"So they saved me again", he thinks before a sting of pain shoots through his leg. "I am sorry, Protector", a soft voice whispers, "I am almost done. Bite down on this".
A metal object is put between his teeth as the cuts go deeper still into his thigh. After yet another hour of cuts and stitches, the surgery is complete. Jacobus tries to sit, but falls back onto the makeshift pillow, a rolled-up red robe brandishing an emblazoned fleur-de-lis, stained with black and red blood. The surgeon rises to her feet, and the Protector can see her covered face and white robes.
"Thank you, my Sister Hospitaller". The voice is distant, but familiar, speaking now with the dignified melody of the sanctified, echoing through the ruined Sanctum. And Jacobus gets up to one elbow, squinting across the room and he can see the Celestinian Obelisk towering in the morning sun.
"Thank you, my Sister Hospitaller". The voice is distant, but familiar, speaking now with the dignified melody of the sanctified, echoing through the ruined Sanctum. And Jacobus gets up to one elbow, squinting across the room and he can see the Celestinian Obelisk towering in the morning sun.
"Henrietta", he says, "how did you get here?"
She walks toward him, flanked by her Celestian retinue. "That's Canoness Henrietta now", she says solemnly. "You are lucky to be breathing still, Protector. You will live to fight another day, thanks to your Conclave", she continues, pointing to the niches.
"The Order has granted me the opportunity to take over operations on Thygius IV for the time being. But we will need you to become stronger fast, Protector. The greenskins still plague these lands. Your assassins drove their boss away, badly injured, but he too will most likely be on the mend. More Sisters are heading here as we speak". She closes her robes around her, but bends down by his ageing face and strokes his forehead. "We will fight together once more. At least". She smiles for a brief moment. "Get well. Fast". She rises again and turns her back, her red robes tightly around her body. "Rest now".
"What about the Ordo Xenos", Jacobus asks, "are they still here?"
Canoness Henrietta looks back at him and then nods before she kneels by the Obelisk, placing her worn bolter by its base.
"Yes, I am here", a coarse voice says from a darkened corner, "and soon the three of us will speak and take counsel . But now you will rest".
Then all is silent as the sun rises over Thygius Prime.
She walks toward him, flanked by her Celestian retinue. "That's Canoness Henrietta now", she says solemnly. "You are lucky to be breathing still, Protector. You will live to fight another day, thanks to your Conclave", she continues, pointing to the niches.
"The Order has granted me the opportunity to take over operations on Thygius IV for the time being. But we will need you to become stronger fast, Protector. The greenskins still plague these lands. Your assassins drove their boss away, badly injured, but he too will most likely be on the mend. More Sisters are heading here as we speak". She closes her robes around her, but bends down by his ageing face and strokes his forehead. "We will fight together once more. At least". She smiles for a brief moment. "Get well. Fast". She rises again and turns her back, her red robes tightly around her body. "Rest now".
"What about the Ordo Xenos", Jacobus asks, "are they still here?"
Canoness Henrietta looks back at him and then nods before she kneels by the Obelisk, placing her worn bolter by its base.
"Yes, I am here", a coarse voice says from a darkened corner, "and soon the three of us will speak and take counsel . But now you will rest".
Then all is silent as the sun rises over Thygius Prime.
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