Chapter 7: The Flames of Faith, Document I
From the Ministorum Archives of the planet Indomitus of the Imperium Novum.
On the Faith in the new galaxy.
By Cardinal Michael.
By the blessed God emperor, I hereby extract this document from the thrice blessed archives of our most beloved Ministorum. With the sanctification and blessing of the priesthood do I reveal this to privileged eyes of those who will see this document.
In recollection of the pious actions of our brothers and sisters in this heathen galaxy do I retell the shortened version of their zealous actions in spreading the word of the most blessed Emperor amongst the lost flock of humanity.
May their deeds inspire you to strive for greatness as you bring the word of salvation to humanity, and damnation to the xenoskind in their footsteps.
The Emperor protects.
Upon arrival in this galaxy, the Emperor's flock suffered immense shock, the light of their guardian was no more, the blessed warmth of the astronomican was nowhere to be seen.
Navigators wept tears of sorrow causing empathic shock in all those who were psyker touched and their normal kin. Sanctioned psykers began flagellating their flesh, convinced that the Emperor abandoned them because of their sins which were in their eyes too great, and only through pain and suffering would they be reunited with him in death.
Religious zealotry and outright mania occurred on the ships of the stranded imperial fleet, for how could this be? How could the Emperor's light cease to be.
From outright doomsday speech to the talks about mass suicide, to even worse ideas, everything was present on the fleet amongst the lost souls of this cursed expedition.
The priesthood was ever watchful, for this fleet carried great number of ministorum priests, numbering in their thousands as was needed for the fight against the Great Enemy. These leaders of the soul took charge, and while some began wavering and fearing that the Emperor has abandoned them, and took to self-mutilation in their quest for answers, the majority of the brotherhood took upon themselves to rally the broken spirits of their flock.
Stopping heresy before it took root was paramount those who spoke blasphemies of the Emperor's death were dealt with. Fire purified their flesh as they denounced their heresies, their souls were saved of course, but their flesh was weak, and they were sent to the emperor to seek forgiveness from him.
Upon the Indomitus liberation, the priesthood began constructing a massive cathedral upon the planet, their new center of faith. It was heretical to consider any of the xenos servitors to even touch the most holy stones of the new place of worship, so all this was done by the humans that came in their many thousands, both from the imperial ships that carried them and the liberation of Aurelian system.
Many were human vessels captured by swift imperial patrols in the outskirts of the xenos citadel space. These ships sometimes carried deserters, who were quickly reeducated in the imperial faith and put to serving the Imperium novum.
Some carried families, colonists, political dissidents, even xenophobic members of humanity. They were banished from the human led "alliance" who obeyed the council laws to its fullest, so far that they would damn their own race for the sake of integration. Blasphemous.
The citadel species saw no need to search for the lost ships, as they were out of their reach of authority and better yet, they carried human dissidents who would question the xenos absolute rule. Their loss was welcomed by the xenos, and shamefully ignored by the Alliance, who saw their disappearance as an acceptable sacrifice for maintaining peace.
These humans were returned to the warm embrace of the Imperium, and had to be taught that to serve the Emperor is the highest goal they could have, many would embrace us back as they finally found the goal they were looking all their lives.
There were those, so blind from pain due to the lost of the Emperor's light that they thought maddening ideas, for some speculated, that if they could come from the normal universe into this one, they could possibly return to it. And they thought of one way to do it. The mass relays. The leader of this cult thought that using the warp drives of one of the battleships in the fleet could overload the relay, or cause a rip in the fabric of reality, enabling the faithful to have their connection to the Emperor yet again. This madness was stopped before the cultists managed to infiltrate one of the battleships and cause the engine overload. For the priesthood determined the risks too great, for if the relay activates, it might launch the warp rift to another relay, and that relay would send its energy to the other. The horrifying thought of causing the galaxy wide warp tear, far bigger than the Eye of Terror was enough to force the priesthood to act with extreme measures. No members of the cult survived the purge that happened.
As the ministorum consolidated and enforced the imperial cult, the faith of the righteous was hard to contain.
For as the orbital shipyard of Indomitus was constructed, using the imported workforce of asari slave servitors, the faithful would seek to utilize this new shipyard to construct ships of their own, their desire to spread across the galaxy burning strongly. But the requisition of the military and the necessary protection quotas put a halt to any and all religious vessels being constructed
But as the imperium novum began growing in power, it would eventually sanction the building of vessels capable of carrying priests to the planets with sizable human populations, in order to convert them. The priesthood convinced the military leadership of White Eagles and The Imperial guard to grant them parts of the shipyard to construct these vessels. They would receive 10% of all facilities to do as they saw fit.
