"The Sons of Berkana!" started Chapter Master Andron "The Lion" Ezkell as he stood over the precipace of the strike cruiser's prominade, "Feel the shackles of the Imperium upon their wrists no more!"

Before him were five hundred Space Marines. Massive warriors whose frames were that of a miniature tank. They stood, clad in their ancient power armor, looking up at him through red eye lenses embedded in their Mark VIII helmets. Row upon row of the warriors held their sacred weapons, Massive bolters that discharged rounds the size of a mortal man's fist. All were stoic in their stature, their armor gleaming with freshly painted beige that represented Sons of Berkana's colors. The lion could not be more proud as he looked upon them. Each had followed him into rebellion and each had killed their own brothers who did not.

"But our gifts, our gifts of independence come at a price. Blood must be shed in order to liberate not only ourselves from the shackles, but others as well. In the coming moments we will be raiding a Black Ship, to free those inside from the oppression of an uncaring god and an uncaring system. The Imperium will feel our wrath for their trepidations against liberty. Are you with me?!"
The warriors punched their fists in the air and let out warcries that shook the interior of the embarkation deck. The frames of the collasual thunderhawk transports that were behind the warriors rattled as did loading chains that hung from the tall ceiling hooks.

"One of your brothers has given me his visions," he continued as he eyed his chapter. "There is a Word Bearer aboard this ship."

The warriors murmured to one another. The Sons of Berkana had waged war against the Word Bearers for Millenia. They knew a Word Bearer to be the most vile of Astartes. Having fought against the Imperium for millenia, the Word Bearers worshipped the dark gods and denizens of the Warp, a psychic miasma that only could be compared to what the ancients had called Hell.

"In order to fight against the Imperium, we will need allies. We need guidance in this new path we have set ourselves upon. I know many of you have lost brothers in the wars we have waged against the Word Bearers. Be that as it may, that was when we were loyal to the imperium and its fallacies. Think of all the things he could teach us. Think of the secret powers of the warp that we could harness! From what we gathered from the visions, it is said that he that will guide the chapter to victory over our planet and the dreaded Adepta Soroitas Order that has vilely infiltrated its way onto our world. New found power will be ours! Now go and claim it!"

The warriors let out another warcry then headed towards their boarding torpedos. The sight was truly breathtaking for Adnron. They were his Astartes, the greatest warriors that the galaxy had ever seen. Fantasies of victory over his home planet, of crushing the imperium lackies that still dwelt there, entered his mind. He was consumed by the visions and his own acension as a warlord of chaos.
He smiled.

Within minutes after giving his speech the boarding torpedos launched, and the Sons of Berkana unleashed hell upon the Black Ship.
****
The bolter barked like a hound hunting prey. Fired bolts streamed from its barrell, adding to the cacophony of battle erupting around the Astartes squad. Mortal deck hands fell before them, exploding in dazzling arrays of blood and gore. Lifeless husks, unworthy of the name warrior died before their feet in droves. All had to die, every single life had to be extinguished, for there could be no survivors.

Sergeant Valco yelled, "For the emperor!" much to the laughter of those brothers around him. It had been five years since his space marine chapter had cast off the shackles of the Imperium and its doctrines and five years since he had slaughtered his own loyalist brothers in the night of the scourging. With the evolution of rebellion, came a freedom he never knew existed. He could be himself, kill without remorse, and push his body and mind further than he ever thought possible.

The massive Sergeant moved fast through the narrow corridor, petty las fire scorching his armor as he advanced onto the next intersection where the security squad had taken cover. The corridors of the black ship were small to say the least, barely wide enough for two Astartes to stand shoulder to shoulder.

With a bounding leap that nearly saw his head hit the ceiling, Valco pounced into the middle of the pack of five security team members. Gripping the first with an armored gauntlet, Valco broke his neck with a quick flick of the wrist after slamming him against the bulkhead. The sound of bones snapping was drowned out as he simultaneously fired his bolter, killing the next two with well placed torso shots taken out of the corner of his eye. Their bodies exploded, showering his beige ceramite in a curtain of blood as he turned towards the two remaining survivors. They tried to run, fear reaking off of them in an aura that he could smell. Before they could get away, however, Valco gripped one by the collar from behind. With a single thrust, he flung the petty excuse for a warrior into the wall behind himself. The sound of a crack was heard as the mortal landed head first into the bulkhead with inhuman speed. The last he gunned down, shooting a series of bolts into his back that detonated when they impacted.

Click.

Valco ducked at the intersection, reloading his bolter and then gesturing his fellow squad members forward.

Lars was first, heavy bolter in hand. With his new found freedom the warrior had taken to attaching skulls to his armor. An interesting choice of aesthistic noted Valco. Bjorn followed, his blood coated chain axe reving while his plasma pistol burned a bright green that reflected off the icy surfaces of the black ship's walls. Korvus was next and then Yeri, the most reserved brother he knew. Clenched in Yeri's hands was his bolter that had a modification on the barrel that made it look like a dragon spiting fire when discharged.

The warriors took positions at the corridor and aimed down them, weary for they knew that the sisters of silence were nearby. The elite guards of the black ship, already two of his squad had fallen to their bolter weapons since the boarding action began. Valco found himself cursing at the thought of their deaths at the hands of petty mortals. Furthermore a bolter was a sacred weapon to the astartes, to see the Sisters of Silence using it was despicable. It reeked of heresy.

"Heresy." Valco smiled at the word then loaded another magazine into his bolter, chambering the round with a loud click.

Not a moment after he reloaded his bolter the sound of battle erupted once more. Bolts showered around them, drenching Bjorn. Bjorn ran forwards, into the shower of bolts, screaming something about blood. Valco watched helplessly as Bjorn's arm was blasted off by one of the rounds. The warrior kept charging regardless, until a bolt hit the chink between his helmet and chest plate. The bolt detonated, blowing off Bjorn's head in a display of exploding flesh.

"Sergeant Valco, more sisters!" called Lars then let loose the roar of his heavy bolter. The weapon screamed as a stream line of heavy bolt rounds roared through the corridor. The sisters ducked, weary of the threat the massive weapon had on them.

Valco turned and fired, using his pauldron as cover. Bright flashes of light reflected off the surface of his ceramite as he gunned down the sister that had been stupid enough to peek out from cover in an effort to fire on Lars. Valco had hit her with a precise bolt. Her head was smashed by the round and the bolt penetrated further, hitting the bulkhead behind her then detonating.
There were five more of the sisters. Each clad in power armor, Valco knew them to be formidable opponents. They would not easily die he concluded after he saw a bolt fired from Lars' heavy bolter bounce off the torse plate of one of the sisters. They were tough. Finally, a more worthy adversary.

"Squad! Suppressing fire!"

"Sergeant!" the squad replied in unison as the drenched the corridor in bolts. The bulk head walls splintered and fractured while the decking exploded into shrapnel that showered the sisters position. The astartes squad had forced them into cover and Valco recognized his chance.

"Forwards! Yeri on me!" He called out boistrously.

Valco holstered his bolter while simultaneously drawing his chainsword and pistol. He and Yeri sped forwards, into the corridor that the sisters of silence held. The thumping of their boots on the decking was heard and Valco let out a war cry. He had only a second before they would return fire.

Before the sisters could react he and his brother were upon them. Hacking and slashing their way into their position, Valco's Chainsword bit into the nearest golden armored warrior. Sparks flew as his weapon ground its way into the flesh at her neck. Between her shoulder and head, blood spewed forth from the wound that showered his already bloody armor in more red gore. When he tried to remove the blade it was jammed in the upper part of her torso plate. He let go of the weapon.


It was obvious how unprepared they were for their assault. They reacted slow, slower than expected. This hesitation allowed Valco to maneuever the recently slain into a body shield. Gripping her by the collar, he lifted her body up then aimed his bolt pistol. As a volley of bolts fired from the nearest sister collided with her former comrade, Valco aimed his pistol.

BANG BANG

The bolts hit their mark, hitting the womans unprotected face then detonating.

Valco saw Yeri out of the corner of his eye. He had gutted and killed a Sister of Silence on the initial charge but now was busy dealing with one that had drawn her gladius. She parried his chainsword swings with seeming ease. The two fought until Yeri over powered her by using his body weight to slam her into the corridor wall. A loud bang was heard as she collided with the bulk head. A mere second later, Yeri brought down his chainsword, splitting the woman's head in half in a gruesome display that would have made Valco proud to call him brother.

Valco was about to fire on the last remaining sister when her head exploded. The sergeant reeled towards the direction of fire, bolt pistol raised. Before him were the iconic massive suits of Terminator armor that belonged to 1st company's aptly named Lion's guard.

The gargantuan warriors could be heard to be laughing under their helmets. Valco lowered his pistol. A stillness settled around them save for the hum of their power packs then Valco tossed the corpse of the slain warrior he was holding to the ground before stepping on her lifeless body and removing his chainsword. It came out with a crunch.

"It seems we've caught up to Sergeant Valco." one of the Terminators sneered. His voice carried over the vox simultaneously as he spoke resulting in his voice being heard twice.

His vox chimed. "What is your position?"

The grizzled Sergeant immediately recognized the voice as coming from his Chapter Master.

"We're in the port corridor, level 34. Approximately 5 minutes from the targets location." The lead termintor stated matter of factly. Valco recognized him as Malgus, a hard bitten warrior that the Sergeant was always at odds with when it came to the traditions of the Chapter. Malgus wanted things to stay as traditional as possible but Valco wanted change. What was the point of rebellion if they could not experience the freedom of creativity and innovation? It was only Malgus's loyalty to Chapter Master Andron, Valco figured, that made him follow the chapter in betraying the Imperium. If he hadn't, then the more of his former brothers would have died on the night of the scouring. Perhaps even himself.

"Gods," came his chapter master's reply. "This had better work."

"it will my lord," Valco replied over the vox. "I have seen it."

"You have seen it..." sneered the terminator. "You always have "seen it" "

"That means a lot coming from a glorified bullet sponge."

"Enough bickering!" Came the Lion's voice. "Just get it done!"

"Yes my lord." replied Malgus. "We are closing into the target location now."

***

The Sorcerer waited and waited. Since hearing through the ship's alarms that they'd been boarded he'd been growing impatient in wondering how the assault had gone. Shackled in a cell with a null collar bolted to his neck, life had been hard over the past two years. Suffice to say, he was anxious to get out and revel in the gifts his gods had bestowed upon him millennia ago.

The sounds of gunfire erupted around the cell and the Sorcerer smiled. Soon heavy footsteps were heard. He recognized them immediately. They were from Astartes. It was his brothers. The Word Bearers, they had not forgotten him! They had dispatched a Host to recover him. He was sure of it. His service to the 17th Legion was finally being recognized after millenia. If he were honest with himself, he was surprised. Taking on an entire Black Ship was something that even he would have trepidations about. To recover him after his failure on Malachor IV was something that made him believe that they needed him. Of course, that had to be the case.

Perhaps it was the Mark Bearer. The one he had seen in his past visions. The one that would lead them to victory over the Corpse Throne of the dying Imperium.

He heard a clink on the otherside of the door and his smile grew wider. Freedom at last and a warm welcome back into his Legion! This was the stuff of dreams. He would've slapped himself if he weren't bound to see if he would wake up. He had often dreamnt of escape in the past.

When the door slid open, his smile vanished. Before him was an Astartes clad in beige armor and not the crimson of the 17th. The warrior before him looked at him through red eye lenses. If he didn't know better he was staring at a loyalist. Had the inquisition ordered the black ship to be purged? If that were the case he would be killed within a matter of moments. The thought did not fear him, only disappointed him greatly.

"Askeul Aretheos?" The warrior asked him in a rough tone that spat out of his vox grille.

Aretheos let out a sigh. His brothers had not come for him.

"That is I." He said then looked back to the warrior with his golden eyes.

"My name is Sergeant Valco Tracieus of the Sons of Berkana, and you're coming with me."

"One has been chosen. One that will bear the mark..."

Askeul Aretheos, Legionnaire of the Word Bearers and Chaos Sorceror.


The transport shuttle pitched and bucked violently. The roar of the engines was deafening and Leilana cringed while squeezing her eyes shut. There were nine of them including herself. The teenager did not want to be there, and doubted the others did either. Flashes of a red warning light followed by the howl of the shuttles on board alarms bled through her eyelids and screeched into her eardrums. The cacophony of noise filled her and she realized that she might die. The thought of death bothered her not for in her mind she deserved to die after what she had done.

Memories of the smoking hot barrel of a las pistol filled her consciousness. She saw again the corpse before her, mangled and full of red hot holes. She had killed someone in cold blood. A summary execution was what she had expected, hells she would have welcomed it. The guilt, the pain, the anguish she felt, even now in a shaking shuttle full of what she thought of as scared children death would be welcome. An end to her suffering, an end to her meagre existence as a washed up factorium worker.
She opened her eyes when the sirens stopped scratching her eardrums. Around her the others were shaking in fear. She eyed them, subtlety, reviewing each of them as if they were prey. The boy next to her had vomitted and disgust rose in her when she realized some of the boy's regurgitation had found its way onto her left boot. Another female was crying and to Leilana's surprise her sobbing was worse on her ears than the alarms had been.

"I want to go home! I want to go home!" The female cried as her eyes puffed red and streamed tears down her cheeks. She had been wearing make up, obviously a commodity that she had smuggled past the all too easy checkpoint that proceeded their shuttle ride.

"shut up." Leilana murmured to herself, not wanting to antagonize the other teenager into even more crying. She took one last look around as the shuttle bucked violently once more, jarring her and the others like a bunch of mynoks in a tin can. The sound of rattle was heard and the safety belt bit into her shoulders as she was lifted up then slammed back down into her seat.

"Arrival in 5 standard minutes." A robotic voice said above from a speaker. It was barely audible over the sound of the shuttle's exhaust discharge.

Without there was calm and a smoothness came over their nasty ride. Leliana blinked and the girl's sobbing stopped.

"I'm, I'm alive." she said. "we're alive!"

"Don't get used to it," said a plump teenager with rosy cheeks.

"What do you mean she replied a look of growing concern coming over her. Her lips quivered when she spoke.

"I mean we're going to Berkana. Haven't you read the dialogus they sent us?" he said.

"Umm no." She replied.

Leliana hadn't read it either for she hadn't been given a dialogus. In fact she found it strange that she had been placed on a transport with these other teenagers. Where they were free to mingle in their seats and dressed in an assortment of fine clothes, Leliana was in penal orange and in chains. Whatever fate awaited her she still did not know. She assumed a penal colony at first, but after seeing the others she realized they weren't criminals. In fact, after hearing their discussions, she realized that the others only had one thing in common: they were orphans. Each, in fact, seemed well educated and groomed, unlike her whose tangled brown hair was in a league of its own when it came to unkeptness. Perhaps she would be singled out and put into a prison while the others went to some imperial orphanage. It mattered not to her for she intended to end her life when she got the chance. Maybe they would give her access to tools. If she could even just get her hands on a razor then she would be able to cut her wrists and put an end to all of this.

"We're going to the Schola Progenium." the plump boy said. "All of us."

He paused for a moment then looked at Leliana and her shackles. "Well, most of us anyway."

Leliana frowned and looked the other way.

"What?!" Cried the blonde. "I can't go there! I don't have what it takes to serve in the armed forces!"

"Relax." Said another whose spectacles mirrored the red emergency lighting. "Don't let him scare you. From what my father used to teach me the Schola progenium doesn't automatically mean you'll serve in the militarium. It just means you'll recieve an education from the Imperium and assigned to a position that you are qualified for."

The boy with the spectacles looked around for a moment until his eyes landed on Leliana. She stared back and their eyes met. Her expression was blank, cold even. The boy pushed his spectacles back up his nose then looked away.
"Oh..." she said then wiped the tears from her eyes more calmly. "What position do you think I'll get?" she inquired.

"You? Probably you'll be a nun."

"A nun?!" she cried. "I can't be a nun!"

"It isn't up to you." He replied sincerely back. "Besides being a nun is easy you just have to pray all day."

"This isn't what my father promised me! I was supposed to be a merchant!"

"Listen!" another boy replied, this one stronger looking with a built frame and massive shoulders. Leliana saw he had tattoos on his arms. What stood out to her was that he was not as well dressed as the others. "Just shut up! None of us want to be here. This is what we have to do. So please be quiet and deal with it like everyone else. Besides You think that's bad look at her!"

All eyes went to Leliana whose shackles clinked with the vibrations of the craft.

"She's probably going to die working the planet's mines!"

"No I'm not." Leliana replied calmly as she realized that she would have finally the courage to take her own life. When the moment came, when she got a hold of a tool, she'd cut her wrists. Hell she could even simply make a shiv. She found herself wondering if that would be before or after she was raped by the gangs she heard that run the penal colonies. Despite the thought of being raped, she recognized how relieving it was to finally be able to have the freedom to make her own decision for once in her life.
"Oh you're an optimistic one are you?" The strong one replied snickering. "What did you even do to get in here? It had to be something bad if you're in chains."

Leliana looked away and she rolled her eyes.

"Not talking eh?" the boy with the tattoos laughed.

She turned back and shot the boy a look of death. The look wasn't one of anger but one of coldness. Cold and with such predatory energy that even the strong teenager blinked in surprise. The Boy snickered slightly, to cover his nerves. Leliana had read him like a book and she knew it. The boy was afraid and she could see it in his eyes. His outward confidence was nothing but a façade he used to cover up his true feelings.

"whatever." he said then turned to the blonde. "what's your name anyway?"

"Adriana." She said softly. "What's yours?"

"Edwin." He replied.

"Work makes one free." Stated the boy with glasses in high gothic.

"What the heck does that mean?" Adriana asked.

The boy with glasses took a deep breath. "It means that if you work hard you will earn your freedom, in service to the emperor. You will unite with him upon death."

"bs." spat Leliana.

All eyes looked upon Leliana as if she had just committed heresy. A punishable offense by death. If Leliana was honest with herself a quick execution would be preferable to a lifetime of hard labor.

"Look at you all," she snickered. "You're all afraid. You're all cowering. It's easy to read and I can tell You don't know what awaits you. neither do I. You quote some high gothic nonsense as if you know better everyone else. Well you don't. I am about die where I'm going. At least all of you have a chance. Now shut up please and let me have this last minute of rest."

The boy with glasses blinked a few times and the others were silent but for Edwin.

He said this time without his cocky attitude. "Enjoy your last peace. I'm kind. I'll give you that much."

Leliana rested her head on the back of the shuttle's seat. It was hard and made of plastek. She closed her eyes as she felt butterflies in stomach from the shuttle's landing cycle. Within moments the shuttle had landed. The gang ramp came down, and orange industrial lighting flooded the interior.

