Beyond the Light

- Other Side | Amarkun Hill -

A/N: If anyone knows what that name comes from then by the Silent King, I salute you.

The footsteps of over 5,000 Astartes of the Steel Wyverns Legion, filled the air of the hills that was the other side of the Portal though it would only be a few moments later when the clashing of Saderan steel to Dawi metals would fill the air. When the marines went through the portal, over 25 thousand soldiers of the Imperial Army were camping over at the plains at the bottom of the hills where the Portal is situated, the clear disadvantage in height and firepower gave a massive area to shoot upon the soldiers.

30 minutes. 30 whole minutes, of the screams and pleads of mercy and kindness from the Saderan soldiers as they were disemboweled, beheaded and dismembered with pools of blood staining the fields where their camp once stood. Johann thought many things of the Empire before coming through the portal, he saw them as an Empire of humans who have been corrupted by their emotions and needed to be humbled, though now, he could only give pity at them, knowing full well that death and destruction is the only thing they would get from this.

As the air was now plagued with the smell of piss and blood, Johann stood upon the field, looking at the fields in front of him as the sun started to set, behind him stood Armann Uvali and Drusus Almorius, Princeps Centurio of the Centurionibus of Cohors - V.

A/N: I promise I will detail all about the Legion in my Lore Book. About the Cohors/Cohorts and what units compose a Cohors/Cohort. Totally will not just disregard this information cause I am not a lazy ass author... Totally.

Johann: "Report, Princeps."

Drusus: "No brother was injured, all of the enemies have been eliminated with the potential of a contingent of soldiers to come to us being high. I ask of you, Dux, to allow the Veniam to build fortifications and defenses such as autocannons."

Johann: "Granted but on one condition."

Drusus: "Any for the safety of our brothers, Dux."

Drusus said as he placed his fist to his breast plate while bowing his head.

Johann: "You will have only 2 days, today and tomorrow, to build defenses around the Portal, after that, we shall focus on expanding our influence and control, as father intended for us to do."

Drusus: "Of course, Dux, 2 days is already enough for the Veniam."

Johann: "And what do you need, Tecitus? Don't you already have your orders to explore with your machines?"

Armann: "Lord-Astartes, though we have all been given commands to study the planet and its inhabitants by the Logica-Rex, we still have parameters that call for your approval."

Johann: "Then go. Do your studies, your noting. Do what was asked of you by my father."

Armann: "Immediately, Lord-Astartes."

Armann said as he gave a bow then leaving with his personal guard, a version of the Oremus Archons, guardians of the various Tecitus, following him.

Johann had many things that circulated in his mind but one thing stood out of all of them.

Johann: 'This will be a quick conquest of a few years. I hope the Veniam build the fortress faster than foretold.'

After that, he then went to the command tent, a prematurely made tent for commanders and officers of the Cohors and the Company. Inside, there were multiple computers of Techtite origin while at the center, a few Techtite engineers were working on making a holo-projector to work though still in a work in progress. Beside the holo-projector is a map taken from one of the Saderan officers' dead bodies.

The map showed that they were at a valley of hills and plains called 'Amarkun,' northeast of them is a pinned location called 'Alnus'. Some members of the Techtites theorized that Alnus is either a military fortress or encampment with how its pinned and located on the map. Many of the officers of the Cohors now bickered and debated on their next target once their supposed headquarters is built.

Officer I: "I say we go for this *Points to Italica*"

Officer II: "But if Alnus is a military fortification or encampment then that means the area holds some strategic or economic importance to these Saderans."

Officer III: "Though we may also start going south and conquer this clan named 'Elbe'."

With the ongoing argument on where to strike next, several Matrix-Velit of the Techtites came to give their opinions on the situation.

Matrix-Velit-01: "Conquering the regions of the north will give us much more subjects to work upon with the possible seizure of this city of Italica giving us many living specimens while giving us a sight of their civilization and culture."

Matrix-Velit-02: "But going south will give us the possible minerals of these mountains east of us while also giving us access to the marine life of this world."

They continued to argue between themselves as Johann looked at the data that the map showed. Their position was strategically perfect, giving them the possibility of conquering the southern regions that could be rich in minerals and giving them access to the oceans of this world but going north will give them 3 centers of population, being Italica, Rondel and Bellnahgo, acquiring these cities will give them possible trade routes to control while also getting trade agreements and contracts if the Verbum Frater could use their way of the tongue properly. Johann was forced out of his thoughts as the arguments of the officers got far hotter than needed so he intervened.

Johann: "Enough! I have decided that taking Alnus or removing any enemy encampment present in the area. Techtites."

Matrix-Velit: "Yes, Lord-Astartes?"

Johann: "Prepare your scarabs for recon."

Matrix-Velit: "Immediately, Lord-Astartes."

With that, Johann continued to plan and converse with his officers as his company and the Techtites did their duties.

* 16 Hours Later *

A Matrix-Velit stumbled into the tent as he quickly rushed to Johann.

Matrix-Velit: "Lord-Astartes! Lord-Astartes!"

Johann: "Yes? What is it?"

Matrix-Velit: "The scarabs are online, we need only the target locations and permission."

Johann: "Well then *Looks at map* send a single scarab to Alnus, Italica, Rondel and Bellnahgo."

Matrix-Velit: "Your orders are being transmitted as we speak. Thank you, Lord-Astartes."

Johann: "Continue with your duties."

The Velit then bowed and left. Johann looked at his brothers and said.

