The Imperial Crusade of Badlands (1)

Fortress of the 10th Imperial Legion, One Hour Later

After one hour, the long-awaited thing happened when the provisionary teleportation array activated, and the Holy Imperator himself exited the teleportation array, surrounded by the Stormcast Eternals in their bulkier runic armor.

Not only him but next to him was his fainceé, Lady Maria Vileblood of the Astral Clocktower, clad in her typical Hutner outfit because she appreciated the freedom and agility, while her lover was wearing the more armored version of the Hunter outfit of the Old Workshop.

Maria's fighting style revolved around overwhelming speed advantage, dexterity, and superior reflexes over their opponents. This required her to have freedom in her movements, so heavy armor was something that was greatly hindering her.

That didn't mean that her Hunter outfit was a weak form of defense; on the contrary, without overwhelming strength, it was almost nigh impossible to even think about damaging the Hunter outfit and the leather coat she was wearing.

It was made from the leather of Super Danger Beast that was comparable to the Level 6 Professional, so even though it wouldn't be enough to defend against some attacks that were comparable to the Level 6, it was still sufficient to protect her against the average Level 5s attacks and spells.

Together with her overwhelming speed, which made it almost impossible for the enemy to land a hit on Maria, and her combat style, she was a pretty problematic enemy to deal with.

Meanwhile, Karl Franz was wearing the armored version of the Hunter Outift, which had some metal plates on certain places of his body. His combat style didn't really revolve around overwhelming speed and such, but rather on overwhelming offensive power that he could release.

In combination with the Longinuslansze Testament, he was walking destruction incarnate on the battlefield. Even during this Imperial Crusade, it was known and anticipated that the Holy Imperator would be one of the heavy hitters during the Imperial Crusade.

***

MC POV

When I exited the provisional teleportation array, I noticed that the mood within the Fortress Storm was rather tense. This wasn't that surprising actually, considering the situation that was coming, but at the same time, the morale was high.

It seemed that having me present, leading the offensive, and bringing with me Maria and Stormcast Eternals boosted the morale several times over. In the individual clash, the Imperial Soldiers of the Holy Arcadia Empire were inferior to those of the Barbarians. 

Average soldiers of the Imperial Legions were just ordinary humans who drank the weakest version of the Old Blood available, which only gave them a prolonged lifespan and more powerful physique that elevated them to the human limit.

Contrary to the Barbarians, the Children of Bul-Khatos were physically much, much stronger because even their weakest ones were at Level 1 in terms of their physique and the average warrior was at the peak of Level 1.

But the Imperial Legions were making up for their lack of physical strength with their superior equipment, armor, weapons, runes, Magic, and other means.

Through everything, they were able to fight against the Barbarians, and with specifically developed tactics, that was called Anti-Barbarian Tactics, they were even able to kill them if they acted really fast.

The greatest advantage that the Barbarians had was their vitality and physical strength, yet this also resulted in their disadvantage in another aspect. As most of the Barbarians were too confident in their physical power, they neglected the aspect of defense. 

This, coupled with the fact that their entire society was relatively primitive and backward, they didn't really have a means of smelting and forging the armor and weapons that were at least a bit advanced. 

Soon enough after we arrived, we were welcomed by the General of the 10th Imperial Legion was Anduin Lothar, General of the 5th Imperial Legion Zangru Baruch von Lutheris and Legion Master of the 1st Legion of the Silver Knight Order Artorias the Abysswalker.

"All Hail the Holy Imperator!"

"All Hail the Holy Imperator!"

"All Hail the Holy Imperator!"

All of them saluted me, as I then waved my right hand as a form of greeting and then, together with Maria, we were led to the main planning office. Within the room, there were zero people, as it was reserved just for me and Maria, for a brief time we would be spending at the Fortress Storm.

Now that I was present at the Fortress Storm, it was only a matter of time until the Imperial Crusade could officially begin.

"How is the state of the Army Group Alpha?"

I asked as I sat down on the sofa, with Maria sitting next to me.

The one accompanying us from the Stormcast Eternals was Lord Celestant Prime of the Reiksgarde Temple, Atreus Atreides, who was in overall command of the Stormcast Eternals that were accompanying me.