***
"Name?"

"Leliana Beatrix Slayern"

The officer at the desk made some clicking noses on his terminal. A red light flashed on his face from the screen and his eyes widened. He looked back up at her then shook his head.
"Step to the right," he spoke evidently unnerved by what he saw in her profile.

Leliana did as instructed and glanced back to the other group that had dufflebags, they were sectioned off in an area that had refreshments, and seating. On Leliana's side of the hanger there was only sectioned off area that read PENAL in bright red letters painted on the floor. She was the only one there besides a single officer in full kit with a shotgun.

"You're a little young," chuckled the officer behind a riot helmet.

Leliana spoke not. She moved past the guard and then sat down with her back against the hanger wall.

"STAND UP!" Shouted the officer cocking her shotgun.

Leliana's eyes closed in grimance and did as she instructed.

"When I speak you'll reply! Is that understood?!" The guard yelled.

"Yes." She replied as thoughts of putting a shiv to her wrist entered her mind.

"Yes what?!" The guard yelled again.

"Yes Ma'am." She replied emotionlessly.

"That's better," chuckled the guard. "by the way, I don't see you lasting a day."

"That's good." Leliana snickered.

Suddenly the blunt force of the Guard's shotgun butt hit her across the face.

Leliana fell as it felt like her skull had been crushed. She landed unceremonisouly, tripping over her leg chains in a feeble attempt to balance herself.
"GET UP!" The guard yelled once more.

Leliana coughed as a searing pain filled the entire side of her face. She blinked, her vision blurring. Anger filled her veins like molten iron as she got to her feet, unsteadily.
"Good." the guard chuckled. "What did you do anyway?"

"Murder." She replied.

"Murder what?!" the guard spat.

"Murder, Ma'am." she said then looked at the guard whose face was invisible behind her face shield which was reflecting the lights of the hanger. Behind her stood the shuttle, exhaust fumes coming out of its many vents. How Leliana longed to be aboard that shuttle, to fly away, to get away from... this.

"Oh so you're a killer," laughed the guard. "You don't seem that tough."

The guard shoved her, hard. And Leliana was pushed back into the wall. It didnt hurt when her back hit, not compared to the shotgun butt.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Who did you kill?"

Before Leliana could reply the sound of steam was heard, and the biggest man she had ever seen walked into the hanger. Clad in an ornate beige robe, the man strode forward with long strides, past the reception desk and towards the group of orphans. He stopped for a moment mid stride. He eyed the orphans and moved a massive finger to count them. His head cocked for a moment and he looked around. He turned around quizzically then eyed Leliana. His eyes were a deep amber. His skin was pale and he had a facial implant that seemed to reinforce his skull. His jaw was pure steel and on his brow were three iron studs.

Leliana stared back with her cold, unfeeling stare.

The man smiled then changed direction much to the curioistiy of the eight orphans. As he approached her, the hanger floor seemed to shake with just how heavy he was. Behind him, he could hear the orphans chattering amongst themselves about the huge man.

Leliana briefly looked to the guard who was as still as a statue then back to the man who was now close enough for her to see that his upper teeth had been sharpened to the effect of fangs. When he closed, he towered over her and the guard like a monster. The veins in his face were visible. Like purple spider webs they crept over his countenance like some kind of infection.

"You're excused." he said turning to the guard.

"But my lord this woman is a criminal-"

"I requested nine more cadets, not eight," He growled. His glare of anger was all it took for the guard to get the message. She scampered off, fear reeking off of her like a miasma that Leliana could smell. Little did she know that the giant smelt it too.
The Warrior watched the woman leave, then turned his attention back to Leliana.

"You've arrived," he said his anger melting. He smiled as though she were his long lost daughter that had finally been found.

Leliana blinked in confusion. She was taken aback. Who - what - was this man? How was he so gigantic. He reminded her of the gargantuan statues outside of her old manufactorium.
"Your face. It is bruised." His deep voice carried into her ears musically.

As Leliana looked into his eyes she could see that there was something off about the man. Something more too him. In his eyes she saw a hunger for something, though she knew not what it was. Leliana looked to the guard, and opened her mouth to speak then she thought better of it and turned her attention back to the giant.

"It is nothing my lord," she said, her eye still blurry.

The giant ignored her then turned and saw that she had been looking at the guard.

"You," He started pointing a massive finger in the guard's direction. "A word."

The guard looked around wearily.

"Yes I mean you."

The guard then meandered over to the giant. As soon as she arrived, the giant back handed her as hard as he could. Immediately her face shield shattered and she went spiraling through the air and landed with a sickening thud.
"It is not your place to touch my students," He spat. "That place is mine. and mine alone."

Leliana looked to the guard in shock. By the way she was on the ground and unmoving she assumed that the guard was knocked out cold. Seeing this the giant made his way over to her, lifted her body up then eyed her.
"Did you not hear me little thing?" He said shaking her with one arm.

A cough was heard.

"Yes I hear you." she said through blood covered lips.

"You forgot to say my lord." he growled angrily then threw the Guard into the wall behind Leliana. The guard impacted with such a loud crack that when she finally landed, face first, Leliana couldn't tell if she were dead or alive.
Leliana looked down respectfully when the warrior came before her again. It was obvious he had much authority if he had the ability to throw around prison guards like that.

"You do know that you were on a one way ticket to Vorkuda." The giant said to her through his sharpened fangs. "You're lucky I was here."

"Yes, my lord," she said.

"no need to call me lord. At least not right now." He smirked. "around my brothers yes, but not at this moment."

"Brothers?"

"Forgive me," the man snickered as though embarrassed. "You must not understand what you're doing here."

"I'm going to a penal colony my-" she stumbled.

He let loose a laugh that seemed to shake the hanger. Leliana blinked.

"No you're not!" he laughed again.

"I'm... I'm not?" The news was relieving to say the least.

"You will be inducted into the schola progenium program like the others. Naturally we've made some modifications to our selection processes what with the changes coming."

"Changes my lord?" she asked.

"Nothing. Sorry." He smiled again revealing his fangs.

"You may call me Brother Sergeant Valco." He started. "I am the school's liason for you're training."

Outside of the tram's bubbled windows Leliana could see just what a garbage dump the world she found herself on was. Hundreds of derelict looking spires, as far as the eye could see, teamed over smaller ones in what looked like a competition for sunlight. The sun itself was not visible, a rich smog had taken over the skies, blotting out the sun and allowing the countless lights from the spires to illuminate themselves in a series of glows of different colors. Some spires even went so high they punctured the clouds.

The "candidates," including Leliana, were all now wearing their uniforms. They were black unisex combat uniforms, with black boots, silver Aquila insignia on the shoulders, a button down blouse, their name tags above the right breast, and a single dash for what Leliana assumed was their rank on each shoulder. There was also their class number stitched in just above the rank badge on the left shoulder. It read: C45.

Leliana eyed it for a moment then turned her attention back to the eight others. Since getting their equipment and bags they had given her the cold shoulder. None were talking to her and none seemed to want anything to do with her.

"Slayern," Edwin started, standing next to her. "There's something I need to tell you."

"Hmm?" she grunted.

"Your ass looks nice in that uniform."

She rolled her eyes.

He jabbed her arm. She growled. He laughed.

"Relax broad. I'm only trying to take the tension out of this whole debacle."

"You're not making this any easier," shouted Tiberius. "Just sit down and shut up like the rest of us."

"I wasn't talking to you!" He yelled back then turned his attention back to Leliana.

She looked at him once more. He was obviously some former gang member what with all the tattoos she had seen inked onto his flesh from when they changed in the same room. He probably had had rich imperial parents because he hadn't been in chains. Furthermore, Leliana had dealt with rich gangers before. The ones that do the gang work not because of desperation but because they found it "fun" and exciting. On more than one occasion she had run into them from walking to her habitation block from her workplace. She'd often try to run, but, more times then not they'd catch her. She did not want to remember what they did to her when that happened.

"Do you think we'll get to sleep in the same room together? I think I'd like that."

Leliana turned and then in one quick motion socked him right between the eyes. The teenager fell backwards, onto the blonde, Adriana.
"Get off of me! Ew! Get off of me!" She yelled much to the laughter of everyone else.

The boy was pushed off and he landed on the deck of the tram. The manufactorium workers on the otherside of the aisle stood then moved away, their faces grim and uncaring. It was obvious that they did not want to get involved.

"You fething bitch!" He yelled from the floor looking up at her. "I was only kidding!"

Then, to Leliana's surprise, he smiled, brandishing his pearly white teeth.

"You're a fiesty one. I like that." He got to his feet then inched closer to her. "Perhaps we could be friends."

He moved over to her then extended his hand. The entire tram was quiet as they all watched the ordeal between the two. "I'm Edwin."

"What do I win?" She asked eyeing his extended hand. If she could just make peace and avoid problems that would be for the best she figured.

"Last chance," He said ignoring her question.

With reluctance she shook it. Then the wind escaped out of her when he punched her in the gut. Leliana keeled over falling on the decking with a bang.

"That's for punching me in the face!" He said picking her up then giving her a hug. "I just know it, we're going to be best friends."

A wheezing Leliana wondered just what the hells she got herself into.
****
"Where are we supposed to go again?!" asked Tiberius to the others. "It's not like they gave us a map."

"Actually," started Wellington pushing his glasses to his face. "They did give us a map."

The habitation block that faced them dawned over them with level upon level of giant monolithic structures. All around were people walking to and fro en mass. There were thousands of them, each more peculiar than the last. Some had augmetics and others were missing arms - an all too common sight that Leliana recognized for broken manufactorium workers. Servo skulls - little hovering devices made from human skulls - moved through the crowds of people and scanned things or did repairs on electrical piping. Giant walkers wended their way through the crowds carrying large crates labeled either "RATIONS" or with a series of numbers and letters that was code for something. In the streets between the buildings were bulky vehicles moving past the pedestrians at speeds that seemed dangerous. Smoke filled the air and for the first time the bitterness of Berkana invaded Leliana's lungs. She wanted to cough but didn't.

"You shut up four eyes," said Edwin pulling out his recently issued data slate. He clicked it for a few seconds then frustration grew on his face. A few more moments passed until he said: "Where is the map on this thing?"
Wellington moved over to him and, to Leliana's surprise, showed him.

"It's really complicated to read," said wellington eyeing the device.

"Yeah it is."

Leliana dropped her dufflebag and then pulled out her own dataslate. She should have read it on the tram ride like wellington had but she had been to captivated by the city and lost in thoughts about her new life. Hells she wasn't even sure she wanted to kill herself anymore. This was her second chance after all. A second chance at a life possibly worth living. She wondered what the Giant had told her. About the training and about being assigned to a military unit and learning fighting skills. She wondered now if she had what it took, she could give a right hook, but that was about it. Furthermore, her aim wasn't that bad given the fact she had shot someone and not missed. Should she regret her decision to end the abusive foreman's life? It dawned on her that if she had not killed him she would not be here. In fact, she'd still be getting sexual abused in her manufactorium. She was told that the Emperor would give her justice when the guards arrested her, was this that? Was this the justice they spoke of? Could it be that the Emperor had seen her plight and taken mercy upon her? She told herself she did not believe it, that she could not believe in the supernatural yet here she was with a second chance.

"Look, there seems to be an information kiosk over there." said the boy who threw up on her boot during the shuttle flight.

"No need. I was studying the map before we arrived. I know exactly where we are," said Wellington. "Just stick by me and I'll show you the way."

"I thought you said it was complicated to read?" asked Edwin.

"It is, but I've managed to decipher it," Wellington said proudly then pointed towards Edwin's map. "We're right here at the tram station exit point."

"Okay, so we know where we are. What next?" Said Bistrong.

"We're to report to the school," he said then looked around at everyone. "Did no one read it? Did no one read the dossier?"

"Looks like you're the only one nerd." laughed Edwin.

Adriana laughed, then everyone else did as well. Everyone all except Leliana who deep down knew she should have read the dossier. If she was going to survive this place she would have to try her best. Something deep down told her that once they arrived at the monastery life was going to be hard and it was going to take every ounce of will she had to overcome the challenges she and the others would face.

"This way." said Wellington leading the pack ignoring their laughter. "By the way, it's good to be a nerd. You all need nerds."

"True," Said Bistrong. "But I can still beat your ass. And that's what matters."

"Leliana," said Edwin as Leliana hastily put away her data slate then picked up her duffle bag.

"What?" asked Leliana not looking at him. In all respects she was still upset about his rude comments before.

"About earlier..." He started. "I wanted to say sorry for getting out of hand like that."

That comment caught her off guard. She turned to him, her red irises reflecting light off of a nearby industrial lumeglobe. She didn't know what to say for it was the first time in her life that anyone ever had apologized to her.

She wended her way past a crowd of what she believed to be monks then said the only thing she could think of to say, "You were a ganger weren't you?"

Edwin blinked and then raised an eyebrow, "It's that obvious isn't it?"

"I was raped by gangers where I used to live."

His mouth opened to speak and he shook his hands in the air as they walked.

"Look you got it all wrong," he started shaking his head. "My gang, the Var Sars, we had a code."

"A code?"

"Yes a code. One of those codes is to not rape women. We didn't do that. I didn't do that."

"Then why were you so hostile earlier?"

"Honestly, that's how I deal with this place. I get into this mode."

"You get into a... mode?"

"Listen Slayer, you mind if I call you slayer? All I'm asking is for the past to be the past. I could tell you were giving me a bit of a cold shoulder after I gave you a hug. Let's let by gones be by gones. Water under the bridge yeah?"

Leliana stopped then looked at him. "Fine," she said.

"We need to stick together. That's how a gang operates."

"You want to form a gang?"

"Obviously that's what we're going to do. Once we get inside this place, whatever the hell awaits us, we find others like us. Recruit them. Establish certain rituals. Bring them into the fold. Before you know it we'll be powerful, a force to be reckoned with."

Leliana took a deep breath. "I'd thought I'd just handle things on my own."

"Fool." spat Edwin and Leliana shot him a nasty look.

Edwin chuckled, "See you're perfect. But you're a fool if you think you're going to walk into this school and take it on alone. We need to have eachother's backs."

"I can handle myself," she said.

"Is that why you got raped? Because you could 'handle yourself'"

She stopped for a moment, "excuse me? I got raped because of the gangs! Because gangs existed."

"bs!" Growled Edwin. "You got raped because you were weak and they were strong. I've been punched by you, you can fight. But the truth is you can't take on two guys at once, I can barely do it on a good day. What makes you, a female, think you can take on a whole school by yourself. You're stupid if you believe that!"

There was silence between them. Leliana looked down and shook her head. Edwin broke it the silence.

"What did you even do to be placed on a one way ticket to Vorkuda anyway?"
"I did something."

"Obviously you did something. What was it?"

She gritted her teeth as memories of gunning down her foreman echoed into her head. His lifeless corpse, the beating that came from the enforcers later and then the interogation. They didn't care that she was being sexually assualted by him everyday. They just wanted a confession. Once she gave them that, her life was over. There wasn't even a trial.

"I killed someone." She said pointedly. "I shot someone in cold blood."

"That's more like it." He said chuckling. "That's the real you. That's who you're meant to be. You're like me. Unwanted and alone in this world. You don't think I've killed someone before?"

"How do you live with yourself?" She asked.

"By accepting myself," he said the ran a hand over his shaved head. "I accept the monster I am. Only then do I find peace. Like I said, you're like me. You're a monster, I can see it in those red eyes of yours. You've been in pain and you hunger for vengeance against a world that ruined your life. Hells, that didn't even give you a life. This is your chance. Follow me, learn from me and I will teach you how to win."

His words bit her heart with an overwhelming sense of truth. She looked down again and shook her head.

"Accept that." he whispered in her ear.

When she looked up, the others were gone.

"Wait, weren't you keeping track of where we were going?" asked Edwin.

"I thought you were."

"Ah feth." he said looking around as people passed them. "Where in the throne did they go?"
****
"Welcome Class A1, A23, B34, and C29"

Paulius looked over the students as they clamored into his class. Each student was talking to one another in a banter. There were boys and girls each ranging from 14 at the youngest to 22 at the oldest. The future of the Imperium, is what Paulius saw in them. Pride swelled in his chest as he looked over at the hundred that entered his chapel. When he noticed the relaxed grooming standards that the Sons of Berkana had introduced, anger swelled in his chest. The teenagers were sporting patchy beards and the women had their hair stylized in what passed for a sex traders fashion. He hid his anger, not wanting to rub the students the wrong way. His only relief was that Class A1 stuck to the grooming standards of last semester. How was he to save these children if he kept being sabotaged by those oversized thugs?!

The bell rang and the students each took their seats in the pews. Paulius stood, bedecked in his Ecclesarichy robes and head piece. He took his place at the center altar and looked over the crowd on students. A smile came upon his face for he would be teaching the imperial creed today.

"If you will open your text books to page 558 we will begin."

The students pulled out their large tomes and opened to the page. Some students found it hard to write notes for there weren't any desks. Each student placed the tome in their laps. It was almost funny to see them struggling with the book.
"Today we will be discussing the imperial creed. Raise your hand if you know the imperial creed."

Several students raised their hands. All from A1, and most of the others.

"You there, young brother, please read from your text!"

"The precepts of the Imperial Creed, include the belief that all of Humanity must be brought into the Imperium wherever in the galaxy Humans still live outside its bounds, the absolute abhorrence of sentient aliens as dangers to Humanity's rightful domination of the Milky Way Galaxy, and the realisation that the existence of unsanctioned psychic powers and Human mutation is a dire threat to the Human species which must be controlled or eradicated."

"So you think you know the Creed. But do you live it?" The priest quipped. "The God emperor watches over those that live it. Know that. For those students that do not know the creed, listen close, and listen well. The Imperial Creed is the glue that binds us together in unity against the darkness of the galaxy. It is the adhesive that is employed to bring those who live in darkness to the light. It is the light that burns away the mutant, the heretic, the non believer, and, of course, the dreaded alien!" He moved his arms emphatically as he said the words alien much to the laughter of some of the students.

"Oh so you think aliens are funny do you?! Have you ever heard of the greentide that lurks in the darkest bowls of the galaxy. A tide of greenskins that never ends and wants to see all destroyed and dead? Have you heard of the Monsters of Chitin, that consume worlds and end life wherever it is to fuel its unceasing hunger. What of the pirates of black. The ones that come in the night with pointy ears to take you away to be slaves until death. Feasting on pain they do, reveling in slaughter of the weak. These are the challenges the Imperium faces and it is up to us to stop them."

"Pointy ears?!" his star pupil Lazerius from A1 called out.

"Yes young Brother! Pointy ears and pointy swords!"

The class's following laughter echoed around the chapel.

