Alas faith is not cause for undue rest for suspicion is the Emperor's eternal guardian. Faith cannot rest so long as man seeks truth

- Mathias [1:34-35] Testament Luminus.

-//-

The world quivered and quaked as massive detonations torn up the earth in a chaotic whirlwind of anarchy. The air was bristling with deafening sound as the daughters of the emperor ground their foe into oblivion. Countless munitions shredded their way through the air lighting up the evening sky with reds and golden yellows.

The mighty colossi of House Helepolis trampled onward, an ocean of fire battering against their thick hides. One wielding a growling gatling cannon waded forth, flooding the fortifications with fire and flame. With gauntlet it crushed and pried open the rockrete strongholds, exposing the enemy within. Upon its chest was branded the name Xenophon.

Xenophon rumbled in triumph as it pulverised its prey. It wandered forth, a line of silver dancing around its feet as the Order or Illumination cut down the survivors of the monster's onslaught. A shadow fell over Rosetta as the Warden stood tall above her, blasting away the defences with a constant barrage of heavy shells and ignited promethium fuel.

Cornelia stepped forth on front of her, spraying rounds down range while she turned to her left and kicked open the wooden door before her. She then took a grenade out, pulled the pin and tossed it into the room moments later it detonated and she moved on as Cornelia reloaded. They swapped places with Cornelia doing the same.

Then through the detonation of a dozen bloodied bodies Loretta, Lorraine and Cassandra came through from the other side. They converged on a T section in the winding maze of fortifications. As they met another squad rushed past them, a sense of urgency palpable in the air. Lorraine needn't say a word and they were already surging forth with the rest of the order.

Suddenly a sickly white flash of light stopped them all in their tracks as a deafening detonation thundered all around them with paralysing ferocity. Rosetta looked up with her sisters and gasped in bewildered shock as Xenophon stood, frozen in place, guns falling silent, smoke and blooming fire billowed from where should be a head.

Then she noticed it began to buckle and falter. She looked to the others, panic lurching up from her gut.

"By The Emperor! Brace!" She barked through the vox, catching their attention. Just as the metallic parts of the titan began to growl and whine in protest Squad Lorraine braced against the walls of the trench. Xenophon Toppled over backwards into the earth. The ground quaked as ashen earth and debris flooded their vision.

Shrapnel showered down upon them all. Rosetta managed to catch a glimpse of luckless guardsmen being cut down by the storm, their bodies disappearing into the maelstrom of ashen dust. Soon the thunder ceased and an uneasy peace seemed to befall the squad. They stood up from their cover, checking weapons and surroundings for several long moments while the battle rage all around them.

"By his light. They will pay," growled Cornelia, staring at the mechanical husk as the air slowly cleared.

"Silence. Squad, advance," ordered Lorraine as she marched.

Rosetta watched as her squad members moved on, one by one. Cornelia stopped, watching her back. Rosetta checked her mag, loaded it back in and moved on with the rest with Cornelia bringing up the rear. The Sisters walked on through the trenches as the dust cleared, sparing a bolt shot or two for every coughing, disorientated heretic they came across.

Rosetta checked the map available on her HUD. They were so close to one of their objectives with darkness falling upon them. It was surreal. Gunfire rattled all around them yet they faced no one. No man, no woman, no heretic, not a single soul showed itself as they pushed on into a seemingly endless dusk.

-//-

It is not long before the shooting got closer, everyone froze as Lorraine held up a fist. Then she waved forward as she leaned against the trench wall and they all piled up behind her. She peeked around the corner for a moment then brought her arm back then swung it around. Holding all fingers out to signal the charge.

They all leapt out of cover, forming a line in the next trench and opening fire, hosing down the enemy in a torrent of bolter fire. The heretics rightfully despaired as they were cut down by the pitiful dozen. They were gunned down as they fled. Gun crews, medics and wounded alike were slaughtered in the honourless crucible of their own filth and blood.

Once all laid dead in butchered heaps they advanced. They found themselves slaughtering their was to the end of the trenches and Rosetta looked on with pride as she saw the enemy fleeing the field of battle. She looked around and her heart leapt with joy, almost painfully thumping against her rib cage as she witnessed Lady Mirabel stand on top of one of the large bunkers and take off her helm.

Rosetta watched on as Mirabel's gorgeous jet black hair fluttered in the wind, contrasting beautifully with her perfect pale features. The ugly veil of reality rolled back like the passing of darkness to reveal a light shining true and strong. Through it the world seemed to give in to her majesty she gazed down upon her loyal Sisters, raising her sword and roaring in triumph.

A hand shook her arm breaking her out of her trance, enraging her. She looked at its source and found Cornelia. She instantly swallowed her anger and regained her focus, though Mirabel's echoed in her vox like a siren's call in the distance, she faced Cornelia, making a show of listening to her.

"Come on, Sister. Let us join the others," she said.

Rosetta nodded.

"Yes, let's," she answered.

She took in one last glimpse of blessed Lady Mirabel as Cornelia turned and walked on. Soon she tore herself away from the dream and followed. They seemed to be the last ones left to be present at the gathering. She followed eagerly, the promise of being closer to the Lady all too enticing.

