Never Give a Yandere a Bolter [A Cliche (Yandere) 40k Romcom] Ch.21 (Patreon)

A flash of brilliant golden light filled the chamber. As it faded, everyone there realized that a demigod now stood among them. A gold-clad ‘man’ now stood between Octus and the Inquisitor, towering over all. A decorative plume as red as blood fluttered atop the behemoth’s helmet. Glittering golden armor still glowed with the Emperor’s light. By his side, the demigod carried a great Guardian Gun Spear that was as glorious as it was deadly.

A Custodes-Brother of the Golden Legion, the personal guard to the Emperor Himself, stood before them. Those who hadn’t fallen to their knees found themselves doing so now. His glory and grace were so powerful, so potent that they immediately seared lasting memories into the minds of those present. This was a demigod. No closer to baseline man than an amoeba was, he was only a few steps removed from the pinnacle of Humanity.

All there found themselves bowing before one of the Emperor’s greatest works. Even Octus could not resist the genetic urge to kneel before perfection anymore. Something that the Custodes was not having at all.

“Rise,” the demigod’s command resonated with their very souls. “I will not have the Emperor’s chosen and His loyal servants kneeling before me.”

Despite the Custodes’ presence, Ashe groaned, “Well, I guess that proves it. Any doubts I had about you or your story disappeared with the explicit blessing of one of the Emperor’s Companions. I couldn’t persecute you even if I wanted to, Octus.”

“Uh, yeah…” Octus mumbled, still in shock. “Wait! I thought you already said you believed me!”

Ashe shrugged, “Trust but verify.”

“Oh my,” Lilya said, laying a demure hand on her cheek. “I believe even you must let go of your doubts now, Geneva.”

Geneva was too deeply in awe to verbally reply. She could only give a stunned nod, making the sign of the Aquila as her eyes darted between the Custodes, Octus, and even Sabine.

Despite herself, Sabine could not help but feel immensely proud and vindicated. She knew there was something special about Octus from the beginning. Her faith and conviction had proven correct to the point that one of His Companions stood in front of her in person, confirming everything she knew to be true in her heart. Once again, Sabine’s faith and belief and her position as Octus’ number one supporter were reinforced by events out of his control. Her fervor and devotion to him were greater than anyone else’s, almost equal to her devotion to the Emperor at this point.

Sabine was also the only one to muster the courage to speak to the Custodes directly, “Pardon my impudence, my Lord, but why are you here? For Octus?”

“Indeed,” the Custodes gave the most minute of nods. “I am Alastor Solomon, protector of Mankind’s potential and a member of the Aquilan Shield. I am His shield and His spear, loaned to Octus for as long as he may need protecting. I have been by Octus’ side, invisible and unnoticed, as a silent guardian angel for the entirety of his life.”

“Oh, by Him-on-Terra,” Ashe breathed, realizing just how close she’d come to death.

If she’d made the wrong decision regarding Octus’ fate or if she believed him, not even her status as an Inquisitor would have protected her from the Emperor’s wrath. The Emperor Himself had deemed Octus instrumental to Humanity’s survival. That was the only reason for a Custodes — especially a member of the Aquilan Shield — to appear before them or even leave Terra in the first place.

The Aquilan Shield was one of the most infamous and mysterious organizations in the entire Imperium. Only known to those with the means to look for it or the fortune to be one of its charges, the Aquilan Shield was the loaned shield of the Emperor Himself. Without fail, those it protected were deemed by Him to be important in some way. The selection was seemingly random and nonsensical, varying from some poor old lady in a random Hive to High Lords of the Imperium.

But one thing never changed about the Aquilan Shield’s choice. Those they were charged to protect would inevitably better or save Humanity in some way. They were the future of Humanity and the Imperium. They were to be protected and nurtured until their destinies came to pass. The Custodes of the Aquilan Shield were tasked with that protection.

“Worry not, Inquisitor. You came to the right decision. The Emperor would be proud of your judgment and restraint,” the Custodes, Alastor, reassured.

