Event: The Pacification of Kario, The Finding of the Tome

Location: Kario, Maverick System

Date: 898.M30 

Parties involved: Farah, The Blazing Sisters, Sergeant Decimus of The Paladins Eternal

Storms filled the sky, lightning tearing through the clouds, flames flickered upon the horizon as the remnants of those who called themselves [i]The Ever Remade[/i] burned. It had been a hard fought war, against world that had more Psykers than the Blazing Sisters had ever faced. The entire world had rebelled against the idea of the Imperial Truth, against the idea that a single man could rule the Galaxy. They had looked to their false Gods to save them, but as the Blazing Sisters had known, there was no supernatural force that came down from the heavens to release their wrath upon the Imperium as they marched across the planet destroying every stone, killing every person that would not submit themselves to the Imperial Truth. 

Captain Thalestris stood amid the ruins of what had once been a small town, great battle had taken place here, the Blazing Sisters, and the Imperial Army had fought against the ruthless warriors of Kario, the ground marred wherever she stepped by the terrible powers the momentous amount of Psykers the Remade had. The Sisters had not lost many, but the Imperial army had paid for every step in blood, as what had started out as a peaceful occupation turned into a brutal, terrible revolt. Heavy treads of Astartes boots crushed broken stone, and bone into the ground as they lumbered their way through remains of the once thriving town. Thalestris lifted her head to stare at a large temple that stood at the edge of the town, one of the few left on the planet that had not been torn down, but intel had reached them that remnants of the Remade were still held up in the place holding those that would submit to the Imperial Truth inside as hostages. 

“ Mavia, Essesa, Lellen, Dawess, attend.” Four blazing sisters hurried from their positions to stand before Captain Thalestris their armor muddied, and scorched from combat to receive their orders. Thalestris looked to the temple, it had been beautiful once, the walls made of marble had once shone were now dirty, where huge stained glass windows once stood were only shatter remains. “I want you in that temple immediately, Sergeant Decimus I would like you to accompany them, put that terminator armor to good use.” Thalestris turned away from the four as they began to march down the main road to the temple. She knew the male Astartes would be safe with the three she sent to clear out the temple. “Alright sisters, look for any survivors in the rubble! Show them that we are more than butchers!”

---

Mavia lead the team of sisters into the temple, her arm reaching out to slowly push the door open with her bolt pistol. Inside was just as damaged as the outside. The team moved in with Decimus slowly taking up the rear, and watching everyone’s backs. Inside was destruction, what had previously been a twisted altar depicting a large robed figure with a beak sticking out of it’s hood holding a staff. The squad moved fully into the temple, Dawess' scanning the balcony with her bolter as she began to take point for the Astartes. Something tumbled, rolling from the upper balcony, and landing among broken masonry on the floor below, every single one of the Astartes stopped in their tracks their ranged weapons raised and aimed at the right hand balcony. 

Decimus thumbs the activation runes on his sword and shield sending energy coursing through them, casting a faint blue glow.  He turns inspecting behind them wary of an ambush, as he scans the first level a flash of red scorches the breast plate of his armor just short of the neck joint. He blinks in suprise and looks up to see the soft glow of a cooling las-gun. "Behind and above! Second story!" he shouts raising his shield and stepping back to try and cover the Blazing Sisters. Mavia and her sisters turn as one, their guns training of the second level.

Bolter fire was returned, but the targest weren't all that visible to the Sisters as they seemed to be hidden in a darkness impenetrable to their night vision lenses. Essesa was the first to speak up, several beams flying past her helmet and one scorching the armor plate on her thigh. "Lellen! The pillars!" Sister Lellen immediately knew what Essesa was speaking of, and repositioned herself dropping to a knee and firing into a series of pillars under the balcony, the rounds blowing out the wooden beams, the balcony beginning to groan and finally crashed to the ground among piles of rubble. One of the Remade soldiers rolled too far though from the balcony and found himself laying at Decimus' feet and began to fire at point blank range screaming as he did. Decimus looks down at the Remade and is shot again, he takes a step forward and stomps down hard absorbing the last few shots from the doomed man. The rebel's screams cut short as the terminator's boot crushes the man's ribs into the floor. Decimus searches the rubble for his next target but with the thick unnatural blackness still obscuring his vision he raises the shield and waits for the las fire to give away their positions. 

