Alec Worley’s third Adepta Sororitas short story for Black Library, Martyr’s End continues Sister Adamanthea’s story as the redeemed ex-Repentia – idolised by her Sisters for surviving her penance – searches for martyrdom in glorious battle. With her Sisters embattled against the T’au, Adamanthea is tasked with leading her youthful squad of Dominions on a hunt for an enemy leader, but her strict orders conflict with her own desire for battle. As she hurls herself into danger, she struggles to understand the purpose she’s been given by the Emperor – to fight and die, or survive and lead her Sisters to victory?
It’s another action-packed story, this time using the breathless violence to demonstrate Adamanthea’s reckless, fierce bravery as well as the implications – on both herself and her Sisters – of her spiralling mania. Worley once again walks the line of sanity with Adamanthea; the screaming zealot of Repentia is still there, but lacking the clarity of purpose she once had and both tempered and embittered by her survival. As with all of Worley’s Sororitas stories this paints an intense picture of the Battle Sisters which sets them clearly apart from anything else in 40k, while continuing to develop Adamanthea as a darkly compelling character.
