SoB Draft 2

Introduction

 

 

 

 

 

        The Order of the Ebon Knight was founded for the Callenus Crusade, by Inquisitor Caldres Falkone, of the Ordo Hereticus. Caldres was a well known Inquisitor by his own right, who formed the covenant for an upcoming crusade into the Callenus Sub-Sector. He believed that having the Adeptus Sororitas fighting alongside the guardsmen would increase productivity, and morale. Caldres spent years watching over their training, picking those who he personally saw fit to join the covenant. He postponed the crusade for the next 20 years, the Lord-General knowing better than to go against the will of an Inquisitor.

        The covenant finally was fully armed after 20 long years of postponing, and the guardsmen were ready for their crusade, their ranks swelling well beyond the predicted numbers. The crusade began, lead by the Lord-General, with the Inquisitor overwatching his Sororitas covenant. The first few battles were tremendous victories, purging each world of their Xenos tyrants, and burning those who worshiped them as an example to all others. The crusade finally hit a halt, when they attacked the world of Vrakis, capital of the Tau in the Sub-Sector.

        It took three long months before they even could take and hold a foothold on that throne forsaken planet, the Tau fighting tooth and nail for every bit of land they could get. They began firing upon the Sisters first, knowing they were what was keeping the guardsmen from faltering. This tactic caused battles that should have lasted days, to mere hours before the guardsmen retreated. These battles took their tolls on the covenant, whittling them down to half their original number. Inquistor Caldres decided to take action, assuming full control of the crusade, and started to bomb the Tau positions from obit just before any assault began

        It was risky due to the broad firing range of the ship's guns, but it paid off in the end. The Tau had no time to re-take their defensive positions before the guardsmen swarmed into the forts. Finally after eight long months, the guardsmen stormed the last Tau bastion, killing every last damned xenos. They began repurposing the old Tau fortresses into Imperial forts, digging in for the next few months. The Sisters, along with the Ecclesiarchy, watched over the process to make sure the xenos technology was destroyed, and each soldier was faithful.

        Mass purges were conducted on entire companies of those who had lost faith in the Emperor, each being made an example of in front of their peers. The main fleet had already left, gone back to the recruiting worlds to bolster their ranks once more. This simple recruitment run took them over a year, their ships having gotten lost int he warp for sometime, and leaving the Sisters and Guardsmen stuck on Vrakis.

        When the ships returned, Caldres requested a full debriefing of what had occoured during the year he had been gone. He heard tales of heroism, especially of the Sisters whom he had brought, each of whom had fought with the valor of an Astartes. One Sister in particular stood out amongst them all, restoring faith on the field as she fought impossible odds, surrounded by dead and injured, only to defeat the enemy and come out alive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 1

 

 

        Erakis woke with a jolt, the blaring noise of the alarm nearly making her heart jump out of her chest. She knew what it meant, and quickly jumped from her bed, and stood at attention, knowing better than to stop and try to fix herself up, or make her bed. She stood there rigidly, the others standing in line with her, as they all waited in silence. Erakis couldn't help but glance around, not moving an inch, but looking over her fellow Initiates. They were all so different, yet so similar to each other.  They all had the same hair length, being cut at the neck, and their hair dyed black, though their faces showed just how different they were. All of their features varied, some looking more like brutes, others like cute girls, though their training all the same.

        Her arms were killing her, and only wanted to lie back down in her bed, yet she knew better than to rest when the morning inspection came. She stood there, the cold metal chilling her bare feet, praying she would be passed over quickly as the doors opened. She didn't move an inch, not daring glance at him, and only continued to pray to the God-Emperor silently to herself. The harsh, booming thuds of metal on metal were his footsteps as he went down the line of her sisters, sending a chill down her spine with every step. The footfalls soon ended, and she could feel his eyes bearing down upon her as she stood there, not daring a glance at him. She stayed at attention, not moving an inch as she felt his eyes piercing into her, until she couldn't take the silence anymore, daring a glance towards him. His face was cold, and glare deadly as he stared at her, his black armor only making him even more imposing.

        She prayed to the Emperor silently that she handn't messed up, moving her eyes away from him as he stepped forwards, stopping in front of her. He leaned down, and she could feel the Inquisitor's breath hit her face as he silently looks her over, and she could only stand there helplessly as he watched her for any fault. Inside, she felt like screaming, she felt like turning, and running, she felt like hiding under her covers and praying he went away. Instead, she stood there, turning her eyes to his face, the only human part about him, and staring at him as he watched her.

        When he turned, continuing down the line, she silently sighed in relief. Minutes later, when she heard the doors close, she sat on her bed as sighed in relief. Most of her sisters were doing the same, others stretching, all of them getting ready in their own way for the morning drills. She rolled her shoulders, almost groaning as she got up, and started towards the door. As she left, she noticed she was the first one heading to the training yard, though thought nothing of it as she continued on.

        As she went down the dark halls towards the training yard, her thoughts drifted to that of how she had gotten there. Of how her Aunt and Uncle left her alone on the doors to the Ecclesiarchy. How she had been picked, out of the thousands of other girls under their care, to join this covenant to fight for the God Emperor. She sighed to herself, stopping as she reached the training yard, and beginning to look around. She was the only one in the yard, giving it a tranquil feeling. Looking at the running track, she walked towards it, deciding to warm herself up for the training session to come.

        She soon began running, her sisters began to file into the room, the Inquisitor next to them as they entered. Almost tripping herself up, she continued running as she glanced towards the Inquisitor, who stood there with his arms crossed across his chest, watching her silently. She wanted to run into line, and hide behind her sisters, but her body wouldn't listen, and she finished her lap before getting into line without a word..

        The Inquisitor walked towards his observation booth, the Sororitas Sergeant coming from behind them, and whipping the air just behind them before yelling "Get to running, all of you! Ten laps!" Erakis started as soon as she heard the whip crack behind her, taking the lead in line as they started around the course. As she finished her first lap, she spared a gllance behind her, seeing those who started to slow or falter, were subsequently lashed on the back. Those that were whipped, quickly jumped ahead, letting those behind them get whipped in their stead. Erakis herself soon began tiring out, and falling behind. Though, as the whip slashed her back, she quickly began pushing herself even harder, tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

        She and her sisters running with her continued to run, even as their bodies screamed for them to stop. Some groaned or screamed, those who did receiving a lash from the Mistress, most of the others staying quiet. Erakis just let tears roll silently down her cheeks as she ran, blood running down her back from her lashes.