Destiny Made Manifest
Mattias tugged his left glove down as he walked, flexing his fingers to make sure the thing fit. The Sororitas and Tara had kept vigil outside the Throne Room, waiting for any sign from within, and while the Inquisition had other matters for him to deal with in and around the Palace he still made an effort to keep an eye on the Empress’ Favored Student.
Even the most traditional members of the Inquisition would appreciate the vigil... except, perhaps, Lord Markos, but that was a matter for the Ordo Hereticus.
He was returning to the quarters that had been set up for him and his henchmen; while nothing spectacular, they at least were comfier than the halls of the Sanguinium Martyres. He had been given a room for himself, such was his right as an Inquisitor of the Ordos, though in practice it often proved difficult to keep his observations... “subtle”.
Mattias stepped into the room, taking a moment to survey what lay ahead. Tara was there, with Angelique seated on the floor staring off into space. “I had thought you would be with the Sororitas waiting for the Empress.” He said, closing the door behind him.
“I was, but Sister Bianca said I needed proper rest,” Tara sat up straighter, arching her back in an attempt to stretch out more. “We’ve been watching the gate for a week and nothing has happened, so I suppose she’s right.”
“The mare grazes and strikes the word, and lights the path before her.” Angelique mumbled, tracing something on the ground before Tara spoke again.
“So, we switched; she would take over my spot, and I would watch Angelique for a few hours.”
“She could have asked me to do that,” Mattias offered. It was not unreasonable, but now he could see just how well the Student interacted with Angelique, and whether her presence had any effect on the little psyker.
“Well, I was there when she offered, and you were not.”
“Fair point.” Mattias found a seat across from Tara. “How has she been?”
“Pleasant currents flow down the stream, and the little mares are left to sink.” Angelique giggled, rocking back and forth slightly as the others watched.
“I’m guessing this is normal?” Tara asked. “She always seemed quieter when around Sister Bianca.”
“The pillar is broken, but a friend holds out her hand.”
“Sister Bianca has a calming effect on many patients she has treated, some of them psykers.” Mattias said. “I have researched it as best as I can, and there are few non-psykers that can claim such effects.”
“It’s a good thing, though.” Tara said.
“Of course; without Bianca’s help Angelique would probably have fallen into insanity long ago.” Mattias sighed as he watched Angelique rocking back and forth. “It’s a pity that she was not present when Angelique’s powers manifested; perhaps the young psyker would not need all of us watching over her like this.”
“Well, there has to be more that you can do to help her,” Tara offered. “Someone who’s well versed in treating these sorts of things.”
“Psychic burnout isn’t like a disease or injury, Tara-” Mattias started, but Tara could not be stopped.
“If you have the proper facilities set up, with people who know how to control their powers at the ready, then you can stop any potential overload and make sure that people can use their powers properly; it’s basic magical safety.” Tara gave a short chuckle. “I mean, what else are you going to do, throw them in a box and wait for them to calm down?”
Mattias was uncertain if calling the Black Ships “boxes” was an adequate comparison, so he decided to move on. “I presume the Empress taught you much during your time as her student.”
“Oh yes.” Tara nodded. “Though... you’d probably get bored if I told you everything.”
“The mare’s thoughts overflow with knowledge,” Angelique sang, looking up to Tara. “Hurry now, before the light grows impatient.”
“Perhaps some other time, then,” Mattias said. “The Inquisition is always keen on gathering more knowledge.” Tara nodded as Mattias continued. “On different matters, you have been doing well? I know that you seemed a bit... stressed when the Empress decided to lock Herself away from the world.”
“I know...” Tara’s features softened before she spoke again. “I just... I just felt like there was more that I could have done. Corax just seemed lost... I think if he just had someone to talk to, maybe he wouldn’t be so harsh on himself.”
“I imagine that there is only one person alive that can truly reach him, Tara, and I believe She has already taken the matter well in hand.”
“Well, it certainly wouldn’t hurt if we tried to help him, though.” Tara said. There was a pause before she spoke. “You think I’m hopelessly naive, don’t you?”
“Um...” Mattias looked towards Angelique, the psyker giving him an odd smile. “Well, ‘hopeless’ is probably the wrong word-”
“Don’t worry, you wouldn’t be the first to call me that,” Tara shook her head. “I’m still trying to understand why you all are so set on seeing only the negative aspect of things; you, Corax, Sister Naomi, you all consider anything you do tantamount with some great sin.”
