Angels Lament

Hello Everyone and welcome back to another Chapter of Angel's Lament. I don't really have any announcements to say so let's begin…

Chapter 26: Meetings with the Heralds

Jane was hesitant to meet with whoever were Sister Ellias Superiors, but if her seeing Kaiden was dependent on speaking to them she was willing to do it, if only for Kaiden. After Agreeing to meet her Superiors, Ellia left, the Hospitaller giving Garrus one last glare before she was gone. Jane had then quickly gotten dressed in something more official-looking than her under armor. The Cloths she chose being an armored suit given to her some time ago by the Councilors in the hopes the gift would make her forgive them for not fully reinstating her as a Spectre. She had lied and said it would do as a peace offering but she mainly just did it to get some of their information brokers off her back. The suit was black like N7 armor, with a silver-colored Spectre emblem. Jane only really wore it as it was her only armor she had left that wasn't broken or covering in Collector blood.

Once that was done Jane left the Normandy accompanied by Garrus and Tali, as both had asked to join her in the hopes of seeing what was happening to Kaiden. Also tagging along were Jacob, Kelly, and Miranda as Jane felt due to them already having met Angels they would be fine meeting with them again. But before she even left the Normandy Jane was subject to a reality check.

She had expected to see the Cargo Bay shutters open to reveal the usual connection tunnel that most ships used to dock together, but this wasn't the case. What she walked out to see was a football field-sized chamber that was alive with activity as people in strange robes or in bizarre military uniforms rushed around doing their tasks and their own things, some of these people conversing together while others worked by themselves. The chamber was so large Jane felt almost like she had stepped aboard Omega from the massive space she found herself in.

Jane hearing Tali exclaim, the Quarian staring at the size of the chamber. "Keelah Se'lai! You sure this is a Ship, Shepard?"

Jane could only agree with her question, but she quickly pushed past that ordered her team to follow her as she walked down the ramp the Normandy had just dropped onto the crimson decking of the Angels ship.

Garrus saying to Tali as they descended the ramp. "I mean they called it a ship when they took us here. Apparently it's named the Angel's Retribution, as their leader called it that when he told us where we were going."

Tali responded to Garrus quickly her voice shining with the enthusiasm of a mechanic. "What else did they say about it?"

Garrus shrugged saying. "Nothing else really, other than they told us not to snoop around, and that the ship was sacred to them for some reason."

Jane listened absent-mindedly as she took her first steps onto the crimson steel that made the decking of the ship, the clang of the metal sounding stranger than any metal Jane had ever heard before. But before Jane could walk any farther she saw a woman approaching them most of the woman's body covered in a strange and almost religious looking robe. The sudden appearance of the strangely clothed woman being enough to silence Tali as she was trying to ask Garrus another question.

The woman was small, maybe five feet tall at most but she walked with a strange aura as though she could walk through the hell without being afraid. Her robe was crimson red, like absolutely everything, the robe also possessing a hood which she used to cover her face as she approached. Jane moved to meet the woman, the rest of her team following Jane's lead but at a greater distance than before.

They all met quickly after that, the woman being the first to speak. As she spoke she lifted her hood showing her face finally. Her face was pretty, and relatively young but it seemed to show with fatigue like she had felt little rest recently. But despite her tired expression she seemed to also be deceptively awake, as though despite her exhaustion she was more understanding of all that was going on, even more than Jane was.

Her voice was kind enough but clearly shone with determination and her spirit. "I am Mistress of Service Dimitra. I would assume you to be Commander Shepard?" She spoke with an accent like Sister Ellia, but unlike the Sister, Dimitras Accent was lighter and less prominent.

Jane responded quickly saying, in as polite a manner as she was willing to. "I am Shepard. Are you here to meet me?"

Dimitra was swift to reply her voice sounding assured. "Yes, I was instructed to take you to Chief Librarian Antros. Or as I believe you know him, Lucius." Dimitra finished but kept staring strangely at Garrus.

