Crimson rivers flowed through the realm of bones. It permeated everything, spilling forth from mountains of skulls. Across the fields warriors from all eras, races and creeds were locked in eternal conflict, daemons jumping in to fight the victors. Beraal ripped through a fellow World Eater with his bare hands, the Butcher’s Nails in his skull sang a rapturous war hymn. He basked in the blood of his fallen opponent, and ripped the skull from his foe, the spine following along. It snapped at the air, blood flung in every direction. Before he could offer the skull he was beset by a lesser daemon. He turned on the crimson skinned creature and whipped it with the spine, a gash slashed across its chest from the sharp bone. He tackled it to the bones beneath their feet, and blood surged from below. He wrapped the spine around the daemon’s neck, placed his boot on its back and pulled. The spine sliced into the daemon’s neck, and a blood curdling howl ripped from its maw. He twisted and wrenched the spine until its wretched head was severed from its wretched body. Yet its scream continued to ring in his ears in an awful symphony. Once more he turned to the skull throne that loomed in the distance, bones crushed beneath his boots. He suddenly stopped, his body a traitor to his will. His hands trembled, and he dropped the World Eater and daemon skulls. A cry broke through his throat as one of his Butcher’s Nails was ripped from his skull.

  * * *

  Sarai stood beside Evaria, Simeon flanking her other side as the Thunderhawk's engines roared. Simeon stared down the Ordo Hereticus sisters that surrounded them. Evaria knelt in the middle of the compartment, her eyes closed as she held the World Eater Marine's head in her lap, her thumbs gently caressing his cheeks. His armor had been removed, leaving him only in his carapace. The brink of a short and bloody conflict loomed between those gathered, all knowing that Evaria could be the one to start and end it in the blink of an eye. Eventually the Thunderhawk landed aboard the Judicial Pyre. Evaria opened her eyes and looked up to Simeon.

  "Please carry your cousin."

  Without question Simeon knelt and picked up the World Eater. Evaria managed to get to her feet and held onto Someone's shoulder for balance.

  "Inquisitor, do you intend to remove the stake from my thigh and provide me medical attention, or leave it as an inhibitor?"

  Fahlia narrowed her eyes at the large woman. "I think I'll leave it, so long as you won't bleed out from it."

  "I've suffered worse." Evaria leaned against Simeon a bit as the doors opened. "I ask then that you provide me with Simeon, that I may have someone to help me around."

  Fahlia was about to protest, but then a conceited smirk crawled along her lips. "Yes, so long as he relinquishes his Terminator armor."

  Simeon growled and almost turned towards Fahlia in defiance, but he stopped, as the movement would have made Evaria lose her balance.

  Evaria spoke, her tone calm and measured. "Agreed, but the armor goes back to the Blood Ravens. It is their property, after all. I would also ask for some proper clothes, for the sake of modesty. This banner only does so much."

  Fahlia weighed her options, and realizing the Blood Raven Terminators could just teleport aboard her vessel and force the issue, she acquiesced.

  "I shall grant your request."

  Evaria bowed her head. "You have my thanks, Inquisitor. I will wait in the hangar here for Simeon's return." She turned her gaze to Simeon as she took the World Eater from him.

  "Please tell your brother Gabriel that I wish for him to closely monitor the rescued civilians for corruption. Any that are to be imprisoned, do not put down. I'll do for them as I've done for your cousin here." She held the World Eater a little tighter. Simeon nodded as Evaria exited the craft. Adeptus Mechanicus, servitors, and Navis Imperialis sailors all looked up in awe and alarm at the being before them, already having gathered at the feeling of her presence as she embarked upon the Judicial Pyre. She took a few steps with as much dignity as she could muster, then knelt and cradled the World Eater's head on her lap once more. She met Simeon's gaze.

  "I won't allow them to take me anywhere without you, my son. Perhaps if you and your brothers have some clothes prepared for me, you could bring them."

  Simeon looked to Sarai, and they shared a wordless moment. The sister of battle nodded, and moved to stand beside Evaria.

  Simeon departed on the Thunderhawk.

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  "Sarai, was it?"

  Sarai immediately turned and dropped to one knee before Evaria. "Yes my lady!"

  Evaria laughed softly and placed her hand under the young woman's chin, lifting her gaze. "You needn't kneel, young one. Sit with me."

  Sarai's heart raced, and once more a blush blossomed in her cheeks as Evaria pulled back her hand and returned to caring for the World Eater. She nodded and knelt beside her.

  "And you may call me Evaria, Sarai. I prefer being on a first name basis with people, unless the situation calls elsewise."

