-M29.671. Falmart-
Tuka had been assigned a task by Lord Malcador to act as a messenger from the Imperium to her people. The goal was nothing less than seeking forgiveness from the Emperor of Mankind for all the wrongs their ancestors had committed against humanity and the universe. This was the profound sin of the Eldar that the elves must bear. A sin of immeasurable magnitude.
Tuka swallowed a bitter lump in her throat and lowered her head. She was inside an Imperial transport, on her way to undertake her first mission. There was actually an easier way, which involved convincing the Dark Elves to join the Imperium. However, considering the ongoing conflict between the Dark Elves and the Wood Elves, unification would be quite challenging.
Thus, Tuka chose a different approach: freeing the elven slaves and gaining their trust. It was the simplest way to garner assistance and support. The slaves desired nothing more than their freedom. The concept of slavery was an irony considering the greatness of the Imperium of Man, a realm fundamentally composed of humans, was capable of adopting such a culture contrary to Sadera's.
On the other hand, Tuka felt awe and fascination for the human race. Humans were fragile and weak compared to the immortality possessed by the Apostles. Their magical abilities were also far beneath those of the elves. Humans truly were a fragile species, destined to have nothing. But Tuka had witnessed it – the boundless potential of humanity.
The blonde elf had seen how swiftly humans had come to dominate Falmart, flexing their power to conquer various territories and kingdoms. Tuka thought that humans couldn't grow any further, but she was mistaken. Once she observed the Imperium and how their society flourished, she realized the greatness of humanity. Then, as she learned about the Eldar, she discovered how far the elves could reach. But that dream shattered when the Eldar descended into debauchery. Yet, on the other hand, she didn't see the same weaknesses in humanity under the Emperor's rule. Tuka saw a Golden Path where not only humans but her own race could thrive and prosper.
Tuka would do anything to achieve that future. A future where her race could be saved and forgiven, but also protected under the wing of the Imperium of Man.
"We have arrived, Miss Tuka." The communication vox sounded, causing Tuka to raise her head.
They were now on their way to a region in the northern part of Sadera. Tuka herself had heard many rumors originating from that area. All of them were unpleasant news. The place was Sadera's mining center, where thousands of slaves from various races were gathered to toil until death. There were still many secrets that had turned into rumors from that place, but Tuka chose not to believe them until there was evidence.
Tuka lifted herself from her seat and walked towards the cockpit. As she stepped beside the pilot's seat, she could see the dense clouds gradually fading away. She observed a collection of white mountains standing in rows, concealing a thousand secrets within.
"If only this place didn't serve as a location for slavery, it could be an amazing tourist destination. With a few modifications, of course," remarked one of the Solar Guardians who was piloting the aircraft.
Tuka nodded in silence. Indeed, upon closer inspection, every region in Sadera seemed suitable to be turned into a tourist destination for the Imperium. She had read about various planet classifications within the Imperium, one of which was the Paradise World, a planet designed and engineered to become a paradise filled with beauty.
It was truly regrettable that such a beautiful world had fallen into the hands of ignorant gods who only cared about their own power and selfish satisfaction. They were nothing more than parasites that needed to be eradicated.
"As planned. We will make a freefall jump and land using our anti-gravity systems. This will provide both a surprise attack and an awe-inspiring display," stated the operation's leader from behind Tuka.
This operation was a straightforward one, where the Solar Guardians would parachute in and demonstrate their power by easily destroying the mining site, followed by rescuing the slaves. Given Tuka's mission to save the elves, the slaves being held captive were her own kind.
But something was amiss. When Tuka inquired further about the details of the slaves, the Solar Guardians evaded the question. Tuka had a bad feeling about their operation. Yet, she pushed that aside to ensure the success of the mission.
"T-minus ten seconds!" shouted the commander to his subordinates.
The countdown began, and the three other Solar Guardians inside the aircraft stood up, walking towards the jump door. The door opened, revealing fast-moving clouds and the rush of air filling their ears.
"In three, two, one." As the countdown reached zero, all the Solar Guardians leapt from the aircraft, leaving Tuka behind. She would join the mission once the cleanup operation was complete.
_____________________________________
The slaves, consisting of various races of demihumans, were digging and extracting various mining products from the core of the mountain. It was unclear how many years they had been in that place, tortured and forced to work, as if their bones were continuously being broken. Their masters continued to shout and whip them, even killing them for pleasure when they grew bored.
They wanted this torment to end, they wanted to be free and return to the people they loved.
"Faster!" yelled a guard, cracking his whip at the slaves.
Sounds of pain-filled screams echoed throughout the area. More lashes came, tearing the skin of the slaves.
"Truly useless," said a disgusted soldier. Then, he held his chin, deep in thought. "In that case, you come with me!"
