I do not own RWBY or Warhammer 40,000, only my original characters.

Hello everyone! First off, I am sorry about last week when I first posted this chapter only to take it down minutes later. I was overly excited about the prospect of getting this done before the New Year and it was only after I posted it that I realized that I fucked up. It wasn't that the scenes were bad, just out of place. I am sorry, and I hope you enjoy the chapter.

Also, RWBY is continuing that trend of a good climb but a shitty decline. In all honesty, the show is doing well, I just REALLY hate the new characters. Their annoying incompetence is just too much for me to enjoy the show. Sorry, mini-rant, wanted to get that off my chest.

On the flipside, lot of good things coming to Warhammer recently. Gloomspite Gitz for AOS, and the potential for new chaos space marines in March are definitely things to be excited about. I also got a ton of Primaris Marines for Christmas and I'm still in the process of building and painting them. Anyway, enough of that, lets get onto the chapter. Also, for those wondering, Kress' skull mask is basically like the bare headed Riever masks, only silver. Big shoutout to my beta reader Pinkpower3612, who was a huge help with this chapter.

Onto the story!

Return of Faith

Chapter Three: Into the Lion's Den

When their request to meet with the chapter master of the Black Lions chapter had been granted, Kara had expected their arrival to be met with some form of ceremonial procession in the landing bay. And why wouldn't they? An Inquisitor spoke with the voice of the God-Emperor, granting him immense power and limitless authority. To not treat one of His holy watchmen with the respect their station demanded was not only foolish, but suicidal.

So, when their arrival was greeted by a small party of thirty armed serfs and only a single space marine, Kara was understandably surprised, as were her companions.

Though they did not voice it, Kara knew they were as puzzled as she was. She let her mind softly brush against their surface thoughts, listening to them but refraining from delving deeper than was needed. It gave the young pysker a measure of comfort to know she was not the only one perplexed by this lackluster welcome.

When the space marine and his serfs approached them, Kara was half-tempted to read his thoughts as well, so she might learn the truth behind this strange development. But Kara knew better than to try something like that. She might be able to get away with it on a human due to her status as an Inquisitor's acolyte, but something told her that if she tried it on a space marine all she would get was a bolter round to the head.

The space marine halted his march when he was at a respectable distance, as did his human escort. Kara hid the awe she felt upon seeing the warrior close up. He was massive, clad in black power armor trimmed with gold and pauldrons painted crimson. An ash gray cape dragged behind him, frayed and dirtied. In fact, now that he was closer, Kara saw scratches and shallows cuts all across his armor, as if he had just come out of some terrible battle.

Before she could ponder this new information however, the space marine spoke. "I am Captain Galwayne of the Black Lions' 4th brotherhood," He greeted, making the sign of the Aquila. "In the God-Emperor's name, I bid you welcome, Inquisitor Kress, to Castrum Argalus."

Kress bowed his head and reciprocated the gesture of greeting. "Thank you, Captain Galwayne," he said, his mask mutilating his voice into a mechanical snarl. "We are honored to be allowed entry into this most hallowed fortress." At that, Kara repeated the Inquisitor's greeting, and a brief check showed Artoris and Orbeck performing their own greeting gestures.

"The chapter master is expecting you, come." Without waiting for a reply, Galwayne turned and started marching back the way he came. Kress and his retinue followed him, flanked on both sides by the armed serfs the captain had arrived with.

Kara noted with interest how well equipped the serfs were. Each was clad in black carapace armor and wore stylistically-modified omnishield helms that hid their faces from view. Finely crafted lasguns of an unfamiliar design were clutched close to the chest and a sheathed combat blade hung from every man's belt. If it were not for the red tabard bearing the black lion head of the chapter, Kara might have mistaken them for stormtroopers.

As Captain Galwayne led the Inquisitor and his retinue deeper into the fortress monastery, Kara took notice of how empty it was. They came across no other Astartes, and only a few chapter serfs. Mostly, it was just servitors and servo-skulls that crossed their path, mindlessly performing their designated duties.

