Chapter 72 The End of the Era: Battle Sisters

Vito has been to many churches and state religion temples, most of which are famous for their magnificence, exquisiteness and grandeur. Ten-meter-high statues and giant vaults are standard features, and they are matched with colorful glazed windows, velvet paintings and mosaic puzzle murals, etc. In short, they are very expensive things.

But here, the Great Temple of Salvation on this planet, which stores the coffin of the living saint, can definitely be called outstanding among such expensive buildings.

Expensive but gorgeous decorations, materials and artistic structures from the galaxy are gathered here. They cooperate with each other, partner and combine to form this great temple that is difficult to find a rival in the galaxy.

Perhaps only the headquarters of the state religion on Terra, the Imperial Palace and the Hall of Stillness on Macragge where the Primarch, the thirteenth son of the Empire, Roboute Guilliman, sleeps can be compared with it.

Vito could see that this temple was obviously built before the Apostasy Era, by the then Imperial Savior Church. Those guys were always obsessed with using the most gorgeous, grand and expensive ways to show their "piety" in their beliefs.

Although after the Apostasy Era, the Bright Alliance sect led by Sebastian Thor, with the support and help of the Sons of Dorne coalition led by the Imperial Fists and the rare Emperor's Guards who moved their butts out of the palace, Sebastian's sect overthrew the corrupt Savior Church and became the mainstream belief of the state religion today.

Although they may have this gorgeous church, in general, they still deliberately ensured the control of luxury during its construction, and only took great pains in the location of the Emperor's own shrine. The rest of the parts were generally considered "simple", at least by the standards of the state religion.

So, Vito was sure that this church must have been built during Vandir's reign, before or during the bloody Apostasy Era.

Vito walked on the clean marble floor of the Grand Basilica. The floor, which was composed of exquisite puzzles and magnificent floor-to-ceiling murals, clicked under the Inquisitor's studded boots, but the loudest rumble came from the four giants behind him.

The Emperor's angels of death walked behind the Inquisitor with heavy steps, and their bolters and melee weapons rose and fell with the swing of their armor. The shining silver skulls of the Black Watch and the shoulder armor of their respective regiments shone brightly under the bright lights of the cathedral.

The guardians guarding in the Holy Cathedral knelt down one after another to salute. Vito looked at the combat sisters who knelt on one knee. These daughters of the Emperor in small power armor knelt on the ground.

Many of them had silver hair. Vito looked at them curiously. To be honest, Vito had always been curious about why many combat sisters' hair gradually turned into pure silver as their faith deepened?

Although according to the official meaning of the state religion, it was because they were granted the light of truth by the Emperor, making them pure and holy, so that they could face all the filthy enemies of the Emperor.

But Vito always felt that maybe that old bastard just liked silver hair.

Vito noticed that the ages of the combat nuns here were all different. Some of them were only fifteen or sixteen years old, or even younger. They were given weapons and duties according to their ages. The older nuns aged fifteen to eighteen were given bolt guns or chain swords. Obviously, they still received relevant weapon training.

The younger nuns under the age of twelve seemed to be mainly responsible for medical care and comfort. They gathered in groups of three or five in front of the shrines of various sizes, praying devoutly to the golden statues representing the emperor.

Vito and his entourage walked through the holy hall of the Great Temple. The golden marble columns stood on both sides of the long hall. The winged angel statues also stood on the marble columns holding long swords or weights symbolizing fairness and justice. The winged angels jumped from the stone columns one by one, as if they were about to fly to the murals of the starry dome above their heads.

On the ground, the Emperor's true angels walked behind Vito with dull footsteps. They were respected by all the guardians of faith here, although perhaps more for the four angels of death.

They walked up the high stairs at the end of the long hall. The Inquisitor's boots stepped on the steps made of the purest quartz stone, and he stepped onto the holy place of faith where the coffin of the living saint was located.

Vito looked at the holy coffin placed on the marble steps in front of him. The coffin made of white jade crystal was outlined with golden silk threads. Beautiful and sacred silk threads gathered on the coffin lid, and finally presented the shape of a long sword.

In front of the holy coffin, a nun knelt down. She was wearing power armor, and the scarlet robe extended from behind and waistline. The red rose symbol symbolizing the Holy Rose Convent was outlined on the robe and also branded on the shining power sword.

The Space Marines and Stormtroopers also walked up the steps. They stood behind Vito and formed an iron wall. The four giants in particular guarded Vito like a black mountain range, silently proclaiming their supreme authority.

"Sister," Vito said. The Sister, who bowed her head in prayer, raised her scarlet eyes. She bowed her head again to salute the holy coffin in front of her and stood up.

The nun with a silver ponytail turned her head and looked at Vito. "Who is coming?" she asked.

"Inquisitor Vito Constantine of the Imperial Tribunal, I am here to represent the emperor's will." Vito said, raising his head slightly, and the four giants behind him also leaned forward in cooperation. The tall giants felt a severe sense of pressure. It hit me instantly, but it was obvious that the nun didn't feel any pressure.

"May the Emperor bless you, Inquisitor, I am honored to meet the Emperor's angels and messengers." The Sisters nodded to the four giants, Bell, Lancelot, and Olaf responded politely naturally, and Raghu Naya reluctantly returned the favor after a few jabs from Bell with his elbow.

