#40k verse

[ladynighthaunter]

Konrad returns from the birthday.... Back to this religious war and sighs.

"Can't I just orbital bombard hive Pious?" She asked.

Captain Lazeren, master of the fleet shook her head. "Not only is the hives void shield active, but there are millions of our own citizens down there amoung the invaders, the PR backlash would risk us being driven from the world."

Konrad kneaded her eyes and grumbles, what she would give to end this waf here and now, but she can't send troops on mass, only her covert ops troops had managed to sneak into the city and there was little they could do in terms of sabotage that would not hurt her own people, they where limited to assassination runs and saving those citizens they could.

She needed a symbol, something that these zealots could not ignore.... She needed the first saint.... She needed her wife.

[ladynighthaunter]

Konrad dreams.

She stands in a palace, a gradient golden figure upon a throne, it's glow is blinding, like the noon days sun it burns her.... But sitting at his feet is her.... Euphrati Keeler, her wife.

Konrad slowly walks forward, the light burning her with every step, she grits her teeth as she raises an arm in front of her eyes, gods it burnt, it felt like fire licked her skin with every step... But she needs to get to her, to take her wife home.

Euphrati looks at her, her face a mask of sorrow as she watches Konrad destroy herself to get to her, skin starting to blacken and fall from her bones.... But still the Night Haunter pushes on till she is naught but a blackened skeleton, collapsing to the ground, her task failed.

She awakens, sitting up in bed and wiping her nose, her hand coming away bloody... Prophecy? Maybe... The Emperor did not give up what was his easily...

She stands and goes to wash up, no longer wishing to slumber as she goes to the apocatharion to look at the comatose form of Euphrati Keeler.

"Soon, soon we will be together again." She says, stroking a pale cheek.

@askeuphratikeeler

[ladynighthaunter]

Konrad lays in the apocatherion naked as healing salves are rubbed into her body as the apocathery looks over her.

"Despite your armour, you have second degree burns to most your body, you lost all hair and nearly wrenched your arm out of its socket.... All to wow some feudal era peons."

Konrad smiled with cracked lips. "But I won."

He sighed. "Yes, you won."

Konrad lays back and chuckles like a dying crow.

[ladynighthaunter]

Stealing @askeuphratikeeler for this.

The void shield over hive Pious died with a crack of energy, the Revers obeying orders through coded vox channels.

As they acted, Cardinal Tyron was in the church of the first saint, down crying the acts of the Night Lords, calling them traitors, that they held the saints remains against the will of the church, that they dabbled with foul abhumans, that they where tainted by the dark gods.

His ranting was cut off by a roar of engines, an arvast lighter flying into the court yard and landing. It's back ramp lowering as a blinding light shines out, Niel, vessel of the first saint reborn stepped out, light emanating from her as she dressed in simple fatigues, her blond hair handing long over her shoulders as she stepped forth.

Behind her, a dark shadow to her radiant light was Konrad, the Night Haunter looming, even hunched over she towered over the saint, her claws ready to strike down a y that threatened Niel/Euphrati.

The duo made their way to the church, the grand doors opening easily to Neil's touch, the faithful turning to face her, Tyrone's jaw working wordlessly as the saint walks forth, her glow burning several, even Tyrone turned to avert his gaze, his Sister of Battle guard falling to their knees in devotion.

Neil walked up the isle, looking at the statutes, the Trinity ruined as Konrad statue had been cast down, pocketed by bolt shells, laying a hand upon the metal, it softly glowed as the statue reformed, polished steel rising up to show the noble aspect of Konrad Curze.

Tyron found his voice. "You.... Blasphemy!" He screams. "She restores the tainted ones effigy, this is no act of a saint! Shoot her down!"

The sisters are confused, their faith wars with their orders, some rise their bolters, only for Niel to raise a hand, the bolters falling apart in the sisters hands as they drop back in devotion.

"Witch craft!" Tyron spat. "She is a witch, strike her down and be saved in the Emperor's eyes!"

Niel turned and faced him, his tubby hand raising to protect his eyes from her radiance. "Why deny what you see?" She speaks softly. "I am Neil.... But I am also Euphrati reborn, the first saint walks amoung you again, rejoice."

