Brother Fotikodia piloted the nine-meter-tall humanoid mech, the Ares Custodian.
It was a Paladin-class Knight Mech.
A devastating war machine equipped with deep-blue protective armor, an energy deflection shield, a Hellfire Cannon, a Pulse Cannon, and a Missile Array.
Through the mech's observation modules, he watched the man before him.
The other party was shrouded in golden light.
He appeared so perfect, so sacred.
Fotikodia heard his words, yet was too shocked and excited to respond.
Before such a perfect and sacred being, words became pale and powerless.
The man placed a hand upon the Ares Custodian's knee joint.
"Machinery, heal thyself."
His voice was filled with confidence and strength.
It clearly reached the ears of every knight.
It breathed new vitality into every cell of their bodies, where flesh and steel were fused as one.
Gentle golden light spread outward from him.
Fotikodia felt a warm current flow through the mech's entire body.
Every component of the Ares Custodian was restored to pristine condition.
As if it had just rolled off the assembly line.
The Machine Spirit hidden deep within its core let out a blissful moan.
He could feel the Machine Spirit becoming exceptionally active and excited, while its connection coefficient with him soared.
"Who are you?" Fotikodia's voice was full of tension and unease.
"I am the Emperor."
The man's answer was very simple.
Yet Fotikodia heard the weight of history and the possibility of a glorious future in every syllable.
When he realized that he would never hear words of such profound significance again for the rest of his life, tears unconsciously streamed down his face.
Called by the voice in his heart, Fotikodia and the Ares Custodian he piloted made a move that stunned everyone.
He dropped to one knee before the Emperor.
Amid the hiss of pistons, the noble Knight Mech lowered its metal head.
It was a gesture of submission, signifying the offering of one's loyalty and remaining life.
At that moment, Taimon Fotikodia learned the truth of the being standing before him.
"Welcome to Mars, my lord," he said. "All praise be to the Great Omnissiah, the eternal Machine God."
The knights behind him also tacitly controlled their mechs to kneel.
Their cries rang out through the mechs' loudspeakers.
"All praise be to the Great Omnissiah, the eternal Machine God."
"All praise be to the Great Omnissiah, the eternal Machine God."
The Emperor had descended upon Mars.
It caused an enormous sensation.
He perfectly matched the prophecy of the Machine God made by Moravec, founder of the Singularity Brotherhood.
Countless locals regarded him as the physical incarnation of the Machine God, the savior of human civilization, and the sole faith in the universe.
After human civilization fell into decline during the Age of Strife, Mars likewise descended into turmoil.
Yet several centuries later, the Adeptus Mechanicus had established its dominance over Mars.
Through various mechanical doctrines, Mars eventually developed a powerful mechanical culture.
Martian civilization had been built upon worship of the Machine God—the Omnissiah.
To them, science and technology were mysterious and sacred religious products.
They concerned not only rational understanding, but were also closely tied to all manner of rituals and sacrifices.
In the doctrines of the Adeptus Mechanicus, the Machine God was the supreme existence.
Every believer of the Adeptus Mechanicus was to obey the will of the Machine God unconditionally.
The many lords of Mars arrived, led by Archmagos Karbo.
Unlike the common people, they remained skeptical of whether the Emperor was truly the incarnation of the Machine God.
"How could a god descend into the mortal world?"
Karbo's mechanical eyes swept over the Emperor, intent on finding evidence of his imposture.
Yet no matter how he searched, the Emperor remained the embodiment of perfection.
Every method of detection was rendered ineffective upon him.
"Moravec prophesied my arrival, yet you dare question it. Does that mean you have betrayed the Machine Spirit?"
The Emperor looked at Karbo, his tone utterly calm.
Fotikodia and the other knights looked toward Karbo and the other lords, their expressions grave.
They activated the weapon and defense systems of their Knight Mechs.
Should Karbo and the others be confirmed as traitors to the Machine Spirit, they would strike without hesitation.
The knights were all born on Mars.
But their faith in the Omnissiah stood above all else. It was the one to whom they had sworn to offer their loyalty and remaining lives.
They would never permit anyone to question the earthly incarnation of the Machine God.
Karbo and the other Martian lords could also sense the thoughts of the people and the knights.
If they denied the Emperor's identity, Mars would very likely be split apart.
The people and knights would believe that they denied the Emperor's identity merely to preserve the power in their hands.
The Adeptus Mechanicus had evolved from Moravec's Singularity Brotherhood, and faith in the Omnissiah was the foundation of everything.
The power of Mars's lords also depended upon faith in the Machine God.
"We would never betray the Machine Spirit, but we require more proof."
Karbo said, "When the venerable sage Moravec departed, he left behind a hidden vault containing the work of his lifetime, yet no one has been able to find it all these years."
"If you truly are the Machine God, then you should be able to find it."
The Emperor revealed a gentle smile. "Naturally."
Escorted by the Adeptus Custodes, the Emperor led Karbo and the other Martian lords into the intricate underground labyrinth beneath Mount Olympus.
These labyrinths had been built by humanity during the Golden Age and were once part of a magnificent city.
After the Age of Strife descended, the surface portions had been destroyed by war, leaving only the complex underground sections.
The tunnels were covered in dust that had accumulated for thousands of years.
Many tunnels branched away into darkness, carved into Martian rock formations billions of years old.
Hundreds of floating servo-skulls surrounded their party, illuminating the dim tunnels.
They continued deeper and deeper, dust swirling up behind them.
Metal footsteps echoed between the desiccated, dust-covered walls.
They entered a hall filled with echoes, with many tunnels ahead leading into unknown darkness.
Without the slightest hesitation, the Emperor led them into one of the passages.
They passed through dust-filled tombs, empty cells, and recesses piled high with skulls.
After traveling for a long time, the group found an ancient hall filled with dust-covered books and rusted machines.
Karbo and the others became exceptionally excited.
Moravec's Vault, rumored to contain the secrets of the universe's operation, was about to be revealed.
Karbo activated his recording matrix and map-drawing cache memory module.
He intended to record every tunnel they had traversed.
Once they returned, he would immediately send people to develop the site.
He could hardly wait to study the unknown technologies Moravec had left behind.
After passing through a twisted tunnel, they arrived in a circular hall one hundred and sixty meters in diameter.
The hall gave off a gentle glow, yet no obvious light source could be seen.
A grand, ancient door engraved with numerous runes was set into the hall's wall.
A mechanical data keypad and a dial were installed before the door.
Beside them was a passage written in binary digits.
The Emperor stood before the great door and said, "This is Moravec's hidden vault."
Karbo and the others scanned the binary text.
Only one who protects the Empire, the Master of Mankind, the earthly incarnation of the Machine God, may find this place.
All who revere the Machine Spirit must unconditionally obey the incarnation of the Omnissiah, or they shall surely be forsaken by the Machine Spirit.
The Machine Spirit and the secrets of technology surpass mortal flesh.
To praise the Machine Spirit is our sacred duty; to guard the Machine Spirit is the foundation of our peace; to soothe the Machine Spirit is the basis of thy continued existence.
Without doctrine, the Machine Spirit gives no aid.
Ring the great bell once! Push the lever; activate the pistons and pumps!
Ring the great bell twice! Press the button; start the engine, ignite the turbine, infuse life!
Ring the great bell thrice! Sing in unison; praise the Machine God!
Having confirmed that these words had indeed been left behind by Moravec, Karbo and the other Martian lords showed excited expressions.
They all looked toward the Emperor.
"Honored Omnissiah, please open it."