8 Faradras

The Imperium of mankind is vast and extensive, and among its millions of worlds, one can find all sorts of features. Some may be veritable bastions where every meter of land is meticulously planned to aid in defense and battle. While at the same time, there are worlds where their only reason for being and existing is the pleasure of vices such as gambling and sex.

However, there are also worlds where the function of these worlds is the simple subsistence of the humans that inhabit them, Faradras belongs to this type of world, more precisely it is a Feudal World. A type of world where, unlike other parts of the galaxy, technology was intentionally set back to the time of swords and arrows. Where lords and nobles rule over their serfs who do not see their lives altered.

In all the galaxy, only on the feudal worlds can one find one constant, order. Complete and utter order.

While on other worlds men make and forge their fate, on the feudal worlds you are what you are born, if your father was a blacksmith, you will be a blacksmith for the rest of your life and so will your children.

And though to many this may sound frightening, certainly many would prefer the simple, forced, and honored life of these worlds, rather than witness other horrors that happen in others worlds more... free so to speak.

For a feudal world, Faradras is quite populated with a population of over four hundred million inhabitants. They were spread over one main continent and several sub-continents. Although several city-states and kingdoms rose, they all answered to the supreme ruler of this world who was their planetary governor.

It was he who was responsible for ensuring that disputes did not go beyond certain limits that would impede the functioning of the world so that its annual thite would never be too short of time and with the exact amount.

It was also responsible for organizing the planet's defenses in case of need, and thus it was the only one who could call upon the empire itself for help when the world's forces were overwhelmed.

Fortunately for Faradras, few were interested enough in such worlds to invade them. That is why many worlds of these types enjoyed such absolute peace and tranquillity that they were never aware that they even belonged to the empire of humanity itself, as many generations would only live their lives without the Imperium's intervention in their world aside from the witches' that would be sent away.

Only the reminder of their lord in the heavens was the only thing they knew beyond them, and his nine angelic sons who wielded their flaming swords at their enemies in divine retribution.

The word of the Ecclesiarchy was even more respected than the word of kings on the planet, and rightly so, for kingdoms rose and fell, while the divine word was constant and absolute.

Castles rose and crumbled while detailed and ostentatious cathedrals remained unchanged from their construction thousands of years in the past. They were the only reminder to Faradras of the origin of all.

In all, there were three cathedrals in the world, each in a major capital city where a significant part of the population gathered around it.

Long population centres where lords and nightingales fought for control and influence over banal desires, such as land, power, and glory.

One of these bustling cities was Redentia, a long-lasting bastion of humanity that was built long before dynasties, houses, and kingdoms. From an age of glory that only walls have seen and known its past. Many armies marched through its streets, the grand palace has seen many kings and queens be crowned and buried. Yet the city remained still and strong as rivers of blood cleansed the dust of time, the flesh of the fallen made trees rise strong and steady as they had yet to wither of old.

On its ancient streets, kids of all ages could be seen running amidst the heavy transit as the workers saw with some happiness the youthful joy that many shared once before their duties befalled upon them. And although tricksters and punks, many among the adults agreed that none should condemn the ways that these kids should act, as it wouldn't be long before those times of laugh and happiness would fade under the laborious routine of work.

"Can you remind me why are we here, Bann?" A bratty feminine voice could be heard amidst the bustling street. Clad in a brown hood covering her whole visage, nothing stands out aside from her alien language.

Beside her, a much larger figure that dwarfed the kids and scrawny men could be seen walking, also clad in a brown hood.

"We haven't been able to collect enough data for the scouters to learn their language." His deep voice made the female beside him feel her chest vibrating at each word he said.

"Yeah but that's the thing, why should we bother learning their language instead of making them learn ours? They're not important at all." The female added while a hint of exasperation could be felt in her tone.

Looking around the different faces of the people in the city the man spoke once again "I've told you many times Seleri that these people are important for our plans, if we wish to return to our planet we need their hands and minds working on our cause."

Some people looked over the man's direction as they looked with surprise and fear at his figure. His booming voice and foreign language were eye-catching and shocking altogether.

The girl named Seleri seemed to let out a chuckle and answered him back "These people? Just look at them, they are pathetic and worst of all, weak."

As she said these words she eyed with contempt at the surprised faces of the people around her that were eyeing both.

"Heh, they even seem to feel fear for our foreign language." She pointed out with her chin at a mother trying to hide her kids from their view.

Bann looked over where she pointed and could only let out a sigh of exasperation. They have seen the same attitude in the many cities, towns, and villages they went through.

'There are many things that don't make sense at all.' Bann thought to himself while reminiscing certain things he saw throughout the years they had been living on this planet.

Raising his gaze towards the sky he remembered 'There are ships and spacial technology in that space station, yet the world itself is stagnated in the middle ages, but why? What's the point of it?'

The more he thought about the issue, the less sense it made for him as various threats were looming around the planet. Such as the orks that Bann has been killing and beating non-stop for more than ten years.

'These orc kind-of beasts are way above what the local garrison could face, if not for us they would have already wiped out whole cities.' Remembering the scene a few weeks ago, Bann felt his blood pumping. Rivers of blood and mountains of bodies filled a valley not so far from the current city they were in.

Alongside Rucule they fought against a column that was moving towards the city that held at least a hundred thousand orks, which carried alongside them many other small beats and little fellas.

'And that was just one of the many that we've been killing these months.' Bann thought that his staying in this world would be a more peaceful one, yet he has been fighting the green pest for a long time now.

And although it was a great way to try out the techniques he's been learning until now, it was tiresome work. More so when endless waves of these orcs appeared with more frequency than before.

