"That should do it" murmured the wolf priest as he made the finishing touches to my temporary prosthetic.
"How's it feel?"
Wiggling my "fingers" and extending and retracting my "arm", no longer do I feel the phantom of my arm but a light tingle when I move my new prosthetic. To be honest it's not as bad as I first imagined it, when he first told me he was going to mount it, I feel a new sense of power and pride begin to swell up in my chest. This injury proving all the more my sacrifices and dedication to the wider imperium and Emperor of Mankind I have been tutored on in the late months.
"Yes, it's good. Thank you Mechanicus".
" Mechanicus is he ready" questioned a battle brother who suddenly entered the room with a urgent expression painted on his hardened bristled features.
With a nod the Mechanicus discharged me from his care and into the hands of my soon to be brothers. Or so I hoped.
"Follow me you are about to undergo the trial known as the Gates of Morkai, Steele your mind and your faith and you shall pass through unscathed."
After a five- or so-minute walk through the dark corridors with tapestries hung on every wall capturing great battles and triumphs over the enemies of mankind. We came upon the Gates.
The path lit dimly by small fires in standing pillars.
A great tribute to the wolf god Morkai is mounted on the top center of the large black cast iron gates. The bones and pelts of several dozen Fenrisian wolves adorn the malevolent gates.
As we come to the top of the steps my escort stops.
"You must proceed down alone from here on... Emperor protects!" slamming a fist into his chest plate he turns and takes his leave.
Spinning around from his fading form all my worries come flooding back in. I am confident in my physical abilities but this psychic strength and mental fortitude the priest speak of is new territory for me.
With my heart palpitating in my chest, my knees threatening to go out from under, my throat as dry as a volcanoes ash I descend the six large steps obviously designed for the Astarte's to accommodate their sheer size.
As I step down of the last step and onto the cold marble floor, wiggling my toes I notice the shape of robed men... no robed Astarte's.
"Come forth Vlka to be. You have undergone many a trial to test your physical prowess but now we the Rune Priests of the Fang will test your psychic prowess and search for impure thoughts and views." explained the Rune Priest.
Taking it all in I didn't realise that the priests had surrounded me and now laid their hands on my head and ushered a chant
"Undvijk sfaj haxv beufn rodn. Fenryka."
Next thing I know I awaken groggily and get up of the floor.
"what happened?" I ask, only to have a finger placed on my lips "shhhh"
Raising a long decrepit finger all the rune priests in eerie synchronization pointed to the gates of Morkai who are now alight in an all-consuming psychic cyan flame.
Whatever has awoken deep within my spirit I do not know but my nervousness has completely dissipated. Narrowing my eyes, straightening my posture, forming a fist and steeling myself for the arduous trial ahead.
Cold, sooo cold, the cutting maelstrom pulling and pushing simultaneously. I push forward with my blade by my side, my eyes unable to be opened more than a half squint... no my blade... my arm it's on fire!, my eyes frozen shut with tears, my throat ripped and torn from my endless tormented howls.
"please father it wasn't Skajl's fault"
"shut up boy" commanded the vile beast of a man as he struck Rondrijl my brother and hoisting him up by the neck and shoved his head in the trough, holding him in place. Feeling a great fury rise in my chest I charge him "you bastard". At the last second, he spun around releasing Rondrijl and punched me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me. grabbing me by the ponytail he mercilessly dragged me through the snow to the side of the house and sent me sprawling to the ground he picked up the shovel and began mercilessly pummeling me.
"What did you do?" "how could you?" "MONSTER!" the screams of my brothers and sisters, denouncing me cursing me for defending them. No matter how many beatings I took, no matter how much blame, how much I fell from status they still called me monster when I finally laid the demon to rest, when I finally buried the hatchet as he would say.
Awakening once more with a sense of clarity I spin around seeing the priests staring at me.
They bow once and point to the exit where an Astarte's stands waiting.
"Well done. You must now proceed to the Adeptus Biologist to undergo the Test of Morkai and be granted the gift of the Canis Helix. Good look Aspirant. Emperor Protects."
"Emperor protects" I respond making the sign of salute.