Tyrone can not see this, his heart only knows hate and zealotry, pain and suffering. Reaching to his belt, he pulls out an auto pistol. "Die witch!" He screams on the edge of hysterics.

There is a blur of shadows as his arm drops, neatly severed as Konrad disarms him. "No little priest, you shall not strike her down." She hisses, the sisters of battle scattering at her presence, guns that still functioned raised.

Neil steps forward, picking up Tyrone's severed arm and gently places it against his stump, holy light filling the air as she reataches it. "Know the light." She says softly.

Tyrone crawls back, snarling. "You taint me with your witch craft!"

She sighs. "You are blinded by hate... There is nothing I can do for a soul such as yours. The light does not enlighten you, you use it to burn, to spread hate and discourse. You are a false servant." She stands and speaks to the congregation. "Know this, I am a faithful servant of he on Terra, I offer you protection, love, hope. Turn away from his hateful words."

The congregation falls as one, weaping, tugging at their hair and flesh, begging for forgiveness.

Konrad grabs Tyrone by the back of his robes. "You... For crimes against faith, against my world, my people.... I should have your head on a spike.... But she... She is a forgiving soul, so you will be put on a ship, sent back to your church in disgrace, humbled."

Tyrone's eyes rolled madly in his sockets. "She is a witch, you consort with heretics, I will bring a holy crusade to this world and burn it to the ground you daemon."

Konrad sighed and put him in a choker hold, waiting till he stop squirming and passed out.

"We will repair this hive.... We will cleanse it of filth.... Hive Pious will be restored."

[ladynighthaunter]

Hive Pious.

The Headsman's insertion into the city was a bloody afair, battling his way through a squad of sisters, his axe reaped a bloody tally as his Saturnine suits energy field deflected all but the heaviest fire.

He now stood on the streets of the mid hive, slowly plodding forward as off worlders fanatics tried to take him down with auto gun fire.... It was like rain drops against him, his suit had been forged before the heresy, it's technology acient and poorly understood, but more powerful than anything fielded today.

He reached the first barricade and just walked through it, rockcreat and metal scraps bending and crumbling at his advance, he barely paid the off worlders attention as they tried to hammer at his armour, looking for weak points in its thick layers, his fist lashed out, the energy field vaporising one of them, putting the rest to flight, but he did not care.

In his minds eye, he could see his target high above, in the upper spires where the defences would be the thickest.... But he would claim his due, another head for the eternal tally.

There was a rumble as a tank rolled down the street, an Immolator, it's twin flamers hosing the street in fire as the hulk mounted heavy bolter spoke with a roar, hi,s energy field buckling under the heavy fire... A worthy foe.

Slowly he started towards it, running into the punishing fire, his old suit was slow to start, but built momentum until he hit the tank like a wrecking ball. The hull buckling under the impact of his armoured form. The crew undoubtedly stunned, he raised his right arm, the plasma blaster on his power fist glowing as he fired in the vision slit, the driver obliterated as the burning ball of plasma ate its way through the tank, setting off its volatile fuel, fire roaring out of it.

Stepping back, he watched as the turret gunner threw herself from her seat, fire crawling along her armour as she rolled on the ground, trying to put it out. He plodded over to her, watching as she finally managed to kill the last of the flames assailing her, only for him to cuff her head, knocking her out.

Slowly, with great effort he knelt next to her prone body. Pulling a knife from his side, he placed down his axe and took her head in his hand, holding it as if it was an egg, he gently carved one word into her forehead.

Apostate.

Gently laying her down, he sheathed his knife and retrieved his axe, other sisters would come soon and as mighty as he was, he could not defend against a full covenant. So slowly he walked away, leaving fire and his message for the others to find

[ladynighthaunter]

Kaldor Primus

The Mortuary

The headsman sat in his quarters, he was old, stasis and warp travel had spared him some of the ravages of time, but still he was old, his hand stroking his axe hilt as he cast his mind adrift.... He was no Librarian, but he still had some connections to the warp, it guided him to what heads he was to take.

