The bridge was, as expected, was far different than Isis had experienced. Iron pillars supported the rear of the bridge, as giant windows lined the front and sides of the large chamber. A sizable dias with an octagon shape was placed in the center with stairs on four sides that led to an enormous chair. Like the rest of the ship, this bridge was highly decorated. Though she noticed some places were bare where one could tell something had been recently removed.

Following the edges of the bridge, consuls, computers, cables and cogitators of all kinds lined the walls manned by humans and the mancanicum.

Isis had followed Visius to the dias but stopped as he ascended the stairs. It felt like a threshold. Once crossed there would be no return for her, no matter what she told herself.

A Marine that was already on the bridge, turned to face Visius. "Warmaster, The bridge is yours."His voice emanated through his helm. He wore the same armor as Visius though he had slightly different details added to it.

"The fleet is on standby for your broadcast."

Visius held his hand out to Isis, insinuating that she join him on the dais.

She had already made a vow, Isis reminded herself.

Taking his hand she allowed herself to be led up and next to the Warmaster, only then did he release her.

Nervously, she folded her hands in front of her.

Visius then spread his arms wide, and began addressing all that listened.

"Brothers of the new Screaming Talon Warband. Look upon me and see one cleansed of corruption!"

His booming voice jolted every nerve in Isis' body. How she wished she could master becoming invisible. Especially when he gestured to her. Isis looked out over the bridge, she saw the crew had turned to witness their Warmaster's speech.

"This gifted woman made this possible." He continued. "She is the most powerful psyker I have seen, and rightfully so! For she is the blood child of the Emperor of Man!" He paused, allowing the surprise and shock to sink in. judging by the faces of what she could see, it was a massive blow.

"She, in time, can free us from the clutches of Slaanesh, but we must first aid her. For our past is in jeopardy. There is a Space Hulk that can cross time lines and it plots for Terra. If not stopped, everything we know now, can and will cease to exist."

Isis could feel her blood pressure skyrocket.

"With its destruction, she will bring us new strength and purpose! No longer are we slaves to Slaanesh! No longer are we slaves to any sect! We are a free warband, and no one god or mortal can take that away again!"

Visius' voice thundered through the bridge and Isis felt his power roll off him, resonating his voice into a glorious roar.

Isis could not help herself from flinching from the sound. It took all she had to not cover her ears. She had seen all the faces of the bridge crew go from stunned to pure elation at the prospect of…new power.

"Lord," Sithal stepped forward,"Luck or fate, the galaxy will stand in revolution at our passing!"

Visius then heard Domitious, captain of the Beauty come over the vox feed. "We, the crew and warriors of the Stygian Beauty bear witness! We look forward to bathing the galaxy in a swathe of change and revelation!"

Isis heard the rest of the fleet announce their own roars of admission and commendation. They froze the blood within her. This had gotten so much larger than she could have fathomed.

"Let us unleash this new birth of the Screaming Talons!" He broke through the voice of those that had responded, unleashing a psychic empowering euphoria across the fleet.

"Let all hear our roar!"

Gasping at the barrage of power that came from Visius, she now knew that her life was irrevocably locked here, in this time, with these people. She felt the excitement, the thrill that Visius poured forth. She couldn't fight it. Her exhaustion and the shock she shared with the crew at her position now unveiled. It filled her being and for a wonderful brief moment she was free of fear and doubt.

For the first time she allowed herself to be caught up with everyone, her voice matched Visius' with her own psychic cry. Like a mythical siren, her voice carried itself over the fleet.

…

Isis was back in Visius' chambers. They had been scrubbed of anything that portrayed their once patron, Slaanesh.

"I have duties I need to perform." Visius spoke to her, staying at the doors as she entered.

She turned to face him.

"Feel free to do as you wish. I will assign a servo skull to guide you." With that he turned

leaving Isis alone.

