MIRACULOUS INTERVENTION
The dark, near moonless night made it impossible to see more than a few metres ahead and shrouded the woods in complete darkness. Piercing red eyes were the only thing to stand out- other than the trio of white doves that sat in a nearby tree. Her attention was drawn from the slightly golden-glowing doves back to the hate filled eyes as they bore into the blonde sisters' soul, the dozen or so hulking black masses casting dark shadows over their very beings.
She was never one for regrets, even at her current age, but she certainly regretted bringing her baby sister out for something so self-centred like this. She just wanted to find her mother- her real mother and go home! A howl from one of the furry mass' ruptured her ears and woke her smaller sister, who gave a startled scream as she fell from the cart onto the wet dirt.
She really wanted to go home now!
Sensing the fear radiating from the children, one of the Beowolves howled again and took a step forward with the rest of the pack following suit. The blonde girl made a large, frightened step back as the creatures advanced in a looming prowl, only for them to be stopped by an almost blinding light from behind the girls.
The Beowolves staggered back, screaming animalistically into the night in agony. Their skin seemed to burn in the light that now illuminated the area, as if a flair was shot into the centre of the clearing. The Beowolve's, while screaming in agony, let go of their reactions and desire for self preservation and charged forward! However, neither the blonde nor the now terrified small girl got the chance to witness their deaths as their vision was covered by a pair of massive, pristine-white-feathered wings that protrude from the back of gold, ornate armour.
The armour sat attached to a woman who stood six feet and nine inches tall and had short, black hair in a bob cut.
Were the wings a part of the armour or were they hers? The sisters inclined toward the latter for some odd reason. Even odder yet, they didn't feel fear nor anger or even sadness like they should have been in the face of what the world feared, but safety and warmth in the literal light this woman emitted from her very being into their cores.
Their trance was broken when their body forced them to blink, and when they reopened scant mere milliseconds later, were met with hard electric blue eyes that appeared to hold barely contained power, but also compassion and kindness amongst many other things that they couldn't read. Her lips were in a miniscule smile that eased them even more than they unnaturally were before.
What happened to the Beowolves? The blonde thought.
"The abominations are of no concern any longer, child," the woman's voice was firm yet soft. Warm yet held a coolness to it. It was one you couldn't help but get drawn into. One that demanded and commanded your full attention. It perplexed the children in new ways they never thought possible, they knew it was all contradictory but it somehow made logical sense, "where are your guardians?"
The children never noticed the scruffy man until he stood to the side of the lady in gold, "Hey, you do this?" he gestured to the corpses of Beowolve's half-heartedly as low thunder echoed through the sky.
The woman stood as she spoke, "I did, yes," her tight grip on her sword in her left hand did not go unnoticed by anyone, "who might you be?"
The man stood a little taller, "Qrow Branwen, their uncle," he shot off a little defensively to the unknown woman, "And who the hell are you, bird girl?"
The woman stayed quiet for a moment, mulching over her words before answering, "I am a… Guardian…"
Qrow snorted in amusement or disbelief at the woman and mumbled something under his breath, but quickly put a small smile on his face, "look, you can claim to be whatever, but thank you for saving my girls,"
She cocked an eyebrow up, "why were they alone in a clearly dangerous area?"
The man gave a tired sigh and eyed the girls in annoyance, "One of them thought it was a good idea to drag their sister out on an adventure without telling either their father or me,"
At Qrows words, the blonde shrunk into herself and hung her head low in shame as the woman turned to her. Despite her not showing it on her face, the blonde could feel the judgment radiate from the woman.
The woman hummed at her then faced Qrow again, "I was just doing my duty as a protector," her stance relaxed a little, "If it is not too much to ask, could you tell me where the nearest place I could rest would be?
Qrow let out a laugh, "Bird Girl, I can do you one better; you can stay with us for the night!" he faced the two sisters, "as for you two, specifically you, Yang, you're grounded for a month!"
