Ilya
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This article is about the Cadian Guardsman; for the Munitorum official, see Ilya Ravallion. |
Ilya was a First Sergeant of the Cadian 217th regiment.[1a]
Biography
First Sergeant Ilya was active during the Indomitus Crusade. He was well-liked by the other Guardsmen of the 217th, both the rank and file and the regiment's officers. This earned him the nickname "Uncle".[1a]
Ilya was present when the 217th was deployed on Cocleratum to combat a heretic uprising. At one point in the campaign, due to difficulties encountered trying to take the planet's capital city, the Imperial officers ordered a team of snipers from the 217th to infiltrate the city ahead of the next advance and assassinate the heretic leader, a witch known as Speccius. Ilya was chosen to lead the team, which consisted of Corporals Mir and Nevic.[1b]
Although the team successfully breached the city, they were soon discovered by the heretics, who pursued them through the streets to the ruined Gardens of the Fountains. There they were confronted by one of Speccius' guard: a Heretic Astartes, who gave the order to leave one of the Guardsmen alive and kill the others. During the resulting firefight, Corporal Mir was seized by the Astartes. In an attempt to kill the warrior, Mir detonated a krak charge on his belt.[1c] The resulting blast incinerated Mir[1c] and left the Astartes wounded but not dead.[1e]
Believing that Corporal Nevic had also been killed in the blast[1d], the heretics captured First Sergeant Ilya and brought him to the Cathedral of Macharius and the Saints.[1d][1e] After he was captured, the heretics tortured him almost to death.[1e]
Unbeknownst to the heretics, Nevic had survived.[1d] She tracked the heretics to the cathedral and snuck inside disguised as a cultist. There she saw Ilya being dragged onto the cathedral's altar. Speccius was aware of Nevic's presence in the building, but while he was distracted trying to find her, Ilya pointed to his supplies, which had been left in the room. Nevic understood his message and fired two shots - the first hit Ilya in the chest and killed him instantly, before the second shot detonated the explosives in Ilya's gear and levelled the cathedral.[1e]