"Worse is the heretic, the ones that lurk in the streets to your left and right. They are the ones that will bring about ruin and damnation to those that listen to them. For there is a darkness in the galaxy that seeks to slaughter us all. To damn our souls not to the throne of the emperor his highest but to the bowls of chaos and worse. To speak of such things I have a privilege to. For I am a guide, and a shepard. Know I shepard each of you to the light and that I will do my best to not let you go astray. But be warned, the temptations of the dark ones is formidable. I myself have seen countless souls succumb to the will of that darkness. Stealing something here, Not PAYING ATTENTION THERE!"

He threw a book at one of the girls in the crowd who had been whispering to her friend. The book landed short in the aisle.

The girl's face plumed red and she looked down embarrassed.

"See the violence. See the hatred that comes when those go astray? See the pain and agony of those that get called out?" His voice was somber.

"What was stolen from us here? She stole from each of you. What did she steal?"

None answered.

"She stole our time. She stole the light that I try to give you.... You, girl, what is your name?"

"Alice, my lord."

"Alice of class...?"

"B34."

"Come up here. You will be a lesson."

The girl begrudgingly got to her feet and made her way past the pews. She herself was sporting blue hair. Such dissidence! Concluded Paulius. Such dissidence must be punished and made an example of. He turned back to his altar and, reaching down, gripped the hilt of his cat of nine tails. When she arrived she looked up at him and Paulius held back a smile.

"Now turn around." He said revealing the cat of nine tails.

"But-" she quivered.

"I don't want to hear it!" He yelled at her. "This is for your own good!"

She turned and Paulius began hitting her with the cat. She cried loudly and he continued, venting all his frustration into beating her. He whipped her over and over again with the device and each time she cried out a feeling of relief came over him. He loved it, he admitted, punishing the heretic and hurting those that stood against his beliefs. He enjoyed every second of it.

Once he was worn out he grew tired of the affair. He kicked her, hard, sending the blue haired girl to her knees.

"Go back to your seat." he started rolling the whip back up. "And not another peep out of you or you'll pay dearly."

She got to her feet and scrambled to get away from him. He smiled then turned back to his altar.

Another student raised their hand. "What about forgiveness, surely we can afford to forgive."

"WRONG!" He said taking out his tome and then flipping to a page.

"Quoted from the book of prophets itself: Let none forgive one another for that allows the heretic to thrive. Remember those that failed in the path, keep them in mind, and suffer not them to live."
the priests anger welled up inside of him and he opened his mouth to unleash his wrath.

"It is our similiarties then that bind us, not our differences. Look at each of you, all of course A1. You sport beards and fruity hairstyles as if to be fashionable. Why do you do this? No do not answer, I don't want to hear it. For I know you want to be popular. Well let us get this straight. Being popular is not worth the pain and suffering of your demise. Those that go astray will be damned, know that. And the worlds will kept turning under your bones of failure. But it is not only yourselves you fail it is everyone to your left and right. Fashion reeks of heresy. Differences reek of heresy. There is only one god, there are only two genders, there are these things in place for a reason! It is the Emperor that guides us! It is the Emperor that sacrificed himself for your souls. It is He that lays his finger upon thee, in righteous fury and Furious anger! There will come a day when you will know his name is the Lord when he places his judgement upon thee! The sisters of battle will burn away your sins in holy fire! ask mistress Agnes! She knows and all those in the B Classes should also know! For she is your head Master. To all those who wish to be a member of the famed Adepta Sororitas, I say shave your heads, repent! Go about you day in prayer and remove yourself from yourself. For it is yourself that causes you pain. The only Refuge you may find is that of the Emperor and his light!"

The priest went on for another hour. Ranting and bashing those with the fruity hairstyles and beards. He spoke of divinity, he spoke of his truth, and he spoke the word of the God Emperor and his apostles. Sacrifice he also spoke of. Stating that each student should be prepared to give his life for the emperor. He went on to talk of the martyrs, the ones of the Order of the Sacred Rose, the ones that gave their lives for the Imperium and those that gave more than their lives, their souls. The students themselves seemed uncomfortable, but he continued none the less.

The bell rang.

"Class dismissed."

The students left, one by one trickling out of the chapel. All left in a matter of moments, eager to get away from the priest and his teachings. All except class A1. Who approached him at his altar.

"Ah my star students!" he said jovially. "Blessings upon each of you."

"And blessing to you Class Master!" the eight said in unison.

"Tell me, how goes your reading of the Book of Prophets?"

Lazerius spoke up after running a hand over his shaved scalp. "It goes well master, we are memorizing the proverb section now."

"Every night we gather for study!" another chimed in. What was his name again? Oh yes Chawn.

"That's good young brother. I'm glad to hear it."

"We kept our head shaven just like you instructed," added Lazerius. "We will not stray from the path."

Paulius eyed him then smiled. Such wonderful young boys he thought. They were clean cut, and the best of the A classes. So much so he had decided to give them their own class. Hand picked each one was, a creation that was his gift to the world. They would do well in the future, he knew that much.

"Lazerius," he started. "You make me very proud. More so you honor the emperor! Holiest of them all! Have you reconsidered my proposition to make you a priest upon graduation?"

"I have thought about it..." Lazerius said with a hint of anxiety on his lips. "But I know in my heart of hearts that I want to become an Astartes."

The pain of rejection filled Paulius' chest. How could this young boy turn his back to him so easily? He shook with anger for a moment but then took a deep breath. He had to calm himself. He could not enact his wrath upon the boy, not in front of the others. To do so would cause division and thus chaos. Such would be a mistake.

He patted Lazerius on the shoulder. "I know the trials are coming up and you are excited but be warned, the trials are deadly. Many of the few that are selected end up dying. Are you sure that this is something you want to pursue?"
"Yes, master." He replied his eyes full of determination.

"Very well," he said turning away from him. "I shall list you as one of the participants. But just know I have warned you."

Naturally, Paulius had no intention of listing him as a participant. The boy would become a priest, that much was certain. In fact he had already started the transfer process to the seminary world of Egnus Prime. This was Lazerius last year after all, and preparations had to be made.

His data slate beeped and Pauilus moved over to the altar where it had been sitting. He picked up the tablet and read the message which was embedded upon its slick surface. He grew angrier when he read what it said.
"Expungement of half the Imperial Creed Classes? Are they mad?!" The priest looked over his new dossier for the years syllabus with anger fuming in his heart. "This is heresy!"

His word echoed around the empty chapel until they were lost among the structure's massive arches, statues, and pews.

"My lord?" started Lazerius. Paulius flipped the tablet so his star student could see.

Upon reading it Lazerius's face contorted into fury.

"You see why I don't want you to become one of those over sized thugs?! They pay no credence to the Imperial Creed. How could you even call yourself a person of true faith when this is what you want!"
His fury unleashed upon the boy, the priest's age showed when he broke into a coughing fit. His wrinkles bunched up on his face when he started wheezing and his oculus for his right eye fell out. Spider webs of veins on his face seemed ready to burst with the blood inside of him. His yellow teeth also showed and if one looked close enough, they could've seen his bleeding gums.

"I know they've run this school for eons, but that does not excuse the fact that they are disobeying the will of the ecclesiarch and thus the emperor! What's next? Co-ed living arrangements?!"

"Yes my lord, that is next." Lazerius said pointing to the announcement list on the dossier.

"What?!"

"If it is so much of a concern to you, why don't you contact them directly?" The priest's pupil asked.

"Now I know I'm surrounded by madmen," the priest spat and looked at the disfigured face of his assistant. "I've seen what they do to those that question them, I've seen men whipped in habitation squares all for a murmur of disobediance. Know this Lazerius, they rule this world and they do so with an iron fist. No, I will not go to them directly."

"Then what will you do my lord?"

The priest eyed the empty pews and the statues of the saints that surrounded them. Each had given their lives in protecting the imperial creed, each had given their souls to protecting the emperor and all of his glory. Finally He turned. Above, and on the wall, was the statue of the emperor in all of his glory, wielding the sword that slayed the greatest of foes, the fallen angel himself - Horus.

"I will go to Agnes and the Headmaster. I won't let them get away with this!" He said emphatically as tears streamed from his eyes from the sight of his lord. "And I will pray. No... WE will pray." He said taking Lazerius by the hand. They knelt and whispered words of benediction.

"Thank the emperor! There it is!" Wellington said as he and all the other cadets eyed the colossal cathedral before them. Massive levels of stairs ascended into an archway bastioned with giant bolted doors. Statues of what looked like Army officers lined the sides of the stairs, their faces grim and stoic. Level upon level of the cathedral-esque structure came into view along with large stained glass windows. There was a central oval window that towered above the archway that depicted a giant, clad in beige armor, slaying what looked like another giant that was wearing red armor. Underneath the picture was a scroll that said: "Pati non potest haereticus vivere"

Wellington knew full well what it meant. "Suffer not the heretic to live." He clenched a fist and recited the phrase in his mind. He endeavored to hold it dear to him, for he had it in his mind to become a Commissar, the most fervent of Imperial Soldiers. Wellington thought back to those times he had met Commissars during his fathers outings as an officer in the Imperial Guard. In his eyes, the commissars were the backbone of any fighting force, the ones that kept soldiers morale in check. Never hesitating to kill a soldier for dereliction of duty, commissars were as fierce as they came.

A loud electronic bell rang that was followed by a musical buzz. The sounds of distorted trumpets were heard and Wellington soon recognized the song as the hymn: forwards unto dawn. A hymn which lyrics he remembered:

Cast down your broken lies
For today the Emperor Arrives
It is vengeance that he seeks
To destroy all heresy that reeks
Forwards unto dawn
The emperor has come
In his majesty
Like the setting sun
Forwards unto dawn
Forwards unto dawn...

The large doors to the scholam closed shortly following the hymn and the electronic bell rang out five times to Five o'clock standard. Wellington pushed his spectacles to his brow then breathed a sigh of relief. They were early and all had gone well on their journey to the school. No one had given them a second glance on the way, they had avoided the subsector as instructed, and soon they would meet their instructors. A perfect first day.

"Aw feth we're late!" said plump Tiberius. "We're going to be dead!"

"Relax," chuckled Wellington. "We're early. Orientation isn't for another two hours."

He looked around at the other teenagers. "I still don't know what you people would do without me."

"What do you mean you people?!" Asked Adriana. "What just because I'm the only girl here doesn't mean I'm any less capable."

"Only girl?" asked Wellington looking around for Cadet Slayern who was nowhere to be see.

"Yeah the other girl and her new "friend" fell behind."

Anger welled up in Wellington. He had wanted to make a perfect introduction to his new officers and abbots but this would ruin that. He could envision him and the others taking lashes for leaving someone behind. He had read countless tomes on the Imperial Militarium and the commissars that led them, all pointed to the fact that a soldier was to never leave anything unaccounted for. Losing a soldier was like losing their assigned equipment, it reeked of heresy. And Heresy was punishable by death. Something he would want to avoid, especially on his first day.

"WHY ARE YOU ALL NOT FREAKING OUT?!" He shouted as intense fear swirled inside his gut like a soup of hellish, buzzing concoctions.

The others were taken aback by his outburst. They reeled away from him with their heads and their eyes widened.

"Why should we?" Tiberius asked. "Those two are the worst pair out of all of us, even Dridel is a better fit than they are. I say, all the better they are left behind. Perhaps they'll even be kicked out."

Dridel, the shortest member of the group piped up. "Hey!"

"That was meant as a compliment dummy." Tiberius replied.

"Why didn't you read the dossier?! It said make sure you stick together!" Wellington shouted, his face fuming red.

"So?!" Asked throw up boy whose name tag read Metz.

"Don't you idiots realize this was our first test! They are assessing everything! We could ourselves be punished for not having them with us!"

"Well we can make up a story that they didn't want to come!" Adriana balked. "They'll get punished, not us!"

"That's not how this works!" Wellington face palmed as he watched his dreams of becoming a commissar vanish before his eyes. He knew only the best would be selected for service as a commissar and if he couldn't be perfect then he might as well give up now. That, in his mind, was not an option. "We need to find them!"

"You go I'm staying here," said Bistrong, walking past him and towards the steps with his duffle bag. "Besides how do you expect to find them in such a place?"

"Don't you see we have to work together?" Tanith chimed in and Bistrong scowled at him.

"Data slates!" Wellington said cheerfully. "I'll just contact them on their data slates."

The teenager with the glasses delightedly pulled up his pad and began tapping. Under contacts he found their serial numbers. Within moments he clicked the device and a ringtone followed.
***
"Do you hear something?" asked Leliana to Edwin. She thought she heard a buzzing for a moment, but just as it came it went and the ambience of the crowd took over. Leliana looked around for a moment and the city surrounded her. The smell of pollutants filled her nostrils as thousands of imperial citizens walked the thoroughfares. The two weaved their way through the crowd, duffle bags in hand. Leliana felt her arm tiring under its weight. Inside was all their equipment. A helmet, changes of clothes, her data slate, a knife, a compass, gloves, and numerous other military items.

"Nah," Edwin replied as they approached an information booth. It was a tall kiosk with a single terminal embedded in the middle of it. Leliana moved past Edwin and then touched the screen. A loud clicking was heard and then a series of lines raced across the terminal's green surface. After a few moments the Terminal stopped its buzzing then showed, in big red letters, "TERMINAL ERROR."

"It's broken." Leliana announced tapping the screen over and over. "I don't know what's wrong with it."

"Let me see," Edwin said then moved past her. He punched it, hard, and a loud bang was heard. Suddenly the terminal lit up with a green light. A series of menus made its way on the screen that listed things from nutrition services to enforcer reporting to ecclesiarchial standards to locations.

"Locations," said Leliana. "Click that one."

"And I'm the bingus." replied Edwin. "Hmmh, Women think they know everything don't they?"

Leliana chose to ignore his remark. She turned around, watching his back and the duffle bags as more and more pedestrians wormed their way around them.

"It is the light of the Emperor that guides its holy citizens! Only the devout will survive! Only those who are strong in faith to wither the storm of the great enemy will prevail. Beware the Psyker, beware the witch, and Beware the Heretic!" A Servo skull iterated as it passed by.

Leliana watched the servo skull as it floated by. She remembered those peculiar floating things, especially at her old factorium. She always hated them to the very fiber of her being. They annoyed her as did its ridiculous chanting.

As Edwin fiddled with the terminal, Leliana thought of home. She thought of her mother, withering under the lash of the masters and foremen. She prayed that she was okay, not to the emperor, she never prayed to Him. For he, in her eyes was the enemy, the one that had set the foreman upon her, the one that created the imperium and all of its fallacies. The one that had given her mother and herself a harsh life. Leliana thought of Sergeant Valco in those moments and remembered how strong he was. What she would give to be like him. Strong, durable, able to punch a prison guard on a whim and get away with it scott free. She longed to be like him, whatever he was.

A loud bang was heard and Leliana reeled. She noticed Edwin shaking his hand in pain.

"Feth that hurt!" Edwin said as he held onto his hand grimacing.

TERMINAL ERROR. came up on the screen.

"Damn it!" he yelled.

"You have anger issues don't you?" asked Leliana coolly.

"You shut up!" replied Edwin. "You're not suppose to talk to your gang leader like that. You're suppose to have respect."

"Why can't I be the leader?" she asked emotionlessly.

"Because you don't even know what you're doing." Edwin retorted, "Let's look at the map."

"Okay." Leliana said then knelt next to her duffle bag. She unzipped the top and then pulled out the sleek looking device. The screen of the pad was flashing, and on the surface of it was a rune that Leliana didn't understand. Edwin turned, looking over her shoulder and at the screen.

"Oh gak that's an Alert rune! Damnit they know we're not there!" Edwin said. "They're probably going to lash us for being late!"

Lashes? More than once Leliana had been threated by the foreman with the lash for resisting his advances. She would fight regardless until he overpowered her then raped her. Memories of those events flooded her mind and she closed her eyes tightly, not wanting to remember them. She blinked and shook her head as her heart began to race. She regained her composure and turned her head to face Edwin.

"I bet it doesn't hurt that bad." Leliana said. "stop being a wuss."

"Oh it hurts, I've seen grown men cry because of lashings." Edwin replied emphatically.

Leliana clicked the rune and about thirty messages of "Where are you?!" came up. The messages were from Wellington. Leliana wanted to reply but she couldn't figure out how. She fiddled with the device for a few seconds before realizing she had no idea what she was doing, nor any idea of how to access the map. Finally she gave up.

"You try." She said handing the pad to Edwin who snatched it. "DONT PUNCH IT!"

"Fine." He said then began to fiddle with the device.

"Let the Emperor guide you in your times of trouble. Know that it is he that watches over you and our beloved race. It is he who laid the foundations of the Imperium and given each of you a purpose in life. It is he that defeated the Arch Daemon Horus and rescued Holy Terra from demise."

"Stupid thing." Leliana grumbled as she watched the servo skull float near her. It's gyros whined and it turned its attention towards her.

"Devout servant of the Emperor, have you prayed today?"

"Yes," she said. "But not to your emperor," she whispered to herself.

"See that you pray more often."

"I'll see to it," she said. "Can you help us?"

"I am programmed to assist all the Emperor's finest servants. What is it you require?"

"We need to get to the Scholam Progenium," Edwin chimed in looking up. "Can you assist us most holy one?"

Leliana had to hold back a laugh.

"Of course. I will show you the quickest route. Calculating."

Leliana looked back to Edwin, perhaps this was going to be easier after all.

"The quickest route is through Sub Sector A 1 9 5 7 B... Follow me young apostle."
***
Wellington and Tanith crept into the Habitation block alone. It was getting dark and the more they searched, the more they felt the sting of time. Wellington looked at his Pad's Chrono. It read 1730 standard. That meant they only had another hour to find the two. Fools. He was beginning to doubt they even wanted to be found. He assumed they could have just ditched their uniforms and faded into the crowd. If they kept the pads or sold them they'd be dead, as stealing Astra Militarium equipment was punishable by death. Still, while they seemed like they were criminals something inside told Wellington to keep looking.

The one thing they shouldn't do is trust anyone from this level. Wellington had read about the gangs that were in the sub sectors. Formed from rejects of the society, these denizens had seen enough combat to take on enforcement squads, let alone two stranded teenagers.

When they reached the tram station it was nearly deserted. Most workers were on shift at this point and only a scant few servitors were performing maintenance on the electrical piping they saw earlier. There were barely any Factorium transports moving on the thoroughfares, let alone civilian vehicles.

A panicked Wellington swallowed and then looked around once more just to be sure he didn't see them sitting on a bench. They were nowhere to be seen. The young teenager shook his head.

"They're not here," Said Tanith crossing his arms. "They must have tried to run. I've seen criminal types before, a hard day's work scares the living daylights out of them."