First ships were fast and agile, the interiors of these decorated with iconography of imperial saints, for these ships would spread the holy word of the imperial cult. Priesthood spared no expense to make them and only the most pious would pilot them, for it was absolutely paramount that spreading of the faith wont compromise the rising imperium.
One of the first planets to see salvation would be planet Anhur in the Amun system, it was home to over 200 million citizens, human and xenos alike, namely batarians. At one point in its history, the human corporations would remove the limit on wages of its human workers, legalizing slavery, nothing unheard off of course. But this slavery was legalized for the sake of profit, in the name of vanity and degeneracy. They would learn of freedom through faith.
The civil war that would happen on it would cripple human production to a standstill, its infrastructure and factories burn and destroyed, as the humans sought to fight against the hedonistic corporations and against slave owning xenos batarians who fought to keep their slaves, and if possible acquire new ones, namely the entire human population of Anhur.
The planet now lives in perpetual suffering and faithlessness, as humanity wanders aimlessly, their hearts filled with white hot raga against the xenos who would see them enslaved. Humans segregated themselves, and live in squalor, as the alliance seeks to find peaceful solution to the crisis that grips human dominated Anhur.
It was at this moment that ship "Illuminator" arrived in the orbit, carrying the Apostle Stefan.
Stefan was a tall blonde priest, his eyes blue and piercing, his body scared but strong with muscles, as he more than willingly suffered against various heretics and blasphemers through his service in the priesthood, both in the original universe of humanity and this dark mirror verse. He could heal the wounded by his touch, to those who were unaware of the warp and powers born through it, would appear to be magical, even saintly. As Stefan was a psyker, he would naturally have many augmentations to prevent him from being demonically possessed and limiting his power. But in this universe, there was no warp, and no fear of daemonic possession, and Stefan wore nothing to hinder his powers.
This aura would inspire many to zealous acts of faith, as the mere presence of psyker of such strength would be incredible.
His ship landed in one of the slums of suffering humans. This attracted much attention from the dirty and poor, weak and ill, they approached the gold coated ship that slipped past meager planetary ships who were so corrupted and uncaring, they were ignoring their duties.
As the gates opened, there stood Stefan, tall and beautiful, his mere aura inspired pure awe from the assembled humans who kept coming. The crowd was chattering and wondering who was this new arrival. He raised his hand, and all were silent, as his other held the holy book of Emperor's commandments.
"Brothers and sisters, I bring light to you. I bring the gentle touch to the faithful, and searing fire of the Emperor to the evil doers. "
"I bring you salvation through faith. For the Emperor is good and sent me so i can show you the way. His love is boundless for his children, and his anger endless for our enemies."
"Heed my words!" his thunderous words were enough to make some humans kneel and grasp their hands in worship to any divinity they would worship at this time, as the psyker aura caused them to believe he was the prophet of their faith.
"Your leaders have abandoned you, and shattered your spirit and faith. But I have come to make you whole again. I bring you faith in the one true God. The One God who loves us all, and hates our enemies. The God Emperor. He is your savior!"
People became jubilant and were entering a trance, until someone from the crowd came running with the pistol and pointed it at Stefan.
"You lying bastard! You are just another enslaver, I will prove it!"
He shot a fire against the priest who kept looking at him ,without moving a muscle. The bullet impacted upon the shield projected by his Rosarius. It was no ordinary shield used by species in this galaxy, and was thus unknown to anyone save the Imperium.
The bullet caused the shield to sparkle with its energies, emitting a flashing golden light as it impacted upon it. That circled around Stefan before disappearing, this light show broke the disbelief of many, who saw it as divine protection.
The human who fired upon the priest was equaly dumbstruck as his kin. Stefan simply lifted his hand and pointed it at the human uttering a single command "Kneel"
He would obey instantly, his will broken by the psyker powers. Stefan approached him and placing his hand on his head would order him again. "Repent"
The man shed tears in abundance, as he slamed his head on the ground, and began kissing the feet of Stefan.
"Cursed be me and my flesh for attempting to kill a Messiah, a savior of my people. And redeemer of our souls. I am unworthy to stand in your presence. I repent."
The silence could be touched as everyone gazed at the show that happened in front of them. Their silence broken by a single scream from the broken man.
"Praise be to God Emperor!"
There was silence for a few seconds, and then the crowd erupted, "For the Emperor!" cheers and jubilant screams and utter fanatical state ensued as the people began worshiping the man and the new deity he came to proselytize to them.
These people would run around the great city housing 20 million humans who mostly lived in utter poverty, spreading the word of their salvation to everyone who would listen. For they were captivated by the immense aura of Stefan, who himself was a just man and a true believer. He joined the fleet in his universe to help the war torn worlds of the Imperium, saying it was his calling to do so, and the Emperor chose him for a purpose that would be known to him in due time.
His purpose was now clear.
Days were passing as he done his work.
