Sister Superior Jeanne prodded herself in the matters of faith, especially within the realms of the Emperors' faithful, but standing before Ragnar she had her doubts.
It wasn't often that saints would be enveloped by the Emperors' light and if they are they're mortal, not that of Astartes, furthermore, watching the Pict feeds of two instances that 'Agnar Wolfbreaker' did the impossible all the while the Emperors' light enveloped him like a suns' glow.
Her eyes narrowed as she watched the fist fight between Agnar and Khârn, this was already impressive, with Khârn's enhanced physiology along with Khornes' blessings.
Khârn could've possibly taken the entirety of the Space Wolves on and taken about 2/3rds of it before falling.
Instead it fell to a Dreadnaught and an Angel who hasn't even been alive for a century dropped him, all the while the glow from Agnar's body only glowed brighter.
If this wasn't a Space Wolves chapter member she would've immediately called both an Lord Inquisitor and several Cardinals.
But Space Wolves don't take kindly to outsiders, and she only had an in due to both close proximity and her owing a favor to a Wolf Priest.
It was clear to her as day that the Space Wolves' brother was blessed by the Emperor himself, however, she couldn't help but think of any and all problems that'll arise when it'll be announced.
Inquisitors will no doubt want to verify, the Ecclesiarchy would also want verification, and the High Lords of Terra.
Jeanne forced her eyes shut and inhaled slowly, she wasn't one to pause in the terms of announcing a Blessed One, but the political side of an Astartes let alone one of the Space Wolves would no doubt cause friction between everyone else and the Space Wolves.
She exhaled as she slowly turned towards Ragnar, the Jarl of the fourth company "it is clear to me he is blessed - the nature of it is unknown to me"
Ragnar nodded "good, he is currently meeting with the Great Wolf until he gets back you'll stay in your quarters" Ragnar glanced at the other nine sisters who all stared at the pict feeds with silent worship.
"Be warned, if you attempt to see him before you have permission" Ragnar didn't need to continue as he let his words die on his lips.
"We understand, Lord Wolf" Jeanne spoke as the others knelt before the pict feeds silently speaking of prayers.
She couldn't help but allow her eyes to silently move over to the pict feeds to show Agnar slamming his fists down on a downed Khârn each hit more brutal than the last, each hit forcing the golden light around him glowing brighter.
"…I must ask this, Lord Wolf" Jeanne slowly looked back into the Company Commanders' eyes.
"What of Agnar? What will happen to him?" Ragnar's eyes slightly narrowed, say what you will about the barbaric Space Wolves, when they become much older and actually have leadership positions they are quite the clever schemers.
"That is for the Great Wolf to decide" Ragnar pushed off the question to his superior, and Jeanne slightly bristled at her question being shrugged off, however her nor her squad could do anything.
"Very well" Jeanne turned around and gathered her squad who ceased their worshipping and quickly followed their Sister Superior.
Ragnar couldn't help but rub his forehead in slight worry, they'd need to go all in with this or else they might lose Agnar in all of his entirety.
————————
I stared at myself in the mirror or rather the new me, I managed to get my body out of the armor which I couldn't understand why'd they been greatly concerned when I came out, but now that I looked at myself I couldn't help but stiffen slightly.
I was bald, like really bald; Saitama level bald, but the ginger beard that covered my mouth and barely reached the end of my neck made me slightly stroke it.
My eyes were slightly blazing, my eyelashes faintly glowed a golden light, as sparkles of graceful light faintly sparked around my eyes. I blinked once then twice.
"This can't be" I spoke to myself as I started to psychoanalyze myself; starting with my face, gruff, a giant bushy ginger beard, faintly glowing golden eyes.
Looking down at myself, I wore a simply grey tunic but from the skin on my arms and other exposed parts, I had scars littered on my body, looking like a battlefield and a timeline of my trails and services.
I inhaled and exhaled, a different universe, a different body… different everything.
I met with the Great Wolf: Logan Grimnar. Mans' a monster his Canines were visible through his lips and his grey beard threatened to swallow up his words.
After discussing my actions for a lengthy time he commanded me to rest and I was not to return down to the battlefield - a part of me was thankful, and another part was growling in disrespect.
Yet I couldn't do anything, so now I was resting, feeling naked, and most importantly, finally, finally able to get my thoughts together.
And it came crashing down.
