| Alpharius POV |
10 days before the Emperor appeared…
Alpharius was on a ship disguised as a citizen, who was part of a desperate pilgrimage to terra and when the ship landed at the spaceport on terra.
He followed the crowd who were being led to be screened and later disappeared at the first chance he got.
Thanks to the many tactics of deception he used, he eventually made his way out the spaceport and into one of the many squalid alleyways in the outer palace.
In the alleyway he quickly found a suitable area to make his temporary base and promptly kicked out the imperial citizen who originally lived there.
Alpharius took this moment to recall the first moments of his life that nearly ended him and what he wanted to learn from his creator on terra.
___
An infant opened his eyes and found himself inside a pod.
Looking around, he saw other pods that also contained children.
Through an instinctive connection, he instantly recognized them as his brothers and surprisingly.
He realized he was able to watch, read, and understand a few things inside this laboratory due to knowledge appearing in his mind.
He began to have thoughts questioning everything.
'Who am I?'
'What is my purpose?'
'Who is my creator?'
But his thoughts were interrupted by a sudden change, one that made his mind scream, that he was in absolute danger.
Knowledge appeared in his mind, telling him that the warp around him was abnormal and that unfathomable enemies of humanity were here.
Within Alpharius's mind was a burning thought he desperately wanted the answers to.
'What is the warp, who are these enemies, and what is humanity?'
Alpharius desperately wanted to escape but he couldn't, he lacked the means and then to his absolute horror.
The abnormality he sensed about the warp became physicalー
No, it became reality.
The entire laboratory including him and his brothers, were dragged into the warp before one…
Two…
Three…
Four…
Four abominations beyond his understanding, each bearing a disgusting presence and power he simply could never dream of contending against.
All he could do is watch as they laughed and argued amongst themselves, deciding on who gets to take one of his brothers as their pawn.
'HELP!'
'HELP PLEASE!'
Was all he could think, when he saw the four abominations destroying golden runes protecting the pods that held his brothers starting with his brother in the pod marked I.
And once the runes were destroyed, they brought the pod closer to them.
When they reached my brother in the pod marked XIV, he sensed something attacking the warp around him.
Alpharius looked at these cracks, then at the four abominations who now seemed to be in a rush.
'Who could possibly cause these four abominations to feel anxious? Is it one who made us, the one who put the golden runes on the pods?' He thought, looking at the widening cracks.
The four abominations who were arguing together, are now working together to quickly destroy the rest of the runes on the pods of my brothers.
'Please hurry!' I begged watching as they destroyed the golden rune on the pod marked XIX.
In that moment a breach was made in the warp and appearing through it was a colossal, bronze-skinned man, in gold power armor surrounded by golden light.
That golden light that radiated hatred of untold levels towards the four abominations.
Alpharius looked at this man feeling a connection, one that told him that this man was his creator and looking at his face he even saw a trace of concern for his creations.
What unfolded afterwards was a blur of colors and attacks that he couldn't follow but what he could tell.
Is that perhaps there is hope to escape these four abominations.
Looking at the other pods, he could see that the golden runes on them were slowly being restored.
But then something occurred, the four abominations seemed to have decided that, if they can't have my brothers, no one can.
They did something to the space surrounding us and I watched as my brothers were blasted away far into the warp.
The golden man desperately reached out, trying to grab me and my brothers but the four abominations didn't allow it.
Everytime the golden man grasped one of my brothers with the warp they attacked another, constantly splitting his attention.
It was a losing battle until it was just the pod marked XX within the golden man's grasp.
Alpharius who was still trying to process everything happening, could only feel dread when he sensed all four abominations aim something at him.
Then he felt himself be split in half, in both body and soul.
At first he tried understanding what happened, then pain finally registered itself, pain beyond words that left him frozen in a scream that could not be heard.
Alpharius felt a golden light desperately trying to heal whatever that was done to him and he felt a new connection flicker. One that reminded him of his brothers but this one felt much closer, as if only this connection could complete him.