"We can move at any moment; the sole problem is with the speed of movement, as we are taking all of the siege engines and other machines of war so that we would be moving at a relatively slow pace."

I nodded because this was within the exceptions of the Military HighCom; while not welcomed, it was noted to be of necessary sacrifice.

Even though I would welcome much faster traveling speed, that would require the Army Groupds to give up many of the machines of war.

And that would, in turn, significantly weaken our capabilities, and the machines of war were of the utmost importance to us because they were of strategic importance during the Crusade. 

Without them, we would be much more vulnerable and it would be harder to break through the defenses of the Harrogath and Mount Arreat. And at the same time, there were several plans on how to use them in the field battle against the Barbarians. 

"In two hours, I will officially declare the start of the Crusade to the Army Groups Alpha, Beta and Gamma."

I said to the three men that were gathered here, as they then saluted and left the room to prepare their troops for the march. It would be a long and arduous journey, where we would need to advance with utmost caution.

According to the plan, before the official start of the Imperial Crusade, I was to give a motivation speech for everyone. Something that I wasn't really thrilled about, because I didn't really like giving speeches to people.

It wasn't about the skill, but it was more or like tied to the fact that I needed to think deeply about what I was to say and so on because every speech given by the Holy Imperator of the Divine Throne of Sunlight and Cinder was something that would be memorized for the millenias to come.

And the effects it had on society and people listening were great.

"While everyone is tense, many people are getting impatient with this entire endeavor..."

Maria remarked as she leaned over me, and I knew that what she was talking about.

"Yes... this would be the biggest opportunity to obtain Noble Status or to rise in the social ladder; there are even some of the Free Companies congregating on the Borders of the Badlands and would be joining us in this Crusade."

According to the reports of the Imperial Military Intelligence, there were approximately fifteen thousand mercenaries of the Free Companies that would be joining the Crusaders on the Imperial Crusade against the Children of Bul-Khatos.

That was because it was easiest to obtain the Noble Status within the Holy Arcadia Empire; through war, one could easily accumulate tremendous merit and be raised to the highest Noblity within the Imperium.

There were even cases where some people were directly raised to the Viceroy Status during one conflict.

"I saw that many of the Noble Houses sent personal expeditions into the Crusade in aim to obtain Merit."

Maria said, as I was already aware of the thing. While the lands of the Holy Arcadia Empire, aside from the Household Guards, the Nobiltiy of the Imperium possessed no armies, soldiers or levies.

Greatly contradictory situation to that of the Westeros or even parts of the Essoss, where most, if not all was concentrated in the hands of the Noble Houses.

Yet, despite this, the Noble Houses were focusing on producing powerhouses, powerful warriors, or Mgaic Users. Many mighty Professionals and Sorcerers actually stemmed from some of the Noble Houses of the Imperium. 

This, in turn, gave the Nobility a certain degree of power and through this power, they could contribute to the Holy Arcadia Empire because, in the conflicts like this, there was a constant need for high-end Professionals.

Naturally, the Imperial Crusade attracted the attention of many Noble Houses of the Holy Arcadia Empire and many Nobles decided to participate in the entire endeavor to obtain presite, glory, and merit for their House and Lineage.

"That is good; it would increase the number of high-end Professionals by several degrees, which would be really needed to combat the Barbarians effectively."

Most if not all of the nobles of the Holy Arcadia Empire were high-end Professionals, as it was the elementary requirement of the Impeirum to raise someone into the status of the aristocracy.

***

Two hours later, Fortress Storm of the 10th Imperial Legion, Grand Province of Stormwind.

The two-hour deadline passed relatively fast; the only thing that happened during the two hours was that the entire Army Group Alpha got into the march-ready state as they were to commence the invasion into the Badlands and fight against the threat of the Children of Bul-Khatos.

I was already prepared to deliver the speech for the invasion forces of Army Group Alpha, Army Group Beta, and Army Group Gamma. Everything was prepared by the Scholars of the Byrgenwerth who were present as part of the Imperial Crusading Force.

