The Imperium Frontier: The Society

Vito walked beneath the vast, magnificent hall, where the soaring ceiling hung high above like a grand heaven composed of countless exquisite murals and carvings; nebulae, galaxies, and radiant shores converged upon the immense dome.

The pristine white marble floor stretched toward the end of the hall, flanked by rows of majestic statues. These towering giants held longswords or balanced scales, their massive shields standing like a Sentinel to guard both sides, while broad, heavy banners draped down between the titan-like figures.

A colonnade of marble pillars lined both sides of the hall, leading toward the magnificent holy icon at the furthest end: a colossal statue of The Emperor, depicted sitting upon the ground with arms outstretched.

Vito, appearing infinitely small compared to all this, traversed the main hall. He passed all the giant statues and pillars, and after crossing the hundreds of meters of the grand nave, he turned before the holy icon and stepped into a side door.

Vito entered a long corridor, a classic cathedral wing, beyond whose white marble and plaster structures lay a garden—a beautiful garden shimmering under the sunlight.

Butterflies danced between vibrant flowers, and meticulously groomed trees and shrubs adorned the space, weaving together to imbue the cold cathedral with the vitality of life.

Vito watched several monks working in the garden; they seemed to be tending to everything, their heads covered by hoods, their backs turned to the corridor, making it difficult to discern their features.

Vito walked down the long corridor, passing through statues, murals, and archways, and after ascending a long flight of stairs, he finally arrived at his destination: a pair of brass-colored doors.

Vito gazed up at the carvings on the brass doors, which depicted light bursting forth from the sea of stars. Amidst a dreamlike, beautiful nebula, a massive silhouette emerged to descend upon the world, while below, joyful believers cheered and welcomed the arrival of the Lord of Redemption.

How interesting, he thought. The composition of this door is clearly modeled after the Golden Throne, but The Emperor has been replaced by the Tyranid Will. I wonder what the people of the Ecclesiarchy would think if they saw this.

Several monks stood before the brass doors, holding staves and lined up on either side like loyal guards protecting the entrance.

Vito studied them, noting that these monks were more burly and tall than the others, and that their hands possessed bony carapaces.

"Who are you?" asked the monk in the center, directly in front of the doors. "Vito Constantine, a soul." "Why have you come?" "To welcome the final destiny, to listen to the will of the Lord of Redemption."

"Why listen?" "For redemption." "What is redemption?" "It is the truth." "What is truth?" "It is the path of redemption." "What is the path of redemption?" "It is the deity of the sea of stars."

Vito had long since memorized this Q&A; he had seen too many Devout Society priests and believers engaging in this kind of prattle. Honestly, why did all religions love these flashy, mystical rituals to intimidate their followers?

Ah, sometimes I truly miss the Imperial Truth.

Though Vito was grumbling internally, his face remained solemn and serious. The monk nodded slightly and struck the ground with his staff; following his lead, the surrounding Monk-Soldiers began to strike in unison.

The sound of the staves hitting the floor was rhythmic and steady, and as the percussion played, the brass doors slowly groaned open.

Vito was surprised to find that the doors were not opened by mechanical structures, but by pure kinetic energy—or rather, psychic power.

The monk stepped aside, clearing a path into the interior of the brass doors. Vito held his head high and strode past the Monk-Soldiers, walking through their ranks and into the chamber.

He reached the circular pattern in the center. Vito looked around at the mysterious hooded figures standing on a raised platform, each behind a lectern carved with patterns of coiled twin serpents and tentacles.

The doors behind him closed, sealing shut without a sound. The light from the outside was completely blocked off, and in this room, only candles and chandeliers hanging in the air provided a dim glow.

"Vito Constantine." Among the seven hooded figures, the one directly in front of Vito spoke. The voice was deep and imposing, and every word seemed to emanate from countless directions, causing the very air to vibrate.

Vito accurately realized his identity: a powerful psyker, a bishop of the Genestealer Cult.

Vito nodded slightly in respect. "Bishop." "Welcome, our brother. Governor Luwen recommended you to us." The bishop said, gesturing slightly toward a hooded figure on the other side of the circular platform. That person bowed to the bishop, and Vito caught a glimpse of Luwen's face in the dim light.

He could see everyone, and now he had memorized the faces of these imperial dignitaries and confirmed their identities.

The head of the Administration, the Chief Astropath of the Astropathic Choir, the Speaker of the Planetary Governor's Council, the Deputy Marshal of the Planetary Defense Force, and an Archbishop of the Ecclesiarchy. Hmph, how interesting. It seems there are few departments left on this planet that haven't been infiltrated.

They watched Vito from beneath their hoods, like the leaders of a secret society scrutinizing an initiate, which was indeed the case.

The supreme religious leader of the Devout Society looked down at Vito. "You have given much and gained much, Brother Vito. You have perhaps proven your ability; you have proven yourself a capable servant of the deity."

"But now, we need you to prove your faith," the Archbishop said. He raised his hand, and a ball of light ignited from a dark corner, instantly filling the entire room.

It was a purple orb of light, shining like a sun, churning with countless storms and vortices. It truly looked like a miniature sun, suspended within a ring-staff held by a solemn monk, like a star orbited by a space station.

The sun instantly illuminated everything, lighting up the dim room completely. "Look directly at it, touch it. If you are a true believer, you will be unharmed. But if you are a faithless one, a man of lies, you will be scorched and consumed by the flames of faith."

The monk walked over in silence. He extended the staff toward Vito, placing the sun before him. Vito looked at the churning fire and solar flares, then glanced around at the leaders of the cult staring at him.

"Prove your faith; only then can we accept you," the Astropath said in a mystical, droning voice. Her blind eyes stared at him, the pupil-less gaze chilling to the bone.

"As it is said, accept the test of faith, Vito Constantine. If the deity recognizes you, we shall recognize you as well," the traitorous Archbishop of the Ecclesiarchy proclaimed, his voice loud and resonant, just as it was when he preached in the cathedral.

Vito nodded slightly and stared directly into the sun. He reached his hand toward the surface of the raging fire. Suddenly, a myriad of rays burst forth from within, as brilliant as a sun about to explode, and the light instantly swallowed everything.

But when the blinding radiance faded a moment later, everyone saw Vito Constantine still standing before them. He remained there, completely unchanged.

Vito merely rubbed his eyes and looked at the Archbishop. The latter held his head high, and the cloak draped over him slid to the sides, revealing six arms unfolding from beneath.

Six claws, six Tyranid creations. Vito watched the Archbishop with a calm expression. The Archbishop's arms spread out like the points of a hexagram in the light. Vito looked around; the people on the lecterns also spread their arms, and among them, he saw the presence of third hands.

Now, he knew where the greatest cancer on this planet lay, and now, he knew how to pass judgment.

"Vito Constantine, the Lord of Redemption continues to accept your faith. Our excellent brother, welcome to the Association of Heralds."

The Archbishop chanted loudly, "You shall receive His redemption, you shall receive the blessings of the deity! You shall see with your own eyes our holy bloodline and the initiator of our faith! The Archangel from beyond the sea of stars, from the side of the deity!"

"Be glorious! Be honored! Under His blessing, and through the baptism of the Patriarch himself, you shall enter the ranks of the divine!" The Archbishop shouted, "Welcome, my brother."

"My honor, Archbishop, my honor," Vito said with a smile, his fingers tightening slightly. "My honor."

The Emperor protect us, this planet is about to be purged.