Chapter 364 Funeral
After dealing with the most urgent matters at hand, Soshyan had one more important thing to do.
Give those fallen warriors a due ceremony——
“——May the Emperor grant them peace.”
After Yazdan finished reciting the prayer, he The books in his hands were closed, and beautiful but sad music came from both sides of the emperor's statue.
Then he walked into the other monks and gave up his position to Soshyan.
Rows after rows of fully armed monks were looking at him in well-prepared armor, and in front of him were dozens of coffins, each of which contained a fallen monk, from head to toe. Covered by a white shroud.
Their necks were covered with bandages bearing the Aquila emblem, covering the wounds left when the gene-seed was removed.
These former warriors are like mummies on the old earth, waiting for a resurrection that will never come - they will never be able to walk on earth again.
Although every servant of the Chapter Astartes gathered here, the church still seemed very empty.
This church was built exactly like the obsidian fortress of the past. Even on the original home planet of the Chapter, Soshiyan had never seen it completely crowded, even when the Chapter was more powerful many years ago. .
Every step he took here he could feel the Empire's decline, just like the withering Adeptus Astartes.
He kept these thoughts in his heart, and there was no trace of fatigue or doubt in his words.
The sound grille on the power armor amplified his voice, filling the church.
“Brothers, brave warriors of the Empire! We gather together today to bear the sorrow of losing so many warriors, but do not lose hope! They exchanged their sacrifices for humanity For a moment that lasts, until true peace comes, we will never stop fighting until the last drop of blood leaves our veins. This is the meaning of our birth!”
He looked at the long list of names in front of him, including the Astral Knights who died in Valedor, but more of them were Soul Drinkers who fell in the civil war.
The loss caused by this tragedy cut deeply into his heart.
At this moment, he suddenly felt indescribably tired. If he had a choice, he would definitely put down all the burdens on his body and walk into the endless wasteland of the Milky Way so that he would no longer be troubled.
But he had no choice.
“Brother Lazo will be forever missed.”
He whispered:
"He is a member of the Second Tactical Team, the hero of the Battle of Forun, the ruthless killer of greenskins, loved by his brothers and captain, on Valedo Fallen in action... Brother Razor."
He stretched out his hand towards the first corpse, and the servants immediately lifted the coffin and carried it on his shoulders.
These names are not in any order, this is to prevent the deeds of one monk from appearing more glorious than those of another.
Death makes them completely equal, they are no longer separated by military rank and status.
"Brother Alexander, he was the heavy weapons hand of the 2nd Tactical Squadron, the marksman, the pacifier of the machine spirit, beloved by his brothers and captain, fell during the operation on Valedo... Brother Alexander."
He reached out his hand again. Four other servants came forward and lifted the coffin.
The two sacrificed soldiers were both members of Farzad's team, so the soldier who had become the third company commander had tears in his eyes at this moment.
The names were read out one by one, the bodies in the church were gradually emptied, and another burden was placed on Soshyan's shoulders.
Finally, he read Gorgori's name.
"Brother Gorgori, he died in the process of serving the Emperor. Countless enemies fell on his sword, and traitors were frightened. May people remember his name and achievements."
If death really caused Soshyan pain, then the regret and remorse of Gorgli's last moments really pierced his heart like a knife.
"He died gloriously."
As he said this, he stepped off the platform. This unusual move made the priests and warriors look at him curiously. "He fought until the last moment and set an example for us."
Soshiyang put the fragments of his shattered halberd into the coffin, then turned back to the high platform, hiding the emotions that were almost revealed in his heart.
The body was also carried away, and there were many names waiting for him to read out.
When the last name was spoken and the last body was carried away, only the Astartes remained in the cathedral.
Everyone was silently mourning, and a deathly silence enveloped the angels.
Scaffolds made of marble await the remains of the deceased, who will then be transported to the Chapter Cemetery to rest with the heroic ancestors brought from the Obsidian Fortress in the past.
Carbon mist surrounded people's feet, and the morgues stretched quietly around. The number of corpses that could be placed here was more than the number of Space Marines in the entire Chapter.
Soshyan waited quietly for the warriors to enter their resting place, and Yazdan performed a brief ceremony in front of each corpse, whispering to them something that could never be heard. words.
Their remains were separated by a thick pane of glass that soon became obscured by frost on the glass.
When everything was completed, a thin layer of frost had formed on Soshyan's armor, and the ice crystals at the joints made a cracking sound as he moved.
"All is done, Chapter Master."
Hearing Yazdan's words, he nodded, but his heart was so heavy that he couldn't say anything.
After that, Soshyan disbanded the team and went alone to a secret dark space deep underground in the monastery fortress.
This space was excavated on the order of Brother Said. It is hidden hundreds of meters deep in the mountain. However, until the appearance of Savita, Brother Said did not explain the function of this space.
Now the role of this space is obvious - it has become the private space of the Crow Prince.
Soshyan enters from the secret entrance and walks along a long corridor.
He felt like he was walking towards a terrible prison, but now there was only one watcher in this "prison".
The walls, ceiling and marble floor of the corridor are covered with a rune that Soshyan does not recognize. This rune can be seen on the chains on Sevita's body and everywhere else he can see it. Less than.
Soshyan once tentatively asked Savita what this rune was, but the other party just told him jokingly that this rune came from the ancient earth and may be as old as the Emperor.
But Soshyan didn’t quite believe it.
And Sevatar doesn't look like a wizard.
"Who's there?"
Suddenly, a sound came from the darkness, like a song, and reached Soshyan's ears.
But when he listened carefully, there was actually no sound.
But that tone still echoed in his mind, teasing the edges of his soul, seeming to move slowly along the walls and ceiling, crawling like a spider, ready to pounce on him at any time.
Soshyan thought he had heard this voice before.
But today, its attack felt stronger and more direct.
“The chanter?”
(End of this chapter)