With that, the guard dragged one of the slaves, an elf. He led the elf to the place that was the worst fear of all the laboring slaves in that area. The place was an open field, where executioners carried out their grim tasks and it served as entertainment for the soldiers.
The elven slave was dragged and tied to a piece of wood that had been used for executions countless times, its surface blackened by layers of dried blood.
"Well, I guess I'll enjoy this."
Before another lash could land, a scream stopped the soldier.
"I beg you, punish me instead, sir!" The voice came from another elf, who seemed to struggle to walk, approaching them with two grinning soldiers following behind.
"Why should I do that? After all, you're just a slave!" shouted the soldier. But as he observed his colleagues' expressions, the warrior grinned wickedly. "Fine. Because you dared to command your master yourself. Then the punishment will come to you."
With that, the two elves were bound to the same piece of wood, awaiting their impending torture.
"Why?" the elf whispered to his friend.
"I can't let go of a friend who has always been with me since I was little. You're my only friend." His friend replied with a small smile.
"You..." The elf couldn't say anything, watching his friend slowly shed tears.
"Silence!" the soldier shouted, lifting his whip high.
But that whip didn't reach them. Instead, a blue light moved impossibly fast toward the warriors, evaporating half of their bodies.
The two elves were awestruck by what they saw. They thought this was an intervention from a deity aimed at saving them from an inevitable fate. However, before they could fully comprehend their surroundings, a sound of an object falling from the sky began to slowly reach their ears.
Like a black meteor, it plummeted toward the earth. A powerful impact resounded throughout the mining area. As the swirling snow began to settle, the two elves saw four towering figures clad in gleaming black armor. They were much taller than humans and possessed significantly larger physiques. The aura emanating from each of these black figures was truly overwhelming, demanding anyone around them to kneel.
"You are safe now. You are out of danger," spoke one of the black golems fluently in Falmartian.
"Who... Who are you?" one of the elves asked as his bindings were gently removed by the golem.
"We are the Imperium of Man. We are here to destroy this mine and rescue you," it replied.
The Imperium, which essentially meant another empire. In an instant, the feelings of happiness and hope faded away, replaced by a sense of despair that slowly began to seep into their bodies. Like escaping the mouth of a tiger, they found themselves plunged into the jaws of a crocodile.
Their bodies trembled with fear. Their eyes, even though already at the peak of panic, held a sense of resignation within them. After years of being slaves and enduring countless tortures, hope had become an elusive concept, forever casting its shadow over them.
"Calm yourselves, we are here to help you," another golem spoke, slightly bowing its body.
But before the elf could reply, the shouts of Sadera's forces echoed throughout the mining site.
"We have guests," one of the golems with a red mark on its forehead said. Then, a soft whirring sound emanated from its shoulder. Its shoulder slightly opened, releasing something that could only be described as living metal, gradually forming a colossal iron weapon in the golem's hand.
The other golems followed suit as their leader commanded, brandishing their respective weapons. The elves observed these events unfolding before their eyes. Among these weapons, one emitted a blue light, capturing the attention of the two elves.
It didn't take long for Sadera's forces to encircle them all. However, before the Sadera commander could issue a command, hundreds of blue and red lights annihilated the Sadera forces in a matter of seconds.
A lightning-fast attack that incinerated and melted, as if a god of destruction was reshaping the order of creation by dismantling its own creation. However, the Sadera forces didn't give up so easily. Their troops from within the mine began pouring out. Sharing the same fate as their comrades before, they turned into ashes under the various attacks unleashed by the golems.
The carnage happened in a flash, leaving only ashes and body fragments from the remnants of the burned troops. All the slaves stared at the golems in awe and fear. An extraordinary aura radiated from them, urging the slaves to kneel. Such an aura could only be bestowed by the Apostles deliberately releasing their intimidating presence. However, these golems seemed to stand there without emitting any intimidation.
One of the golems walked towards the slaves. The slaves slowly retreated out of fear. The golem stopped, and a hissing sound came from its head. The black iron comprising its head slowly melted into living metal, entering the gaps in the golem's iron neck.
The slaves were mesmerized when they saw the face behind the black helm. The person inside the iron suit was a black-haired human with emerald eyes.
"We are from the Imperium of Man. We are here on the noble orders of the Emperor of Mankind to save all of you," he said gently.
"Look out behind you!" shouted one of the slaves.
Slowly, the giant turned to the direction pointed out. A Saderan archer aimed his bow directly at the giant's head, thinking that with the helmet protecting its head gone, one arrow would suffice to bring it down.
The arrow shot off quickly. But for the giants, it seemed like the arrow froze in time. However, the giant didn't flinch, standing tall and waiting for the arrow to reach him. A small grin formed on his face.