Wherever Stefan appeared he made believers of the people he spoke to. They were lost sheeps without guidance and he offered him protection and purpose in life. More than most could hope for.
Many were attempts by Alliance and Battarian spies and agents to find out more about this strange man, but as if protected by divine providence, they could find nothing to blame him, and would seek to put their hands on him to kill him, but were afraid of the people who considered him a Messiah.
He walked freely through the streets and was showered by rose petals and tears of many who thanks to him had something to hope for.
He would cure the sick with his touch and humble evil doers and mighty men who would seek to challenge him and his faith in the God Emperor.
Humans would organize parades and celebrations; saint days such as Sanguinalia would be instituted as they worshiped the Saint protectors and sons of the Emperor. Religious militia was formed with the blessing of Stefan and their numbers swelled with each passing day, much to the Terror of Batarians who were leaving the cities even with a minor human presence, as these humans would openly attack them and seek to expel them from the cities.
Soon enough churches and temples to other gods were burnt and remodeled to Gothic cathedrals venerating the Emperor. Talented artists and painters began painting the frescoes of the first saints to ever grace this planet as Stefan instructed them by imparting primarch visual image directly into their brains via his warp powers. At this point any who were not venerating the Emperor lived in fear or were considering and leaving the planet. Stefan ordered no human killed, for salvation would come of their own free will, this leniency brought him much love from the people he spoke to.
At this point, many humans gathered in the numerous groups, decorated with the signs of Aquila and other reliquary artifacts and began hunting for any xeno living within the overwhelmingly majority cities of the Imperial Cult.
The alliance and batarians would try to stop this course of events with peaceful acts, as they were limited in their ability to act by Citadel decrees, human rights decree of 2089, and usage of the police to break religious groupings failed catastrophically as the police either fled as the faithful attacked them, or joined the ranks of the zealots, venerating the Emperor with them. Such was collective power of faith and mind that it influenced anyone to either join them or flee in fear.
The wicked fled when no one had pursueth, but the righteous were as bold as lions.
And their deeds and acts spread with astounding speed.
One of the final desperate gambles of the Alliance government caused a chain of events that would see the planet lost to the faithful. For the governor was not content with alliance policy of sitting down and hoping the situation returns to normality, he ignored calls from Earth about not using police force in excessive measure. In his eyes the planet was covered by dissidents who caused a damp in his productivity quotas, and if such trend continued, the alliance would send a new governor, a more capable one. He would not allow that. He would take any force he could and crush the rebellious citizens and return the planet the way it was, productive and placated.
The governor of New Thebes assembled the police, and planetary military, paying them immense sums and revoking any and all laws forbidding them from killing civilians, seeking to capture or kill Stefan, though capturing was preferable as the influence of this man was something the alliance officials wanted to understand, and he would send him to them, in chains. governor went into negotiating with batarians and ask for their help, when planet returned to normal, a few billion credits going missing wont be a problem as payment for their help. They would agree and send cruelest and strongest of their ranks to assist the governor in his intention, who happily agreed to take them in.
And upon the hot july day, 14th ,known to future as "traitorous strike" the combined forces of police, military and various mercenaries, and even many batarians, did they struck at the district where Stefan was visiting. Their strike was horrible and yet unseen by the people, as they began cutting their way to reach the priest of Imperial cult.
Uncaring of any civilian casualties, certain elements of the government force would abandon their mission and began looting and raping.
As they were nearing Stefan, his faithful bodyguards set the defensive positions and improvised barricades. And opened fire upon the incoming army who returned the fire back. Stefan was unyielding, chanting many prayers to the Emperor to protect his poor flock who were dying around them, raising his hands to the heavens and yelled as strongly as he could " Praise be the Emperor!", and as all hope seemed lost, many windows from the buildings opened and from them fires were opened by the civilians, many doors were broken open and from them a veritable flood of the faithful carrying knives ,clubs and any weapons they could find storm forth and impacted upon the police shields and the military that opened the fire upon them. All as one they screamed "The Emperor wills it!".
The police was grimly outnumbered as the faithful swarmed them 20 to 1, and kept coming more and more. Soon enough a tactical retreat had to be done leading to the government sector. This was proof enough to the masses that their government wanted nothing more than to enslave them and use them as food for the xenos who fought with their enemies. Soon enough the entire New Thebes burnt in the fires of revolution as the faithful carried flags of the Aquila and various saintly icons, armed with anything they could find, be it primitive guns, knives, and swords, they all marched as one against their tyrants.
The police was first to surrender, held in makeshift prisons, they would be tended to by the priests for conversion and heretical purification, those found wanting would be slain.
Military and mercenaries along with batarians held the government mega complex, but as they killed the civilians storming them, more and more would join from neighboring cities, it was as if the entire planet had one goal in mind. Freedom.
