NOVEL WEB Chapter 217: Chapter 217 : "Schola Progenium"
Sa'kan carried Alina and Elina toward the temporary field station where Apothecary Reko'van Draas had set up. Though it was clear this was his first time treating baseline humans, the Apothecary's hands remained steady—rough, but precise. There was no gentleness, but neither was there neglect.
Around them, several Salamanders Space Marines began to gather, watching Sa'kan with a mix of curiosity and measured silence.
Salamander Space Marine 12:
"Sa'kan, what's your next move?"
Sa'kan turned, his expression as unreadable as ever, though a certain calm had returned to his eyes.
Sa'kan:
"I will bring them to Fortress-Monastery Concordia IX. My quarters are large enough to house two more. If possible, they can stay with us… at least until the gates open for the Caelestis Imperial Academy in Terra Aeterna's capital."
He paused, scanning each of his brothers' faces, gauging the unspoken judgment of warriors forged in fire.
Sa'kan (continued):
"I want to know… does anyone object?"
A few seconds of silence. Then a low voice answered—firm, but welcoming.
Salamander Space Marine 08:
"I don't. We're not assigned to any major campaigns for now."
Salamander Space Marine 06:
"Agreed. There are still over ten Terra Standard months before the Caelestis Imperial Academy opens its next intake. They can remain at Fortress-Monastery Concordia IX in the meantime."
He glanced at the two girls before adding:
Salamander Space Marine 06 (continued):
"In that time… perhaps we can train them. Discipline. Strength. Courage worthy of surviving this world. Not as soldiers—not yet—but as survivors."
None of the other Space Marines voiced any disagreement. No mockery. No cynicism. Only nods—and eyes gleaming with silent conviction.
They accepted the girls. More than that—they welcomed them into their fate.
---
The mercenaries and pirates who had invaded Vultaria Magna IX were wiped out without mercy by the forces of the Caelestis Imperium. Their bodies were strung up along the hulls of Imperial warships—grisly ornaments serving as a brutal reminder to any who dared defy humanity's dominion. This wasn't mere retaliation—it was a declaration.
It became a bitter lesson for Kenthelion, the Supreme Sovereign of the Caelestis Imperium. He realized that every colony world must be equipped with a functional fleet. Relying solely on ground forces came at too steep a price. Vultaria Magna IX had been saved—but not without cost. Hundreds of millions perished, and nearly 400,000 PDF (Planetary Defense Force) troops were turned to ash in the flames of war.
As a strategic response, Kenthelion initiated a sweeping program to retrofit and expand the Halo universe's ships into viable war assets. While not as devastating as Star Wars' Star Destroyers or the Gloriana-class vessels of Warhammer 40K, the Halo ships had advantages: rapid production, reliable tech, and seamless compatibility with PDF logistics.
These ships were deemed ideal for planetary defense roles—easier to mass-produce and free of the arcane bureaucratic constraints or rare material dependencies that plagued standard Imperial construction. Kenthelion ordered massive shipyards constructed, powered by robotic units under Red Queen's control and SCVs from the StarCraft sectors as the core technical workforce.
Amid the chaos of reconstruction, the Imperium's three pillars arrived at Vultaria Magna IX: — the Caelestis Imperial Academy,
— the Inquisition, and
— the Adepta Sororitas.
But they did not arrive as saviors—they came to claim the chosen.
Children who displayed deep hatred for xenos or alien invaders were marked as ideal recruits for the Caelestis Imperial Academy. Inquisitors began compiling lists of candidates to train as personal aides—those with latent tactical genius, scheming aptitude, or unshakeable fanaticism.
The path into the Adepta Sororitas was stricter—typically reserved for the noble-born or those of pure Imperialist bloodlines. Yet exceptions were made—especially for orphans who demonstrated unwavering faith, or survivors of xenos-devastated worlds.
The Adepta Sororitas had just completed construction of a Schola Progenium on the planet—a brutal training academy where young minds, indoctrinated to serve the divine will of Emperor Kenthelion, would be shaped into sacred instruments of wrath and obedience.