“Optimism and hope are dangerous things, Tara,” Mattias said, eyes narrowing slightly. "Place too much trust in what you hope will happen, in what you assume to be the true nature of things, and you risk falling far should that nature prove to be nothing but hollow conjecture.” Tara furrowed her brow at this.
“But with no hope, what’s the point? Why would you or anyone else still keep fighting if there was no chance that something good could come from it?” Mattias had no immediate answer, and before one could form in his mind Angelique interrupted once more.
“Many miles before we sleep,” Angelique mumbled before looking up to Tara. “The mare will see us then, will she not?”
“Um, of course.” Tara said, giving a quick smile. “I’d be a bad friend if I didn’t.”
“Friend...” Angelique repeated, looking at Tara as if she were the Empress Herself. “You have many friends, out there?... I don’t; mother fell before the darkness came in.”
“That was... far more lucid than she usually is.” Mattias said after a moment. “If it is alright with the Empress, perhaps you would be interested in joining my retinue? Maybe you and Sister Bianca might be able to stabilize Angelique.”
“That would be fascinating, but I’m sure the Empress would want me at her side.” Tara smiled. “But there’s no reason why you can’t join us. Maybe she can teach you how to make sure Angelique stays lucid more often.”
“Well...” Mattias paused again. “That is... that is certainly a generous offer. I am sure the Inquisition would be willing to allow me to continue my service alongside you and the Empress.” And perhaps figure out who exactly you are, Lady Tara.
“I’d like that.” Tara nodded. “You’ve really helped me adjust to this kind of life, Mattias; I’d probably be just as lost as I was on that Tau world if you weren’t here to help.” Naively optimistic as she might have been, at least Tara was sincere about her appreciation for others’ help.
Their conversation was cut short by a knock on the door to the room. Mattias turned slightly as Sister Rebecca stepped in, quickly giving a bow before speaking. “Lady Tara,” she said. “Pardon my interruption, but the Gate has opened and the Empress has returned, along with Primarch Corax and the representatives of the Astartes."
“Really?” Tara asked, eyes widening.
“Yes. She has asked all of us to assemble in the Hall of the High Lords for... something...” Rebecca shook her head before beaming. “She actually spoke to me, and trusted me to relay her message.”
“As wonderful as that is,” Mattias said, rising and motioning for Angelique to do the same. “We best not keep the Empress waiting; if She wishes our presence before the High Lords, it is obviously some matter of importance.”
“Outward, into the darkness we step, onward to the breaking of the mare.” Angelique said, bouncing to her feet.
“... This is not going to be a problem, is it?” the Sister asked, one eyebrow raised.
“Believe me when I say that she is doing much better today than she has in times past.”
...
Celestia had dismissed the Astartes for now. They would serve their purpose in her plan, but standing before the High Lords would be her burden, not theirs. Silently she strode down the hall towards the gathering lords, eyes focused on the entryway ahead.
“You still have not lost your intensity, have you?” Corax said from his place next to her.
“I try to be more open in some of my mannerisms,” she replied. “But I am still a ruler; I must project at least some level of control and reservation to those who would serve me.”
“I am not one to be lectured on ‘reservation’, Empress.” Celestia was uncertain as to how to properly reply to that, so remained silent for now. They had spoken at length on many things, but the Primarch still had more to tell her, more to come to terms with.
More coals to heap on her head, perhaps.
Celestia was momentarily broken from her thoughts as Twilight and Inquisitor Mattias entered the hallway, Matias’ retinue and the Sisters of Battle following close behind. Good, they managed to meet up with each other. They spotted her and Corax as she drew closer to the main entrance, coming to attention as Celestia stopped before them.
“My friends,” she said. “Thank you for coming here so quickly.”
“Such is our duty, Empress,” Mattias said, though he appeared unwilling to look at Celestia directly. “What are your commands?”
“For now, I would ask that you stand by my side; we are stepping forward on a dangerous path, and I need your assurance that you all will be prepared for that which is to come.” there were several nods from the group, Twilight giving Celestia a quick smile or reassurance. Angelique cocked her head to one side, mumbling a short bit about “breaking the mare”, but Celestia paid it no mind.
That would be a problem for later, when Twilight risked drifting from her sight.
“Come, we’d best not keep the others waiting; everything will be explained in due time.” Mattias, Twilight, and the others nodded, falling into place behind Celestia and Corax as the two stepped out into the Hall of the High Lords. Almost as soon as Celestia crossed the threshold, she was greeted with a cacophony of cheers and praises, the masses that had been allowed to observe the High Lords calling out to their Empress. The only ones that did not appear enthusiastic were the Custodes, ever vigilant even in the presence of Celestia, and a few members of the High Lords, looking even more dour than usual.
