Warhammer 40: Doom

Chapter 13 The Seeds of Betrayal
Erda hurried away from the laboratory, followed closely by the Imperial Guards.

Somewhat surprised by Makado's keen insight, Erda didn't take the two mere guards seriously; she needed to get back to her residence quickly to carry out the next step of her plan.

"You may all leave now, I am safe."

Stopping in front of the courtyard gate, Erda ordered the guards to leave, making a final effort despite the impossibility of it.

The Imperial Guards stood there, seemingly oblivious to the orders, motionless and showing no intention of leaving.

Out of respect for the Emperor's friends, one of them explained, a clear and passionate voice coming from beneath his helmet, "Madam, we are under the instructions of Macado to ensure your safety."

"Then I'll trouble you." Erda shook her head and walked into the courtyard.

Two imperial guards stood straight at the entrance to the courtyard, facing inwards, offering no protection whatsoever.

They claim to be protecting people, but in reality, they are monitoring them.

Without dwelling too much on the Imperial Guards' excessive obsession, Erda returned to her room, dismissed the maids around her, and quietly lay down on the bed.

He opened the hidden compartment by the bed, took out a silver dagger, gripped it tightly with both hands, and slowly stabbed it into his chest.

With the plan set, Erda had to recover her energy as quickly as possible; she didn't have much time left.

As the blood flowed, the dark red silk and the quilt embroidered with gold patterns deepened in color. Erda's breathing gradually became steady, and she died peacefully on the magnificent bed like Sleeping Beauty.

She had grown accustomed to death, her consciousness completely plunged into darkness, but in just one day, her immortal body would be fully reborn, healing all her physical injuries.

The imperial guards' sculptures usually stand guard at the entrance of the courtyard. The objects they protect have not been seen for a long time, and there are no threats approaching from all sides. The imperial guards enjoy standing guard; all they have to do is stand.

Although the Imperial Guards possessed extraordinary combat abilities, fighting was not their essence.

Each member of the Imperial Guard is a unique talent, reaching the pinnacle of human ability in both their area of ​​expertise and general skills.

Perhaps one of the two men standing guard with halberds is a top-notch cook among humans, and the other is a master shoemaker.

Combat is merely a byproduct of the Imperial Guards' extraordinary physique.

A pristine white arm pushed open the window. The Imperial Guard noticed that it was the arm of the person they were protecting. A gentle breeze swept by, and the superhuman senses granted by the superhuman's physique detected the anomaly.

The Imperial Guard twitched his nostrils, keenly catching the faint scent of blood carried by the breeze that brushed past the window.

No need for further words or unnecessary actions.

Two Imperial Guards rushed into the courtyard immediately, moving with lightning speed, trampling the marble path under their armored boots. The maids screamed and covered their heads, trying to avoid the tall figures of the Imperial Guards in their panic.

"Step back!" The Imperial Guard's voice boomed like thunder. He gripped his powered halberd with both hands, aiming it at the bedroom door. The explosive gun mounted on the halberd was pointed directly at the door, and his right hand was already on the trigger of the halberd.

With just a gentle pull of the trigger, the large-caliber explosive bullets from the slug gun will tear the mahogany door apart in an instant.

The two maids guarding Erda's bedroom door were stunned and dared not move. They were startled awake by the angry shouts of the Imperial Guards and stood there, pale-faced and frozen.

The Imperial Guards had no time to pay attention to the maids; their armor rose and fell with their breath, making a slight grinding sound. Their hearts pounded strongly, their blood flowed faster, and the Imperial Guards instantly entered battle mode.

They were somewhat nervous. In the imperial territory, at the foot of the Himalayas, what methods did the assassin behind the door use to sneak in, evade the eyes of the Imperial Guards, and carry out the assassination silently?

The fact that Erda was an immortal was not a big secret within the Imperial Guard, but for security reasons, it was not known to everyone.

Tech warlords? Tech barbarians? Who are they really?
Footsteps approached slowly and steadily from behind the door, without the slightest panic, as if preparing to confront the Imperial Guards directly. The two Imperial Guards retreated slightly in perfect unison; close range was not suitable for wielding their halberds, and they waited solemnly for the person behind the door to appear.

“Guards, there’s no need to be nervous.” Erda’s voice came from behind the door. She gently pushed the door open and helped up her slumped maid. She was elegant and composed, showing no trace of the brokenness she had shown just a day before.

She has been reborn and is in better condition than ever before.

Seeing that Erda was unharmed, the Imperial Guard breathed a sigh of relief. He tactfully ignored the origin of the bloody smell in the room and asked with some surprise, "Madam, are you preparing to go out?"

Erda did not wear her usual silk court robes, but instead changed into military attire.

A black, thin, tight-fitting combat suit clung to Erda, perfectly outlining her figure.

The insignia on his shoulders and upper arms that marked his identity and rank had long been erased. He had a tactical belt hanging from his waist, with a dagger and a strange pistol of a model he had never seen before.

This seemingly simple tactical outfit was not to be underestimated by the Imperial Guards.

Clearly, this tactical gear comes from humanity's most glorious golden age, which is now known as the Dark Age of Technology.

That great and glorious era, buried beneath the thick dust of history, holds too many secrets, dark and mysterious.

"Yes, I need to go out for a while and I need your accompaniment and protection." Erda smiled slightly, directly informing him of her travel plans and inviting the Imperial Guards to accompany her.

Erda knew perfectly well that he couldn't shake off the Imperial Guards, so he decided to use them to achieve his goals while also having an extra layer of security.

“We are honored to travel with you. The journey will be long, so please call me ‘Achilles’ and my colleague ‘Claudius Ptolemy’.”

The royal guards reported their names, which were the same as those of the great heroes and scholars of ancient Terra.

Candidates for the Imperial Guard are selected from infancy, their original names long since discarded or forgotten. The Emperor will give them new names, usually those of the great heroes of ancient Terra.

Upon hearing the name of the hero, Erda felt even more disgusted with the emperor's perverse sense of humor. She quickened her pace and left the courtyard, eager to get away from there as soon as possible.

Achilles followed closely behind Ilda, while Ptolemy went to prepare three hovercrafts.

The three piloted anti-gravity hoverbikes away from the Himalayas and continued onward until they left the Emperor's sphere of influence.

"Madam, could you tell me our destination?" Two guards, riding flying motorcycles, crouched down and flanked Erda. Achilles, seeing that they were already far from the Emperor and still hadn't reached their destination, inquired about it through his communication helmet.

"A secret base."

"Understood, ma'am."

The three of them traveled in silence for a long time and finally arrived at their destination.

Terra's ecosystem has been completely destroyed. During the warlord conflicts, nuclear missiles were fired at each other, and the mountains were razed to the ground. Now, only yellow sand and wasteland remain.

Only those creatures with tenacious vitality and deadly danger survive in harsh environments and lurk in the endless desert.

Erda led the Imperial Guard through the ever-changing desert and finally arrived at her destination, her secret base.

After entering an underground base and successfully passing through the still-functioning security system, the three arrived deep inside the secret base, where Erda's belongings were kept.

"Madam, please allow me to do it for you." Seemingly seeking consent, Achilles preemptively picked up a box before Ilda could, holding it in his arms without intending to hand it to her.

(End of this chapter)