no original

We watched helplessly as the lone Seraphim plummeted, jump pack on full blast. Just as her fate seemed to be sealed, another figure flew over with incredible speed and plucked the falling sister from the sky.

Not believing my own eyes, I voxed, 'did… did any of you see that?' A chorus of responses from other Seraphims in the air confirmed my sighting.

As if the event wasn't unbelievable enough, mere moments later a huge pair of angelic wings appeared on the saviour. These were wings glowing with a divine radiance that reminded me of Him on Holy Terra.

-Testament excerpt from "Miracles of the Holy Daughter"

The Seraphim who I had spent so much effort to save just went clinically dead.

I mentally dismissed the unreal birds while simultaneously turning off [Wings of Sanguinius]. With their anchor to this universe cut off, my astral wings and the birds dissolved like fading fog. Like my wings, the life I once held in my hands had also vanished.

What now?

The cold calculus I had some time ago had come back to haunt me: this might not be the wisest course of action.

I gently laid the sister down on the ground before removing her helmet. It revealed an unnaturally pale young lady with dried blood caking around her nostrils and mouth. I used [Auspex] to check on her. My scanning revealed the horrible damages she had suffered; chief amongst her injuries was a skull fracture, a collapsed lung, multiple broken ribs and most importantly, a stopped heart.

Just then a new squad of Seraphim arrived, and I heard a name called out over the vox. 'Leth!'

Squadmates? These new arrivals were emitting solemn emotions, like they somehow knew their mate just died. Then I tasted how deep were their emotions and realised for real, they knew. How?

Connecting the dots, I connected myself to the noospheric tactical network and virtual name tags popped up one after another in my augmented view. The recently deceased sister was tagged with a greyed out name: Lethine Keel.

The newcomers landed quickly and a sister named Furxia Cowl rushed over. She halted upon recognising me, then turned to look at Lethine who was dead on the ground before falling to her knees.

Sad as it was, it wasn't time to give up yet. I turned to the still kneeling Seraphim Superior. 'Zarphia, how far away are the help you mentioned?'

'A moment please.' Zarphia stood up and voxed the responders, she had the answer a short while later. 'We ended up quite a distance from the landing zone, they will be here in a few minutes.'

Poor Lethine could not afford a few minutes if she was to have her last and only chance at resuscitation. With the advanced medical technologies of the 41st millennium and the high standard of medical care available to every Sister of the Adepta Sororitas, her injuries should be treatable. The real question was whether her life force could hold on long enough for the professional help to arrive.

We watched in silent distraught as the young and promising lady slowly inched towards true death. With her demise, my reputation would be dragged down the… No, no, no, forget that. There must be something I can do now to help.

Not about to give up, I reviewed Lethine's condition again and found no single obvious injury for her fatality. Despite this she died. Was it because she endured too much shock?

Sister Furxia who was kneeling looked up at me. Though her face was obscured by a helmet, anguish was plainly etched into her posture. My passive telepathy picked up a desperate, teary-eyed silent plea. Please, Holy Daughter, it is not her time yet, it couldn't be her time.

Throne darn it, who can I turn to for help?

I remembered Saint Celestine, the most famous living saint of this universe. In the grimdark tabletop game I once played, she was a really powerful figure who possessed unbelievable divine powers. If the stories were to be believed, Saint Celestine could heal her chosen companions and even revive them.

Being a "living saint in waiting", I wondered if the people around me just expected such miraculous feats from me. Unfortunately yours truly was not exactly a real saint sanctioned by the Emperor.

Desperate, I fired up thought acceleration and started digging out all the relevant first aid knowledge from the library deep inside my head. A few breaths later, combining my freshly gathered information and limited medical know-how, I arrived at some unlikely solutions.

'What's her name?' I asked, just to be sure.

'Lethine, Sister Lethine Keel,' replied a sister who was tagged with the name Axella.

The tactical data was on point. I nodded before pulling my best poker face, and declared with a straight face to cover up deep concerns: 'Emperor willing, I will save Sister Lethine. Pray for her.'

It was time to attempt another "miracle". I bent down beside Lethine and went to work.

First order of business was to attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation. While that sounded straight forward enough, with a power armour plate and layers of fibro-muscle getting in the way, it proved extra troublesome before even adding on the complication of broken ribs. Having no time to waste, I resorted to cheating with a skill which until now was used only once to open a locked library door.

First I tilted Lethine's chin upward by applying upward pressure just below the jaw to open her mouth. A short burst of [Auspex] was used to ensure there was no blockage in her airway. That done, I placed my hand on her chest plate and telekinetically applied controlled downward pressure directly to her sternum where the rib cage ends. Starting gently, my telekinetic force bypassed her armor to initiate the compressions.