I wanted to cry, to raise my fist in the sky and curse everything all at once, another wanting to curl up and close my eyes hoping I'd either never wake up or be reborn in anywhere else.
Instead I let out a cold shaky breath as I sat on a cot, not an ounce of entertainment as I swallowed both my fears and my thoughts as I laid down on the cot and stared up at the complete and unforgiving ceiling.
My body never hurt, my body never felt anything, and strangely I was fine with it, I thought about how I awoke back in the hive. The feeling was fear incarnate, not 'oh god I'm gonna die' but rather 'oh god what should I do?'
I'm lost, I feel like I was beyond confused, these Space Wolves should be my brothers yet I can't help but feel absent: like something critical to me is missing.
It didn't hurt, but it felt cold.
So damn cold.
I exhaled again, it wasn't like I couldn't feel warm but rather it felt like I had a limb and now I no longer have access to it.
I sat up on the cot, the stillness was mind numbing, it was uncomfortable and I wish it wasn't, the silence, the peacefulness.
It felt so, so, so, wrong.
The door slid open and I tore my eyes away from the floor and looked at the being standing before the doorway "Ivarr" I greeted.
"…you are to meet special guests, they will discern your true nature" I blinked at that before I stood.
"I'm not a traitor," I spoke with furrowed eyebrows.
"I know" he spoke as he stared into my eyes "but, we will know if you are blessed or not"
I inhaled slowly, this was also a fear of mine, ever since me… executing Khârn I couldn't help but think that somehow I got a cheat like everyone else did when they got moved into another universe.
Maybe I had one?
"I… do not believe I was blessed" keep any and all expectations low, just so that you can be pleased when they are met and exceeded.
"It does not matter if you are or aren't" Ivarr spoke as he made way for me "you killed Khârn, in terms of us and Fenris, you've done more than enough to prove your loyalty to the Allfather"
Allfather…
Emperor.
I swallowed my fears and followed him.
"Oh, er, what happened to Bjorn?" I asked.
"Bjorn is functional and he has… almost forced himself into the assault where Angron will no doubt land" Ivarr spoke with a seemingly reverent tone.
"Wait Angron?" I blinked once, then twice.
"Aye, after Khârn was slain by you, we had barely enough time to rebuild Bjorn before we got the news of Angron making his way to the area where you killed Khârn" Ivarr spoke as we entered a lift.
"Why did Bjorn hold back?" I decided to finally ask after a few moments of silence.
"I believe he was testing you, Bjorn… he's complicated to us, he's seen Russ himself, possibly seen the Allfather himself… we… are far too disconnected" Ivarr admitted with a hint of guilt in his tone.
"If you'd ask me" he turned his eyes towards me "he most likely wanted to see what a being who'd stand up to Khârn could do"
"Even at the cost of himself?" I asked.
Ivarr stayed silent for a heartbeat "I do not know why he took those blows… but, I believe he saw something in you that only he knows about"
I softly bit the side of my cheek in thought before I opened my mouth again "do you think I'm able to talk to him?"
Ivarr shook his head "not until we get back to Fenris, you've seemed to life the competitive spark inside Bjorn once again, once anyone does that it's impossible to stop him from his reckless actions"
I blinked a few times, golden dust flying from my eye lids each time before a small smile came to my lips as I couldn't help but feel a small bit of pride come from somewhere before it was squashed by an unspeakable force.
"Who am I meeting?" I asked
"A squad of Sisters of Battle, led by Sister Superior Jeanne they have been requested to ascertain your nature"
"I'm not a traitor" I couldn't help but bark out.
"I know" Ivarr fully turned to me this time as quick as I was to defend my own character.
"…Blessed or not we cannot claim what you are without outside verification, not even we are free of such decisions" Ivarr slowly turned forwards as the lift ended.
We began to walk once again.
This time the level we were on was more openly manned, serfs coming and going all the while making way seamlessly for us and other Space Wolves, however whenever I got to close it when they noticed me they froze for just a second.
I tried not to think about it, I really tried, but it was hard. Most had no helmet so I was able to see both pride and reverence in their eyes; strangely none of them held envy in their eyes.
"Here" Ivarr spoke as he turned to a locked door "ten sisters are inside, be careful"
"Why would I need to be careful?" I asked questioningly, it wasn't like I was a heretic and was going to be gunned down immediately upon entering.