"I doubt they tried to run," Wellington said still not wanting to believe they were that stupid. If they did try to run they'd be found within a matter of days. "No one escapes the Imperium if one is being looked for, especially not imperial property like them."

"Then where on earth did they go?"

Wellington shook his head once more to say he didn't know. without thought he pulled his data pad out once more and clicked the runes to the map. He studied it, determined to see if there was another route they could've have taken that took them away from the thoroughfares. Fools, didn't they have the sense to read their instructions? Even now?

He studied it for a few minutes until he realized the most direct route to the school from their location was through a sub sector. Specifically the sub sector their instructions told them to avoid because it was full of criminal activity.
He didn't want to believe it, but he spoke up anyway.

"They went through there." He said pointing to a massive tunnel.

"How do you know?"

"I just know." And know he did for his gut knew it to be true. He knew deep down the girl, Slayern was her name? Was smart enough to figure out the tablet and he also knew she was not one to run away from a new life. Given the fact that she was a criminal didn't phase him. He knew in his heart of hearts she wanted a chance at a new life. Since seeing her on the tram and the spunk she had, Wellington also knew she was a fighter, someone that didnt give up easily. But if she knew how to work the pad then why didn't she answer him?

"Well let's go then!" Said Tanith starting in the direction of the tunnel.

"Not so fast!" said Wellington. "That's a sub sector, it's dangerous in there."

"Wait, what?" Tanith said turning to Wellington.

In all seriousness Wellington shot Tanith a grim face. "The instructions said specifically to avoid that sector. It's full of gangs and criminals."

"Then they should fit in nicely."

"No, they won't fit in. They're carrying two large duffle bags and wearing imperial uniforms. You don't think people are going to notice them?"

Tanith paused for a moment. "You have a point. So, squad leader, what do you suppose we do?"

"We go in after them."
***
Through a labyrinth of alleyways, past sex shops, and through market places where all kinds of things could be found, they travelled. If the citizens of the main thoroughfare were strange, the ones found in the market were even stranger. More than once they had been approached by whores; male, female, and in between. They traveled over long grated walkways, bridges, and tunnels. Gang signs were everywhere, and more than once they heard gunshots. All around them were rusted structures and broken statues, each more derelict than the last. Open sewer grates spewed sludge into the streets and people wearing cloaks walked about, the cloaks a pitiful attempt to hide their augmentations. All the while they walked, the servitor skull chanted prayers. Leliana found that she was annoyed even more by the device. Finally after traveling what felt like an hour they stopped in a decrepit alleyway to take a break.

"Where are we?" Asked Edwin looking over her shoulder.

"We have to be close," she replied eyeing the map.

Suddenly a call came through her pad. It rang with a buzz and Leliana tapped the activation rune of it. A voice came through which she recognized as Wellington.

"Where are you!" He cried though Leliana could hear the relief in his voice. "Tanith and I have been looking for you everywhere!"

"We're in a sub sector," she said. "This is a short cut that takes us straight to the school."

"You fool! That sector is highly dangerous! Why doesn't anyone ever read the instructions!"

"Yeah We can tell," said Edwin with his arms crossed. "Slayer and I have had our knives out for the last 15 minutes because we think we're being followed."

"Oh that's just great!" Wellington spat. "Send me your location!"

"How do I do that?"

"Damnit just give me a landmark! We'll come to you."

"Were at a hab block labeled A5356. It's near the market plaza."

"Ok! Just stay there! We're coming to get you!"

As soon as Wellington cut out another voice was heard. Edwin and Leliana turned and before them were four gangers. Each ganger wore a robust yellow plate and sported long, braided dreadlocks. The leader smiled at them.
"Well well well. Looks like you two have found your way into town."

"Pray for the Emperor protects," said the servo skull listlessly.

"Piss off!" Edwin yelled at the leader while brandishing his combat knife. Leliana stood and brandished her own blade as well.

"Know how to use that poker?!" The leader laughed then brandished a long, curved knife. He held it, swaying it back and forth antagonistically and an electrical current whipped itself over the shaft with a crackle of energy. Light reflected off their gasmask clad faces. Leliana's eyes widended at the sight. She then eyed the other gangers, two had long lead pipes and one had was wielding a chain. "Tell you what I'll make this easy on you. Just give us the bags and we'll get out of your hair."

"Unauthorized weapon, enforcers had been alerted. Estimated time of arrival is five days fifteen hours." The servo skull quipped.

"No way." Leliana chimed in ignoring the servo skull.

Edwin shook his head. "Aint going to happen."

"Sound like you have a death wish then! I'll make it quick!"

The leader sped forwards knife drawn. Edwin and Leliana reacted by taking up combative stances and standing shoulder to shoulder with eachother. Without thought Leliana threw her knife. It sped forwards and hit its mark in the center of the leaders chest plate. It clanged off harmlessly and Edwin cursed at her with something that she couldn't hear because she was too focused on the madman running at her.

Edwin sped ran forwards, a war cry on his lips, then let loose a strike with his blade that the Ganger dodged by inches. A series of strikes followed by Edwin that the gang leader dodged one by one.
"Damn you!" Edwin shouted and the Leader laughed.

"Too slow!" He cackled as he dodged Edwin's strikes. "Too slow!"

Leliana ran forward as well, past Edwin fighting the leader and towards the ganger with the pipe. It was obvious the ganger hadn't expect Leliana's aggressiveness by the way he stumbled when she ran at him. Leliana struck him hard in the face, forcing him to tumble over himself and onto the ground with a bloody nose.

Pain fill her side when she realized she had been hit with the chain. The pain was so intense it almost knocked her from her feet but she held her ground regardless. She reeled at the ganger that had hit her and collided with the man, headbutting him with a loud smack then grabbing the chain out of his hands.

Edwin let loose a howl after he got slashed by the gangers blade. Laughter could be heard from the leader as he let loose a series of strikes against Leliana's fellow cadet. Edwin dodged, thankfully, before landing a blow of his own that scraped the leader's chest plate. The leader raised his weapon, ready to kill Edwin.

Leliana turned and, with one quick flick of the chain, struck the gang leader in the back of the head. The leader let loose a grunt of pain.

"Fething bitch!" he yelled turning on her. "I'll kill you for that!"

Leliana soon found herself surrounded. She whipped the chain at one's face, hitting him and forcing him backwards. However, as she did this, another hit her in the gut with a pipe. A spike of pain that knocked the wind out of her wracked her body and she keeled over. The next kicked her, hard, in the side and she fell to the rockcrete below. The rest began kicking her profusely until Edwin rammed his blade into the leader which penetrated his unarmored back. The leader fell forwards, crying out in pain as he dropped his own blade next to Leliana who snatched it and started slashing at the legs of the other gangers. They were quick to move out of her way.

The leader turned towards a surprise Edwin who couldn't believe the leader was still standing. Blade still in his back, the leader let loose a fast punch into Edwin's face which was too quick to block. Edwin fell backwards smacking his head on the rockcrete into unconsciousness.

"Slayern!" It was Wellington at a distance. "Edwin?!"

"There's more of them!" Snarled the leader. "Grab the bags! Idiots grab the bags!" He yelled as he coughed in pain.

Two ran forwards but another kept beating Leliana with a pipe. She dropped the blade as pain filled her and she let out a muffled cry. After grabbing their duffle bags the gangers ran off leaving a pain filled Leliana and an unconscious Edwin with nothing.
***
"Get up Leliana! Get up!"

Leliana blinked.

"Mother?" she asked remembering her only parent.

"You have to wake up!"

"I don't want to go to the manufactorium today," She said remembering the foreman and his all too eager hands. "Please, I'll do anything just don't make me go!"

She cried and tears rolled down her cheeks. She did not want to be raped, she did not want to have to go through that pain again. No one would hear her out, not the enforcers, and certainly not the foreman's chief. She visualized him, his sweaty hands and that voice, that disgusting voice that always wanted more and more of her. She wouldn't give it to him and she would often fight. But when she fought threats of being reported for dereliction filled her ears.

"You will be whipped if you don't stop your screaming!" he had shouted at her. "If you continue to fight I'll make sure of it!"

She was shaken again and again. She blinked. Before her, kneeling over her, was Wellington and Tanith. Edwin was standing up behind them.

"You're awake. What the hell were you screaming about?" Wellington said.

"Crime reported, Enforcers arriving in 5 days, 15 hours." The servo skull said.

"Shut up Wellington! We have bigger problems, those goons took our bags." yelled Edwin whose face was covered in blood.

"Yes that is a problem. But they're long gone by now. You're lucky you both weren't killed."

"We're going after them!"

"No we're going back to school, what's important is that you're both alive. Besides how do you expect to find them?" Tanith said.

"I... I don't know." Admitted Edwin reluctantly.

Leliana sat up. Her body hurt badly but she stood despite the pain. Wellington helped her to her feet. After standing she said nothing but slunk back on to the rockcrete wall of the hab block alleyway.

"We need those bags back," said Wellington with a fire in his eyes. "The crime for losing Imperial equipment is punishable by lashes. I, for one, don't want to be lashed."

"Then please, enlighten me, how do we find them."

"You said you stabbed one didn't you?"

"Yes," replied Edwin.

"It's easy then."

"Easy?"

"Yeah, we just follow the blood."
***
They followed the blood through the market. Between the four they had two knives. The vibroblade that the gang leader dropped and Leliana's combat knife which they easily found lying in a puddle in the alleyway. The blood from the ganger was easy to spot. And it trailed its way through the market, past broken kiosks, into alleyways, and even through a sex shop.

"Looks like he wanted some loving before he bled out," joked Tanith.

"Shut up, let's just find the bags and get out of here." Edwin Snarled.

"You know they could have guns," said Leliana. "What do we do then?"

"They don't have guns," said Edwin emphatically. "If they had guns they would've robbed us with them. These kids like to play the numbers game. Now it's an even fight."

They made their way up through a hab block, through an apartment where children were playing football against the wall. They passed them, the children laughing and playing then stopping when they saw them.

"Are we in trouble officer?" one of the children asked as they made their way towards them. The four ignored the child, their minds too focused on retrieving the bags. Finally after a half hour of searching they located where the trail ended. It led directly into an apartment.

The door was plastek and had an electronic lock on it.

"What do we do now?" asked Tanith.

Leliana cringed, they were about to get into another fight and she knew it. What if she was right about them having a gun? If that were the case she would have no problem dying and being relieved of her suffering that was life. But the others. She did not want them to die. More so she felt guilt at the fact that the only reason they were in this mess is because she did not read the instructions about using the thoroughfares only.

"This!" said Edwin kicking the door in.

The plastek frame buckled and the lock immediately split off its hinges. The four raced inside to find a disheveled and unkept apartment. Spray paint covered the walls with gang signs that were too eligible to read. In what passed for the apartment's living room was the head ganger with his top off and a bandage on his back. He was laying face first on the couch moaning in pain.

The other three gangers reacted by getting to their feet immediately. One yelled "Get the gun! They're here!"

Edwin ran in, charging forwards. Leliana thought he was being so gung ho in order to make up for his defeat. There was a flame in his eyes as he attacked. The first target Edwin hit was the gang leader laying face first on the couch. He dispatched him quickly by punching him in the back of the head. Leliana was just behind, followed by Tanith and Wellington.

Leliana managed to tackle one of the gangers, colliding with him and pulling him over and onto a glass table. The table shattered loudly under his weight and the ganger immediately tried to punch him. The other cadets ran after the other two gangers, one of which was making a run for the bathroom. Tanith didn't reach him in time before the ganger slammed the door shut behind himself. Tanith was about to kick the door in when las bolts streamed out, puncturing Tanith's chest and sending him racing across the floor in a heap.

"TANITH!" Cried Wellington as he wrestled with another.

Edwin immediately ran to the side of the bathroom door. When it opened he ambushed the ganger with the gun, slamming the knife into his chest. He gripped the gangers wrist, and the gun went off. Las bolts shot out of its barrel, puncturing the ceiling as ganger let loose a blood curdling cry. The gunman fell backwards, smashing his head against the toliet.

Leliana was too busy dealing with her attacker to notice. She was on top of him stabbing him with the electronic blade over and over again until the life faded from his eyes. Blood covered her hands and arms as she continued to bury the knife in him. She found herself reveling in it. She welcomed it and her thirst for revenge against gangers found her. The many times she was raped and beaten by them back on Malachor IV was enough to send her into a blind rage.
Another gunshot was heard, and she heard wellington scream.

She turned, fearing that Wellington had been shot. That was not the case. On the contrary, the ganger Wellington had been wrestling with had lost part of his skull. It was fried, and a giant hole could be seen when the ganger slunked to the floor like a ragdoll.

"Why did you do that?!" cried Wellington. Edwin ignored him then walked over to the ganger who was face down still and moaning. He turned him over and pointed the gun in his face.

"Look at me." he said but the ganger moaned. "LOOK AT ME!" He said with such venom and vehemance that it made Leliana swallow.

"My face is the last face you'll see." he snarled.

Wellington ran at him and pushed his arm away and the las gun went off, shooting a bolt out the window and onto the side of the nearby hab structure outside of it. The two started wrestling over the gun until Leliana screamed "STOP!"
They looked at eachother, both panting something furious. Edwin blinked then took a deep breath then dropped the pistol.

"Tanith!" Cried Leliana remembering how he got gunned down. She ran over to his body which was sprawled on the rockcrete floor. She knelt over him then cupped his head. His eyes were wide open as was his mouth. There was a smell about him that led her to believing he had defecated himself. The holes were clean cut. There were two wounds in his stomach and one on his heart.

"He's... He's dead." Leliana.

"We have to leave." said Edwin grabbing the duffle bags. "We have to leave now!"

"We can't just leave Tanith!" spat Wellington.

"We have to! There's no time to debate this! We'll say he wanted to take a shortcut and we haven't seen him since."

"He's dead..." Leliana said again numbly as though trying to comprehend what had happened.

"I'm not leaving him," Said Wellington pushing Leliana out of the way and then scooping the young dead teenager up.

"Let's go!" yelled Edwin leaving the room both dufflebags in hand.

"This wasn't worth it," Wellington said shaking his head. "We should've just went back."

The three ran, down the stairs and out of the habitation unit. They fled into an alleyway and from there made their way through the corridors of the sub sector. All left them alone, for Leliana was covered in blood and Wellington was carrying a corpse. Within minutes they reached the school and, from there, all hell broke loose.

Askeul Aeretheos walked alongside Chapter Master Andron as they each looked over the psykers. Every single one still sported their null collars, a necessary precaution for psykers were the most dangerous of humans. Each was capable of bending the forces of the material world through their powers and thus each was capable of killing an Astartes. The sorcerer looked them over. There were women, some children, and some men. The women all looked at both of them in awe while the men had their eyes to their feet.

A dozen Astartes surrounded the group. The warriors clad in beige armor aimed their bolter weapons at them, ready to kill at the slightest sign of warp anomaly.

"The children must go through initiate training," said Askeul as they walked around the freed black ship captives. "If just one proves worthy enough to be my apprentice, such an asset would prove invaluable."

"I concur." said Andron. "But what of the men and women? How will they help us strip Berkana from Imperial control?"

"A task that is easier said than actualized." The sorcerer quipped. "I will train the psykers in the art of oration."

The massive warrior turned on Askeul. "The arts of oration? Surely you jest."

Askeul eyed the warrior through his helmet's lenses. "There is nothing more powerful than the word. Imagine what would be possible if you had the sympathy of each citizens. Imagine the manpower of making the entire world turn on the imperial forces here. That is the power of the word."

"Go on." Andron growled.

"I will train each, and they will be the orators that spark the flames of rebellion in Berkana city. Groups will flock to hear their sermons, each of which I will craft myself. These will be your elite corps of the rebellion that will follow. The rebellions that follow will be need to be equipped of course and weapons will need to be distributed among the population."

"I believe I can arrange for such a thing." Andron said. "What then?"

"We wait, we wait for the cults to batter down the Adepta Sororitas mission here. Once that has been accomplished, you strike and claim the planet for yourself."

"Although I'd rather strike sooner. How long will this process take?"

"It will take months, Chapter Master." Askeul replied.

Andron grumbled then moved over to a woman who had tattoos covering her arms and neck.

"What do these markings mean worm?" asked Andron to the woman.

"My lord, these markings are from my tribe. They represent the gods and their masterful ways."

"Tell me of your gods."

"There is the axe father, the one that blesses our tribes warriors with might and main. There is the lady, the one that blesses us with fertility and child birth. Then there is the all knowing cousin, the god who gives us insight and knowledge."
Andron eyed the woman for a moment. "Would you fight against the imperium?"

"The imperium destroyed my tribe. They attacked us, knowing we were heathen. They killed all our men and took our women as slaves. I was also taken, because of my ability of sight." The woman's voice was that of a serpents. "Yes, I would fight."

"And if I remove this collar would you attack us?"

"Attack you after you freed me from that dreaded place? Attack you after you've fed me well, clothed me, and provided a place to sleep?" She asked. "Never."

Andron nodded to Askeul who moved forward. With a device in his hand he unlocked the collar. The collar split in half, falling off her shoulders then landing on the floor with a heavy clang. Askeul's hands shook from getting too close to the device and a chill crept up his spine. The sorcerer hated such contraptions, even now in a room full of them he could feel his warp sight and powers waning.

"Then you will be the first to start the rebellions of Berkana." said Askeul.

Andron began to turn when Askeul stopped him.

"There is something else we need to discuss, Chapter Master." Askeul said pointedly.

"What is it?" Andron growled.

"You do know what my Host was doing on Malachor IV before you stopped us?" He asked.

"Of course," Andron laughed. "You were trying to overthrow the Imperial rule there, to spread the faith of the gods. Do not fret sorcerer, I no longer care that we shed eachother's bloods upon those blasted planes. Granted it was your books that first allowed us to open our eyes to the fallacies of the imperium. For that you have my thanks."

"You yourself admit that the word is the most powerful. But taking the planet in the name of the gods was but a secondary objective."

"Interesting. Then why attack the planet and risk your forces?"

"We were searching for the Mark Bearer."

"What is this mark bearer?" Andron asked begrudgingly.

"The mark bearer is the one who I've seen in my dreams and visions, the one who will lead my host to victory after victory and spread the gospel of the dark gods."

"Your old objectives are of no concern to me, sorcerer as your old battered host is also of no concern to mine. Why do you tell me this?"

"If we find the mark bearer, he will also lead you to victory. I've spoken to your seer, the one called Valco. He has seen the same visions."

"Valco's visions were what led us to assaulting the black ship and rescuing you." Andron started. "But you have yet to prove just how much of an asset you really are to our campaign."

"Will you not search for this mark bearer?"

