Editing Order Of The Armoured Heart (section)

==The Rebellion at Italica==
Sister Charlotte emerged from the aged wooden doors of the Order's fortified chapel, wincing slightly as the giant doors creaked open. As her eyes adjusted to the bright daylight, Charlotte struggled to keep her calm as she surveyed the blasted hellscape that their divine fortress-city had become.

For two weeks the Sisters had offered shelter to the panicking masses inside the sanctified training ground, halting all exercises and readying every weapon at their disposal for what they assumed was a typical riot of near-heretical malcontents. Such events were increasingly normal- neighbouring systems had been engulfed in war, preventing much needed Administratum deliveries from reaching the system. However, as they received reports of even the stalwart Arbites falling in battle, the Sisters prepared for war.

As she descended the path down towards the main gates, Charlotte began to feel herself slipping into a dark reverie. She remembered how, after days of fighting against what turned out to be a vile Chaos cult, she had watched as hundreds of civilians bled and died at her feet, cut down by traitorous heretics and desperate scavengers alike. She remembered the bloodied and scarred flesh of sacrificed men and women, still warm from where life had graced their pallid frames.

She was snapped from her thoughts as she reached the main gate, the cold, rusted metal shuddering as a distant explosion rocked the ground. Through the small viewports, Charlotte peered out over the ruins streets, and as she observed the telltale signs of old slaughter and violence, her Mother Superior’s words echoed in her ears:

“Suffer not those who would inflict pain on the innocent, those who would maim and burn the flesh of our charges like stone under chisel. These traitorous monsters, these hateful fiends- they deserve only a thousand fold in return”

Grimacing with barely contained fury, Sister Charlotte readied her halberd, casting a quick glance over the polished metal pole as she gave it a reflexive spin. Even though it was as long as she was tall, she flourished it as if it were a twig. The head of the weapon- freshly sharpened- glinted in the daylight, making it appear golden for a split second.

Contented with her weapon, Charlotte checked her armour. Her ceremonial bracers, as black as obsidian, were secured by worn leather straps, as were her greaves. Her chest plate, emblazoned with the Imperial Aquila, shone proudly under the sun, swathes of rich burgundy cloth doing little to shade the slowly heating black armour from the relentless heat. Satisfied with her armour, Charlotte murmured a prayer to God-Emperor, praying to Him for His favour in the coming battle. With well practiced finesse, she made the sign of the Aquila across her chest as she finished her prayer, and with that, she opened the main gate.

The true horror of the ruins of Italica were laid bare to her as yet another explosion rumbled in the distance, a thick, oily plume of smoke rising from behind row upon row of smouldering hab-complexes. Beyond the bombed out ruins, Charlotte could just about make out the distinctive silhouette of the Governor's Palace, engulfed in flames as the main tower collapsed before her very eyes.

One by one, the other sisters joined her in looking out across the city, each one mute in horror as the once beautiful world burned before their very eyes. As Sister Anna approached, another mighty explosion tore across the horizon.

"That was the promethium refinery," Anna grunted, absent-mindedly swinging her mace in a lazy arc, "Filthy heretics, why didn't we notice the corruption sooner..."

Charlotte shrugged- nothing she could say would offer Anna any solace. Better she use that righteous anger in whatever happened next. With a weary sigh, she turned to face her assembled sisters, raising her staff above her head to get her comrades' attention.

"Sisters," she shouted, meeting each of the gathered warriors' eyes with her own, "Fight by my side, for glory of the Emperor!"

They didn't need to respond with words, the cries and screams of fury that rose behind her as she turned to charge into the ruins was enough to spur Charlotte forwards.

Whatever happened next, she would not suffer the traitor to live...