# Sacrifice - Part 6



## Unknown Soldier (Oct 24, 2008)

Here is the next part of the story. This one might be a bit of a slog for the reader as it's the entire explanation behind Saint Augustine and the planet of Verity. I hope you can still find it entertaining in some way.

Sacrifice Part 6

Saint Augustine composed herself and studied the captured Marine carefully as if deciding whether or not to grace his ears with her holy story. As the words left her lips, the sounds became images and Lexington witnessed the story unfolding in his mind’s eye.

‘Nearly four millennia ago, this beautiful world had fallen to the vile machinations of Chaos and it’s population became enslaved. The Order of the White Dagger was tasked with the liberation of this world and we embraced our crusade with great fervour.

As Canoness, it was my privilege to lead my sisters into battle but we had terribly underestimated our enemy. Outnumbered and outgunned, we were forced back to this spot, the original site of our fortress chapel. We were surrounded and all was seemingly lost, in our desperation we threw out a final prayer to the Emperor…and our prayers were answered.

The enslaved population of this world, who we had presumed were beyond saving, rose up against their oppressors and threw off their chains. Every man, woman and child on Verity picked up a weapon and charged the vile servants of Chaos. Mighty battles were played out across the entire surface of the planet and the once swollen population of one hundred million was reduced to a few thousand in the space of mere hours.

This changed the course of the war and within days, we had reclaimed Verity and driven the Chaos scum back to whence they came. The enemy had been vanquished and the surviving citizens gathered together to hold a celebration. Soon after, the Inquisition arrived and deemed that the planet was beyond saving, that Chaos had occupied it for too long and it was forever tainted in their heretical ways. An Exterminatus was ordered and a volley of virus bombs were fired down onto the planet’s surface.

How could they have come to this decision? The spirit of the Emperor himself rallied the entire population of this world to fight off the invaders and to preserve the Imperium. It was nothing short of a miracle and the Inquistion made a decision to damn this planet to hell based on political rather then ecclesiarchal considerations.

The cost of rebuilding Verity was too much for the Adminstratum to bear so soon after the Age of Apostasy and it was cheaper to deny this planet to the enemy then to properly defend it. 

My Sisters and I were branded as heretics and were not allowed to leave the planet, our fate was sealed. We called together the remaining survivors and held a vigil for this doomed world. Again we prayed to the Emperor for salvation and once again he delivered. A warp storm appeared from nowhere and swept the Inquisiton into the void. As the weeks went by, more and more Inquisitorial ships arrived and each time, they were suddenly engulfed in a warp storm, never to be seen again. After two months, they stopped sending ships.

Over the centuries that followed, the Order of the White Dagger remained to defend this world from any and all invaders, but without re-enforcements, our numbers dwindled and our equipment fell into disrepair. The virus bombing had a long term effect on the population and the environment, until only this continent remained fertile. I was the last of my Sisters to die, a journey to a nearby forge world to buy agricultural equipment was my last mortal act. The Inquisition was waiting, a Vindicare Assassin put a bullet through my spinal column, killing me instantly.

My congregation on Verity held a vigil for my passing and prayed to the Emperor for my return. My soul was dragged from the Warp by their worshipping pleas and I have remained here ever since as the guardian of this world.’

Saint Augustine gestured with her hand and removed the psychic gag from Lexington’s mouth.

‘A sad tale indeed sorceress, but I have heard stories far more piteous then yours. Why would the Emperor spare your planet and kill thousands of his brave Inquisitorial heroes? Your fanciful tale is full of preposterous lies and glaring discrepancies and I will not believe a word of it’ Lexington said through gritted teeth.

‘It is a great shame you do not believe in my piety Space Marine, for without the belief and worship of the Emperor’s greatest champions, my powers will surely fade away. Soon after my death, the warp storm returned to claim this sector and it was only through the devout prayers of Verity’s inhabitants that I was able to return from the afterlife and hold back the oncoming destruction.’ Explained Saint Augustine.

‘Then perhaps your world is meant for destruction and you are just delaying the inevitable.’ Argued Lexington coldly.

‘Perhaps you are right. I will hold you no longer Space Marine, you are free to go’ And with those words, Lexington’s bonds and the apparition of Saint Augustine were gone.

A more exciting Part 7 to follow


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## juddski (Nov 3, 2008)

another good read Unknown Soldier


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