They will come around... They must, if we are to have any chance at survival.
Celestia raised her free hand, a signal for everyone to quiet. “Children of the Imperium,” she said, her voice carrying to even the furthest corner of the hall. “I thank you for your welcome; it is a reminder of how we stand united as one against the encroaching darkness.” more cheering, but this soon died out, allowing Celestia to continue.
“But it is not only for me that you should extend your welcome.” Celestia stepped to the side, gesturing to Corax. “My son, Corvus Corax of the Raven Guard, has returned to us. For many years there were those who thought that he had perished, but now he stands before you once more.” The praise for Corax was, perhaps, less than she would have liked, but Corax himself did not appear phased by such trivial concerns. He had only just been returned to the Imperium; it would take him a little time to adjust to such norms.
“No doubt, Primarch Corax will do much to ensure the safety of the Imperium,” she said, silencing the crowd once more. “For that is what we have truly been lacking in these last years: true safety. In the centuries since I departed, our enemies have seen us as weak, a dying people clinging to what little we have while they are free to take what they please...” there was a pause before she smirked. “How foolish of them, that they think such things.”
“My friends, today we stand on the brink of a new age. No longer will humanity have to cower in fear of the darkness, no longer will we have to lash out at enemies we cannot see. Together, we unite to purge this realm of all that dares challenge our might.”
“How do you endeavor to do that,” one of the more troublesome High Lords asked. “If you will not give the High Lords a say in how the Imperium is to be defended?”
“‘Defended’?” Celestia repeated before chuckling. “It is not defense that I call; the time has come for us to go on the attack, to strike back against our enemies and and show them that the Imperium will rule the galaxy. It is our destiny, made manifest by our strength of body and mind, of our purity of heart and soul, and we must do all that we can to ensure that destiny remains within our grasp.
“I have called you here today to remind you of that. I have called you here to summon a new Crusade, far greater than any that have come before. With my sons returning, and with my power restored, we will march forth and banish the darkness that has for so long been our enemy. I swear today, not a moment will pass when I am not advancing against the enemy, when they have not tasted my wrath as I strike them from the stars.
“Today I say to you that a new age has begun, the true Golden Age of Humanity. I swear, as your Empress, that Mankind will reign supreme once more, and forever.” No sooner had Celestia finished that the Hall erupted in cheers. Even some of those High Lords that had been skeptical of her gave a small smattering of applause, though a few still remained as dour as ever.
They would come around in due time. For now, the Second Great Crusade would need to be prepared.
...
The Supreme Grand Master frowned as the last recordings of the “Empress’” speech to the High Lords played out. She spoke with conviction and power, no doubt, and she had Corax at her side to prove her worth, but there were still too many variables that had not been addressed.
Too many for him and his brothers to bend the knee in her presence.
“A Second Great Crusade,” he mused. “It would do well for the Imperium, or could lead us all to ruin. And this Empress... even psychic visions can be manipulated.” he paused before turning back to the command chair. “What say you, my lord?”
There was another pause. The Supreme Grand Master waited for his lord to speak; too long had he been silent, and now with the Imperium under threat he was needed more than ever. The Supreme Grand Master was trained well enough not to lose his composure, but such tensions were not so easily quelled.
“We will did as we have done before; we watch, and we wait. Give this ‘Empress’ time to prove she is who she boasts that she is, and then I will speak with her. Should she fail, we will have to rescue the Imperium from its fate. But that is a matter for later; for now, we must be prepared.” he rose up, striding past the Supreme Grand Master as he ventured further into The Rock.
“Send word to our brothers; the Lion will stand ready to return to the Imperium, but only when this woman has proven to be the Emperor Reborn.”
So how will this new crusade pan out I wonder? This will take awhile I think and poor Twilight will possibly grow quite old before it will be over.
7665831 We'll see
Coughs loudly and kicks some psykers into the hold of a Black Ship
No comment.
Also more Great Crusade hype. This is gonna be good. And Mattias finally got rules! FFFFFFFFUCK YEAH.
7665852 Glad you're looking forward to it.
His henchmen (specifically Angelique and Sister Bianca) will have their stats posted in the next post, whenever that is.
7665864 The Holy Hype Train is set to maximum! No heretic could hope to stop it now!
Makes me wonder if Cypher will appear before her.
Oh jeeze, already we're faced with Dark Angel borderline heresy. I can only imagine how this will play out, but the Lion isn't stupid ... unless he's had brain damage after all those years.