Before any of the impromptu group could begin to move as rain began to fall, the smallest finally spoke, "wha's your name?" the smallest girl asked.
The woman in gold stood with pride and her wings slightly spread out, "My name is Celestine, young one. And what would your name be?"
Silver eyes stared into Celestine's electric blue ones in awe and exclaimed, "Ruby!" while Celestine gave her a small smile and lifted one of her wings over the girls, shielding them from the steadily increasing rainfall.
Qrow took one last look at the Beowolve's and shuddered before leading the way back home, "Alright, let's get outta this before it gets worse!"
"The Beowolve's weren't dissolving!" Qrow exclaimed.
"What do you mean 'they weren't dissolving'?" the silver haired man retorted, much to Qrows annoyance.
The scruffy man pulled his flask out and took a swig then continued, "she appeared as a ball of fuckn' divine light and roasted the 'wolves or some shit then introduced herself as a 'Guardian'! Point is; their corpses stayed, Oz!"
Ozpin sat at his desk, his ever omnipresent mug to his right as he leaned back in contemplation. He had only ever known three beings- excluding himself- that could do such a thing: the Brother Gods. and Salem. But most importantly, if she could do that; what else could she do? Who was she really? Was she a threat despite what she said?
Ozpin straightened his posture and faced Qrow, "Qrow, is she still with Tai?
The man grimaced, giving Ozpin all he needed to know. Great.
The Headmaster let out a small sigh as Qrow spoke, "She spent the night at Tai's but was gone in the morning. No sign of her ever being there other than our memories…"
Both men let a silence fall over them.
"Shit…I'll start a lookin' for her."
"Hurry, we do not know her true alignment or her goals. I'll do what I can in Vale with the Council and James."
As Qrow reached the elevator he looked over his shoulder, "Knowin' our luck, Oz? She's gonna pop up in a blaze of glory at the Atlas Vytal Festival,"
Ozpin took a sip from his cup, "Let's hope it's to protect it…"
And hope she isn't working for Salem… the Gods only know how many times she's gotten agents amongst my ranks in the past...
The rain from the night before subsided early in the morning, leaving the ground wet and muddy enough that it stuck to her Sabatons and the bottom of her Greaves as she trekked through the worn and weathered path.
She could fly or warp her way to wherever she was going, however, flying would draw attention and warping required not only the warp to be present but for her to know where she needed to go for it to function properly. Primarily, the lack of the warp was a blessing and a curse; it meant that Chaos had not yet tainted the world but hindered her ability to travel faster.
"Is my cornered segment of the warp still functional?" she thought to herself as she eyed the bright green trees that ran up both sides of the path.
"More importantly; am I still immortal?" a warmth in her chest told her, reassured her, that yes she was still the Embodiment of the Emperor's Wrath and the ultimate gladiator of any battlefield.
Only after the warmth faded did she realise that she still had her wings and psychic abilities. She felt her face blush in slight self imposed embarrassment at her oversight of such a thing; though she took respite in the fact that she had not made that mistake in well over a few thousand years and exactly never in battle.
How long had she been alive for? Four to five thousand years? More? It certainly felt like it; fighting one battle after the other. Not respite. No rest. Just an ongoing series of wars that never seemed to have an end in sight no matter how much and how long she fought. They were bittersweet, the wars that is. They gave her a purpose in the universe. A reason to continue to keep going where others faltered and stumbled. Yet those who faltered died.
Died in the billions per battle at minimum.
Do they die to give her purpose or… she didn't know what came after "or."
Celestine only knew that her service to the Emperor was absolute. As it always was and always will be. "That is the life of a Living Saint of the Imperium."
A aching heat burst forth within her chest, one that she vaguely could attach to that of closure? No, that wasn't right. Her feet came to a stop within the mud as she dissected it.
Could it be remorse? That wasn't right either. It felt more… painful? Not physically but more emotionally; as if she didn't wish it? So, was it reluctance? The warmth twisted into the type of pride one would feel if they watched a child correctly answer a riddle or puzzle.