It was difficult and awkward at first, but I quickly got the hang of it and was soon pushing with a consistent rhythm of about a hundred compressions per minute. I was very careful with my application of force to avoid further exacerbating her grievous wounds.

According to the CPR manual, the next step was to administer rescue breaths. I went straight to manipulating Lethine's diaphragm to simulate the natural expansion and contraction, imitating the breathing action without resorting to physical mouth-to-mouth contact. I also telekinetically massaged key arteries around her neck and legs to stimulate blood flow toward critical organs, all the while continuing the chest compressions.

To the observing Battle Sisters, I was merely letting Lethine's head rest on my thigh while having one hand lightly placed across her chest plate. Little did they know multiple processes were simultaneously under way to resuscitate their fallen comrade.

After a short while, just as I was wondering if I should try discharging lightning to simulate a defibrillator, Lethine's heart started to beat again. While still very weak, her life signs had definitely returned as her once greyed out name lit back on the tactical network. The tactical system was reading Lethine as being alive again. This development prompted all the previously silent Battle Sisters around me to erupt with cheers and praises to the Emperor.

Huh, welcome back.

As I was about to breathe a sigh of relief, an alarming feeling informed me that something was amiss with Lethine; there was this distinct total lackness of mental activities, it felt like there was no soul inside her body. Wait, are you going brain dead on me?

I probed Lethine's mind lightly, and to my horror found nothing but what was akin to a static television screen inside. This was not how a normal person's mind should be.

For the love of… is it because of the skull fracture?

I immediately went psychically active and embraced Lethine. As my consciousness stepped into hers, I found a blank mess and sensed her rapidly fracturing ego all around me. At this rate she might become a vegetable. With options drying out fast I decided to gamble on a last-ditch attempt.

Activating my halo, I rapidly constructed a mental space inside her head while sending a message into the deepest recesses of a vanishing mind.

Lethine, go to the light!

* * *

Lethine Keel found herself fully suited in power armour and walking on a lush green grassy field. A warm, lazy breeze caressed her face as she wondered how she got here in the first place. The sky was an unbelievable shade of blue, she had never seen a sky this blue nor grasses this green.

Despite the strangeness, everything here felt deeply nostalgic, like stepping into a forgotten home from a distant memory that faintly tugged at the very edges of consciousness. Lethine found herself tearing up at the scene from the unfamiliar yet intense emotion. Even during the years when she endured countless hardships to become a Sororitas, Lethine never once felt this emotional.

After a while, she reached a small slope. At its crest stood a large white umbrella, shading a white tea table with two matching lawn chairs. Seated in one of the chairs was a girl dressed in a white robe.

Upon seeing her approach, the girl stood up, waving and beckoning. Lethine was certain she had seen the girl before, but couldn't for her life recall any details. A stark contrast to the vivid scenery, her memory was hazy. This was either a dream or some sort of sorcery.

Sorcery.

The mere recollection of that word alone jolted Lethine. She immediately stopped to check around for signs of witchcraft or heresy but found none. Everything was just peaceful, Lethine felt herself mellowing down and continued her journey. Eventually she reached the table and the white robe girl greeted her warmly.

'Lethine, you made it! Please, take a seat.'

This girl knew her name. Lethine took a closer look at her mysterious host. She possessed shoulder length platinum hair that cascaded like flowing silver that glinted with soft radiance. Her angelic face held a timeless grace that could only be described as sculpted with ethereal delicacy, and she possessed crystal-clear grey eyes that whispered of a tranquil sky. Completing her presence was a benevolent aura that could soothe even the harshest of hearts, she evoked a sense of serenity that Lethine could not fathom as anything less than celestial.

'Who are you? How do you know my name, and where is this?' Lethine asked while sitting down. She was careful and tested the chair before letting herself settle. The elegant chair was sturdy enough even with the full weight of her power armour bearing down on it. This was something the Battle Sister was conscious about after ruining a few flimsy chairs while still getting accustomed to her armour.

'I am Syrine. Relax and have some refreshment first. I will tell you everything you need to know.'

Syrine.

Lethine was sure she had heard the name before but her head ached the moment she tried to recall further. The scent of freshly brewed tea brought her focus back to the table as Syrine started pouring steaming liquid into delicate tea cups.

'Try the tea with these Danish butter cookies. Tell me if you like them.' Syrine said while pushing a cup of tea and a plate of delicacies towards Lethine. On top of the plate was a collection of mouth-watering pastries that Lethine had never seen before.

