The Bizarre Adventure of the Warhammer Guard

All eyes were once again focused on the golden giant standing in the hall.

Elpis's gaze finally turned back to the high lords, his eyes revealing deep disappointment.

"This is the High Overlord Council that rules the human empire?" Elpis's voice was deep. "His Majesty entrusted power to you in the hope that you would protect the future of humanity, not be intimidated by these aliens and contemplate how to surrender to them!"

"I thought I would see the prosperity of the empire. But what did I see? A filthy alien creation hanging in the sky of holy Terra, and millions of loyal mortals who sacrificed themselves in vain because of your arrogance, your incompetence, and your cowardice."

With each word he spoke, he took a step forward, his heavy footsteps echoing on the marble floor. The hilt of the Moon Spear dragged along, carving a fine line into the hard floor.

"The Imperial Fist Chapter was annihilated on Andamantu because of your political ambitions."

"The Imperial Navy suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Temple Harbor on Terra. You haven't even collected data on the Imperial Navy's casualties across the entire battlefield, yet you're already holding a victory parade?"

"They also incite millions of civilians to blindly participate in your 'holy war'."

He stopped in front of the long table, his gaze fixed on the "treaty" written on it using the skin of an unknown creature and red paint.

"And now, facing the aliens, you are actually seriously considering whether to sign your names on this humiliating piece of paper? Have more than ten centuries of peace and the sacrifice of countless imperial soldiers only taught you to enjoy yourself?"

As soon as he finished speaking, he casually picked up the "treaty" on the table, tore it to pieces, and threw it into the blazing brazier next to him. The leaping flames instantly engulfed it, turning it into ashes.

"As for Mars, I'll let them know what happens."

Wanorić abruptly stood up, his face flushed with excitement: "My lord! We..."

"You are no different, High Overlord," Elpis interrupted the High Overlord. "Perhaps you still have the courage to fight, and genuinely care for the people of Terra. But right now, Terra's predicament is the fault of every one of you, every High Overlord."

"Now. Put aside your pathetic arrogance and infighting. In the next few days, gather all available combat teams, mobilize all armed forces on Terra, contact every warband you can reach, and send out the most urgent distress signals."

"The Assassin's Court will take the lead in the specific matters, with the Ministry of Justice and the Tribunal assisting in the organization," Elpis's voice left no room for doubt. "Remember, my presence here means that the Emperor's gaze has never left. And you, do not fail his expectations."

Having said that, without hesitation and before the other high lords could speak, Elpis turned and left the council hall, leaving behind a group of terrified high lords.

-

On his way back to the inner courtyard of the palace, Elpis's thoughts were not entirely focused on the upcoming battle.

Walking along the magnificent palace corridors, every step he took was precise to the millimeter. This was a route he had traversed countless times, from the outer palaces to the inner palace grounds, but today, this familiar path filled him with a strange heaviness.

Thirteen centuries have passed.

For ordinary people, this was an unimaginably long period of time, enough for a civilization to rise and fall.

But for a member of the Imperial Guard whose lifespan was nearly infinite, it was just a blink of an eye. Moreover, in his commander's perception, this long period of time had only lasted for less than a month.

This huge misalignment in time perception gave Elpis a strong sense of unreality.

Not long ago, the entire vast empire was under Guilliman's leadership, and a plan for revival was underway.

At that time, Terra's bureaucracy, though large, was highly efficient. Countless officials worked day and night for the empire's revival plan, and the entire empire was thriving.

As a result, everything changed in the blink of an eye.

With all the Primarchies gone, the vast Imperial administration lost its powerful core of control, quickly becoming bloated and inefficient. Corruption spread from top to bottom to every level, and countless precious resources and energy were wasted in endless infighting.

For thousands of years, the Imperial Guards, as the emperor's personal bodyguards, had long been accustomed to being bystanders.

They possessed technology far ahead of their time, near-eternal life, and unparalleled power, yet now they were confined around the throne by an invisible boundary.

Since the Emperor ascended the Golden Throne, the Royal Guard has sworn to protect him and safeguard the throne. But where does this protection lie? Is it to protect the throne itself, or to protect the human civilization that sustains it?

When the human empire becomes weak and vulnerable due to its own internal decay and weakness, and when the aliens slaughter human people with impunity, should the Imperial Guard intervene in the fate of humanity, or does it have the right to do so?

These questions have no answers.

The emperor never left behind a concrete solution to this situation. The golden throne remained silent, with only the eternal light of the starlight flickering on it.

While passing through a long corridor, Elpis unexpectedly deviated from the planned route back to the core area.

He turned to an inconspicuous side door, passed through a short passage guarded by soldiers, and arrived at the viewing balcony of a towering tower on the outskirts of the palace.

A massive white curtain hung from the edge of the tower, swaying gently in the breeze. Sculptures of the Imperial Double-Headed Eagle stood on either side of the balcony.

Standing here, you can enjoy a spectacular view of the city surrounding the palace.

Under the cover of night, steel buildings of all sizes stood scattered about, and a dense network of transportation pipes crisscrossed the landscape. Countless workers toiled amidst the firelight, striving to repair the damage inflicted by the orcs' battle against the moon as quickly as possible.

This is the culmination of human civilization and the result of thousands of years of effort.

Above this hopeful city, a shadow is slowly moving. The battle moon, like a colossal monster, hovers in orbit, its surface shimmering with a crimson light, a constant reminder of the approaching apocalypse.

The cold night wind ruffled Elpis's black hair. He didn't know if his decision to storm into the meeting hall today was the right one, nor did he know how to deal with the various problems of the empire.

At this moment, what he can do, and must do, is to first resolve the trouble over Terra.

"Robert Guilliman," Elpis looked up into the distant void, his voice low and complex, "how long are you going to sleep?"

The cool moonlight bathed Elpis, casting a hazy, mysterious glow on his golden armor. This solitary guardian stood silently at the edge of the balcony.