Lessons

Before the Pact had liberated the Mighty of this world, St. Clausewitz' Academy had been a scholum of the Imperium. Obviously, the curriculum had been utterly changed once the blesséd warcry of the Blood God was received. But after looking into his history and what exactly the Imperium had sanctified him for, the Paters of the Sanguinary Utnapistim had decided that Khorne was probably pretty fond of Clausewitz too, so the name had stuck. So it came to be that junior logisticians of the Office for Ceremonial Calculations were sent to the SCA for training in method.

Today's lesson concerned sacred semantical referentia:

"Statement! 'Khorne enters into, but is Himself incapable of, evolution and progress.'" Zalmesh Instructrix barked out to the whole class as he strode between their seats, his robes flowing behind him. "Connotative analysis, you!" - at that last, Zalmesh suddenly wheeled round and pointed their bony figure at a terrified student:

"I... er... the Blood Lord..." Ashrugan stammered.

"Too slow! Class, apply discipline!" The lesson paused while Ashrugan's neighbouring students fell upon and thrashed him. That being done, Zalmesh resumed learning by pointing to Ninsava, ignoring the front of the class where an eager hand had been raised in the meantime.

"Connotatively, the statement indicates that while our most rageful Lord of Skulls involves himself in various activities that induce changes, such as war and battle, Khorne himself remains, and must remain, constant throughout such activities."

The Instructrix grimaced and said "Inexact!", slapping Ninsava for the fault, "but sufficient for our purpose. Designatorial analysis, someone!"

A bruised Ashrugan, hoping to regain some standing, began speaking without being called upon:

"The proper name 'Khorne' designates the most Mighty one, to whom a two-place relational term is being applied, semantical-access is gained thereto by observing divinatory combat of eightfold-sanctified fighting chicke--"

Ashrugan instinctively flinched when the Instructrix interrupted him; but this time, at least, there was no accompanying physical rebuke:

"Can anyone tell me why the textbook designatorial divinations that dullard Ashrugan was so tiresomely about to talk us through would not be necessary here?"

Zalmesh paused to give the class time to think, but after a few moments, with an inward sigh, he called upon the only hand raised. From the front of the class Lihzatu, as ever, spoke up:

"We know in advance that the verificatorious adequacy-criterion shall return the Null Rune, since the statement attributes an incapacity to Khorne and all such attributions involve a contradiction in terms. This follows from the defininatorial elaborations upon the appellation 'the most Mighty one', which provably entail that Khorne's Might surmounts all enemies, be they physical or metaphysical."

"Correct, as usual, student Lihzatu."

Lihzatu beamed at what she mistook for sincere praise from her teacher. But Zalmesh Instructrix, for his part, was distraught. He knew, he just knew, that Lihzatu was going to apply for postgraduatorial continuation of studies; and with her record of accomplishment she'd no doubt be granted entry. He'd never be rid of her.