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 came to the deepest part of the Temple of Death, the Corridor of Bones.
This corridor was an eye-opener for Jacob. It was surrounded by a stone floor paved with hundreds of tombstones. In the niches between the stone pillars of the corridor stood sword-wielding warriors who had turned into skeletons, and the entire arched dome above their heads. They are all composed of connected skulls, their empty eye sockets seeming to stare at the people below. In front of each niche filled with skeletons stands an ascetic warrior.
Mazar, the Chapter Master 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 Chapter Master wearing a fine Terminator He 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. A white beard hangs from his chin to his waist. A skinny, custom-made servitor with wings perched in the shadow of the Magyar Throne, brass wires gleaming at its joints, its head occasionally turning, emitting a distinctive cry, and its claws tapping on the floor, making a snapping sound. Click sound.
Warriors 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, broad-bladed scythe. Astado, the Chaplain of the Chapter, stood on the first step below the throne platform, and corresponding to him was Althanas, the standard bearer of the Chapter.
Bahram strode to a position twenty meters away from the throne, then stopped and lowered his head slightly.
"Commander of the Tenth Company of the Astral Knights Chapter, Bahram, has met Chapter Master Magyar and sent you greetings from Nessen IV. Chapter Master Soshyan personally asked me to convey his respect to you. .”
Mazar nodded slightly and said slowly:
"On your return to the Chapter, I would also like to pay my respects to Chapter Master Soshyan, whose honor on Terra is an honor for all of us."
"certainly."
Just when Bahram was thinking about how to start, Mazhar took the initiative to bring up the matter.
"Captain Bahram, are you here about the Fire Claw Chapter?"
Bahram nodded slightly.
"Yes, I just had a face-to-face communication with the Artkus Chapter Commander not long ago. He said-"
But Mazar raised his hand to interrupt Bahram.
"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. .”
"future?"
Magyar raised his chin, and then Astado, the ascetic priest chief, spoke. The armor under the robe of this priest was a unique blood red color with gold trim. When he spoke, his voice was low but rich. Penetration.
"The Fire Claws will become traitors in the future, and they will look into those terrible eyes."
Bahram's expression paused, and then he frowned.
"Why?"
"We don't know, but perhaps they have relapsed and continue to pursue those evil artifacts of chaos."
"How do you know all this?"
“I look to our revered ancestors for guidance, whose wisdom comes from beyond the veil of death, unfettered by the concerns of the living.”
Bahram blinked, and then realized that these were 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, and we cannot judge guilt based on probability."
"The future does not mean Firepaw is guilty."
Mazar answered in place of the priest.
"If we really thought they were guilty, they would have been eliminated, but at least we could 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 let one New enemies of the Empire are born, and instead of having 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."
Mazar fell silent, but stared at Bahram with 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 subject.
"But you said that you would place them under the guardianship of the alliance. How can the alliance, which itself does not have coercive power, supervise a war group?"
"All their actions need to be reported to the Scar of Victory in advance. At the same time, their think tanks need to go to the Scar of Victory for review every once in a while. This is a condition for them to become observers of the Suffering Alliance."
Mazar stroked his beard with his hand, and after thinking for a moment, he looked at the head priest who turned around, confirmed each other's thoughts, and nodded.
"So, it seems feasible, but when it comes to think tanks, from what you said, Captain Bahram, do you think there may be something wrong 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 moment thoughtfully, and then agreed:
"Indeed, if you come into contact with chaos instruments, the first to react will be the think tank, so just look at them to see if there is a problem with the Fire Claws. That's right, it hits the mark. Captain Bahram, your thinking is very sharp. "
"Captain Magyar, you have done me a favor."
"Then will they 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."
Mazar clapped his hands lightly.
"Okay, then it's decided."
"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 on the Scar of Victory side now."