"Everything is ready, Your Holy Imperial Majesty."

I heard someone say, noticing that it was one of the Scholars of the Byrgenwerth that was in charge of building up the transmission array to the other Army Groups, the one that was not far from them at the Grand Province of Stormwind and the Army Group Gamma that was at the Grand Province of Munn.

"You can activate it."

I said, after which I looked at the small magic circle that was in front of me.

"Proud sons and daughters of the Holy Imperium, this day, marks the great milestone in the history of our glorious nation. We stand on the side, before the decision and war that will see the complete unification of the Lordran and extermination of the enemy that has been plaguing the lands of the Imperium for whole centuries."

I started the speech, after a while, I made a pause before I continued.

"The Children of Bul-Khatos are cancer in the heart of the Imperium, destroying the stability of the entire Grand Province and thus, they are aiding the foul powers of Ruin and other heretics to the Great Ones that want to wipe us out. And yet, we stand strong, unbent, unbroken and undefeated and we will address the threat that is before us. Our enemy will be broken and destroyed by the might of the Imperium."

Even though I wasn't present among the troops, I could sense that the excitement was rising as was the morale among the troops, because of my speech.

"They would be annihilated under the might of Faith, Steel, Magic and Gunpowder of the Holy Arcadia Empire. They would be hunted to the last person and their entire species would be exterminated from the face of the Known World of Azyr and be buried in the annals of history. In these words, we would fight the Barbarians in their towns and cities, in the plains and forests, in the ground and sky, let them witness the fury of the Imperium, as I declare the Imperial Crusade."

Making a short pause for approximately a few seconds.

"Proud sons and daughters of the Imperium, we shall march and achieve victory; let them witness the might of the Imperium; let this be remembered as our finest hour."

"All Hail Imperium!"

I knew that this speech wasn't transmitted just to the Crusading forces, but with some minor delay, it would be transmitted across the whole Imperium. From the smallest village to the Holy Cities of the Imperium.

"It was a glorious speech, Your Holy Majesty."

Immediately some of the people present here were coming to kiss my ass, not something that was unusual literarily, and I already got used to it. 

"You could really pass as someone from the Department of Propaganda."

Maria snarked from the side as she attempted to tease me or maybe even insult me, I didn't know which one, but I was proud of my ability to spout propaganda.

"Thank you very much... something like this is an essential skill for every skilled politician, my beloved fianceé."

I said back with faux haughtiness while I went to join the Stormcast Eternals that were part of the Army Group Alpha.

***

3rd POV

Fortress Storm, Headquarters of the 10th Imperial Legion

As the speech of the Holy Imperator was transmission through all of the Army Groups participating in the Imperial Crusade against the Children of Bul-Khatos, sooner enough with a small time delay, the speech that was given at the start of the invasion was broadcast through the whole Imperium.

The morale among the Crusading Troops was rising with every word being said and with every single sentence that was finished.

The soldiers of the Holy Arcadia Empire, be it the Imperial Legionaries of the Imperial Legions, the Knights of the Silver Knight Order or various special units such as the Household Guards and Aristocrats, the Battle Wizards, and Scholars of Byrgenwerth were eager for the battle.

Be it for various reasons, everyone now felt eager for the conquest and extermination of the Barbarians. 

It was either the fanatical loyalty of the Imperial Legions, Silver Knights, and Stormcast Eternals that would do everything that the Holy Imperator ordered, or the officers of the military that sought opportunity for military accomplishments.

Or the members of the Aristocracy of the Imperium, who aimed for the merits that they could obtain during the Imperial Crusade or the Battle Wizards and Scholars of the Byrgenwerth who wanted to achieve something so they would get more resources for their research.

For the Scholars of Byrgenwerth and the Battle Wizards of the Imperial Battlemage Legion of the Faust, this entire Imperial Crusade was nothing more than a means to the end. And that end were the resources for their research.

Most of them cared a little for the material matters, aside from the fact that they were using this to further their own agenda, which stemmed in pursuing the deepest secrets of the Arcane. 