"Listen to me, sorcerer." Started Andron. "What is important is taking back the planet, not some baseless quest to find one individual that suits the nature of your gods. Granted, my men have taken to the new gods. They need faith, they need guidance in that area. That is your objective."

"I understand."

"Besides, you have other priorities now. You are to orchestrate a rebellion of this planet. Such a task I even doubt you are capable of fulfilling. Prove me wrong Askeul, and we will see about this Mark Bearer."
Askeul nodded and Andron left him there, alone with the psykers.

The woman moved forward to him and Askeul turned and looked down at her.

"When do we begin master?" she asked with a smile on her face.
***
The jail cell was a familiar discomfort for Leliana. While she sat on the steel bench she felt an overwhelming sense of regret. This had been her chance, her chance to start over. Now she had blown all of that by making a mistake. She thought about home and she thought about her mother, she thought of the man she killed and wondered if the school officials would use that against her.

One by one they were being interrogated. They started with Wellington since he had been the one who had been seen carrying the body. Leliana remembered the screams of some of the younger female students when they entered the scholam and the look of shock on their faces. She remembered the cries for a medicae and the officials who surrounded them when they arrived. Wellington did not call for help, for he knew it was useless. Tanith was dead and it was all her fault.

At first, officials assumed they'd been ambushed by gangers, but only after Wellington started to tell them what really happen did Leliana and Edwin find themselves in chains. They led Wellington away, to a nearby office while an enforcer had handcuffed Leliana and Edwin. Soon they had been brought, under lock and key, into the underbelly of the Scholam and thrown in a pale white holding cell with plexiglass windows that could only view the hallway. Leliana thought they'd be separated but for reasons unknown they kept them together. They probably wanted to see if their story differentiated from Wellingtons and, on top of that, the cell itself was probably being watched and recorded from a hidden vox mic.

They were going to be the fall people, she knew that much. If Wellington would tell the truth that meant revealing that Leliana and Edwin hadn't followed the instructions. It would also mean that it was Leliana's fault entirely for leading the four into the sub sector, something she shouldn't have done in the first place. Then again, Wellington did go after them. That also meant he had broken protocol as well.

There was also the fact that she herself killed someone. Would she be charged with murder again? Should they have just contacted the authorities? Then again, her life had been in danger and she had been recovering stolen property. Perhaps there could be leniency. But she had already been shown leniency once, how could they possible show it again?

She looked down at her hands, they were still covered in the gangers blood. She blinked, the whole episode reminding her of the time she had killed her foreman. Did they know about that?

"Wellington, that Narc." Edwin said.

"Shhh." Leliana replied curtly. "We could be being watched."

"I don't give a damn! There's suppose to be a code! You don't rat and you don't narc! Wellington, this guy is damn narc."

"He's just trying to save his own skin and can you blame him?" she replied.

"Damn right I can blame him, he's the one that got us arrested. He should've said we got ambushed or something!"

"Quiet!" Leliana said in a hushed tone. "You don't want them to think you're a liar. It will only make things worse. There's nothing for us to do now but tell the truth. You know that."

Edwin reluctantly nodded then crossed his arms. A moment passed, and then another.

Finally breaking the silence he said: "Do you think they'll put us to death?"

"I don't know." She said emotionlessly. She thought about dying and it did not frighten her. What did frighten her, however, was losing the chance at a new life.

Another thirty minutes of silence passed until a man wearing an urban camouflaged militarium uniform arrived at their cell accompanied by two men wearing body armor. They opened the cell door and eyed the two.

Leliana said nothing. She bit her lip. Memories of her past interrogation flooded her mind on Malachor IV flooded her mind. The beatings, the directives to confess, and the eventual decree of murder as a charge. She wholeheartedly believed this time would be the same as before.

"Cadet Slayern," he said, his voice deep and cold. The words were like ice in her chest.

"Yes sir?" she said looking up and staring into his eyes. They were grey and had crows feet on the side of them.

"The counsel will see you now." He said. "follow me."

***
"Sit down." Was all the officer said. Before her were three faces. One she recognized as the towering Sergeant Valco and, instead of the curious light hearted face he wore at the shuttle bay, his face now was grim and had the faintest hint of anger on it. There was a woman, whose white hair and steely eyes gleamed at her with something that was rage, and then there was a priest, seemingly as old as terra with a look of condescending disappointment on his face. All three stared at her as she took her seat, the chair scraping against the metal floor loudly as she maneuvered it then placed herself down.

"First, let me begin by saying that everything you say can be used against you. This is a serious matter. One we do not take lightly. Now In your own words tell us what happened." Sergeant Valco's deep voice carried into her ears with a seriousness that chilled her.

Leliana bit her lip, looked down and then up.

"We were ambushed," she started as a nearby mnemo quill recorded her words. "We were ambushed in the sub sector by a group of four gang members."

"The sub sector?!" Spat the woman with the white hair. "Did you not read the instructions we sent you?!"

Leliana hesitated for a moment, taken aback by the ferocity of the woman's stare and demeanor. She swallowed.

"I did not personally read it, we had a group leader that did though."

"Ah yes, Cadet Wellington," started the priest. "If it weren't for him, you'd both be dead I assume."

Leliana looked at him and meekly said, "Yes sir."

"So if you had a group leader who read the instructions why did you not go with him?"

Leliana swallowed again, "When we we're traveling initially we got separated."

"Why did you get separated?" asked Sergeant Valco with grimness.

"An argument erupted between myself and another student."

"What was said in that argument?" Valco asked.

She was caught off guard by this question, she couldn't tell him that they'd Edwin and herself discussed operating in a gang nor did she want to say they conversed about taking over the school.

"It was an argument about sticking together. Cadet Edwin-

"You mean Cadet Arkanos." Shot the white haired woman.

"Yes ma'am, Cadet Arkanos... Cadet Arkanos and I had an argument about the importance of sticking together. He wanted me to stick by his side during our schooling."

"Why would you argue about that?" Balked the priest. "You should have each other's backs."

"Because I thought I could do this on my own, I've never had friends so I didn't think I'd need any now."

"Apparently," began the priest. "That is not the case."

"Do you understand the seriousness of what happened? Four people are dead because of you? Five, if we count the foreman you murdered." Said the white haired woman.

"THAT FOREMAN WAS RAPING ME ON A NEAR DAILY BASIS!" Shot Leliana.

Valco chuckled, the priest gasped, and the white haired woman's face was a look of shock. She stood up. Anger billowing in her red, scared face.

"Talk back again and I assure you it will mean your death!" The White haired woman screamed back.

"Calm down Agnes." Valco chuckled.

"Oh so you think this is funny?"

"Here's what I think. Some teenagers made a mistake. Which happens. They got distracted, ended up going in the wrong spot. They got into a fight and got robbed."

"And?" She said taking her seat. "That's the point, they are derelict of duty."

"Let me finish... So instead of deciding to run away empty handed, they managed to track down those that stole from them. A gang. They tracked down a gang on their first day, broke into their apartment, killed them all and recovered their equipment. Sounds to me like they were thinking tactics and strategy."

"A student is dead because of this one's stupidity."

"Everyone makes mistakes some time or another during military operations. You yourself have. I have. I have lost countless brothers over my 300 years of service. In war these things happen."

"But this is not war. This was a simple task of getting point a to point b."

"Tell me, Slayern, why did you choose the route through the sub sector?" asked Valco.

"We were running short on time, I thought it would be quicker."

"You see that is the mind of a strategist." Said Valco much to the chagrin of the other two.

"She is a criminal and the only reason she is here is because of you. Had she gone to Vorkuda like she had been suppose to, none of this would have happened. Cadet Tanith would still be alive and we wouldn't even be sitting here right now." Snapped Agnes.

"What do you propose then? Have her executed?" Valco quipped.

"YES!" said Paulius and Agnes simultaneously.

Leliana took a deep breath, if she was to die she would face it with courage and relief. There would be no more pain and no more anguish in her life. She felt no fear in those moments, simply a sort of pleasant grace.

Valco squinted at her as if reading her expression. A smile came over his face when he realized she wasn't afraid of death. He shook his head. Although Leliana did not know it, Valco was happy with the decision he made for inducting her into the program.

"Absolutely not. She is apart C Class. My class. It is my decision to make of her punishment. That is the code."

"You can't be serious Valco!" Piped Agnes.

"I am. On my brothers lives I am serious. Cadet Slayern is to be given lashes, along with Cadet Edwin. Edwin is to receive one lash. Slayern..."

A bigger smile crept over Valco's face. "Twenty."
***

Aaskeul Aretheos knelt and clasped two gauntleted hands together. The Sons of Berkana had been more than accommodating. They had given him their entire chapel and Chaplin's quarters. He glanced upwards. Hanging above was the chapter's former Chaplin, suspended by barbed hooks. To the sorcerer's delight he was still alive. He could not speak for his mouth had been wired shut. He couldn't see either as his eyes had been removed. Such was what the followers of the false emperor deserved, he told himself.

But such grudges were anathema to the eight fold path. The true way was the way of ascension and there could be no distractions on that path. Only prayer to the true gods, and prayers to his master and father, Lorgar were what mattered. Everything must be done in their name. The fool Andron could not see that, and deep down, the Word Bearer knew that he would pay in full in time.

"Gods of darkness, hear me," He whispered as burning incense filled his nostrils. "Grant me the power to bring about the true faith to this chapter that has sworn in your names. Slaaneth, Kharnath, Blight Father, and weaver of fates. hear me call out to you for guidance. For I know the secrets of the warp. I have stared into the face of immaterium and seen it look back. I have felt your presence as I have been bestowed your gifts. The gift of sight, rage, excess, and freedom from death."

"Never lacking in your bounty, grant me the wisdom to shepherd this flock into your unholy arms. I never intended to be an apostle, but it seems as though I was chosen for a purpose. What that purpose is, I know it not. But what I do know is for humanity... all of humanity... for humanity deserves to see the truth. "

He stood then moved over to the altar where he had prepared all the necessary tools for the rite. There was an ornate sword, a bell, an offering bowl, and of course, the sacrifice. The man was unconscious but alive. A sedative was given so he would not move during the rite. It was a necessary precaution when dealing with mortals. Pitiful things, he thought, as he lifted the sword. It gleamed and reflected light off his tattooed face.

Using his third eye, he opened himself to the warp. Power flowed through him and he cringed. It had been so long that he nearly had forgotten how powerful and how unwieldy the warp was. Visions wracked his mind. He saw his brother Astartes, clad in the crimson armor of the Word Bearers moving across a ruined city scape. He saw death, he saw life. He saw a future free from the bindings of the Imperium. He saw Berkana burn. He saw flames, fire, bolter discharges and he saw more of his brothers. He was fighting and killing, slaying hundreds of pitiful mortals with his powers. Then, he saw someone leading them, charging head first into the enemy. The champion stood, chain axe in hand. A proudness swelled in Askeul's chest when he saw this. A warrior of the 17th Legion leading a host of the converted Sons of Berkana. Their armor themselves had been replaced with the red and steel of the Word Bearers legion. On their pauldrons was the blazing daemon head and tome so iconic of their legion.

He focused. Expecting it to be himself. But in his vision he saw that he was in fact standing next to the leader who was shrouded in shadow. Then he recognized the warriors height, he was smaller, a head smaller than Aretheos. He had a more slender frame and power armor plate not unlike those he'd seen the Sororitas wear. It was... a woman?

He shook the thought off and proceeded with the ritual. There could be no female Astartes, such a thing would never happen. He doubted the vision, casting it aside as a condition of him not using his powers for so long.
He turned his attention back to the Altar. To find the true mark bearer he would need to call upon his "Allies." Drawing a circle around the dais with the sword, he moved to the four cardinal directions starting first in the west.

"Blessed weaver of fates, I call upon you and into the flames of the abyss!

Weaver of fates i invoke thee

Weaver of fates i summon thee

Come forth and manifest thyself!"

The braziers that were alit in the chapel grew brighter and brighter until they changed color from red to blue. Hearing that his prayer was answered by the great weaver he turned his attention to the south. Summoning Kharnath.
"Unholy axe father, god of blood and war, I call upon you from the pits of the throne of skulls!"

Khorne I invoke thee

Khorne I summon thee

Come forth and manifest!"

Askeul felt his blood boil with rage. He nearly turned to beat the sacrifice, but he stopped himself. He would need them for later.

"Blessed prince of pleasure, Slaanesh, I call upon you from the plane of excess!

Slaanesh I invoke thee

Slaanesh I summon thee

Come forth and manifest thyself!"

Feelings of pain wracked his body and he felt a sensation that threatened to drop him to his knees. But drop he did not for he was used to such feelings. Being an Astartes pain was nothing to him nor his tempered physique. He only felt a heightened sense of things.

"Pleasure is pain," he reminded himself continuing with the ritual. He moved to the north and summoned Nurgle, lord of pestilence, decay and death.

Nurgle I invoke thee

Nurgle I summon thee

Come forth and manifest thyself!"

He moved to the altar and gripped his chalice. then he picked up his blade. Nimbly he cut the sacrifice's arm and caught the blood into the ornate cup. He raised the chalice and drank from it. The union was complete and his senses came alive. Being an Astartes meant he could witness the memories from those whose blood he tasted. The man was nothing, just a factorium worker who had lived his days slaving away for the Imperium. At least now he had purpose. Askeul had given him that purpose.

"Gods! Hear me! I am but a humble servant! Before me is a soul that I give to you! Come forth from the abyss! Arise! ARISE!"

There was a brief flash from the braziers.

"ARISE!" he said then cut the mans throat. Blood pooled its way down and off the altar. The man died in seconds and Askeul opened his third eye.

He could see the white light that was the soul being surrounded by dark shadows. By the energies the sorcerer felt he could tell that the shadows sought to devour the soul. They moved slowly forwards, ready to devour and tear the soul to pieces. The shadows were beginning to fight over each other for the soul when a greater shadow, one with the head of a bull came forward, bashing the smaller shadows with what looked like a mace. The lesser shadows disintegrated under the power of the Daemon's mace and a boisterous daemonic laugh was heard. The bull headed daemon stepped forwards, onto the altar and went to grip the light. The light tried to get away but the daemon snatched it out of the air. With another laugh the daemon put the light to its mouth then devoured it, consuming it in one fell gulp.

A worthy sacrifice. The Daemon started in a tongue that sounded like the bowels of hell itself. Tell me, who summons me?

"It is I! Askeul that awakens you!"

What is it that you seek sorcerer?! it baulked at him

"I seek to know who will bear the mark!"

You have seen the mark bearer in your visions

"I have not seen such things." Askuel replied.

You have seen the mark bearer. She is here, on this pitiful excuse for a planet.

"She?!" Askeul snapped.

So it was true, his visions had not lied to him. He cringed at the thought of being led by a woman but it did not stray him from his devotion. Such was the decree of the gods and he would not forsake them.

You seem surprised little man

"A woman has never been an Astartes!" He yelled. "But is this truly the wish of the gods?"

It is. NOW UNBIND ME FROM THIS CIRCLE THAT I MAY BE FREE TO WALK ABOUT THE MORTAL PLANE.

Askeul sniggered. "How foolish do you think I am?"

Askeul was not some amateur when it came to dealing with the denizens of the warp. The sorcerer very well knew that each daemon had their own intentions. The Daemon before him was obviously very powerful, and if unleashed could kill him.
Not foolish enough it would seem, the daemon let out a boom of laughter. Then our business is concluded, I shall return to the Empyrean.

"Wait!"

What mortal?

"I have a proposition. You will bring the Mark Bearer to me. Once you do, I shall set you free. I will bind you to flesh, and you will be free to walk about as long as you wish."

The daemon pondered this for a moment. Then laughed.

Very well mortal. I shall do as you wish. But do not go back on our arrangement.

"And do not go back on yours."

***
Valco sat behind his desk with the doors locked. He was using a secure channel, an important precaution given the fact that if their cover was blown all would be lost. If the sisters of battle even smelt something off they'd report their findings to the inquisition. If that happened their plans would be for naught. The two years they spent preparing for a planetary revolution would be destroyed.

"My lord," he started.

"Report Valco."

"I've met resistance from the head master when it comes to removal of the Imperial Creed classes." Valco began.

"Such is to be expected. If we are to convert the entirety of the Scholam Progenium, we must neutralize the dissidents." Lord Adron replied.

"My lord, if we neutralize the sister of battle Liaison and Paulius, our chances of being caught increase to the point of probability."

"We do not need to neutralize them... yet. On the day of ascension they must be removed. The sacred rose is a crux against our entire operation. Cut off the head and the others will be disorganized. When the time comes that will be your mission. For the time being we must install our own head master. I shall personally oversee such a transition. I am the planetary governor of this world after all, I have the power to enact such a measure."

"Oh course my lord," spoke Valco stroking his chin. "But the assassination cannot be obvious."

"No, it cannot." replied Arden. "That is why it has to look like natural causes."

"I don't have anything in my arsenal that could do that." spoke Valco after thinking for a moment. "We aren't the officio Assassinorium after all."

"No and pray to our new gods that the Assassinorium is never involved with this. Tell me what do your visions say when it comes to proceeding with the removal of the Head Master?"

"My visions do not work on command my lord. I see them in dreams and sometimes when I wake."

"At least our new Chaplin is more reliable when he comes to that. You do know he spoke to me of visions recently. Perhaps I should ask him how to proceed."

"No need my lord." Valco said with determination. "I will find a way."

"Your team. Remember to utilize your team. You selected them for a reason, they are also the future of our chapter."

"I have something in mind. My lord. Do not fret."

"Whose fretting? Just get it done."

"Yes my lord."

Leliana hardly slept the night before. Twenty lashes was unheard of for a teenager to endure, yet she had been given the punishment. She had spent the night in the jail cell alone with Edwin who was relieved that he was only to receive one lash to say the least. Edwin had obviously expected execution. Hearing that wasn't the case he nearly leapt in joy. When Leliana had told Edwin she was to receive twenty lashes Edwin's mouth had nearly hit the floor.

"I once seen a man die from thirty." He had said. "Back on my homeworld, he took the lashes screaming, all the while. The lash itself broke through his back and then punctured his spine. He died hours later, sobbing in a hospital."

"Is that suppose to make me feel better?"

"No, but it is the truth and we must seek the truth in everything we do. Should I not prepare you for how bad it's going to be?"

When she awoke, she had only gotten an hour of sleep. The guard that woke her was the same officer from the night prior. He opened the cell door emotionlessly.

"It is time," is all he said to them then threw each of them a pair of handcuffs. "Put these on, as loose as you like. We all know no one is going to run."

"What happens if we run?" asked Edwin curiously.

"Death." he said pointedly. "Hurry up, the entire school is assembled in the courtyard. Along with all of the staff."

"One hell of a first day eh Leliana?" said Edwin.

