Chapter 597 Temple of Omniscient
The Temple of Omniscient is one of the most majestic buildings on Mars, making even the largest forged temples in the Gamma World Complex seem insignificant in front of it.
The smoke-belching iron tower pierced the dusky sky, the blue stone dome towered into the clouds, the majestic pilasters formed the open door, and millions of mathematical formulas and proofs were engraved on the pink marble. .
The moment he got out of the car, the boundless shadow of the temple engulfed Rogris, and he was shocked by this huge structure - although this was not his first time here.
Then he walked along the electrical passage, still many miles away from this pilgrimage site.
This area of Mars is protected by a vast dome, enough to form an independent climate. The golden and red flags are flapping in the wind. The sky is filled with huge prayer ships. The golden airships play continuously from the brass loudspeakers. Speaking machine language, the yellowed parchment with prayers written on it swayed behind it.
Thousands of pilgrims marched along the stone streets, the pavement grooved by the sandals of countless supplicants.
Technical Sergeants are surrounded by monotonous and tall buildings, the Mechanical Temple, the Technological Temple and the Engine Sacred Ark - all for the worship and praise of the God of Machines.
Although he is an Astartes, he is not particularly noticeable here, because the pilgrims who come here are far more bizarre than the Astartes.
For example, a hundred meters away on the right, there is a technician without limbs riding on a multi-legged sedan. Surrounding him are a group of incredibly tall tripods, which move with strange strides.
Fifty meters away on the left, a body of gathered consciousness floats in a glass tank, escorted by a team of combat robots under its control.
A cacophony of robots, floating skulls and gold-plated levitating vehicles carried passengers and protected sacred objects to the temple. The few who had just emerged from the temple looked relaxed and fulfilled, obviously not in vain. Magnificent and extraordinary.
Here, all Mechanicus will find solace and answers.
When Roglis walked through the gate, he raised his head and looked up at the scowl-like Predator Titan. Its powerful weapons pointed directly at the sky, which contained the dual meanings of symbolism and inspiration.
The Adeptus Mechanicus are capable of creating the deadliest war machines imaginable, but they take no responsibility for their work.
Being so obsessed with what you can create that no one first considers whether it should be created.
Finally, Rogris approached the entrance of the temple. The majestic pilasters were dizzyingly high, and at the same time a warm wind blew from it, carrying the smell of musk.
He stopped and took a deep breath, then walked inside.
After seeing the immortal majesty outside the temple, it is easy to be disappointed with its interior - the exterior is magnificent beyond imagination, but the interior fails to repay this expectation.
The front hall has bare metal walls, with connection ports lined up. Penitents kneel on the ground, connected to the mechanical heart of the building, with a common pulse, and a hollow copper line behind it. A fence of chains separates the temple entrance from the main altar.
Rogris moved cautiously through the throng of penitents, each of their bodies shaking and convulsing with pain from the electric shocks of purification.
Behind the fence, dense layers of metal benches were lined up from the altar into the main hall. A mechanical priest rode on a suspended chanting platform, condescendingly preaching sermons with mechanical holy words.
The venue was packed with people, and wherever the priest passed by, the believers in robes all bowed their heads.
Although Rogris was not a formal believer in the Mechanicus, he also lowered his head and raised his left hand. He didn't know whether he could reach such a state of unity with the Machine God in the future.
“The humblest of our generation also knows that giving up the mortal body cannot be done with a single blow.”
Suddenly, a voice sounded behind him, as if he had guessed his thoughts.
Roglis turned around and found a priest standing opposite, so he bowed his head in greeting.
The priest's face was darker than basalt, and the holy garments on his body were flowing like molten gold, reflecting the iridescence like anointing oil.
Under the priest's robe, Rogris saw a gleaming skeleton, which was composed of brass armatures, buzzing gears and ornately decorated cables.
The priest's head is very long, resembling the giant dragon in the ancient Terra paintings. In the center of the dragon's head is a pyramid-like object with a sphere that emits soft light embedded in it. The human head distortedly reflected the image of Rogris himself.
This priest can be regarded as an acquaintance of Rogris, and he is also his guide on the road to understanding the machine soul. "You praise me too much."
Rogris said, bowing deeply.
"You are so close to the Mechanicum, and I am but
a layman, Master Boban Hayden."
"You have encountered difficulties."
The senior pastor's voice was still emotionless, but his appearance made all the believers around him worship in unison, for no other reason——
Boban ·Master Hayden is the oldest and highest-ranking priest in the Temple of Omniscientity. He is also the only person in the temple who has experienced the Horus Heresy and is still alive, although he was only an apprentice who had just started.
And his mentor was the previous chief priest of the Omniscient Temple.
“Your biosensory readings go up and down, and by all measurable parameters, I
I can tell you're here to find answers. ”
“Yes, I’m here for this. "
Roglis admitted.
"I will... leave the temple soon and go to the forge to study. I hope to benefit from your guidance for the last time. "
Master Boban Hayden nodded.
"Follow me, I will listen to your dilemma and provide a conceivable solution."
Then, he glided in the air on the liquid metal platform, with Rogris following behind him. , heading together toward an archway lined with jagged skulls and fiber-optic nerves.
Behind the arch is a corridor made of polished steel and glass, which is eerily quiet, with only a crackling energy field protecting a shimmering door.
This energy field, called the Confessor's Force Field, can isolate the protected area from the rest of the temple. No one outside the force field can hear or see what's going on inside.
The moment Roglis entered the chapel, he felt a faint sting.
Indoors, the priest's chapel has no decorations. Only a metal bar stool is placed in the center of the room. There is a dimly lit niche on the bare wall, which contains input and output ports and data readers. One each.
The priest began to walk around the room, the glowing ball rippling light across the stone face.
“You can start.”
Later, Roglis talked about the difficulties he had in studying during his time in the temple, as well as his confusion about the teachings of the Mechanicum, especially about the The Astartes had a completely different understanding of the relationship between the Emperor and the Mechanicus in this regard.
Roglis believes that perhaps it is this conflict of ideas that prevents him from making greater breakthroughs in knowledge.
"Before leaving, I hope to gain enlightenment from the master."
After listening, Master Boban Hayden nodded gently and replied slowly:
"Roglis Sir, you know, I have always believed that Astartes should be like servitors, pure and without emotion."
(End of this chapter)