Jane quickly filed away in her mind the growing questions and said once Dimitra finished. "Alright, um well can you take us to him, please."

"Of Course, but would you leave… them," She said, indicating toward Garrus, disgust evident on her face as she spoke, "here with your ship?"

Jane resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the continued Xenophobia, but she responded quickly enough her voice clear and direct. "I won't be leaving him here, he has as much reason to come with me as I do. So either he comes with me or I don't."

Dimitra seemed displeased but she did nothing to act on it, the Mistress of Service replying a moment later saying, "As you wish," before she turned around and quickly began leading Jane and her team.

…

Antros sat in the War Council room, he was not alone, but he felt that way, after millennia of being passed down from Chief Librarian to their successor, the Blade Vitarus had been broken it was humiliating that he was the one, after countless Centuries, that the blade broke with. Was it a sign? Was Antros no longer worthy to lead his brethren and his fellow Imperials upon their mission? Had He failed the Emperor? Had he failed the trust of his Gene-Father?

But these grand and dreadful questions where yet to be answered, despite Antros desperation for the answers, after all, Antros was still the one chosen to lead, and he would not let his personal problems hold him back from his sacred duty. And so with that Antros forced his mind beyond himself and his own destiny and fate and towards what was a pressing situation. The main one, for now, was the debrief with the Mortal Commander. Dimitra had reported back to Antros of what had happened when Dimitra confronted her, and how the Commander had insisted on her Xenos companions coming with her. Antros thought about having her turned back to her shuttle and confined there until she decided to do as she was told, but something in Antros's heart told him he needed to speak with her sooner than that.

Lucius originally was skeptical about doing so, but when the feeling persisted within his chest he decided to listen to it, hoping it was a sign from the Emperor or Sanguinius that he was doing what they desired of him. So with that Antros allowed Shepard to bring her Xenos companions, Dimitra escorting them the rest of the way to the War Room Antros and his retinue of brothers were waiting in. With Antros was Chaplain Effriel, Sanguinary Guard Donotriel, Apothecary Novice Erik, Sergeant Telius, Lieutenant Tolmeron, and Captain Raphaen of the 4th Company. All were warriors and leaders, except Apothecary Novice Erik. He had only just graduated from the Scout company, where he had since taken on the training to become a Sanguinary Priest. But Erik was there in place of his Mentor Sanguinary Priest Albinus, who was busy with other medical matters.

Some of the Venerated Astartes were dressed more for comfort now, wearing their ceremonial and celebratory robes. But not all were dressed as such, Chaplain Effriel wearing his full Panoply of War as though he was moments away from deep striking behind traitor lines. Like Effriel Sanguinary Guard Donotriel too was dressed for war, his Encarmine Glaive already unsheathed and held in a poised stance, the honored battle-brother standing on the right side of Antros's throne. Others also in varied states of battle readiness were Captain Raphaen and Apothecary Novice Erik, though their weapons were not directly on their persons, and Erik had detached his Narthecium from his armor so he could sit in a more efficient posture.

Soon the Commander and her retinue entered the War Chamber, the two smallest of the group, a human woman with amber hair and a Quarian, looked around with a near childlike wonder, though for two very different reasons. Antros's psychic senses deciphering their thoughts in an instant. The Quarians wonder being that of a respect and veneration of craftsmanship. While the Mortal woman's astonishment more of that like a Remembrancer, with her mind quickly trying to soak in every detail of artistry around her, as well as her mind was busy attempting to make assumptions about Antros and his people. Some of the mortal womans theories were not entirely off, but others were almost humorously inaccurate, like her assumption that the Blood Angels cultural heritage came from a colony called Terra Nova. this humorous assumption bringing a glint to Antros's eye.