Many of them had begun to claim they could "hear the divine call."
Vultaria Magna IX, once a forgotten, quiet world on the Imperium's fringes, had now become the heart of rising fanaticism and military rebirth under the banner of the Caelestis Imperium.
Picture Schola Progenium


Most Battle Sisters hail from an institution known as the Schola Progenium—a militant-religious academy for orphaned children or the offspring of fallen Imperial servants. Those who enter the Schola are not merely orphans in the familial sense, but are believed to be divinely chosen by the Emperor Himself, destined to become instruments of His judgment.
From an early age, candidates are subjected to rigorous selection. Evaluations are based on:
Unyielding spiritual devotion to the Emperor of Mankind,
Physical strength and bodily endurance,
Military aptitude and a spirit of self-sacrifice.
Once they pass the initial screening, candidates begin the Novitiate phase. Here, they symbolically don the Ring of Devotion and swear the Oath of Adherence—a vow of absolute loyalty to the Imperium and the doctrines of the Ecclesiarchy.
Training begins immediately. It is brutal, relentless, and all-consuming. Beyond the savage physical conditioning meant to prepare them for wearing power armor and wielding heavy weapons like bolters or flamers, they undergo intense doctrinal education, scripture memorization, tactical studies, and full-scale combat simulations. All of this is overseen by veteran Sororitas—Canonesses and Palatines who have survived holy campaigns.
Only after proving themselves doctrinally sound and combat-capable are the Novitiates allowed to undergo the official initiation ceremony. Before the spiritual and military leaders of the Ecclesiarchy, they are blessed and inducted as full-fledged Battle Sisters—members of the Adepta Sororitas. From that moment on, their training never ends. Until the moment they fall in battle, a Battle Sister lives as an unyielding flame, consuming all who oppose mankind.
Typically, this initiation occurs between the ages of 19 and 20, following their complete education at the Schola. However, in extreme circumstances—during galactic crises or invasions—exceptions are made. Orphaned children from outside the Schola or even common servants may be admitted, provided they demonstrate irrefutable signs of divine calling and receive direct endorsement from high-ranking Ecclesiarchy officials.
For those who fail to meet the physical, mental, or spiritual standards, their place is not the battlefield. They are assigned roles as helots—support personnel who serve in logistics, administration, armory maintenance, or archival duties. In the eyes of the Sororitas, failing to become a warrior does not mean failing to serve—so long as their blood still burns for the Emperor.
The Adepta Sororitas are not merely an elite force. They are the weapons of prayer—divine will forged in flesh and steel. Each recruit is chosen through merciless selection, and what emerges is a military-religious power feared by xenos, despised by heretics, and revered by the faithful of mankind.
---
Present Day, Terra Aeterna Capital
Inside the gothic-styled Golden Palace, the Press Briefing Room was being prepared for a critical announcement to be broadcast across the inner and outer rings of the 2nd Universe—Nihilum Aeternum.
The Emperor of mankind, Kenthelion, who had remained in his private sanctum until now, was walking slowly toward the press conference chamber. He wore no battle armor—only a solemn jet-black formal suit. A symbol of resolve... and mourning.
Surrounded by countless honor guards, each of his steps was heavy, yet unshaken.
The journalists in the room held their breath. Gone were the days of flashing cameras. Now, they knew the unspoken rule—taking unauthorized pictures could warrant a visit… from the Inquisition.
Kenthelion stood at the central podium. His voice rang out in the silence, transmitted across the Imperium Caelestis via hololithic screens, radio waves, and public monitors in every world under his reign.
Kenthelion:
> "We have received confirmation. Vultaria Magna IX has been attacked. Estimated casualties have reached into the hundreds of millions…"
The atmosphere thickened. Reporters scribbled with trembling hands.
Across the star systems, citizens watched in silence. On streets, in homes, aboard ships—screens flickered to life, projecting the image of a sovereign both commanding and grieving.
