That Time I Got Reincarnate As A Medic In The World Of Warhammer 40k

The Medicae tent smelled of disinfectant and decay, a mix of the artificial and the organic that permeated the air of Armageddon. Lilith’s hands moved quick but steady as she packed her few belongings into a battered leather satchel. Her pristine white coat, though cleaned recently, still bore the faint traces of blood and ash from the week-long battle that had ravaged the planet. Her fingers paused as they brushed against the silver Aquila at her throat, a gesture that had become almost reflexive, offering her a momentary grounding in the storm that raged inside her mind. Beneath that Aquila, the tiny vial with a single pressed flower which is a gift from Sister Mercy; dangled lightly, a reminder that she has a home to come back to.

Next week, she would leave Armageddon.

The weight of that realization bore down on her, settling deep in her chest like a heavy stone. Lilith had lived through battle after battle, seen comrades fall, treated wounds that would have left other medicae broken. But this, this moment of departure, was different. This was the ending of a chapter she had never thought would come so soon. It had been years since she had set foot outside of a battlefield, years since she had been anything other than a cog in the great machine of the Imperium's endless war. Now, she was being pulled away not by the Emperor’s call to fight, but by a new destiny that lay shrouded in uncertainty.

The tent flap rustled, a gust of dry wind pushing through, carrying with it the familiar voices of Colonel Sturnhammer and Commissar Voss. The heavy clank of Sturnhammer’s boots was unmistakable as each of his step deliberate, each step weighted with the authority of a man who had survived more wars than most could comprehend. Lilith turned as they entered, her gaze meeting theirs briefly before returning to her task. Sturnhammer, massive and imposing even in his simple officer’s uniform, nodded in greeting. Voss, ever the embodiment of Imperial discipline, stood rigid, his long coat swaying slightly as he stepped inside.

"Lilith," Sturnhammer’s voice rumbled, breaking the silence with a gravity that felt as solid as the steel walls of the Medicae.

"Colonel," she replied, inclining her head in respect before offering the same to Voss. Her voice was steady, but there was an undercurrent of emotion she couldn’t fully conceal.

"We’ve come to see you off," Voss added, his voice clipped but not unkind. There was something different about him today; something softer in the sharp angles of his expression, though he hid it well beneath the iron mask of his duty. The hard lines of his face, the scars etched into his weathered skin, were momentarily softened, as though even he could not deny the significance of this moment.

Lilith gave a small, strained smile. "I appreciate it. I wasn’t expecting a formal goodbye." The words came out carefully measured, but there was a part of her that still marveled at the humanity that occasionally surfaced even in the grim, duty-bound existence of the Imperium.

Sturnhammer chuckled, the sound deep and rumbling like a distant avalanche. "We don’t leave our own without a proper send-off, especially after what you’ve done for us. Your work here... it’s been beyond commendable." His gaze, sharp as the blade he carried at his hip, softened for just a moment as he looked at her. There was respect there, an acknowledgment that went beyond the usual regard for a fellow soldier.

Lilith nodded, but her thoughts had already drifted elsewhere. She thought of Sister Mercy and Sister Victorine, the ones she had left behind in the orphanage so many years ago. Soon, she would see them again. A small, bittersweet knot tightened in her chest. It was a reunion she had long hoped for, but also one filled with uncertainty. She was not the same girl they had nurtured. Armageddon had forged her into something far different, far harder. Would they recognize her, this warrior she had become? Or would they see only the child they had once known?

"Thank you," Lilith said, her voice quiet, almost lost in the weight of her memories. Her mind drifted further still, to the soldiers she had fought beside, to the wounded she had patched up time and again, to the moments of battle where life and death had hung in the balance of her every action.

Voss, ever the pragmatic one, straightened his back even further. His voice, though still formal, carried an edge of emotion rare for the Commissar. "You’ll serve the Emperor well wherever you go next, Lilith.“

A long silence hung between them, the weight of unspoken truths settling in the air like dust. Voss’s eyes flickered over her, his expression unreadable. For all his stern discipline, even he could not entirely hide the admiration he held for her nor the sense of loss at her impending departure.

"Excuse me, Commissar," Sturnhammer said, his tone respectful but firm, cutting through the moment like a blade. "I’d like a moment alone with Lilith before she leaves."

Voss stiffened, his gaze darting between them for a brief moment before he gave a curt nod. His eyes lingered on Lilith for just a heartbeat longer, perhaps searching for something; an acknowledgment and a connection before he turned and left the tent. With a quick pivot, he exited, leaving Lilith alone with Sturnhammer.