Leliana was silent. She did not have anything to say. To her surprise she felt no fear as she stood, only resolve. She would do her best to endure this pain, however bad it would be. She followed the guard through the hallway, up the massive rockcrete stairs and into the gargantuan atrium. Inside, massive pillars led forwards past numerous doorways and hallways. The main thoroughfare was long and deserted except for a servitor or two.

"Just be glad we're not going to be one of those things." Edwin whispered to her as they continued.

The walk was long. The group of three passed the massive pillars, statues, and the stained glass windows. The depictions on the stained glass windows seemed to watch her in disgust as she walked. Leliana shook off the thought then steeled herself for what was to come. Her mind drifted and she began to wonder just how painful lashings were. As if reading her mind Edwin chimed in.

"It will be painful but remember it will end. Pain is temporary. Just think of what a badass you'll be to have received twenty lashes. You'll be stronger for it, I promise you."

"I hope you're right Edwin," she replied before they stopped before a massive door.

"I have the two," said the officer speaking into his vox. "We're at the door."

Leliana looked to the stained glass above. It was still dark and the only way she could see the glass was from the floating glume lobes. Depicted on it was a warrior that reminded her of Sergeant Valco in beige armor, underneath his dramatic pose were words written in high gothic which she could not read.

"Are you ready?" asked Edwin.

"I am." She said then cracked her neck.

An electronic whine was heard then the doors slowly cracked open. Light flooded the twilight of the atrium. It was so bright that she was temporarily blinded. She swallowed. That's when the nerves hit her. This was happening, this was really happening.

Focus a voice in her head said to her. You must focus.

After her eyes adjusted, she could see before her a thousand students in formations surrounding what were two contraptions designed to hold a person in place. Bindings hung from the tops of the contraptions in chains. There was a podium set up where an elderly man stood, clad in elegant robes. His hat was pointed and he wore half-moon spectacles. To her surprise none of the students looked at her, their heads were pointed straight and each stood at a rigid attention.

"Let's go." Said the officer from behind gently pushing each of their shoulders. They complied and continued, the bright lights penetrating the night like the brightest of stars. The walk itself was long, at least 100 meters to the center of the courtyard. They passed the rank and file of staff, instructors, students, and even a small cadre of the giant warriors that reminded her of Valco. Once to the center, the officer who had led them began to remove their bindings. Taking a small key he moved to each of them and unlocked their handcuffs. After which, he gestured them to take positions underneath the contraptions.

Leliana looked upwards to the bindings that hung from the contraptions apex. Soon, Leliana realized, she would be tied to it. Hells at least she wasn't being raped.

"Scholam. At ease." Said the old man into a vox projector. The voice echoed into the darkness of the morning. It was ironically loud consider how the man at the podium spoke the words softly.

Moving his face away from the vox projector, the old man with the pointed hat turned to the officer that led them there. "Please, bind them to the contraptions."

The officer with the peaked cap nodded. He walked over to Leliana first.

"Remove your blouse, shirt, and under garment."

She did as instructed with shaking arms. First she unbuttoned her blouse, dread filling her with each button undid. She removed the blouse and held it, unsure of where to put it.

"Set it to the side."

She did. Then removed her undershirt and the cold air bit into her skin. Next was her bra. Her breasts were naked and a feeling of insecurity threatened to overwhelm her. She was reminded of the many times she was raped in the manufactorium. The orders to remove her clothes were all too familiar and unwelcomed.

Soon a cold, calyst hand gripped her blood stained wrist. She felt her arm lift up. Then, icy metal clapsed itself around her suspended arm. Her next arm followed and soon she felt like a dangling puppet. She realized the point of the bindings in that moment: it was so she couldn't collapse.

Edwin was next. Leliana watched him take off his top to reveal a scared, tattooed body. The wound from the electrical knife was still fresh and visible on his arm.

"We'll get through this Slayer." He said as his arm was hung above.

"Be silent," ordered the officer sternly.

When both were bound the officer turned and saluted the old man. Leliana couldn't see this for her eyes were forward and being blinded by large stadium lights.

"Head Master, both cadets are bound and ready to receive corporal punishment."

"Prepare the whips." She heard him say listlessly.

A moment passed then the microphone boomed again.

"For incompetence and dereliction of duty that resulted in a fellow class member being killed, Leliana Beatrix Slayern is sentenced to receive twenty lashes. For incompetence and gross negligence, Edwin Arkanos is sentenced to receive one lash. You may carry out the sentence."

Edwin was first. The sound of a crack was heard followed by a loud curse. Leliana closed her eyes and the light penetrated her eyelids.

They let him hang there and Leliana heard footsteps behind her followed by the sound of leather rubbing against grass.

Suddenly a spike of pain penetrated her back. The pain was worse than the beating she took from the gangers. It was like a thousand needles had penetrated her back. She gritted her teeth, staying silent. She would not give them the pleasure of hearing her scream.

"ONE!" The officer counted.

focus. the voice said again. you must focus.

She steeled herself for another. When it came she nearly screamed.

"TWO!"

She moaned, letting out a grunt. She had to be strong, she had to-

"THREE!"

She screamed. She could not bear the pain again. Not anymore, anything but another. Anything but-

"FOUR!"

"GAH!" She screamed. "AHHH!"

"FIVE!"

The pain was overwhelming. It felt like her back was being peeled off. It was as though the skin itself was curdling. She felt warm fluid creep down her back and she knew she was bleeding.

"SIX!"

Her head slunk and she moaned.

"SEVEN!"

"EIGHT!"

"NINE!"

***
Leliana opened her eyes. All she could see was white. She blinked and remembered the pain. Had she fainted? She recognized that the entire affair was over. She remembered it vividly, she remember how she barely managed to stay conscious up to twenty. After they had unbound her she remembered collapsing and her knees buckling. After that her mind was blank.

She soon realized that she was laying face down, like the ganger had been. She swallowed, her mouth dry. With her arm she pushed herself up, the pain spiking in her back like a torrent of fire. She groaned. Where was she?
She looked around and saw that she was in an infirmary. It was small compared to the massive structure she had been led through earlier. Around her white beds full of patients surrounded her. The boy next to her had a neck brace. He was staring listlessly at the ceiling his blue eyes unmoving and unblinking.

"You're the girl who got twenty lashes," said a voice next to her. Leliana turned to the opposite side of her bed. Before her sat a teenager, his head was shaven and around his neck was a pendent she recognized as an aquila. She also noticed that his arm had been casted.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"That must have been one hell of a beating!" He laughed. "Females shouldn't be inducted in the scholam in my opinion. Ya'll always mess up."

Leliana shook her head. She didn't care to antagonize the boy. The least she could do was get information out of him.

"Where am I?"

The boy laughed. "Yeah, females are stupid for sure. I heard Priest Paulius once say that's because your brains are smaller than ours."

Anger filled her and she wanted to punch him. She did not, for she did not have the energy nor did she want to be lashed again for disobedience. She simply shook her head while closing her eyes. Then she put her thumb and index finger to the bridge of her nose.

"The infirmary."

"Bingo."

"What's a bingo?" She asked.

"I don't know it's just what you say."

"Whatever."

"ah look who's awake," said a nurse coming over to her. "I see you met Goring. Poor lad had his arm broken in combatives."

"That's a shame." Leliana said with cold sarcasm.

"Watch your tongue missy," the nurse snapped. "You're on thin ice as it is. After I heard what happened I'm surprised they were so lenient on you. I would have expected execution."

Execution, Leliana thought, would have probably been better than experiencing the lash. The memories of the pain still filled her head. She was reliving it, hearing that ominous crack that preceded the sting.

"Yeah, watch your tongue!" laughed Goring. "You'll be sorry."

The nurse smiled meekly.

"Since you're awake Cadet, I am to instruct to you that you are allotted one day of rest before you must return to your duties. Naturally your wounds will not be healed by then so I am prescribing you an antibiotic. Take these..." she said then handed her a vial full of tiny white pills. "Twice a day. That should keep infection at bay."

Leliana was shocked to say the least. "I have one day of rest?! Am I actually suppose to train with my back all cut up like this?!"

"Yes. These are the orders of Mistress Agnes herself."

She remembered Agnes and her white hair. She remembered the scorn the ugly woman had showed her. Furthermore how could she forget the fact that Agnes had wanted her killed. Already the first day and she was on her bad side. Leliana realized Agnes was the head of class B. Leliana found herself grateful that she was in class C for if she had been in B she would have been executed. At this point, however, Leliana was beginning to wonder if that was a bad thing or not.

The nurse went to leave but Leliana stopped her.

"Wait."

"Yes?"

"Where do I go tomorrow?"

"You will proceed to your sub classes dormitory and resume your coursework." She went to leave again.

"Wait, one more question." Leliana chimed.

"What's with you and all these questions?" Said Goring. "It's pretty straight forward, go to PT, go to class, go to combatives."

Leliana shot him a look then turned her attention back to the nurse. "What if it's too painful? What if my wounds open up? What if I can't handle it?"

"That's not my problem. The orders of Agnes are quite clear, you are not to return to the infirmary unless sent here by staff," the nurse said.

The nurse shook her head then moved over to another patient on the other side of the room.

"You better watch your attitude around me girl." said the boy.

"Why is that?" asked Leliana angrily.

"Because I'm a member of the True Sons, that's why. See this pendant, I earned this. The hard way."

"I dont give a feth." she snapped. "I'm apart of my own gang."

"Oh you're apart of a gang are you?"

"Yeah so you and your true sons better watch out. My leader and I have each other's backs."

"Yeah I doubt that considering your back is all ripped up. Tell me, did the entire class get a peak at your boobs?"

Leliana wanted to slap him. She would have had she not been basically bound to her cot in pain. It was going to be a long day.

***
The man quivered as the Word Bearer ripped another chunk of flesh from his back. With nimbleness he took the parchment that was skin and stitched it into the tomes binding. The rite was important, in keeping with traditions of the Dark Apostles, any copy of The Book of Lorgar had to be made in tormented flesh. He moved with precision, adamancy, and above all fervor. Feelings of pride swelled in his breast as he finally put the last piece of skin into the tome. In all, the book was to be six hundred and sixty six pages long. To get this much skin it had taken him weeks. The abductions the Scout Unit of the Sons of Berkana orchestrated had been helpful to say the least. He muttered a prayer to the gods once the final page was stuck neatly in the books backing.

"Blessed be the dark gods, for they are true. Blessed be Lorgar for in his name the galaxy fuels the nature of the gods. Blessed be the Sons of the bearer of the word. All hail the gods and all hail victory over the false throne and the corpse that occupies it."

For a moment he pondered the vision he had of the woman champion. Why and how could a woman become a Word Bearer? He could only guess but he knew in his heart of hearts that Andron was not in his vision. For what purpose that was he did not know. Had he been killed?

You know the answer to your question Askeul

At the Daemon's words the would be apostle blinked. He searched, deep in his consciousness. Memories flooded him of his primarch and of his beloved legion being denied the love of the Emperor for worshipping him. He remembered being forced to kneel on the ruins of their perfect city, Monarchia. He remembered the anger, the thirst for vengeance against the Emperor and the Ultramarines Legion. Then, he remember Horus, the Warmaster and the war they fought against the Imperium 10,000 years ago during the Heresy Era. The fire and flames of Istvaan V came to the surface of his mind's eye. The dropsite massacre against the loyalists glowed brightly as a fleeting memory in his conscious. He remembered the shock on the loyalists faces when they were betrayed by their bretheren and unleashing his psykic powers for the first time since the edicts of Nikea.

The flames of betrayal fluttered in Askeul's golden irises. It had been a long time ago, but he remembered none the less. Above all, he remembered that it had been necessity that had driven them to betray their former brothers and forsake the Emperor. Now, it would appear that necessity has arisen once more.

"Yes," he replied as he inked the beginning of the first lines of the Book in blood:

" All I ever wanted was the truth. Remember those words as you read the ones that follow. "

"He is an obstacle for the acension of the warriors that I have been given over to shepard."

YES the daemon shouted at him It is he that blocks the rightful path of the warriors whose souls you are meant to save!

He, like his father Lorgar, would do what must be done, even if that meant breaking his word to the chapter master. But how to go about removing him without inciting the others? In those moments Askeul realized it would be he, and he alone, that would have to orchestrate the coup. The question of execution lingered in his mind for a moment and he allowed himself to think.

"It shall be done." He spoke matter of factly and from a place of benevolence.

The Word Bearer turned his attention back to the fleshy tome:

"I never set out to topple my father's kingdom of lies from a sense of misplaced pride" the sorcerer penned as the screams of the hooked man reverberated around his sanctum.

But what of the champion?" He spoke, his pale tattooed features reflecting off the dim light of a burning candle as he continued to write.

"I never wanted to bleed the species to its marrow, reaving half of the galaxy clean of human life in this bitter crusade."

I will ensure the champion reaches you. When she does, the champion will lead this host, YOUR HOST, to greatness in war.It is she that will bear the mark of Ascendant. Do not fret Word Bearer, I will keep our pact.

The Word Bearer's Eyes widened as the situation became all the more real to him. A mark of Ascendant was one of the highest honors that even an apostate could achieve. In the history of the Word Bearers only a few of the greatest of Apostles have ever borne an undivided mark. Much more common were marks bestowed upon warriors and priests, even mortals, that represented just one of the gods. To hear that a female warrior would carry the distinction of all four was something he could scarcely believe, even a true believer such as himself.

"I never desired any of this, though I know the reasons for which it must be done." He penned.

"Are you sure?" he asked the daemon.

"But all I ever wanted was the truth."

Have you little faith?

"Faith, is all we have in these times." He spoke then began to pen the first epistle.

Then know that what I say is true. She shall lead.

"May I know your name Daemon?"

You may call me Semyazaa and in my name this planet shall burn.

The thunderhawk gang ramp dropped and before Agnes was Andron, accompanying the massive warrior were his "lion's guard." Each lions guard were clad in ancient Terminator armor which themselves were holy relics of a bygone era. An average imperial citizen would see them as walking monsters, each two heads taller than anyone of Agnes's Sisters. The warriors of Andron's entourage moved forwards and their boots thudded on the Thunderhawk gang ramp as they walked.

Agnes herself was with her cadre: Sofia, Martina, and sister Sclechk. Sofia held the banner of the sacred rose high and Agnes looked to it for a moment and felt pride swell in her breast. The white rose blossoming in the center of the banner was adorned with a single yellow dot representing the flower's stigma. Underneath the rose was a ribbon that read: "Convent Prioris." Beside the banner, formation upon formation of Adepta Sororitas clad in full battle gear stood at attention. Agnes shifted her eyes to her devout warriors and a sense of duty came over her, numerous times she had led them into battle and she would do so again. Agnes' attention turned then to Cherub angels blowing trumpets and waving banners similiar to the one sister sofia was holding. The banners themselves were stitched with numerous warzones that depicted the victories that the Sacred Rose had accomplish: Kaurava, Valedor, and Cryptus to name a few. As Cannoness Agnes looked to her warriors she recognized that they were one of the galaxy's greatest fighting forces and it was her honor to lead them. Cannoness Agnes adjusted her gaze back to her monastery's guests as the host of Sisters saluted their bolters when Chapter Master Andron approached her.

"Cannoness," said the Chapter Master as he maneuvered forwards accompanied by his Lions guard.

Agnes raised her chin as he approached, and adopted an astute demeanor. She looked Andron in the eyes and could see that he had changed much since the Malachor IV campaign. Long scars permeated his once handsome countenance. It was obvious that he had been wounded on the campaign by something with talons. There was a gaze in his eyes, a sort of longing as though something was missing and he sought to find it. After a few more steps he was inches from her. She had to adjust her neck to look up at him.

"What was so important that you needed to see me in person?" He quipped suddenly, shooting her a harsh glare.

Agnes was not daunted in the slightest and knew the chapter master to be a person of little patience for nonsense. Agnes simply met his harsh gaze with one of her own.

"It is good to see you again as well," she said. "Please, Chapter Master, would you take my arm?"

Andron eyed her for a moment then nodded. He took her by the arm and then the two proceeded to walk down the thoroughfare of the monastery. Before them a giant cathedral came into view. Steeple upon steeple was arrayed in intricate gothic designs and avion winged indigenious creatures could be seen flying between them. Nooks covered the vast walls of the cathedral and bunkers lined its precipaces. The monastery was a fortress unto itself and if one were to look from above, the Cathedral would seem like a beetle among the other buildings of the hive of Berkana. Agnes and Andron passed the formations of Adepta Sororitas and then moved forwards until two statues depicting the past heroines of her order loomed above them. One depicted Cannoness Penelope, the previous Cannoness who had fallen at Kaurava, the other depicted a Bishop Reilly, the author of the book of prophets. These statues stood side by side next to the large gates that led into the monastery.

"You do realize a simple call could have sufficed," Andron stated matter of factly as they walked.

"Hush now, Chapter Master. You know I'd rather see you in person after all these years."

"What has it been? Five years?"

"No Chapter Master, it has been ten." She stated as the light from the sun above broke through the smog momentarily. For a moment it was very peaceful as the two walked. The only sounds that could be heard were the banners fluttering in the wind.

"Tell me, why do you summon me?" He asked.

"There are many reasons, we must discuss the Progenium program and the changes your liaisons are attempting to make."

"Ah yes, the changes."

"You do know recently that Sergeant Valco had attempted to remove half the Imperial Creed Classes from the program? I'm sure you heard."

"You know we Astartes have always prized martial fighting skills over gospel." Andron began moving past a servo-cherub blowing a trumpet. "If we are to prepare the students for the trials, we need them in the best fighting shape possible. Once inducted into the chapter, our Chaplin will instill within them the faith for the God Emperor."

"Yes, but not every student will become an Astartes. The foundation of faith is laid through the Ecclesairachl mandated sermons. Through faith we gain strength to defend our beloved imperium."

"I believe it is the bolter that defends our Imperium," he stated matter of factly. "Only warriors such as Astartes and Adeptus Sororitas have been any worth in defending the Imperium. Not so when it comes to the Astra Militarium. On Malachor IV, I witnessed the Militarium and their way of war. They die by the numbers. What good is faith to them?"

"Faith comes in many forms. It is faith that drives the soldiers on the battlefield, it faith that leads them to commit couragous acts. Faith is the axis from which all else spins. If a soldier does not have faith, how can he be expected to fight well?"

"I see your point Cannoness. But you should know that my warriors and I are the bulwark against the galaxies greatest threats. It is the Astartes and the Sororitas that defend the Imperium from all threats. But I digress. If you believe it is that important, I will tell my liasons to relent with the changes."

"Thank you Chapter Master."

