STARTING AWAKENING PROTOCOL...
94%...
OVERLORD'S SYSTEMS IN ACCEPTABLE CONDITION...
95%...
STARTING OVERLORD'S AWAKENING...
96%...
ATTEMPTING TOMB'S AWAKENING...
97%...
ERROR!
98%...
TOMB IN CRITICAL CONDITION!
99%...
PRIORITIZING ESSENTIAL UNITIES AWAKENING...
100%
OVERLORD AWAKEN.
ALL HAIL OVERLORD…
ERROR!
-XXXXXX-
Where am I?! Why is everything so dark?! Why can't I move?! Am I stuck somewhere?! It looks like a coffin! Was I buried alive?! I banged my fists against the coffin lid, creating a metallic echo!
The more I hit it, the more desperate I became! I tried to scream, but no voice came from my mouth, I didn't feel my throat, I didn't feel my tongue, my teeth, my lips, I have no mouth but I need to scream!
I hyperventilated, but I didn't feel my nose, I didn't feel the air entering it, I didn't feel it filling my lungs, I didn't feel my chest rising and falling! I couldn't take it anymore, with a non-existent breath of air, I screamed!
"AAAHHH!"
I tore the coffin lid away with a final blow, falling on my hands and knees with a wet noise! I tried to breathe heavily, but again, I didn't feel anything! What was wrong with me?!
I stood in a lighted room where I analyzed my surroundings upon getting up. Was I in some kind of tomb?!
There was a large silver sarcophagus with strange lines and symbols that glowed green behind me, connected to the wall and ceiling by several cables as green smoke came from its big humanoid-shaped interior.
The tomb's ceiling was so high that I barely saw it, the walls were also high and adorned with green symbols that I didn't understand, but they all seemed made of the same silvery material.
Was I trapped inside?! Why?!
A grand staircase leading downwards stood ahead of me, but there was something odd. It was wet and covered with sea life, like seaweed, shells, fish, and starfish-like creatures, but they were different from the usual.
A mixture of wet and metallic sounds echoed through the empty chamber at every step down the stairs.
My body felt strangely heavy, but I left those thoughts aside upon glimpsing a light beside me, a large hole in the wall revealing a breathtaking image. A vast blue ocean covered by a starry sky full of colorful nebulae and twin white shining moons.
Beautiful, but it still made me wonder, where the hell am I?!
The hole let water in, so I picked a strange fish squirming on the stairs and threw it into the sea.
"Return to your home little friend."
SPLASH!
I reached the end and faced a long silvery walkway covered by a water layer, enough to cover my feet. I widened my eyes, surprised by what I saw when I prepared to step on the path ahead, a large metallic skeleton stared back at me in the water's reflection!
It had a smooth skull with two glowing green eyes and a permanently slightly opened mouth that glowed green.
A type of golden three-pointed crown or headdress extending upward attached to the skull connected to a rib cage with green lights shining where the bones should be.
A glowing green symbol stood in the center of the rib cage, while a kind of golden metal arch connected to shoulder pads rested around the skeleton's shoulders.
A green metallic cape made of small octagons and black bands extending from its shoulder pads toward the ground.
Black-armored arms, legs, wrists, elbows, thighs, and shins, but allowing full mobility, and a kind of technological gauntlet in the left hand, or was it the skeleton's hand?
It didn't matter, because I fell back screaming at the sight.
"AAAHHH!"
I realized something when my scare passed, the skeleton imitated my movements. I brought my finger closer to the water and the skeleton did the same, rippling when we met, but I didn't feel the liquid on my finger!
I scratched my face, but I couldn't feel my hands, I couldn't feel my skin! The scratches were soon repaired, my metallic body mending itself immediately!
SPLASH!
SPLASH!
SPLASH!
Suddenly, my footsteps stopped in front of me.
"My lord, rise, please! A being as magnanimous as you should not sit on the unclean floor!" A robotic artificial voice said.
I faced another metallic skeleton, this one with a single glowing eye in his face and an elongated chin, with several mechanical scarabs behind him. Strangely, he looked a little rusty.
"What?!" I stood up confused with shaky legs.
He knelt immediately and lowered his head, speaking seriously.
"Are you unwell, my Lord? Shall I run a full diagnostic on your systems?"
I backed off from this display but chose to play along.
"No, that won't be necessary."
"As you wish, my Lord." He remained on its knees, waiting for something. Did he expect me to order something?
"You can stand now."
Immediately, he did as I commanded, but didn't say anything yet. I believe I should try to get more information.
"What's your name?"
"This humble Cryptek is called Haratek, my Lord." He bowed.
