1 Heralds of Fire

He looks at the blue planet from a secluded spot on his battleship, the Battle Barge Emperor's Judgment, the flagship of his armada, his legion and the Inquisition as a whole, contemplating about his fate, should the invasion begins in earnest. His first planet to conquer, by his father's decrees. A planet of mostly water, with patches of lands, islands and small continents dotted the blue surface, with a long and red mountain range cutting through its center uninterrupted, separating it into two halves. He will die on this world. He can not tell what this conviction has come from, whatever birthed it is a mystery to him, yet the thoughts cling like a virus, brewing behind his eyes and taking deep roots within his mind. It almost feels real enough to spread corruption to the rest of his body, like a true sickness. It will happen soon, within the next few years, decades, centuries of blood and fire. He will draw his last breaths on the battlefields, and when his brethren return to the star, triumphantly, his ashes will be spread across the soil of this accursed world.

Great Blue.

Even the name churns his blood boil until burning oil beats through his veins. He feels anger now, hot and heavy, flowing through his heart and filtering into his limbs like burning poison. His hands curl into fists. He is strong, born only to slay for his Emperor, his father and their empire. He is pure, wearing the blackest of the black, trained to serve as a spiritual guidance as well as a war leader. He is Wrath incarnate, living only to kill until finally…killed. He's a weapon in the Eternal Conquest to forge his empire's mastership throughout the stars. Its wrath, strength and purity won't be enough. He will die on this world. He will die on Great Blue.

The young man closes his eyes and takes in deep breaths to relax his mind, he lets his clenched fists to loosen as he recalls how it's all started. He recalls being summoned back to their capital World Ship, the Eternal Ark, normally Lucious could easily refuse, the Lord Inquisitor has absolute authority over his business. But it was no ordinary order, it was from his father, the Emperor of the Xolotl Dynasty-Empire, whose words overrule his absolute authority, and thus the Son returned to the Father's side.

He remembers entering the Imperial Palace, where his father runs their empire, surrounded by elite elven and vampire guards, along with his personal legion, the Golden Host. It was crowded with important members of the courts, generals, world governors, fleet admirals and arch magi, summoned back to attend to what seemed to be an important ceremony as the air itself was drowned the holy choirs sang by the angelic voices of the elven singers. And then, the doors to the Throne Room opened, revealing rows of important officers, all eyes looking at the throne, where stood a tall figure classed in gold-trimmed black armor, encrusted with blue gemstones and crowned with a golden wreath branch. The Emperor Quetz Xolotl.

In the holiest chamber of their ancient World Ship and in His presence, Lucious lowered himself to one knee and bowed his head, because this is what is asked of him, his long tail classed in plated power armor coiled around him.

- Lucious. - The Emperor started, his voice was a guttered rumble, rendered harsh from yelling orders and battles cries in a hundred wars on a hundred worlds. - We have summoned you here to meet us.

- I have answered the summons, - Lucious replied quietly. - I submit myself to your judgment, my liege.

- Maldrek is dead. - His father's voice was a deep murmur, but the message itself made Lucious' blood boil. His master, teacher…is dead. - Slain by the Enemies along with his personal fleet and the planet he was governing. You, Lucious, have lost a master, we have all of us lost a brother. - The older man closed his grief stricken amber eyes to take deep breaths, though they do not age, no one can deny that millennia of wars and conquests have taken their tolls on him. He opened his eyes and continued: - It was the belief of Conquissarch Maldrek that upon his death, you will be worthiest to stand in his stead. His final decree was that you, of all your Inquisitor brothers and sisters in arms, will be the one to rise to the rank of…

- Conquissiarch. - A voice tears Lucious from his trip down memory lane. The figure approaches and inclines his head in greeting. He looks almost like a human, lacking the long tail and raptorial clawed legs that most of their legionnaires possess, with blonde hair draping down to cover one side of his face.

- Severus. - Lucious acknowledges his friend, his battle brother.

-We draw near our destination. - The other man reports. - I took the liberty of readying the spearhead for planet fall.

- This world will burn. - The Conquissiarch grimly remarks.

- It will not be the first, - Severus crosses his arms. - nor will it be the last.

- Have you seen the statistic reports? - Lucious inquires. - The invasion forces, where and when the other Inquisition Fleets would arrive, how much ships they would bring?

- Yea-I lost interests when the numbers became too high for me to count on my fingers. - Severus snorts at his own weak jest. - We will fight and win, or fight and die, all that'd ever change is the color of the skies we fight under, and the shades of blood on our blades.

Lucious' High Inquisitors' names are Zorus, Chopper, Naemeria, Breiton, Ulrich, Nicolin, Franco and Severus. These are the knights that have waged war beside him for millennia. They are the knights of Strike Force Lucious.

Within his veins Zorus carries the blessed blood of the Emerald Empress with what seems like weary honor. He is older than Lucious. Older by far. His decades within the sword brethren are behind him now.

Chopper is the rising sun to Zorus' dusk. He is aware of his skills in the unsubtle and undignified way of many young warriors, eager to prove his own skills and prowess despite his small stature and elven heritage. Blade master he calls himself. Yet he is not mistaken.

Severus is…Severus. Lucious' shadow just as Lucious is his. It is rare among their number for any knight to lay aside personal glory, yet Severus is the one who carries his banner into battle, Lucious suspects that it's partially due to his Lycanid heritage.

Breiton is the newest among them. The strike force requires the presence of an apothecary. In the trials only Breiton impressed the rest of them with his quiet endurance.

The twins Naemeria and Nicolin are their navigators, spies and scouts. Strong in wills and swift in both mind and body, they have earned their stripes in the ranks of High Inquisitors through countless missions.

Ulrich is the deadliest of their number in term of range combat. A tinkering mind that can decode and reconstruct any technology in the matter of days, all on his own.

Franco is last. Franco, always the best and least of them all. A leader but not a commander. An inspiring presence but not a strategist, despite his skills in building fortifications. It is rare amongst the Juggernauts' number to pursuit higher positions or skills, they're designed to be line breakers, not commanders or builders. And still Franco is.

Lucious brethren in arms went through the same trainings and rituals as he has, curious sense of unease descended upon him when one of them voiced their concern about the rumors before the ceremony. And when the Emperor declares him Conuissiarch, that sense of unease inside Lucious spiked.

- It is my belief, - His father's voice was that of pride, as Lucious recalls. - not just the wish of your fallen master that you should take this honor we offer you now. You have waged war beside me for more than six millennia, Lucious. Will you stand at my side as Conquissiarch of the Eternal Conquest?

- Yes…my liege - Lucious lifted his head and whispered a reply, only to receive a slap from the back of his father's hand, he looked up again, his golden eyes burned with righteous fury.

- I dub thee Conquissiarch of the Eternal Conquest, - The Emperor declared in pride. - as a knight of the Inner Council. Let that be the last blow you receive unanswered.

- It…will be so. - Lucious nodded.

- As it should be.

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