"Where is everyone?" Artoris wondered aloud, giving voice to the question they were all thinking.

"They are preparing for the Games." Galwayne answered, raising more questions.

"Query: what are 'the Games'?" the synthesized – and loud – voice of Orbeck echoed through the massive corridor, making Kara wince from the lack of tact. "Hypothesis: a form of proving ritual?"

"Correct," answered the captain, unphased by the techpriest's augmented voice. "The Games test the strength and will of the youths we recruit, to determine which among them are worthy of becoming neophytes of our chapter."

Kara frowned at that statement. From her master's teachings, she knew that space marine recruitment trials were brutal and rigorous, designed to weed out the weak and permit only the strongest recruits the chance of becoming Astartes.

Galwayne led the Inquisitor and his retinue into a grav-tube, dismissing the serfs that had accompanied him. They saluted in a warrior's fashion – a closed fist placed over the heart – before leaving. Once the captain entered, the machine propelled them deeper into the massive complex, all while Kara pondered the Astartes captain's words.

There was no way the Games were simply recruitment trials, she decided. It wouldn't make sense for warriors like the Black Lions to invest so much time and resources every time they wanted to test their recruits. There had to be something else about these Games, something special that warranted the entirety of the Black Lions chapter attendance.

The question now was what that something was, and how it would affect Kress' plan.

"Does something trouble you, little witch?" The calm, curious voice of Artoris jolted Kara from her thoughts. "You are frowning more than usual."

The pysker looked at the Freeblade for a moment, then said, "It's nothing, Artoris." She lied before chancing a sidelong glance toward the space marine riding with them. His glaring golden eyes made her turn away, however. The psyker could tell, even without her powers, that the captain did not care for their presence.

Artoris tilted his head at her answer, expression hidden beneath the hooded confines of his helm. Kara knew he was not convinced, but before he could voice his skepticism, they arrived at their destination.

Once they all departed the grav-tube, they marched onward in silence. Suddenly, Kress let out a cough, drawing Kara's attention. It wasn't a sign of something serious, but his mask made it sound far worse than it actually was. If Galwayne had any concern for Inquisitor's health, he did not show it as he kept his gaze forward. But Kress had not been aiming for the space marine's attention, he had been after Kara's.

Her focus now on her master, Kara saw him make the gesture that he wished to speak with her in private. A part of her worried that now was not the best time to engage in telepathic communication, but she knew better than to disobey her master's orders.

She reached out for his mind, her pace slowing slightly as she concentrated. When we meet with the chapter master, do not speak without my or his express permission. He instructed. Any questions he asks, answer only those that relate to Remnant and what we found there. Understand?

Yes. Satisfied with her answer, Kress instructed Kara to leave his mind. Once the connection between master and apprentice was severed, Kara wondered why he had waited until now to inform her of her role in these talks.

She quickly chastised herself for having such a disloyal thought. The Inquisitor did as he did, for that was his right as an agent of the Golden Throne. To question his motives is to question the motives of the God-Emperor Himself. Her master knew what he was doing, and to think otherwise was heresy.

Eventually, the group came to a stop before a closed doorway. They were massive in scale, more akin to a pair of gates than a pair of doors, and each beautifully decorated. A rampant black lion took up the majority of both doors, carved with such care and focus that they seemed almost real. Between the two beasts was a vailed woman cut from pale marble, her hands folded before her chest in the mark of the Aquila while the twin-headed eagle of the Imperium spread its golden wings over both the woman and the lions, both heads screeching in silent fury.

A moment passed before the doors yawned open, splitting the mural in twain as the party moved through it. They entered a great throne room where Kara was satisfied to finally see more Astartes besides the captain. Twenty space marines flanked the way to the end of the room, where on raised dais sat the chapter master of the Black Lions chapter upon a throne of black marble and gold. Two more Astartes stood beside him, one wearing the skull helm of a Chaplain and the other wearing the blue of a Librarian. Besides these warriors, the room was mostly bare, save for the black marble pillars and the chapter banners and triumph tapestries decorating the walls.