Suddenly more las fire tore from behind the rubble, the fierce laser blasts  scorching across the plates of the Blazing Sisters' armor. Bolter rounds were returned sending up explosions of rubble with every round that struck. A soldier's head peeked out from behind a piece of stone, but it quickly became a gushing pulp as a bolter round found it's mark permanantly erasing his features and his life force. Decimus roars "Face me you cowards!" in defiance and charges the rebels, his massive presence and intimidating bulk drawing all the fire from the remaining rebels, their las fire having little effect on his armor. 

The tides would not be in the Astartes favor for long though, suddenly Lellen was flying through the air and unseen force throwing her through a wall to land on the ground with a loud crash as her armor broke through broken masonry, and fallen glass. Lellen didn't move though from her position on the ground as the unseen force had rendered her unconscious. Essesa, and Mavia both turned at this time to see what had struck their sister, and found themselves facing a woman standing in front of the altar, her body draped in torn rags that concealed almost none of her form that had been painted blue with swirling symbols, her head shaved bald with further tattoos lining her scalp. Both of the Sisters brought their bolters up to fire, only for lightning to strike Mavia her body sent backwards, the lenses on her helmet shattering as smoke began to rise from the ocular cavities of her skull beneath. Essesa fired immediatley, but found her bolts shattering in midair before reaching the woman's torso, a tome tied to the woman's chest glowing bright blue as each shot approached. 

"Your Imperium is doomed foolish warriors. You are destined to die in vain!" The woman's voice was a hissing shrill thing, that sound as if it had come from some kind of foul serpentine creature that had gained the ability to speak. Her hands rose once more, but Dawess turned and fired a single round that tore through the psyker's right arm shearing it off, and sending it flying through the air causing the blue painted woman to scream in pain, blue flames beginning to pour from her body across the floor. 

As Decimus charged the last few rebels they stubbornly stood their ground fighting to the last. He used his shield and inhuman momentum to bulldoze through a mound of rubble concealing one of the rebels, on the other side he swiped his blade cleanly severing the mans head from his shoulders. Several more las blasts glance off his armor from the last pair of rebels, Decimus marches towards them and bashes one away with his shield, the soldier flies through the air into a wall and crumples into a broken heap. Decimus thrusts his blade at the final rebel impaling him through the chest, even with the sword jutting out his back he raises the las-gun and fires again, making the center of his breastplate hot enough to briefly glow. After yanking the sword from his dead opponent Decimus turns to continue the fight. only to see flame engulfing the room.

Dawess stumbled back her arm raising up as flames began to wash over her, her voice could be heard yelling across the vox as the inside of her armor began to rise in temperature. The flames suddenly stopped though as the Psyker's head popped like a melon and the body dropped to the ground blood pouring out into the dust, and stone. Lellen stepped through the hole in the wall smoke rising from the bolter's barrel. "Threat eliminated." She looked to Decimus, then back to Dawess. "You alright?" A nod and she looked to Essesa, and another nod was given. Her head swiveled to Mavia, and she crouched down next to her form pulling her helmet free. Mavia's face was scorched, the skin charred black and her eyes had exploded at some point smoke still rising from the socket. "Sister Mavia has expired." Lellen brought her head up to look to Decimus. He steps over to join Lellen and examines the fallen Sister, "By the Emperor" he breaths while kneeling down "She was a good warrior Sergeant." 

With a nod Lellen stood, and placed her hand on Decimus' shoulder. "This planet has taken many good warriors." As she turned she saw Essesa reaching down to the fallen body of the psyker ripping the book strapped to the dead bodies' chest free. "What is this thing Sergeant it was able to stop our bullets?" Lellen held out her hand, "Stop! We don't kno-" but Lellen was too late as Essesa opened the book, the room suddenly growing a bright blue as flame began to pour out of every joint of Essesa's armor, her lenses blasting outward, the armor beginning to glow red from the inside, cracks spiderwebbing across the plates. The book dropped from Essesa's hands and she dropped to her knees staying in the kneeling position, her helmet falling forward and off only dust spilling from the armor as everything inside had been burnt into ash. 

