Lilith turns around to face his massive form that is blocking out the weak sunlight that filtered through Armageddon's perpetual smog. "I have seen many things in my centuries of service to the Emperor," he began, his voice low and measured. "But never have I witnessed a mere Guardswoman move with such... precision. Such unnatural speed."

Sergeant Talon’s eyes looks at Lilith’s eyes and a single glance, he knew that the girl before her isn’t Eve. Lilith's heart hammered in her chest. She opened her mouth to speak, to offer some explanation, but Taelon raised a hand, silencing her.

"You seem awfully different now," he continued but his guard is up. " Care to explain, guardswoman?"

Lilith took a deep breath, her mind racing. Eve was still silent within her, leaving Lilith to face this moment alone. She thought of all the lies she could tell, all the half-truths she could offer. But as she looked up into Sergeant Taelon's eyes, she saw not just suspicion, but also a glimmer of something else. Concern, perhaps.

In that moment, Lilith made a decision that would alter the course of her life forever.

"The truth, Sergeant," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, "Is that... I am sharing this body with someone"

Taelon's eyes narrowed, but he remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

"My name is Lilith," she began, "and I share this body with another soul. Her name is Eve, and it is she who knows you. She who you rescued years ago."

The Salamander's expression remained impassive, but Lilith could see the tension in his massive frame. His hand twitched almost imperceptibly towards his bolter.

"What manner of warp-spawned heresy is this?" Taelon growled, his voice low and dangerous.

Lilith instinctively put her hands on her chest, feeling nervous. " I know how this sounds, but I swear by the Emperor's light that I speak the truth. I am a psyker, though I only discovered this recently. And as you know, Eve is a blank."

At this, Taelon's eyes widened in genuine surprise. "Impossible," he muttered. "Such a thing cannot be."

"And yet, it is," Lilith pressed on, feeling a strange sense of relief at finally speaking the truth. "I don't fully understand it myself. But I know that Eve was born a blank. Eve mentioned that you and the others saved her when she was a child."

Taelon's expression shifted, a flicker of recognition passing across his features. "The child," he said softly. "The one we found amidst the Ork invasion on Proxima III. But that was..."

"Several years ago," Lilith finished for him. "Yes. Since then, our souls have become... merged. I was raised in an orphanage on Armageddon, unaware of Eve's existence until recently."

The Salamander was silent for a long moment, his gaze boring into Lilith as if trying to peer into her very soul. When he spoke again, his voice was carefully neutral. "And your... abilities? The speed and precision you displayed in battle?"

Lilith swallowed hard. "My powers... almost gotten out of hand. Eve was the one who is restricting my connection to the warp. On the battlefield, that was Eve. I don’t know how she managed to do that since I can’t."

She paused, steeling herself for what she knew she had to reveal next. "Commissar Voss... he saw. He tried to execute me for being an unsanctioned psyker."

Taelon's eyes narrowed. "Yet you stand here before me."

Lilith nodded. "Eve took control. She immediately took over to hold the Commissar's weapon, missing the shot. That's when you arrived."

The silence that followed was deafening. Lilith could hear her own heartbeat thundering in her ears as she waited for Taelon's response. Would he denounce her as a heretic? Strike her down where she stood? Or perhaps...

"By the Fires of Nocturne," Taelon muttered, shaking his head slowly. "In all my years, I have never encountered anything like this. A psyker and a blank, sharing one form? It defies all known laws of nature and the warp."

Lilith nodded, a small, bitter smile tugging at her lips. "Trust me, Sergeant, I'm as confused by it as you are."

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Taelon's gaze softened slightly, and Lilith was struck by the unexpected compassion she saw there. "Child," he said, his voice gentler than she would have thought possible for an Astartes, "Do you understand the gravity of what you're saying? The danger you're in?"

"I do," Lilith replied, her voice barely above a whisper as she looks down. "But I couldn't... I couldn't keep lying. I can’t lie to you since Eve trusts you."

The Salamander nodded slowly. "Your honesty does you credit, young one. But it also places us both in a precarious position. The Inquisition would have you burned at the stake for far less than what you've revealed to me."

Lilith felt a chill run down her spine at the mention of the Inquisition. She had heard whispered tales of their ruthlessness, their unwavering dedication to rooting out any hint of heresy or corruption within the Imperium.

"What... what will you do?" she asked, hating the tremor in her voice.

Taelon was silent for a long moment, his eyes never leaving Lilith's face. When he spoke, his words were carefully measured. "The Salamanders have long believed in the value of human life, in protecting the innocent and the weak. It is one of the tenets laid down by our Primarch, Vulkan, himself."

He paused, his gaze drifting to the battlefield beyond, where his battle-brothers were still securing the area. "But we are also sworn to defend the Imperium against all threats, be they xenos, heretic, or daemon."

Lilith felt her heart sink. She opened her mouth to speak, but Taelon raised a hand, silencing her.

"I do not believe you are a threat," he continued, his voice low. "Your actions in battle, your willingness to risk your life for your fellow Guardsmen, speak to a loyalty to the Emperor that cannot be feigned. And yet, your very existence poses questions that I am ill-equipped to answer."

He turned back to her, his expression grave. "I will not turn you over to the Inquisition. Not yet. But neither can I simply ignore what you have told me. We must tread carefully, young Lilith. Very carefully indeed."

Relief washed over Lilith like a tidal wave, nearly buckling her knees. "Thank you, Sergeant," she breathed. "I... I don't know what to say."

