By bolter shell, flamer burst and melta blast, the mutant, the heretic and the traitor alike are cleansed of their sin of existence. So has it been for five millennia, so shall it be unto the end of time.

- Words of Devotion, Verses IV-V, Chapter X, Volume LII

-//-

The sudden kick of a gag reflex stirred Rosetta from her slumber. She coughed and hurled as the foul taste of warm blood flooded her mouth. She looked around in the gloomy murky depths of the room as blood pooled all around her. She tried to stand but her armour weighed her down. She looked around.

Outrage bloomed with her heart as she found a world of death. Bodies everywhere, each one, a pious daughter of the emperor. Triaria, Lethania, Iona, Lucia, she knew them all, their shocked faces told stories of gruesome deaths. Lucia in particular, her corpse rent open and gutted, her once imposingly stern eyes and mouth now opened wide in dismay like some dark power captured her in her moment of horrific despair and preserved it for posterity.

From the corner of her eye, she spotted an abomination. A humanoid creature in the form of man, near nine feet tall, encased in armour, coloured every shade of purple and bristling with terrible might. In its hands hung Catiana she ground her teeth and shut her eyes as Rosetta's hearing came to.

The Battle Sister in the hands of the monster growled and groaned, the sickening sound of crunching bone and twisting flesh filling the air. New movement caught her eye, pulling her attention to the other end of the room. There she found under the corpse of Triaria blessed Aura. Rosetta's spirits lifted as the good friend beckoned her closer.

Rosetta tried to crawl but a sudden surge of pain struck her body, sapping all strength from it. She dropped into the blood in a vile splash, hand slapped onto mouth to keep her silence. A sickening snap echoed throughout the room and Catiana let out one last weak squeal before she fell silent. The Monster marveled at his gruesome work an inhuman grown of satisfaction echoed from the creature.

Rosetta tried to crawl again and again the pain stalled her. She let out a tiny yelp before swallowing her screaming voice with all the effort she could muster. Aura's silver eyes looked on beyond Rosetta and widened as Catiana was dropped, dead, her flesh, a bloody mess from the neck down just like Lucia's. The world almost shook as heavy metal boots stomped towards Rosetta.

She looked on in despair as Aura's eyes sharpened she knew that look, knew what it meant. She tried to squeal, tried to scream. She howled and wailed as her body collapsed and her mind gave in to the terrible truth.

By the Emperor no, sister, not you too.

At once Aura gripped her sword and burst out from under the dead Triaria.

"Get away from her you traitorous filth!" she cried out as she arose onto her feet and charged the humanoid beast. He let loose a garbled chuckle as tentacles lashed out at Aura with all speed. A satisfying roar echoed from with the pink monster's helmet as blue blood sprayed into the air.

Rosetta looked back in astonished disbelief as the beast staggered in pain, its tentacles missing and blessed Aura charging at it with a bloodied blade in hand. Skilful Aura, graceful Aura, she had at the beast with the will of the Emperor flowing like pious fire through her very veins.

The hellspawn drew his own massive shining blade and slashed diagonally downwards. Beautiful Aura moved to parry when the beast's blade flew through her blade and torso in one effortless strike. Both dropped to the floor in two and Rosetta screamed in complete outrage. In a blur of motion, the beast sped to her and picked her up by the neck. She hit and scratched at it like a desperate rodent to no avail.

It held her aloft, laughing and cackling at bad comedy as it squeezed. The Battle Sister went red, weakling hands grasping at the beast's armoured fist finding no purchase. Ears went numb, vision blurred, strength faded, she readied herself for the end.

A sudden flash of the purest light filled the room and Rosetta was dropped to the floor. The smell of scorched flesh flooded her nostrils. She gagged and coughed as she gasped for air. She laid there, the last of her spent. She looked up at the entrance and found beauty again. Relief washed over her as beauty walked towards her.

Mirabel

A sudden burst of pain tore Rosetta from her dream. She looked up, blinking, her head ringing in agony. She looked up and found Sister Palatine Isabel scowling down at her with a scar ridden, ageing face. With the other Battle Sisters sitting in rows of seats with her, heads down, hands holding onto rosaries, whispering litanies of prayers as the turbulent world around them shook.

Isabel stood tall and imposing, every detail of her being seemingly built for her role. Pale, wrinkled, nigh inhuman skin, the grey-blue eyes of a hawk and a scowl to make a young Sister shrivel up and cry.

She stood there, scowling, glaring and holding sway over the quivering Rosetta. She placed the flat section of her blade against Rosetta's chin and with it lifted up her head. Then she placed it on her right cheek, pushing her face left, correcting her posture. Rosetta's gut churned with fear every time that wretched blade touched her. Then she hissed and froze as the sharp end pricked the skin of her neck. Rosetta's heart pounded in her chest and the full weight of divine judgement fell upon her shoulders. She gripped the blade with her shaking gauntleted hand.

"I beg the Emperor's forgiveness, my mistress. It will not happen twice" Rosetta pleaded.

Isabel straightened her posture and nodded as if assured all was as it should be once more. Then she moved on, roaming the troop compartment as a vigilant sentinel, sword in hand ready to strike any other who dared be found wanting.

Rosetta looked around, all the Sisters around her whispering and praying at their own pace, sorting their way through their rosaries. Many had their bolters laid out on their laps, chanting extra benedictions of praise and penance, praying that the emperor bade that the revered guns shoot true in the coming battle.