Despite being a full-fledged member of the Adepta Sororitas, Lethine was still a youngster at her core and could not help but pick up a cookie before cautiously taking a bite. The cookie was crunchy, tasted nice and was not overly sweet. A moment of chewing later, she took another bite, then disappeared the whole cookie in her mouth. She reached for another cookie after that, and another after that, until the plate was empty.

Lethine then reached for the cup of tea, sipped it a little before gulping it down. The Battle Sister let out a satisfying sigh before putting the cup down, then Syrine quietly filled the cup again.

Lethine was about to take another sip on the nice tea when she remembered Syrine's promise. Deciding to get to the bottom of her situation, she put down her cup and started asking questions.

'So where is this and what is going on? Tell me.'

'Well…' Syrine replied apologetically, 'you were involved in a training accident and literally died.'

Upon hearing those words, Lethine felt deep chills running down her spine. She had the distinct feeling of being on the verge of remembering but her mind immediately went hazy again.

'What did you do to me?' Lethine asked while pressing down a creeping sense of nausea.

'This place and everything here is a vision, I brought you here to prevent your mind from collapsing.'

'Vision?' Lethine was about to refute that ridiculous claim before remembering the oddity of her situation. Restraining her impulse to argue, she decided to ask Syrine more questions.

'You are telling me this is not a real place.'

'Yes.'

'And you are communicating with me via some mystic ways as mentioned in the holy scriptures, like how living saints received guiding visions from the Emperor.'

'... Close enough.'

'Can you show me any proof for that?'

'Would you like to look at your current state in the real world?'

Not expecting such a direct reply, Lethine nodded grimly.

'Brace yourself.' Syrine waved.

The next moment Lethine saw it; a girl, no, she recognised that it was herself, her eyes closed, her skin pale as snow and she was being cradled by a person unseen. When Lethine looked closer, she could see bruises and wounds all over her own face.

A mind trick? No, every fiber of her being screamed that she was seeing the real thing, and fragments of what had happened began piecing themselves back together in her aching head. Just before Lethine felt like she was going insane Syrine waved again, and the scene disappeared. Lethine choked and started hyperventilating.

'Focus and stay calm. Help is on the way.'

As an exceptional individual qualified for the Seraphim training program, Lethine's iron discipline developed by years of harsh training kicked in and she soon stabilised her own breathing.

After reciting some prayers to further improve her condition, Lethine's mind became coherent again and she started asking more questions. 'Should I be thanking you? Just who are you?'

'I should be the one thanking you.' Syrine replied with a self-deprecating smile. 'Thanks to you, I have acquired something new. As for your second question, that's not important now, save your strength and get through this.'

Lethine was about to ask further when it dawned on her that she was here only because of this mysterious girl. She glanced at Syrine again and stated matter-of-factly, 'you… saved me.'

'Not yet, you need to stay here and get through this.'

'For how long?'

'Time flows differently here, but it shouldn't take long. Conserve your energy for now, don't think too much.'

Lethine took the advice and sat back while trying to relax. She looked around and turned her attention to the azure coloured heaven.

'Why is the sky in this shade of blue?'

'This is the sky from my homeworld.'

'Really? Where is that?'

There was a slight pause before Syrine replied. 'Holy Terra, about forty thousand years ago when the great oceans were still around.'

Lethine's eyes went wide at the answer. After a while she dropped another question. 'Why specifically forty thousand years?'

Syrine shrugged. 'It was an era when it still had a blue sky.'

Lethine looked around again and found herself appreciating the strangely nostalgic landscape that was supposedly from the cradle of humanity. Things got quiet after that under the umbrella, the only sound being the soft whisper of a light breeze.

A while later, Lethine felt the strange sense of crippling nausea returned. A disturbing feeling informed her that if she lost consciousness now, she might never wake up again.

'Am I going to be alright?' Lethine asked, panting.

'I sure hope so, a storm like no other is approaching and we can use all the help.' Syrine replied with a look of concern. As if stirred by her words, the gentle wind gained strength, sending her platinum hair streaming like silken banners against the vivid blue backdrop of the sky.

So beautiful.

Lethine found the scene so breathtakingly that a part of her wished she could stay in this moment forever. Her consciousness blurred and…

'Lethine?'

Reacting to her name, the sister snapped out of her daze but it was clear she was losing focus.

'Lethine. Tell me, would you sacrifice your humanity to continue serving the Emperor?' Noticing the weight of the question, Lethine looked up and noticed Syrine's eyes had changed to a radiant gold.

