Warhammer: In the Name of the Emperor

If there is anything in this world that remains unchanged and remains exactly the same forever, it is not the church of the state religion, nor the office building of the Ministry of Government, nor the square palaces of the Ministry of Military Affairs.

Although the empire is always very nostalgic and generally does not renovate or rebuild the buildings that have been built long ago, as time goes by and a large number of imperial officials come and go, expelling the old and welcoming the new, those buildings will always change, and the new will Additional office halls, canteens, conferences, etc.

Moreover, considering that the word "peace" can only be seen in the dictionary in the Empire, those ancient buildings will most likely be subject to periodic invasions by the Empire's enemies, rebellions by Chaos cultists, and even coups on the planet itself. , beset by riots and endless gang fights, ranging from being completely razed to the ground with hundreds of bullet holes in the walls.

You will always need to renovate those buildings, so what remains may only be ancient in a spiritual sense, but there is a place in this galaxy, that place is ancient, just like the empire itself, which has never been seen for thousands of years. Change, but also the spiritual source of the entire empire.

You guessed it, didn’t you? The emperor's palace, of course, of course it is here. When you walk under the high walls and domes here, and walk through those magnificent palaces, you will find that what has happened in this damn place for ten thousand years Everything is still the same as before.

Ah, of course, the premise is that you have lived long enough to have seen what the palace looked like back then, what it looked like when it was first built and the supports were removed. There are not many such people. Really, are there many old monsters over 10,000 years old in this galaxy?

But today, there is such an old monster here. Vito is walking in the main hall of the palace, and he is walking under the dome of the magnificent palace.

He looked at the exquisite murals above his head and the crystal chandeliers hanging under the curved dome. Countless lights were burning on the huge crystal lamps, and the light was refracted to the surroundings through the surrounding crystals.

Vito walked between the high walls on both sides of the palace, which were more magnificent and gorgeous than all the imperial churches. Countless statues, murals, and reliefs constituted the main body here, as if the entire place was carved directly from a huge stone. The space and everything around it are almost perfectly connected.

Under his feet, the purest marble floor was laid on the ground. The huge stone surface extended towards the end of the palace. Behind Vito, Trajan and his guards also walked on this marble road. The heavy footsteps of the Forbidden Army sounded behind Vito again and again.

The ancient guardian looked around. He still hadn't been here for a long, long time. Since the end of the Horus Heresy, Vito had never set foot in the core area of ​​the palace, the inner palace.

But when he came back here today, what surprised and somewhat expected him was that everything here was still exactly the same as when he left. Every statue, mural and relief on every wall were exactly the same. Over the years, The corrosion of time has not caused them to change or lose their former appearance, they remain the same as before.

Vito looked at the familiar things around him and listened to the echo of the footsteps of the Forbidden Army's unique Star Iron Powered Armor Tower on the ground behind him. The tall giant accompanied every step, and the sound of the body armor rising and falling with the friction. The surrounding scenes reminded Vito of many things, and many memories that had long been blurred became clear again.

Vito recalled everything at that time, Malcador, Dr. Astarte, Erda, Waldo, and that old bastard. They once walked side by side on this wide avenue. On the day the palace was built, They, the unifiers of ancient Terra, had walked here together when the throne room with its burning star torch was first completed and its doors opened.

But now, only Vito is left on this marble road, Valdo's serious voice, Malcador and Erda's conversation about art, culture and science and technology, and the voices of Astartes and bickering, Of course, there's also the old bastard's voice evaluating himself in various philosophical riddles.

Those voices have disappeared, disappeared a long time ago, and he is the only one left among the old friends who can still walk here and walk in the world.

Vito recalled everything at that time and let out a long sigh. It was the sigh and sadness of the years, "Has Waldo ever come back? He has left to die, I forgot."

"Nine thousand years, my lord, just like you, Commander Waldo left quietly shortly after you left." Trajan walked behind Vito with a power sword with a lion's head on it, and behind him he was wearing a red The Imperial Guards in robes lined up silently behind them, with a fluttering golden battle flag held high in the hands of their leading warriors.

Vito looked at the imperial guards at the edges of the hall on both sides. The tall golden guards stood on both sides of the hall holding halberds. They were as silent as statues standing tall on both sides. This reminded Vito of ancient times. Terra's terracotta warriors and horses, one after another, extend towards the Door of End at the end of the hall.

He walked past those golden-armored guards. When he walked by, the guards along the way would kneel down and salute him. Vito looked at the guards on both sides with their heads hanging down. Their armors were still exactly the same as before, without any traces. With the changes, Vito knew that the people wearing his armor were no longer the Imperial Guards buddies he remembered. They were the old warriors who followed him to the Milky Way after the war on Terra in Valdo.

But these armors, these new generation of forbidden soldiers wearing the same armor as them, make Vito feel like he has returned to those old friends.

"Has Waldo come back?" Vito asked with a slight sigh. He did not turn his head to look at Trajan, but the latter knew that this question was being asked to him, and only he could give the marshal the answer.

"No, no sir. Unfortunately, Commander Waldo has not come back since he left. Over the years, we have heard some news about suspected Commander Waldo, but we can't confirm the authenticity. Therefore, we don't know where Commander is. ?”

Trajan said as he held down the sword on his waist. He sighed silently. How he wished Lord Waldo could return to Terra with Vito. When he learned from the Emperor about Vito's return, When he heard the news, he really wished that their leader, the Marshal of the Custodes, was also with him.

That would be the greatest moment. Trajan and all the imperial soldiers had been waiting for ten thousand years. He imagined that he would lead the soldiers to swear allegiance to the two legendary leaders in the hall of the palace. He imagined Then, those ancient legends became true, and the Imperial Guards would once again conquer the galaxy under their banner.

