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[[File:LoreEmpress.png|300px|thumb]] | |||
'''Empress''' is a [[Lore]] book introduced in ''[[Season of the Chosen]]'', with entries acquired by completing the weekly Contender's Ascent seasonal challenges unlocked by completing the Season of the Chosen narrative. It focuses on Caital's ascension from Princess-Imperial to Empress of the Cabal Empire. | |||
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==CHAPTER 1: STORYTELLER== | ==CHAPTER 1: STORYTELLER== | ||
Gold silks and purple velvets hung above the gilded chair where [[Ahztja]] settled in to tell the princess [[Empress Caiatl|Caiatl]] her nightly story. | Gold silks and purple velvets hung above the gilded chair where [[Ahztja]] settled in to tell the princess [[Empress Caiatl|Caiatl]] her nightly story. | ||
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Caiatl closed her eyes and saw it. | Caiatl closed her eyes and saw it. | ||
"Among the chaos stands [[Irkyn La, the First Host | "Among the chaos stands [[Irkyn La]], the First Host, who blinks herself into existence with the First Thought: chaos must come to order." | ||
Caiatl saw a creature, tremendous beyond belief, in her mind's eye. | Caiatl saw a creature, tremendous beyond belief, in her mind's eye. | ||
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[[Umun'arath]]'s voice rumbled in her ear like a surfacing landwhale. | [[Umun'arath]]'s voice rumbled in her ear like a surfacing landwhale. | ||
"Imagine all of [[Torobatl]] as the putrid grave swamps of Aark," she said. "Centuries sunk in muck. A testament to someone else's conquest." | "Imagine all of [[Torobatl]] as the putrid grave swamps of [[Aark]]," she said. "Centuries sunk in muck. A testament to someone else's conquest." | ||
Caiatl narrowed her eyes at her ship's heads-up display as a corrupted flame suddenly burned a hole in the sky itself, straight ahead… | Caiatl narrowed her eyes at her ship's heads-up display as a corrupted flame suddenly burned a hole in the sky itself, straight ahead… | ||
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"He sent a message for you." | "He sent a message for you." | ||
Caiatl lunged, crashing her shoulder into the assassin. They fired their weapon, and Void energy seared through Caiatl's bicep. Undeterred, she slammed the assassin to the ground, clutching their throat in one hand and making a fist with the other. She cocked her arm back. Her reflection in the assassin's helmet stared back at her. Furious. Unblinking. Curious. | Caiatl lunged, crashing her shoulder into the assassin. They fired their weapon, and [[Void]] energy seared through Caiatl's bicep. Undeterred, she slammed the assassin to the ground, clutching their throat in one hand and making a fist with the other. She cocked her arm back. Her reflection in the assassin's helmet stared back at her. Furious. Unblinking. Curious. | ||
"Go on then," she snarled, her fist looming. "The message." | "Go on then," she snarled, her fist looming. "The message." | ||
The assassin struggled. "You are a child in a general's costume," they spat. "None of the vision of your father. None of the drive or strength of the one they call [[Dominus Ghaul|Dominus]]." Something sharp penetrated Caiatl's pressure suit and slipped up against her ribs. "You will not be remembered." | The assassin struggled. "You are a child in a general's costume," they spat. "None of the vision of your father. None of the drive or strength of the one they call [[Dominus Ghaul|Dominus]]." [[Heartshadow|Something]] sharp penetrated Caiatl's pressure suit and slipped up against her ribs. "You will not be remembered." | ||
Spurred to action, Caiatl rolled to unseat the blade; the assassin followed and raised the | Spurred to action, Caiatl rolled to unseat the blade; the assassin followed and raised the Void weapon to her head. | ||
Caiatl slammed her hand over the barrel. Energy shot through her palm as she ripped the gun away. She grabbed the assassin's helmet with her bloody fingers and slammed their head against the ground. Once, twice, three times. | Caiatl slammed her hand over the barrel. Energy shot through her palm as she ripped the gun away. She grabbed the assassin's helmet with her bloody fingers and slammed their head against the ground. Once, twice, three times. | ||
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Later that day, she found that the first of Umun's rooms, usually kept tidy with military precision, was changed. Her two war tables were covered in papers and tomes unrecognizable to Caiatl. The room stank of death and poison. Strange symbols were drawn on the ground in ash. | Later that day, she found that the first of Umun's rooms, usually kept tidy with military precision, was changed. Her two war tables were covered in papers and tomes unrecognizable to Caiatl. The room stank of death and poison. Strange symbols were drawn on the ground in ash. | ||
In the far corner of the room, with the restraints they used for captives aboard their prison ships, a living Hive Thrall was held in suspension, drooling and chattering. | In the far corner of the room, with the restraints they used for captives aboard their prison ships, a living [[Hive]] [[Thrall]] was held in suspension, drooling and chattering. | ||
"Umun," Caiatl said, astonished. "What's happening here?" | "Umun," Caiatl said, astonished. "What's happening here?" | ||
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"We must move beyond them," Umun muttered, watching the Thrall tilt its grotesque face in response to their voices. "With each swing of the sword, the universe grows smaller, Caiatl. The competition fiercer. If we don't learn a new way, we'll be cut down with the rest." Her voice went quiet. "We must accept new gods, or we'll perish." | "We must move beyond them," Umun muttered, watching the Thrall tilt its grotesque face in response to their voices. "With each swing of the sword, the universe grows smaller, Caiatl. The competition fiercer. If we don't learn a new way, we'll be cut down with the rest." Her voice went quiet. "We must accept new gods, or we'll perish." | ||
