Haunted

The anniversary of Luvia's death was coming up in four days. Roth smiled as he thought of her last words. He was no longer under the influence of the Slaaneshi Warband but was still conflicted about Luvia. Had she been an unwilling Sisters of the Night member, or had it been a lie? Her last words, her last feelings, it was love. Roth shook himself from his thoughts and tried to focus.

'No, I do not want to please the Dark Prince. I will exact my vengeance on the Sisters of the Night for what they did to us, Luvia,' he thought. Roth had lost his chapter brothers and the light of the Emperor, all because of those vile women.
The Verum Illuminate had turned their back on him. His only contact with them was to confirm his identity if questioned. Finally, Alessander Vek decided to help him. He had believed that Roth was not lost and could still do the Emperor's work. As soon as Roth healed, he donned his power armour and gathered his bolter and power sword. The hunt began.

Roth lay down in his bunk aboard his borrowed ship. Vek had taken Roth to a trading station, and Roth had commandeered a vessel from there. Since his capture, Roth had needed more sleep than other Astartes. He dreaded the nightmares that assaulted him every night.

Roth could hear her in these dreams. Her voice was so clear, like a comforting whisper. Luvia would say, 'I have a plan; we can be free together.' Sometimes, he would take her hand in his, and she would smile. Her eyes shone with love. Then her face would change, and her eyes were cruel. Finally, he would wake up sweaty and angry at his weakness. He sighed and closed his eyes.

The dream was more urgent this time. Luvia, with her long pink hair, was running her fingers through his hair. He was back in the cell again. She looked deep into his eyes as she spoke. But he could not hear her voice. His brain kept repeating, 'She is dangerous; she lies,' but he hated himself for feeling so much for her. He started hearing her words now.
 '...to Noliath, the Sisters of the Night will be there for the jewel. Get it before they do. It's your last chance to escape.' Roth suddenly took her hand in his.

'Let me be. I want nothing to do with you. Go back to the warp where you belong and give me peace!' exclaimed Roth.

He heard her laughter echo through the cell. Releasing her hand, he awoke to an empty room. Yet, he could still feel her presence. Roth stood and felt a little dizzy. As he rubbed his eyes, he saw movement from the corner of his eyes, but there was no one when he looked. Roth went to work making his bed to perfection. Satisfied with the inspection of his power armour, he put it on. With a frown, he set a course for Noliath, angry that Luvia still got into his head even after her death.

The closer Roth got to the planet, the stronger his foreboding became. His chaos sense was just as strong as ever before. Whether or not he was too late was irrelevant. He had to do his duty to the Imperium and purge this world of chaos.

Roth hoped to purge the Sisters of the Night on this planet. He had a plan and was ready to enact it. Roth hoped first to rid the Imperium of Julia Sansoucis and then destroy her Slaaneshi sisters. He wondered if there was, in fact, a jewel he should retrieve on Noliath. He quickly dismissed the thought as a foolish dream.

Roth was now a chaos hunter. His days as the weapon of the Emperor were over, even though he remained loyal. Roth was seeking absolution for his sins. However, he knew that forgiveness would never be his. His chapter believed him deceased. He could never return to them, loyal or not.

Nevertheless, he still contacted Vek from time to time. Vek would confirm his identity when it was in question. Nathaniel Roth was dead, but Corey Richter lived. Absently, Roth touched his cheek where the Mark of Slaanesh used to be.

Once he had landed in a clearing, he walked off the ship's ramp and followed his chaos sense, his bolter in hand.

Soon enough, Roth heard the all too familiar sounds of battle. He picked up the pace and soon realised that today was his lucky day. The scantily clad women with pink and purple hair were in the midst of a battle against a squad of Space Marines. The women were, as usual, taunting and laughing, teasing the Marines. They were mighty fighters, but these brothers didn't realise who they were against. As Roth hurried to join the battle, he recognised one of the Marines, dressed in red and white, wearing a red robe, was fighting for the Sisters of the Night. Roth was disgusted with the sight of another corrupted Marine, but his targets were the women. He looked at their faces, but he did not recognise them, save for the girl who had been gifted to him when he first was captured. His disdain grew.

When he joined the Space Marines, they initially seemed to hesitate, uncertain of his allegiance. When he raised his sword against the evil mockery of the Adepta Sororitas, he imagined they would accept the help and keep their questions for later. But unfortunately, these ladies did not have mental prowess, although their fortitude was impressive.

He reminded himself to concentrate. Do not let their taunts get to you. Their sadistic laughs got to him, and that was dangerous. Be free of feelings. Ignore the insanity in their voices, the taunting and suggestive behaviour. Their fighting is erratic. There is no way of predicting their actions. He decided to find the weakest mind and show her fear. He delved into her mind, found her greatest fear, and brought it to the surface. She feared never getting ahead in the Sisters of the Night ranks. She feared disappointing her god and sisters and the punishment if she disappointed them. He concentrated on her in battle, physically and mentally. Soon, he could disarm her and return her to the warp. As he delivered the fatal blow, he noticed he had the attention of the Haute Maitresse, who had arrived with a couple of her best sisters. They surrounded him and taunted him, saying it had been an easy and quick task to turn him against the Emperor the last time they captured one of his brothers. They claimed that their captive had fallen in love with one of them. Roth's anger rose, but he tried to block it out. He fought them and ignored their laughs and taunts.

