Saint Anne-Marie.

A holy and chaste name, given to the most devote and religiously pure reapers. A name given to one Reaper in her life, when she was a devout follower of the Allegiance of Heavens.

To this day, Arch-Saint Anne-Marie had considered herself a holy and just woman. A devout follower of the light, lead by holy cause and given righteous meaning in the universe.

And now, she stood before a council, much like the day she had when they anointed her as the blade of an empire of light, and she lamented.

“Arch-Saint Anne-Marie. What you ask of this council….is nothing less of heresy. To take the light from one so greatly imbued with it would be to defy our very covens. To sacrilege a being of such devout faith….surely, you jest.” The Divine-Eye held her hands out, shaking her head as she questioned the reasoning of the one they had once seen as the pinnacle of their faith.

“I understand your hesitance. But I ask you, elders of light, ancient leaders of wisdom and justice, can you look to what I have done, and truly say that this is the will of the light?” She impaled her sword into the ground before her as she held a gloved hand to the sky.

Above, the stars swirled endlessly, the council sat within a room of pure light, the ceiling showing the universe before them. “Look. Look to the actions I have committed in the name of the light.” She points to a gathering of stars as she says this.

The ceiling magnifies the scene, showing her within the hangar of a ship of such massive size, that entire hangars could contain planets. She stands before the one who took her in, who showed her kindness, and let her atone for her actions. And yet, the scene weeps of sorrow as Anne-Marie is seen turning to stone before the leader of the faction known only as the Silver Shield.

“I sealed myself away, hidden by the power of the light, so that the one I allowed to escape, could do wickedness. Had the light guided me, I would have stopped them. I would have fought in this war of giants, and stood beside those who were just, instead of hiding behind a wall of stone.” The elders could only murmur among themselves as she said this.

“Am I truly one of the light? I have fought, spilled blood, and ravaged those who stood against me, blindly marching forward with no recourse to my actions. Tell me, had you stood in my place, would you have done any different than I do now?” She pleaded to the elders, ripping the sword from the floor before her as she held it aloft.

“I can not stand to abide by such faithless actions. I am a paragon of the light. I am justice. But I am not just.” She holds the sword, looking at it for a time as the elders merely remain silent.

“What will you do?” The Divine-Eye asks, a hand held out to Anne-Marie. “I will atone for my actions. But I can not, when I am placed so far above those whom I stand beside.” Holding the sword out to the Divine-Eye, Anne-Marie simply sighed.

Taking the blade from her, the Divine-Eye merely inspected the blade. Turning to place it upon a throne of light, the council watched as Anne-Marie turned and began to exit the room. “I will return for it. When I am worthy.”

-

At first, Anne-Marie had believed it merely punishment for her abandoning her duty and role as a warrior of the light. Her armor had faded, crumbling away into dust. But as her strength began to leave her, she knew that it was truly her own fault for throwing away her power.

And now, as she stood on the precipice of eternity, staring out into a universe not her own, surrounded by warriors who could be no further from the light than herself, she knew that she was needed.

A war had erupted between many of the univii, a great and terrible beast bearing down on the home she had once fought to protect. And now, she fought to protect it once more.

“We stand.” she began, speaking to the many who had gathered with her, each seeking atonement, each seeking forgiveness for the things they had done. “At the precipice of darkness. In our time of need, the light had guided us, given us strength. We were devout and noble warriors, acting on the behalf of those who could not.”

The crowd shuffled as she spoke. It was difficult to be taken seriously as a leader when you were dressed in rugged armor, rusted with age, and wielded a blade so old that it had long lost its edge.

“Many of you will die in the coming battles. Many of you will suffer pain and agony unknown to many. But I ask you. If not us, then who?” The Saint raised her blade as she began to shout. “If we do not suffer this burden, then who will?! If we do not stand as the vanguard of our home, then what right do we have to call it such?!”

The crowd began to nod as she pointed her blade to them. “I ask you. Each of you. If not you, then who?! We will suffer. We will die.” Her blade lowered as she looked to it. “But if not us…..then who?” The crowd quieted once more as she lowers her blade.