'I wonder how long it would be until a horde would appear in this city before we could react?' Bann wondered to himself as he appreciated the feudal architecture that reminded him of his previous life.

"And that's why we need to learn their language, so we don't stand out and make them fear us without reason." As he said his last word, Bann advanced further although Seleri looked over his back with a raised brow.

'Why did he let out his ki?' She asked herself as she let out a sigh and followed him.

"Don't tell me you're planning to do the same thing as Rucule and Aprit?" Seleri asked after a moment of contemplation as she eyed Bann's actions.

"Which one exactly?" He asked her back as kids ran away scared of his voice.

"The one where they pick some of these weaklings to breed them." Seleri spat out her words as she eyed the various females in the street with contempt and disgust.

Bann couldn't help but let out a chuckle as he answered her truthfully "Well, since only Ramela appealed to Aprit's pleas, it is normal for Rucule and I to recur to these females. We must fulfill our duty after all."

Sensing a ki raising after his words left his mouth, Bann added "Unless of course, you are willing to take their place, which is something that would prevent me from reaching out to them."

Looking back at Seleri, he saw her face getting crimson as she looked over his eyes with indignation, but also shame.

"I..um... you! I told you I would not let someone weaker to fancy over me." She pointed at him with her finger as she felt her cheeks burning "s-so if you want to take me you better keep training, hmph."

As she said those words she didn't wait for Bann to answer her as she moved forward.

Bann could only laugh at her words as he answered her "Well, if you keep trying to kill these people then it would be a far-away dream for you to be fancied by me, I need those healing pods to keep training..."

Hearing him laughing and his words Seleri could only keep fuming while she breathed in deep trying to calm herself.

".. that is unless you decide to loosen up and let me get you." As Bann said those words, he saw Seleri stopping on her track and looking back at him.

Seeing her surprised expression he winked at her as he continued walking. Yet the girl just keep looking at him while her heartbeats keep rising like drums.

Getting back on her senses she jolted back beside him as she looked over more meek than before yet she continued chattering with him.

"So, after learning their language what are we supposed to do?" She asked while gazing carefully at Bann's expressions.

Tilting his head sideways he told her the next step of their plan "We'll try to approach the authorities and try to get a deal with them, since we already own some villages that are working under us, we'll try and see if we can reach a mutual agreement first."

Seleri noted a certain sarcasm behind his voice and asked " And if not?"

Bann let out a laugh and looked over her "We'll make them understand their position and make their fear justified."

"But why don't we do that foremost instead of trying to negotiate with ants? It doesn't make sense." Seleri told him her opinion.

Nodding his head at her rationing he explained "And you're right, but it's always better to make them feel as if they have some sort of decision on the matter, even if they're not. After all, it would make them happier and easier to control."

Hearing his explanation, Seleri didn't look convinced still, yet she only answered with a "Whatever."

*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*

The sound of their scouters made both stop chattering while walking as different notifications appeared on their screens.

"Finally, it took a while until it gathered all the information." Exclaimed Bann as he eyed the result of the analysis.

"I can't believe this small planet had these many variants of a language. It's awful." Said Seleri with disgust on her face. After all, she didn't even learn one language until now as she deemed their language as one beneath their mother tongue.

"Low Gothic? That's a peculiar name." Bann muttered under his breath while remembering the language back on his homeworld.

'I didn't know Akira Toriyama was this acknowledged in ancient languages.' Until now Bann thought that the planet they were residing in currently still belonged to the Dragon Ball universe.

"Still beneath the universal language that we Saiyans spoke." Added Seleri after hearing his commentary.

"Well, I'm going to try the live translation until I learn enough." Bann said to her as he touched the scouter that was hiding behind his black mane under the hood.

As the unintelligible ratter and chatting that was around them became clear, both Bann and Seleri started to grasp the livelihood of the citizens of this city.

And as they continued walking more and more the streets, a look of seriousness and confusion was on Bann's face.

"...AND OUR LORD ALMIGHTY WILL GUIDE US ALL THROUGH THE VEIL OF DARKNESS THAT ALWAYS THREATENS TO ENCROACH OUR LIVES, DO NOT HEAR THE WHISPERS OF THE WICKED AS THEY WANT TO LURE YOUR SOUL TO THEIR WRETCHED HANDS TO LIVE THE ETERNITY AWAY FROM THE WARMTH LIGHT OF THE LORD IN HEAVEN..." As Bann continued hearing the words of one of the many preachers that seemed to abound on the streets of the city, he couldn't help but feel that something important was missing from his knowledge.

'What is that I'm missing?' He thought to himself, yet not for long as he heard someone shouting near him.

"LOOK, A STAR OF IRON IS FALLING!"

"TAKE COVER!"

"THE LORD HAS BEEN ANGERED!"

Looking over the various ships and aircraft descending towards the city, Bann looked over Seleri with a frown.

It was the first time that one of these ships appeared over a city in all the years they'd been exploring this world.

"Those ki are way above the average." Seleri told him as they both focused their senses in the direction of the ships.

"...there are hundreds of these numbers..." Bann muttered while he eyed carefully the ball of fire.

Yet when one of the ships became clearer from the smoke and fire, Bann felt his throat squeeze while his stomach turned upside down.

"...It can't be..." he could only mutter in horror at the visage of a double-headed eagle in golden, and the various motifs of skull and machinery.

'Those logos, the-they are...' his mind was in complete and utter chaos as they could only belong to one universe, one that he knew little but enough to frighten him.

The air finally passed through his squeezed throat and let out a whisper "It's Warhammer."