Imperium of Man Terra Aeterna Season 01: Rise of Humanity's War Machin

In Salt Lake City, Reuel spent the next twenty-five days in relative calm. Though the outside world was deteriorating rapidly, he still took time every day to inspect the city's defense systems—and occasionally tease Jill and Alice in his usual, unmistakable way.

Jill and Alice both noticed it. Moments of peace like this wouldn't last. They knew the world would soon be ablaze with chaos once again. So, they cherished these small moments with Reuel.

That day, the television broadcast suddenly cut out.

Alice stood in front of the screen, watching the static, the only sound now a low hum of silence.

"There's no signal on the TV," she said softly, glancing back at Reuel.

Reuel stepped closer and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He kissed her hair gently and spoke in a calm tone:

"Yes. The end… is near."

Silently, Reuel reflected:

This is too fast... In the Resident Evil films, the global outbreak didn't occur until years after the Raccoon City incident. But now? It's only been four months, and the United States has already fallen. Other nations are faring even worse.

Alice looked up at him, worry in her eyes.

"How can it be this fast? Didn't you say it should've taken years? Is this... Umbrella's doing?"

Reuel nodded, his expression hardening.

"Highly likely. They must have deliberately accelerated the global spread of the virus."

"Umbrella wants to control the world, Alice. And their cloning technology… has far surpassed any ethical boundary. They've been collecting human DNA for years—genetic data, biometrics, everything. Cloning humans isn't hard for them anymore. So for Umbrella, the current population isn't an asset... it's an obstacle."

Alice clenched her fist. "Then... what are we going to do?"

Reuel sighed, turning his gaze toward the twilight sky beyond the window.

"I've instructed Red Queen to make use of all the active satellites under our control. Salt Lake City is now shielded from external surveillance. We're invisible from orbit."

"We won't strike first, Alice. Not yet. We wait for Umbrella to reveal their true face. If we attack now, they'll just go deeper into hiding… and that would be a disaster for us."

Alice slowly nodded. She leaned her head against Reuel's shoulder, allowing herself to enjoy the fleeting moment of peace in a world already falling apart

The holographic projection of the Red Queen suddenly appeared from the tactical bracelet on Reuel's wrist.

"Brother, there is a convoy heading in our direction," she reported swiftly and calmly.

Reuel stopped in his tracks and turned. "How long until they arrive?"

"Approximately two hours to reach the mountain pass, based on their current speed."

Reuel gave a slight nod. "Contact the Provisional Defense Department under the command of Major Marda Hellsker. Tell them to be on full alert. Monitor and identify whoever is coming."

"Understood, Brother," Red Queen replied, vanishing from the projection

Alice, who was seated not far away, narrowed her eyes.

"Could they be fugitives?" she asked warily.

"Too early to tell. I'll check it out myself."

"I'm coming with you. There's nothing useful I can do here," Alice said with a small smile before kissing Reuel's cheek.

Reuel returned a faint smile. "Very well, we'll go together."

Not long after, a convoy of Chimera transports and a Taurox Prime departed from the villa. Inside, Reuel and Alice sat surrounded by fully armed Cadia Shock Troopers.

They passed through Salt Lake City, which now resembled a fortified bastion. Impressive order was still maintained amidst the global collapse. Money no longer held value here—only bartering and the exchange of services mattered now. The citizens embraced the system with gratitude. Thanks to efficient logistics and tight military supervision, the city had become a sanctuary far safer than the zombie-infested world beyond.

Mountain Pass – Outer Defense Line

About fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the main defensive line: a mountain pass reinforced with ten-meter-high steel walls.

Reuel stepped out of the closely guarded Taurox Prime and took a lift up to the top of the wall.

Major Marda Hellsker and her aide, Mike, were already waiting.

"Your Majesty," Mike saluted with the Imperial Aquila. "Major Hellsker is present to receive you."

Reuel returned the salute briefly. "Situation report. Where's the convoy now?"

"Report from Falcon Team: convoy will arrive in under ten minutes," Hellsker replied firmly.

Reuel looked into the distance, his expression steely.

"Order all personnel to combat alert. I want to know who they are."

