A light. There, in this endless void, Beraal could see a light. It was naught but a pinprick, yet it was blinding. It burned with a heat he couldn’t suffer, yet it was as a tender caress. It was slowly getting larger, or perhaps closer. He had yet to determine if he was still falling or had simply begun to float. All this time, he had calmed. Not that he felt a peace of his own, it was all still pressing in on him. Yet he had accepted his current state. This light was a welcome distraction. It came closer still, and the whispers began. So faint at first that he scarce could tell it was coherent words, yet they agonizingly slow, yet steadily, grew in volume. It was that voice again. Her voice. It was enough to reignite his rage, yet he couldn’t focus it on her. All he could do was listen as the chorus of whispers grew in his ears.

  *  *  *

  Hisses of pneumatics, the soft ticking of clockwork, and the gentle sound of binary filled the room as Archmagos Denyal Warkstein entered the observation room, his mechanical gaze locked on the figure within the containment room. He made his way to the window, his mechanical modifications making his expression impossible to read.

  "Archmagos."

  He didn't look at the speaker as he replied.

  "Prioress Alessandra."

  The Prioress crossed her arms and shared his gaze on the self-proclaimed Primarch. "Thank you for coming."

  "Only a fool would pass up on such an opportunity." Denyal reached for a monitor and began interfacing with it, reading the data streaming in. "What have you detected?"

  Alessandra shook her head slightly. "She is surrounded by chaos, but untouched by it. And she purified a Khornate Astartes."

  Denyal dismissively waved one free robotic arm. "Followers of the Blood God are as happy to kill one another as they are the rest of us."

  Alessandra shook her head. "I said purified, not killed."

  Denyal's many limbs stopped moving.

  "We've checked him over a few times now. There's some residual chaos influence, but it's fading. She removed the hold that Chaos had over him. Even got the nails out of his head without killing him."

  Denyal was quiet for long enough the Prioress began to wonder if his processors had melted.

  "How?"

  "According to the Inquisitor's report, she smacked her hand over his mouth, and he collapsed. She also noted that merely from her touch, she turned a rather administrative Sororitas into the best warrior amongst her sisters."

  "Part of the report includes wounds she sustained. Her left hand was pierced. Was it her left hand that she used in both cases?"

  Alessandra pulled up the report and reread it. "It would seem so."

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  "Curious that blood cures the influence of the blood god."

  The Prioress nodded slightly. "She also claims to know the true owner of the Daemon’s Woe."

  "Before St. Eriadne?"

  "Yes. Her gap in knowledge lines up with when we'd expect, should the lost or forgotten Primarchs have died, rather than become daemons."

  "She claims to be second born. The Lion or Regent Guilliman should be able to confirm."

  "The Lion is leading an invasion of the Scourge Stars. He won't be able to break away from that for some time. As for the Regent, he's leading the Indomitus Crusade, and his location and destination are secret. But I have sent word out, so hopefully it will reach him before he gets too involved in something else."

  "You sent word?"

  She nodded and leaned against the railing between her and the glass. "The same message intercepted from the Blood Ravens."

  "Her chapter, should she be a Primarch?"

  "One of them." Alessandra glanced at Denyal. "The Blood Ravens present all acknowledge her, and we do have a few Astartes of different chapters with unknown foundings on planet. I've requested their presence to see if any of them belong to her as well."

  Denyal, stopped. "You accept her as Primarch?"

  "She has the God Emperor's presence."

  The archmagos' occular sensors refocused. "Be careful, Prioress. The Grand Inquisitor might brand you a heretic for such a claim."

  Alessandra narrowed her eyes. "I speak only as someone whom has experienced the Emperor through Celestine’s presence." She gestured to Evaria. "She speaks to machine spirits as well, so far as to command them. According to the Inquisitor, anyways."

  "The one who electrocuted the subject?"

  "It seemed unintentional." Alessandra picked up the offending manacles and held them out to the Archmagos. One of his mechanical arms reached out and took it from her. He examined it closely, his red robes shifting as more arms came out from within to carefully disassemble the device.

  "She received this from the quartermaster of the Judicial Pyre?"

  "Correct. He's being questioned as we speak."

  "This is an ancient design. One from the time of the Horus Heresy."

  Celestine raised an eyebrow. "You mean it was designed for use on Primarchs?"

  "The Omnissiah, in his wisdom, must have known they'd become necessary."

  "But how did a quartermaster aboard the Judicial Pyre get his hands on an STC that could produce such an item?"

  Denyal finished disassembling the manacles and began pocketing the pieces. "The Judicial Pyre can date its creation to the Great Crusade. It took part in many clandestine operations in the name of the Omnissiah during that time, many even I do not have access to. There are likely many secrets hidden aboard that vessel."

  A frown tugged at Alessandra's lips as she pulled up the service record of the Judicial Pyre. "The tales that vessel must have to tell..." With a soft sigh she straightened. "I suppose that I at least now know why Celestine chose a warrior like me for Prioress rather than an administrator. But... Is it to put her down, or protect her?"

  Denyal paused as he saw the Grand Inquisitor stride into the containment chamber, confidently approaching the subject. "Time will tell."

  Alessandra followed his gaze, and grimaced. "What is that fool thinking?" She gripped the hilt of the Daemon’s Woe and swiftly left the room.

  Denyal watched with mild fascination. "Curious."