And then there were the mercenaries from the Free Companies across the entire territory of the Holy Arcadia Empire who wanted nothing more than to achieve glory and achievements on the battlefield so they could obtain either the status of Nobility or something that they wanted from the Imperium.

With a single command from the Holy Imperator of the Holy Arcadia Empire, this enormous machinery of soldiers, knights, wizards, war machines and others started marching into the Badlands. 

With a single command from one man, the fate of the entire species was decided to be extinction and extermination, as everyone was eager to see the Children of Bul-Khatos annihilated from the face of the earth. 

***

Badlands, One Day Later with Army Group Alpha

The Badlands or often also called the Barren Lands, was a very inhospitable region that was located in the southernmost area of the Grand Province of Stormwind. The Badlands were the most sandy, dead desert with many mountain ranges and high hills, even though there were not used for much.

According to the various analyses of the Badlands, enormous richness was hidden within these mountains in the form of many precious ores that were not found across the Imperium. 

Fortunately enough for all parties that were interested, the Barbarians were not advanced enough to carry out large-scale mining operations and smelting operations. In order to melt the ores into the metals and create advanced weapons and armor.

Even if they attempted to do so, they were sabotaged through the efforts of the Imperial Military Intelligence and House Marian, who were doing everything they could in their power to keep the growing power of the Children of the Bul-Khatos as low as possible.

From a certain point of view, they succeeded in the aspect of hindering their progress as a civilization, which was successful.

If the Barbarians were armed properly, with powerful weapons and armors, that were for example, carrying a certain degree of magic resistance or something along those lines, then, they would be far more dangerous enemies.

So yes, from a certain point of view, this was a great success to cull the civilization of the Children of Bul-Khatos, so they remained rather primitive, which was greatly advantageous to the Holy Imperium.

Right now, an enormous caravan of armored vehicles, war wagons, siege engines and other machines of war that were built either by the Byrgenwerth, Engineering Guild or Dwarves of Khaz-Modan was moving through the Barren Lands under the protection of tens of thousands of soldiers.

Among them, one could see countless Danger Beasts of various Grades, that were serving as mounts for the Silver Knights of the Silver Knight Order or the Stormcast Eternals that were using all Griffons as their mounts exclusively.

Other common Dangers Beasts were a special type of warhorse that was used by the members of the Imperial Legion or the Silver Knights of the Silver Knight Order. 

Tens of thousands of soldiers were moving in perfect unison, as their target was clear this time.

It was the first major point of interest for the Barbarians and one of the few that their species had; it was called Almorel, which was a small Fortress City that was operated by one of the more powerful and larger Barbarian Tribes of their society.

Fortress Almorel was one of the gates into the deep Barbarian territory and if the Imperium wanted to breach their fortifications and reach the heart of the Badlands, they needed to breach both Almorel and Quaraband that was on the path of Army Group Beta.

"We would be arriving at the vicinity of the Almorel in ten or twelve hours..."

Karl Franz I. Holswig-Schliestein von Reikland de Anor was sitting on the back of Deathclaw, with Maria sitting next to him and hugging him from behind as they were flying above the entire convoy of the Army Group Alpha.

Basically, Almorel would be the first step in the conquest of the entire Badlands and unifying the Grand Province of Stormwind under Imperial rule for once and all... Among the higher-ups of the military command, everyone knew that Almorel was a poor excuse for the Fortress according to the Imperial standards. 

However, nobody doubted the fact that the Children of Bul-Khatos would defend the Almorel with all of their military might, and they would give Imperials one hell of a fight for them to gain control over the Fortress City.

And even despite this, nobody had a heavy heart or was nervous because their strategy regarding the two cities of Almorel and Quaraband was clear. They could be destroyed into piles of ash and rubble because they were of no importance.

The Barbarians didn't have any kind of infrastructure or anything that the Imperium wished to preserve and keep for their own use. Due to that fact, they could use the thing that was giving them their greatest advantage in this Crusade.

Their overwhelming firepower of the Aritlleries and Battle Magic of the Battle Wizards.

With that, they will be able to raze all and any fortifications that the Children of the Bul-Khatos would prepare to the ground until nothing remained from them. As unfortunate as it was, the Barbarians didn't have anything that the Imperium considered important to keep for the future.