The Colonel’s imposing figure filled the space like an unmovable statue. His weathered face carried the lines of too many battles, too many losses. But there was something else in his gaze now; something softer, almost wearing a proud smile. It wasn’t often that Lilith saw that side of him. To the soldiers, he was their unflinching commander. To the rest of the Imperium, he was a hero, a bulwark against the xenos tide. But here, in this very moment, he was something more.

"Lilith," he began, his voice softer now, more intimate in the way he spoke her name. "Before you go, there’s something I wanted to say."

She looked up from her satchel, her brow furrowing in curiosity. "Colonel?"

His eyes fell to the combat knife at her waist, the one he had given her before her first deployment. The blade gleamed faintly in the dim light of the tent, a symbol of the battles fought and the lives saved.

"That knife," he said, his voice carrying a heavy tone of significance, "I gave it to you in the hopes that it would protect you in ways I couldn’t. And it has, hasn’t it?"

Lilith’s hand instinctively went to the hilt of the blade, her fingers brushing over its cold steel. The knife had been with her through every battle, every dark moment of her service. "It has," she admitted. "But... I think it’s time I give it back. It belongs to you, Colonel, not me."

Sturnhammer shook his head slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. "No, Lilith. I gave it to you for a reason. It’s yours now." He paused, the weight of his next words pressing the air between them. "And one day, you might pass it on. To someone else. Someone who will need it as much as you did."

Lilith’s throat tightened, the gravity of his words sinking in. The thought of passing on the blade, of giving it to someone else; someone who might need it as she once did was almost too much to bear. "Colonel, I..." Her voice faltered, emotion threatening to overwhelm her.

"I’ve seen a lot of soldiers in my time, most of them are not young as you" Sturnhammer continued, cutting her off gently. "But you... You’re different. The kind of different the Imperium needs, even if it doesn’t always know it. Keep the knife. Remember what you’ve done here, but don’t let it define your future. The Emperor guides us all, Lilith, but you…" His voice wavered for the briefest of moments, as if he were unsure how to finish. "You’re destined for something greater."

For the first time in a long while, Lilith felt the burn of tears at the back of her eyes. But she blinked them away, steeling herself. There was no room for weakness here. Not now.

"Thank you, Colonel," she whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion.

Sturnhammer nodded once more, his expression softening for a brief moment before returning to the firm resolve of a soldier. "Now go," he said, his voice gruff once again, though not without warmth. "The Salamanders are waiting for you."

Lilith gave a final nod before stepping past him and out of the tent, the weight of the blade at her side feeling heavier than ever.

------

The Salamanders, as always, were a sight to behold. Towering giants in their emerald armor, they waited patiently by the transport that would take Lilith away from this forsaken world. The shimmering green of their power armor reflected the dying light of Armageddon’s sun, casting them as spectral figures against the war-torn backdrop. Each of them stood still, disciplined, like statues carved from the very mountains they hailed from. Their presence was both comfort and reminder of the severity of her departure. For others, these were more than warriors; they were living symbols of the Emperor’s will; unyielding, righteous, and unbreakable.

Sergeant Taelon, his armor still scorched from battle, nodded at her as she approached. His face, scarred and marked from countless campaigns, was as calm as ever, a rock amidst the chaos that constantly churned around them.

"Ready?" he asked, his deep voice a steady anchor amid the storm of thoughts raging in Lilith’s mind. His glowing eyes, the result of his chapter’s unique traits, reflected an understanding that words couldn’t convey. He had seen her struggle, her growth, and her hesitation, and yet, there was no judgment in his gaze, only respect.

Lilith glanced over her shoulder one last time, her eyes lingering on the smoldering horizon of Armageddon. The ash-filled sky seemed to swallow the distant sun, leaving the world in an eternal twilight, a grey purgatory where hope and despair wrestled for dominance. She had spent most of her life here, fighting, healing, and surviving. Now, she was being pulled away from it, not by choice, but by necessity. The weight of it bore down on her, but in her heart, she knew it was the right thing to do. The planet, with its endless battles, had given her purpose, but it had also taken much from her innocence, her peace, and parts of herself she would never recover.

She took a deep breath, the heavy scent of ash and smoke filling her lungs one last time. "Yes. I’m ready," she said softly, though the words felt heavy in her mouth, like she was saying goodbye to a part of herself she wasn’t sure she’d ever find again.

They climbed aboard the transport in silence, the whirring of the engines filling the space between them as the vehicle lifted off the ground. Inside the transport, Lilith sat next to Taelon, her hands resting on her lap, her fingers absently tracing the edge of the blade sheathed at her side. Her mind raced, replaying moments of her time on Armageddon; the faces of soldiers she had saved, the comrades she had lost, the endless waves of Orks that had threatened to swallow them all. But most of all, her thoughts drifted to Sister Mercy and Sister Victorine. Would they understand why she had to leave? Could they accept what she really was?