The | The Thrall began to thrash, sudden and violent. | ||
Caiatl watched. | Caiatl watched. | ||
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==CHAPTER 5: NEW GODS== | ==CHAPTER 5: NEW GODS== | ||
It was Taurun, one of Caiatl's advisors, that alerted her to the spectacle. | It was [[Taurun]], one of Caiatl's advisors, that alerted her to the spectacle. | ||
"In the square," she said, her deep voice laced with concern. "I've never seen anything like it." | "In the square," she said, her deep voice laced with concern. "I've never seen anything like it." | ||
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"You can't stop it now," Umun lilted, breathless with delight. | "You can't stop it now," Umun lilted, breathless with delight. | ||
[Xivu Arath, hear me.] | <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Xivu Arath, God of War|Xivu Arath]], hear me.] | ||
Caiatl didn't break her stare. "I have no choice but to—" | Caiatl didn't break her stare. "I have no choice but to—" | ||
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==CHAPTER 6: BATTLE SONG== | ==CHAPTER 6: BATTLE SONG== | ||
Smoke rose from the city of | Smoke rose from the city of Torobatl. The sky was dark with [[Tombship]]s and [[Thresher]]s. Strange, spindly towers had sprouted from the ground, infecting the streets and alleyways Caiatl had known so well, rendering the landscape alien. | ||
Many of the creatures that poured from the tear in the sky had fallen to her missiles—like any other enemy—but their numbers never seemed to dwindle. Their will never seemed to falter. | Many of the creatures that poured from the tear in the sky had fallen to her missiles—like any other enemy—but their numbers never seemed to dwindle. Their will never seemed to falter. | ||
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Because even as she cursed Umun for starting this, Caiatl was the one who had finished it. It didn't matter that she'd done it unwillingly and unknowingly. That responsibility was still on her shoulders. | Because even as she cursed Umun for starting this, Caiatl was the one who had finished it. It didn't matter that she'd done it unwillingly and unknowingly. That responsibility was still on her shoulders. | ||
She cursed Umun and the vermin | She cursed Umun and the vermin Hive, but more than that, she cursed herself. | ||
She was responsible for the destruction of their home. | She was responsible for the destruction of their home. | ||
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At the long table of her council room on the fleeing warship [[Eligos Lex V]], Caiatl sat with her advisors. An ugly panic gripped them. | At the long table of her council room on the fleeing warship [[Eligos Lex V]], Caiatl sat with her advisors. An ugly panic gripped them. | ||
"Their war moons are too powerful," said Councilor | "Their war moons are too powerful," said Councilor Taurun. The tactical display, where Hive ships and war moons floated like innumerable dust specks in space, flickered. | ||
"They are not deterred by casualties," rumbled [[Ca'aurg]]. "All loss is acceptable loss to the Hive." | "They are not deterred by casualties," rumbled [[Ca'aurg]]. "All loss is acceptable loss to the Hive." | ||
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Our future will not look the same as our past. With your trust, I will usher us into a new age, and I will not default on my promises, as my father did before me. | Our future will not look the same as our past. With your trust, I will usher us into a new age, and I will not default on my promises, as my father did before me. | ||
From this moment forward, all | From this moment forward, all Psions of the Cabal Empire are released from the bonds of servitude and granted full citizenship. You are free to remain or leave as you please. You will be granted reasonable supplies for your departure, if you choose to go. | ||
If you stay, I must warn you: the battle ahead will be long and arduous. Many of us will fight, bleed, and die to preserve our collective freedoms. But together, we will build an army where warriors fight not for themselves, or for their grasping leaders, but for each other. | If you stay, I must warn you: the battle ahead will be long and arduous. Many of us will fight, bleed, and die to preserve our collective freedoms. But together, we will build an army where warriors fight not for themselves, or for their grasping leaders, but for each other. | ||
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Taurun hesitated, caught between her dedication to formality and a direct order from her empress. She gingerly lowered herself into a chair. | Taurun hesitated, caught between her dedication to formality and a direct order from her empress. She gingerly lowered herself into a chair. | ||
"The | "The [[Guardian]]s killed Ghaul," Caiatl said. | ||
"Yes," said Taurun. | "Yes," said Taurun. | ||
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"Stories say they've killed greater enemies too." | "Stories say they've killed greater enemies too." | ||
"Other [[Crota|deities]] of the Hive. One of the great [[ | "Other [[Crota, Son of Oryx|deities]] of the Hive. [[Xol, Will of the Thousands|One]] of the great [[worm]]s." | ||
"And a [[Oryx|sibling]] of Xivu Arath," Caiatl added. | "And a [[Oryx, the Taken King|sibling]] of Xivu Arath," Caiatl added. | ||
"Perhaps then, the costs of this venture do not outweigh the benefits," Taurun mused. | "Perhaps then, the costs of this venture do not outweigh the benefits," Taurun mused. | ||
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Taurun's gaze turned thoughtful. "Yes, probably." She studied Caiatl's face. "So what do you suggest?" | Taurun's gaze turned thoughtful. "Yes, probably." She studied Caiatl's face. "So what do you suggest?" | ||
"We… negotiate," Caiatl said quietly. "With the | "We… negotiate," Caiatl said quietly. "With the Guardians." | ||
Taurun observed her customary moment of silence. "Some of the councilors won't like it." | Taurun observed her customary moment of silence. "Some of the councilors won't like it." | ||