IX

The clash of weapons echoes through the fog, sharp and relentless. As scene move closer, the source becomes clearer—a battlefield littered with thousands of bodies. Richard bodies, fallen in countless ways.

Clang! A flash of sparks erupts as his weapon meets the man. "Why won't you die?! How many times do I have to kill you?!" Richard scream, his voice raw with frustration, eyes locked on the man before him.

He doesn't answer, only presses forward with silent determination. They clash again. "How long do you plan on keeping me here?!" Richard shout, swinging his blade, anger and exhaustion weighing heavily on him.

Richard have killed the man five times already, each victory costing him dearly. Each time he died more.

Another body crumples to the ground, and Richard stand over it, driving his sword through his chest. "Six times now..." Richard mutter, barely able to stay upright, the weight of exhaustion pushing him to his knees.

Then, once again, Richard hear him. Walking towards him from behind.

When Richard push himself up, and ready himself to face the man again. He see him changed, his entire posture change from a man that full of pride and efficiency to full of arrogance.

While still thinking about the change, the man slash Richard with a quick and percise movement. Richard raise his sword to defend himself. Once the swords clash, he see that the man sword now more like a art piece than a weapon, with the cravings of picture on the blade and holder.

Richard is on the disadvantage, as the man attack become more dangerous than before. Each with more precision than before, making him harder to defend himself.

After dying for couple times, Richard finally corner him. With one plunge into his chest, his sword fall to the ground, follow by his body.

Richard close your eyes after that, choosing to rest himself even when knowing the man will return again. Strangely, after waiting for 5 minutes, the man didn't return.

When Richard open his eyes, he see a book. A book with black color and gold trimming on it, and no title on it too. He also see that the armor and sword that he have been equipping have disappear too, with all the bodies.

Richard extand his left hand to the book and the moment he touch it. The book put out a blinding light, he close his eyes and turn his head to evade the light.

"Huh, so you have pass the test?" A sound of old man suddenly appear. When Richard see him, he is standing at the place where the book original at with the book in hand. "Well now you can relax, as I only need you to read the book a learn." He handed the book towards Richard. "Now, take it so the lessons can begin."

"You mean that is a test." Richard say to the old man. "Do you know what have I been through to escape that place?" He look at Richard, with sadness in his eyes.

"I know." He say with sadness showing in the voice. "But this is the price you must pay, so that you can help the Imperium, help the human kind." He say seriously. "Now, take the book so we can start the lesson, while you can learn from the book yourself, but there are only things you can only learn from me." He then shoved the book into Richard hand, and without waiting for him. He started his lessons. And Richard have no choice but to concentrate on what his teaching.

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After a long time of lessons, Richard learn on many things. Politics, warfare, architecture, economy, administration, art and more, all knowledge that a leader will and should know about.

"Now, is there questions that you want to ask me?" He ask Richard after the blackboard he used to teach him disappear.

Richard nodded and ask. "What do you mean by test you say in the beginning? Why test me?"

"Hmmm," he hum while sitting down on a chair that just appear out of nowhere. "Just like I say, its a test. A test to see your prowess, your ability to adjust, just that simple. For why is you, because its you the reason you got test, you understand what I'm saying, right?" He finished it while looking into Richard eyes.

"You know." Richard say in shock. "Who are you!? Are you those fo...." Before he finish it, he can see the old man face darkened. Richard quickly said. "Are you the Emperor?"

"You can said that, if you think I'm the Emperor." His face lift back up.

"What do you mean by this?"

"Just like I said, if you want to assume me as the Emperor, than I am the Emperor, and now you time is up." He suddenly lift his left hand towards Richard, and he felt a hard force push him behind, making Richard hit the floor hard and pass out. Before Richard pass out, he heard the old man said. "You still have one last lesson to attend."

When Richard open his eyes, he see a hammer, floating Infront of him. He see a person when he touch the hammer.

The person is building a machine, a large machine of unknown usage. Just when Richard want to get more closer to him, he black out again, and when he wake up, he suddenly have a bunch of memories, that person memory. All the information on how to build maintain machines, even the information on machines that the person have build and planning to build, but most of the machines can't be recreate as them come the Dark Age and the Great Crusade, which Richard somehow knew.

After Richard recover, he see the book floating in front of him, now cover in red and blue, with shimmering gold trim with the hammer beside it, and he also hear faint sound of a animal walking or flying coming from the fog.

Before Richard can process all of this, he suddenly see a blinding lights and he's back to the reality. When the techpriest open his capsule.

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987.M36 (current time)

Atharion closed the book and exited the dream to have a sleep.

The next day, Atharion is walking with Nine towards the main hall, to meet with the other space marine. "Luckily for you and me, the second batch have also just completed their transformation, so they also will be joining us." Nine say to Atharion.

"That's good, is there anything I should watch out for?" Atharion ask, trying to gain information about them.

Nine nods. "The first batch comes from different hive cities on Anvilus-Delta, all from the underhive. They've formed tight groups based on their home cities and are quite wary of outsiders. But, they're exceptional in combat. The second batch, though, is from the feudal world. They've had some education, which gives them a better aptitude for leadership."

"I see," Atharion say, thinking it over. "The mix might cause some issues with unity, but that can be worked on."

Nine gives a small nod. "It's possible. But, we'll manage. As for survival rates, 98 from the first batch made it through, and 253 from the second. That gives us 351 battle-ready troops."

"That's good." Atharion say while approaching the main hall entrance door. "If you can provide the equipment and transportation, which I trust that you can, we can start to participate in real combat to train and bond brotherhood with each other."

"Of course." Nine nodded. "The equipment and the ships all have been prepared."

Atharion nodded while pushing the door open. He can see the 351 mens inside the hall, each standing in their own groups, only talking with the people within their own group.

As the doors open, all chatter dies. Every eye in the room turns toward Atharion. Their faces are a mix of emotions, curiosity, suspicion, surprise, and uncertainty.

All their eyes follow him, as Atharion and Nine walk towards the front.

"Greetings," Atharion say, his voice steady but commanding. "I am Atharion, the leader of this chapter, the chapter you will now be part of."

Sensing their restlessness, Atharion continue, his voice strong and unwavering. "The chapter you are now part of is not just any force. Though we are newly created, we will become the sharpest sword and the mightiest shield in service to the Imperium and the Emperor. We will be His noble knights, defending the Imperium in both light and shadow, purging traitors and xenos alike."

As they processing his words, he conclude with conviction. "And so, I declare that our chapter shall be known as the Dark Knights, knights who protect the weak and purge the enemies of the Emperor."