As the vehicle ascended, Armageddon grew smaller, its endless war-torn surface disappearing beneath the clouds of smoke and ash. The mountains of slag, the twisted wreckage of ruined buildings, and the choked rivers of industrial waste all became distant memories as the transport rose higher, carrying her away from the only world she had known. Yet even as the planet receded, it felt as though it was pulling a piece of her soul with it.

Their first stop was the orphanage. The place where everything had begun.

When they landed, the Sisters are surprised on Lilith’s arrival, their familiar robes billowing slightly in the wind as they stood in a small, tight-knit group. Sister Mercy immediately runs towards Lilith, her face aglow with the warmth of her smile. She hadn’t aged a day, or perhaps Lilith’s memory had simply frozen her in time. But now, as she stood there, that same warmth and love radiated from her, as if nothing in the galaxy could change what she felt for the girl she had raised. Lilith’s heart pounded in her chest as she stepped down from the transport, her legs feeling heavier with each step she took toward the woman who had been more of a mother to her than anyone else.

Without a word, Lilith rushed forward, her emotions bubbling up to the surface in a way they hadn’t in years. She threw her arms around Sister Mercy, embracing her tightly, the way she had done as a child whenever the world had become too overwhelming. For a brief moment, Lilith allowed herself to forget everything else; the war, the Salamanders and her true self. She simply feel like the girl who had been saved by the orphanage so long ago.

"You’ve grown so much," Sister Mercy said, her voice thick with emotion as she held Lilith close. "I always knew you would come back to us."

Lilith pulled back, wiping her eyes quickly, and smiled. "It feels like I never really left." And in some ways, that was true. No matter how many battles she had fought, no matter how much blood she had shed, this place had always been a part of her. It had been her sanctuary, her refuge from the harshness of the galaxy.

The other Sisters also gathered around as the news of Lilith’s arrival spread like wildfire, their faces alight with joy and relief. They each embraced her in turn, offering words of welcome and affection. Unfortunately, Sister Victorine is not present currently at the orphanage but everyone else, even those who are mostly strict and stern now holds the expression of joy. The sisters who had once seemed cold and distant now looked at Lilith with something close to pride.

Lilith took a deep breath, steadying herself for the moment she had dreaded. "I came to say goodbye," she began, her voice steady, though her heart was anything but. "I’m leaving Armageddon. For good, this time."

The words hung in the air, heavy with finality. The smiles that had just moments ago lit up the Sisters' faces faltered, and a tense silence settled over the group. The joy of reunion was replaced with a somber reality that no one had expected.

Sister Mercy's eyes filled with concern, her brows knitting together as she stepped closer to Lilith. "Lilith... why?"

The question lingered, filled with love, confusion, and a deep worry that only someone who had raised her could feel. Sister Mercy’s hand reached out, gently resting on Lilith’s arm, as if by holding her, she could stop her from leaving.

Lilith’s gaze fell to the ground, her fingers curling around the hilt of the knife at her waist. She could feel the weight of their eyes on her, the unspoken questions, the fear of losing her again. They deserved the truth, but the truth was heavy. Too heavy. For a long moment, she couldn’t bring herself to say it. She was leaving Armageddon, not just to escape the war, but because of what she was becoming. What Eve and she were becoming.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what was to come. "I…" her voice cracked, and she paused, swallowing hard as the words caught in her throat. How could she explain it to them? How could they understand that she wasn’t just Lilith anymore? That something inside her was changing in ways she couldn’t control?

The Sisters exchanged worried glances, their eyes fixed on Lilith as she struggled to find the words. Sister Victorine stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "Whatever it is, child, you can tell us. We are your family. We’ve always been here for you."

Lilith’s heart tightened at those words. Family. For so long, that’s what they had been. But now... things were different. The person standing before them wasn’t the same girl they had once known. She wasn’t even sure if she was the same person who had left Armageddon in the first place.

With a heavy heart, Lilith looked up at them, her eyes filled with a mixture of sorrow and resolve. "I need to tell you the real reason why I’m leaving."

The air grew thick with tension. The Sisters remained silent, their faces a mix of concern and anticipation. Lilith could feel the weight of their love and their fear pressing down on her, but she knew that she couldn’t keep the truth from them any longer.

And then, with trembling hands and a heavy heart, Lilith began to speak, knowing that the truth she was about to reveal would change everything; for her, for them, and for the path that lay ahead.