Gruesome footage followed. The broken faces of the Vultaria Magna IX survivors:
> "My family… they're gone…"
"My wife… died in front of me…"
"My children… all of them…"
Battlefield recordings showed ruins, devastation, and the unburied dead. Worlds once peaceful—like those from The Wandering Earth, Underworld, Lin Cage, Resident Evil, High School of the Dead, and Avatar—finally saw the grim truth of this universe.
Once they had asked:
Why did the peace-loving Federation of Humanity fall?
Why is it that only the ruthless Imperium Caelestis still stands?
Now, they understood.
The Milky Way is a dark forest.
A place where life and death are two sides of the same coin.
And if you wish to survive, there is no room for mercy.
Only one choice remains:
> Abandon all hesitation. Take up arms. Fight. For the future of mankind.
Kenthelion:
> "Let all know—humanity, as a noble species, has never initiated unprovoked war. The same holds true for civilizations that once coexisted peacefully with alien races."
> "But! After today—everything changes! Every non-human race in this galaxy will remember the name Zaraphari! They had no idea what kind of species they've wounded!"
> "Destiny awaits you on the battlefield. Will you cower in the shadows of fear… or rise—with the fire of vengeance burning in your heart?"
> "The Empire calls out! The ancestral soil cries for your return! Today, xenos blood will drench their own lands… and we—will carve our history in steel and flame!"
All across the Imperium Caelestis, people stopped in front of televisions and holographic screens to listen to Kenthelion's voice. They imagined the tragic fate of their fellow humans on Vultaria Magna IX—and felt it as their own.
> "The history of humanity… is a history of courage.
The anthem of mankind… is an anthem of defiance!
> For thousands of years, we have fought—against oppression, against annihilation. And today… my beloved children, my people scattered across the stars—today is the moment! Let alien blood flow as the price of our bravery!"
> "Each of us… bears a sacred duty.
Each of us… holds an eternal obligation.
> We are the guardians of a new civilization—and it shall be our honor… our highest honor! to fall in battle for the glory of mankind!"
> "Let us meet again—amidst fire and glory!
We will write a new chapter in history—with the blood of our enemies as ink!"
> "In response to this undeclared war waged by alien species, I—on behalf of all humankind—hereby declare:
> All weapons will be activated.
All limits of human conduct will be lifted.
All laws of war… no longer apply to them."
> "Because they are not beings worthy of life. They are not citizens. Not a people. They—are vermin. They are XENOS. And there are no human rights for parasites!"
> "There will be no mercy. There will be no prisoners.
They will be hunted. They will be slaughtered. They will be erased… from the face of the universe!"
> "We shall unify the brilliance of humanity—our science, our faith, our iron will—and direct it all toward a single purpose: to annihilate this threat down to its very roots!"
> "Judgment… is coming."
---
As Kenthelion's final words echoed across the stars, something long silent stirred again—a voice cold, neutral, yet unmistakably familiar. It spoke directly into his mind.
System:
> "Ding—Trigger event complete: 'The Shame of Vultaria Magna IX' has reached 100%."
"National Cohesion +90%."
"Militaristic Inclination +80%."
"Xenophobia no longer detected as deviant: Certified as Imperial norm."
"War mobilization initiated."
"Military expansion approved."
"Weapon reset protocols: Activated."
Kenthelion stood firm, his gaze unwavering. Within his mind, the system's voice continued—its pronouncements more like divine revelation than data.
System:
> "Triggered Bonus Buffs:
> 'Fourth Calamity' —> All weapon production lines +50%.
> 'Iron Ambition' —> Military construction costs reduced by 50%.
> 'Special Title Unlocked: United as One.'
> All planetary construction projects expedited. National stability +100%."
Kenthelion, still expressionless, raised a hand to his temple with quiet deliberation.
> "System, tell me… am I now eligible to exchange for another Death Star?"
System:
> "Ding. Resource data, logistics, and strategic influence… verified."
"Status: Requirements met."
"Approval granted. Initializing Superconstruction Protocol: 'Death Star.'"
Behind him, on the tactical screen in the press briefing room, a large red icon quietly appeared in the outer sector map. None of the staff noticed—yet it signaled the start of something that would soon shake the balance of the entire universe.