Although everything was complicated as the army was about to depart, Soshyan still took an hour out of his busy schedule and left his command post, his battle brothers, and even Veronica.
When Stormbird stopped in front of the largest and oldest church in Sagan, the place had already been cleared of irrelevant people.
This church is majestic and majestic, located on the top floor of the hive. Because it was donated and built by nobles, ordinary residents are naturally not eligible to worship.
If he said he went in just to pray, then Soshyan would be lying.
He just needs a quiet place to think.
The appearance of the church is full of religious mystery and majesty. The two towering spiers are 600 meters tall. The church wall facade draws on the artistic style of the M36 apostasy era. The main entrance is made of layered eaves and pediments.
Overlapping arcs and triangles, leaning columns and flat pilasters are used on both sides of the door. Large scrolls are carved layer by layer on both sides of the upper part of the facade. Not far from the church is the cemetery for the nobles, and in the middle is
A large piece of green grass, opposite to it is a row of reliefs, engraved with the statues and names of countless people who donated in this place, which promotes the generosity of believers, who spend a lot of money without hesitation just to "purchase" the emperor's
Blessing, but disdainful of all living beings in the distant nest.
There are many gargoyle statues on the church walls, and they play low hymns on a loop until nightfall.
Soshyan, who was wearing a robe, walked to the gate alone. There were three gates in the middle of the shell-like dome. The middle gate was the main passage and would not be open normally, but today all three gates were open.
This trip was actually very sudden. Soshyan came down with just a brief notice. The priests could only hurriedly drive away the believers who were here before, even themselves. Only some senior priests stood at the posts that must be maintained, in awe.
Looking at this angel who holds the life and death of billions of lives in his hands, the church has nine floors in total, except for the bottom floor, which is mostly divided by a suspended sun garden, making the light appear fragmented.
Soshyan walked through a glass-covered corridor and entered the church. After the main entrance, there are several doorways that gradually shrink inward, with statues on each floor.
When entering the magnificent main hall, melodious hymns echo among the domes painted with emperors and angels. The windows here are mostly in the form of plant leaves and are inlaid with colorful glass patterns, but this does not affect the light transmittance.
The senior priests standing here were all stiff, with their hands on the rosary. When Soshyan walked forward, they consciously stepped aside.
It seems that no matter where it is, the smell of the Anglican church is the same, holy oil, candle wax, incense, dry wood and... confusion.
This is a kind of spiritual weight, it is the pressure of responsibility, and it is also the atmosphere that the State Church strives to create - when a person stands here, it seems that he can really feel that the Emperor is watching him.
There are five aisles behind the main hall. There is a patio at the end of each aisle, and there is also a statue inside. The statue in the middle is the largest, seventy meters high. It depicts the God Emperor sitting on the golden throne.
The huge, tortured face looked over the heads of all living beings, staring into the distance with a determined expression.
Whether or not the person who carved it had actually met the Emperor, it was nevertheless crafted in a form that at least fit the mortal view of the Emperor.
But Soshyan was more interested in the statue in the hall outside, where the emperor was portrayed as a warrior, wearing armor and holding a sword. Even though the sword was as slender as the statue itself, it looked a bit ridiculous, but
In line with the Astartes' view of the Emperor.
Unfortunately, there are still too many people there, and it is too big and empty.
After looking at most of the statues, he chose a side hall, or the emperor's statue there, and more importantly, there was no one there, and then sat on a bench.
Soshyan himself didn't remember how long it had been since he had meditated alone in the church. Originally, this was supposed to be a required daily course for an Astartes, but he seemed to have forgotten about it. It stands to reason that any warrior would do this.
, he will immediately be questioned by the priest, who wonders if he is abusing the privileges of the chapter leader.
Suddenly, he heard the sound of rain.
In Sagan during this season, it seems to rain frequently. After all, the world retains more natural environment, and this church happens to be shorter than the clouds, perhaps deliberately.
The choir's singing was melodious, and the pouring rain was blocked outside.
But for some reason, Soshyan remembered another place, which was also a church, but it seemed to always rain, as if it would never end.
That place is called Thunder Rock.
Thinking of this, Soshyan took out the small white porcelain cup. He didn't know why he brought it. Maybe he was too confused during this time, so much that he really wanted to be alone.
, a person who can truly fully understand all of this should answer it.
Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him, like high heels tapping on the stone floor.
No one dared to approach him privately, and he knew who it was without looking back. After all, the church was her "territory" in a sense.
"I was praying and heard you coming."
Soshyan turned around.
"Good morning, Velez."
Velez looked very happy, and her body was still surrounded by the warmth of incense, perhaps due to the small incense burner on her waist.
Then the nun walked to Soshyan's seat, sat down, took out a jar and opened it.
"Rose candy?"
"Well, I need it occasionally when I'm meditating. Speaking of which, my grandma always scolded me not to eat too much sugar, because appetite is also the source of sin."
Looking at the candy handed over by Velez, Soshyan smiled and took it in his hand. Its taste was so rich that he could taste the aroma before entering his mouth.
Velez suddenly looked up at the emperor in armor. He was surrounded by rows of burning candles, but the light did not illuminate him, and the shadows covered his face.
"Why did you choose to come here? Why not in the main hall?"
"I like this statue."
"like.?"
"I'm not here to seek repentance or absolution, although these things always come and go for the state religion. I just want a person to think quietly and try to see if I can get enlightenment."
Velez blinked.
"This is your first time trying to talk about these topics with me. So what do you like about this icon?"
"His face, He is the Emperor, the Lord of mankind, but He does not look happy, as if He has won a great battle, but this victory must cost Him a heavy price, and in the end He paid a heavy price in a kind of way.
He made decisions that He thought were right in ways we will never understand now. I looked at that statue and I saw Him alone and could understand His feelings as He tried to do the right thing in a world that disgusted Him."
Suddenly, Velez stretched out his hands and pressed the back of Soshyan's right hand.
"I understand, you are disgusted with what you have done."
The nun said softly:
"You see yourself in Him."
Soshyan's expression froze, and Velez squeezed his hand harder.
"There is no need to be afraid, it is not blasphemy to see Him struggling! You see yourself in Him, this is His inner connection with each of us, He is our Master and we are His servants, but we are all struggling with our
Fight the same struggle in your own way, Soshyan.”