He saw the forsaken net tied to the leader's belt. He almost froze. He would not be caught again. He saw Luvia's face as she threw the net over him. Behind the Haute Maitresse, he glimpsed a familiar silhouette. It could not be...Luvia was dead. No! He had to concentrate. He focused on the Haute Maitresse, ignoring the two other girls playing and fighting him. He fought the leader with all he had, keeping her hands away from the net as he searched her mind for weakness. His focus soon shifted as she reached for the net. He took the blow from her weapon and swung at the hand, calling for the net. It was a clean cut as the net and his hand fell to the ground. She roared angrily and painfully and approached him with insane speed and skill. He wasn't sure he would survive, as another group of Sisters came to the defence of their leader. He needed this to be over soon. He used his psyker abilities to create confusion among the Sisters of the Night. He made a mass hallucination of an entire delta squad of Verum Illuminate converging on them. Some sisters kept defending the leader while others turned and attacked whoever stood beside them, believing they were the enemy. Roth was in pain from the blow from the Eviscerator and was tired. A memory came back to him. A Sister of the Night stood before him. She had sinned gravely, holding the Eviscerator of a Haute Maitresse. She had wanted to climb the ranks. Holding the Eviscerator of a recently deceased Haute Maitresse would give a Sister that title. He focused again on the leader, thrusting his power sword through her chest, knowing what would happen. He now had a plan.

Some of the other sisters had been fighting each other. Other Marines lunged at the corpse of the dead cultist, trying to reach the Eviscerator. He knew this would happen; their greed and ambition would be their downfall. He remembered Madame Corrine from his time as a captive and her crimes. This was an advancement opportunity for the Sisters of the Night. As they lunged, he swung his power sword at them, one by one. They were so focused that they were oblivious to the danger. He destroyed ten of the Sisters easily and quickly. The others saw their dead Haute Maitresse and the bloodbath that had just taken place and started retreating.

Roth grabbed the discarded Eviscerator and followed their retreat, hoping to kill more. The girl he remembered from his captivity was guarding the retreat. Roth would soon grant her Mercy. He felt for the girl, but it was too late for her. As Roth approached the ship, he noticed the Marine who had fought alongside the Sisters of the Night. A short-lived sense of pity overcame him, but he could not feel for him. Following the Sisters had been his choice. Instead, he could have chosen to die for the Emperor or fool the sisters and escape as he had done. Before they left, he needed to make it to the ship, but he knew his chances were slim. Four other Sisters watched as the ship left without them. They turned and grinned, raising their chainswords, and fought him. The other Marines had gathered near Roth and engaged the evil traitors by this point. The Sisters of the Night did not stand a chance as the marines far outnumbered the Sisters. The women were soon cut down as their laughs echoed through the fields.

Roth turned to leave, carrying the Eviscerator. He walked back the way he had come with purpose. He hoped not to be interrogated by anyone because he needed to follow that ship. He would not let them get away again. At least this time, he had made a dent in the organisation. One Haute Maitresse and perhaps as many as twenty sisters were dead by his hand, yet he was not satisfied. He would only be satisfied once the whole Warband was eliminated from existence.

"Brother, how did you know how to make them lose focus? When the leader fell..."

Roth turned, surprised at the question. He had not noticed anyone walking with him. He quickly answered but did not pause for the Marine. Subconsciously, Roth followed his new companion's cadence and breathing patterns. He desperately wanted to leave, but he could not raise suspicions. Roth answered his question, irritated that the ship was getting further out of reach with every second he wasted here. He made sure his voice would not betray his feelings as he spoke.

"Chaos tends to be erratic. Eliminate the leader, and they fall apart. I assumed it was the same for this Warband. Lucky guess." He shrugged and kept pace until they reached his ship.

"Where is the rest of your Chapter?"

"They are busy on a nearby planet. I must return to my chapter and report the events of today. Ave Imperator."

The Marine answered and walked away. Roth boarded his ship, parted ways with his new "friend", and prepared to leave. Before he took off, he noted the appearance of another ship. His eyes narrowed as he recognised the Sisters of the Dawn's vessel. Instead of leaving, he observed the Sisters trying to sense any note of evil upon them or trickery. He wondered how they had known about the Sisters of the Night being here and which one would someday join the mockery of their order. As the Sister Superior spoke with the Marines on the ground, she turned toward his ship and watched. He slowly took to the sky and left the planet.

As he left orbit and set a course to a nearby trading station. He walked to the back of the ship, placed the Eviscerator in a case, and looked at the other relics he had gained while hunting the Chaos Sisters. He then went to the logbook and wrote down the events of Noliath. He had single-handedly returned twenty Sisters to their god, yet he was unsatisfied. He would only be satisfied once he had them all accounted for. This made one hundred and nine. It might take all his life, but he would never stop until the last one died. Tired and slightly injured from the blow he had taken from the Haute Maitresse and other Sisters, he returned to his quarters and removed his armour. He had a large bruise on his shoulder and back, where he had been hit. His armour was also damaged. He would need to have it repaired at the station. After he tended to his wounds, he lay down again, reviewing the battle in his mind. He wanted to learn from his mistakes and improve at every meeting between his sworn enemy and himself. He remembered when he had seen a glimpse of Luvia on the battlefield.