"A servo skull?" Isis said out loud to herself. "What is with all the skulls?" If she wasn't so tired she would have chased him down and asked him. But, as she was beyond exhausted and wanted to sleep. Her body screamed for rest. "Not sure I like the thought of having a 'skull' guide me. How would…" Then it dawned on her. "One of the cyborgs had a floating skull it talked through. Maybe that was a servo skull? Her face crinkled in disgust. "Gross…"

Heading to the pillows, she gathered several of them and hauled them to a corner. She found a blanket that could have been left by the servant, whom Isis suspected it had been.

The corner she chose now looked like a nest of sorts. She shrugged. It looked comfy and that's all she cared about. After sleeping on the hard floor of Striigg's laboratory, if you could call it sleeping, the cleansing of the corruption from Visius and walking what felt like miles afterward, it was utter bliss to lay down. She had fallen asleep before her head hit the pillow.

…

Several hours later in the council room, Visius and the Newly appointed Captain Sithal met with Striigg prior to the meeting with Niro.

"Striigg, " Visius brought the heriteks attention to him. " I would like to acknowledge all the achievements you have accomplished."

Striigg looked up from the dataslate, his legs adjusting his height to face Visius more evenly.

Tilting his head in acknowledgement. "It was profitable. Much knowledge and power has been achieved." His mechadendrites folded flat against his back.

"I have not been able to find anything else about the corpse though, Lord."

"Understood." Visius responded. "I am officially raising you to Archmagos of the Screaming Talons." Visius slightly entered the heretek's mind to examine his thoughts.

Though mostly components of gears and electronics, his mind still leaned to emotion. Believing that without them one would lose the ability to adapt and evolve. Visius clearly felt Striigg's surprise, then excitement, which never showed on his person. He quickly took control over the emotion.

"You honor me, Lord General. I will not fail the Screaming Talons. "

"Striigg, I want you to assemble a machine that will amplify Isis' power ten fold and can be projected over a broad expanse."

Striigg tilted his head once more, his mind already working on the configuration and dynamics.

"We will start at once. I will need access to a large chamber to host such a machine."

"Use whatever you need, Striigg. That will be your main focus as of now."

Striigg begin communicating over the network him and his other hereteks use. The hum was almost a discordant tune. It was quieted as the hatch opened and Captain Niro and his contingent were escorted in.

Niro wore no helmet, his hair had been shaved to his scalp, a scar ran from over the top of his head, face and down to his chin. An eye had been replaced, outfitted with a contraption that circled half his head. The rest of his face had been pitted from scars and deformity.

The armor they all wore was of a company from the Emperor's Children.

Niro brought a sorcerer who also wore no helm, his face or what was left of it was a mass of mutated flesh and several eyes that dotted it here and there. Parts of his body had fused with his armor, making it a discombobulation of steel and flesh.

A berserker was also present. He was a large marine, one that had seen many and won many battles. His armor was heavily laden with trophies. Skulls and flesh decorated his pauldrons. The flesh occasionally moved with a subtle ripple. Around his waist, hung the upper half of the torso of a victim, surprisingly still alive. Garments hung off the body in shreds but to a keen eye would indicate that it was once a naval officer of the imperium. His elbows sported hooks that sunk into the joints there, allowing his body to dangle between his legs.

"Ah!" Captain Niro exclaimed as he entered the chamber, "Finally, Lord Visius!" He plastered on a smile. "I have so many questions, as I am sure you have as well."

"I will be generous, and allow you all to ask questions first." Visius gestured with a hand to welcome all inquiries.

Niro took a step ahead of the other astartes. "First, I am not a lackey of anyone, especially Sorek. I do things on my own terms. I followed you as commanded, but that was as far as I'd go." He chuckled before continuing.

"And following you proved fortuitous. I will not deceive you by claiming falsehood." His smile turned sly almost. "We have gathered interesting readings." He glanced at his sorcerer, not hiding the fact that most of those readings were of the warp.

"One of your own ships assaulted you. Also might I add, I have noticed that Sigils have been erased. Slaanesh entirely has been removed." His voice turned grim.

"And now that I am here, you look as if you have not seen a day of battle…Brother." His smile widened like he just caught a prize. "Oh, what have you dug up, Visius, that has caused you so much…deviation and change?"

