After passing through the weird statue passage, even if Bahram and the others actually entered the Temple of Death, Jacob had heard that the ascetics had the tradition of death worship and skull worship before, but they were still surprised when they entered. Every step they walked through There are a large number of skulls placed in each passage and room, not only human ones, but also alien ones, or more twisted ones, and none of these skulls are artificially carved or shaped, they are all real bones, and as the As time goes by, it becomes pale and covered with dust. Occasionally, you will hear a burst of praising dirges or sad commemorative hymns.
Finally, they arrived at the deepest part of the Temple of Death, the Corridor of Bones.
This corridor is an eye-opener for Jacob. It surrounds a stone floor paved with hundreds of tombstones. In the niches between the stone pillars of the corridor stand sword-wielding warriors who have turned into skeletons. And the entire arched dome above the head is composed of connected skulls. Their empty eye sockets seem to be glaring at the people below. In front of each niche filled with skulls stands an ascetic warrior.
The Chapter Master Mazar of the Ascetic Chapter is sitting at the end of the dark bone corridor. The throne under him is made of the bones of the heroes of the Chapter. This man is dressed in fine workmanship. The Terminator Chapter Leader seems to be a little older. His dark skin is covered with pits and countless wrinkles like the surface of an asteroid. His long, withered white hair is braided into locks, and a white beard emerges from it. With its chin hanging down to its waist, a skinny, custom-made servitor with wings perched in the shadow of the Magyar throne. Brass wires gleamed at its joints. Its head occasionally turned and it made a unique cry. Its claws were light. Knocking on the floor, making a snapping sound.
Soldiers wearing dark Terminator power armor stood on both sides of Mazar, their faces hidden behind death masks carved into howling skulls with their faces peeled off, each holding a long With a long broad-bladed scythe, Chapter Chaplain Astado stood on the first step below the throne platform, corresponding to the Chapter's standard bearer Althanas.
Bahram strode to a position twenty meters away from the throne, then stopped and lowered his head slightly.
"The tenth company commander of the Astral Knights Chapter, Bahram, has met the Magyar Chapter Commander and sends you greetings from Nessen IV. The Soshiyan Chapter Commander personally asked me To convey his respect to you."
Mazhar nodded slightly and said slowly:
"After you return to the battle group, also express my respect to the leader of the Soshiyang battle group. The honor he received on Terra was an honor for all of us."
"Of course."
Just when Bahram was thinking about how to start, Mazhar took the initiative to bring up the matter.
"Captain Bahram, are you here for the Fire Claw Chapter's affairs?"
Bahram nodded lightly.
“Yes, I had a face-to-face communication with the Artkus Chapter Commander not long ago, and he said——”
But Mazar raised his hand to interrupt Bahra. Mu's words.
"My objection to them joining the Suffering Alliance is not based on past reasons. After all, if we want to pursue the case, the faults committed by the Flesh Tearers and even the Lamenters are more serious than them. The reason why I oppose it is because of concerns about the future. . ”
“The future?”
Mazar raised his chin, and then Astado, the ascetic priest, spoke. The armor under the robe of this priest was unique. Blood red with gold trim, his voice was low but penetrating when he spoke.
"The Fire Claws will become traitors in the future, and they will cast those terrible eyes."
Bahram's expression paused, and then he frowned.
"Why?"
"We don't know, but maybe they have relapsed and continue to pursue those evil artifacts of chaos."
"How do you know all this?"< br>
“I seek guidance from our revered ancestors, whose wisdom comes from beyond the veil of death, unfettered by the concerns of the living.”
Bahram blinked, and then Realize that this is actually two words - divination.
Then he objected:
“No disrespect, Pastor Astado, but it would be a disaster if the Empire used the possible results of divination to decide who is guilty, We can't judge guilt based on possibility."
"The future does not mean that Firepaw is guilty."
Mazhar answered on behalf of the priest.
"If we really thought they were guilty, they would have been eliminated long ago, but at least we can avoid some trouble."
"Lord Magyar, the original purpose of the Suffering Alliance was to help each other. Now that we know that they may go astray again, we cannot stand idly by, not only because they are Astartes, but more importantly, we cannot allow a new enemy of the Empire to be born, rather than letting the Empire pay a huge price to eliminate them in the future. It would be more cost-effective to place them under the custody of the alliance before anything happens."
Mazhar fell into silence, but stared at Bahram with his eyes like torches.
After a long time, a smile appeared on his face.
“You really look like your Soshiyan Chapter Commander, Captain Bahram. Well, a tenth company commander has such an opinion. The Astral Knights are really full of talents, which is enviable. .”
Then he changed the topic.
“But you said that if you put them under the custody of the alliance, how can the alliance, which itself has no coercive power, monitor a war group?”
“All their actions need to be directed to the alliance. The Scar of Victory reports in advance, and their think tank needs to go to the Scar of Victory for review every once in a while. This is the condition for them to become observers of the Suffering Alliance."
Mazhar stroked his beard with his hand and thought for a moment. Finally, he looked at each other and the head priest who turned around, confirmed each other's thoughts, and nodded.
"So, it seems feasible, but speaking of think tanks, judging from what you said, Captain Bahram, do you think there may be a problem with the Fire Claw think tanks?"
"Their number is unusual. I'm not sure if it's because of their home planet, but I found that some of their think tanks wear terminators, and their status is obviously higher than that of think tanks in ordinary battle groups."
Mazhar was silent for a while thoughtfully, and then agreed:
"Indeed, if you come into contact with chaos equipment, the first one to react must be the think tank, so just see if they have any problems, Just know if there is something wrong with the Fire Claw, it hits the mark. Captain Bahram, your thinking is very sharp.”
“Captain Magyar, you are very commendable.”
“Then they are. Will you accept this condition? ”
"I'm not sure, but if you don't accept it, just let him go. We have done our best, and others can't say anything."
Mazhar clapped his hands gently.
“Okay, then that’s the decision.”
“Also, Chapter Commander Magyar, regarding the review of the Fire Claw Think Tank, I would like to trouble the think tank brothers on the Ascetic side, because There is no think tank here at the Trace of Victory now.”