As Galwayne led the Inquisitor and his retinue across the room, Kara noted with interest that each of the Astatres bore the same marks of battle as the captain, as if to say they had all just returned from some great campaign.

But that couldn't be so. Kara had seen the fleet when they had exited the Warp, and none of the ships bore the scars of recent battle. Had something happened on the planet's surface perhaps, maybe something related to these 'Games' the captain mentioned?

A fair assumption, Kara Storell. A voice in her head said. The psyker tensed, but kept walking, as she registered another mind touching her own. Her eyes immediately darted to the Librarian to the Chapter Master's left. He met her gaze with his own before removing himself from her thoughts.

Kara blinked, dumbstruck by how easily the space marine had infiltrated her mind without her knowledge. She had not even realized he was there until he spoke into her mind. Fearfully, Kara wondered how long the Librarian had been in her mind? How many secrets had he pilfered before revealing himself? What would he do with them, and how would Kress react to her failure to-

Artoris grabbed hold of the fretting psyker's arm, arresting her from her thoughts and returning her to the here and now. As he let go, Kara noticed they had all stopped, standing before the Black Lions' chapter master who stared at them all with unreadable silver eyes.

He did not look how Kara had expected him to. He bore stern and regal features as she had thought he would, certainly, but there was something artificial about his appearance. An incidental by-product of his transformation into an Astartes perhaps, or maybe an intended result?

Regardless, it did nothing to detract from his imposing image. The chapter master possessed an aura that demanded respect and exuded incredible strength. A single look was enough for Kara to understand that he was a veteran of a thousand wars, a leader of incredible skill and cunning, a man that felt no mercy for his enemies.

When he spoke, he did so in a voice that matched his features. "Inquisitor Oscar Kress," he began, like a warrior king addressing visiting dignitaries. "I welcome you, and your retinue, to Salem."

Kress bowed his head in respect, as did Kara and the others. "Thank you, chapter master Castimere. As I told captain Galwayne, we are honored by your hospitality."

"The honor is ours, Inquisitor," Lord Castimere replied. "We have not forgotten what you did for us, on Telisar IV. You saved many of my brothers from annihilation that day, and for that I named you friend to the Black Lions chapter and vowed to come to your aid should you ever seek it."

Kara stared at the back of Kress' head in astonishment. He had told her about Telisar IV on their way to Salem, saying it was where he first met Castimere and assisted the chapter master in the eradication of the world's rebellious population.

He had not mentioned the bit where he saved the Black Lions from destruction, nor how they were apparently indebted to him for it.

That this same chapter was the one that visited Remnant millennia ago… This was beyond coincidence, she decided.

"I was merely doing my duty as a servant of the Emperor, just as you were. That same duty is why I have come to you today." Kress raised his gaze to meet the chapter master's. "I have found a planet, one that has been cut off from the wider Imperium until now. There, my agents made several… disturbing discoveries, including the revelation that worship of the God-Emperor is outlawed by the planet's governing bodies."

Kara saw the chapter master's eyes narrow at that, and felt the room go cold. Her eyes darted immediately to the Librarian, but once she did, the chill vanished just as suddenly as it appeared. He met her gaze again for a moment, expression as unreadable as his liege lord's, before setting his sights back on the Inquisitor.

"I come to you now to ask for your aid in bringing this planet back into the Imperium's fold." Her master continued, driven by the chapter master's reaction. "According to my agents, many still worship the Emperor, in secret, awaiting the day when He will return and smite the nonbelievers and bring peace and prosperity to their world." Kress paused then and took one step toward the chapter master. "With your aid, I would see their patience and faith rewarded, and grant them the right to praise His name in the streets of their cities, as is their holy right."

For several long seconds, silence hung over the throne room, before the chapter master responded with a single request, though he spoke it as a command. "Tell me more about this world."

Though she couldn't see it, Kara knew her master was smiling. "It is called Remnant…"

~o0o~

When Ruby woke up the day of the dance, she was relieved to see Blake fast asleep in her bed.