Andron answered with a grunt and Agnes led him inside. Before them the high ornate ceiling of the Monastery's atrium was seen. It was magnificiently scultped and architeched. On all the walls statue upon statue of the saints were depicted, along with archways that were ornately carved with gothic style. At the far end of the massive room was a stained glass window depicting a white rose. Braziers were a lit and the rich smell of incense entered the duo's nostrils.
"Is there something else you wished to discuss Agnes?"

"Yes," she said. "We will discuss that matter in the strategium."

***
s. Once Andron caught sight of the carved ornate patterns that rippled across the room, from the strategium's high ceiling all the way down to the floor, he thought the walls themselves had to have been carved by a master artisan. The masonry was exquisite and contrasted greatly with Andron's own strategium which was much more spartan. Andron grumbled and felt a tinge of jealous enter his chest.

In the center of the room a holo projecter lay encircled by row upon row of seats. On the wall opposite of the arched doorway Andron had been led through moments ago there was a massive screen. Serfs were linked into these devices by many power cords that were embedded in their skin. Andron looked on and noticed their mouths were agape and their arms splayed in the chairs they sat in. The Serfs were stairing at the circular ceiling above as their eyes moved back and forth quickly. What a hellish way to serve the imperium, Andron thought.

"This is why I brought you here," Agnes started turning on the projector to the holo terminal. It glowed for a moment, showering the rooms occupants in a rich blue light that reflected off the many surfaces of the room.
Andron watched as the pict of an Astartes strike cruiser clad in blasphemous sigils materialized on the holo. It was long and angular and sharp spikes pointed out of its hull. Emblazzoned on its side was a sigil that looked like a daemon head in front of an eight pointed star.

Andron frowned.

"When and where were these picts taken?" He asked as a cauldron of frustration began to bubble in his stomach.

"The nomenclature of the time stamp reveals that this was taken exactly one week ago," Agnes pointed out. "They were taken by a rogue trader by the name of Keller Karsin."
"But where though?" He asked. "Surely not in the Berkana system?"

"Fortunately not," she continued. "These were taken in the nearby Koth system."

"Close." Andron remarked.

"Already have I notified the inquisition of their appearance and contacted the Sixteenth fleet."

"A wise measure," Andron said as he held back the rage that his plans to shrug off imperial rule were thrown back in his face. With the inquisition notified no doubt there would be a closer eye on Berkana. Andron knew full well that when the time came for their uprising his small fleet would be hard pressed to take on the full strength of the Imperial navy.

"A precautionary one," Agnes stated. "One that I was hard pressed to assert. Naturally I felt this couldn't wait, that's why I didn't wait for your say in this matter."

"Of course." Andron spoke. "Your actions are commendable, Cannoness Agnes."

Agnes eyed him for a moment then returned to the holo.

"Serf, next pict," she said.

Soon the sound of clicking was heard along with the whine of mechanics. One of the serfs twitched and the image disappeared. Appearing in the place of its predecessar was a new image. In this image were supporting craft. Andron identified them as Cobra destroyers and sword class frigates.

"They seem to be mustering," he said.

"Indeed. An assault on your fortress perhaps? I heard of your actions on Malachor IV, perhaps they are seeking vengeance?"

"The Word Bearers are fanatics in their beliefs. They do not operate on pettiness such as a need for vengeance. Besides how would they know the location of our fortress monastery? Such are closely kept secrets."
"There are a number of ways Andron, you know this as much as I."

"Yes," he said begrugeningly. "The dark powers, spies, information networks."

"What will you do Andron?"

"Our fleet is too small to assault their force. The orbital defense network around Berkana should be at least enough to contest our space. However you did say you contacted the Imperial Navy. Once, and if they arrive, we will face the enemy."
"I sent a message, I have yet to hear any response." she said.

"Then we must prepare ourselves."

***
Leliana crept into the formation wearing her PT uniform. The gynamisium before her was huge. large enough to fit a mile long obstacle course in it, all around the thousand students fell into their respective classes. At the head of each class were the liason. For class A she recognized Paulius, the priest who was busy praying over them and for class B she saw Agnes who was stalking her formation as though looking for any kind of weakness. At the head of their own formation was Sergeant Valco smiling. He and the others were each acompanied by five instructors, who wore their peaked caps.

"ALL RIGHT YOU SCUM BAGS!" Shouted an instructor. "FALL IN!"

Leliana ran forwards, unsure of what to do. After the scuffle, she managed to find Edwin and the others from the tram. To her surprise they had stuck together and formed a niche within the crowd of students.
"How you holding up Lili?" Asked Edwin.

"Not good." She replied feeling the pain in her back flare up.

"Feth," Edwin said shaking his head. "What you went through... I can't even imagine. One was enough for me."

"THE PUSH UP!" The instructor shouted.

"THE PUSH UP!" They all repeated.

"Starting position move!"

All of the cadets snapped to the push up position, hands shoulder width apart on the rockcrete floor. The pain from her back spiked as soon as she hit the deck. Leliana groaned.

"hang in there girl." said Edwin.

"In cadence!"

"IN CADENCE!" They all repeated.

"1, 2, 3, 4!"

As the excercise commenced she wheezed and coughed from the pain. She could barely do one without reliving the lash. She felt her back peel as she went down and up and down again. She prayed, she actually prayed in the first time since she could remember. To what, however, she did not know.

Deal with the pain the voice in her head said Grit your teeth if you must, just deal with the pain

Her eyes teared up with each push. She wanted to stop. Every bone in her body was telling her to stop but continue she did. It felt as though glass was piercing her back with each push. Finally she couldn't take the pain any longer. She collapsed, her eyes squinting from the pain.

"I see you back there!" shouted an instructor. "Push! Push damnit!"

She summoned her might and pushed again. Until she fell once more. She kept trying but it was no use. Soon she heard heavy footsteps. She snuck a glance up. Before her was Sergeant Valco, looming over her in a jump suit like the goliath he was.

"PUSH HARDER!" He demanded.

"Sergeant Valco I can't! The pain is unbearable!"

He knelt and their eyes met. He whispered to her: "You have much to learn about the faith. Know this. Pain is just another form of pleasure."

He stood, "NOW PUSH!"

Valco left her there and moved over the others, striding over their prone bodies as though he were a mechanical walker.

Pleasure is pain. Pleasure is pain. Pleasure is pain. The words echoed into her consciousness over and over again.

How could you possibly get pleasure out of this? She thought as she pushed once more, the feelings of pain reverberating across her back as though a claw had been drug across it. She felt her skin peel and the scabs on the wounds crack under the bending of her muscles.

Pleasure is pain. Pleasure is pain. Pleasure is pain.

She pushed again until the endorphins in her brain shorted. Soon she felt like she was on another level of experience. Everything around her became vivid as adrenaline pumped its way into her system. She pushed again, and this time she knew what he meant. It was still painful, hells it was more painful than ever, but with the pain came satisfaction knowing she was overcoming it.
That's it, that's it. There it is.

Soon it was her muscles failing and not her will. She was not alone in this. The others around her were all failing as well.

"IS THAT ALL YOU GOT CLASS C?! THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY OF YOU?! AND A SCANT FEW LEFT?! DO YOU WANT CLASS B AND A TO BEAT YOU?!" Valco shouted, his voice like thunder.

"NO!" They shouted in unison, Leliana included.

Leliana could tell Valco was mad. Something inside her made her not want to let him down. She found new strength and continued to push. Far past most others. Motivation found her for the first time in her life. She pushed with all her might and every single muscle screamed. The more her muscles screamed the more she relished the experience. Hells she was even surpassing Edwin with her movements.

"PUSH!" Shouted an instructor. "ONE TWO THREE FOUR!"

Soon she and a scant few other students were the only ones left not on the floor.

Tears streamed down her cheek as she pushed. The more painful it became , the more her senses came alive. She snuck a glance up at Valco who was watching her. A look of satisfaction crossed his face.
"That's it." he said though she could not hear him. "That's it damnit."

More exercises followed. Sit ups, jumping jacks, leg lifts, burpees. With each exercise more pain followed. With every exercise she became more engaged, more enthralled with what she was experiencing. She soaked the pain in and it became her. Her entire body was alive. All the while the words in her mind kept echoing with her inner voice:

Pleasure is pain, Pleasure is pain, Pleasure is pain.

After what seemed like an hour, the students were shuttled to the obstacle course. It stretched incredibly high. Tens of obstacles, each more treacherous looking than the last were layered upon eachother with netting. On the bottom floor were metal logs that the students were expected to climb over. There was a climbing net. There was also an obstacle that had logs stacked ontop of one to form a ladder that's rungs were so wide it would take an entire human body to traverse. There was what looked like a fake cliff side, horizontal ladders, a low crawl pit with barbed wire, and walls of varying sides. The fake cliff led to the second floor where there was an obstacle that was just a rope tied from one end of the gynamisium to the other. There was also a thin suspended plank where she could see Class B traversing.

When the students finally reached the beginning of the obstacle course they were instructed to partner up. Naturally Leliana chose Edwin to be her partner.
"I can't believe you're doing so good," he said. "What the hell has gotten into you?"

"I... I don't know," she said meekly. She dared not tell him what Valco told him. In her mind if she opened her mouth about the saying "Pleasure is Pain" it would lose its magic.
"Alright! Next two! GO!"

The horizontal ladder was the first obstacle they were expected to cross. It was long and obviously not some childish toy. Additionally, the horizontal ladder was inclined thus making it harder to climb with each movement. Edwin was first and Leliana followed close behind. The rungs, she found out, were slick from the sweaty hands of the last class. Already she could see other students slipping ahead, tumbling downwards into the pit below only to have to start all the way over.
"You! Yes you Criminal! Are you going to fall?!" shouted an instructor.

"NO SIR!" Leliana shouted back as she traversed the ladder. Within a minute she and Edwin reached the end. She glanced behind for a moment, Wellington and Adriana were close behind.
"Don't pay attention to that narc." said Edwin as they made it to a metal wall. "Here, help me up."

Leliana placed her hands in a cup so Edwin could step up. His boot pushed down on her hands and he was raised up. He reached down after sitting up on the wall and managed to pull her up.
"God Emperor what you've been eating?"

"Oh shut up!" she retorted as he hefted her up.

They were moving fast. Fast enough to catch up to the next group. Slow younglings they were that couldnt have been older than 14. Edwin shouted at them to get out of the way. He shoved them aside to make way for Leliana.
"Hey!" shouted a kid.

"You snooze you lose dweeb," laughed Edwin pushing the kid to the ground. "Let's go Slayer."

Low crawl was next. Leliana didn't even feel the pain anymore. Her back was just numb. Hand over hand she made her way through the obstacle course. They passed the obstacles with seeming ease. When they got to the human ladder Leliana's foot slipped.

"Feth!" She shouted then tumbled down from a height of 6 meters. She landed on the mat with a thud. It didn't hurt. In fact she laughed.

"STOP LOLIGAGING!"

"Come on Lili! Let's go!"

She got to her feet and, with speed, completed the obstacle. The other obstacles proved to be no challenge at all. For the first time in her life she felt naturally talented at something. When she reached the end they were instructed to return to formation to get water from their canteens.

The water was the sweetest she ever tasted. She drank in huge gulps, downing the canteen with only a few swigs.

"Alright ladies," said an instructor. "Return to your dorms, shower, change and report to the DFAC for chow!"

"Roger Sir!" The ones that finished the obstacle course said.

Leliana picked up her canteen and together, with Edwin, joyfully left the gymnasium feeling like they could take on the world.

It was the first time in her life that she had a warm shower, not including the sponge bath the nurses had given her while she was unconscious. The showers were coed, which made Leliana very uncomfortable. Despite her discomfort she was too elated with her own performance earlier to notice too much. She had Edwin remove her bandages so she could wash her wounds. When Edwin removed her bandages he was heard to say "holy hells. You're back is cuuut up girl."

"You the criminals?" Said a voice next to them. A naked Edwin and Leliana turned to see a muscular boy with a shaved head showering next to them. Leliana noticed the same pendent that Goring had worn clad around the boy's neck.

"What's it to you?"

"Just asking bro." He said as he washed himself. "You a lucky guy if this your girl. She has pretty eyes."

"Yeah she's my bitch, so back the feth off."

"Just trying to give you a compliment bro, what's with the hostility?"

"You calling us criminals," Leliana said in her best gang speak she could muster.

"Yeah because you are. Everyone in this entire school are orphans except you two. You do realize this don't you?"

The wounds on her back flared when she turned, the water hitting it and pouring down her body. She cringed then whispered "Pleasure is pain, pleasure is pain," but the effect from before had worn off. She was simply tired. It was though her entire body was shot.

"Besides you better watch who you talk to, I'm a part of the True Sons. We run this school."

"Whatever man," said Edwin.

"It won't be whatever when I shove your head into that wall."

Edwin turned and Leliana could see he was angry. The rage from before came again.

"There he is. Look at you, I'm only joking."

"You won't be joking when I beat your ass!"

"Is that a challenge bro?!" Shouted the kid and Leliana readied herself to fight once more.

"What the feth is going on in here?!" Another voice came. Three more guys wearing the pendents came into the shower, each was more muscular than the last. Their heads were shaven as well.

Steele yourself! Her inner voice said The bearers of the aquila are here

"This bro is challenging me Lazerius!"

The tallest member of the group stepped forwards, "Ah yes, the criminal."

He stepped forward his naked body inches from Edwin's.

"Is that your woman?" he asked nodding towards Leliana. Leliana swallowed remembering the times in the manufactorium. She couldn't, no she wouldn't, let those things happen to her again. She would claw her way out, bite her way out if she had to.

"Yeah." Edwin said.

"Be ashame if something happened to her." He spoke. "You gonna watch her all the time?"

"She can handle herself." He said much to the delight of Leliana.

"Yeah she handled herself real well two days ago when she screamed after being whipped."

Edwin's anger got the better of him and he threw a punch. Lazerius easily blocked it, countered, and punched Edwin in the gut. With a nimbleness that Leliana could scarcely believe Lazerius flung her partner across the floor like a ragdoll. Edwin skidded until he nearly smashed his head into the wall.

Leliana sprung into action in an attempt to fight back as well. Taken by surprise Lazerius failed to notice Leliana's punch. His head bucked when her fist collided with the side of his head but he immediately regained his senses, grabbed her second punch mid air, then twisted her arm behind her back.

"I could break your arm. It would be easy, like snapping a tooth pick."

"Get off of her!" Growled Edwin getting to his feet. The other True Sons were quick to act. At his advance, they immediately tackled him and began beating him. Outnumbered four to one there was not much he could do.
"ENOUGH!" shouted Lazerius. "None of us need demerits."

The others immediately stopped and Lazerius pushed Leliana to the ground. He spit on her.

"Women belong as homemakers. Not warriors. As it is written from the apostle of Saint Augustine: Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet."

Was that the Imperial Creed? Man to have dominion over women? She didn't want to believe it. She knew what happened when men had complete dominion over women. The rapes, the beatings, the suffering. It was too much for her to fathom. This man, this Lazerius, was the epitome of everything she hated in a person.

"Let's go. Leave them here."

"Damn you!" Shouted Edwin getting to his feet. He socked one of the others hard, knocking the True Son out cold. The others jumped him. Beating him relentlessly until he himself was knocked out cold.

"Idiot," Lazerius chuckled as he looked at Edwin's seemingly lifeless body. He turned to Leliana. At the sight of the boy, rage began building inside of her. She stood and charged him again. This time he punched her, in the face, hard. She fell backwards, tumbling over herself. Blood rushed from her nose and merged with the draining water of the shower when it fell. She turned and tried to bring herself to her feet but before she could Lazerius kicked her square in the chest. The air escaped her lungs and it felt like she was drowning. She wheezed and coughed.

"Why are you with this guy?" He said laughing. "It's obvious he can't protect you. What's more is that it's obvious you can't protect yourself."

They left them there. After True Sons departed, all that could be heard was the sound of dripping water. Leliana stood then made her way over to Edwin who was still unconscious.
"Wake up. Wake up." she said shaking him.

He opened his eyes. "Lili." he said as he looked into her eyes. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."

"Edwin. It's ok. I'm here for you." She said whiping the blood from his nose.

Their eyes locked. Blood pulled in her cheeks from the way he was looking at her. She was blushing and she knew it.

"Come on, on your feet Cadet." She said pulling him up. "We have a date with chow."

***

Chow was delicious, more delicious than any meal Leliana ever had. Baked beans, bone brothe, and even real meat was served along with agri eggs. The cafeteria, like everything else in the school was huge. It reminded Leliana more of a cathedral than anything. Stone Statues stood alongside of stained glass windows depicting saints, warriors, and the heroes of ancient terran myth. All had inscriptions that Leliana could not read for it was written in high gothic.

Leliana found a seat next to Edwin who was on the hunt for potential partners. They managed to find a spot next to a strong group of bearded kids. While Leliana was busy eating, Edwin was busy recruiting.

"I'm sorry but who are you?" Said the oldest in the group. "Oh yeah you're the kid that got lashed. Wait a minute you both are!"

The rest laughed at them and Leliana put down her fork and looked up.

"What a way to start your inception here!" the boy cackled. "But damn, twenty lashes that's some hard stuff. How you feeling lass?"

"Okay I guess, my back is killing me though."

"Jeeze I bet. Anyway thanks for the offer to join your group but I think I'd rather stay clear of internal politics. I've almost graduated, I don't need to get in any trouble."
"Oh you're graduating." said Edwin, embarrassed.

"If you're looking for group members you might want to start at the bottom. You know, the kids that have nothing to lose?"

"Yeah you have a point." Edwin replied.

"Haven't you done this before?"

"I haven't been a recruiter before, no."

"Why do you want to start a group anyway? Why not join the True Sons? They're always looking for strong kids such as yourself."

Edwin and Leliana traded glances. The older kid, whom Leliana assumed was in his early twenties, noticed.

"Oh don't tell me, you already had a bad run in with them?" He asked then shoveled more food into his mouth. He chewed his food then swallowed.

"If you ask me you should try to make amends with them and lay low for a while. From the looks of that nose it would seem its probably for the best. You know you could get seriously hurt. One time those True Sons killed a student. It was declared an accident but I know the truth. They beat his ass until he died. Poor guy."

"Why did the attack him?" Asked Leliana.

"I heard they thought he was a heretic."

"A... heretic?" asked Leliana.

"Yeah you know, someone that goes against the Imperial Creed. A naysayer, unbeliever. Just listen to Paulius during his lectures he'll tell you all about the heretics and how they're killing the Imperium from the inside out. Man's got something fierce out for them if you ask me."

Chow ended with Leliana and Edwin walking away empty handed.

In the hallway to their first class Edwin and Leliana encountered Wellington, he was studying his dataslate on a bench, along with the others from class C45. Adriana was there, along with Dridel and Tiberius. There were a few other teenagers that Leliana recognized from their dormitory.