"Impossible." He murmured. He knew her death had been confirmed by his friend Vek. But, whether he was losing his mind, he would still fight until his last breath and purge the Imperium of the Sisters of the Night. Then, over the vox, he heard a weird static.

"Hmm, that is odd." He felt tired and knew the unwanted dreams would come again. When the sound of a bell chimed, Roth was slightly alarmed but was soon asleep. His vision was different tonight. He was a recruit for the Verum Illuminate. The bell rang as he lay in bed, and he was almost instantly asleep. For the first time, he heard the words of Instructor Ziad speaking of the greatness of the Emperor, the exploits of the founders of the Verum Illuminate and the word of the Emperor that every member had to abide by. He noted some discrepancies. Likely just his head was messing with him. The Instructors never told the recruits to capture heretics instead of killing them. It was the Emperor's will that psykers were not to be sent to black ships but instead be changed into tools to be used by the Verum Illuminate for their quest for knowledge, supremacy and power. He dismissed the message, knowing Luvia must have been behind it. She had messed with his head so much that he doubted the Enlightened Truth. When he awoke in his dream, he felt a stinging sensation in his arm and quickly recognised her sitting beside him.

"Drugs, for the pain." She said. Roth wanted to object, but she must have dosed him because the vertigo was overwhelming. He groaned and tried to speak unsuccessfully. Instead, he vomited on the woman. She wrinkled her nose.

"A little too much? Sorry. Anyway, where is the jewel? Your freedom. You bring me an Eviscerator but no jewel? I am disappointed."
Roth closes his eyes, hoping she will be gone when he opens them again. When he does, she is watching him, disappointed. She smacks his wound with her hand.

"You will give me what I want. I expect you will have it by tomorrow. Don't disappoint me." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. He opened her eyes and caught her hand as she tried to slap him.

"Let me be, Luvia. Just let me be. You are not even here. Why am I torturing myself? Why do I see you when I am awake? What have you done to me?"
She smiled and patted him on the cheek.

"I knew you missed me." She disappeared.

When he awoke, he stood up slowly and swayed. He was nauseous and felt stiff from his injuries from the previous day. A smell made his nose wrinkle, and he noticed vomit on the ground. Roth was confused. How? He looked around with concern. His thoughts were a little fuzzy. He couldn't concentrate very much. Something was amiss. He slipped into his armour, grabbed his sword and checked every inch of the ship for an intruder. Satisfied that no one else was aboard, he returned to the navigation seat. He smiled as he realised a vessel from the Order of the Dawn had decided to join him at the trading station. Perhaps it was time that they met.

Before leaving his ship, he returned to the room where relics were stored and picked up the Eviscerator. Once inside the trading station, merchants eyed him with fear. He walked calmly to the docking station where the Sisters of Battle's ship would dock. He waited just outside the airlock. He leaned against the two-handed sword and waited for the Sisters to emerge from their ship. He could see Sister Superior's mind firsthand and know her thoughts on the villainous counterpart of the Sisters of the Dawn. He would also watch all the sisters' reactions upon seeing him there, with such a weapon, as the Eviscerator of a former Haute Maitresse. Roth nodded to the surprised Sisters who gathered in the hall until the Sister Superior emerged as they disembarked. Most of the Sisters eyed him with suspicion, but no one looked at the weapon with an intense desire. Roth gave a respectful nod but did not remove his helmet. He handed the Sister Superior the Eviscerator.

"Greetings, Sister Superior. I believe this should be yours to keep."

The Sister took the sword and frowned. She watched him momentarily and handed the sword over to another sister. He noticed a small crystal embedded in the Sister's gauntlet when she reached for it. His focus returned to the Sister's eyes as he quickly tried to read her thoughts and feelings without her noticing. She closed her gauntlet on the weapon's hilt, her pupils widened for a second, and she carried it back inside the ship.

"Thank you. Why did you take it from the traitor?"

"Apparently, an Eviscerator is important to the rest of the Sisters of the Night. One must take the two-handed sword from the leader to climb in rank. I assume you wanted to have a word, Sister?"

"Yes, actually I did, but this may not be the best place for us to talk. How about you come aboard my ship?"

"With all due respect, Sister, I would prefer you come aboard mine with as many of your squad as you feel are necessary, of course, or we could speak at the Tavern."

She seemed to consider both options as she watched him, likely trying to read his intentions.

"Your ship is acceptable. My name is Sister Superior, Leah Dumont, and you are obviously a marine from the Verum Illuminate, but would you please tell me your name and remove the helmet?"

Roth was slightly nervous about her request, but his training kicked in. When the Verum Illuminate sent a high-value Seeker on an undercover mission, they were told to give allies a false name. There were many Corey Richters out on many different planets at that very moment, answering these questions to Loyalists. He was also concerned about removing his helmet. What if the mark was still visible? It had been almost a year since its removal. He hadn't looked at himself since then. He usually wore his helmet everywhere. He conjured up an image of his former self, hoping to use his abilities to hide whatever scar or remnant of the mark could be seen. He slowly removed his helmet and met her gaze.
"Yes, Sister. My brothers are from the Verum Illuminate. My name is Corey Ritcher, Foxtrot squad."