  "Of course, Evaria." Sarai watched as Evaria tenderly held the World Eater. Her heart almost stopped as she felt the shift in the fallen Astartes, and noticed Evaria carefully removing pieces of technology from his head. The dread of Khorne's influence was fading all the more with each piece removed. Her whole body tingled with fascination and awe. Once the Primarch had finished removing the pieces, she removed the bandage around her hand and held it on the wounds left behind, her blood mingling with the Astartes.

  "So tell me, Sarai. What is your organization? It is clear there are different sects, akin to the Astartes, yet I sense all of the women so far are only human."

  "We are." Sarai smiled. "It is through our faith in the God Emperor that we achieve more than we ever could alone. And you are right that there are different orders."

  "And yours is..?"

  Sarai's gaze fell in devastated shame. "The Order of the Crimson Grail. An order now..."

  "Now?"

  "In disgrace."

  Evaria smiled gently and nudged the battle sister with her elbow. "I'm proud of you."

  Sarai went eerily still, as though the words had cut through to her very core.

  "I don't know what it is that you think has you fallen from grace, but the way you fought today, your loyalty..." Evaria gave her a gentle side hug, careful not to touch her Vox Network equipment. "I am as proud of you as I am my sons."

  Tears stung Sarai's eyes as the last month of failure came down on her.

  "Their Canonness turned to worship the Blood God." Fahlia's sneer was palpable.

  "And?"

  Fahlia blinked a few times at Evaria's casual dismissal as she comforted Sarai.

  "Every group is made of people, Inquisitor. As such, there will always be failures and traitors."

  Evaria smiled gently as the World Eater opened his eyes. Evaria tenderly gripped his head, keeping him in place, yet it wasn't necessary as he simply stared up at Evaria with wide eyes.

  "Hello, nephew."

  The World Eater remained silent, his eyes slowly clearing.

  "Welcome back."

  His lips moved to form words, yet no sounds broke free from his throat.

  Fahlia noticed the Astartes awaken, and she pulled her power stake. "What did you do to him?"

  "I freed him. Well, am freeing him. His journey to recovery will take time..." The self proclaimed Primarch turned her verdant gaze to Fahlia, whose heart raced. "I would like to request he remain with me. I want to continue his treatment."

  Fahlia glanced down at the World Eater and saw something that made her body tremble with chills: there was untold depths of peace in the fallen astartes' eyes.

  "I-I don't..." Fahlia cleared her throat. "Everybody clear the landing platform save the Ordo Hereticus Sisters, now!"

  The crew glanced at one another, then turned their gaze to Evaria, as if awaiting her permission.

  Evaria noticed their collective gaze, and with one look dismissed them. Fahlia's chest rose and fell as she tried to grapple with the power the being before her had. Lesser minds fell to her will from mere proximity. She herself struggled as two sides warred within her, one declaring that she must turn over this potential heretic to the Inquisition, and the other side wanting nothing more than to simply sit and have a conversation with her.

  Once the crew had departed, Fahlia took a few agonizing steps closer to Evaria. The World Eater heard her, and glanced at her momentarily before returning his gaze to Evaria's. Fahlia began to wonder if Evaria was telepathic, communicating wordlessly with the fehl Astartes in her care.

  "I'm not a telepath."

  Fahlia froze.

  "And no, I did not read your mind just now either." Evaria turned her gaze to Fahlia, her eyes somehow carrying a motherly quality while simultaneously seeing to her very core. "Those powers are beyond me. Malcador, Father and brother Magnus were the few I knew of that could do so skillfully without being dedicated astropaths. Now, as for my request?"

  Fahlia's gaze flicked between the two, the Inquisitor within her raging at the idea of allowing such a prisoner to do as she is, yet she also knew that her own command might be subject to mutiny should she refuse.

  "I will allow it, but you must give me something in return."

  Evaria giggled, a soft, feminine sound that Fahlia had not heard even in her childhood. Evaria began to lean towards her, not aware of her arm getting closer to Sarai’s Vox equipment.

  "Of course, Inquisitor. I'm not sure what I could possibly give as I am, but-" Evaria went still, her gaze unfocusing. Before Fahlia could speak, she felt a blast of emotions rip into her. An overwhelming rage and sorrow that threatened to swallow her whole. It forced her to her knees, as it did the battle sisters present. Only Sarai and the fehl Astartes seemed to manage to stay afloat amidst the raging hurricane. Fahlia cried out and curled up on the floor as the other sisters all fell to various states of distress, the collective cries of the sisters and many workers in the hangar echoing to be louder and louder in a catastrophic symphony of sorrow.