Niro did not introduce the other two that accompanied him, seeming to not be concerned with formalities.

Visius expected as much and was prepared. "As you are aware of, we have found a person of interest. She is not a psyker like you have ever witnessed. She is the blood child of the Emperor." He paused judging their reactions. Niro and the sorcerer remained neutral while the berserker gave a puff of skepticism.

"She is far more powerful than I expected. She purged my body and soul." He finished, ignoring the brute.

"I see." Niro spoke in doubt. "It would only be logical to not give Sorek this power. But I wonder what you plan on doing with it?"

Visius lifted his head slightly. "You forget, Niro, why we were created to begin with. We are weapons for the greatest hands. At the time it was the Emperor. Then Slaanesh. Now, the Emperor's daughter." He flexed his ethereal hand. "She brings news of a calamity that will destroy the human race completely."

He allowed them to think what they wanted.

"So, no. I did not turn on you, my brother. I am saving you and still allowing your choices in loyalty."

Niro raised a brow, his eyes darted to Visius' hand before looking back at the Warmaster.

"So, you have given your fealty to her already, I see."

He glanced at his sorcerer, after giving a curt nod he turned back to Visius.

"With your gracious permission," He grinned, "We would like to meet this esteemed progeny and make our own assumptions."

The room was silent. As the Request hung in the air.

Relenting, Visius sought out Isis, connecting with her telepathically.

She was dreaming. He saw in her mind an open field boarded by large trees. All were various hues of her normal gray. What seemed to be a serene vision had an ominous feeling, as if something was approaching. The sky grew dark then, something was coming. He wasted no time.

'Isis.." He said in her mind. His thoughts unstabilized the forming nightmare, but was not enough to awaken her. She was in a deep sleep.

'Isis, awaken."

Again, louder now. Her dream faded, her breathing sped up as her consciousness took over.

'Isis, I am in need of your presence.'

Her mind was foggy from sleep, but she desperately tried to pull herself together.

'I'm….I'm up..' She managed to respond. Her sleep was so deep, she had to remember where she was. A pang of despair shot through her when she remembered, but was quickly tampered.

'What am I needed for?' She asked. Visius felt her move as if standing.

'I will explain when you arrive. I will send a terminator squad to escort you. Wait for them.'

Confused, but she agreed.

Visiushad already commanded the helm to ready armaments in case of treachery, but her signaled for Striig to have gun servitors alerted to the area. He was not going to take any unnecessary chances.

"She will arrive soon." Staring down a smiling Niro, "Perhaps she can demonstrate her power by cleansing one of you?" His voice was unthreatening, merely insinuating.

Niro laughed at the offer. "Perhaps, we shall see this progeny and judge for ourselves." He held his hands up in surrender, claiming curiosity. "Not everyday someone claims to have a living child of the Corpse God. One would be curious…Would they not?"

…

Several minutes later, the room had fallen to silence. Niro and his contingent seemed to not be bothered by the precautions Visius took. He was sure they noticed. They seemed content to wait. It was not awkward silence. No. It was the silence of two opposing factions.

When the door Hissed open, four Terminators stood ready to enter, two in front of the woman and two behind. They led her in.

Isis' eyes were red and half lidded from fatigue, but that all changed when she took in the room.

She was just past the door when she spied Niro and his companions. Her eyes widened, darting from the sorcerer to the berserker with his grotesque trophies and half living torse that hung from him.

She had seen others with flesh and skull decorating their armor.

At first she thought it was dead until the head lolled to the side. It reminded her of the poor soul that was a living sheath for a sword. Bile rose in her throat.

She stopping so abruptly that the terminators walking behind her had to adjust their steps so that their next one was not to be the death of her.

By a thread of will, she did not turn around and walk out.

Quickly averting her eyes from the 'guests' she again followed the terminators inside the room. They maneuvered around so that she stood next to Visius.