Taelon's expression softened further. "You need say nothing. But know this: the path ahead of you is fraught with danger. The Imperium does not look kindly upon those who deviate from what is deemed 'normal.' You will need to be vigilant, always."

Lilith nodded, feeling the weight of his words settle upon her shoulders. "I understand. But... what happens now?"

The Salamander considered for a moment. "For now, you will remain with your unit. I will speak with my battle-brothers and determine our next course of action. We may be able to provide you with some measure of protection, but it will not be easy."

He paused, his gaze becoming distant. "There are those within our Chapter who study the mysteries of the warp and the nature of psychic abilities. Perhaps they may be able to shed some light on your unique... condition."

Lilith felt a glimmer of hope at his words. "Is that possible?"

Taelon nodded solemnly. "The Salamanders have always valued knowledge and understanding. If there is a way to help you understand what has happened to you and Eve, we will find it."

He placed a massive hand on Lilith's shoulder, the weight of it both comforting and slightly painful. "But remember, young one. Trust is a rare and precious commodity in these dark times. Be cautious in whom you confide. Not all will be as understanding as I."

Lilith nodded, feeling a lump form in her throat as he remembers that she still needs to speak with Commissar Voss. "I understand, Sergeant. And... thank you. For listening. For believing me."

Taelon's lips quirked in what might have been the ghost of a smile. "Faith in the Emperor guides us all, Lilith. Sometimes, it leads us down unexpected paths."

As if on cue, Lilith felt a stirring in the back of her mind. Eve was awakening, her consciousness slowly unfurling like a flower opening to the sun.

*"Lilith?"* Eve's mental voice was groggy, confused. *"What's... what's happening?"*

Lilith closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. When she opened them again, she met Taelon's gaze with renewed determination.

"Eve is awake," she said simply.

The Salamander's eyes widened slightly, but he nodded. "Then perhaps it is time for me to speak with her as well."

Lilith felt a moment of panic. *"Eve,"* she thought frantically, *"I've told him. About us. About... everything."*

There was a moment of shocked silence in her mind before Eve replied. *"You... what? Lilith, do you have any idea what you've done?"*

*"I had to,"* Lilith responded, even as she maintained eye contact with Taelon. *"You trust him."*

She could feel Eve's disappointment and somehow can see a mental image of her facepalming, but also a grudging understanding. *"I... I see. Well, I suppose there's nothing for it now. Let me speak with him."*

Lilith nodded, both to Eve and to Taelon. "She's ready to talk," she said aloud. "I... I'm going to let her take control now."

Taelon nodded, his expression was a mix of curiosity and wariness. "Very well. I am ready."

Lilith closed her eyes, focusing on that strange, internal shift that allowed Eve to come to the forefront of their shared consciousness. It was like stepping back from a precipice, letting herself fall into a warm, dark space while Eve moved forward to take control.

When their eyes opened again, it was Eve who looked up at Sergeant Taelon. Her posture changed subtly – straighter, more confident. Her eyes, once wide with Lilith's youth and inexperience, now held a harder edge.

"Sergeant Taelon," Eve said, her voice slightly deeper than Lilith's, carrying the weight of her experiences. "It's been a long time."

Taelon's eyes widened, recognition flashing across his features. The effect of the null field came when Eve took over "By the Emperor," he breathed. "You really are in a same body!"

Eve nodded, a small, sad smile tugging at her lips. "Yes. After you dropped me off on the settlement and an Ork invasion occurred, that was the time Lilith came into my life then we were transferred into the orphanage"

The Salamander shook his head slowly, wonder and disbelief warring in his expression. "How is this possible? Is this a miracle from the Emperor? Or perhaps…"

"We don’t know," Eve said dryly with a deep sigh, "Even Lilith has no idea."

Eve pauses as she hides the fact that Lilith is from another world. “Lilith died and found herself on my body”

Taelon's expression darkened. "Lilith… died at such a young age?"

Eve sighed, running a hand through their shared body's short, sweat-matted hair. "It's what happened, Sergeant. I don’t know how she died but that’s how she found her way into my body and merged with me."

"This is indeed interesting. There’s no record of something like this happened in the past. This may bring disaster or perhaps a miracle" Taelon rumbled, his voice a mixture of curiosity and concern.

Taelon's expression softened slightly. "But we cannot make assumptions."

He paused, his gaze becoming distant. "I believe I already told Lilith about this but there are those within our Chapter who study the deeper mysteries of the universe. Librarians and Chaplains who seek to understand the Emperor's will and the nature of reality itself. Perhaps... perhaps they might be able to help you. To understand what has been done to you, and how you and Lilith have come to share one form."

Eve's eyes widened in surprise. "You would do that? Even knowing what we are?"

Taelon nodded solemnly. "You walk a path that is full of danger. Asking for help is the right thing to do but you do need to pick who you need to trust, after all, you could be seen as a threat or maybe perceived as a heretic by the others."

“That is something that I am aware of, Sergeant.” Eve nods in acknowledgement as her eyes darted behind Sergeant Taelon’s back. It’s Commissar Voss waiting with a serious expression on his face.

“Looks like I still have something to take care of, Sergeant. I’ll take my leave” Eve bids farewell to Sergeant Taelon’s before walking towards Commissar Voss.

Taelon looks at Eve’s small stature as she follows Commissar Voss. “Such a sharp mind while the other is delicate. What an interesting combination indeed”