It looked terrifying; a tangled mass of wire, metal and grinning skulls.
“Sit.”
The Knight, who had not given his name, gestured to Jula at the red leather chair in the centre of the machine. She awkwardly pulled herself up, shuffling backwards until she was sitting as comfortably as she could manage.
It was the next day, and she was somewhere inside the Storm of Wonder. Russo had taken them inside, leading them to an unremarkable room where they had all gratefully collapsed into a deep sleep. The next morning they were woken and before anything else found themselves confronted by row upon row of these strange machines.
The Knight fitted a helmet over Jula’s head, the weight surprisingly light given its size. After making some adjustments he pointed to a blank screen set into the wall opposite her.
“Watch.”
Jula nodded and fixed her eyes forward. After a moment the lights dimmed and a humming started. The noise pierced into her skull and her vision blurred. The screen seemed to be swirling and she couldn’t focus her eyes properly. Soon her vision started to fade, as a bright light filled her vision...
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Jula squinted; the light was intolerable but she had to keep staring into it. When she could take no more she turned away, and found herself standing on a vast green field, much like home. But it wasn’t home.
“It is not your home anymore,” a voice boomed from nowhere and everywhere at once.
She spun around looking for the voice. Behind her the great mountains reared up above her impossibly high. Looking up she saw the sun above her, burning with orange fire against a starlit night.
The starscape fell away and the world dropped from beneath her. It spun away until the Vales were just a speck beneath her feet and clouds rushed past her. Flying upwards she saw flashing lights ahead and a mighty ship doing battle with several smaller craft in the void of the stars.
“The Storm of Wonder!” she gasped.
The mighty ship turned, it’s sides aflame as the enemy ships stabbed at it with beams of light. But one by one they exploded in silent death, their ruined forms plunging to the spinning orb below. So too did the Storm of Wonder fall, trailing tails of fire and spinning debris as it died.
The planet below turned without comment, living on regardless of the events unfolding. Jula saw titanic rainstorms lash the seas with rain and lightning, earthquakes tear open new valleys and lay mountains low. She saw the trees grow from seed to giants that scraped the sky in the blink of an eye. Time passed and humanity thrived, but it was ever searching for something more. Searching for Him.
With a flash of light a vessel appeared in the stars, gliding noiselessly a hairs breadth from her. Reaching out she felt the ancient metal under her fingers, the story of a heart burnt. A man with raven hair light night and a woman who’s hair glowed like fire. She saw they came from a world, another world, one of untold number that served the Emperor.
The stars parted and the great swirl of the galaxy was revealed to her. Jula cried out at the impossible scale of it all, and how small her world, her life was in the face of it.
“It need not be so,” said the voice.
Looking to the west, to the rising sun, she saw The True Star of Terra and tears formed in her eyes at its beauty. Across time and space she travelled in a thought, and came face to face with Him. He sat in a ball of ever changing light, young and beautiful, smiling beatifically at her.
She stood before him on a floor of white marble, golden columns lining the hall hung with shimmering tapestries woven of light. Beside Him stood a giant man in Golden armour with white hair and a fierce countenance.
“My Emperor,” she whispered, dropping to her knees, her forehead coming to rest on his feet.
“Rise, Jula West,” He said. His voice was soft, gentle and kind, but tinged with sadness. Standing she looked up at him and felt the warm glow of the sun on her skin.
“You look upon the galaxy and fear it as beyond your strength. But cast out that thought, for soon you will be one of my children – an invincible angel of destruction that knows no fear, only the strength of will born from the most just cause of all.”
“What cause is that, my lord?”
“The cause of humanity’s survival and the destruction of its enemies.”
“But how?”
“You will be tested,” He said, looking at the emotionless giant, “and if you are found worthy the very flesh and blood of my son will be made one with yours. My strength is his, and so too shall it be yours.”
“I am tested even now.” Jula could feel her heart racing, a sense of dread in her minds at the thought in her head that she was but a moment away from total destruction should she be found wanting. This was no test of strength or skill, but of spirit.
“Yes,” He smiled faintly at her comment as if it amused him, “you are.”
“What do you ask of me? My life is yours.”
“I ask of you to give yourself unto me. Open your mind to me and know the wisdom of ages long gone. Release your spirit to me and know the truths of the stars. Open your heart to me and swear loyalty to my banner.
Do this and become my Angel of Death.”
