Rosetta was stirred into consciousness by the agonised moans of her sisters. Dazed and confused she looked around and found herself staring at the feet of a giant. She tried to move but her body was too broken to obey her commands. She laid there bleeding and broken.

All around her were battered and bloodied corpses of more than a dozen Adepta Sororitas. All scattered about the interior of the bunker. The Emperor's blessed Sisters of Battle, murdered, mutilated and desecrated by Chaos filth. Her soul burned with fury and despair at the sight.

Yet, she was helpless in her immobilised body. She grew thankful that the giant had its bulky back to her as it revelled in its captive's suffering. It lifted the captive battle sister high up into the air.

She was being consumed whole. The more she suffered, the more of her soul was lost. She cried and screamed as the masses of tendrils wrapped around her body slithered and flexed. Tearing open plate and cloth, it shattered her armour from the inside out.

It all fell onto the floor in a mass of torn cloth and metal shards. Unable to scream, she heaved and gasped in horror and pain as the monster gripped her naked body. Rosetta knew her, to her outrage the captive was her friend. Sister Aura was her name and they both cursed their fate that day.

Then it growled in delight as the tendrils felt their way into every crevice of Aura's body. Then it manipulated it, stretching, flexing and pulling, it pushed every bone muscle of Aura's body to the breaking point.

Rosetta began to weep as she watched the crying Aura suffer. Aura looked at her and pushed a weak smile before every bone of her body broke simultaneously. Dropping her the ground in a bloody heap it began to giggle, even laugh as it rejoiced in the pain it inflicted.

This thing, this monster was once a proud warrior. Now it could barely be called a creature. Once a proud Legionnaire of the Emperor's Children, a legion of inhuman warriors who betrayed the Emperor in their search of riches and pleasure. They one of many who can call themselves Astartes has devolved into a foul being, driven by his boundless desires.

His purple battle plate shone in the light of the room and glistened with blood as he turned on the crippled Rosetta. He licked his humanoid lips with his grotesque elongated tongue. He gazed at her with those revolting, hungry eyes.

He reached out with his mass of tendrils and began to giggle with excitement. Rosetta closed her eyes shut as she prayed and begged the Emperor to save her, to galvanise her soul against the oncoming hell that sought to consume her.

She wept as she gave into despair and hated her inability to do anything about it. She, like Aura, was a fresh youth, barely a week into her service to the Emperor. She looked forward to a hundred years of just servitude but now she knew she would now see not even one.

She shut her eyes tighter and prayed as the creature's tendrils probed her battle plate. Silently, she begged for mercy as they found their way to her bare skin. She shrivelled in fear as their slimy flesh slithered across her smooth skin.

Like an answered prayer a bright light blazed before her eyes followed by a sudden blast of intense heat. The hulking purple giant froze with a massive hole in his scorched torso. He toppled aside as Rosetta opened her eyes.

She smiled as tears of joy flowed from her graceful blue eyes. She stared at the doorway as a melta armed sister of battle approached her with a bright light shining behind her. She rejoiced as she beheld her Saviour's blessed, motherly voice.

"The Emperor protects."

White light filled her vision. Then she awoke. Shaken from her dream by the sharp pain of a gauntleted hand smacking the back of her head, she became alerted to the situation at hand. They were in the passenger compartment of an Aquila flyer.

"Keep alert sisters! This may not be a glorious battlefield but we'll all be damned if any of us are found wanting!" Barked Sister Superior Alexis.

All around her the five other members of her squad sat in silence while Alexis stood tall and proud in her presence. None of them had their helmets with them. Their armours were not battle ready but they were fitting for the occasion.

The uniformed white battle plate and cloth of their order had been decorated with patterns and decorations of gold and stunning detail. Each suit was polished and pruned to perfection. So was its wearer.

All the while, her mind dwelt on that perplexing dream she had. It was never a good dream nor was it ever a nightmare yet it plagued her nights from time to time. It was, however, a memory. One now five years old.

It was the first time she laid eyes on Lady Mirabel. It was a moment that sparked a deep passion, a sense of righteousness she had never before known herself. She was allowed to live that day only to feel her very heart burn bright and hot at the very sight of the blessed lady again and again since.

Driven by the memory she straightened herself up and sat in her seat, buckled in and proud. The Battle Sister sitting next to her nudged her on the shoulder.

"Looking to show off? Dear Canoness Mirabel will be leading the whole convent today." She said.

"The Ecclesiarchy spent a fortune on this show of prowess. I do not dare disappoint them, Isabel." Rosetta responded.

"Well said, Rosetta! We must atone for the fortune spent on us today by giving this world a show of perfection that none will soon forget!" Proclaimed Alexis.