Rosetta reached over her right shoulder and touched the smooth leather of her bolter's handle; a reassuring sensation. She raised her hand, checking where she was on her own rosary and began praying, her hands joining on her lap.

"All hands brace. Entering atmosphere in, 3... 2... 1."

With a sudden jarring lurch, the world began to tremble and shake as artificial gravity overlapped with real gravity and both began to press down on the women with violent persistence. The bright white lights illuminating the troop compartment turned dim and red.

Isabel barely flinched as she and all the others around her quickly finished up their prayers and donned their helms. Going through the same rituals of checking and rechecking, every Battle Sister in the room endeared her holy weapon with all the dignity and reverence expected of a warrior of the God-Emperor.

Rosetta did the same, whispering prayers of purgation and vengeance as her HUD activated and she drew her bolter. She released its mag, checked both it and the gun's receiver, then she pulled the bolt back on it and inspected the breach and firing mechanisms. All was well and clean of soot. She reloaded the mag and cocked the bolt, keeping the safety on for now.

Then a door opened and a bright flash of light drew the attention of them all. In the far end of the hall came a sight that made Rosetta's heart thump. Majestic, beautiful, perfect, Canoness Mirabel Walked down from the command deck. Velvet royal red cape flowing from her shoulders, silver armour shimmering in the flashes of light from external explosions. The Blade of Judgement, her venerated power sword, sheathed on her hip, gorgeous black hair flowing around her head. She walked down to present herself to them all.

"Sisters!" Her voice rung throughout the hall, echoing off of the walls, silencing all other activity. All eyes fell onto her. She walked among her subordinates, inspiring awe and admiration from every single one with every elegant step. She spoke with the voice of angelic authority.

"By the power invested in us by the God-Emperor of Mankind, our one true lord and the duty entrusted to us by the theologians, bishops and cardinals of his one true church, the Adeptus Ministorum; in service to his holy Inquisition, in accordance to divine canon and imperial law, as is stated in the Lectitio Divinitatus and the Book of Judgement, God-Emperor's great work, I, Canoness Diana Mirabella Orianna III, hereby henceforth declare the people of Helios Primus with the exception of that of Hive Solaris Excommunicate Traitoris for the crimes of Heresy, Divine Treason and consign them to oblivion. By right and by duty this task has been commended unto us, my Sisters! May the God-Emperor's light guide us to mete upon them this, most just, of judgements!"

"By duty and by right, we follow his light!" chanted the Sisters in unison.

"Together, my Sisters, we move to reinforce the imperial garrison on Hive Solaris. We will not stop for the weak nor the wounded. We will cleanse the city of the heretics and secure it in the name of the God-Emperor of Mankind!" Mirabel Announced.

"May he illuminate the way!"

She slung her gun over her shoulder, magnetic clamps taking hold as she went and sat with the other silver armoured veterans; her celestians, her bodyguards and companions. It was an ornate thing, just like everything else in her arsenal. A heat blasting melta combined with an under-slung bolter often referred to as a combi-melta, perfect for eradicating most opponents.

Rosetta looked on, watching the subject of her admiration with guilty envy. Mirabel was gorgeous, utterly gorgeous in mind, soul and body. Again small rebellious thoughts crept their way into Rosetta's head as they have a thousand times before. If anyone is fit to guard Mirabel's person, it had to be Rosetta. No other soul, short of the God-Emperor, of course, would dedicate themselves more to such an honour. In fact, not one of them could dedicate themselves more to task than her, Rosetta herself.

"Squad report" came the order. Sister Superior Lorraine's name appeared on Rosetta's HUD as her voice rung through the squad's vox channel.

"Sister Loretta, ready."

Rosetta's heart ached, her mind drifted, Mirabel the Saviour, Mirabel the Master, oh the joyful things they could do together... Rosetta bit her tongue in an instant, tearing herself away from her dreams, forcing herself to focus on the empty dullness of reality.

"Sister Rosetta, ready." She replied and so did the rest of the four remaining sisters of Squad Lorraine, their names showing themselves on the HUD as they spoke. She resolved to steel herself for the coming trials ahead.

"Sister Cornelia, ready."

"Sister Petra, ready."

"Sister Cassandra, ready."

"Honoured Sister Gloria, ready. Squad Lorraine is ready and willing, my Lady."

Rosetta saw an overlay of a small section of Hive Solaris in light yellow light. A dull thing with few features of note. Long, broad highways surrounding winding mazes of buildings, pathways and alleyways. A red square marked out a point of interest.

"Good. Helios has fallen to darkness, Sisters. It is up to us to show them the light once more."

The overlay zoomed into the square, revealing more detail. Lorraine carried on faith and courage radiating with every word. She enjoys her position, Rosetta thought as she turned to face the Sister Superior.

"This is Section thirty-two, fifty-eight, forty-one. This is our charge. Purge, secure and await reinforcement..." Then a marker appeared in the centre of what looks like a plaza."...We are to land here with the rest of the order and push eastward, driving the enemy before us."

The thunder of war rumble in through the armoured hull of the bulk lander as it descended through the air. The siren rang and fell silent soon after. The ironclad Sisters of the Order of Illumination stood from their seats and faced the massive assault ramps that formed the wall to their right. ready to charge out and face the Emperor's foes as soon as they lowered.

Rosetta looked back just in time to catch Cassandra light up the igniter on her flamer. She smiled in her helm, still finding at least some comfort in the purity of holy fire. She turned back around seeing the back of Sister Petra's head as she and so many others waited for the assault ramps to lower and unleash them upon the battlefield.

-//-