Jula felt the hard edges of the crystal in her hand. Her breaths were hard, her heart hammered in her ears, every fibre in her body urged her to flee from the yawning chasm of the darkness that whirled above her. Closing her eyes she turned her thoughts to her Father, of never seeing him again. Thoughts of fighting His enemies, of travelling to worlds that she could not imagine existing replaced them. She saw herself clad in midnight blue armour, the eagle banner of mankind in her gauntlet, the sacred rainbow on her helm and the ashes of her foes at her feet. She saw herself in battle, falling to a treacherous enemy even as she slew him. Visions of her own death filled her mind’s eye, but as she died she looked back and saw the victories and glories she would win, her name celebrated as a champion and hero of the Spectral Knights and the Eagle Standard.
Jula snapped her eyes open, the crystal tight in her shaking fist.
“I swear to you that I will be loyal until my death in your service. I swear to you I will do all that you ask and not rest until I succeed. I swear you will remember my name and deeds. I swear this on the love for my family I forsake for you. I swear my life to you, my Emperor.”
He nodded, and the giant reached his hand down to her.
“Come, child, you have much to see.”
She looked into his eyes and saw not the hardness that had been there, but a great sadness. Titanic pressure crushed down on her skull as the giant put his hand on her head and his knowledge became hers.
Words, but not of her language. Ideas, but not of the schola. Sights, but not of her planet. Terrible creatures that wished to destroy humanity, enemies within.
Times long past.
Brothers betrayed.
Fathers betrayed.
Son against father.
Brother against brother.
Pride.
Greed.
Envy.
Fear.
All these had split them apart, and Jula knew the terrible truth of it all. She saw Marine against Marine. The Imperial Fists on the walls of the Imperial Palace. The death of noble Sanguinius, the son’s grief at his father’s loss.
The hope. The great golden throne that saved mankind from itself. The greatest of men had been laid low by his chosen son. It must not happen again. She struggled to move as her body froze in pain. Through tears of agony she looked at the Emperor.
His gaze fell upon her, piercing her soul. She felt a river of fire rush through her body as He looked into her for any weakness. Knowing that if any was found she would be destroyed she turned her thoughts to her memories of desire. Memories of sitting in the Sun Temple hearing about how He protected them, how he chose those worthy to serve in his golden hall. Memories of the desire to serve being all she aspired to.
Jula gritted her teeth as the flames washed over her, the pain unbearable. The crystal in her hand was glowing white hot, burning into her palm, but she would not release it. Her oath was given, and she would not break it.
The flames vanished in an instant, the pain replaced by a feeling of peace. She was falling. The golden light receded until it was alike the billion other stars, but where they were cold in the blackness, it shone brilliantly as a beacon of hope.
Below her Prism turned slowly on its axis, as it had done for millennia. Jula fell through cloud and rain to the dense jungle and the fortress monastery of the Rainbow Warriors. She knew the truth of what was to come, and knew how little she had known. But it did not change her course, she fell down until the ground rushed up to meet her, and her eyes snapped open.
She looked around and saw she was still sitting in front of the machine, although someone had removed her helmet. Standing uncertainly, her limbs stiff and unused for some time. Her mouth was parched and her lips dry. How long had she been asleep? She saw several others, including Nadia and Marco, were still asleep. Several of the chairs were now vacant, so others had clearly woken too.
“Good morning,” said a familiar voice.
Russo was standing behind the machines, smiling.
“Gud... good more-ning,” she stammered, her mouth not used to saying the language she now knew.
“Relax, it will come to you soon.”
“War.. vat.. what..?”
“What happened? You passed and were found worthy.”
“I know, Apothacary.”
He laughed, smiling broadly.
“So sure of yourself young Cadet West.”
She stopped, what had he called her?
“Yes, having been judged worthy you are now officially a Cadet of the Rainbow Warriors Chapter.”
Russo saluted her crisply, and she awkwardly tried to return the gesture.
“Good enough for now, Cadet.”
“Where are the others, Apothecary?”
“You are the first to wake, so they are where you left them.”
She looked at the now empty chairs with confusion. Russo sighed, a brief flash of sorrow crossing his neutral features.
“Unfortunately, some were not able to pass this first test.”
Jula looked at the empty chairs, a faint smile forming on her lips.
2012 Season Tourny List
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HQ Company Command Squad inc. Company Standard, Heavy Bolter @75pts ELITES
Pysker Battle Squad inc. Overseer, 6 Pyskers @80pts TROOPS Platoon Command
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