And now that current tugged him towards hive Pious.

Standing up, his serfs parted... Such an important head required.... A special touch, he marched out of his quarters, down the long and dark hallways until he reached the armoury, the sound of bolt shells and other ammunition being crafted filling the vast chamber as tech marines and tech priests moved among the wargear of the chapter.

Deeper and deeper he went, the arms and armour growing older and more refined until he reached a large stasis vault. Shoving his fist in the gene reader, he felt the sting of the needle taking his blood sample, the great doors rumbling open, the tang of ozone as the stasis field deactivated.

Stepping up, he called armouring servitors to aid him in doning the truely ancient suit of armour, thick heavy plates where doned, encasing him in a thick shell of ceramite and adamantium, a gauntleted hand reached out and pulled a great axe of its rack.

Stepping out of the chamber, many tech marines and priest fell to one knee, head bowed in awe of the ancient suit of armour, Saturnine terminator armour, a relic of the heresy.

And so clad, the Headsman made his way to the transport bay, a head called and he aimed to collect.

[ladynighthaunter]

Kaldor Primus

The Mortuary.

Konrad was in her private quarters, an art studio attached to them, gently working clay. She was covered in the stuff, her hands, arms, face, hair even her robes where smeared in clay as she looked at what she crafted.

Standing life size, a staff topped with the heraldry of the Night Lords in one hand, the Lecto Diviniantus in the other, was Euphrati Keeler, pains taking crafted to show her in the prime of her life. Konrad looked upon it and wept.

Dropping to her knees, she felt gut wrenching sorrow, her sobs shaking her body as tears ran down her face. She missed her wife, so very much. The coming of the saint reborn had opened that old sound and twisted the blade, For Niel was not Euphrati, they looked the same, even at times acted the same.... But it was not HER!

Fingers dug into the clay robes, dragging like talons as she cried, her pain was great, it felt like it could eclipse her.... When she heard the voices. It was not the first time they had come in her solitude, whispering, promising. She was a psychers and the Predators of the warp always came at her when she was her weakest, whispering promises of power, gifts untold, love and devotion... Now was no different.

They could bring her back they whispered, she would not have to be alone, they could give her the saint and so much more, all she had to do was submit to them, embrace them.... Her pointed teeth grinded in her mouth, bloody drool leaking between her lips as she bit the inside of her cheek, pain blocking the voices out.

Slowly getting to her feet, she got fresh clay to undo the damage she had done to the statue, before commanding two tracked servitors to lift her work and bring it to the kiln, this statue would takes its place of honour in the first church Euphrati built, a reminder of the first saints humble beginnings.

For a moment, Konrad could of swore she saw tears running down the statues fave before the kiln door was closed... But she must be seeing things, she was exhausted after many sleepless days working on the statue.... She needed rest... A shower then rest.

Her stomach grumbled.

A shower, food, then rest.

[ladynighthaunter]

Konrad dreams of the past, not a pleasant place for her.... The slums of Nostramo, a small child, clad in rags, reaching up for comfort from an absent parent, only to get crushing disappointment, living in the rubbish of society, preying on the guilty, tearing into cooling flesh of a fresh kill, the burning loneliness. How she had survived to adulthood was a miracle, for she was hunted many a time.

Tears roll down her cheeks in her sleep as she feels hollowed out, an empty shell of a person, no one cares for this child, no one cares for Konrad.... Sharpened nails tear at bed sheets as she tossed and turns, the sound of hunting dogs as she scrambled from hiding place to hiding place, she was small, weak, afraid..... She hated it.

Waking, she looks around in confusion, seeing he damaged bed, torn cloth.... But what's worse than all that.... The emptiness, no Euphrati Keeler to hold her, to drive off the nightmare.... She buries her head in the remains of her pillow, her scream of loneliness echoing out through out the fortress monastary.

She missed her, needed her, she was the light in her darkness.... But she was out of reach.... And her world, Her world, was tearing itself apart in a religious war.

Getting up, she dons her robes... She needs to see Niel, to get some scrap of comfort from the fragments of her wife.....