“I will!” she shouts to the sky. “I will fight for my home. For a place to call home.” The crowd begins to agree, raising their weapons. “I will bleed for others, so that they may not! I will stand as the vanguard, and look to my brethren! And I will know that they will stand beside me!”

As the crowd begins to cheer, the sky suddenly cracks. Countless starships pouring from countless gateways within the horizon of the universe. The sheer number of them darkens the many skies, blotting out every sun as they flood the universe.

“We will not give in to this darkness! We will fight! And we will return home in victory!” The crowd, no longer of simple fighters or warriors, but of followers turns to the darkness as it encroaches. “I will look to each of you! As my brethren! As my sons and daughters! And I will not surrender!”

The world roars as the many before Anne-Marie rush to their starships and prepare for battle against the oncoming dark. “I will not surrender.” Anne-Marie looks to the sky as the darkness washes over the battlefield that would soon become home to the many warriors as they stand against a foe that outnumbers in such vast degrees, that they dare not count the odds.

-

The battle raged for what felt like millennium. Many had fallen, only to rise back up again. The first century was the hardest, as their enemies bore down upon them from all sides, trying to surge past them.

Many gave their lives to stop the forge worlds from making it past. Great machines of destruction and overwhelming power, nearly a galaxy in size, pouring entire battalions of starships at a time. Those few who threw themselves to their missions would be immortalized.

The second century was far harder. The Legion of Shade stood in defiance against a force so overwhelming, that Anne-Marie could hardly comprehend how they had not won yet. And yet, she lead on, fighting with a fervor unlike any she’d ever had.

It was in the ninth century that things had become their bleakest. As the bastion and strongholds fell one by one, only a lone world remained between the endless army who’s name they did not even know, and the Legion of Shade.

-

“Tell me some good news Michael!” Anne-Marie shouted over the sound of anti-planetary batteries, the thunderous cacophony echoing out relentlessly as the world fired into the heavens with reckless abandon.

“We lost our final bastion!” Anne-Marie couldn’t help but swear under her breath as her and one of the few surviving officers rushed through the many trenches of the world. “Alright, alright, tell me we managed to slow them down at least.”

“Barely, ma’am. Their main forces are supposed to be here within hours, if not minutes.” Anne-Marie paused to look to the sky as she contemplated what came bearing down upon the world.

Many centuries ago, there rested a sun in the sky, its’ soft blue warmth basking the world in a kind light, illuminating the many emplacements that had been built on the world to protect it, should all else fail.

And now, the sky was dark. And yet, the darkness seemed to shift and move, ever changing as an unseen foe advanced endlessly. There were once lights in the sky, of massive worlds that shone throughout the endless dark of the universe. But now, all of them were gone, hidden away by the swarm of starships that flooded the universe.

Their enemy couldn’t advance, so long as even one world remained. In the first century, they had captured a forge world and deciphered their gateway solution. Now, as the final world remained, the core repurposed to act as a jamming machine, they stood on the final barrier between their home, and annihilation.

“Prepare for the worst, Michael. I believe we’ll have visitors soon.” Anne-Marie strode forwards once more, preparing herself for the coming battle.

-

The first day was the hardest. They had no stars with which to indicate when the nameless enemy would bear down upon them. So they never expected them to suicide charge their emplacements.

A pillar of ships came from the sky, crashing against the mountains that held the emplacements, and cracked the very earth with their sheer numbers. Within moments, the world was flooded with ships with technology and machinery too advanced for them to fight back against.

As the forces, what few remained, hid within the bunkers that resided within the world, waiting for the inevitable end, many prayed. Anne-Marie stood amid them, her face turned towards the floor as she remained silent.

“Weren’t you a holy knight?” Michael joked, sitting before her. She smiled softly as her eyes slowly raised to look at him. “I was. But I’m not worthy of the title or name I once had.” Michael could only chuckle.

“We’re definitely facing end-times. A little prayer wouldn’t hurt, would it?” He looked to her with a strained smile, as others looked to her. She gazed to them, before looking to the ground once more.