Er, no offense to Celestia, but is Terra even ready for a second Great Crusade? Back then she had all her sons, had rescued a significant amount of technology from the DAoT, Mars had yet to become a fractured hellscape, and the Imperium was ready to preform wonders. The Modern Imperium... is a festering cesspool of inefficiency and corruption (though there are a few exceptions).
As for what's actually better in these times; biology has moved forward in leaps and bounds (partially because it isn't considered 'tech-heresy'), the Imperium has far more resources to actually call on, and what tech is still there is tried and true, having proven itself effective over thousands of years and been modified according to meet the Imperium's needs (I.E. lasguns that could be kludged together by a medieval menial in some cave somewhere filled with scrap, power armor that has been modified so many times it protects against just about every non-psychic threat out there, meltas that are really, really good at melting everything from infantry to tanks, etc). Oh, and don't forget the sanctioned psykers, which are actually quite potent when they aren't ravening lunatics.
Sounds like the Dark Angels are beginning to mobilize.... FOR THE LION!
7665831 Unless she goes through rejuvenation treatments....or she ends up a Perpetual.
Also, Lionel Johnson will return eh? What´s next, Leman Russ and Vulkan come back, each with mugs of ale in their hands? Hmm, wonder who would win, Failbaddon the Harmless, or drunken Leman Russ?
The problem is not if they have the resources but that they don't use them. the Imperium was not meant to defend it was meant to attack.
The Imperium is to large to go on the al-out defensive they cant respond fast enough, think of sharks nibbling on a leviathan and feeling ever so proud. The moment the leviathan responds it would have taken years for it to notice a threat high enough and then it is already gone or strengthened itself.
But if you attack, push the button and smash everything in front of you. Get the ball of apocalyptic death rolling downhill and it is hard/impossible to stop.
You would need something like the hivefleet's to stop it and even then it would bee close. Its youst' to much mass that keep swarming and drowning you, maybe in inferior stuff but that can still kill you good enough (rock club vs metal sword). Solar Macharius proved this but he was not a demi-god, so.
And with the warp being stable(somewhat), chaos is not that big of a problem even if it still acts out from time to time.
7666069 Leman Russ wins. Because he's Leman Russ. and Failbaddon is deader than dead in this continuity, so Russ wins by default.
Other Primarchs will be showing up, but probably not in that order.
7666121 Can we please see a Round 2 of the drinking contest the Emperor and Leman Russ had? I need to see the Empress drunk. Or Leman Russ for that matter.
7666121 True. So, will Leman Russ reappear? Will he be drunk off faux-Fenrisian ale? Will he prove the Empress is who she says she is via another wrestling match?
7666139 I would tell you, but then that would spoil some stuff about future events.
7666145 I understand. WIll FUCKING HORUS make a reappearance?
7666139 Knowing him he's probably responsible for multiple sector-wide shortages of booze.
7666152 Probably not; he's busy in Equestria's section of the Warp, wherever that might be.
7666155 And then Russ reappars in the Imperial throne room, piloting a star ship forged out of old beer cans, old beer kegs, wolves, and guns
7666159 True, probably helping Moonbutt with her issues. I wonder whose more edgy, Luna, Corax, or Konrad
7666161 Which then promptly explodes as he stumbles out and spends half the fic in a comatose hangover. And his first words out of said coma are, "SWEET FENRIS THAT WAS SOME GOOD BOOZE"
7666201 That would be glorious.
7666230 Hell yeah.
7666239 And maybe singing a drunken tune, like What Will we Do with a Drunken Guardsmen or something.
7665947 The Macharian Crusades, Sabbat Worlds Crusade, and the Damocles Gulf Campaign shows that the modern Imperium can still do large scale offensives. It just takes a while for them to get the pieces in place.
People are too quick to ignore Angelique. Since the start she's been saying things that, while riddlesome, are incredibly relevant. You'd think Celestia and Twilight would pay more attention to someone who keeps talking about mares in relation to themselves.
Also, the ones not accepting Celestia at this point make no sense. Would they only accept her if she showed up looking exactly like she used to as the Emperor? If anything, that would be more suspect and in need of proof, an infiltrator who wanted to subvert the Imperium would take no such risks as presenting an altered appearance.
Hopefully a boot to the head will calm them down and make them see reason. Dark Angels are pretty heretical anyway, and High Lords typically aren't much better if I remember my lore.
7665947 Well the first great crusade was launched basically on the back of the inner Sol system alone
7666159
What about the Emperor's Little Magnymagic? Or his Fabulous Fucking Hawk-Boy?
...Will one of the Equestrians turn out to be Rogal Dorn?