Octus blushed as his mind caught up with the Custodes’ words, “Wait… My entire life?… Even when… I-… ya know, during my private time?”

Those present witnessed something they never expected to see in their lives. Something so mundane and Human that it almost seemed out of place on the nine-foot-tall demigod. The golden god laughed. Alastor’s laugh was a deep, rumbling, belly chuckle that inspired hope and awe in all those who heard it. For a moment, he was not a Custodes, one of the Emperor’s Companions. He was simply Human.

“It is a natural part of life, Octus,” Alastor explained while he chuckled. “And trust me, you have nothing to be embarrassed about in that department. I believe the idiom goes something like… ‘hung like a horse’?”

Sabine let out an involuntary purr of satisfaction and even more vindication, “Praise the Emperor~”

The stunned silence that followed Alastor’s comment was broken by Sabine’s purr. It inspired more chuckles from Alastor and giggles from Lilya, Lady, and Sona. Sabine suppressed a blush when she realized she’d spoken aloud. She glared at Lady and Sona, nowhere near comfortable enough to turn that glare at her Canoness or, Emperor-forbid, a Custodes.

Ashe was still all business, “Moving right along from that. I have a question for you, my Lord. Why now? Why reveal yourself after I’d already made my decision… The correct decision as you said…”

Somehow from just Alastor’s voice, everyone could tell he was smirking under his helmet, “Ah, that was just a coincidence. Fortuitous, no? My true reason for revealing myself has more to do with Octus and his recent deeds than you, Inquisitor.”

“Deeds? What deeds?” a baffled Octus asked.

“Octus…” Lady said slowly. “I don’t know if you realize this but you were the lynchpin behind closing the portal. Without you, we’d be neck deep in Daemons by now.”

“It was a team effort,” Octus protested.

“That does not diminish your involvement nor your sacrifice,” Alastor pointed out wisely. “Without knowing about your immortality, you still were willing to give your life for a Daughter of the Emperor. And that is still saying nothing of your other accomplishments this week…”

“What other accomplishments?”

Alastor glanced at the women around Octus, “… Sometimes, the Emperor’s mind is a mystery even to me.”

“The point is that Octus’ recent deeds have earned him a boon from the Emperor Himself. I am here to deliver that boon… And then I figure I might as well stick around. Being invisible and hiding in the shadows constantly can be oh so boring at times…” Alastor continued.

“Why do I have a feeling that this ‘boon’ will ruin any plans I might’ve started formulating to protect Octus…” Ashe muttered to herself, entirely aware that Alastor could easily hear her.

Alastor chose to let Ashe’s mutterings remain her own, instead pulling a scroll from… somewhere and kneeling to present it to Octus, “With this Warrant, I invest you with the direct will of the Emperor Himself. Everyone, say hello to Octus Humblestock, His newest Rogue Trader.”

There was stunned silence as Octus accepted the Warrant of Trade with slightly shaking hands. As he unfurled it, golden light shined onto his face. Penned in golden ink, the holy parchment represented so much more than it said. It was sealed and signed by the Emperor Himself, something Octus and the others who read it over his shoulder thought was impossible.

The Warrant of Trade was a declaration of freedom and authority, backed by the Emperor Himself. Octus was instantly elevated to the highest status within the Imperium. Of course, he had neither the political power, martial force, nor monetary wealth to back up that status. But the Emperor’s written word still carried a certain weight.

Even without his nature as a Perpetual, he was now owed a certain degree of respect and consideration. And yet he was a small fish, shining with golden light, within the deep ocean. There was no telling what monstrous predators, Human and Xeno, lurked within the metaphorical darkness around him.

As he was, the Warrant of Trade would only draw unwanted attention to him. It pulled him into a world of political intrigue and power that he might have otherwise avoided by lying low. Its reveal had the more canny of the audience — Sabine, Diana, Lady, and more recently, Ashe — groaning. Their job of keeping Octus safe despite his denseness and guiding him through his ascent to power just got much more complicated…

At the same time, the Warrant of Trade offered Octus much more potential to grow. No longer would he have to tie himself to a sponsor to get anything done on the grand scale of the Imperium. Now, he had the status — in name only — and only needed to build up the power that went along with it.