The young leader was beyond grateful that Yang had gotten through to the stubborn faunus. Noting that her two other teammates were also still asleep, Ruby crept out of her bed and headed for the bathroom to get ready for the day.

After brushing her teeth and taking a shower, she offered a quick prayer of thanks to the Emperor and got dressed. Checking her Scroll, Ruby was pleased to see she still had time to grab some breakfast at the cafeteria before heading to Vale for Father Carmine's Sunday service. Leaving behind a note explaining she was heading out to buy some last-minute mission supplies and pick up her dumb dress from the rental shop, the leader of Team RWBY left her dorm room with the sort of stealth only a little sister could possess.

Closing the door gently behind her, Ruby started down the hallway, but stopped when she eyed Team JNPR's room door.

She thought of Jaune, descendent of the Holy Paladin Order and her first friend at Beacon. Since their first talk at the start of the second semester, the two leaders had had more secret meetings with each other. They talked about a lot of things during their meetings, not just about the Faith or the Paladins.

They talked about family, where they grew up, how annoying older sisters could be, and most importantly: weapons. Ruby wasn't afraid to admit she did most of the talking whenever they started talking about weapons, but Jaune never seemed to mind.

They also shared secrets. Ruby revealed herself as a member of the Faith, and Jaune told her how he snuck into Beacon Academy. They were surprised, naturally, but mostly by the fact that they each broken the law, albeit in different ways. Of course, given that both of them were still in Beacon despite that, said something about the two teenagers – and something about Beacon Academy too.

Ruby knew Jaune wasn't a member of the Faith, but he was her friend, and the only one in the school who wouldn't vilify her for her beliefs. He wouldn't be against attending a noon service then, would he?

Too excited by the prospect of him accepting the offer, Ruby went over to Team JNPR's door and knocked three times.

No response.

Ruby tried again, "Jaune," she added quietly, wanting him to answer but aware that he wasn't the only one in the room. "Jaune, are you up? Jaaaauuunnneee?" She then pressed her ear against the door, listening for any kind of response, when she heard the lock click and felt the door moving inward-

"Gah!" Ruby flailed her arms wildly as the door moved away and she was forced to rebalance herself. Thankfully, she succeeded, and was now realizing that a sleepy-eyed Jaune was currently staring at her… and the embarrassing pose her flailing had put her in.

Quick to get correct her posture, Ruby greeted her fellow leader, hoping to the Emperor he didn't notice how red her cheeks were. "M-morning, Jaune!"

The blonde in question blinked at her. "Morning, Ruby," he yawned back, stretching at bit. "Did you need something? What time is it?"

Ruby fished out her Scroll. "It's 9:32," she told him. "I was about to head down for breakfast, and I just wanted to see if you'd like to join me. Then maybe, we could head into Vale together? Get some last-minute stuff for our missions tomorrow?" She left out the part about going to Father Carmine's service, she'd ask him about that when they were on the airship.

He let out a sigh, and Ruby thought he might say no. "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Give me a few minutes to get ready."

Ruby beamed. "Okay!"

Jaune went back inside dorm room, leaving Ruby to wait outside while he got cleaned up and dressed. As she waited, Ruby decided to go back to her own room and make some quick adjustments to her note to let her teammates know she'd be going out with Jaune. Not that kind of 'going out' though, just the regular friends getting ready for their first mission kind of going out.

With that finished, she returned to the hallway to wait for Team JNPR's leader. Ten minutes went by as she waited, and the silver-eyed girl passed the time by playing one of the video games she had on her Scroll. She got about a third of the way through the level when the door to JNPR's room opened again and Jaune stepped out, dressed in his usual combat gear and looking much more awake than he did before.

"Thanks for waiting. Ready to get some food?" He asked after closing the door behind him.

"Yup!" The two started walking down the hall. "Are you ready for the airship?" She asked him, a hint of friendly teasing in her voice.

Jaune gave Ruby a look. "You guys are never going to let me live that down, are you?"

"Nope!" She replied.

