Canoness Superior Obdulia the Cruel

The two blood-sisters were raised by lash and rod. They were brought up alongside near a thousand others like them, tormented by cruel matriarchs night and day until they were old enough to torment themselves. Flayed skin and ripped flesh became as daily prayers to them. The Hate-Hymns, a cacophonous nightmare of screeching and ringing that was enough to send docile beasts into a frenzy, played daily across the monastery. Those who were lacking in faith were punished with suffering unthinkable to the common man. Those who excelled in their faith were rewarded with the same suffering. The blood-curdling screams of sisters in agony and ear-piercing screeching of the Hate-Hymns defended them. They new nothing else.

They grew. The two blood-sisters clung to one another at first, but this bond was quickly corrected. Through indoctrination and pain they were taught to resent each other, to loathe the sins of the other and hate them for their impiety. Soon enough they forgot why they clung to one another. They even forgot each others names. All they saw was another impious sinner who was unworthy of the Emperor's love. But only one of them was right to think so.

As they grew to the age of military training, the thousand that made up their numbers suddenly started to decrease. Mass was held, but their were more and more empty pews by the day.

Every evening during group devotions, two sisters would be taken away; and one would return the next day, broken and bloody. No words were ever said on the matter, though every sister knew what was happening.

Obdulia and her blood-sister were called on one day. Led to a secluded, featureless room by one of their matriarchs, they were locked in together, alone. As the doors shut, one simple statement slipped through the crack: "This sister has been found wanting. She must die for her sins."

They lunged at each other, almost as if by instinct. Two decades of misery and bottled frustrations were torn out and loosed upon one another by the agonizing noise.

Sinner!! Reveller!! Hedonist!! 

Hands grabbed throats, teeth tore flesh, knees cracked bones.

Obdulia entered a trance, nearly unconscious to the struggle. A frenzy of sounds and feelings overwhelmed her senses.

When she finally awoke, she sat over top a gnarled carcass that puffed and wheezed for air that Obdulia's hands were denying it. She raised her right fist and brought it down on her hated enemy's face. She felt cracking as the impact was made. She struck again. And again. Over and over she struck until the only cracking she felt was that of the bones in her hands displacing further and further from their natural place until she was bludgeoning the caved-in skull of her enemy with the stump of her wrist.