“This is… uh, kinda a big deal… Yer sure ya’ve got the right guy?” Octus asked.

“May I see it,” Ashe asked.

“Yeah…” Octus handed the Warrant over, still trying to process everything from Alastor’s very presence and what it meant to the Warrant of Trade itself.

Ashe’s eyebrows raised slowly as she took in the majesty of an Emperor-signed Warrant of Trade. The text of the Warrant was relatively simple but unusual compared to the other Warrants Ashe had seen. It anointed Octus as a Rogue Trader — by name no less — and granted him the charter to start his own Trader house.

It also declared Octus’ mission from the Emperor of Mankind himself. He was to explore the untouched reaches of the galaxy, specifically searching for lost Human civilizations to bring back into the Imperium’s fold. Beyond the edge of the Imperium, Octus now spoke with the Emperor’s voice. And even within the Imperium, Octus now had a level of authority that was essentially unmatched.

Not even the High Lords of Terra would be able to officially censure Octus with this document in his possession. Of course, that was only the mere illusion of power. It did not stop unofficial means of censure and the reality of Octus’ situation was now more dangerous than he could imagine.

Those in positions of power in the Imperium would not easily give up that power to some upstart with an admittedly potent Warrant of Trade. They would fight, obfuscate, and scheme to prevent Octus from rising to his true potential. For corruption ran rampant and those who’d grown addicted to power were not quick to give it up.

It was the unfortunate truth that even the Emperor’s explicit word did not grant real authority by itself. It was still just one — admittedly divine — man’s word. Some would heed it to the letter. Others would not be so quick to submit. They would find some reason, some problem with even the God-Emperor’s Will so long as they retained their power.

The closer Octus came to Holy Terra, the more resistance — both open and hidden — he would run into. Those were the deep waters of the Imperium. There lurked predators who’d been born to or long since adapted to the game of power.

Noble families with legacies that dated back millennia and whose power and connections ran deep. Planetary Governors with Hive Worlds upon Hive worlds of resources at their backs. Forge Worlds lodged firmly in the gray areas of the Imperium’s status quo. Inquisitors and Ecclesiarchs who thought they knew the Emperor’s Will better than the Emperor Himself. Ancient Rogue Trader houses would not be appreciative of the competition Octus presented. And even Lord Admirals and Lord Commanders too caught up in the ‘bigger picture’ to even see Octus for what he now truly represented.

Octus’ foes and detractors would be plentiful. There was no guarantee that he would live to see his potential realized. Something that may spell disaster for the Imperium as a whole, considering the fact that the Aquilan Shield deemed Octus important enough to protect.

But for as many problems the Warrant of Trade presented, it also offered the perfect solution to most of them. It was in the Emperor’s mission for Octus. The Emperor was seemingly trying to tell Octus something with it. Something like “stay on the fringes of the Imperium — the proverbial shallows — and explore. Find lost civilizations, build up your power base, and only when you’re ready, venture to Terra.”

All of that passed through Ashe’s head in mere seconds. As it did, her role in this situation became clearer and clearer. She refused to believe that she was called to this system for no reason, nor that she was ‘conveniently’ meeting Octus for the first time when his importance to the Emperor and Imperium was revealed. No. This was the direct Will of the God-Emperor. And that made Ashe’s decision simple.

Ashe sighed, rolling the Warrant back up and handing it back to Octus, “Octus… This Warrant grants you a level of power you have never imagined. But it also comes with many implications and consequences. How much do you truly understand?”

Octus blinked, “A bit?… I’m still kinda tryin’ to process all of this…”

Ashe glanced at the ones she felt were most likely to understand what she was referring to. Though she could not see through Alastor’s helmet, she somehow knew the Custodes was practically smirking at her. Lilya nodded back to her with a smile that communicated her support. Geneva was still too awestruck by the glorious presence of His Companion to think of much else. Commissar Lady nodded as well, showing a level of severity that Ashe already knew was uncharacteristic of the woman. The last two who met Ashe’s gaze were the Sister who started this all — Sabine — and the strange statuesque woman Ashe had pegged as a noble — Diana.

