The Phoenix's Wrath

Chapter 3: The Awakening

     The system was in chaos. Across the seven worlds, Adeptus Arbites and Imperial Guard struggled to hold back the Genestealer Cultists while the Roaring Phoenixes prepared for war. Skitarii were overwhelmed on Fernos and the Imperial Knights of House Mortis were forced to defend their own home planet, Tartarus.
     Many Guardsmen had been affected by the Cult's taint and with every passing moment more and more forces turned on their allies. Of the Honor Guard that assaulted the senate chamber and crossed the Rubicon Primaris, only Kahar had survived. The process was highly dangerous and casualties were expected, but the losses shocked the chapter.
     Jonek has been caught lacking in leadership the last time the chapter had been called to defend their home; it wouldn't happen again.

     Within hours, the Phoenixes struck. Across the system, the entire chapter deployed at once, with Jonek and Prathios leading the forces on New Vulkar. Massed armor assaulted fortifications overtaken by cultists as scouts and Phobos armored troops snuck and executed swift, surgical, strikes. On Fernuss, Captains Nicodemus and Zachariah led the defense. On Tartarus, Dreadnought Captain Arionus and the bulk of the Phoenixes' Dreadnoughts fought side by side with Queen Heidi and the Imperial Knights of House Mortis, with several companies of infantry and the bike company joining in that fight. On a small mining planet called Ashes due to it constantly being covered with a cloud of ashes thanks to the high volcanic activity, Captain Samael and his men fought against hordes of cultists, with the vast majority of the planet's population under the Cult's sway. It was on Ashes that the fighting was thickest, and it was on Ashes that atrocities would occur.

   Veteran Sergeant Ceccath was among those serving in Samael's company, and he enjoyed the slaughter. His squad flourished in close-quarters combat, and this was no exception. He turned as a Purestrain Genestealer pounced on him, and he met the beast with a slash of his lightning claws. The thing squealed in pain as several Neophyte hybrids lunged at him in revenge for killing what they perceived to be a demigod.
     But it was no demigod, Ceccath thought, carving the Neophytes with ease, That title belongs to us, for we are the Emperor's Astartes. He failed to notice the Aberrant thundering towards him until it was too late. The thing swung its power pickaxe, carving a rent in Ceccath's armor; it was one among many. Ceccath responding but shoving both sets of lightning claws into the monster's chest and ripping it in half.
     Ceccath's men were busy fighting their own battles behind him, so he continued carving through the hordes. He shoved his right hand's claws into the throat of a nearby Acolyte Iconward, shredding the banner with the set on his other hand.
     As they rounded a corner, they stumbled upon living quarters. Ceccath kicked down the nearest door and entered, seeing nothing but an old woman and a handful of children huddling inside. It was obvious that they all carried the taint. Ceccath cut through the adult hybrid first before carving through the rest of the children except for one small girl. She stood in the corner, looking at him with near human eyes.
     "Is my mommy alright?" she asked tearfully, her hair tangled and dirty, "She said that the Angels would come right before she went away. Are you an Angel?"
     Ceccath remained silent, staring at her through the lenses of his helmet. He estimated her to be six years old at most, but she still needed to be killed. The xenos taint couldn't be left in any citizen of the New Vulkar system. She was a pitiful creature. He didn't flinch as he killed her.

     Her name was Emily Wren. She was raised by her single mother, Colonel Ariana Wren, who was a loyal citizen of the Imperium and former member of the Vulkarian Guard 15th Regiment. Ariana died trying to protect her mining station from the cultists. Emily was with the station's other children and Buma, an old woman who had never strayed from the Emperor's light. She barricaded herself and the children inside that hab-unit at Ariana's request. The innocent girl's name was Emily Wren.