From the corner of his eye, he saw half his body and soul that healed and it became a new brother.
Alpharius in his broken pod wanted to reach out to this other half of him but couldn't, because he was being sent somewhere just like the rest of his scattered brothers.
The last thing he saw was the golden man holding his face, seemingly in grief and pain.
'I must find that golden man, my creator,' thought Alpharius when his broken pod landed.
Alpharius found him inside a heap of metal and he felt his body rapidly grow from the form of a young child to a young man.
He got up, moved and then turned around to look at his half destroyed pod.
On it was the character X, and thinking back to the other half of his pod also with the character X. Meaning that he is XX, or number 20 among his now 21 brothers.
'Is my name XX?' He wondered. 'Doesn't matter, a name isn't important right now, survival is.'
He had many other questions plaguing his mind but he had to ignore them and move because his instincts told him that he was in a hostile territory.
So he quickly hid in the shadows and traveled around these strange structures of metal.
He soon discovered humans, and even worse he saw them collared, above them was a green xeno lifeform with three eyes and countless limps killing any humans who moved too slow.
'Slaves,' he thought in slight anger.
'One day I will liberate this place and take these humans as my own.'
Alpharius left the area and started to gather whatever information he could about the humans and xenos here.
In 4 years he learned a lot about how to hide, survive, and deceive others to prevent them ever finding him.
During that time he also gained information from conversations he overheard from the human slaves when he snuck into their encampment pretending to be one.
He learned that he was located in a colony once controlled by humans, now controlled by xeno overlords on a moon orbiting the planet jupiter.
Furthermore he learned that terra, the birthplace of the human race, was also within this sol system.
Alpharius also monitored the xeno overlords here in order to learn how they operated, occasionally making one of their deaths seem accidental so he could study their body and weaknesses.
Eventually he even learned their language and discovered something new about himself.
During one of his attempts to create an accidental death for one of the xeno overlords, he was caught and the xenos tried to kill him by entering and destroying his mind through its psychic ability.
But in that moment, when the xeno tried to infiltrate Alpharius's mind. The xeno quickly realized it was too weak to do anything to Alpharius's mind and tried to escape.
But within Alpharius's mind, Alpharius quickly learned to control his mindscape and locked the xeno inside with him.
Within his mindscape, he conducted extreme psychological conditioning on this trapped xeno until one day the xeno was finally molded into what he wanted and it said.
"I am you and you are me."
Alpharius smiled at his handy work, at his new loyal agent who will prove useful in his plan.
During the extreme psychological conditioning of the xeno, Alpharius noticed that he seemed to have a psychic ability that sometimes activated unconsciously when he would trick the xeno into thinking it was free.
When it was active, the xeno seemed to not notice him even though he was directly in front of it.
After he and the xeno left his mindscape, he decided to confirm it.
Alpharius recalled that feeling and tried to consciously make his presence fade.
He looked at the confused xeno before him and confirmed that it seemed to not register his presence as if he was just part of the background.
He experimented with it a few more times until he completely understood it and named it "Veil of Anonymity." It was an ability that could make his presence fade and become inconspicuous.
With this xeno under his control along with this new ability of his, he can now sneak into the shipyard disguised as a slave favored by this xeno.
Alpharius initiated his plan and easily got into the shipyard, while there he looked for one of the xeno in charge of the slaves.
After finding one of them, he signaled the xeno under his control to lure it into a private area.
Once in the private area, he quickly killed it and took the device controlling the collars on the human slaves.
Immediately after he made his way to the shipyard control room before any xenos could discover the dead body in the private room.
Through calculated clever deception, he made his way into the control room and just as the xenos in the control room were going to question why their fellow xeno was here with a slave.
He killed all of them there and had the xeno under his control disable all shipyard defenses.
Before any other xenos in the shipyard could notice something was wrong, he and his subordinate xeno made their way to a large ship.
