{oOo}
Miriael Sabathiel remained silent as the noise of hundreds of bolters merged into a cacophony of noise. She ignored it focused her gaze on the one person she was assigned to protect. Persephone led the squad of Adepta Sororitas grimly, glaive in hand, as they advanced towards the enemy. Far ahead, two green flares soared skywards.
Engaging the enemy.
The sounds of bolters was joined by the crackling of flames and screams of pain. She grinned in anticipation of battle, and looked to her comrades. Their Tyrian purple armor was lined with silver. Persephone appeared at the edge of her vision, motioning with her hand.
Charge.
She shot forth, the shine of her silver armor hidden beneath a layer of tarnish. Two more flares shot up ahead, one red, one silver.
Word Bearers.
She could see them now, Traitor Marines clad in crimson and silver. She raised her storm bolter and aimed. The rounds scythed through the first few, the heretics giving stunned grunts as they fell. The ground shook, and Miriael struggled to maintain her balance. A shadow blotted out the sun, already obscured by smoke, and she looked up to see Lorgar seemingly fall out of the sky.
His impact shook the earth, and she screamed as she fell from the concussive force, letting out the first sound she had made since they had deployed. Lorgar's chainsword descended ever so slowly towards her Lady...
{oOo}
Miriael awoke with a start, sitting straight up in sheer terror. She could feel rivulets of cold sweat running down her face. She held her breath until her thudding heart slowed its pace. Quickly dressing, she stood by her mirror and let her clenched fist fall to the cabinet. "Damn it." She looked up at her reflection, and cold green eyes stared back at her from underneath a layer of dark hair. She felt the first tear fall. "Damn it."
Ten years. Ten years of failure, ten years of bearing the burden of shame, ten years.
She shuddered. She didn't like reminiscing on the past. Ever since she had joined the Adepta Sororitas, she'd felt almost content, happy to have a family for the first time in her short life.
Ten years. Ten years since a battle they should have won. Ten years of fighting for honor, for hope, for vengeance, ten years.
The announcement was supposed to be today. She nodded silently as she met other members of the squad she led, of the Order she belonged to, as they gathered together to watch their Lady speak.
Ten years. Ten years of watching her Lady wearing her tarnished armor into battle, bearing her own personal badge of shame.
"It is over," Persephone said to the assembled crowd. Her voice carried far despite its softness. "Our journey is over. Our target is Sicarus, the new homeworld of the traitor Word Bearers. We will fight them, and bring Lorgar home!" There was no cheering. The Order of Silence Eternal merely acknowledged and left.
Ten years, now over.
{oOo}