"Sisters are… very faithful" I nodded. I knew that.
"So they'll ascertain if you are blessed or not" Ivarr's eyes drifted to my eyes no doubt staring at the golden light.
"I do not think I am blessed" I said once again.
"That isn't for you to decide" he spoke as he opened the door and I was forced to enter the room lest I be seen as strange.
Entering came the scent of heavy incense, so heavy it almost made my eyes wet. Blinking that away, ten Sisters of Battle knelt before a hand held figure of the Emperor sitting on a shelf, each one whispering a prayer.
They all had white hair, in a bob; looking more like a sea of white hair and whispering chanting. The room held an innate amount of candles, each one illuminating the room.
The Sisters stopped their prayers for a moment to look over at their shoulders and almost immediately locked eyes with me, or rather the light my eyes emitted.
"You are…" one of the spoke softly, I didn't know which one, and I rather didn't as they all looked the same.
"Sisters… this is Agnar" Ivarr spoke without much ceremony as one of them stood up before the rest and marched forwards before me.
Her white hair was shoulder length, she held her Adeptus symbol underneath her right eye, she bore a scar on her left cheek that went to ear to the very tip of her nose, her eyes were a hazel-green as she stared into mine.
"…I am Sister Superior Jeanne, Lord" she spoke to me and I blinked.
"It is clear to me" she interrupted me before I had any words come out of my mouth "that Agnar is clearly blessed; the light from his eyes… is nothing less than that of the Emperor's!"
I wanted to protest that I wasn't blessed; but what would that gain? Ten upset Sisters? Sure I could kill them, but any consequences would fall not only on me but also on anyone and everyone involved with them.
So I settled on something different "I don't believe I am blessed" there! Simple! I don't believe I am blessed but you can!
"Humble too!" Jeanne's eyes lit up a bit at my words.
I wanted to curse.
"Sister Superior" Ivarr my life boat of normalcy gave me a helping hand "I was hoping for a more… definitive answer"
Her eyes narrowed at Ivarr but he was quicker "I trust your words, but perhaps a relic or two to confirm" Jeanne's mouth pursed in thought, as her eyes went back to my own before she nodded.
"Yes, yes we have a relic" Jeanne gestured as a sister approached with a circular device with multiple runes on it and I couldn't help but feel confused by it.
"This was recently made" Jeanne started "it isn't good at showing corruption, however it is exceptionally good at locking onto the light of the Emperor; if Agnar is truly blessed, then it'll show the direction of the Emperor"
Jeanne held it up in both of her hands as she stared at me gesturing for me to take it.
"So if I take it, if I am blessed it'll simply show the direction of the Emperor?" I asked slightly confused.
"Yes, it'll show the direction of the Emperor and it'll glow with his light" Once she finished I took the relic in my hand, I didn't understand how this'll really show how I'm blessed but if it'll work for the fanatics then it'll work just fine.
Golden light flooded from the relic and strangely not doing what Sister Superior said and pointed at a direction to the east and one towards me.
A gasp rippled from everyone evens Ivarr "impossible" Sister Superior Jeanne spoke with extremely wide eyes, to the point that I thought they'd fall out.
"I did something wrong didn't I?" I guessed as I held the relic in my hand suddenly feeling not good about my position in the room.
"The… Golden Light is pointing at you" Jeanne very slowly said as she stared at me and the relic and I couldn't help but feel like this was like a punch from the left and right.
"We need inquisitor authority" Jeanne spoke after a mere moment of silence.
"Denied" Ivarr almost immediately spoke after her.
"You hold no authority over me Space Wolf" Jeanne hissed out as her eyes went over to Ivarr who visibly frowned.
Ivarr stayed silent, knowing that he had no authority over her at all but still not willing to stay silent on this "if you believe that you are to take Agnar to an Inquisitor then you will not make it out of this ship alive"
Jeanne sneered at him "you ask for my squad and I to be here to ascertain the truth, then you threaten us?"
"Peace you two" I decided to step in, I don't really care about what's happening but killing a friendly anywhere isn't good for anyone; except maybe if you're chaos… Orks… an inquisitor… okay maybe it's good for some.
"We'be more pressing matters than… my condition, we've a planet down below and a Daemon Primarch" I spoke slowly, just in case I was misconstrued anyway.
"I will report to the Ecclesiarchy about this" Jeanne spoke with a small frown as she took the relic from my hands.
