Fear Incarnate

Fear Incarnate Portion 17

"What about this one Innoak?" Glimmer said as she shoved another dress into Innoak's face, he had endured over 40 minutes of Adora and Glimmer trying on outfit after outfit. He had seen frilly laces and sleek almost metal designs, he had seen Midi's, Bodycons, Wraps, A-lines, Halters, Sheaths and so many more. Each piece of clothing was shown off and taken off over and over again. He had stood facing a corner too many times to count as the girls giggled and laughed before popping out from behind cover and performing an ill interpretation of a model routine. And Innoak was their tired yet attentive audience. "It is fine, Glimmer. I enjoy the...frilly...bits?" Innoak hesitantly said, Glimmer's face crinkled and she frowned before ducking behind cover again. Innoak felt like a guardsman after a prolonged visit to Armageddon. He endured a while more of the pseudo torture before salvation arrived, in the beautiful form of General Sunder. He had never much appreciated the mortal, but now Innoak looked upon her face with happiness the likes of which he had never felt before. "Epistolary Innoak! The Queen calls for-" She never finished the sentence as Innoak flew past her before shoving the confused general into the bright pink torture chamber. He shut the door and took a deep breath, perhaps he had acted too rashly to subject his 'superior' to what he had. So after a moment of relief he opened the door just a crack and snatched the General back out. Once the shock had worn off her face she began "W-W-What was that?!?" she sputtered, attempting to understand the events that had just transpired over the past seconds. "Apologies General, I admit I was overwhelmed by relief and spared little thought for your mental state once I tossed you into that hell." Innoak said as he began to move, forcing Sunder to begin walking as well. "Hell? Relief? What are you-Fine, I don't really want to know. Now-" Sunder straightened her posture and set her face and back ramrod-straight. "The queen wants to speak with you." Innoak nodded but sent tendrils of his mind out, the queen's throne room was a ways away. "Do you know why?" He probed, Sunder shook her head. "Negative, I believe it has something to do with Glimmer's security at the party." Sunder's words were weighed with fatigue and bags under her eyes were becoming noticeable, the excitement of before wore off and revealed the General's true complexion. He had remembered when they were first introduced, and he recalled her name as well. "You need to sleep Juliet." Innoak said finally, Sunder looked at him with more confusion. Innoak ignored this and went on. "Mortals do not have a calepsian node like we Astartes, you need sleep. So as a second in command and I hope as a trusted ally, I am ordering you to sleep." Juliet blushed, and looked at the floor for a long minute. "You were never from the North were you?" she said, voice quiet. "No." Innoak said simply, preparing for the question coming. "Then where?" Juliet asked. Innoak breathed deep, the throne room was still far away.

"I come from far beyond Etheria, far beyond Bright Moon and most of what you have known. I come from a realm of perpetual war and torment, one where there is no time for peace. Only war. I was born and bred for that purpose, I was mercilessly trained to be the perfect warrior. I was given enhancements to body and soul, I was given faith and determination as well as the weapons to wage war against the foes of humanity. I am a loyal son of the Emperor, Master of Mankind. But now, at this moment I can only sparsely feel Him. So I doubt anything from my previous life is near. Now it is my duty to protect your people, as I would have done in the Imperium. And though it disgusted me to be using my power to help mutant scum, I am still a Space Marine. My duty is to protect and serve."

Innoak could sense that Juliet was still confused, his statement had not really explained much. But he doubted she could really wrap her head around a vast interstellar empire ready to consume all she ever knew in a grinding, crunching march of death. Still, he was surprised at how well she took it. He had seen the kings of Feudal worlds crumble and sob at the mere mention of what the Imperium truly was. He had seen the politicians of Civilized worlds tremble in fear at the sight of his battle brothers. Throne, he had even seen some go mad at the sight of Imperial starships alone. The scale of the Imperium was too much to comprehend sometimes even for him, so Innoak was growing more and more impressed with Etherians and their reaction to the information he presented. He was even more impressed when Juliet asked her next question. "I guess that means you're really my superior?" her tired eyes found his and a smile played on her lips. "I assume so." Innoak responded, humor in his voice. The two stopped outside of the throne room, and as they looked up at the vaunted doors Juliet let her composure slip back in. "A pleasure to be under you, sir." Innoak nodded, "Likewise General Sunder." The soldier stepped aside and smartly saluted the towering Astartes, and he returned it before stepping into the throne room of Queen Angella.