A cardinal world was not too dissimilar from a hive world, though the Ecclesiarchy would certainly take offense to such a comparison. Untold billions lived, worshiped, and died in the vast halls, holy citadels, and pilgrim apartments of the opulent world. From the sky, the planet looked like a great beacon of gold, lights that could be perceived from beyond orbit gleamed brightly even on the dark side of the world. They ruled entire systems, sometimes whole sectors, utilizing resources from hundreds of other worlds to maintain the infrastructure for the billions of men and women who flocked there to give thanks and find guidance from the all-consuming light of the Emperor. 

I had only been to a cardinal world once, on Ophelia VII during my youth as an interrogator under Inquisitor Kronus. I still remember how small everything on the planet made me feel, from the statues to the spires to the holy relics set within immense chapels where millions bent in prayer.

We were a full two weeks ahead of schedule. The warp was unpredictable at the best of times, and evidently a month's journey had been cut in half from some fluke that I could, perhaps ironically, credit to divine favor. I figured we arrived when we needed to. I had already had discussions with Selencia and Clara on the aspects of the Mors Logicae, and once they realized it changed very little, particularly for us, they had understood. Once one perceives the ward, one could pierce its veil, and it can not hide physical evidence. The enemy, whoever they were, would hide their true nature from the Ecclesiarchy with or without the ward, so asking an official what they knew served no point regardless. We had them, on their world, weeks before they would anticipate us, if they even anticipated us at all. 

The only worry, other than the cabal of chaos infiltrating the most holy Inquisition and the Ecclesiarchy, was the addition of the Mors Logicae meant that there was a greater daemon of tzeentch at work, which was a complication. So far our primary enemies had been of the dreaded and bloated followers of nurgle. Either the two factions were aligned in goals, or one was using the other to further their own ends. But to what end? That was my primary concern as the shuttle with Emmaline, Clara, Selencia, Lazarus, Elektra, and I, entered the planet's atmosphere. 

Our arrival could not be announced or perceived, and so we made a fiction, Emmaline and I masquerading as nobles from the planet Gudrun, wishing to find solace for the spirit of our child that died at birth. Emmaline was overjoyed we would be able to go shopping, as our plot required more gowns and finery than the Caledonia tended to carry. Once we made a 'beachhead' so to speak, and found leads to the whereabouts of this so called Teritus Vorn, we would invite down Lucius Raj and perhaps Urien and his men. 

The problem, as always, was finding our quarry. Unfortunately, that struggle would cost countless people their very lives...