Upon the entrance of the final of Shepard retinue, a human male, with a head of shaved hair and ebony skin, Antros spoke to his faithful Servant Dimitra first his voice sounding pure and sincere. "Mistress Dimitra, You have my thanks for escorting them here, and with such efficiency no lessl. You are pardoned now to do as you require now, Mistress." Dimitra gave a low bow in response and then quickly left the chamber. Antros spoke again, this time to Shepard and her companions. "For those deserving I welcome you, I am Lord Commander Antros, or as I am known to you Lucius. Take a seat Commander Shepard me and my brothers have much to discuss with you." Antros indicated to the mortal sized thrones in front of the new arrivals.

Jane was quick in a response, Antros immediately discovering that the mortal woman seemed to have grown a larger tolerance for Antros and his brother's stature. Her voice was strong, which was commendable, as that was far more than could be said for some of her companions, but still her voice rang with almost arrogance. "Why did you stop me from seeing my crew in your medical facilities?"

Antros took the question and immediately shot back with an answer and his own inquiry, one meant to put the Commander back in her place. "I barred you from entering them as there are more pressing issues than the recovery of your warriors, and your lover. The same lover you nearly got killed if I might remind you, and the same lover who would be dead if my brothers had not broken him out before even more horrendous damage had been done."

Jane's face went from somewhat unpleasant to furious then finally, to mournful and regretful. Antros for a moment felt pity, thinking he may have gone too far in his words but he silenced these thoughts immediately and pressed on. He still had much, much more he needed to teach Jane before she was ready for the war that was coming. "I understand you do not enjoy doing as you are told by us-"

Jane snapped a moment and yelled out saying with venom in her voice. "I Hate you guys because you don't follow any rules! You kill without remorse! and you won't answer a single one of my damn questions!"

Antros held up his hand before Donotriel could flinch, telling his bodyguard to ignore the slight, of the commanders interruption, quickly saying after doing so in a still calm and collected voice. "I understand your reluctance, Mortal-"

Again Jane broke in yelling. "What is it with you jackasses and calling us mortals?! We Are People! Me, Miranda, Garrus, Jacob, Kelly, and Tali! All of us are people just call us by our names."

Antros again kept Donotriel still but when Antros spoke again it was not with the same calm demeanor. "You wouldn't understand even if I told you Commander it is a tale we ourselves find ridiculous. But we were sent here with a mission Commander Shepard, and we will see it done, whether it is to your liking or not, we care little. I will tell you this as a show of good faith, We are not from your world, we were sent here from our own realm by our Emperor to save you and the other deserving races of this galaxy."

Jane's face straightened for a moment as she listened, Antros detecting her to be listening intently, but once Antros spoke of his origin her face and aura turned dark, her mind believing him to be lying. In the same instant as her mind darkened she said her voice more controlled but still clearly upset. "You seriously are that paranoid to tell us anything even remotely true?"

Antros straightened his own face turning grim as he responded. "I do not lie, Commander. I am not of your realm, nor your time period."

Jane scoffed and said, her voice holding false humor. "Fine, if you are from some other reality then what is your galaxy like? Huh, can you tell me that?"

Antros thought for a moment, should he unleash his dark truth, should he show this insolent mortal what he had seen, what he had fought both with sword and within himself. In the end he decided against his most rash impulses, instead after another moment Antros said. "I come from a realm of unending bloodshed and battle, one that needs warriors like me to defend the innocent and the defenseless. It is a reality that needs me," Antros voice grew dark and his eyes turned to meet unblinking with Janes, "but I was instead sent here! To a Galaxy that looks at my sacrifice and my values as though I am an unintelligent behemoth of destruction! And not a warrior and defender against the darkness and the creatures that reside within it!" Jane buckled under the immense pressure of Antros's glare, her only respite from the intensity coming from her staring at her toes.

Finally after another moment, with the rest of her retinue looking down on the floor, Jane was able to force herself to make fleeting eye-contact with Antros long enough for her to say. "Why were you sent here then? If your people needed you so much."