But that is just a good wish after all. The Imperial Guards still need to wait, waiting for the return of their leader in the long years.

Vito noticed Trajan's regret. After sighing for a long time, he looked around at the Imperial Guards. He noticed that there were more Imperial Guards here. On both sides of the road to salvation leading to the throne room, on Between the servitors and servo skulls who were silently mechanically cleaning and maintaining the surrounding statues, there were many more Imperial Guards here than I remembered.

He still remembered the scene at the end of the Webway War. The once powerful Imperial Guards Ten Thousand Soldiers were gone. After that war ended, there were only less than ten Imperial Guards soldiers left here, who once numbered more than a hundred. People, but the ancient warriors who swore to defend the Emperor at all times are still standing here stubbornly holding weapons.

But here today, the Forbidden Army soldiers who had suffered heavy casualties and were barely alive recovered again. Vito saw a lot of Forbidden Army soldiers along the way, and all the shield guard companies were fully staffed.

"Have you restored your military strength?" Vito asked as he walked. Although he already had the answer in his heart, he still hoped that Trajan would tell him personally. He hoped that he could be proud again and tell himself with his head held high. their achievements over the years.

This is indeed the case. Trajan raised his head proudly, and the Forbidden Soldiers behind him could not help but hold on to their weapons and proudly shouldered their weapons. Their current commander, Trajan, looked at Vito in front of him, and his heart was full of Feeling of pride.

"Yes, Marshal, although our training method is destined to make it impossible to replenish our troops quickly, after ten thousand years and the efforts of dozens of generations of commanders, we have finally recovered from the Webway War."

"Now that the Ten Thousand Soldiers have recovered, the ten thousand Forbidden Soldiers will be at your command, Marshal Vito." Trajan struck his right fist heavily on his chest, and the Forbidden Soldiers behind him also Making the same move at the same time, they stopped as Vito's pace stopped.

Marshal Vito stood in front of the long stairs leading to the Gate of the End. He looked at Trajan and the Forbidden Soldiers behind him and smiled slightly. He nodded to them, "I believe you will make Waldo, and All the Old Praetorians are proud of Trajan, all of you."

Vito then looked at the door at the top of the towering stairs, the magnificent golden door. Vito turned his head and looked at Trajan, who nodded silently and then Vito walked up the stairs.

He walked up the long and grand staircase. On both sides of the large staircase stood a well-known Imperial Guard attendant who was more exquisitely dressed, gorgeous and holding an ancient craft spear. They stood on both sides, Wearing a red tabard emblazoned with the two-headed aquila emblem of the Emperor himself, a long red tassel made of the most expensive velvet hangs high above his head.

These warriors are taller, stronger and unstoppable than the average Forbidden Army. They do not need to use any weapons. Just standing here, in silence, can frighten any disrespectful person, and when they take out their weapons, they will not let go. No evil spirit can step on this staircase.

Vito looked at the Forbidden Soldiers on both sides. He recognized their armor styles. It was the oldest Forbidden Army armor style, originating from the three hundred Forbidden Soldiers built by the original Emperor. It was the first-generation modified super armor that was older than the Thunder Warriors. People, with whom Waldo was born.

Those first-generation Imperial Guards were given a glorious mission, an important task that only the strongest among all the Imperial Guards could undertake, because they were the last barrier to protect the Emperor, and they were the attendants who held the throne.

Vito walked up the stairs among them. He looked at the attendant soldiers standing on the stairs on both sides, extending upward to the top door. More than a hundred powerful Forbidden Army warriors were holding halberds. , giving a slight nod to Vito who walked up.

The attendant soldiers standing on both sides watched Vito climb to the top of the long stairs and came to the magnificent Gate of the End. For thousands of years, since the battle nuns in the era of the Punishment, he had The first person to stand in front of the gate of the end, but he is also the most qualified among them all.

Or rather, he has been standing here a long time ago, but now, it is not too late, after thousands of years of waiting, this door welcomes its visitor, Supreme Marshal Vito Constantine stands there. In front of the giant gate, the people behind that gate have been waiting for too many years.

Now, it's time for them to reunite.

Trajan walked up the steps. He was the only one who walked up the steps to the gate. All his escorts were left below, because even among the imperial army, only a very small number of them could meet the emperor. A few summoned people, or undisputed leaders.

The guardsmen of the Guards stood at attention, holding their weapons and standing at attention, looking up at the giant door. Trajan, standing at the top of the stairs, nodded to the guards guarding the door on both sides. Suddenly, The two most powerful guards guarding the gate raised their halberds.

The Imperial Guards raised their halberds high, as if they were about to cut Vito in front of them in half with one blade, but then they suddenly turned around at the same time, and thrust the tip of the spear into the end behind them. The suddenly opened holes on the walls on both sides of the door were like two keyholes. The unique spear from the Golden Tower in the hands of the imperial guards was inserted into the keychain, followed by a series of rotations and mechanisms as if the key was inserted and the door lock was turned. With the sound of operation, the door started to move.

Behind Vito and Trajan, hundreds of attendant soldiers standing on the stairs raised their weapons at the same time, and then slammed their ends against the ground of the stairs. At the same time, a rumbling echo echoed throughout the hall, accompanied by Hearing that voice, all the Forbidden Soldiers in the palace turned to the door and knelt down.

Amidst the sounds of the Imperial Guards kneeling on their knees, the magnificent golden door slowly opened. The symbol of the Emperor's Eagle separated from the center. As the Gate of Ending opened, the man sitting on the golden throne behind him was People are exposed to the eyes of people outside the gate.

Vito's black eyes reflected the person on the throne. The man who had been sitting there for thousands of years, whose body had long been decayed and exhausted, and whose only spiritual flames were burning, seemed to raise his head.

"Welcome, you are finally here, my old friend."