Sorcery? The alarming notion briefly crossed her mind again but she was slipping fast. Realising she might not get through this, Lethine answered without hesitation.

'Anything, anything for Him.'

Upon hearing that Syrine stood up and walked over. As she approached, a golden halo appeared around her head, filling the space with divine radiance. Lethine gasped at the holy light, a part of her mind was on the verge of recalling something important again.

'Wait, just who are you again?'

Syrine did not answer, instead she reached out to her.

'Hold my hands.'

Lethine hesitated for a second before complying. As they held hands, the sister felt a sense of warmth passing over.

'Stay strong, help is here.' Syrine encouraged.

As the warmth enveloped Lethine, her struggle to retain consciousness intensified. Knowing this was a matter of life or death, she gritted her teeth to remain vigilant. Her struggle slowly evolved into a drawn out battle against the abstract, like fighting a shadow with bare hands. The pervasive weight of fatigue pressed against her soul like a relentless tide. Her thoughts wavered, slipping into incoherent fragments. Snatches of memories, images of the Emperor, and the half-heard echoes of past prayers mingled with the bark of bolters. Each time her focus faltered, the darkness pressed closer, whispering sweet promises of eternal rest.

Keeping herself conscious became a monumental effort; she couldn't tell if minutes or hours passed in the haze of near-surrender. While Lethine wasn't sure how long she endured this intangible battle, two things were certain: a comforting warmth always supported her, and losing was not an option. The next thing Lethine knew, she was on the ground, eyes opened and looking up. The sky above was the familiar dirty purple and there were some commotions around her. The sound of a speeder landing nearby could be heard.

'She's awake!' a joyous voice shouted.

As memories of the accident started rushing back to her, Lethine tried to look around but discovered she couldn't move her head. Then her best friend Furxia and squad leader Axella came into view, both having their helmet visors lifted to reveal their concerned faces. Furxia looked unusually out of character with her teary eyes.

A flurry of hurried footsteps approached and a Sister Hospitaller came into Lethine's view. She took a quick look at her sorry state before bowing reverently towards a direction above her head.

'Holy Daughter.'

'At ease, sister,' a familiar voice responded. 'Sister Lethine here just regained consciousness. She suffers a skull fracture, a collapsed lung, multiple broken ribs and bone fractures.'

Lethine instantly recognised that voice, it was from the same girl who had served her tea in that strange vision. Wait, that was… the Holy Daughter? She was the person who saved me?

Lethine had so many questions, she tried but failed to raise her hand. Then Syrine's voice boomed near her head.

'Don't move, Lethine. Save your strength.'

Startled, Lethine finally realised all this time she was being cradled by Syrine.

'Holy Daughter? The blue sky, the green field, the… cookies, were those all hallucinations?' Lethine so desperately wanted to ask but found no strength to speak.

Syrine seemed able to read her mind and whispered. 'Hush. All you need to do now is to get through this. For the Emperor and the Order. That and one day you might get to taste Danish butter cookies.'

Danish butter cookies.

The idea of eating that delicacy some time again in the future was very appealing. Lethine felt an urge to laugh at her own absurdity but was swiftly reminded of her injuries, nearly choking as sharp pain surged through her from the sudden movement.

The Battle Sister sighed, settled down before looking up at the heavens and found herself already longing for that blue sky she saw in that vision.

* * *

I watched with apprehension as the first aid speeder sped off with the miracle survivor into the distance. While everyone seemed high spirited, I did not share their enthusiasm.

I cheated again.

In my desperate effort to keep Lethine's mind intact, I had circulated a portion of my psychic energy throughout her body. Amazingly she regained consciousness, but whether such an unsanctioned process would bring about any ill side-effects would remain to be seen.

'Lethine should be able to recover from this.' Zarphia, who was standing beside me, dropped the comment out of the blue.

Did she notice my concern?

'Your reason being?' I asked.

Zarphia bowed her head. 'I am sorry. I am no Sister Hospitaller and have no solid reasonings to back my statement. It was just… her spirited look gave me the distinct feeling that she will pull through this.'

'I sure hope so. Thank you for bringing my helmet.' As I reached out and took it from Zarphia, my microbead buzzed.

'Hello?'

'Syrine? Are you done with your jump?' It was Thaberus.

'Yes, anything?'

'The Tech-priest Dominus summoned us some time ago. We are coming to pick you up.'

Up in the sky a familiar gunship appeared and rapidly approached. The Flameraven was not alone, a pair of Mechanicus Archaeopter Stratoraptors were acting as its escorts.

It was finally time to see Kryptorer again.