Jaune sighed and Ruby giggled. The two friends continued talking with each other during their trip to the cafeteria before falling into a comfortable silence the rest of the way. They would have plenty more to talk about when they reached Vale however, of that, Ruby was certain.

~o0o~

In the open fields outside the Black Lions' fortress monastery of Castrum Argalus, the clamor of battle marked the start of the Games. Youths selected during the Blood Eclipse competed against one another in grueling challenges that tested their bodies and spirit to the fullest. They jousted bareback wearing no armor, ran through treacherous obstacle courses in full-plate, fought wild animals with dull blades, and much more.

Many died, claimed by exhaustion or a fatal mistake. Those that survived were given no rest or praise by the observing Astartes, who merely directed them to their next challenge or called for the chapter serfs to escort them off the tournament fields. Those who saw this redoubled their efforts, intent on proving their worth to the space marines as their comrades had.

But only a few of these chosen recruits had a future as brothers of the chapter. Many had been found wanting in one form or another. Perhaps they had been a millisecond slower than the rest, perhaps they were not as strong or their reflexes not as sharp as was demanded by the Black Lions watching them.

Still, they had survived the challenges of the Games, and as such, had proven themselves capable of serving the chapter. They would become battle serfs, warrior servants of the chapter, and fight alongside their transhuman masters against the countless foes that beset the Imperium of Man.

The Games were not exclusive to the chapter's recruits, however. Further out in the fields, where the uninitiated could not see, full battle-brothers of the Black Lions competed against one another in sword duels and wrestling matches. Warriors from different brotherhoods met and conversed with each other, sharing tales of recent glories or settling old grudges.

More important though were the Champion Duels, where the champions of each brotherhood fought one another for the honor of wielding the legendary Sword of Salem. A relic blade of great power and symbolic importance, only the most skilled of the chapter's blade-masters were permitted to wield it into battle.

But the Champion Duels marked the end of the Games and would not start until every recruit taken during the Blood Eclipse had been processed. It would take the Black Lions weeks to sort through the tens of thousands of candidates recruited from the Blood Eclipse, however, so until then, the battle-brothers of the chapter would be free to watch the Games or spar with one another.

In one of the many dueling rings – bereft of his power armor and wielding a short sword –Jorran faced off against another sergeant of the 2nd brotherhood. The two Astartes circled each other, waiting to see who would strike first. Around them, their brothers watched in respectful silence so as not to distract either combatant.

Eventually, his opponent struck first, dashing right. Jorran saw the strike coming and moved to parry it, only to realize it was a feint. At the last possible moment, his opponent ducked left and attacked with a side-slash that Jorran only barely dodged. His opponent did not relent and forced Jorran onto the defensive, pushing the tactical sergeant several steps back with his lightning fast blade work.

Then, Jorran saw an opening and rolled out of the way, putting distance between himself and his opponent. The speed with which his foe reacted would have rendered the maneuver pointless had Jorran been a mortal man, but he was Astartes. In the milliseconds it took for his opponent to turn and face him, Jorran was charging the marine with his blade poised for a thrusting strike.

His opponent dodged the thrust with a quick sidestep and blocked Jorran's follow up strike with an easy parry. The two blades then locked at their hilts as each sergeant pushed against the other, digging furrows into the ground beneath them. They glared intently at each other, both determined to emerge the victor in this fight.

Suddenly, Jorran's opponent gave him a smirk, momentarily confusing the sergeant, before letting out a roar and shoving Jorran several steps back. His stance broken, Jorran was unable to dodge his opponent's follow up attack. He attempted to parry what he thought to be an overhead swing, but in a superb display of swordsmanship, his opponent altered his attack mid-swing to cut sideways along his exposed chest, drawing blood.

Not a moment later, his opponent performed a leg sweep that sent the already unbalanced Jorran toppling to the ground. Landing on his back with a dull thud, he had no time to react before he found his opponent's sword pointing toward him, its tip pressing hard against his throat.

"Yield, brother," his opponent demanded, voice hot with the rush of combat.

A tense moment passed before Jorran released his grip on his sword and conceded defeat. Smiling, his opponent removed his blade from the sergeant's throat and offered up his hand to the downed marine. Jorran accepted the hand and rose back to his feet.