"Then do so" Ivar spoke as he made way as the squad of Adeptus Sororitas left after quickly gathering their things, and as they left they all met my eyes.
The silence hung like a consequence waiting to drop down after the door closed, the room seemed to be largely judging the both of us like a judge staring down two guilty criminals just waiting to deliver a guilty verdict and sentence.
"…did we do the wrong thing" I asked slowly.
"I… not you Agnar, I let my damnable temper control me and now… no doubt both the Inquisition and Ecclesiarchy are coming down on you." Ivarr strokes his beard.
"I'm fine with that" I shrugged and Ivarr looked at me.
"Don't overthink things, sometimes the most simplistic answer is the correct one, so I think things will be fine in the end"
"You're too optimistic" Ivarr criticized me "but… perhaps, when you get to Fenris you'll need new armor… and since you killed Khârn… we'll have our Iron Priest customize it to fully realize your Legend"
"…how'd we get to my armor?" I asked.
Ivarr genuinely shrugged "Don't overthink things"
"…it's too early for you to steal that saying and you know it"
Ivarr chuckled "perhaps, but on the topic of the Sisters, it'll pose a challenge for everyone involved but in the end, if they wish to fight, they'll be given a fight"
"…how many did we lose?" I asked after a heartbeat of silence.
"A hundred so far, more than seventy are Blood Claws, it's as expected due to them being more bloodthirsty rather than cunning" Ivarr spoke as he opened the door.
"Now we go to meet the Great Wolf" Ivarr said as I followed him.
"Lord Logan Grimnar" I nodded as I walked half a step behind him.
"Aye, after your meeting with the Sisters he'll want a report and he'll make a clean decision on his own"
I couldn't help but think that something horrible was coming my way, but I simply couldn't do anything to stop it so instead I continued on with the conversation with Ivarr.
"I must ask, have I been accepted into my Home Chapter" I asked.
"That is for the Great Wolf himself to decide" Ivarr spoke.
"Then why are you so sure I'm going to Fenris with you?"
Ivarr smirked "Killing Khârn? Any fool who turns you down will go down in their Chapters' History as an eternal fool and ousted from their chapter"
"You are a valuable warrior, and now, with a Sister's… confirmation, a blessed one at that; I've no doubt that those who turn you down will be greatly scorned by others" Ivarr spoke as the lift reached its limit and we began walking again.
"So what now? I stay here until another war starts?" I asked as we walked down the hallway.
"Again, the Great Wolf himself with decide" Ivarr suddenly stopped as a hallway gave way to us and a massive door slotted with skulls of saints and Fenris-like iconography.
"Down the door will be not only the Great Wolf but also his own guards, so expect terminators, several Rune, Wolf, and Iron Priests with him." Ivarr said with almost undetected admiration.
"…you're not joining me?" I asked him.
"No, by the order of the Great Wolf only you are to be judged by him - as such only you will enter the chamber" Ivarr spoke.
"…that's- that's the bridge though" I pointed out.
"…so?" Ivarr glanced at me at which I let out a sigh and stepped forwards anyways, leaving behind Ivarr who waited at the threshold of the hallway.
Each one of my steps brought a sound that was less of a footstep and more of a sound of a judgmental bell being rung, it wasn't like me to be anxious, however this time I was.
The hallway was littered with depictions of Russ, The Emperor, the many battles of the Space Wolves killing and attacking the many enemies of mankind, and the mural before the doors to the bridge was Russ stabbing Horus with The Spear of Russ.
I slowly exhaled out of my nose before I slowly opened the doors to the bridge, the doors themselves were screaming out in protest as it yawned open.
After opening I saw the bridge of the Battle Barge, the room smelt like if frost had a smell, I saw ten Temenator wearing Space Wolves, along with Logan Grimnar, the Great Wolf himself staring at a report with a perpetual frown on his face.
Multiple Priests scattered about along with mortals who fully seemed to acknowledge the two and a half meters tall death machines with a supernatural level of awareness that detracted from their mortal nature.
"Agnar" Logan's words were ice and stone made manifest, his eyes met mine and I couldn't help but stiffen slightly - no armor, no weapon, naked in terms of Space Marine levels.
"Lord Grimnar" I responded as I took several steps forwards as to not yell across the bridge.
"I've received troubling reports from Sister Superior Jeanne" Logan spoke as he slowly turned to fully face me.