"So, this is the cause of all the mayhem." Niro stated rather amused. Isis looked at him and returned his scrutiny with a heated look. She was beginning to feel like an animal on display.

"I am not sure exactly what I expected, but I'll admit I did not Expect someone… so…diminutive."

Visius sensed Niro was testing her, probing her for a reaction. He felt an instant flare of irritation from Isis and before he could interject, Isis took the bait.

"Yea, well, I didn't think they could stack shit your height, yet here we both are, equally disappointed." She was not sure if it was the lack of sleep or the being judged by her size…Which was average height, at least it was at one time. Perhaps it was the lack of her fighting skills? She didn't know, all she did know was that she had enough.

Her response had quieted them for a moment until a low chuckle echoed deeply from within the helm of the berserker. It grew louder as he turned his head to Niro.

As the berserker took his humor out on Niro, Isis connected with Visius, still keeping her eyes away from the three.

'Why am I here? What do they want?'

'All they want is proof.' Was his response. She could not ask anything more because the berserker spoke up, his voice was loud and booming.

"I will take you up on your offer, Visius." He finished his laughter as he stepped around the table to approach, not giving the terminators a caring glance.

"If she can, that is. For I am a hammer in 'his' hands. If she is what you claim her to be, it should be no matter for one of such caliber. For I…Have much 'Cleansing' to be done" He spoke in an aporetic tone.

Isis automatically did not like these people. They wanted proof… She was sure they wanted to see if she was the child of this so-called Emperor. Visius had told them what she did.

Proof… There was no denying she had power. She would give them proof of that. She was still so very tired, and did not want to feel the pain of their…sins again. Not this soon. But, she would give them proof.

Visius addressed the berserker. "Fair warning, berserker, the process may kill you."

His helmet moved, glancing at Visius as he rolled his shoulders. Flayed skin stretched and moved subtly at his adjustments. "We shall see."

Visius gave Isis a nod as she looked up at him. Perhapes for encouragement, perhaps to see his reaction to all this, she returned his nod with a joyless smile.

Visius addressed the room next. " Whatever happens, no one interferes."

The terminators made way for Isis as she stepped forward, her nervousness starting to show as she approached the walking horror.

The Sorcerer's eye blinked irregularly as he watched intently.

The berserker watched Isis approach and stop in front of him. She kept her gaze on his chest, desperately trying to not look upon the corpse that hung practically in front of her. Consoling herself that it will be dealt with soon enough.

She then beckoned him to kneel so that she could reach more easily. He was not wearing the terminator armor as Visius and some others did but he was a giant in his own right.

He came down to a knee in front of her and leaned forward, the face of his helm inching closer to her face. She dare not look up at him for her resolve would most likely crumble. The sound of air being sucked into his rebreather was an assault to her ears but foretold he planned on saying something.

She was not about to give him the satisfaction.

The air felt as if it were sucked from the room, empty and silent as everything seemed to be pulled to Isis. Her hands slapped uncaring onto the chest plate round the symbol of his hedonistic god.

Visius saw the searing light of the warp, its energy blazing itself from Isis and into the Noise Marine.

Unable to pull away, the berserker was locked in his predicament. Black and white smoke began to spurt and billow from the reassess of the berserker's armor.

The sound of his armor screamed under the heat as it expanded and cracked in places. The floors blackened from the onslaught as warp energy billowed outward like fire.

He shook under the pressure, blood began pouring out from his mouth vent. His body fell forward upon his hands as Isis folded to her knees, keeping her hands upon him, never breaking the spell.

A twisted mass of sickening colors were seen pulled from the marine and absorbed by Isis. She clambered backwards as he fell on his front, her hands flying to her head letting out an inhuman scream filled with unnatural sounds of the warp.

Her skin rippled and twisted in deformities as she now struggled with the corruption within herself. Slowly, the sight subsided and her scream became normal and she quieted to a rasp as she gasped for breath.

Her flesh returned to normal and she slumped to the floor, her body shaking from the

exertion.

Niro took a step forward, his attention on the berserker. The marine did not move, his smoking form still. Niro's sorcerer reached out, putting a hand on Niro's pauldron, causing him to pause.