"I am Henrietta Pavlovna, the new Mother Superior of the St. Bassus branch of the Order of the Holy Rosary. The Grand Mother has passed away to the Golden Throne, but in the name of the Emperor, I would like to thank you all for coming."

Vito smiled and walked towards the head nun, "I received a request from Judge Lilith to come for support. Do you know where my colleagues are?"

As he walked, he looked at the head nun in front of him. Surprisingly, she didn't seem to be that old. Maybe it was because the original head nun was killed in battle? But I have to say that she is indeed very young. Although not as beautiful as Lily, she can indeed be described as beautiful.

The nun wearing holy white power armor pressed one hand on the power sword. She frowned in displeasure. Vito smiled and stopped a few steps away with his arms crossed.

"It seems like you don't like him very much, right? Because he is too beautiful and lacks piety?" "No, he is charming but lacks piety."

Henrietta said with extreme displeasure, Vito smiled jokingly and shrugged slightly, "What's wrong with her?"

"While I called on the soldiers of the Astra Militarum and the Planetary Defense Force to pray and devoutly seek guidance and repentance from the Emperor, she openly questioned the meaning of prayer and encouraged the soldiers to do "practical things"."

Henrietta gritted her teeth when she said that word. She was obviously dissatisfied with Lily's troublesome behavior. Vito smiled jokingly and looked at the nuns in the church behind him.

"Dear Mother Superior, don't you think that in this critical moment, it would be more appropriate for you to lead the Sisters under you to temporarily put aside prayer and confession, and go out to physically exert the Emperor's will with bolters and chainswords?"

Henrietta held the national religion symbol on the chest of her armor. She looked at Vito seriously, "Faith is the most powerful weapon against the subspace demons. Judge, we must ensure the purity and piety of our hearts. Only by Only in this way can we fight against the evil spirits!”

"This is a place of faith, and we must defend the holy place of piety. Only with the eternal illumination of the Emperor's light of truth and the holy coffin can we defend the empire from the endless destruction of the Eye of Terror."

"But I'm sure, Sister Henrietta, the Emperor himself would prefer that you go outside and help those Cadian soldiers and Defense Force soldiers who are fighting hard."

Vito said as he still glanced at the nuns in the entire hall. They were fully armed, and everyone had high morale and looked forward to death. They should not waste time here on simple prayers.

Vito turned to Henrietta, and the majesty of the inquisitor appeared silently on his face, "I, Vito Constantine, the inquisitor chosen by the emperor is the representative of his will. I ask you to cooperate with me." Your Sisters of the Order immediately commit themselves to the Crusade of the Faith, and I demand that you leave the Temple and join the war on this planet."

"We must defend the temple and the holy coffin!" "If this planet falls, your little holy land will eventually die. You can fight until the entire army is wiped out and remain loyal to the death, but obviously, in the end, the holy land will still be destroyed by you. On hand."

Henrietta was stunned when she was about to retort. Her eyes suddenly froze when she looked at Vito. The inquisitor walked up to the beautiful young nun. He looked at the young leader who was entrusted to lead his sisters on the battlefield in front of him. .

"Your Grand Mother has entrusted her mission to you, Sister Henrietta. I hope that you will clearly understand your duties and mission as a battle sister, a daughter of the Emperor."

"What does the Emperor ask for?" Vito asked.

"We die in battle." The four Space Marines behind them said in unison, their resonant voices attracting the attention of all the nuns.

"Why did you die in battle?" "It is our bounden duty."

"What is our vocation?" "What the Emperor desires."

Many nuns knelt on one knee and bowed their heads to pray at the top of the steps. The resonant voices of the Astartes echoed throughout the hall, loud and solemn.

"Why did you die in battle?" "It is our bounden duty."

"Why does the Emperor ask for this?" Vito continued to look at the Sister and asked, and he was still answered by the sonorous response of the Angels of Death.

"I am the Emperor's Blade."

Vito looked at the nun in front of him. The latter lowered her eyes and remained silent for a moment before firmly raising her head and nodding in affirmation, "As the Book of Holy Words says, I will serve as the Emperor's Blade!"

"Very well, I have appointed Stormtrooper Commander Colonel York to command all local imperial armed forces. You obey him." Vito said and introduced Colonel York. The Stormtrooper Commander stepped forward and took off his helmet to salute Henrietta. .

Henrietta also made the aquila salute to the colonel without hesitation. She obeyed the order, which was good.

"Now tell me, Sister, where is Judge Lilith?" Vito asked, and the Sister was silent for a moment and quickly gave the answer.

"In the northeastern city, she took a team of Kashezin commandos to Silver Spring Square, at least that's the last thing I knew."

"Very well, now fulfill your vocation, Sister." "As the Emperor wishes, my lord."

Henrietta looked at Vito and turned away. She walked towards the church exit with the four angels of death without looking back. She looked at the colonel with a little confusion.

The latter smiled and straightened his gun belt, "Come on, before the Inquisitor saves the world, we must first ensure that this planet will not blow up."

I think that perhaps the colonel's "blow up" may not be a metaphor, but an adjective.