She watched him for a moment, searching his face and his gaze. Finally, she seemed satisfied with his answer and followed him to his ship, four sisters flanking him. He did not mind. It made sense. He lied about returning his brothers; the other Marines must have told her she did not know him. They were suspicious, as was their nature and their reason for being. It was time for half-truths.

When they came aboard the ship, the Sisters scanned every inch of it with their eyes. As they passed in front of Roth's quarters, he tried to get their attention away from the mess he had left that morning. He quickly led them to a small, makeshift conference room, where he signalled for them to sit. They did not, so he sat at the table.

"I assume you went to Noliath to purge the vile Sisters of the Night?" Roth asked the Sister.

"We had gathered information that they may be on the planet. However, I have some questions of my own. Why were you on Noliath, sole Brother of the Verum Illuminate, far away from your Foxtrot squad, no seeker in sight to protect?"

"That is a good question indeed. We were informed that the band of sisters might be on Noliath, and I was simply told to investigate. I saw the battle when I arrived and chose not to let those heretics getaway. Our Seekers are very efficient, yet again, they were correct."

"Yes, I have experience with your Seekers, and they chose to send one lone Marine to investigate? I thought you meant to return to your Brothers to report back, and yet, here we are?"

Sister Leah watched him intently. He could tell that she did not believe his answer. Roth shifted imperceptibly in his armour. This would be hard to explain. Before answering the question, one of the other Sororitas leaned in to whisper something to the Sister Superior. She arched her eyebrows and squinted at Roth.

"It would appear we have more pressing matters to attend to. You are free to return to your brothers, but I will inquire about you when I return from my mission." The Sister turned to leave.

Roth was a little surprised by her reaction. Usually, a Sister of the Dawn would not leave an interrogation halfway through. They would push until they arrived at the truth, and if that truth were not one hundred per cent satisfied, they would gladly terminate the liar. She started walking the way she had come. Roth remembered his messy room and rose quickly. He swayed slightly but caught himself. One of the Sisters of the Night had noticed. When he reached the sister's superior, he asked.

"Sister Superior? Is it the Slaaneshi warband? Will you share what information you have? I can help!"

"We don't need the help of a lone foxtrot Marine, Richter, but I expect you will find a way to follow. Save us the time, trouble and resources and come with us and remember that if you slow us down further, I may have to act upon the fact that you lied to us. I could be led to believe you are slowing us down on purpose."

He let them lead the way without a word and followed them. He was thankful that their order of the Dawn had changed since their last encounter. It felt as if they were giving him a chance. Unfortunately, these Sisters did not give the benefit of the doubt or second chances. They expected perfection in the service to the Emperor. They expected the truth and respect of everyone. Lies were an insult to the Emperor and his daughters and a door that led to chaos. He would continue following the Order of the Dawn into battle against the Sisters of the Night.
Roth Followed and did as he was told. He was directed to his room but was not granted solitude. He knew this was too good to be true when he sat face to face with a Sister of the Dawn sitting at a table. She asked questions, and he answered as truthfully as he could without saying anything that would get him killed. He found himself to be exhausted, and it was a chore to keep his eyes open. The Sister sitting across from him, Bethany, squinted her eyes and watched him curiously.

"Are you well, Richter? I have never seen a Marine turn this colour after a discussion. Were you injured?"

"Nothing to worry about, a few cuts and bruises. I do apologise. Perhaps I misjudged the extent of the damage?" Roth wondered.

"I will get a hospitaller." Sister Bethany stood and left the room.

Roth assumed the Sister Superior was watching the interrogation, which was likely where Sister Bethany had gone off to. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, trying to grasp what was happening to him. First, Roth was clammy, dizzy, and exhausted with the vomit during the night. He checked; no one was on his ship so he couldn't have been drugged. Perhaps the blades of the Sisters of the Night were dipped in a potent poison. When Sister Bethany returned, she was with the Sister Superior.

"Richter, I have contacted your chapter, and they confirmed your name, rank and position and informed me that your mission is sanctioned. We have also called upon a Sister Hospitaller, Sister Marielle, who will be here momentarily. In the meantime, I would appreciate an explanation." Said Sister Leah.

"I-I think that, perhaps, their blades were laced with potent poison..." he answered honestly.

"Hmm, perhaps. We will see what the healer says. You have been acting differently than expected from a Marine. I, for one, would like to know if the cause for this is, in fact, poison or if you lie to me on purpose."

"Sister, I do not mean to act so erratically. My respect for you is unwavering, and so is my faith."
Leah watched him closely and nodded. She believed he had spoken the truth, but her belief did not matter. Sister Marielle's words would reveal the truth. The hospitaller finally arrived as Roth lost consciousness.

This dream was different; it was peaceful. There was no sign of Roth's tormentor. Instead, he heard voices; they spoke of drug-laced blades and potions he did not know or understand. He discerned a female voice but not the soft whisper of Luvia, but could not understand the meanings of her words. He thought of everything he had done. A feeling of guilt overcame him. He had failed the Emperor. Before he had a purpose, he would have taken his own life for the terrible thoughts and actions he had taken that betrayed the word of the Emperor. Part of him wanted to right this wrong. The need to purge the Imperium of the Sisters of the Night was stronger. They are more of a threat to the Imperium; therefore, he should carry out his mission and fall on his sword for his sins. His mission was of the utmost importance. The Imperium would need to suffer from his existence for a while longer. He felt a familiar stinging sensation in his arm. His mind started clearing up, and the nauseous feeling he had been pushing down was suddenly gone. He felt very comfortable, more comfortable than he had felt for so long, he could not remember.

