ensnared.
Suddenly, they were all dragged into the Warp.
...
In the Warp.
The Holy Sun slumbered, yet its radiance still shone across the void.
But this once-silent place was now bustling with noise.
Countless soul-essences had arrived, beholding the great Emperor.
They wept with fanatic devotion, fell to their knees in prayer, or tearfully spoke of their suffering and loyalty.
"Oh, Emperor…"
The Silent Sister saw the vision most clearly.
Amidst the faint golden light, there lay a frail, gaunt figure, eyes closed, burdened by endless torment—that was their Emperor, who had endured humanity's pain for millennia!
Tears streamed down her cheeks, unstoppable. She resolved to shoulder even more, to give even more for this great being.
The Imperium was riddled with pain and despair.
These warriors had endured too much. Only faith in the Emperor had kept them going.
Now, finally seeing the real figure, they were overwhelmed with fervor.
The Savior's small sun remained quiet, not disturbing these devout worshippers.
Honestly, Eden felt more of these loyal warriors should have the chance to witness the Emperor.
They had given almost everything for the Imperium, endured unimaginable suffering and hardship—and asked for so little in return.
Perhaps the chance to see the Emperor was the one thing they wanted most.
Of course, this was no simple matter for anyone in the Imperium. Not even the Emperor Himself could grant such an audience to too many at once.
Most of His time was spent in slumber, resisting the agony in His body and soul.
But as the Savior, Eden could make this happen with the small sun.
If simply seeing the Holy Sun could soothe and uplift these warriors, give them hope and a renewed sense of purpose—then it was worth doing.
"Maybe… I should construct a shrine at the Sanctuary of Urth that connects to this area, so devout believers can see the golden sun."
Eden pondered.
The small sun's psychic core could make it possible.
In doing so, the Sanctuary of Urth could attain a status nearly equal to Holy Terra, attracting more faith and loyalty.
This would make the Imperium more united, more cohesive.
Of course, this many people staring might trigger the Emperor's social anxiety.
It was a bit like turning the Holy Sun into a tourist attraction. Would the Emperor lash out with a psychic blast and vaporize me?
But for the sake of humanity, for the Imperium's future, what's a little discomfort for the Emperor?
He had endured the Golden Throne for humanity's sake—surely a bit more wouldn't hurt.
They could schedule the viewings during His naps, so it wouldn't be too disruptive.
After all, a quick glance wouldn't cost Him anything.
Eden felt a swell of pride at his idea. He was truly exhausting himself for the Imperium and humanity!
Suddenly, he sensed a change in the Holy Sun. The small sun's round body twitched slightly, almost as if it were feeling nervous.
"…Oh no, the Emperor is waking up!"
(End of Chapter)
[Check Out My Patreon For +20 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!!][www.p@treon.com/zaelum]
[+500 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[Thank You For Your Support!]