Something embedded itself in my thigh. The warmth of my blood oozing from the jagged wound drew my gaze, and my eyes landed on a crossbow stake. In a moment I heard movement, and felt murderous intent. I snatched blindly in that direction, and felt a searing pain as my hand was lanced. Curling my fingers around the spear tip to keep it from piercing further, I turned my gaze to the one who wielded the lance.

"Who are you to strike me?"

My senses were slow to return, my body an unfamiliar vessel. I could see my assailant's lips moving, my mind reading the motions as I was called a heretic. The word struck deep within my heart. The sting of the accusation cut deeper than the woman's lance, and in that moment I knew that Kairin's treachery still held fast the minds of mankind.

I felt the woman's synapses firing like a heavy bolter, her heart like the drumming of a thousand Astra Militarum Guardsmen marching to certain death. My lips parted to speak, but another's voice filled the room.

"You will disengage, Inquisitor."

I glanced at the speaker. She was a mere human, and yet her spirit seemed to soar past that of a mere mortal. I could feel a deep connection to her, and noticed I felt more connections behind me. I couldn't help but admire these women, standing against my assailant as they surrounded me in protection. But when the first speaker allowed the words 'prayers' and 'father' to fly from her lips, a chill went down my spine. Father had succeeded in spite of my failure. My gaze fell to the cold, rugged stone beneath my bare feet as the women around me contended for dominance.

"Cease these hostilities." My voice commanded their attention, and I knelt in front of my assailant, the one they called 'Inquisitor', her lance still piercing my hand. I held her gaze. "I understand your reservations. I willingly inter myself into your custody until such time as I can be verified."

The Inquisitor stared at me as if she'd been struck. She slowly stirred.

"This is some trick. You serve the Blood God, like the Canonness of these heretics."

I wrenched the lance from the Inquisitor's hands, and bracing myself I unsheathed it from my flesh. I held it out to her. "Khorne may be evil and desire the shedding of blood, but he holds to honorable combat. Were I a servant of his, then I would have simply slaughtered you all."

The Inquisitor glanced at the armed women who surrounded her, her neurons firing as she clearly weighed her options.

I set aside the pain that radiated from the wounds this mortal had inflicted on me. "I am not an agent of chaos, Inquisitor."

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My heart lurched, and I lunged to the side. Before any could register my movement, the nearest wall exploded inward, stone fragments embedded in my skin as I tried to shield these humans. I managed to become their bulwark against the shrapnel, not a one harmed. More women stormed the room, their dark armor akin to those already present, yet colored in more grim shades.

"Halt!"

I couldn't mask my surprise as the Inquisitor ordered the cessation of hostilities. I returned to my kneeling position, watching with interest as the Inquisitor commanded the newcomers.

"She is in my custody. We will determine who, or what, she is off world."

I spoke, and my voice echoed within the chamber. "I am Primarch Evaria Manoash, second child of the Emperor."

I could feel their minds simply stop, and the Inquisitor slowly turned to face me.

"You..?"

I felt a frown touch my lips at the genuine confusion in those around me. Did they not know about me? She assumed me a heretic: she must have known. I could do nothing else but silently nod, acutely aware how this claim had put me into more dangerous waters than before.

The Inquisitor narrowed her eyes, her desire to purge any who dared make such a heretical claim warred with her desire to work with me.

"As I said, I give myself into your custody, Inquisitor, and submit to whatever authority you shall subject me to. I'm sure my brothers can vouch for me." I could feel their suspicion. "Unless... Did something happen to my brothers?"

Panic began to settle in as I realized these humans, though enemies of chaos, may not be fond of my brothers.

I expanded my reach, stretching my aura out as far as I could. My abilities had yet to fully return, even the city I was within sprawled too far for me to grasp it's borders. But it was enough. Chaos had returned.

"We need to leave now."

The Inquisitor narrowed her eyes at my warning, as if offended I'd even offer a suggestion.

"The Immaterium has breached the city. You need to enact a mass evacuation, else the Warp will corrupt everyone."

The Inquisitor scoffed. "We needn't bother with this world. Exterminatus will handle the corruption."

A deep seated rage stirred in my heart, railing against the minds of those around me as I stood to my full height.

"The duty of the empire is to her citizens. In the face of Xenos and Warp threats, it is not only our purpose, but our honor to ensure the safety and security of mankind."

The Inquisitor's eyes flashed with confusion, and I knew then this was not the Imperium I had fought and died for. It was a corrupted, desecated corpse grasping blindly at the last vestiges of its former glory. I needed to change my tack.

"The more people who are turned, the more powerful the chaos daemons will become. I have seen a Champion of Chaos stop an exterminatus single handedly, simply by rending the souls of the corrupt to fuel his power."

The Inquisitor weighed her options, then finally grabbed her vox-caster. "Judicial Pyre, enact a planetary evacuation. But ensure all vessels stay close to you, that they may be searched for corruption once we jump from the system."

She then turned her pale grey eyes to me. "Come."