His eyes opened, and he saw that he was lying on a cot in a medical room, his armour discarded. He sat up and looked around the room, searching for his armour, a wave of outrage growing in him, and then he remembered where he was and what had transpired. He calmed his breathing and swung his legs off the cot.

"Sister Marielle, I feel much better. Thank you for healing me."

"You received a very high dose of drugs, possibly from the blade of the heretics you fought with. Yet, surprisingly, you were able to function so well. Any nausea, fatigue or dizziness?"

"I am quite well, thank you. You removed my armour. Where is it? I prefer to be prepared."

Sister Bethany spoke. "Yes, it is laid out in your quarters."

He noted that the Sister Superior was no longer in the room.

"I am absolved of doubt, then?" he asked, appearing nonchalant.

"For the moment," answered Bethany. "If you are ready for battle, we have word on a possible sighting of the Sisters of the Night." Bethany spat the Warband's name as if it left a bad taste in her mouth to speak those words. Roth felt the same way and was anxious to engage them again, hopefully for the last time.

He nodded and stood. "It will be my honour to fight by your side, Sister Bethany."

When they arrived at the designated planet, they were too late. The band of Slaaneshi sisters had already departed and left a massacre of guardsmen behind. As families cried for their lost ones, corpses lay on the ground, and prayers were said for the lost souls. The people were afraid of them. Roth hadn't seen this type of reaction to Space Marines or Sororitas before. Finally, sister Leah raised her voice.
"Who did this to your people? The Imperium did not sanction this. We are here to help."

The people still seemed distressed and unwilling to share the events that had just taken place. Nathaniel Roth walked to a troubled woman who seemed out of place. She was crying, but there was no corpse where she stood. He stopped next to her and asked.

"What happened? Who did this to these people?"

"A ship came that looked similar to the one you arrived on. We wondered why the Adepta Sororitas would come to us. Then, these women with pink and purple hair and the mark of chaos on their cheeks stepped off. We did not understand. There was no time. We were in the midst of a festival in the town square. They just walked up to the festivities and started slaying the innocent people. The guard came to defend us, but they just laughed and taunted them and started killing everyone...not everyone...they took my girls and my husband. They took half a dozen girls and three men, the ones that amused them. They left as quickly as they had come."

"Do you know where they intended to go? We will bring justice upon these heretics. I promise you."

"I would tell you if I did, but I do not know."

"Thank you, Ave Imperator."

She nodded. "Ave Imperator."

Roth returned to the Sisters and explained what the woman had said.

"It appears they may be recruiting, but we do not know where they are going. If we can get to the vile women soon enough, we may be able to save the recruits." Roth said with a note of hope in his voice.

"There is not much hope for them unless the Emperor places us on their path. They are as good as dead." Answered Leah.

"Perhaps he will. We should leave this planet and start our search for the heretics. There is nothing more we can do here. The church will take care of the lives lost here."

"Yes. Do you think you can find the Warband? I know the Verum Illuminate Seekers have a special ability to locate heretics. It is quite uncanny how good your Seekers are. Do you have the same gift?"

"I am not as skilled as others, but I can try it when we get to the ship. If you trust me enough to take directions, I may be able to track them, although I often arrive too late."

Sister Leah nodded, and they returned to the ship. Roth starts walking toward his quarters. Bethany follows. When they arrive, he takes his helmet off, turns to her and frowns.

"Your gauntlet, where did you get that jewel, and what is it? No one else wears a jewel on their gauntlet. Therefore, it must be important."

"It is only important to me. It has no real value, just something I found on a mission long ago."

He nodded and told her he would need to get his tools and concentrate momentarily to find the direction the heretics went. He excused himself and entered his quarters, closing the door behind him. He focused on the feeling of the ship, and then he thought of Julia. Her evil face and her taunts...what she had done was unforgivable. As anger started swelling in him, he sought to find the treacherous villain. He left his helmet on the bed and asked Bethany, who had been waiting outside. He then told her to set a course to Zargoth, where it all began for him. He hoped his emotions were not misdirecting his unique abilities, but he felt this was where he needed to be.

Sister Bethany was surprised that he would want to go there. She wondered if he had said that just to get a reaction from her, but she did not satisfy him. Sister Leah glanced at Sister Bethany. A silent understanding passed between them as she ordered the ship to set a course for Zargoth.

Roth noticed the exchange between the two. He wondered what else had happened in Zargoth. Roth knew that that planet was quite attractive to many heretics, but he wanted to know what had happened to the Sisters on that planet. He wondered if he should ask. Maybe it would be best to keep quiet. Sister Leah spoke first.

"How does the gift of the Seekers work? We always wondered. Is it something in the power armour? Visions? Perhaps some sort of sixth sense?"