Upon that moment, the transport landed on a field alongside many of its kind. The seat belts and harnesses released them and the entrance opened without delay. Automatically, the Adepta Sororitas of the Order of Divine Light rushed out and assembled before the city limits.

They gathered in their hundreds on the grasslands at the doorstep of the capital city of Helios V. Battle Sisters gathered with the Dominions and Retributors all assembling around them with their heavy and special weaponry.

High above the Seraphim joined them with their angelic jump packs burning bright as they landed directly into the fray. With ornated dual pistols holstered on each sister, they were a magnificent sight to behold.

They all gathered before the city limits of Helios Primus. Along with them came the landers with the order's vehicles and Astra Militarum forces. Seven regiments of the Mordian Iron Guard Marching to the tune of the fife and drums they journeyed forth into the city.

First came the infantry in blue and white, marching in perfect drill into the streets. Then followed the sentinels, armoured and artillery regiments. The entire army moved in one great column that snaked through the streets as if it were a single organism.

Following soon after was the last and most precious of the Aquila transports. For it carried Lady Mirabel riding the great white lion, Praetor. Her smooth skin softened a sharp face. Amber eyes and thin, near perfect locks of silver hair, made her seem almost ethereal.

His fine fur coat and marvellous mane of thick white hair made Praetor an icon of their presence. Encased in beautiful golden armour and standing at five feet tall he was a magnificent beast.

The pair had become the living symbol of the order. Beloved by all but by none more than a single battle sister whom the gracious Canoness saved five years ago. Rosetta fumed with admiration, her heart pounded against her ribs as she gazed upon divinity.

Rosetta deemed Mirabel, in that moment, to be second only to the God-Emperor himself. None could best her beauty. None could best her prowess and most of all none could best her boundless majesty.

The very sight of her face would make the young battle sister's blush with jealous love for her lady. Soon this boundless love gave into frustration as Alexis pulled on her shoulder.

"Get into line Rosetta! We're moving out!" The Sister Superior barked.

Following after the Canoness were her Celestians. The ruthless elite of the order. Each one was clad in lavish armours of silver and gold instead of the standard white and gold. They stood tall with pride as they assembled around their Canoness.

-//-

Then the order's exorcist tanks came, with their majestic organs they blasted a single tune into the air, announcing the beginnings of a celebration. Forming up into perfect columns the sisters of battle moved out.

Following the Astra Militarum forces into the city, the sisters moved as one. Holy hymns of blessed, sanctified music blared from the exorcists uplifting the very souls all to heard their divine tune.

"Sing Sisters! Sing! Show them the majesty of the Emperor's servants!" Barked Alexis.

As one they began to sing. A choir of a thousand angelic voices rung into the air, soothing the soul with their soft tune. Together they balanced out the hard blaring organs and harmonised to form a spectacular melody.

The sisters were captivated by the city itself though none showed it. Buildings of white stone rose up into the sky. From hung the blue banner of this world. They were awed at the people, their cheerful response, their land. Everything here was a marvel to behold.

However, for Rosetta, only one spectacle was of interest. She spent the entire march captivated by the sight of Lady Mirabel. The beauty of this land paled in comparison. So long as the Lady stood strong and proud she would as well.

Even as the truly awe-inspiring beauty of the city was revealed to them she did not have interest. Her heart leapt with joy when she caught Mirabel glimpse back at her and smiled. Then almost unconsciously she began to sing.

Even Isabel who walked at her side this whole time was surprised by the beautiful outburst of emotion from the typically quiet Rosetta. Her voice rang high and mighty above all others and her harmony and melody seemed like the gift of perfection had been bestowed upon her.

The sisters all around her all flinched and looked at her with rolling eyes. She had surprised them all with the elegant charm of her voice. Together they became inspired and the whole sisterhood chorused into the heavens once again.

Alexis marched with her head held up and could not help but smile with pride. Mirabel too was herself surprised by the renewed righteous spirit. It was beautiful. It was divine. It was everything she had hoped for.

The young Canoness looked to the cloudless, sunny sky with gladness and pride. Ambition filled her mind. The people of Helios V knew little of true faith. They knew little of the Emperor and his divinity.

Alas, tis not on them the blame lies. The Helios System and the surrounding systems of the Caribdis Sector have all been trapped behind warp storms for millennia. Unable to contact the wider galaxy its people grew blind, ignorant of the blessed truth.

She pitied them. She imagined the cold lonely world the universe would be without the Emperor's divine light. Thus, she vowed that day to share his light to all who sought a better life. It would be heresy not to do so.

This is a sentiment shared between all who are born into the Sororitas. Trained from birth to only accept one way of life for any human being. To live by any way of life other than the imperial way of life is to be a heretic.

The only acceptable sentence for a heretic is death lest the Imperium, the holy domain of the Emperor of Mankind, suffers their existence.

-//-