But why exactly? Why would she feel reluctant remorse? Her chest clenched.
No? "I don't?"
Then why would she feel someone else's emotion? She was never an empath…
"Unless, it is being projected." it was spoken as a statement, one that got a lighter warmth in her chest then felt...freeing. As if something was let go or severed, yet the reluctant remorse clouded over it.
...
Oh.
That's why she's here.
Despite the revelation flowing through her body, the presence in her chest moulded into a protectiveness of that from a parent over their child, yet it did little to quell the influx of despair that flooded her mind until it unnaturally ceased; like a switch was flicked.
She was here by the will of her Emperor for her own protection against the forces that could and will kill her.
Her eyes blinked owlishly as that foreign thought bounced through her mind and dug itself in.
"Now move on, find your place within this world," she spoke aloud against her will as her feet began to march her down the weathered path that was surrounded by bright greens of the trees and vegetation that soaked up the sun after the downpour
If this were to be her new path, or lack thereof, set by the Emperor; then she would embrace it and fight to hold it for as long as she could.
So entrapped in her thoughts was she that she never took notice that she was in control of her body once more or the radiant gold presence behind her that was rapidly fading to nothing.
Hive worlds and cities were commonplace within the Imperium; she had seen plenty as they were nearly every second location she'd be whisked away to. Sure they would all be on fire and collapsing around her as Chaos forces spread their taint, but she had seen them.
Though none as quaint as this.
A small wall with a defended gate and watchtowers made of wood surrounded the two story homes that lined the main road from what she could currently see… from the other side of the gate and the guards attempted to starve her off for being a "Faunus" whatever that was.
After nearly an hour of back and forth, a compromise was made; she needed to get to the other side of town and needed supplies, so an escort would take her through to the general supply store and out the other gate.
An annoyance to be sure, but one she could deal with. She could not help but think as she crossed the threshold, why the escort? She was six feet tall, had glowing white wings that had golden marginal coverts and wore golden power armour… they could not lose her even if they were blind due to her psychic presence and if she started a fight no one would win…
All because they believed her to be a Faunus; were they really that dangerous?
Celestine severely doubted that, if they were she would have been shot at and the guards would cease to breathe.
The guard escorted the Saint down the main path towards what the guard called "store" that resided on the far right corner of the small four way intersection, and gained many trustless glares from nearly every civilian that she walked past. Some mothers took their children across the path to avoid her, some about faced while a select few held the gall to shoulder check her as they passed each other.
The Saint found herself holding in a very unlady and unsaintlylike snort as a large man attempted to knock her over by clipping her as he walked past "ignoring" her, but instead found himself holding his shoulder in pain where it met her golden Pauldron.
Celestine would have said the town was rather nice with it's wood and stone buildings and ancient Terran aesthetics, however the treatment she was receiving was ruining her first experience as a sightseer on this world. She knew her status as a Living Saint would garner no benefits as she herself was nothing but a rumour at best and the last thing an army on either side saw at worst. So how would that translate over to a world that clearly held no knowledge of the Imperium?
"Simple. It does not," she thought with a miniscule frown as the door to the "store" was opened to let her through.
Upon the entrance the woman behind the counter gave Celestine a glare that no one has ever given her before. Or maybe they have but she was too busy decimating entire armies to notice or care.
The woman behind the counter continued the glare as she warned, "Try anythin' an' I'll blow your fuckn' head off an' mount your wings on my wall,"
"I do not wish for violence, however, that does not mean I am not capable of it," Celestine countered coolly as she observed the items that covered the shelves, not caring for the threats of a mortal with unfounded prejudices.
Ironic. A small voice in the back of her head echoed.
The woman scoffed, "Oh, like you animals could do anything to us,"
Celestine glanced over her shoulder and let her eyes glow electric blue slightly, "I am capable of a great many things, Mam, I do not suggest you test those limits lest you find out how experienced I am…"
The woman and guard perked up defensively, "Is tha' a threat!?" the woman almost shouted.