"I am not at liberty to say. Seekers are very good at reading their instruments and finding their targets fairly easily. I mostly arrive late, and sometimes, I am wrong. It is not given to everyone, but the Emperor's light guides me to where he needs me to be."

The woman nodded, and Roth excused himself. He needed to think. He walked back to his quarters and went over the recent events in his mind. The battle on Noliath. How had he known to go there? It wasn't his psyker abilities; he knew that for sure. Luvia had told him in his dream to go there. How would his subconscious figure out that they would be there? And the jewel...Bethany was wearing it. No, he would not do or say anything about that to the Sister. Roth did not take orders from Slaaneshi filth. He had gone to Noliath because he had no other leads. He needed to do something, but if an imaginary Luvia wanted the jewel, she wouldn't get it.

Maybe the Emperor had forgiven him and was showing him the way. That seemed improbable, but just in case, he prayed to his old God-Emperor for forgiveness and swore an oath that he would destroy the Sisters of the Night or die trying. He heard a familiar laugh but could not pinpoint the sound source. She would taunt him until his last breath. He sighed and continued his prayers.

Eventually, they arrived at Zargoth. Some crew members seemed focused and ready, gearing up, but others disapproved of their presence. If there were one place that needed cleansing, this would be it. Between the Swampfoots and all the relics known and unknown, this place was usually a hub of activity. There was no activity going on when they set down, which seemed odd to Roth. He walked, following his intuition. He needed to remember where he was and who he was with. Now would be an excellent time to hesitate, for show. He stopped and looked around. He already knew where he was going. He started walking again, the Sisters following, watching him and his surroundings. A couple of Sisters were taking notes.

They were only a small skeleton crew out to search for the Sisters of the Night. If he were right, more Sisters would be called forth for battle. Being with the Sisters of the Dawn reminded him of the mission he had run with Julia long ago before she turned to Slaanesh. She had not taken notes like the two Sisters bringing up the rear but seemed eager to fight, like Sister Bethany. Julia's faith in the God-Emperor had seemed unwavering. He must have been wrong about her.

Suddenly, he wondered if this was where he would meet Julia again. His mind had drifted to her specifically when it should have drifted to the evil Luvia. They marched quietly, taking in every aspect of the terrain. The Slaaneshi war band could be anywhere. Eventually, they crested a hill and saw a ship, smoke rising from the vessel on the other side. As they approached, moving from one place to another, hiding behind trees and large rock formations, they heard the faint whispers of people talking. It could have been anyone, but he would never forget that ship. He knew it so very well. It was so familiar; it had to be them.

He gestured for the Sororitas to stay back while investigating as he crept forward. He soon remembered the ship and its occupants. Outside, repairs were being done on the vessel. Sister Bethany signalled for the Sisters to fall back. Roth quietly made his way around the ship, hoping to infiltrate it. Only three women were guarding the ship. He knew that the Sisters of the Night had just won, and when they won, there was always a celebration. He snuck up quietly on the guards and took them out silently, one at a time, discarding the bodies. He then strolled into the ship, confident he would encounter only minor resistance. He heard a sound behind him and noted that Bethany and three other Sisters had followed him to the vessel. He hoped they were ready for this. Sisters of Battle were trained for battle, no matter their order, but these were from the Order of Pronatus. Were they as prepared as the militant orders would be? The last time he was on a mission with the Sisters of the Dawn, one of them worshipped Slaanesh. He moved past the cells, ignoring its occupants. The Sisters hesitated. He shook his head and returned to where the Sisters stood.

"We do not have the luxury of time and weeding out which is already turned and which is not." He whispered to the Sister, then spoke to the captives quietly.

"We will be back for you."

They kept going until they arrived in a large room. Roth could hear cries coming from the lower levels as the Sisters of the Night watched and pointed at the scene, placing wagers on the daughter or the father. Roth furrowed his brow in confusion when suddenly it dawned on him. The guard and his daughters. They were making them fight each other. If the girl won, the father died. If the girl lost, they both died. He tried to push the anger down. However, the Sisters behind him didn't hesitate. He ran into the room swinging his power sword, taking out multiple Sisters of the Night before the others knew what was happening. He then ran to the glass dome and shattered it with a powerful blow, hoping to stop the fight in the room one story below. There was no need for these people to die on this day. Yes, he had alerted the evil Sisters guarding the room on the lower level, but he didn't care. He wanted them all dead, and if he could save these two innocent people, he would fight as many as it took.
The Sisters of the Dawn held their own against their enemy, but the fight was unfair. The chaos-aligned women were more in number and were vicious and very skilled fighters. When he noticed Bethany talking while she fought, he was happy that she had called the other Sisters to come and help. As the Sororitas started running in, Roth began searching for the Haute Maitresse. With any luck, he would get to fight Julia. She was second on his hit list, the first already eliminated. The woman strode toward him, confidence and pleasure written across her face as she announced: "Our main event just got better! Have fun, Sisters!"

He could no longer contain his anger as he ran at her, pushing everyone else out of the way, roaring. Instantly, she knew him by sight and grinned.

"Missed me? You could have just asked if you wanted to return so badly."

He slashed at Julia with all his might, but she moved away before she could lose a limb. He did draw blood. She cracked her whip loudly over him but did not attack.

"You are not lost to me. I can redeem you. Now be a good Seeker and return to your cell."