Thus, the usage of nondiscriminatory artillery bombardment was allowed, together with the free use of War Magic that could envelope large scale. The Army Group Alpha was advancing slowly on the Almorel and in a few hours, the first theatre of war would be opened.

***

Grand Province of Munn, Fortress City of Starlight

The Capital City of the Grand Province of Munn was located on a small island that was in the middle of the Azure Bay. The entrance itself to Azure Bay was protected by the enormous gate that rivaled or even eclipsed that of the Skycrown Gate.

It was an enormous construct that prevented anyone from entering Azure Bay.

In the middle of Azure Bay was a small island, that was often called the God's Eye Islands, due to its solitary position, and the entire Island has been transformed into the Capital City of the Grand Province of Munn.

Right now, the entire Azure Bay was filled with enormous warships, there were countless of them, numbering in hundreds, and each one of them was filled with thousands of soldiers, war machines, materials, and other things that were part of the Imperial Crusade.

The City of Starlight was one of the marvels of the Imperium; it was the white city with an enormous citadel of Stars that was located in the middle of the entire City. The whole city has strong defensive structures.

The walls of the Capital City of Munn were very high and thick, countless watchtowers were built every few meters. On the top of the walls were countless cannons, mortars, scorpions, and other machines for war. 

On top of that, every few hundred meters, there were Mage Towers, that served the sole purpose of empowering the Battle Wizards that served on the military garrison of the Starlight, together with several Magitek Machines of War.

The harbor part of the Starlight was well-developed port facilities with docks, warehouses, and shipyards to accommodate a variety of vessels. The harbor was designed to provide shelter from the storms, safety for the ships, but it was it was armed and built with defensive purposes in mind.

The 9th Imperial Legion of the Grand Province of Munn was going to invade the Badlands through the sea, led by the newest Imperial Admiral of the Imperial Navy, Euron Greyjoy.

Their task was also to create a blockade in case the Children of the Bul-Khatos decided to evacuate some of their members through the sea, this was not really possible, but the Imperial Military Intelligence had noticed some connections between the Barbarians of Badlands and Orks of the Orklands.

Euron Greyjoy was standing on the deck of the main battleship of the 1st Imperial Fleet, he was also given an entirely new battleship, that was named Kos's Silence, after a mythical creature from the religion of the Great Ones that dominated the seas and oceans.

"How long till everything is loaded?"

Euron Greyjoy was spending a few past months within the Imperium...

After he was captured by the Holy Imperator himself, when his entire crew was slaughtered, he was soul-bound to the Divine Throne of Sunlight and Cinder and given a position within the Imperial Administration and Warmachine.

He knew that as the outsider, he wasn't really met with trust or anything, but because he was bound to the Divine Throne of Sunlight and Cinder, he was aware that the moment he showed even the slightest thoughts of betrayal of the Imperium, he would die in the most gruesome death.

Yet, he didn't really care about that; the only thing that he cared about was to sail through the seas and make his own name known across the entire Known World of Azyr as the explorer and sailor, the one that would be remembered through the annals of the history for all eternity.

"We would be done in one hour."

The man who answered him was the General of the 9th Imperial Legion which was native to the Grand Province of Munn, Mazer Rackham. He was a bald man, visibly a bit aged, converted with runic tattoos.

He was born in the Grand Province of Munn, to a tribe of people that were native to the Grand Province of Munn and lived in the deserts of the Munn, called Namyr-Tharos Tribe, the dwellers of the sands.

"Also, the Elector Count's son, Rhuen Allander, would be joining the Crusade together with several hundred of the Household Guards of the Allander; we would be having one of the best swords of the Imperium with us."

Mazer Rackham of the Namyr-Tharos was a natural-born warrior like everyone from the Namyr-Tharos Tribe. From an early age, he was considered as the prodigy of the Namyr-Tharos and after he reached adulthood, he created his own Free Mercenary Company. 

After thirty years of acting as the leader of the Free Company, he was scouted by the House Allander and was drafted in as captain of the Household Guards of the House Allander, which was already a very prestigious position within the Grand Province.