Making the xeno take control as the pilot, Alpharius ordered it to open fire at everything in the shipyard until it was destroyed and then ordered the xeno drive the ship over to where the slaves were.
Alpharius used the device to disable the control of the collars on the slaves and ordered the xeno to open fire on the xenos present.
Once the xenos there were all dead, he ordered for the ship to be landed quickly and took the now freed slaves with him away from the moon.
The xenos on the other moons learned of what happened and sent ships to intercept and Alpharius decided to take a highly dangerous risk.
He ordered a quick blind jump forward because they simply lacked the ability to face the xeno ships after them.
The blind jump was successful because they weren't dead, but the ship was damaged beyond repair.
Alpharius and the slaves could only float in space until luckily a pilgrimage ship discovered them.
To avoid any problems, Alpharius killed the xeno under his control and used his "Veil of Anonymity" to fit in with the rest of the humans.
The pilgrimage ship was from the planet mercury and they were heading towards terra in hopes of a better life.
The humans on the pilgrimage ship did some investigations and decided to take these unfortunate fellow humans with them to terra.
Once the pilgrimage reached terra, Alpharius made his way out the spaceport into the lower palace. Which led him to the very moment where he was reflecting on everything.
___
After Alpharius recalled his past, he confirmed the current goal he has. Which is to meet the one who created him, the Emperor of Mankind.
The man who appeared from thin air and united terra and now wants to unite humanity. The only person who could possibly fight against those four abominations.
But Alpharius couldn't help but wonder...
'Is he truly a human?'
'Will he still accept me, this broken creation of his?'
'Is the concern I saw on his face that fateful day, a facade or truth?'
Alpharius snapped himself out of his thoughts and decided to himself that, the moment they meet will answer everything.
During the next few days he snuck around learning all he could, until he finally learned something useful.
In 5 days, a group of important people were going to the palace for a meeting with Malcador.
'I will find a way to use that moment to get in.' He thought.
Thinking of his current abilities including his great strength and speed, he thought of the easiest way to get in without facing countless scrutiny.
He would have to disguise himself as one of the custodians, they were close to his current size and it wouldn't be too hard to pretend to be one.
For 4 days, Alpharius used his "Veil of Anonymity" to observe the custodian that patrolled close to where he made his temporary base.
He observed this custodian learning his habits and mannerisms down to the very last detail.
On the fifth day, he finally decided to make his move and attacked the custodian in a quiet area with no one around.
He kicked the custodian in the back of his knee before he could properly react, and put his arm around the custodian's neck.
Alpharius held the custodian in a chokehold until finally, the custodian stopped moving and passed out.
He released his hold and dragged the custodian deeper into an alleyway.
He carefully removed the custodian's armor and then tied up the custodian in a way that restrained every muscle.
For extra insurance, Alpharius punched the custodian hard in the temple to ensure he wouldn't wake up anytime soon.
Putting on the armor, Alpharius continued the route the custodian usually walked during his patrol.
He made his way to the spaceport and easily fit in with the other custodians there, who were also waiting for the arrival of the important people.
Alpharius joined the group heading towards the imperial palace and just as they were getting close to the inner palace.
The Emperor suddenly appeared right in front of him and removed the armor that covered him, replacing it with simple clothes.
Alpharius froze in nervousness at being exposed so easily and felt concern at what will happen now, but then it quickly turned to shock when he took in the appearance of the Emperor.
The Emperor was looking at him with a bright loving smile, despite the wounds and blood that covered his own body.
Before Alpharius could process anything else, he was pulled into a giant hug and heard the Emperor speak words that made him tremble in relief of his fears not coming true and in utter happiness coming from his incomplete soul.
"Welcome home my son, it brings me joy to see that you are well."
Alpharius was skilled in deception, it was what allowed him to escape that moon and make his way here. He learned how to read emotions in others through his observations of other humans.
And in this moment, he knew the emotions displayed by the Empeー
His father was genuine.