"Understood, Your Majesty!" Hellsker responded, immediately relaying orders through her vox-bead.

Meanwhile, Alice stood beside Reuel, her eyes scanning the troops around them.

For the past four months, both Alice and Jill had quietly wondered—though never out loud—why Reuel's troops called him "Your Majesty" or "The Emperor." Was it an official title? A command protocol? Or just some elaborate eccentricity? They never asked. Maybe it was better that way.

The combined forces of the Astra Militarum and retrained U.S. military—now operating under Cadia doctrine—demonstrated impeccable discipline. Troops scaled the walls in ordered movements, heavy weapons handled with precision. Autocannons and M36 Kantrael Pattern lasguns were primed for deployment. In the skies above, two Vendetta Gunships and one Valkyrie Assault Carrier stood ready.

First Contact

Fifty to sixty civilian vehicles emerged on the horizon. The convoy included pickup trucks, family cars, even an old school bus—clearly not a military formation.

Alice observed closely.

"They're civilians. Look... there are children among them."

Reuel was silent for a moment.

"Major Hellsker. Order all passengers out of their vehicles. Then secure and collect all their weapons."

"Acknowledged, Your Majesty."

---

A large convoy was heading toward Salt Lake City.

Inside one of the off-road vehicles, a woman with reddish-brown hair, wearing tight jeans and a worn tank top, gripped a walkie-talkie tightly. Her build was athletic, her face marked with a resilience shaped by a world long since destroyed.

"Carlos, how much longer?" asked Claire Redfield, eyes locked forward with alert focus.

"We're almost there," replied a man's voice through the intercom. "Once we get over that ridge up ahead, you'll see the entrance gates to Salt Lake City. Five minutes tops."

"Carlos, do you really believe Salt Lake City's clear of zombies?"

"Hell if I know," Carlos answered, his tone more realistic than hopeful. "But according to the food boss—before everything went to hell—Salt Lake City had logistics stockpiled to last more than two years. If there's any place left that could save us... this might be it."

"Let's hope you're right," Claire muttered.

Soon, as the convoy crested the ridge, the view opened before them. Nestled in a mountain pass stood a colossal wall nearly ten meters high, stretching solid and imposing across the valley behind it.

"Holy shit..." murmured one of the passengers.

"They built a fortress like that?" said another, both awed and wary.

"Claire, are you seeing this?" Carlos exclaimed.

"I see it, Carlos. This isn't some improvised refuge. Someone actually built... something out here," Claire replied. "We need to get closer."

But as the convoy began approaching the pass, a thunderous roar echoed from above.

Two gunships—Vendetta-class—emerged from behind the cliffs, flying low and circling the convoy. Their design was reminiscent of a Lockheed AC-130, yet they hovered like helicopters. Their hulls bristled with unfamiliar auto-cannons and missile systems.

Then, a voice boomed from one of the aircraft via loudspeaker:

"Stop! Convoy ahead, cease all movement immediately! Proceed any further and you will be fired upon!"

Carlos hit the brakes hard, signaling the vehicles behind to halt.

He stared up at the Vendetta hovering above them, bewildered—this wasn't any U.S. military aircraft he knew. But the firepower? Crystal clear—this wasn't a welcoming committee.

"Claire, what do we do now?" he asked, voice slightly trembling.

"Wait. Let's see how they respond. Hopefully... they're not as brutal as they look."

The massive gate embedded in the mountain pass began to open slowly. The rumble of heavy engines followed. A dozen armored vehicles—Chimera APCs—rolled forward, trailed by a single Leman Russ tank moving like an ancient steel beast, its autocannon turret rotating slowly atop.

Claire's convoy was gradually surrounded.

Soldiers in deep forest-green fatigues dismounted. Their uniforms were strange—not any military outfit Claire or Carlos recognized. Emblazoned on their chests was a double-headed eagle crest, more reminiscent of a fascist dystopian regime than any humanitarian force.

Several soldiers leveled their weapons at the convoy. These weren't your standard M4s or AKs—their rifles gleamed with a faint green hue, boxy with long barrels and fine cables looping along their sides.