Roth attacked again, this time with more zeal and intent on sending Julia to a disgraceful end. She needed to die. He could not rest until she was gone. The more Sisters of the Night he could kill, the better the redemption. Even though he would never be granted a return to the fold, he could do some good for the Imperium. As he swung his power sword and avoided her large chainsword, he felt another familiar presence, but the feeling only lasted a moment. As she hefted her weapon through the air, he spun and struck her in the leg. She cried out and lost her balance for a moment. He turned the sword, missing him as she was surprised by the blow he had landed. He kicked her behind the knee, which sent her down. He was ready to deliver her to her death when he felt a searing pain in his back. Another Slanneshi Sister had come to the defence of the Haute Maitresse. Knowing they would likely win the battle if he cut the head off the snake, he ignored the pain. Julia had turned and was smiling at him. The Viper opened her mouth to speak.

"Join us, Brother. You have been missed."

Roth answered with his power sword, beheading the Haute Maitresse Julia Sansoucy. He then turned to find the Sisters of the Dawn had dealt with his previous attacker. Roth felt confident that, with the death of Julia, this squad of the Warband would collapse, but that was not to happen. Most stood their ground while a few fled. Roth continued to fight the Slaaneshi Warband, and so did the Sororitas. They fought with such zeal and passion. His heartache because he knew he would never belong. He lived outcast by all god-worshipping men and women. Soon, the ground was littered with bodies. Both sides had taken casualties. The surviving women had reorganised around a new leader and fled, the Sororitas pursuing them. Roth turned his attention to the room below. Having sustained some injuries, he went down to the festivities entrance and opened the door, letting the captives out. Both the guard and the girl seemed to be in reasonable condition.

Knowing the Sororitas would want to ascertain whether or not they were corrupted, he took them to Sister Bethany. Roth returned to where Julia lay and stared down at her in contempt. He picked up her Eviscerator so no one else could take Julia's place as Haute Maitresse and eyed the crystal on the hilt. It was a sickly shade of green. He felt slightly nauseous as he recognised what it was. He did not want anyone to get their hands on it. He decided to hold on to it until he could store it in his ship. He returned to the Sisters of the Dawn. Most available Sisters of Battle had answered the call. A small unit had stayed back at the ship to guard it. More Sisters took notes and muttered prayers over the bodies of their fallen sisters. When Sister Superior Leah arrived, the Sisters just turned and left the cursed ship to return to their own. Roth thought he would feel more satisfaction. This was a big victory, but it was not enough for his redemption. He returned to the ship with the Sisters of the Dawn without incident.

After the interview with the guardsman and his daughter, Roth was informed that the guardsman had another daughter. She had tried to escape and was killed. The discussion confirmed that the guardsman and his surviving daughter remained uncorrupted. They both thanked them profusely for saving them. Once they all left the interrogation room, Roth had been up for two days. Today was the first anniversary of the death of Luvia. The thought made him smile. He quickly hid that smile and returned to his quarters for a quick nap. He removed his power armour. He was bruised and bleeding again. He could deal with it later. He placed the Eviscerator in the corner of the room and fell asleep confident that his nightmares were over. He had finally killed both his tormentors and so many others.

When sleep finally came, it was peaceful and quiet. Roth could see nothing, hear nothing, as it should be. Then, suddenly, he heard laughing.

"You did it! I can't believe you went through with it. You did good, Marine."

It was Luvia. Roth opened his eyes and saw her there, right next to him. She looked so excited that the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

"Go away, foul woman. You do not exist. You are dead and have been dead for a year. I don't know what you think I did, but I did not do it for you."

"Of course not, sweetie," she coaxed. "You did it because you hate us, but you smiled when she died. You enjoyed it. You wish you could still be with me in that cell. "Luvia, Luvia. I know your name. I see you." You said those words to me, and I knew I had succeeded in my biggest achievement ever. I was wrong. On this very night, my biggest achievement was granted by you one year ago, and now, I have everything."
Roth sat up, angry at her words. he backhanded her across the face, and she laughed.

"You know I like that."

"Leave me, foul creature. Let me rest. The Imperium is a better place without you."

She came closer to him and kissed him on the cheek. Movement caught his eye as someone walked across and opened the door to his quarters. It was the guard. He stared in horror at the spot where Luvia stood. Roth was confused. If the guardsman could see her, that meant... The guard yelled.

"A Sister of the Night has boarded the ship! She is here!" He stepped into the room, followed by two Sisters. He could hear others coming. Luvia smirked as she backed away into the corner.

"You do not exist. You are not here. The Imperium is better without you in it."

She mocked him by repeating his words as she reached for the Eviscerator. Roth jumped to his feet, and the room started spinning. It was at that moment that he understood what had taken place. He had been drugged again. She couldn't be there, in the same room as him. Somek had confirmed the kill...unless. Anger swelled in him, and he roared her name. He grabbed his power sword and lunged at her. He would kill her again, as many times as he had to. Luvia stopped his blade with Julia's blade but did not attack.

"Well, thank you for making me Leader of the Sisters of the Night. Now be a good Marine and get me that jewel." She told him.
She disappeared as soon as the Sisters were about to attack her with all the Emperor's fury. Roth stared in disbelief at where she had stood a moment earlier. Then, sister Bethany arrived in the room.