Wait a minute! Cryptek! Giant tomb! Skeleton robots! Egyptian clothing and names! By The Emperor, I'm a Necron! I ended up in one of the worst possible universes! To the grim-dark future of the fortieth millennium!
But I'm a Necron, a member of the most technologically advanced faction, which hasn't conquered the galaxy yet due to all the sleeping tomb worlds and dynasties fighting each other.
Maybe it's not that bad. Let's try to learn more.
"Of course, how could I forget? Haratek, my most loyal servant!" I spread my arms and my cloak flowed with my movements, making Haratek shudder happily.
"This humble servant is glad that you remember, my Lord. I served our dynasty faithfully since our campaign against the Old Ones after the biotransference and the betrayal of the C'tan! Now that my Lord has awakened from his sixty-five million years of sleep, our dynasty will return to its former glory!"
Haratek quickly stood up and spread his arms, his glorious screams echoing through the tomb, only for a ceiling piece to collapse beside the walkway, raising a wave that covered us while the scarabs floated away, but returned to the same place soon after.
"The tomb is falling apart, isn't it?" I asked dryly, making him tap his fingers nervously while looking away.
"I wouldn't say falling apart, my Lord, but sixty-five million years on an ocean-covered planet damaged the tomb's structure, its systems, and our troops."
I resisted the urge to facepalm. I'm a Necron, a member of the most powerful faction, and I'm in a crumbling tomb! Just great!
"Haratek?" I kept the same tone.
"Yes, my lord?" He replied hesitantly.
"Who am I?"
"What an unusual question, my Lord! You are Akatosahk Ulthagakh, the Denied, Wretched Herald of Impenetrable Eclipse, the Spiteful Guardian Prognosticator of the Cursed Distortion, the Collector of the Cryptic Labyrinth!" He said excitable.
Are these all my titles? I need to learn the story behind each of them.
"It pleases me that you remember who I am, Haratek. You passed my test." Keep the theater, be who he thinks you are.
"This humble servant is glad to satisfy you, my Lord. I can help you familiarize yourself with the tomb if you wish, after all, it has been millennia since you walked its chambers."
"Very well Haratek, lead the way."
"As you wish, my Lord!"
We walked through the corridors where various scarabs fixed parts of the tomb, walking along the walls and ceilings, connecting cables and fixing circuits. They performed the smallest tasks like cleaning the floor, to the complex ones like system repair.
"As you can see, my Lord, the repairs have begun."
"Perfect! Tell me, have other Crypteks awakened yet?"
"No, my lord, I'm the only one awake for now."
We reached a room with a large throne at the top of a staircase.
"Your throne, my Lord, I have restored it to perfection!"
"Thank you Haratek." I climbed the stairs and sat on it, feeling a slight connection with the tomb. I need to learn how to use Necron technology fast. "Could, you refresh my memory? Can you tell me about our dynasty, worlds, and tombs?"
"Of course, my Lord!" A green holographic screen appeared above his hand, and another in front of my face.
"The Phaerons are the greatest of the Necron nobles, rulers of an entire dynasty, Necron Overlords are below them, governing a tomb world's cluster in the dynasty's territory, the Necron Lords are even lower, ruling core planets of unique importance." Images of what he said appeared on the screens.
"I understand, and what dynasty are we part of?"
"From the Philliaek dynasty, ruled by Mahazarek, The Immortal."
"And where is Mahazarek now?"
He tapped his fingers and looked away nervously again.
"Haratek?" I said seriously, leaning forward on my throne.
"Yes, my lord?" The Cryptek almost whispered.
"Where is Mahazarek?"
"He is dead, my Lord!" He said right way, making me jump on my throne.
"What?!" I exclaimed, almost crushing my seat in my grip.
"I understand this is terrible news, my Lord, but…" He raised both hands, trying to explain, but my anger and surprise overtook me.
"How does someone called The Immortal die?!" I slammed my fist on the armrest, sending a clang through the room and making the Cryptek flinch.
"Well, my Lord, the planet where Mahazarek slept suffered a serious case of exterminatus before he awakened!"
"What the… Wait a minute! Exterminatus? That is a human word from the Imperium!" I pointed an accusing finger at him.
"Oh! Does that mean my Lord already knows about the humans? As expected of your magnanimity! Allow me to report about the planet we inhabit." He fiddled with his holographic screen and the images changed. "We reside on a planet called Hidrus Quintus by the humans, composed mostly of oceans with city and state-sized islands, but no continents."
I saw an image of the planet from space, zooming in to show the oceans and some brown, gray, and green dots.
"The planet is inhabited by us, of course, by the humans of the so-called Imperium, and by the varied marine fauna and flora."
