Zeus, Poseidon and Hades have made it back, albeit with difficulty. The Grey Knight Paladins left after dealing with the dragon Kampe, not bothering to explain anything to the three brothers. If anything, they were bothered to be there. They killed the monster with practised ease and then cut apart the chains holding the Cyclops and Hecatonchires prisoner. Then, they dipped, teleporting out of Tartarus unbothered by the fact that it was strictly not the same ‚reality' or dimension as Earth. It wasn't even in the Sphere of Gods in a way. But they didn't care and just left.
After Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades returned through Tartarus and then the Underworld, they presented themselves to their supporters in shame. It hit Zeus the hardest to be shamed to such a degree. He felt as if, for the first time in his immortal life, he had failed at achieving something he truly wanted to achieve. That was unusual for him, as he always had that feeling that everything would turn out all right for him. He would make it somehow, no matter how unlikely it may seem. But he failed and was beaten terribly by Kampe. And then he was forced into signing a contract he didn't want to because of it. But he didn't say anything, not even to Metis, who looked at him worriedly. His pride didn't allow it.
"What happened?" she asks.
"We made it," Poseidon says. "The Cyclops and Hecatonchires are now free and can hopefully get to creating our weapons soon."
"But why do you look so bad? Did you have a hard fight?" Demeter asks.
"We fought, sure — a monster, by the name of Kampe. Almost killed us all," Hades says.
"What?! That's terrible, are you feeling alright?" Hestia asks.
"What happened, Zeus? Did you encounter something? Tell us," Metis urges her lover to tell her.
Before the embarrassed man can say anything, a red-orange portal appears in front of them. Everyone looks surprised and gets into a fighting position, ready for anything that could come out of there. Naturally, they believe it to be Titans or their soldiers. But what walks out of the portal is someone else, someone they wouldn't have expected.
A large man walks out of the portal, wearing golden armour, holding a Guardian Spear in his hand and looking around. After a moment, a normal-sized man walks through the portal, followed by a small company of Sentinel Guards.
"It's..."
"Whose that?"
The normal human walks forward and bows politely in front of everyone.
"Greetings, Olympians. My name is Wilk Catiel of the Logis Strategos, a department of the Administratum. I have been honoured by the Emperor to speak in his name and gather intelligence on your plans, so that our respective attack forces won't hinder each other."
The Logis Strategos is an Imperial intelligence and analysis agency, a department of the Administratum. It is noted for analysing the various threats facing the Imperium and devising suitable strategies to face them. In this case, Wilk Catiel has lied to them as he is not only here to plan, but to assess the situation in the Olympian war host and asses their threat and danger to the Imperium's future plans. The Emperor hasn't told Wilk Catiel much, but he hasn't dared to ask anything anyway. This Emperor of Mankind is different from the last, and he will not allow politics to ruin what he will build. Apart from the Custodes and the forces he will create, no other faction will ever gain much power. He will take control of everything and place trusted people in positions of power. He will use all his power to remove the filth and prevent it from taking root.
"Huh?"
"What is this?" Poseidon remarks.
"They send a mortal worm to talk to us?" Hera asks with a raised eyebrow.
"Also, who is this Emperor you speak of?"
Metis walks forward, noting the seriousness of the situation. She is the goddess of wisdom and has noted that no magic was used in the portal through which these men arrived. The mortal man is also not scared of them, and the golden warriors, whom she knows are warriors because she feels their threat, are standing there as if they don't fear them, and that worries Metis.
"Greetings, Wilk Catiel of the Logis Strategos. My name is Metis, I don't have the authority to decide for all those present, as that falls to the 6 Olympian siblings, but I may discuss strategy with you. First off, who is this Emperor you spoke of and what are his intentions?" she asks.
"Well met, Metis. The Emperor is the leader and creator of the Imperium of Mankind. I believe the Olympians should know him. He is their brother after all," Wilk answers.
"Brother? You mean...?"
"So, brother sends you?" Hestia asks excitedly.
"Indeed."
"That arrogant piece of-"
Before Poseidon can finish that sentence, the power blade of several Guardian Spears is at his throat, and multiple Bolters are aimed at him. The air changed from one moment to the next, and Poseidon feels that he is closer to death than he was when facing Kampe. He wants to get angry, but fear has taken its place instead. But Zeus hasn't gotten over his wounded pride yet, and he is unhappy seeing this. He is the god of lightning and, therefore, the fastest among his siblings. With an angry roar, he charges forward, coated in lightning and punches the first Sentinel Guard he sees.
*BONG*
His fist hits the Praesidium Shield instead of the helmet, which Zeus was actually targeting. He feels the resistance of the shield as it didn't break. And for good reason. All members of the Adeptus Custodes are incorruptible by anything or anyone. So they are the faction Neoth trusts the most. It doesn't mean that he doesn't trust the other factions, but they hold a special place. And as such, they're armoury was reforged by the Emperor himself. A fact that fills the Custodes with immeasurable joy and pride.
The gold is not just for show, their armour, weapons and shields are made of Eighth Metal and connected to the Sage Force through their connection to Neoth.
It was at this moment that Metis understood, that Zeus fucked up.
Suddenly shit hits the fan. The Sentinel Guards take Wilk Catiel back, while the Shield-Captain orders his men telepathically through their helmets and organises everything. The Sentinel Guard that blocked Zeus' attack swings his Sentinel Blade through the air, cutting off the god's arm.
*SHING*
*BOOOOOM*
"AAAARRRGHHH!!"
Bolters are fired, coming from the Guardian Spear of the Shield-Captain. Hades, who has recovered somewhat, tries to help and summons the dead as support. But before they can do anything, they are shot down, and he is wounded by the powerful bolters the Custodes use. Metis tries to calm everyone down, but no one even hears her voice. Poseidon is cut in two, as he moves a single muscle, taking him out of the fight before he can truly do anything. Once again, his performance is horrendous.