"Where did she go? Where is the disgusting mockery of a woman?"

"A daemon...I killed her, and she became a daemon." Roth answered in disbelief.

Bethany ordered the Sisters of the Dawn to search the ship for the villainous foe. She approached Roth.

"What happened? You had her, and you didn't kill her?"

"I...uhh...I didn't know. I thought it was a dream. I can't believe she is not dead. I killed her. Somek confirmed the kill."
"Snap out of it, Marine. Come and find the heretic and send her back to her maker."
Roth looked her in the eye, then turned to suit up. Bethany left the room and started searching the ship with the other Sisters. She had been there, almost every night, right there with him. He couldn't believe it. He should have known when he saw her on the battlefield when he had heard her laugh on the Sisters of the Night's ship. She had been there. Had she been drugging him? He wondered what kind of damage he had done because of her whispers. And now he had to kill her again. He was now ready; he left his quarters with his power sword and bolter and did a grid search. If he thought he caught her scent or heard her voice. He would not hesitate and kill her...he hoped.
He began his search. He knew that Luvia was still onboard the ship. He swore under his breath. Leah joined him.

"Can you track her?" she asked.

"She's here. I'm a little confused. I hope I can find her."

Leah watched him with concern. She followed him, knowing it would be him if anyone could find her. Roth stopped momentarily and turned his head toward the Sisters' ship's holding cells. He grunted, walking past his room. Nathaniel had to do this alone, or the Sisters might know what happened between him and Luvia. He keeps walking with the Sister Superior, weapon at the ready and suddenly stops.

"I can't find her. It's like she was here, and now she's not. Split up? We'll cover more ground."

Sister Superior Leah nodded and moved to the right. Roth continued forward until he could no longer hear Leah's footfalls, then turned and returned to the room where he knew Luvia would be waiting. He pushed the button, and the door slid away, letting him walk through. The door slid closed behind him. He walked cautiously into the room, ignoring the tingling feeling crawling down his spine. When he reached the middle of the room, he saw her sitting on the ground, her back toward him.
The Slaaneshi daemon Luvia of the Sisters of the Night.

"I'm glad you came." She said, still not turning around, "I've missed you, Nathaniel, and I am truly sorry I misguided you. I only wanted to help and missed you too much to stay away."

Roth still aimed his bolter at her. He should just pull the trigger. Return the daemon to the warp. But, instead, as if she was reading his mind, she stood, still wearing his old cloak, ripped from the battle at Dara Seans. She turned and looked at him as she slowly took her hood off her head, showing her unnatural and almost hypnotising beauty. The Eviscerator, in her grasp, point to the floor.

"Please don't shoot me. I didn't do anything wrong this time. I just missed you. I made a mistake. I shouldn't have done what I have done in my past life."

"And yet, when you died, you were made a daemon. So why should I not kill you again? You have been the source of my exile, my pain. Because of you, I have no one, nothing. I am alone."

"I don't want you to be alone. We can be together... nothing is stopping us."

She let the sword fall to the ground with a clatter and approached him slowly, her arms open as if waiting for an embrace. Roth took a step back but did not shoot. Instead, the hand holding the weapon slowly lowered to his side. Roth spoke softly.

"Luvia, it is wrong. You're a daemon, for the Emperor's sake."

Faster than he could react, she crossed the distance between the two, smiling, his cloak falling to the floor. She held him tightly as her new steely wings wrapped around him and ripped through his armour like a piece of cloth. Hundreds of tiny needles came from her appendages and injected him with drugs. He tried to push her away with a sharp breath, but her wings dug deeper into his skin, and his vision swam.

"Gah! Always with the Emperor! You are no fun!"

With great difficulty, he spoke her name. "Luvia." He struggled against her, his arms not responding, his knees buckling, nausea coming in waves.

A sudden loud noise registered in his mind as his head came to rest upon her shoulder. She was not holding him as tight anymore, but he still couldn't fight. His body was not responding. He wondered what would happen to him when he died. Before his eyes could close, he saw Bethany hefting the Eviscerator. The yellow jewel on her gauntlet seemed to glow, but it could have been a hallucination induced by the drugs or pain he could not be sure of.

Her eyes widened as the blade came down across Luvia's back, and a horrifying scream escaped her. His eyes closed as he felt her release him, and he dropped to the ground, unconscious.

A few hours later, he opened his eyes, surprised he was still alive. The Sister hospitaller looked at him and smiled.

"You are quite lucky that Sister Bethany found you when she did. After that, you were at death's door."

Roth did not understand how one Sister Pronatus, alone, could kill a daemon like Luvia.

"Thank you, thank Sister Bethany and the Emperor. I live to fight another day."

He swallowed back another wave of nausea.

"How did she do it? Kill the daemon?"

"By the grace of the Emperor, the jewel on Sister Bethany's gauntlet seems to have emitted some sort of ward, and the she-daemon disappeared. However, it was captured in the jewel on the hilt of your Eviscerator."

"My? Yes, my Eviscerator. I remember now. I won it from the foul Mistress of the Sisters of the Night."

Again, nausea made his stomach roll, and he closed his eyes. Content that he would sleep peacefully from now on, but he still had a job to do. Hunt the Sisters of the Night.