"Father, your little pony was I. ROGAL DORN."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-"
So, a second crusade.....
This should prove very interesting
Oh joy, the Emo Marines are at it again. That can only end good, right?
On another note, every time we see her I find Angelique more and more adorable. I wonder how much more she has to rub her oracle talk into Twi´s and/or Celly´s faces before they recognize that she is way more important than she seems.
Hmm, I wonder... could Twi end up a Living Saint under the right circumstances? I mean, the Sororitas around Mathias practialy whorship the ground she walks on already. That would be somewhat amusing.
Missing quotation mark, otherwise good chapter.
7666280 As to Angelique, it seems to me most people ignore the mad folks of society, even when they shouldn't. Sometimes insanity makes more sense than anything else.
As to the other, a lot of people on some level probably don't want the Emperor/Empress back. That would mean loss of power and prestige, a loss of control over how things are done, and all the rest of it.
7666944
If I remember the old lore, that's why the Emprah's been stuck in the chair all this time. The High Lords at the time had a chance to revive him or somesuch using the Throne's power and instead just interred him. To serve as a figurehead and martyr while they absorbed all the prestige for themselves.
They don't actually care about the Imperium except that it funnels resources and fame their way, or that they can do things how they want - even if it's wrong and harmful. It seems to me, that instead of a Crusade, Celestia needs to do another Purge. Not at all unlike she did with her Thunder Warriors of old Earth.
7666994 I can't speak to that first bit, but I do seem to recall reading somewhere that a certain faction of the Inquisition has no desire to see the Emperor revived, as it would mean an almost total loss of their authority, even if the Emperor approved of their actions, which is unlikely.
In this case the Purge would be entirely justifiable, though Twilight would be horrified by it.
7666506 I can just picture Dorn driving Luna insane.
7667072
Celestia really needs to sit Twilight down and just... explain this new world to her. Otherwise she's going to learn first-hand, and it's going to run completely counter to the beliefs she learned at Celestia's side all her life and her very nature as a pony. Giving her a crisis of faith. Express that she wanted Equestria to be as different from this new theatre as possible or something. Basically just point out that this is the way THIS place has to be, and that trying to change it would affect, at most, a couple dozen people, and likely get them killed.
I just can't shake the idea Twilight would see something she considers atrocity and then immediately try to go enlighten people. In a realm where enlightenment of any sort is essentially the most dangerous thing of all.
7666933 Thanks for the catch.
Abolish?
7667426 It was supposed to be "banish"
The Raven has returned, the Lion has awoken.
The Praetorian, the Wolf, the Salamander, and the Khan are missing, and the Avenging Son is in stasis.
Keep up the excellent work! You've seemed to nail the Dark Angels suspicious nature pretty well - not even a psychic emanation throughout the entire Galaxy will get them to believe a damn thing.
As for the High Lords and the rest of the non believers, is it any surprise? They have spent ten thousand years comfortable in their position of power, knowing the Emperor would never return and that ultimate power for a million worlds and uncounted trillions lies with themselves. Now a woman, in the typically patriarchal Imperium, has come to ascend to the throne, throwing off the game that has been played for longer than our civilization has existed.
Besides, for all they know, it could be Alpharius. :P
I can't remember, had Twilight already been upgraded to Princess/Alicorn status by the events of this fic? Is she an immortal?
7668385 No; the events of this fic started mere seconds before she reads the spell that would have swapped the others' cutie marks, so she's just a unicorn for now.
7668614
Ahhh, I see.
Of course, that just means that Twilight will have to earn her wings through BLOODY COMBAT instead!
It's always a joy to see this update. Great work!
7669573
Seeing a woman with purple wings sprouting from her back might not be well seen in the Imperium.
7667080
"Rogal Dorn?"
"Yes, phallic-horned equine. It is I, Rogal Dorn."
7669714 I dunno; maybe they can rationalize it as the second coming of Sanguinius or something.
Dagnammit, stop writing up their tabletop rules, it makes me want to write up their Dark Heresy rules! DX
Nice chapter. makes me wonder when Girlyman is going to be woken up?
7669737 OK, you win a cookie for the text-to-speech mention.
7667207 I don't really see what's so dangerous about Enlightenment, even in Warhammer-verse. The Imperial Truth worked pretty damned well.
7669845
ALL HAIL PRIMARCH TARA! We march for Equestria!
GREAT CRUSADE 2: PONY BOOGALOO
So the Imperium is going to commence the genocide or enslavement of every other race in the galaxy? Because the doesn't seem like something that Celestia would do.