“Fine. Fine.” she sighed as she crossed her legs, sitting on the ground as she stripped away her armor. “A true prayer requires one to possess no material possessions. Have no wants. Desire nothing. A true prayer asks only for understanding, never forgiveness.” She began, wrists resting on her knees as she closed her eyes and exhaled.

“A true prayer merely asks the light of what is required, never what is needed or wanted.” She turns her head to the crumbling ceiling. The ground had begun to quake, the encroaching army bearing down on them as she closed her eyes and cleared her mind.

“I am Anne-Marie. Forsaken Arch-Saint of the Order of Light, Convergent of Heavens. I rest before you, oh nameless and powerful existences, and ask that you pity me. I have sinned, and loathe my actions.” A strange warmth begins to crawl up her back as she continues.

“But as I stand here, at the edge of the abyss, I realize now what my purpose is.” The room grows quiet as many stare at their leader and listen to her prayers. Despite the thunderous noises above, her voice rings out above it all.

“I ask not for forgiveness. But for the strength to face my end with bravery. Bravery not for myself, but for those who have none. For the peace of mind to know that what I do is righteous. I ask to strike low my enemies, for they are unjust.” The warmth clings to her as she lowers her head.

A realization comes to her with a sigh. “I ask that you give me the strength I require to stand against the dark, against the unjust and evil. Oh glorious light, if my prayer should be answered, show me a sign, so that I may carry out your will.”

A weight bears upon her lap, Anne-Marie slowly opening her eyes as the world around her begins to crumble away. A sword of light, etched with such pristine detail that only the finest of smithes would ever dare to attempt such a finely crafted blade.

The ground quakes as starships rip away at it, the halls and room cracking as they finally surrender to the force that bears down on them.

Anne-Marie slowly rises, the many who rest around her rising as they each take their weapons in hand. “We are the last of the light, and we stand in defiance of this darkness! We will never surrender, so long as there are those who cannot protect themselves!” They each raise their weapons to the heavens, shouting as the starships converge within the sky and begin their final attack.

From within the heavens, a light pierces the veil. “If we are just and righteous, show us your strength, so that we may carry out your will!” The congregation screams to the heavens, a warmth washing over them as light crashes with the world.

At first, everyone takes a moment to collect themselves, the many warriors standing within the crater of their final bunkers, each of them awash with a warmth and light, their armor faded away to reveal armor of pure light.

And amid them all, a woman towers above them, her strength returned as she angles her blade to the heavens. Six angelic wings unfurl from her back as those around her raise their blades and guns to the sky. “We are Legion!”

-

“They’re retreating!” Michael shouts from across the galaxy, his divine halo amplifying the light that pierces the veil of darkness.

The shadows swirl between the many warriors who stand in defiance of the dark, worlds appearing and vanishing from within the swirl of darkness. Countless galaxies awash with light as holy warriors surge forward into them, seeking those who would return from their grave to rise against their foe.

Ten millennium of war, of strife. What felt like an eon of suffering and endless battle. The Legion of Light stood in utter defiance of their endless enemy. They would lose battles, see worlds crumble against the tide of their foe, but they would never surrender.

Their final world shined as a beacon of light, as the final bastion against an endless dark. No matter how many times they were pushed back, no matter how dire the circumstances, the Legion of Light never surrendered their final world.

Anne-Marie couldn’t believe that they had withstood the dark for so long. Their enemy thinned as the countless forge worlds retreated through portals and gateways. From their own world, massive Centurion warships appeared, the massive machines designed to fire entire galaxies.

The Silver Shield had arrived, and with them, they brought an army of such impossible power, that their enemy could do nothing but retreat. Ten Centurions appears, three firing massive beams that shattered the heavens, piercing deep into the enemy forces and ranks.

Entire forge worlds vanished in the beams of light, galaxies formed and extinguished in moments as the unstoppable force surged forwards, reclaiming the universe through sheer might.

And they wept. The Legion of Light wept tears of joy, overwhelmed with happiness as they hung in space, their divine forms beacons of hope amid a universe that was nearly annihilated. And they cried for those that they could not protect.

Anne-Marie wept for the light. As she rest at the heart of the universe, her heavenly form piercing the veil of existence as she cried tears of pure light, her sorrow felt across the universe. They had won.