"A close fight, but my skills proved sharper once more, old friend," stated his opponent, a pompous tone in his voice.

Jorran rolled his eyes but smiled all the same. "Ever the humble warrior, Aedor," he remarked. "I almost had you this time."

The assault sergeant's smile only widened. "You almost did," he said as the two of them left the ring so that their brothers might use it. A pair of serfs came over to the two sergeants, each holding a tray of rye bread and red wine. "Had the Emperor not seen fit to bless me with His divine favor, that is." Aedor then ripped a off a chunk of bread and ate it before taking a swig of wine.

Jorran raised an eyebrow at his brother's wording as he too tore off a piece of bread. "What do you mean?" He dipped his piece gently into the offered goblet, letting the bread absorb the liquid before placing it in his mouth.

"Near the end of the match, when our blades locked." He elaborated as the serfs scurried off to attend to other Black Lions. "My foot found purchase on a stone buried in the dirt that granted me the platform I needed to throw you off your balance."

"And our Almighty Lord placed the rock there so that you might defeat me?" Jorran inquired. "Quite the pious way of saying you were lucky."

Aedor laughed and Jorran quickly joined him. The two had once been part of the same Scout squad prior to becoming full battle-brothers of the chapter. They fought in many campaigns together, always seeking to surpass each other in one way or another but never putting their rivalry before their objective. They had not seen each other in decades, fighting on worlds thousands of lightyears apart. The Games provided the two old friends a rare opportunity to catch up and converse as they used to, many years ago.

"Have you heard any news about our… visitors?" Aedor asked as the two made their way toward the trial area.

"Only what you likely already know." Jorran replied.

Word of Inquisitor Kress' arrival had spread fast through the chapter's vox-network. Nearly every Black Lion was now aware of the Inquisitor's unexpected visit to their homeworld, and few of them were pleased by it, Aedor among them.

Aedor spat on the ground, his acidic saliva eating into the soil. "An Inquisitor showing up mere days after the Blood Eclipse, seeking an audience with our liege," he shook his head and turned to look Jorran in the eyes. "It does not sit well with me, Jorran. The timing is too convenient."

Jorran said nothing to this. Like his brother, he too was disturbed by the Inquisitor's timely arrival. He recalled hearing rumors of Inquisitorial investigations launched against the Black Lions and their homeworld of Salem, of accusations of Chaotic corruption brought about by the Blood Eclipse. Baseless claims made with no evidence. The Black Lions were among the purest of Dorn's sons and bore no Chaotic corruption despite the Inquisition's efforts to find it.

It was quite possible that Inquisitor Kress had come to Salem in order to renew one of his forebears failed investigations, but Jorran pushed aside such paranoid thoughts. "Whatever his intentions toward our chapter, I trust the chapter master to handle it."

"As do I, brother," said Aedor before he stopped in his tracks, promoting Jorran to do the same. "But my concern remains; why is he here?"

Jorran did not answer his brother's question, for he did not know either. While the Inquisitor's arrival had sparked rumor and speculation, it was the reason for his visit that was the true concern. What was it he wished to speak to the chapter master about? What impact would it have on the Black Lions themselves?

Jorran let his hand travel to the small bag that hung from his neck. He gripped it gently, rubbing his thumb against the coarse fabric, feeling the contents held within. The action calmed his hearts and brought clarity to his mind. His eyes drifted toward the mountainous complex that was Castrum Argalus, and the massive banners of roaring black lions that hung from its battlements.

"Whatever his reason," Jorran began, turning back to look at Aedor. "We are all servants of the God-Emperor, and it is by His Will that the Inquisitor has come to us." He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Have faith in Him, brother, and in our chapter master. Do not allow paranoia to cloud your mind so easily, it is beneath us."

Aedor was silent for a moment, then he let out a sigh and smiled. "You sound like Sergeant Quell," he said. "And like him, your words hold truth and wisdom. Forgive me, brother, the Eclipse has left my humors imbalanced."