*VROOOM*
*BOOOM*
The power swords and bolters fly through the air, cutting off limbs and killing the Olympian faction quickly. Hera is in shock. Her demeanour has changed from arrogance to fear and confusion. She tries to block an attack as it comes towards her, but there has never been a sadder death of an Olympian. She is one of the most useless original Olympians and yet one of the most arrogant. Her death passed with a pathetic wail, fitting her character.
"NO! What-" Demeter shouts as the plants she creates are destroyed and cut apart.
She has such a strong connection to crops and plants, and it pains her to feel the death. Even more than her own death, which she doesn't even register fully. Two Sentinel Blades cut through her body. One severs her head from her shoulders, and another diagonally through the rest of her body. The different pieces fall to the ground, her ichor raining on the plants she loves so much.
"NOOOOOO!!!"
Hestia shouts in pain as she feels her siblings perish before her very eyes. She summons fire through her divinity and tries to stop the Golden Deaths from going further. But without luck. Her fire doesn't face them. Custodians must pass a new trial, created by Neoth, if they want to be ready for active duty. The Emperor has transformed a massive room on the Phalanx into a testing ground for battle simulation. Simulation might be the official word, but it's a real battle. If the Custodians want to pass, they have to defeat a single Burning Martian. They are allowed to use only one type of power weapon. And it's not allowed to be an Age of Technology weapon either.
The fire, Hestia, can create passes over the Custodes, and they attack her. Her tears and cries do not deter them.
"Why... why?"
Those are her last words as her body explodes into several pieces by bolter fire.
Hades is the next to fall, as Custodes swarm him. A bolt penetrates his left eye and explodes half of his face off. The god of the Underworld tumbles and is put out of his misery a second later.
Rhea, the goddess of motherhood and Themis, the goddess of justice, order and law, are two of the three remaining ones facing the Custodes. Rhea attempts to utilise her power over emotional bonds to influence the warriors, but it proves ineffective. They have only two bonds—one to their Emperor and a second one to their brothers. And none of those could ever be affected.
*BOOM BOOM*
Themis, however, is different. Her divinity over law and order is a powerful tool which the Titaness knows how to use. She creates an order that doesn't allow the use of weapons.
"No more weapons!" she shouts.
*Click click*
*Vroo---*
The Custodes look at their weapons for a second and then at the Titaness. The Shield-Captain notes what just happened and then sends out a telepathic message to the others.
"No more violen-" Themis is interrupted before she can say another word.
*BAMM*
A fist impacts her jaw and sends her flying. She takes her weapon and turns mid-air, slashing forward, trying to kill the Sentinel Guard. But her hand is grabbed by the Shield-Captain himself, who clenches his fist and breaks her hand.
*CRACK*
"ARGH!"
Themis bites her jaw and breathes through the pain, using her power of order again and trying to create a new one.
"NO MORE OF YOU!!!" she shouts and uses all the power she has.
She creates a new law that doesn't allow the existence of the Custodes as they are currently present. But other than a slight shimmer, nothing happens. The Shield-Captain's fist smashes into Themis' face.
"Pathetic."
*BAMM*
"The Emperor has created us."
*BOOM*
"Only he gets to decide our fate."
*BANG*
"Not the likes of you," the Shield-Captain finishes.
He grabs the broken and beaten Themis' head and rips it off, pulling along her vertebrae. Then he taps her a few times with his bolter to make sure she's truly dead.
Zeus feels the bolt penetrate his shoulder, and then right after, the pain as it explodes and rips off his other arm. He summons lightning, firing it at the Custodes, but it's useless. A Sentinel Blade pierces him from the side and then from the front. To top it off, another Custodian aims his bolter in front of his face... and pulls the trigger.
*BOOOOM*
Wilk Catiel looks around what remains of the carnage and doesn't say anything. He was sent to 'handle' the first meeting and planning with the Olympians. He was given mostly carte blanche on how he handled it. And yet, the man can't feel a bit disappointed in how everything turned out. What will he tell his liege now? He feels that he failed somewhat. The Custodes aren't to blame, heavens no. Their job was to protect him, and that's what they did. But their primary objective is to protect the Emperor with their lives. If someone spoke against him like that, what were they supposed to do? They didn't even attack first and only warned Poseidon. That's already a great show of restraint on their part.
"We're leaving," the Shield-Captain commands, and Catiel nods his head.
The portal appears, and they walk through to the Phalanx. Wilk Catiel takes a few samples of the bloody pieces of the Olympians and then follows along. He makes his way to the laboratories and hands it over, making his way to the Throne Room, where Neoth is already waiting for his report.
The large door opens, and Wilk Catiel walks in, kneeling in front of the Emperor.
"I hear your mission hasn't gone as you would have liked, Catiel."
Neoth's voice is calm and deep.
"Indeed, my Emperor. But I wouldn't say that it hasn't gone to your prediction. The arrogance you predicted has indeed come to pass and has cost them their lives. I will take all the blame for this outcome," Catiel says.
Neoth feels that the man truly means those words. He prefers competence instead of empty words uttered to curry favour. And Catiel is capable and honest. Neoth is silent for a moment and thinks. His face doesn't betray anything, but Catiel wouldn't know anyway, he isn't looking.
"It seems... that we will have to solve this war ourselves," Neoth says. "Constantin, contact the legions. We're going to war."
________________________
Believe it or not, this chapter wasn't supposed to end this way. It just happened. I wrote the words of Poseidon and then paused... then I shrugged, and the rest is history. It fits the setting and Neoth's character.
Tell me what you think, please.