Antros forced himself to calm down some, and sat back in his throne, a large and mentally strained sigh escaping him, then finally he spoke, his voice showing his mental fatigue. "I do not know. I was told by my Father that our Emperor sent us here to save you and your galaxy from these Reapers, But I was only able to ask little of him before I and my brethren were forced to enter your reality. I was told to defend your galaxy, by whatever means necessary if I have to, and I will do so willingly if it means I may return to where I am truly needed." Antros lowering his head a fraction upon finishing, Effriel laying a gauntleted hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort his brother and friend.

Jane hearing an ounce of the strain in Antros's voice said a second later, in an attempt to reconcile and in the hopes of aiding her galaxy. "I'm sorry you feel so unhappy with being sent here. But there are innocent people here too, you've seen it and you've helped them. Doesn't that mean something to you?"

Antros turned his head back up an ounce and said his voice hiding his fatigue. "I know there are, that is how I know my mission is true, and that it must be completed."

Hello and Thank you for joining me today! I hope you enjoyed the Chapter and that you were entertained by it at the very least. Please feel free to review as it lets me know what you guys think and that you guys want more.

Here are my responses.

RandomReader: Thanks I'm glad you are still willing to read more, and I'm sorry again. Thanks I'm glad to hear you are willing and understanding of me including other factions. I have some Idea for other Factions, but yeah. I wish you had an account so I could brainstorm a bit with someone else who wants to see more factions, but that's alright.

Guest: I'm super happy to hear you think that :)

Wargensnack: I'm glad to hear you are enjoying the story, and who knows they might very well do that soon.

UndeadLord22: I'll try and be spoiler free here and say who knows the Imperials may grow to include their originally hated species as allies but they might not be able to work past their own fears.

Brother Bov: Hello and thanks again for reviewing. I love seeing your reviews. They are very good. I understand your confusion with what the sister was saying, so I'll quickly clarify what she meant/what I meant, She was talking more broadly about Heretics, not Cultist Heretics, but simple Imperial Citizens or Guardsmen who turn either traitor (without going Chaos) or just have been led astray by the deceitful and ambitious. I meant it more as 'I would rather follow and fight with Imperial rebels and insurrectionists, before I would do the same with a Xeno of your species. Sorry if I made that unclear, but I was using Heretic in its broadest definition in 40k, which is just everyone and anyone who doesn't follow the Imperial Creed or follows a different religion.

Captain Richards: Thanks for the review and it's great to hear from you again! Yeah I decided to make a new version as I felt like I messed up a whole lot in the original version of it. And to answer your great question yes, I plan to showcase what they have been doing (the Eldar mainly) while the Blood Angels have been going for the big fish. But that will be released eventually. As my current plan for this story as I'm currently writing more is to have another one to three chapters take place and then have a bit of a hiatus on this story and focus on First Contact with the Angels for a bit before ultimately returning to this story. I'm taking the 'break' though I will still be writing I just won't publish the chapters if I finish any, as a way to try and recollect myself, my thoughts, and my hopes for this story as I want it to be good, make sense, and not to rush itself, so I want to take my time. But don't worry I will honestly be returning to this once I'm back, I just want to allow myself to collect.

Bullet: Thank you so much Bullet that means so much to me to hear, I'm very very happy to hear you are loving the story so much. And to answer your great question, I sadly won't say who but I plan to possibly have some show up way down the line, but they won't take over as the main threat of the story if they do show up. They'll be more of a thorn in the side than a true threat, at least to the Angels.

Fortitude501: Thanks so much for reviewing again, I love seeing what you think of the story and the new events that happen every chapter. And I'm glad to hear the gravity of Antros losing his sword wasn't lost on you, as I want that to be a very big event for him and for the story as a whole. Then let's hope the sisters can keep their fists from flying and their flamers from a flaming.

Negronomicon: Thanks for reviewing. That's on purpose she's supposed to be speaking with an accent. Hence the strange spellings, I did that as English very different from any form of Gothic so to her it's hard to speak it.

Jctherebel: Thanks, hope you enjoyed this one!

Bob2121998: I'm super happy to hear you enjoyed the Chapter so much. Sorry, this Chapter has taken so long I was working on other story things while writing it, both things for this story and my other one.