Johann: "Now is the moment of truth on what is at Alnus."

- Amarkun -

Scarab POV

Coming online, I am met by some of my owners and users. Owner designated as 'Discipulus Marie' and 'Discipulus Veronica' with the head user, 'Engineer Elize' behind them.

Elize: "Alright, so Veronica, Marie. What is the first thing you do when you turn a scarab online."

Veronica: "You check if its systems are online."

Elize: "That's correct, Veronica. Alright, Marie, won't you do the honors?"

Marie: "System Check."

With that command, I immediately inform them of my status.

Scarab:

Scarab Unit 0140110

Designation: ZerØ

Checking Systems:

| Energy and Power . . . . . . . . . Stable!

Cloaking Device . . . . . . . . . 100%!

Autocannons . . . . . . . . . 2000 Usable Munitions! |

All Systems are at preferred statuses.

What is my mission?

Elize: "Your mission is to scout the designated area of Alnus immediately. I think the location has already been sent to your data-chip though if not then I'll just send it now."

ZerØ:

That will not be necessary, User-Elize. As you have said, the location of Alnus have been sent to my data-chip.

Elize: "Well just to make sure your chip isn't faulty, I'll ask again, what is your mission?"

ZerØ:

My current mission is to scout the designated target known as ' Alnus '.

Failure is not an Option. For the Logicus-Rex, for the 4 Houses of the Techtites. I shall not fail.

Elize: "To your mission then."

With my systems at stable or excellent statuses, I begin to fly in the air as I move onto Alnus with the intent of scouting the area.

Flying there took 20 minutes and upon inspection I have already seen a base of sorts with humans wearing ancient Terran attire that of soldiers.

Cloaking Device . . . . . . . . . Enabled

Without the possibility of being spotted, I go further into the base as I see numerous soldiers, both male and female, with patches of a white flag with a large red dot at the center. Going through files of ancient Terran history shows that these men and women hail from the Second Millennium whilst also being soldiers of the Japanese military, the Japanese Self-Defense Force, abbreviated to 'JSDF'.

Looking past the tents I scan a gigantic structure that almost has the similar architecture and size of the Portal, information upon the portals or 'Gates' end to the conclusion that the Saderan Empire has magic or technologies that manipulate time and space.

With this revelation, a threat level of Deus has been given to them though their current technological level in all aspects turns them into a threat level of Mus or Mouse.

This JSDF have technologies that may pose a threat to the different Legio Astartes though only their strongest weapons such as anti-tank or artillery weaponry can pierce the armor of the Emperor's finest.

Threat Level of Tigris.

Scanning the entirety of the JSDF base shows that their headquarters is a form of a star fortress, hard to break though with airborne units it will pose little to no resistance with further power over the fortress as the use of even the most primitive Lasgun being already too much firepower for these concrete walls.

| Conclusion |

Diplomacy MUST be attained with these humans as the possibility of finding lost STCs and artefacts of the Second Millennium is too big of a risk to annihilating the threat. The lost technologies of the mobile-hand-phone and the various entertainment games called 'Video Games'.

| Mission Accomplished |

Report has been sent to High Command and now returning to Base Alpha.

Approximate time to take to return to Alpha is 5 Hours.

- Base Alpha -

In front of various screens is the footage of the JSDF and their current headquarters as well as the Portal or 'GATE' as the natives call it. The Astartes Officers and Velit looked at the images of the JSDF's soldiers, mechanized and armored vehicles and weapons such as the FH-70 Howitzer, a 155mm artillery piece which if properly used can pierce Astartes armor, though only at the weakest of spots.

Though of all weapons the JSDF had at present, the FGM-148, an American anti-tank weapon that, if records speak truth, can and should be able to pierce Astartes armor. Thankfully the Vermis Arma has shown massive resistance against anti-tank/armor weaponry, far greater than that of Terminator Armor.

The reports from the scarab, dubbed 'ZerØ,' has given its analysis upon the possible danger and threat the JSDF poses.

| Report Start |

The JSDF is the armed forces of the Japanese government which has ties with the Millennium's hegemon, the United States of America, a 1st-Rate nation that has ancient archeotech weaponry that can destroy anything in a radius of a kilometer or even greater.

These ancient weapons are called 'Atomic Bombs,' 'Nuclear Weapons,' or its most used term, 'Nukes'. The American nation possesses, in its arsenal, 5,550 warheads that all pose threats and dangers that will annihilate all of our weaponry and armors aside from void shields.

Unless the High-Engines of the Techtites create a mobile void shield then diplomacy is our greatest option to finishing this threat. Maybe sending a team of Verbum Frater to the Japanese may give us the opportunity to forge an alliance while possibly attaining lost technologies from the Japanese.

| Report End |

Reading the report, the officers now looked to Johann. Johann placed his hand on his chin and went into his mind. Minutes later, an officer called for him and asked.

Officer VI: "Dux? What shall we do?"

Johann: "We shall follow our ideals and morals. If we acquire an opportunity to use our words than we shall take it."

Then the head of the Cohors' Verbum Frater stepped forward and knelt in front of Johann.

Verbum Cohors: "Then I shall call for my brothers and form a team to meet with this 'JSDF'."

Johann: "When will they be ready, Frater?"

Verbum Cohors: "It will only take an hour for the team to be made. We only need your word to send them."

Johann: "Then once your team is completed, send them with 2 Centurionibus as their guards."

Verbum Cohors: "It will be done, Dux."

Johann: "I wish those Fratres the greatest luck in this important mission."