Approximately another twenty years later, he was personally approached by the previous General of the 9th Imperial Legion of the Grand Province of Munn and entered the Imperial Legion, where he was soon, in only a few years, promoted to the General of the 9th Imperial Legion.

As the General of the 9th Imperial Legion, Mazer Rackham has proven himself to be one of the most capable Generals of the entire Imperial Legion and the entire Imperial Military; within certain circles, he was even considered the next Imperial Bashar of the Imperial Military.

"After establishing the blockade, we will disembark on the shores of the Badlands and take stand where they have built some primitive docks, from there on we will advance onto the Harrogath's southern area, where we will build the fortifications and wait for the Army Groups Alpha and Beta."

The plan of the Imperial Crusade was excellent and there were no blank spots; for that, the role of the Euron Greyjoy as the Admiral of the 1st Fleet that would be leading the attacks on the Baldands was clear.

Nobody can leave the Badlands; not even the smallest ship could leave the shores of the Badlands and he knew this task he was given must be completed splendidly, or else, his head would roll.

After everything was loaded onto the ships, the 1st Imperial Fleet, which was numbering something around one hundred ships of various Classes, started sailing towards the Star Wall, opening the path to them, as the Admiral gave the command to the march.

***

A few days later, somewhere around the Badlands. On the deck of Kos's Silence.

Approximately one hundred ships were now sailing around the seas of the Badlands, not far from the shores of the Badlands itself. Till now, they hadn't seen even a single ship that belonged to the Children of the Bul-Khatos.

"Ships on the horizon!"

Someone shouted as they spotted several ships of very crude design, clearly indicating the Barbarian origin, on the horizon.

"Everybody on the position! Load the cannon and fire at the moment of distance!"

As the Admiral of the 1st Imperial Fleet, Euron Greyjoy was in charge of the assault, so the moment they finally spotted some enemy, everyone was eager for action, because it was becoming a bit boring in here.

There were only a few of the Barbarian ships, but, making up for their small numbers, they were rather huge, even bigger than the average Imperial Warship. This was already some sight to behold because the Imperial Warships of the Imperial Navy were already huge enough to house hundreds upon hundreds of soldiers.

As the ships of the Barbarians were approaching the 1st Imperial Fleet, the sailors and soldiers that were on the ships, all assumed their position, and if they didn't, then those who couldn't get into the combat-ready state.

"Fire!"

The Admiral of the 1st Imperial Fleet shouted when the ships of the Children of Bul-Khatos were close enough, in the distance of their cannons and other machines of war, as the thunderous roaring of the artillery firing was heard through the entire area where they were.

Hundreds if not thousands of cannons and mortars were firing as one, all aiming at the sea hulks of the ships that were built by the barbarians. And as expected, the ships of the barbarians, couldn't withstand the concentrated firepower of the Imperium and were being sunk down one by one.

Only a few of the barbarian sea hulks were still floating on the sea, though they were too heavily damaged from the artillery bombardment. Seeing this, gave Euron Greyjoy the idea of boarding the ships and capturing the people, perhaps they would be able to find some useful information from them.

"Send down the order to prepare for the boarding, we will capture the ships and interrogate the Barbarians."

As soon as the order was passed down, several ships of the 1st Imperial Fleet split from the rest of the Fleet and started surrounding the damaged barbarian warships from all sides, while at the same time, the scorpions from the ships started firing hooks on them, while pulling the ships a bit closer.

When the distance was lowered enough, Imperials outstretched several makeshift bridges in between them, as the soldiers of the Imperium started pouring onto the warships of the Children of Bul-Khatos and massacring barbarians here and there. 

It was relatively easy for the Imperials to know who was important and who wasn't because, in the Barbarian society, usually those with higher social status were bigger and stronger, but aside from their physical traits, the greatest indicator were clothes and tattoos.

The barbarians on the ship were already injured from the artillery that was being fired at them some time ago, and when they were met with the ferocious charge of the Imperial Legionaries, they stood no chance as they were quickly killed or subjugated.