Carlos squinted. He'd worked as a mercenary for Umbrella, and this—whatever this was—wasn't from the world he knew.

From one of the Chimeras, a female officer stepped out, clad in light ceremonial armor with a half-open helmet.

"Who are you people? And why are you in this territory?" she asked firmly, her voice cutting clearly over the engines.

Claire stepped forward and spoke loudly, her voice hoarse but firm,

"We escaped from Detroit. The city... it's gone. Zombies are everywhere. Too many died."

The officer in front of her—clad in dark green combat armor and wearing the distinctive helmet of Cadia's forces—regarded them with suspicion.

"Out of the vehicles. Now. We need to inspect everything.

And surrender your weapons. No one is allowed to carry arms inside Salt Lake City."

Claire and Carlos exchanged a look. There was no other option but to comply. Even if they refused, they were already surrounded.

"We're the leaders of this convoy," Claire said. "May we speak directly with your commander?"

The officer didn't answer immediately. She touched the vox-bead on her helmet.

"Major Hellsker, two individuals claim to lead the refugee convoy. They request an audience with the Emperor."

A deep voice responded through the intercom:

"Search and secure their weapons first. After that, report back."

A few minutes later, Major Hellsker herself reported to the central command chamber.

"Your Majesty," she said, saluting with one hand pressed to her chest in the gesture of the twin-headed eagle.

"A refugee convoy from the east has arrived. Their leaders request an audience."

Reuel looked at her calmly. His voice was deep but controlled.

"Bring them here. Make sure they're thoroughly checked. I don't want a single infected crossing the line."

"Understood, Your Majesty," Hellsker replied, saluting again.

From atop the wall, Alice looked down at the long line of refugee vehicles. Her face was cold, but her eyes carried concern.

"I didn't expect this many to still be alive."

Reuel gave a slight nod.

"We're isolated, but some people must still know this location. We did purchase a lot of gear from the outside. Maybe that drew them here."

Alice asked without turning, "You sure they're clean?"

"No signs of infection yet. Some may just be looking for safety."

A few minutes later, two Cadia Shock Troopers escorted two individuals into the chamber: Claire and Carlos.

"Your Majesty, these are the ones."

Claire and Carlos were momentarily stunned. In front of them stood a pair of unexpected leaders: a Middle Eastern man with golden pupils and a young blonde woman.

Claire straightened up and spoke,

"Sir... my name is Claire, and this is Carlos. We lead the convoy. We fled Detroit. It took nearly a week to push through the ruins and dead cities heading west. Now we've reached Salt Lake City... and we hope this won't be the end of our journey."

Claire looked directly at Reuel—the man seated calmly before her in casual clothing.

"What happened in Detroit?" he asked plainly.

He recognized Claire—one of the lead female protagonists from Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)—and hadn't expected to encounter her in a remote place like Salt Lake City. And now Carlos stood beside her. Reuel hadn't seen him since the Raccoon City incident, during the mission to rescue Angie. And now the man had just appeared next to Claire—clearly, the film's narrative had shifted.

"Detroit is finished," Claire said grimly. "There might not be a single person left alive there. Zombies are everywhere. We haven't seen a living soul on the entire road here."

Alice, standing not far away, asked,

"You seriously didn't see anyone?"

"None," Carlos replied. "Even in the more remote areas we passed, we didn't find a single person. Every city we went through was crawling with the dead."

Reuel let out a short breath.

"You can stay here. But if anyone causes trouble... I won't hesitate to respond harshly."

"Thank you, sir. We'll behave. We won't cause problems," Claire replied quickly.

Their group was out of food. They might not even eat tonight. But now, with Reuel's help, at least they had hope of surviving one more day.

"Major Hellsker, allow anyone who passes inspection to enter," Reuel said firmly.

"Understood, Your Majesty."

"Also make sure they keep order. Tell their people to line up. Anyone uninfected will be allowed in. Beyond that, all weapons must be surrendered," Reuel added to Claire and Carlos.

"Okay," Carlos answered briefly.

"Thank you, sir," Claire added.

With the conversation concluded, the Cadia Shock Troopers led them away for further screening.