I saw several tomb buildings and sunken Necron warriors rusting and falling apart, some human cities, and the ocean bottom. It was wonderful!
Colorful algae swayed aside, corals and luminous plants shone across the ocean floor, and colorful alien fish of various sizes swam in shoals. Suddenly, a huge sea serpent devoured a shoal with a bite, looking like a Subnautica creature.
"The marine fauna has hostile elements, but once the repairs are finished, we can eliminate all life on this planet, starting with the humans."
I tried to swallow hard but I couldn't. Eliminate all life? I don't want to become a genocidal overlord! However, I saw that he waited for my answer with anticipation. Quick! Think something!
"No, we will not attack yet." I said firmly, doing my best imitation of my father.
"But my lord…" Haratek protested, but I raised my hand, ordering him to silence himself while he bowed immediately.
"Haratek, what else do you know about this Imperium?"
"That it is composed of a primitive species with primitive technology known as humans." He replied quickly without raising his head.
"You disappoint me Haratek, if you had bothered to research more you would known that they are not to be underestimated. They are known as the Imperium of Man, composed of a million worlds, trillions of soldiers, thousands of super-soldiers, fleets, and more. Is their technology inferior to ours? Yes! But they have something we don't, a functioning army, reinforcements, and almost infinite numbers. Kill one human soldier and a hundred will take his place. If we start a war, we will be defeated by sheer numbers."
"My lord, I believe that…"
"Haratek?" I rested my elbow on the armrest and my head on my fist.
"Yes, my Lord?"
"Where is Mahazarek?"
"Dead my Lord."
"Where are the other overlords who manage the dynasty's territory?"
"Dead in the crossfire of some battle or not awake yet."
"Where are the lords who rule specific planets?"
"Same answer as before, my Lord."
"Do you understand why we can't start a war?"
"I understand my Lord, please forgive this servant for his incompetence! I will accept whatever punishment you see fit!"
"Stand Haratek, you learned from your mistakes, that is what matters. You will be responsible for collecting information about the planet we reside and its surroundings. I want to know everything."
"As you wish my Lord! I will return with the desired information soon!" He left the throne room.
I waited for a few minutes to pass, it looked like Haratek would not return. Good.
"AAAHHH! SHIT, FUCK, SON OF A BITCH!" I hurled insult after insult, slamming into my throne and stomping the floor, sending clanks echoing through the chamber. "Of all the places I could end, why here?! In a galaxy where there is only war! Full of creatures that can kill me in the worst way possible! Why?!"
I am in a hidden tomb falling apart at the bottom of the ocean, containing hundreds of thousands of warriors and unimaginable weapons, but sea and time have eroded most of them.
Looking at the screen, I saw a real-time recording of an underwater pyramid collapsing and creating a sand cloud. I'll die for sure if the Imperium discovers me!
Each tomb world, once reactivated, awakens in a rigid and predictable algorithmic sequence. First, scarab swarms and Canoptek Spiders tend to the tombs' rudimentary needs, then the Necron Warriors began reconnaissance patrols.
Using the information gathered by reconnaissance missions, the Tomb Mind assesses the current circumstances that dominate its environment. According to ancient, predetermined algorithms, stasis tombs bring other Necron machines and weapons online as circumstances warrant.
The Necron Overlord present is encoded with this information and the data needed to form artificial personalities so that, when they awaken, they can embody a singular purpose and make independent decisions in the tomb world.
BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN! THE TOMB IS IN PIECES AND NO INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPLOADED INTO MY MIND!
I slammed my gauntlet on the throne, only for a torrent of green flames to erupt from it.
"How do I turn this thing off?!" I swung my arm wildly with flames licking the stairs.
The flames stopped with an accidental flick of my wrist. I sighed relieved and sat on my throne, watching the images on the screen.
How do I change them? I stretched my hand in front of the screen and swung it aside, changing it.
I saw a medium-sized human city on an island, with people working in the port, technological-looking ships moored at the docks, and large metal crates carrying tons of fish and other marine animals. Merchants traded in the streets and families walked everywhere.
I would have smiled if I could.
"Hm... It's not that bad. Maybe I can get a comfortable life if I'm careful. Maybe life in the fortieth millennium isn't so bad after all."
There was something wrong, people ran away from something. I changed the viewpoint with a gesture and saw a scrap metal pirate ship approaching the island. A pirate flag stood on top of a mast, but the skull was not human.
BOOM!
The ship fired its cannons at the harbor. Who are these people? Suddenly, I heard a scream.
"Waaagh!"
Excellent! A comfortable life? As if! Me and my big mouth!
END OF CHAPTER