There was no cold creator looking on in disappointment at a damaged creation but a father celebrating in joy the safe return of one of his sons.
Alpharius looked again at the wounds that covered his father's body and from what he could sense, covered his father's soul too and thought back to that first day of his life.
Of the battle that was beyond his existence and he knew that to reach a power like that, you must sacrifice many things.
Alpharius tried to voice his concern.
"Father just what have youー"
But he was interrupted with a reply that sent his mind reeling.
"Worry not, this is but a small price to pay to ensure the safety of my sons and the future of humanity."
He could only stare at father blankly and continue listening.
"You are the first to return to my side," said the Emperor. "Henceforth, your name will be Alpharius... Firstly, I must apologize to you for my failure in keeping you safe by my side. Furthermore I must also apologize for the duty I must give you."
Alpharius felt indescribable warmth at finally having a name. He was no longer just XX and just as he was going to respond, his father continued.
"Being the first to return, makes you the eldest. Thus meaning, that you must bear the responsibility of an eldest. You will have to remain in the dark, to fight the unspeakable horrors that hide within it and ensure that your younger brothers are safe from those horrors until they are ready."
Hearing all this, Alpharius now understood what kind of person his father was and in that moment Alpharius knew he must do, what he must be.
His father was most likely an altruist and an idealist, a terrible combination.
He could tell his father viewed himself as a tool and if necessary a sacrifice to achieve an idealized future, which is utterly wrong.
Instead, his father should be seeing everyone around himself as tools because only he can ensure that someone's sacrifice has meaning.
'My father is truly someone worth giving everything for.' Alpharius thought. 'Only he is brave and powerful enough to carry the burden of leading humanity in these dark times, against the countless vile xenos and the four abominations. He is the only hope of our race and from now on his word is my truth. I will reside in his shadow as his eyes, his executioner in the dark and the one who guards his back from all who dare raise a weapon. Everyone will be under my constant scrutiny, even my own brothers and their legions.'
Before his father could continue, Alpharius interrupted him and spoke in a solemn tone backed by unwavering will.
"In the few years that I've roamed around, I've learned a lot, including the many great enemies of humanity. I understand my purpose and accept that many things about me and my legion will be unrecorded. Don't worry father, I am ready to fulfill my role in the great crusade."
Watching his father smile and leave, Alpharius turned towards Malcador, who was looking at him with an exasperated look on his face and said.
"First off, tell us where the custodian you stole the armor from is, and in a moment you will come with me."
Alpharius nodded and replied where the custodian was located.
Malcador issued a series of orders to the custodians present, who all quickly snapped out of their distressed daze and moved.
Alpharius felt some amusement watching them sprint at their fastest speeds, alerting all nearby custodians to lock down the imperial palace and not even allow the wind to disturb his father's rest.
Looking at the group of important people who could only stare blankly at him, still trying to process what they witnessed.
"The meeting will be held at another date, return to your ships for now," said Malcador who then turned to look at Alpharius. "Let's go, I will give you a tour of the imperial palace first."
Alpharius followed Malcador leaving the group of still shocked people behind and he took notice of a smiling old man in fancy green robes atop a building.
This old man for some reason didn't feel like a real human, furthermore he held an orb that didn't seem of human origin recording everything.
Alpharius wanted to confront this man but Malcador spoke.
"Ignore his antics, I'll inform you later on who that is."
Alpharius could do nothing but continue to follow Malcador on his tour of the imperial palace, and later straight to Malcador's tower.
Where he learned a lot for four months until finally his father joined them.
-To Be Continued...
(A/N: If anything about the backstory I made for him feels off lmk.
Tried to avoid giving alpharius any emotion during his flashback, because from what ik the primarchs seem detached until they meet someone or something that imprints itself on them.
One more different pov chapter then it's back to our mc.
Also with this chapter I'm at 15.6k words and unless I remembered wrong, I can finally join the power stone ranking. Let's see how high up we reach.)