With the confirmation of Octus’ support system, Ashe mentally prepared herself to throw her hat in the ring with the newly-minted Rogue Trader. It wasn’t as if she had much clout within the Inquisition. She wasn’t a bad Inquisitor by any means but she was just kind of mundane. She didn’t have any exceptional achievements and she tended to stay away from the politicking of the higher-status Inquisitors and Inquisitor Lords. Ashe was merely mediocre compared to the lofty standards Inquisitors were usually held to.

Still, she felt she had something to offer Octus. Be that advice from someone who had swam through the political waters of the Imperium or another avenue of authority. Those who could easily refuse a Rogue Trader would have to reconsider if that Rogue Trader had an Inquisitor — however ‘ordinary’ as Ashe may be — backing them.

It seemed the Emperor thought she had something to offer Octus as well. Again, she refused to believe this whole situation coincidence. She was called to this system for a reason. The ritual had been thwarted without her interference and the rest of the rebellion was quickly going the same way. She could stay on Charon Prime and hunt heretics or… Ashe could follow her gut.

Dignity and purpose flowed through Ashe’s veins, “Then… I would like to offer my services to you as an advisor. Rogue Traders and Inquisitors working together is not unheard of and my presence in your retinue will add an air of legitimacy.”

Octus’ eyes darted to Alastor and then to the Warrant in his hand, “A Custodes and a Warrant of Trade signed by the Emperor won’t make me legit?”

Ashe ruthlessly smashed a blush at the slight rebuke, “They will… but there will always be some who think they are above the law. This way, you will be able back up the authority of your Warrant with mine. My presence will allow you to press… problematic individuals… from two angles.”

“Before you answer, Octus,” Lilya interjected, taking a moment to wink at Sabine without anyone else noticing. “I would like to add the services of my Order to Inquisitor Ashe’s offer as well. One of my precious little Sisters seems quite taken with you and with the news of your Warrant, I can not think of a more fitting place for my Order than pushing the boundaries of the Imperium as the Emperor Wills.”

Octus was stunned for a moment by the two offers on top of everything else that’d happened in the past half hour. Not only an Inquisitor, but an entire Order of the Adepta Sororitas was offering him their services as well. Then there was Alastor, a Custodes who had been with him since birth without him knowing and who probably knew Octus better than Octus knew himself. He’d gone from a lone Guardsman — though admittedly a well-respected one within his regiment — to a Rogue Trader with the very galaxy at his fingertips in the blink of an eye.

“This… is all a bit much… Hell, I’m still just tryin’ to adjust to the fact that I’ve got a title now…” Octus trailed off, looking to Lady and Sabine for guidance.

“I’ll be with you every step of the way, big guy,” Lady reassured with a familiar grin. “And I know the boys and girls of the regiment will feel the same way when they hear the news. Go ahead and add a Guard regiment to that entourage you seem to be building.”

Sabine slowly approached Octus, placing both hands on his cheeks and leaning down slightly to kiss him. She put all her faith, all her devotion to him into the kiss, trying to communicate that these weren’t decisions he had to make alone. When she pulled away, Octus was just as stunned but for a different reason now. His gaze locked onto Sabine. The soft smile on her face quickly helped Octus calm himself.

“You know… I was planning on leaving my Order if it meant I would be able to stay with you, Octus,” Sabine admitted. “Thankfully, that does not seem like it will be a problem. I knew you were special. From the very moment I laid eyes on you, I knew… But you’ve surpassed even my lofty expectations. As Lady has said, I shall support you every step of the way. Though, for the record, I think you should agree to the offer…”

“That does seem like a good idea,” Octus chuckled, turning back to Lilya and Ashe. “I’d be happy to have ya. I dunno how good I’ll be as a Rogue Trader but I guess we’ll find out together. I think I’ma need a ship though…”