A series of gunshots cut off Celestine's retort and all three people in the store faced the door at the continued gunshots and screams of the fleeing civilians.
"Fuck, it's bandits!" the guard shouted as he bolted out the door to his post and the origin of the gunfire.
As civilians suddenly began to flow through the door of the store to find cover, Celestine let her powers flow freely; he eyes as a whole emitted a bright electric blue light while her wings shimmered their white glow; the Ardent Blade lit itself ablaze as her right hand gripped it tightly. The Emperor wanted her to forge her own path, then she would start here; with the death of the bandits and those who pose a threat.
Before anyone in the store could blink, Celestine was out the door and on the main path facing down nearly thirty bandits that hauled the corpses of the guards around for show. The group stopped as a collective as they noticed her standing in the centre of the intersection, her eyes narrowing to form a glare with all her might. She raised the Ardent Blade point first at them, silently targeting each member of the raggedy group for extermination, remembering every face that stood before her to ensure that if by some miracle some were to escape her wrath this day, that should they cross paths again they will die by her blade.
Some of the bandits wearily took a step back. Some forward.
One of the bandits opened fire in the faint hope that Celestine would be an easy kill, but before the bullet crossed a quarter of the distance, Celestine was within striking range and brought the Ardent Blade up diagonally, cutting the bandit in half and setting another on fire.
She continued the momentum, spun three hundred and sixty degrees and let the Ardent Blade swing down again, diagonally, killing another bandit.
It was as the first two victims of her blade hit the ground did she release a burst of golden light from her very being that killed four more of the bandits outright by disintegrating them, burned another three to the point of incapacitation and blinded the rest.
That, however, did anything but halt her onslaught as Celestine continued by swinging the flaming blade horizontally, gutting a man and bringing it up again vertically to bisect another woman who stood stunned a few metres away. Her next victim came to her in an attempt to stab her with a flimsy combat blade; Celestine twirled the Ardent Blade in her hand, they lost their limb as they tried to strike at her and then their head when the blade was brought down.
"DID THE HUMANS MAKE YOU FORGET HOW TO USE YOUR WINGS, TRAITOR!?"
The shout made her spin back around to face the intersection she came from mere seconds earlier, to find a man standing off centre and carrying a large axe. The man opened his pearly white, fanged mouth to continue upon his vocalisation, but before his mind could process the signals to his mouth, Celestine elevated herself off the ground by a few metres with a single thrust of her wings, rushed forwards with another and swung her flaming Ardent Blade low.
She maneuvered herself left and vertically to avoid clipping any buildings with her wings. Once she was fifteen metres in the air she came to a hover above the bandit survivors, finding more alive than she would have liked but plenty wounded from her blade swings or burst of energy. Instead of re-engaging them in close quarters combat, Saint Celestine drew forth all the energy she was willing to conjure for this fight, using her body and armour as a conductor and battery.
Her body was arched by electrical energy; clinging to her form and seeping from her eyes that now took on a golden glow before she sent it forth towards the remaining bandits, who shrieked and trembled in agony as they felt their body burn in places they never knew could register pain. Their hair burned and melted together as their stomach acids boiled and burned through their organs, melted out their skin. Bone marrow charred along with their blood evaporating and brain liquefying as it's surrounding fluids and skull acted as a boiling pot.
It was when their eyes burst did the bandits fall silent and did she let her feet touch the ground once more.
The silence of the town was broken by her metallic footsteps as she made her way back to the store in silent strides, Ardent Blade flaming in her hand and a golden halo of light shimmered around her head. Her wings fully unfurled, their span blocking the entire street with the tips brushing buildings, and her eyes leaked power in the form of electric blue flames that covered her eyeballs and licked out as if they were legitimately on fire.
A/N:
This was something I cooked up out of boredom and might update it every now and then if I feel like it.
I only know Saint Celestine from reading the lexicon and TTS so if her characterisation is far from canon, you know why.