The defenses began to crack and break as the flood was just to much to handle, the fanatics knew no fear ,and were driven by even more zealous priests who kept chanting even as they were shot and died. Entire city was rife with one singular chant that shattered the skies and brought fear to the defenders.
A spiritu dominatus,
Domine, libra nos,
From the lighting and the tempest,
Our Emperor, deliver us.
From plague, temptation and war,
Our Emperor, deliver us,
From the scourge of the Kraken,
Our Emperor, deliver us.
From the blasphemy of the Fallen,
Our Emperor, deliver us,
From the begetting of daemons,
Our Emperor, deliver us,
From the curse of the mutant,
Our Emperor, deliver us,
A morte perpetua,
Domine, libra nos.
That thou wouldst bring them only death,
That thou shouldst spare none,
That thou shouldst pardon none
We beseech thee, destroy them.
Soon enough the enemy was crushed, military killed to a man as they refused to surrender, and xenos mercenaries were caught and burnt on an improvised stakes as witches and evil kin that thought to fight against the Emperor's chosen.
Stefan himself appeared before the frightened governor and saw him for what he was, a heretic, to kill own people to further the goals of the xeno and his ilk.
"What madness holds a man to kill his own people in the name of Xenos and Heretics?" Stefan asked him
"What do you mean, you are a madman! What you are doing is insane, this genocide of yours needed to be stopped" the human governor snarled back.
"It is known the heretics will justify their evil by speaking anything that suits them. In the name of the Emperor I judge you now…and find you wanting and impossible of redemption."
"Do you worst bastard" were the final words of governor.
Stefan raised his hand and yelled the words that broke the windows left untouched by the warfare.
"Burn Heretic!"
In that instance the eyes of Stefan glowed a golden yellow as the warpish light burnt the screaming governor to ashes.
Turning away from the steaming piles of ashes, he went towards the balcony followed by his personal guard, and appeared before the ecstatic crowd that was cheering as the victory was theirs.
He raised his hands and all went silent to listen.
"Hear me children of the Emperor, for months have we struggled, and our faith was tested on numerous occasion. But on this day we stand triumphant, our faith unbroken and ever powerful. The Emperor is pleased on this day!"
The crowd yelled in approval. But his speech was not done.
"But this madness, caused by the tyrant governor and his heretical kin showed me one thing, that peace is impossible so long as xenos pollute this planet and their allies are left unchecked."
He swinged his hand and formed a fist while speaking.
"There is only one way through peace, and that is war! I Declare a Crusade on this planet and its unrepentant inhabitants, until all are freed and brought to light, and until all xenos are exterminated. So help us Emperor, we will do it so, and liberate this planet! EMPEROR VULT!"
"EMPEROR VULT!" was a thunderous shout by the crowds their eyes mad with religious favour and their mouth foaming at the thought to do the bidding to their God.
So the humans on Anhur set on the Crusade, millions of zealots and other faithful militant, would march across the planet seek xenos and battle them until extinction. The batarians dug up and defended against the unrelenting tide of humans, hoping their government will come from Batarian Hegemony and save them.
The batarian hegemony would attempt to assemble a task force to help their citizens, as the galaxy witnessed something never before seen, a Xenocide unlike that of a Rachni war. The citadel species would form any relief they could and attempt to assist the xenocided Batarians. This would take time, as they didn't face a minor rebellion, but a fanatical world filled with humans willing to die until the last to defend their new found liberty from forced xenos cohabitation. They would need many troops to even have a chance against the zealots.
Citadel rulers sought to understand the reasoning behind this surge in fanaticism and madness, countless agents were sent to Anhur and almost none returned. those that did spoke of what they saw, of wild eyed humans seeking to kill any and all aliens, of mass weapon constructions, of knife welding zealots running around the cities and hunting for non believers. They spoke about their leader, a tall human of incredible charisma to whom humans listened without questioning. But any approach to him was met with violence as the zealots and bodyguards slaughtered the spies. Citadel was in the dark about the origins of this human, and the alliance denied any and all involvement. And it was so that Citadel would expand the number of specters to counter balance the new events in the galaxy with limitations on ship building also being considered, just in case if humans proved to be to much trouble to tolerate.
The Alliance was also assembling an invasion force to crush the rebellion and bring the world to heel. But their planets were also causing problems similar to Anhur, and were ground to a halt until developing a plan what to do.
As all this occurred, various planets around the galaxy sparked in rebellion and minor insurrections and xenos murders, the other priests were doing their work as they should. And many planets that had humans on them were now causing problems. Only one planet was void of priesthood, Holy Terra itself. But that was soon to change as the most pious priests like Stefan would gather and set course for it in the nearby future.
The Cradle of Mankind would see the Light of the Emperor at last.