I Am a Noble

In his worldview, the Imperium is a giant pyramid, with the Emperor at the very top, followed by Primarch, High Lords, Space Marines, Inquisitor...

Below them are the Planetary Governor, Cardinal, and the Archmagos... and then down there are the Terra nobles.

The base of the pyramids was made up of countless ordinary people like the laborers of the Hive Seven.

The purpose of the base is to support the upper layer; if the base is damaged, that is a natural phenomenon.

His eldest son, Carl von Habsburg, thirty years old, knocked and entered.

"Father, the news from the Hive Seven is not good." Carl's expression was grave. "It wasn't an industrial accident. Witnesses claim... that non-human beings have appeared."

The Earl looked up. "Xenos? Or a mutant riot?"

"The description sounds like..." Carl hesitated for a moment, "A demon."

There was a five-second silence in the office.

Then the Earl laughed, "Absurd. Demons are heresy, a tool used by the Ecclesiarchy to control the ignorant masses."

The real threats are Xenos, traitors, and heretics, but not some supernatural entity. It's definitely some new type of mutation, or Chaos using advanced weapons.

"But the report says they tore through space--"

"Enough," the Earl interrupted his son. "Notify the Planetary Defense Force to dispatch two regiments to suppress the rebellion."

If they are mutants, kill them without mercy; if they are heretics, keep them alive for interrogation. In addition, strengthen security in the noble district and deploy a family guard to the palace.

Carl hesitated, then bowed and withdrew.

The Earl continued working.

He believed in the Imperium, in the Emperor, and in the reason and power of humanity to overcome all threats.

After all, this is Terra, the heart of humanity, and the royal palace is not far away, with the Emperor himself sitting on the Golden Throne, protecting mankind.

What major trouble could possibly occur?

Until the sky outside the window turned blood red.

The first explosion occurred at the defensive wall on the edge of the noble district.

The wall is fifty meters high and ten meters thick, with built-in turrets and energy shield generators, and theoretically it can withstand orbital bombardment.

It failed to stop the first charge of the Bloodthirster.

The Earl saw from his office window that a massive, bronze-colored figure crashed through the city wall, sending rubble raining down.

Then, more twisted figures surged in, tearing guards to shreds, destroying fortifications, and setting buildings ablaze with eerie flames.

The alarm blared throughout the entire aristocratic district.

The hovercars fled in panic, colliding in mid-air and exploding into fireballs.

On the streets, normally impeccably dressed nobles screamed and ran, while servants and guards tried to maintain order, but panic spread like a plague.

The family's head guard burst into the office. "My lord! We must evacuate! To the Deep Vault!"

The Earl stood still, gazing out the window.

He saw the red-armored giant—now he knew it wasn't a mutant, not Xenos, but a being truly from hell.

The giant was advancing along the main street, leaving burning footprints with every step, his double axes reaping lives like a harvester.

Behind the giant, the throne made of skulls was moving.

No, it wasn't moving; it was being lifted and suspended forward by some force. The red light in the skull's eye sockets intensified, as if mocking all the efforts of mortals.

"Father!"

Carl rushed in again, this time wearing his family's heirloom Power Armour.

This is not a Space Marines Power Armour, but an older model from the family's heyday. Its performance is far inferior to that of the Astartes, but it is still a masterpiece of craftsmanship.

He held a Power Sword in his hand, the family crest on the hilt gleaming.

"I'll lead the guards to hold them off and buy you time," Carl said, his voice trembling, but his hand holding the sword steady.

The Earl looked at his son.

At that moment, countless memories flashed through my mind:

Carl clumsily wielding a wooden sword as a child; Carl's first hunt against the mutated giant rats beneath Terra; Carl's victory in a noble duel; Carl's proud expression when his first son was born...

Now this son is willing to die for him.

"No," said the Earl.

He walked to a display case in the corner of the office, entered the password, and the case door opened.