"He lives." He spoke.

A slight movement came from the marine. Visius stepped forward, next to Isis, "Now do you believe, brother?" Gesturing to the woman. Telepathically he connected with her again. "Stand…They need to see strength to be convinced."

Isis' mind was weakened, but responded to his prompting.

Niro glanced at Visius, his face was unreadable, but his eyes held astonishment.

The berserker pushed himself from the floor, at the same time Isis tried to rise on legs that threatened to give out.

The marine righted himself forcing his body to obey. His armor showed the same damage as Visius' did not long ago. His armor flaking at his movements. His trophies were burnt to cinder and fell apart in ash, coating the darkened floor in a gray powder.

Isis gained her feet, unsteady but determined. Visius held out a hand for her to take, aiding in her balance.

The berserker reached up to his helm, removing it. Everyone was silent as he revealed a face, covered with blood, but otherwise normal. Short hair grew on his head, his features were human. His eyes though held experiences beyond that of a normal person.

Niro closed the gap between him and the berserker. Grabbing him by the pauldron forcing him to face him.

"What happened, Bellator?"

His words demanded an explanation.

Bellator ripped his gaze from the woman to Niro, "I saw…My death, and my rebirth."

He lifted a hand and placed it on his own chest as if he could feel the renewal of his inner self.

"I'm…Free."

"Impossible!" The word escaped Niro involuntarily. He stepped away then clearly in turmoil of what was expected of him.

Visius felt the sorcerer speaking to Niro within his mind. Niro's eyes shifted from one person to another as his hand rested on the hilt of his chain sword. Visius tensed.

Spinning, Niro turned on his sorcerer, pulling out his blade, the chain roaring to life. The sorcerer greeted Niro with a charge of warp, which sent the Captain staggering back.

Visius had stepped in front of Isis as terminators swarmed around their ward.

psychically, Visius hit them both with a wave of warp, transforming his hand into a large, great blade, he stepped forward to their prone forms holding the blade to them.

"Not on my ship!" He roared with power enough to shake the chamber.

The sound of weapons charging was audible from the terminators and Visius raised a hand to hold fire.

As Niro gathered himself to rise, Visius felt his mind instantly invaded with searing thoughts of failing goals and depressed emotions to crush his soul.

His ships destroyed, his body flayed amongst the feet of the lowest slaves to writhe on.

The act was meant to discourage, to flounder one's motivations so one could override their mind.

But Visius was not young and his mind was tempered with time.

Visius did not hold back, lunging forward he aimed the tip of his ethereal blade into the sorcerers mouth, causing his eyes to widen for an intense moment as the flesh around the blade sizzled and popped. In a desperate move the sorcerer convulsed as his hands made to grab the ethereal weapon, his warp energy cracked wildly around the blade.

Without thought the blade was brought upwards, cleaving the head in half.

The body flopped to the ground and thrashed as the marines' organs refused to die.

Niro, on his feet now, watched the corpse of the sorcerer with loathing till he stopped moving.

Bellator stood quietly, watching the scene unfold as if this was a normal routine.

"So…Niro, you have a choice." Visius turned to him, squaring up the captain.

"Will you stand with us, or run back to Sorek?"

Niro sheathed his blade and turned his face to Visius. He drew in a great breath and glanced at Isis, whose color was pale but hiding her fear well. She rested a hand on one of the terminators leg to help steady herself.

He looked back to Visius, his mind apparently made up.

"We have much work to do, brother. With a mere eight ships, how would we fend off the entire galaxy that will war against us?"

"And to what end?" Bellator added his thoughts as he stepped up beside Niro.

Visius looked at them both before his gaze landed on Isis. he could feel her trepidation. But she lifted her chin, a slight movement. An act of strength that told him she still remembered her vow.

He turned back to Niro. "We convince others to join our cause. Starting with the outermost reaches of the Imperium. There are renegade warbands that have no allegiances to Abaddon or the dark powers. Let's get started."