"…you got her report so quickly?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.
"My orders, were to immediately report her findings to me directly, she did so successfully" Logan fully regarded me "you will undergo a trail of our own this time"
"…wasn't Sister Superior Jeanne's enough?" I couldn't help but ask.
"No" Logan was at least quick with his answer "you will prove yourself with honor and combat - you've already proven yourself via combat, but honor?"
"What would you have me do?" I decided to go straight for the trail, something inside me was excited for this trial.
"…a question… the Inquisition would have these people killed, all for a crime of coming in contact with the archenemy" Logan started as he rounded a hololith table that showed Armageddon in all its horrible glory.
"Chaos is a plague yes, however the execution of the guardsmen - who've fought with not only honor but with glory would be wrong" Logan now fully stood before me, a head or more taller due to him wearing his terminator armor.
"My question is, would you assist the inquisition?" Logan asked.
"Never" I answered almost immediately.
"Why?"
I mulled over the second question for a moment, I wasn't truly a space marine let alone a Space Wolf; I was a human from the 21st century, to assist in killing potential millions would be absolutely horrible.
Here? It's not only viable but also a tactic, lives especially humans are treated like currency to burn. I can't stand by and let that happen, never, but I know I can't just say it's right.
"Because," I eventually settled on a more acceptable answer for Logan "it's I will not stand by as the Imperiums' citizens are massacred for the mere crime of killing its enemies; even if it's the Archenemy"
"Even if your scorned by our cousins?" Logan asked with a small flex of an eyebrow.
"…the speeches of my cousins matter little to me, the mutterings of detractors even more so. Land, planets, solar systems are considered acceptable losses now, so what does that make people?"
I met his eyes, cold, blue, and immaculately heavy. "If you're asking me this question expecting honor or glory, ask someone else, but if you want an answer that's direct, the Imperium is nothing without the people. If we constantly allow our people to die just because they fought back then I'd happily rebel"
The bridge was silent as Logan regarded me his eyes didn't leave mine, he didn't smile, the scars on his face seemed to speak to me instead of him, each one told me that he was far, far more capable than me.
"One last one then" Logan spoke "what is your opinion on the Allfather?"
I stayed silent for a moment, I knew why he asked that, everyone else in the bridge bar the mortals probably knew as well, I had committed heresy against the Allfather and now, that honor and glory was tested they are now testing my faith.
"…The Allfather is… the sum of what we give" I eventually settled on and Logan seemed to perk up indescribably.
"Explain further.
"I… I believe the Allfather is dead, and now he has become something else entirely" I spoke slowly as the Wolf Priest around me didn't speak but seemingly tensed up.
"I believe that the Allfather is now a conceptual figure of humanity, he is us, and due to that we - humanity - cannot die out, we will continue to exist as long as the Allfather exists and vice versa."
The room was silent except for the small footsteps of mortals who didn't stop in their duties, long ignoring the discussings of the wolfs' of Fenris.
"Your faith needs work. I myself am not as knowledgeable on faith as my Wolf Priests are, so Theological debates are their territory" Logan glanced at his Wolf Priest who all seemingly started to stroke their beards in thought.
"So I came to my decision; you will be accepted back into our chapter" Logan started to smile, it was a break of white in the sea of scars "you will be granted a new rank, you're blessed by the Allfather - despite your crime against him, for reasons beyond us."
Logan stepped back to the hololith "you will be our Blessed Champion, a name will be given out as soon as it is available; only those of Wolf Lord and Great Wolf will ever have command over you - however you cannot and will not be promoted beyond this. Your faith leads a lot to be desired and you're too young to be promoted properly, you've no Grey."
Logan looked at me beyond the holo of Armageddon "maybe in a century or two you might show promise in terms of promotion, but until then, you will be on standby until your armor is ready for you, return to your quarters"
I left with no excitement but rather a silent sense of dread as I walked back out of the doors and back into the hallway and met Ivarr on the other side, my body working more on autopilot.
"What was the verdict?" Ivarr asked questioningly.
"…I believe I became a champion" I spoke very slowly.
Ivarr, since I met him, laughed.
A/N: Agnar's official power is that of basically a Zenkai boost, expect instead of near death, it only triggers when facing a being more powerful than him, and its constant.
So think of it like this: the longer the battle with a stronger an opponent the stronger Agnar becomes.