Inside was not a work of art or documents, but a set of Power Armour —older and more ornate than his son's, but in excellent condition.

There was also a Chainsword, its blade engraved with ancient battle runes.

"Sir, you can't—" the captain of the guard tried to stop him.

"I am Albert von Habsburg, a nobleman of Terra, and a loyal servant of the Emperor."

The Earl began to put on his Power Armour; his movements were somewhat slow due to his age, but every step was precise and flawless.

"My family has stood on this land for a thousand years. We have survived the Age of Apostasy, the War of the Beast, the Black Crusades... We have never fled from our enemies."

The Power Armour snapped shut, and the servo system hummed to life. The Earl picked up the Chainsword, activated it, and the serrations began to spin, emitting a familiar roar.

The voice reminded him of his younger self—when he was also a warrior, having fought alongside the Imperial Guard to quell rebellions in the outer star systems and personally slaying Xenos.

He walked to the observation deck, pushed open the glass door, and went onto the balcony.

Below, civilians fled the streets, guards scrambled to build a flimsy defense, and demons drew near.

The Earl turned on the loudspeaker, and his voice echoed around the family palace:

"Servants and guards of the Habsburg family, all those who can still fight! I am your lord, Albert!"

Look at those things! They trample our homes, slaughter our people, and desecrate our world! They think we are lambs to the slaughter!

He raised the Chainsword high:

"But they are wrong! We are the people of Terra!"

The courage of the Emperor who unified Terra flows in our veins!

Our ancestors were warriors who fought alongside Emperor!

Today, we may die, but before we die, we will let these monsters know—humanity will never surrender!

Instead of cheers, he was met with a brief silence. Then, the first guard raised his gun, followed by the second, the third...

The servants picked up the weapons from the ground, the cook grabbed a cleaver, the gardener held pruning tools, and even a few noble neighbors came out of their sanctuary, bringing out their ancestral weapons.

Carl walked to his father's side, tears welling in his eyes, but with a proud smile, "I always thought you were just a bureaucrat."

"I am a bureaucrat." The Earl smiled, a smile of relief in it. "I have exploited my people, manipulated power, and done many dirty things for the benefit of my family."

But in the end, let me at least die like a warrior.

The red-armored giant noticed the resistance. It turned its head, its burning eyes locking onto the Earl, and then began to accelerate its charge.

It crashed through three buildings, crushed more than a dozen hovercars, and shot towards the palace like a cannonball.

"For the Emperor!" the Earl roared, leaping from the third-floor balcony.

The Chainsword clashed with the giant axe, sparks flying.

The Earl was knocked back five steps, his Power Armour joints groaning from the strain, but he regained his footing.

A hint of surprise flashed in the giant's eyes—this old thing had actually managed to withstand its attack.

The Earl dodged the second blow by sidestepping, his Chainsword slicing through the giant's leg armor and leaving a shallow mark.

He couldn't completely dodge the third strike; the axe blade grazed his shoulder armor, tearing through the outer protective plate, but it didn't injure his flesh.

"Father!" Carl jumped down as well, thrusting his Power Sword into the giant's back.

The sword tip sparked as it grazed Mars red armor, failing to pierce it, but it did attract the giant's attention.

The giant swung his axe backhand, Carl parried with his sword, only to be sent flying and crash into the wall. But he immediately crawled out, blood trickling from his mouth, but he was still alive.

More demons surged forth. A Khorne Bloodletter at the Earl, and he precisely severed its head.

A Plaguebearer spewed out a cloud of poisonous mist, Earl held his breath as the Power Armour's filtration system barely functioned.

A Horror of Tzeentch attempted to cast a spell but was blown to pieces by Melta Grenade thrown by Carl.

The battle lasted ten minutes—almost a miracle under the siege of demons.

The Earl's guards were more than half dead or wounded, and his servants were almost all wiped out, but he and Carl still stood back to back, surrounded by piles of demon corpses.