Then she hesitates, a grumbling storm of guilt flushing through her guts planting suspicion in her thoughts. She gazed up at the beautiful canoness and felt emotion flourish in her mind. She flinched and questioned herself. She belonged to the Emperor, mind and soul, that was a certainty but her heart...

Is this right? I am no heretic... right?

-//-

Hours passed by and the shadow of nightfall smothered the surrounding land. Rosetta looked out across a scene of industry. The Helepolii Sacristans, the sanctified carers of the knights of House Helepolis came to perform their charge. Praying and chanting, they took Xenophon by chain and crane and gathered his corpse into a mighty, tracked vehicle, tenfold the size of an immolator known as a crawler.

Rosetta watched on, head free from the confines of the helm, drowning out her confusion with morbid curiosity than anything else. She had not seen nor heard their like before. They were similar enough to that of the Techpriests of Mars that she could vaguely understand their practices, and grow weary of them. None of it came to her rightly.

Soon the knight was on board the crawler and now Cassandra approached. Rosetta glanced at her with her sharpened green eyes. Cassandra stopped next to her, showing a smile on her bare face. She looked like she was in her younger thirties, fair skinned face, silver hair and a number of scars riddling the left side of her face. By the consistency of the direction in which they ran Rosetta figured it was from a blast of some sort, perhaps the one that took her leg.

"How fares Gloria?" asked Rosetta.

"She bares the Emperor's blessing. It'll only be a matter of days," Cassandra answered.

"Thank the Emperor."

"Thank the Emperor indeed. Gloria will not be denied retribution."

"What of the prisoner?"

The mere thought of him, provoking her temper. Soon she couldn't hide from her thoughts of beautiful Mirabel. She focused on the man but somehow that proved to be an even more inflammatory subject.

"He's a cackling fool. Speaks of the God-Emperor as if he walked by his side. His heresy has already descended to madness."

Rosetta faced her, instinctively placing a hand on the centre on her chest, a sense of urgency flooding her veins with adrenaline. Her hands balling into fists, her warrior heart revving her up for a fight.

"No. What is his name? Why does his hue seem so familiar? Please, Sister, I need answers!"

Cassandra watched her closely for several long moments, nothing but cold suspicion in her eye. Distress showed on Rosetta's face, the slightest sweat breaking free from her brow, Cassandra stood there, wondering what was the man to her. Eventually she sighed and closed her eyes, turning to view the crawler as it moved on.

"If it's truths you seek you need only speak to Sister Superior Lorraine," she said calmly.

Rosetta suddenly shook. She was expecting a fight? Among Sisters? She bowed her head briefly.

"I-I see. Y-you have my thanks, Sister."

Cassandra courteously bowed her head slowly in return.

"Blessed are those who see his light," she answered calmly, rather formally as well.

Rosetta hardly waited on her as she marched off in search of Lorraine. Cassandra merely watched as Rosetta turned a corner.

"Curious. You are an odd one, Sister Rosetta," Cassandra muttered under her breath as she turned about to watch the rest of the army.

-//-

Rosetta moved into the trenches. Their narrow causeways, teeming with labourers and guardsmen, cleaning out the corpses, salvaging their gear and readying the defences for a counter attack. Even as the roar of titanic engines and the impact of heavy footfalls rumbled across the land the trenches were sprawling with activity.

Those few Sisters of Battle among them either remained on the lookout for said attack or scoured the surrounding trenches and tunnels, every now and then the rattle of bolter fire would echo across the land.

Amongst all the sprawling masses Rosetta found Lorraine arguing with Loretta outside a doorway. As she got within earshot she listened in on them.

"He is worth no more than any of the other heretics put down under our heel! Why preserve him!" Loretta growled, her voice as harsh and rasp as ever.

"He is a voice of this Heresy. He will tell us of its nature." Lorraine answered, a certain sternness in her voice.

"Heresy begets heresy, Sister Superior! Do not let him curse us with his heretical lies!"

"Have you forgotten the logos of our holy order, Sister? We bring the Emperor's illumination to humanity, unveiling the truth and bringing righteous justice to bare upon all! Do not forget that again!"

Loretta retreated, staggered and frozen in place. She hesitated, then let out a vicious growl and stabs her finger at Lorraine.

"This will not end well." She growls before stomping off around the corner.

Lorraine sighed, resting her head in her hand out of frustration. Rosetta made her approach and walked up to the woman. Lorraine still work her helmet as she buried it in her hand. It was like she wore it like a second face, Rosetta could not help a slight tingle of disappointment as she gazed into the cold silver of that helm.

"No reprehension for that, my lady?" Rosetta asked softly, showing confusion in her voice.

"For her? It won't matter... still... order must be maintained. She'll have it soon enough." Lorraine answered assuredly.

Rosetta nodded.

"What of the prisoner?" She then asked.

"Him? One Antonin Derelian. Former priest of the church. Lady Mirabel herself has ordered he be isolated and will come to interrogate the filth herself tomorrow."

Rosetta's heart leapt into her throat and blood flushed into her cheeks as she looked away, ashamed to show her face running red. Lorraine looked on, puzzled.

"T-the C-Canoness will be here?" Rosetta forced herself to say.

"Yes, Along with both a Hospitaller and her bodyguards."

-//-