The arrow struck the giant's cheek, but unexpectedly, it broke and shattered, leaving the giant's cheek completely unscathed. They were stunned by the sight while the archer froze in fear. Before he could move, a red beam incinerated the Saderan warrior.
"Both of you," the giant said to two other giant. "Go into the mine; catch those who flee."
With a nod, the two giants entered the mine.
The commander turned back to the slaves, smiling gently. "I bring the messenger for all of you, especially for the elves."
Tuka, who watched the operation calmly, saw everything proceeding smoothly and as predicted. The two Solar Guardians who entered the mine also performed their tasks swiftly and efficiently. Once they knew the locations of the Saderan soldiers, their elimination became straightforward. In less than an hour, the operation was successfully completed.
"Prepare for landing," the pilot said through the vox.
Tuka readied herself and walked toward the aircraft's door. With a slight thud, the aircraft landed, opening the door, allowing the cold wind to touch Tuka's skin. The blonde elf stepped out of the aircraft. She witnessed her kin oppressed and emaciated, not only her own kind but also several other races suffering, some already appearing ready to give up on their lives.
Not stopping there, Tuka saw the Solar Guardians escorting a group of elf women from a dilapidated building. Their bodies were covered with thick cloth, and just from that, Tuka could infer what these slave women had been through in that building. If Tuka hadn't faced it directly and witnessed the horrors committed by her ancestors, she would have surely vomited and gone into shock at the scene before her. But she was no longer the same Tuka; she was an elf tasked with a message for all her race in Falmart.
After a while, when hundreds of slaves had been treated by the drones produced on the aircraft and their mental states had sufficiently stabilized to speak again, Tuka took a deep breath.
Tuka walked closer to the slaves, smiling gently with determined eyes.
"My name is Tuka Luna Marceau. I stand here as a messenger for my kind and the demi-humans. I offer you protection and freedom in the name of the Imperium of Man, a rich and powerful nation from the Gate of Zalvus." Tuka paused for a moment, observing the slowly widening eyes of the slaves.
Amidst the backdrop of despair, Tuka's words rang out like a clarion call, cutting through the oppressive atmosphere. Each sentence painted vivid pictures of an astonishing world, evoking dreams of crystal cities and golden towers that defied imagination. Her voice was a beacon of hope, a torch in the darkness, as she spoke of an empire ruled by the enigmatic Golden Emperor, a sovereign without end. It was a place where autonomy and self-determination were cherished above all, where the Emperor wished to empower them to be masters of their own destinies.
With a flourish, Tuka revealed the emblem of the Imperium, a shimmering beacon of unity and promise. She spoke of the Imperium's boundless generosity, how they had extended their hand to her in her darkest hour, even searching for her lost father during the chaos of the Dragon Flame attack. And in the Imperium, she saw the remarkable harmony between humans and non-human races, a testament to the unity that transcended differences.
As Tuka's words flowed, her charisma intertwined with the power of her psychic abilities, illuminating the enslaved hearts before her. She knew she might not be a master orator, but her sincerity and determination shone through. With a plea that resonated with every soul present, she urged them to rise.
In that pivotal moment, the slaves felt a surge of renewed hope, a fire of determination kindled within their hearts. They saw a future where they could be free, where they could stand proudly as Imperial Citizens, untainted by the sins of their forebears. Tuka had given them a choice, and they chose to stand up, to fight for their freedom, to join her in spreading the name of the Imperium, and to liberate their fellow slaves from the curse that bound them.
The slaves slowly began to regain their confidence, standing up slowly with a growing sense of determination. One of them walked closer to Tuka. He knelt before the blonde elf, bowing his head deeply.
"Lady Marcau, we are but lowly slaves who kneel before you. Our villages have been plundered, our wives and daughters made objects of satisfaction by them. We have nothing, but allow us to walk beside you."
The elf knelt with a determination that pierced through the heavy weight of their enslaved past. "By making this oath, we pledge ourselves to your cause. If the Imperium is ready to embrace elves and all the diverse faces of demi-humans, then we shall stand as one under your banner, our protectors."
Tuka felt her heart swell with a mix of astonishment and gratitude. As the other slaves gradually lowered their heads in solemn agreement, the atmosphere transformed. Here, in this bleak moment, they were no longer mere captives but individuals with pride, and they were ready to fight alongside the Imperium. The Solar Guardian commander acknowledged Tuka's success with a subtle nod, and she responded with a triumphant smile before addressing the newly affirmed and dignified Imperial Citizens.
"Very well, then. I accept your oath. Rise, oh sons and daughters of Falmart. The Imperium of Man awaits you." Tuka spoke gently, patting the shoulder of the elf who would now assist her in the quest to free all elves from the sins of the Eldar.