Chapter 17: Inquisitor
The door creaked open before the clergymen could respond. A figure entered, cloaked in black robes, their face hidden within the shadows of a hood. Their calm voice broke the tension. "Please don't take offense, Kayvaan. Their intent is not to treat you poorly," the figure said. "We know of your contributions, your legacy. You are a hero of the Imperium."
"Then what's with these two?" Joe snapped, pointing to the clergymen. "They're grilling me like a criminal!"
The figure pulled back their hood, revealing themselves. "That's their job," she said calmly. "I am Inquisitor Elizabeth, and I hold the highest authority here. You'll answer to me now."
Joe blinked, momentarily taken aback. Elizabeth's long, golden hair framed a striking face, her sharp blue eyes cold and unfeeling, like shards of ice. Despite her beauty, her severe expression left no room for warmth or compassion. "Well, well," Joe muttered with a playful whistle. "What a serious face. You're quite the beauty, though I'd wager smiling isn't your strong suit."
Elizabeth's eyes narrowed, her voice cutting through the air like frost. "Such frivolity is unwise, Kayvaan. If I were you, I'd refrain from whistling at an inquisitor. It borders on heresy."
Joe smirked, spreading his hands in mock surrender. "And who, exactly, are you people? What gives you the right to question me? Before your great-grandparents were even born, I was the Emperor's knight and captain of the Raven Guard. What authority do you have over me?"
Elizabeth didn't flinch. Her lips twitched into a faint, humorless smile. "Your ignorance isn't surprising," she said, her tone laced with sarcasm. "I'd thought the reach of our organization was known throughout the galaxy, but apparently not."
"Sorry, I've never heard of this organization. The Inquisition? Sounds like a legal institution."
"Nine thousand years is a long time," Inquisitor Elizabeth replied calmly. "During those nine thousand years, the Imperium has undergone many changes. You'll need time to adapt, assuming you pass our evaluation." Her tone grew sharper as she continued, "For your cooperation, I think it's necessary to give you a brief introduction. The Ordo Hereticus deals with those who betray the Emperor; they will assess your loyalty. Meanwhile, the Ordo Malleus, which I represent, handles daemons born of Chaos. My task is to determine if you are tainted by it."
Joe tensed. His voice rose as he slammed his hand on the table. "I fought to the death against Chaos on behalf of the Emperor! I stood as a shield for Corax, taking the blows meant for him. I fell with honor on the battlefield, and now, after awakening, you treat me like a traitor? Do you think I'm someone who would betray the Emperor—or worse, one of those Chaos daemons? This is absurd!" His fear, though masked by anger, was apparent. "And daemons corrupted by Chaos don't need trials! You can tell them apart just by looking at them!"
Elizabeth didn't flinch. Her cold expression remained unshaken. "Sir Kayvaan, tell me—how much do you truly know about Chaos daemons?"
Joe, fuming, sat down heavily. "Not much, nor do I need to. I know their necks are weak spots, and if you strike hard enough, they die. That's all I need to deal with them."
Elizabeth's tone sharpened. "Then you know nothing. Since the Horus Heresy, the Imperium has lived in constant turmoil. Chaos daemons are our greatest enemies, having corrupted half of the Adeptus Astartes. After Horus's defeat, they retreated into the Eye of Terror, waging war against the Imperium even now. Tell me, do you understand that these forces have persisted since the war you fell in?"
Joe hesitated before giving a slow nod.
"You don't understand," Elizabeth pressed. "These bastards, tainted by Chaos, have been a thorn in the Imperium's side for nine thousand years. During your long slumber, they've waged countless skirmishes against the forces of the Imperium, with occasional large-scale conflicts. But war isn't their most dangerous weapon." She leaned forward slightly, her gaze piercing. "Their most insidious threat is how Chaos itself corrupts. Even those with strong resolve can fall prey, seduced and controlled by Chaos. These daemons don't always show their true forms. Some are hideous and unmistakable, yes, but others disguise themselves as loyal servants of the Imperium. They hide among us, pretending to be our allies."
Elizabeth's voice grew fervent, almost reverent. "No one can be trusted. We must remain vigilant, sparing no effort to root out and destroy these creatures until all slaves of Chaos are purged."
Joe gave a dismissive shrug. "Sounds like the enemy has gotten smarter. So what?"
"No matter how cunning the prey, the hunter always finds it." Elizabeth's eyes gleamed with intensity as she focused on him. "And you, Sir Kayvaan—your curse from Slaanesh is clear as day. Even your appearance has changed. The curse has turned you from a Space Marine into…a pretty boy. For the love of the Emperor, I hate pretty boys." She paused, her voice dripping with disdain. "You've been cursed, perhaps altered. For all we know, a daemon could be lurking within you, wearing Kayvaan Shrike's skin."
The sound of metal warping filled the room as Joe smashed his fist through the table. His voice thundered, "You wretch! Who are you to accuse me of this? You dare speak this way to a captain of the Raven Guard? Do you even understand the weight of your accusations? Yes, I bore the curse, but it's gone now! I've recovered! I am still a captain of the Raven Guard!" His voice shook with fury and disbelief. "You base this on speculation? How dare you?"
Elizabeth raised a single brow at the ruined table but remained unfazed. Her voice was calm yet unyielding. "As long as Chaos taint is involved, I have absolute authority. Here, I am above the laws of the Imperium. Until your purity is confirmed, your rights are suspended. Your past deeds, your contributions to the Imperium, your status—none of it matters here. Oh, and the Raven Guard?" She leaned closer. "They're still active, but the Chapter is a shadow of what it once was. Your title holds little sway in this new age."
"What?" Joe's voice trembled with shock. "The Raven Guard wouldn't let that happen! That's impossible!"
Elizabeth's voice was cold and deliberate as she spoke. "After the Horus Heresy, the Raven Guard suffered immense losses. Though they endure, they are undeniably diminished. They lack the numbers and resources of their former strength. Even their gene-seed was tainted after Corax's desperate experiments to rebuild their numbers during the Great Scouring."
Her piercing gaze fixed on Joe as she continued, "Do you understand what that means? Those experiments led to horrific mutations, forcing Corax to destroy many of his own creations. Their losses and the Imperium's inability to restore their gene-seed have left the Chapter weakened. They fight valiantly, but the glory of the Raven Guard you remember is a thing of the past."
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