"Just keep walking Lili," said Edwin. "We don't associate with narcs."

"Wait." said Leliana.

"Wait for what?" Edwin asked over the commotion of the crowded hallway.

"We should partner up with Wellington. Think about what the guy said before."

"No thanks."

"Come on Edwin. Think about it if it weren't for Wellington we'd be as good as dead."

"No."

"Please... for me?"

Edwin looked at her then let out a long drawn out sigh. "Fine, but he's not joining our group. You're just going to talk to him okay?"

"Yay!" She said surprised at her own girly attitude. She embraced it and kissed Edwin on the cheek. Then she moved over to where Wellington was on the bench.

"Hey," she started.

Wellington looked up at her then looked back down at his data slate.

"What, are you not talking to me or something?"

"I heard what happened in the showers earlier. Throne, I was right outside the shower waiting my turn when it happened."

"Oh, that. Does that mean you won't talk to me?"

"It means, you're dangerous. And so is your boyfriend. Furthermore it means I don't want to get involved."

"He's not my boyfriend."

"Whatever."

"Is that how it's going to be?" she snapped, her anger getting the better of her. Without thought she knocked the data pad out of his hands with a forceful swipe.

Wellington calmly picked up the data pad from the floor and cleared his throat. "See what I mean?"

Leliana shook her head then walked back over to where Edwin was waiting near the lavatories.

"So how'd it go?" he asked.

"Not good. He wouldn't even talk to me."

"Hmmh figures." Edwin said shaking his head. "Common, let's not be late."
***
***
"The history of humanity is a rich and colorful one." started the instructor. " And there are multiple ages that span its breadth. The first age was, as most of you know, the age of terra which spanned from the first Millenia to the fifteenth. We don't know how humanity first took to the stars, nor do we know who orchestrated the first colonizations. What we do know is that Mars was the first planet terraformed and it was this advancement that eventually led to the formation of the adeptus mechanicus. If you open to your text book you'll see that it reads "Glimpses and echoes are all that survive." This is true. While there are some picts of early mars colonizations that have survived - as well as archeological finds - Naturally much of the knowledge we have of the Age is Terra is based on ancient books. This leaves historians such as myself to weave together the pieces with a process known as Historic Theory."

The room was small, much smaller than the massive cathedral esque atrium Leliana had been led into when she first arrived. The room was long, and rectangular. Desks, squished together, lined the room like a sea of pews, Incense burned from a single brazier from a miniature statue that reminded Leliana of an angel and, At the head of the class room, was an elderly man, clad in robes not unlike the head master who orchestrated her punishment. Leliana watched him as he talked. It was obvious the instructor was smart, that much she could tell. Behind the man was a projector with rotating slides where images of artwork depicting the ancient terrans could be seen, each more interesting than the last.

The slide switched and a crude picture of a boxy space craft came onto the projection. The craft simply looked like a metal box with legs. The projection clicked and the boxy craft was replaced with a smaller one. The replacement was a metallic sphere with long pointy needles attached to it. The spacecraft of the ancients was entirely archaic, something out of myth. Leliana wondered if they even had projectile weapons back then. She also found herself wondering how they treated prisoners. She assumed that the ancient terrans had all kinds of painful ways to deal with them. If it was bad now she assumed, back then it must have been worse.

So far her first day had been off to a not so great start. What with the run in with the True Sons, she had her eyes peeled for any other confrontations. The time she had spent in History had been enlightening to say the least. Studying about the ancients thrilled her for she none of this before hand. The only thing she had known was how to operate a sigma echo gamma threader. To hear all of these things was like magic and Leliana loved every minute of it. Edwin however, was fidgiting most of the time, trying to start a conversation with her, or goofing off by drawing doodles on parchment.

"Historic theory?" Asked a student from class A34, easily recognizable as a member of the True Sons with his shaved head.

"Yes. We take bits and pieces of information we have, building a timeline and fill in the holes with theoretical models."

Leliana raised her hand.

"Yes you miss." the aged instructor said pointing at her.

"What books have survived?"

"I'm afraid that most of those books are off limits to those who do not have an ecclesiarchal permit to access. I could name a few but of course, that would be illegal. Know that books can be dangerous in the wrong hands. There are countless tomes that have been written in ancient times that go against the Imperial Truth as well as the mandates of the Adeptus Mechanicus. What I can say is, judging from surviving texts, the ancient terrans were misguided and extremely violent. There was no unity, there was only strife. Imagine a world full of over 140 different empires, each with differing belief systems, competing for resources. In fact it was only the god emperor who managed to unite them all 15,000 years later, blessed be his name. Therefore, using Historic Theory we can deduce that it was the differing belief systems of ancient Terra that led to strife. Only under one aegis can humanity survive."

"You're saying humanity almost vanished?" Leliana asked curiously.

"Yes, multiple times, which leads me to our next topic, the third age. Otherwise known as The Age of Strife."

"This time is a prime example of humanity being pushed to the age of extinction. During the second age, the age of technology, Humanity became arrogant with itself and its deeds. There is a reason knowledge is forbidden, we know this now but Millenia ago, humanity sought the forbidden fruit. They combined xenos technology with their own, an unspeakable atrocity and abomination that took the purity away from our beloved race. Because of this they waged wars against one another using weapons of untold power. This led to the age of strife. Mutation ran rampent with no control. You all know the saying, kill the mutant, burn the wych, purge the heretic. The eccelsiarchy and its enforcers did not exist back then. Because of that there came about division. Differences in beliefs led humanity to suffer untold anguish, furthering the threat that humanity could consume itself. This time period we also find the first record of wyches. Vile monsters that were said to have taken over entire worlds and bent them to their will. Atrocities were unleashed, ferocious warp storms broke out, and billions upon billions died."

"That is why the eccelisarchy is so important." Said another student.

lies

"Well, that is a matter of fact. Without the Ecclearchy's guidance I'm afraid that humanity would eventually slip back into an age of strife."

More lies

The age we are living in now is called the Age of Imperium. Today we stand united, finally, against the darkest threats that the universe has to offer.

Lies Lies Lies!

Those of you that become Tempestus Scions and Commissars will face those threats. I do not envy you children, not at all. But we must all do our parts, to stay unified in the face of these threats. Only the God Emperor, master of mankind, can deliever us from the darkness of the galaxy.

LIES!

That is why your studies must be taken seriously. Humanity can ill afford to lose what we have gained over the Millenia. Trust in yourself and trust in the Emperor."

"Blessed be his name," most of the others said in unison. Leliana did not.

He lies. the voice in her head said once more.

The bell rang.

"Class dismissed."

Leliana eyed a group of True Sons and watched them leave. They were laughing with one another and horsing around like animals. Each bore the iconic shaved head and pendent. They wore these with pride obviously. Leliana wondered how they would take them on, when their next attack would come, and what she could do to defend herself. It was obvious that each of the True Sons had been trained in combatives over the years they've been in the Program. What hope could just the two of them muster? Especially since everyone else seemed comfortable in their roles. Would no one else stand up to them?

"Where are we off to next?"

"It says class C45 is to report to the firing range." Replied Leliana. "We can just follow Wellington, he knows where it is."

She turned, and as suspected, there was Wellington leading Dridel, Adriana, Tiberius, Bistrong, and Metz.

"I thought he wasn't talking to us?"

"We don't have to talk to him, we just have to follow him."

Follow him they did. Through the winding corridors of the Scholam, past the massive atrium, through a long thorough fare, down giant stair cases lined with statues, and through the cafeteria. They took a turn and then began descending, lower and lower they went, masses of students, servitors, and officers moving to a fro around them. After entering a door way, they found themselves standing on a large grated balcony that overlooked the Scholam's basement.

The basement was easily four hundred meters in length, another 200 in width. Its height stretched another 40 meters. Massive pillars with ornate carvings on them were lined in straight formations. Leliana could see that these gargantuan blocks of stone were the foundation for the entire scholam. There were many rooms on the sides of the basement walls. Hells there were even stand alone structures in the basement with windows. It was bright, the industrial glume lobes casting off enough light to be near blinding. Beyond what could be only described as a rockcrete village that was nestled directly below the balcony were the boxed firing stations seperated by thick rockcrete walls. It seemed like a maze. Rectangular rooms filled the basement as flashing lights of las discharges illuminated the darkness.

Wellington and the rest of group C45 moved forwards, into one of the freight elevators which lined the gangway. Each student advanced, past the group of ones who were departing the shaft with grim faces. Leliana and Edwin trailed close behind, manuevering themselves around the leaving students.

When they entered the elevator Wellington ignored them and hit the switch.

Leliana eyed him and tried to think of something to say but couldn't. With the way he was avoiding their gaze, it was obvious that Wellington was still giving her the cold shoulder.
The elevator gritted its way downwards. The ride was quiet all except the sound of discharging las guns and the eire creak of the aged elevator.

Finally silence was broken.

"You're going to keep using me to find your way?" Wellington spoke to Leliana.

She was taken aback by his words.

"We're suppose to stick together," She said. "I read the dossieur this time."

"Still can't read a map, though." He chuckled softly.

"Well that's what we have you for," Edwin added. "You are useful for something, I'll give you that much."

Wellington shook his head. "You're still mad about me telling the truth huh?"

"I'm mad because you narc'd!" He yelled at him, his words echoing into the twilight of the basement. "Because of you Leliana nearly died!"

"She'd be dead if it weren't for me, throne, you'd be dead."

"You don't know that." Edwin jeered.

An uneasiness settled into Leliana's stomach. Already their class was infighting. She tried to think of something else, something better, to get her mind off of things. Unfortunately her mind kept replaying the beatings they took from the gangers and the whippings. In her mind she kept seeing the lifeless eyes of Tanith. An overwhelming sense of guilt befell her and she bit her lip and lowered her eyes.

"You just don't get it do you? We're imperial property. I had to tell the truth! If we would have lied we'd all be dead right now!"

"There is a code you're supposed to live by," He said. "And that is not to aseed to authority."

"That's a big word for you." Wellington jeered back.

Edwin went to strike him but Leliana grabbed him before he could. She held him, getting between both of them.

"What world do you live in? You think this is the world of gangers? Well it's not. It's the Imperial world which we live in now. It's the world we must adapt to or be destroyed."

"I live in the world I choose to live in!" Edwin railed back. "It's us versus them. You may have had parents that gave a gak about you growing up well I didn't, neither did Leliana. We came here in chains and for what? After years of being shitted on by the Imperium we're just suppose to assimilate? feth that!"

Leliana felt embarrassed for the first time. She felt embarrassed that she had chosen to partner herself with Edwin. She was beginning to doubt his competence and she also realized then and there that if he hadn't opened his mouth in the shower and just played it cool they wouldn't be at war with an entire gang.

The grinding of the elevator stopped and the gates opened up to the rockcrete village. It was as though it were nightime street. The village itself was abuz with students and officers. Servitors carried crates labelled AMMO while students could be seen carrying las rifles, las pistols, and an assortment of other combat related gear such as a massive machine gun the likes of which Leliana had never seen before. She was amazed at what she saw. In fact, she was excited. Then, as if from nowhere, the thought of the pistol she had bought from a ganger, the very one that she used to gun down her foreman, filled her mind. Feelings of guilt invaded her that replaced the excitement like a spreading infection.
Blood is on your hands her inner voice said to her but blood is the way of the warrior.

She blinked and shook the thought away as the group moved onward. They moved past Large structures until they reached one of the few stations labelled "Check in."

Inside was a female officer who asked them for their identification badges and class number.

"Identification please," said the officer behind a grated fence.

One by one each of the students handed over their Identification cards. All except Edwin who had forgotten his.

"Are you freakin' kidding me?!" Yelled Wellington, his spectacles fogging up from his anger. "You are just stupid as hell! You know that?!"

"No you're stupid!" He yelled back.

"Great comeback!"

They argued for a bit until the officer let out a loud sigh then said: "The students who have their Identification cards are to proceed to Firing station Beta. You, the one who forgot your ID must return to you're dormitory, retrieve it, and then immediately come back. Do you understand?"
It was obvious by her listless tone that this had happened many times before.

"Yeah Got it." he said then started to turn away in a rush until he saw something that made him stop in his tracks.

"What's going on here?" Leliana heard an too familiar snobby tone. She turned and before them was Class A1. Leliana blinked and her anger began to grow at the sight of them.

At the head of the group was Lazerius followed eight other students. They crept forwards, their scalps reflecting the glow of the lume globes. Lazerius smiled.

"Forget your ID, criminal?" He asked with the accent of a noble.

"feth you." Edwin spat.

"You just don't know how to learn from your betters do you?" he said chuckling. "Come on boys, let's check in before things get messy. There's a lot of guns around here."

Lazerius shoulder checked Edwin as he passed. Edwin met the blow with one of his own and they seemed to bounce off of one another in the wake of the mass of A1 bodies. After they passed, Edwin vanished into the crowd of onlooking students who had taken notice of the argument between Wellington and Edwin. He was headed for the elevator.

"You are all fools for having that idiot among you, you know this right?" The True Son said.

"Yeah we know," said Wellington moving away from the Station to let the True Sons pass.

"And you, don't think I won't forget that you punched me," He said to Leliana.

"You keep it up and it'll happen again."

He simply laughed then handed the officer his card.

"Firing station Beta." She replied.
***
The range was long, 325 meters. After an hour long brief which included range safety, the function of their weapon system, the "humble lasgun" the instructor had called it, how to dissemble it, and put it back together (a process that Leliana thought was rather easy), and the basic fundamentals of firing the weapon, the members of class C45 and A1 proceed to their respective firing lanes.

The weapon felt heavy in her hands. She had listened intently to the instructor.

"The rifle hand guard rests on the heel of the hand in the V formed by the thumb and fingers." Her inner voice said to her."The grip of the non-firing hand is light."

"The butt of the rifle is placed in the pocket of the firing shoulder."

She placed the stock of the weapon into her shoulder.

"Targets coming up in 30 seconds." The instructor said from a tower over a boom vox.

"The firing hand grasps the pistol grip so it fits the V formed by the thumb and forefinger."

She readied herself.

"The firing elbow is important in providing balance. Placement should allow shoulders to remain level."

She took a deep breath.

The stock weld should provide a natural line of sight through the center of the rear sight aperture

"Targets coming up in five seconds!" The instructor shouted.

Ready yourself, and ready what your master said about your breathing.

The first target appeared and she fired. A bolt of light streamed from the weapons barrel. There was no recoil like the stub pistol she had used on her former foreman.

To her amazement the siloute dropped, a smouldering hole punctured through it. The next target came up and she adjusted her aim, remembering to fire during the "respiratory pause" between breaths.
She squeezed the trigger and the weapon's discharge surprised her. She nailed it.

Another target followed by another appeared. Each time she put holes in them. She could feel The heat of the weapon's barrel on her gloved hand. She fired and fired, each time downing those that targets that appeared.
By the end of the trial, she had hit 28 out of 30. She had missed two of the longer ranged shots but only by inches.

"Lane 1, 15. Lane 2, 13, lane 3, 17, lane 4, 15, Lane 5... 28? Lane 6... Lane 7..."

She walked away from her lane proudly, rejoining the others by the water buffalo. They all returned, placing their las guns back in the rack as they had been instructed before. The True Sons came over as well. The scorn on Lazerius's face was evident for he had been in the lane next to her. He had only shot 21.

"I bet you think yourself something?" He said walking over her with strides of anger. He unlatched his helmet and placed it on the rack next to the weapons.
She smiled. "At the moment, yes brother cadet."

"I am no brother of yours, wych." he said. "When combatives come you'll know what I mean."

A smile wended it's way around his face.

"Why wait for combatives?" she said, rifle in hand.

"What are you going to do? shoot me?"

She laughed, then placed the weapon back on the rack. She undid her helmet then stood to face him once more.

"No." she said.

"Slayern, stop." It was Wellington. "Do you and Edwin have to pick a fight everywhere you go?"

"Look," continued Wellington approaching Lazerius his hands raised. "We don't want to fight."

"I beg to differ," said Leliana. "I think I do."

"Please just shut up for once!" He turned on her. "Let me handle this."

"You bear the aquila, therefore you must believe in the God Emperor and justice." said Wellington.

"I believe in the faith, brother," Lazerius started. "More so than giving my life to the Emperor, I am prepared to give him my soul."

"What does that even mean?" spit Leliana.

"heresy. You reek of it. " He started. "Men like us are the lights that guide the Imperium through the darkness. I can see it in those red eyes of yours. Youre different. You are the darkness. As it is written: women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission. You are the opposite of what a woman should be."

Lies spoken from the mouths of false shepards

"Lies spoken from the mouths of false shepards." She repeated.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Lazerious screamed then shoved his way past Wellington and tackled her. "HERETIC!"

The ground sped up to meet her and she felt the wind get knocked out of her. She also felt her back wounds peel. She grunted then felt the sting of a punch against her face.
Pleasure is pain, Pleasure is pain, Pleasure is pain.

Her senses came alive and with a quickness she knew not she had she caught the next blow with her arm, locking it in place. then she lurched upwards, headbutting Lazerius in the face. He fell backwards and a crowd formed around the two.
She was ontop of him immediately. She loosed her arms, punching wildly like an animal. Rage began building inside of her as she struck him once, twice, three times before he rotated her onto her side by bouncing his hips up. All the while the teenagers from both classes were cheering them on. Even Adriana was calling out to her to win.

"FIGHT! KICK HIS ASS!" she shouted as they scrapped with each other on the ground.

"Break it up! Break it up!" Shouted the instructor running over. He got between the two, ripping Leliana off who had been clawing his face with her nails.
She kicked and screamed as she was pulled away from him.

"I'll KILL YOU!" She shouted. "I'LL FETHING KILL YOU!"

The instructor tossed her on the ground and she rolled on the rockcrete then immediately got to her feet. She went to charge again but was held back by Tiberius, Adriana, Metz, and Dridel. It took all four of them to get her to stop.
"Enough!" shouted the instructor as Lazerius was seen getting to his feet. "That's enough!"

Lazerius face was bloody.

"Wipe that gak off your face son." The instructor said pointing to the water buffalo. "Take care of it!"

"And you!" he said drawing his baton. "Calm, the feth down. Or I will make you calm down."

"She started it!" Lazerius shouted. "She cursed the book of Prophets!"

"I dont give a damn about who cursed what!" Shouted the instructor. "The firing session for today is over. Go back to your dorms and get yourselves cleaned up. If I hear anything about fighting on a range again I swear to you that you will be expunged. The only reason I don't do that right now is I hate paper work!"

With that they went back to their dorms. On the way back up the gargantuan stair case, Leliana couldn't stop smiling.