Decimus heard Essesa say something about a book, but he was not immediately interested in some old tome. He scooped Sister Mavia into his arms carrying her like a child, her weight easily carried by his armor. As he stood he heard Lellen yell, just as he turned his head the grusome display of fire erupted from Essesa. He took a nervous step back, and then two, unsure of what could be done. As the sister's hemet fell to the floor he stared at the book, "W- What sorcery is this?"

The two remaining sisters stared at the display, Lellen moving first. "Sister Dawess go, tell Captain Thalestra what has happened here. Cousin Decimus. Perhaps it would be best for you to take sister Mavia's body to the Apothecary for gene seed extraction. I will stand guard outside of the temple to make sure no others enter."

----

The looming form of the Primarch surrounded by the Slayers of Herakles moved towards those that had been in the temple during the ambush. She had already been briefed by both Captain Thalastris, and Sergeant Lellen. She stopped to stand before Decimus, her hands on her hips, as a grim look was stretched across her features. "Decimus, I have spoken to my daughteres on the incident. I would like to hear your version of what has taken place here." Her tone brooked no non-sense as if it was less of a question and more of a demand. Even now wearing only a toga, and sandals she looked as though she could easily tear apart any of the astartes around her at a lightning speed, a rage barely concealed within her blue orbs. She was not angry with Decimus, but rather at the situation, the tone in her voice also telling him that she did not consider him at fault for anything that had occured. 

Decimus brings his fist to his chest and salutes the Primarch with a deep bow of the head. while he stares down at his boots considering how to answer, he knew it wasnt his fault for the incident but the Primarch's fury intimidated him none the less. he shifts his gaze to Farrah "Of course my lord, i was attached to Sergeant Lellen's squad by Captain Thalestris, who instructed us to investigate the temple." Decimus paused, running through the events in his mind, ensure he did not miss any important detals. "We carefully approached the temple, i brought up the rear by Lellen's orders. Upon entrance we held a tactical forma-"

Farah's hand rose to stop him from breifing her further. "I do not need all the minor details. Please... I want to know about the incident with the book Sergeant Decimus. Start from what first happened there." Her eyebrows raised, as if to let him know she would not take no on the advanced in briefing for an answer.

Decimus nods in answer, "I was retrieving the slain Sister Mavia when Essesa picked up the book, i did not see her pick it up myself but i heard her say something about it." He pauses again endeavoring to remember the words. "i believe she said, 'What is this? It was able to stop our bullets', that was when Lellen ordered her to stop, when i looked over at them..." Decimus' brow knits into frustration as he searches for the correct words to describe the horror of what he witnessed. "I... dont know how to explain it, it was as if her body burst into flame. The heat was enormous, enough to crack ceramite. There was nothing any of us could do, by the time i had realized what happened it was already over. After that Dawess was instructed to inform the Captain and i took Mavia to the Apothecary."

A slow nod was all the Primarch gave to Decimus before walking past him heading towards the temple. "Slayers, you will remain here. i will enter alone." Farah's honor guard stood still though they seemed as if they wanted to rush after her right away. For a long time Farah did not emerge from the temple, at least twenty minutes passing by. Then suddenly the door swung open, Farah carried what was likely the book wrapped in rags as she walked towards the group. "Everyone who has been witness to this incident or has heard of it... The incident is not to be told to anyone else. I will hand over this book to the Emperor myself, and report what has taken place are we understood?" Once more she didn't wait for an answer as she strode away placing the book inside of a Adamantium case one of her honor guard was carrying. 

Decimus heard Farah instruct everyone that the incident was not to be discussed, but surely he had to tell Maximus. However another Primarch given them all orders, the conflict raged through Decimus' mind for several moments before he finally decided that what he had witnessed was too grave for him to keep secret, if nothing else Maximus must know what heppend here. Artifacts such as these would bring danger to his legion and the Imperium, he stared at the Primarch and her entourage leaving, 'She should have burnt that book while she had the chance' thinks Decimus 'it will only bring ruin.'