"There is nothing to forgive." Jorran removed his hand from Aedor's shoulder and gestured back toward the dueling rings. "Come, let us clear our minds of doubt in the manner our sergeant taught us."

~o0o~

It was quite amusing how accessible air travel was on this planet. On most Imperial worlds, the use of aircraft would be restricted to the nobility, Adeptus Arbites, and local PDF forces, but here it on Remnant it was open to everyone, provided they had the money for it.

What's more, their security measures were downright pathetic. Only a single screening checkpoint prior to boarding, basic pict-casters, no guard patrols or surprise inspections, and the airships themselves carried no suppression systems to repel passengers should they turn hostile. They didn't even have a fighter escort to protect them against Grimm attacks, only a few point defense systems and maybe a Huntsman.

As such, Yuria Lond had no trouble smuggling her weapons and equipment onboard and was now soaring over the northern Sanus coast in luxury with flight attendants coming by every now and then to ask if she was hungry or thirsty. She nibbled on local sweets and sipped a fizzy seltzer beverage, enjoying their unique tastes.

As she popped another treat into her mouth, Yuria turned to look out over the calm ocean far below. For such a large atmospheric flier, the airship was making good time. They had left Vale some five hours ago and, if the captain's last vox-announcement was accurate, they would soon be in Vacuo controlled airspace. She hoped they were.

The twins had learned a great about Remnant and its people while in Vale. They had classified documents, profiles on important government officials, even records of Huntsmen registered in Vale. In addition, they had gained the allegiance of nearly every Imperial cult in Vale and a significant portion of the city's overall population as a result.

Vale was only one kingdom, however. True, securing Vale would be their primary objective when Kress returned with the Black Lions, but they would still have the other kingdoms to contend with. Intelligence was required, first-hand.

While Yole ensured their foothold in Vale was secure, Yuria would perform reconnaissance on the rest of Remnant's governments. She would spend a week or so in each kingdom's capital city, gauge their defenses and military strength as well as determine what they might have to offer the Imperium once they were made compliant.

She had chosen to head to Vacuo first due to its close proximity to Vale. Sanus was the only continent on Remnant that supported two kingdoms, so the subjugation of Vacuo would be imperative to ensure complete Imperial control over Sanus. Along with this, Yuria had heard rumors from the priests in Vale regarding Vacuo that she wished to confirm for herself.

"Attention all passengers, this is your captain speaking. We are pleased to inform you that we are now entering Vacuo controlled airspace. We still have about another hour until we reach our destination, so sit back, relax, and thank you for choosing Royal Blue Airlines."

Yuria smiled at the captain's words. Only one more hour till they reached Vacuo. She rolled up and put away the bag of candies she had received and pulled out the Scroll she received from one of the Vale priests. Her brother had a similar one. Long-range communication had been an obstacle for them in the past, but with Remnant's Cross Continental Transmit System it was barely even a hiccup.

When the signal bar was full, Yuria alerted her brother to her arrival with a brief text message. After a minute, he responded.

Be careful.

Yuria scoffed at the message and replied with something equally insulting, igniting a bitter war between the siblings that last for the rest of her flight.

~o0o~

Author's Note: Just to clarify, Yuria was insulted that her brother thought she needed reminded, just wanted to clear that up. So, what did you all think? Did I do a good job portraying the space marines and the use of psychic powers? They are both things that I am worried I am handling incorrectly and would appreciate any sort of feedback.

And for anyone wondering, the aesthetic design for Black Lions battle serfs is basically gray fatigues underneath black carapace armor styled in medieval designs. A red tabard bearing a roaring black lion's head, (like the ones you were in World of Warcraft), is worn over the chest piece, and their helmets are basically the omnishield helms worn by Tempestus Scions, only with a kettle helmet style top and the eye lenses are blue.

Again, I am really sorry with how long this chapter took, even more so given how I took it down mere moments after originally posting it. I hope its good enough to make up for that fuck up of mine.

As Always: Please, Fav, Follow, and Review! Thank You!

DeadRich18 Out!