The sunlight turned into sharp knives as it cut through the branches and leaves of the high treetops, imprinting a mottled halo on the ground in front of the war horse.
A large group of young people rode horses on a path in the forest.
The air was filled with fragrance, and it was undoubtedly a calm and peaceful day.
As the capital of planet Nessin IV, Hive Soames is different from most other hives. The hive is built close to the highest peak in the world, Soames Peak, hence the name of the hive.
.
This majestic mountain peak is more than seven thousand meters above sea level. The huge hive city is like a vine climbing on the mountain, completely covering the original mountain and vegetation. The ruler of the hive city lives at the highest point of the hive city, spending all day long.
In the palace complex called the Winter Palace, covered with snow.
Like most hives, the Soames Hive is also divided into different levels. The lower and lower hives are the main part, crowded with dozens or even tens of billions of poor living beings, who live in the rotten stinking ditches and toxic wastes.
Struggling to survive, a very small number of them will be forged into Astra Militarum soldiers or become priests of the state religion.
But most other people will die from various diseases or gang fighting between the ages of forty and fifty.
The areas above 3000-5000 meters above sea level belong to the middle-level hives, and the natural environment is relatively intact. However, the natural environment of the high-rise hives above 5000 meters makes it difficult for people to think that this is a hive.
This extremely precious high-altitude forest belongs to the Soames Noble Academy. Thanks to the environmental transformation technology of the Mechanicus, tall trees can still grow at such a high altitude.
"Ha~~~~~~"
The aristocratic young man Oscar Hermann loosened the reins tightly in his hands, relaxed his body on the saddle, and let the precious war horse imported from another planet control its own pace.
The forest in the morning is no longer a place of danger and fear. The forest has been illuminated by light and turned into an adventure paradise.
Next to Oscar is his brother, Dud Herman, who has taken off his helmet.
The young man smiled at his brother, hoping that he would be happy during the walk in the forest, but Osman's mood was still not very high.
They are actually here for class. For the students of the Noble Academy, hunting is also part of the curriculum.
However, because there was no pressure, the students formed a very loose formation, and the whole team seemed relaxed and calm.
Everyone is immersed in the beautiful scenery of their home world, which is a call from the heart.
At the rear of the team are some attendants and servants. The attendants are responsible for guarding the spare weapons, and the servants are responsible for carrying the logistics packages. All of them form a hunting team.
"A strange team running towards the wilderness, do you think it looks like it?"
Oscar suddenly spoke, but only Dade heard his voice.
"I guess the school doesn't really have any classes, so we can only hang out."
Dad replied with a smile.
"You mean we should graduate?"
"Not yet."
The younger brother shrugged.
"But it's just a matter of time, we've both been in school for eight years."
"But we missed the most important step! The real graduation ceremony."
Seeing that Oscar finally revealed the source of his troubles, Dude felt that although it was annoying to hear his brother complain, at least he no longer suppressed himself. His recent state was very worrying.
What the Oscars previously referred to was the most exciting selection ceremony every year, the most direct opportunity a mortal could have to become a great hero.
An Astartes Chapter will arrive before the graduation ceremony to select the lucky ones among the graduates who are suitable to become the Emperor's Angels.
Their names are, Astral Knights.
But this year, the graduation ceremony has passed and the angels are nowhere to be seen.
It is said, just said.
The Astral Knights were wiped out in a distant war, so they will never come here to recruit new soldiers.
As soon as this rumor appeared, it was severely rebuked by the school and the state church and banned from spreading, because the Emperor's Angels would not suffer such a failure.
However, they had no better excuse to explain the fact that the angels had not appeared for three consecutive years.
Some people also believe that Nathan No. 4 was abandoned. The Angels believed that the recruits here were not good enough and turned to look for better recruitment sites.
In any case, the light of Soames Noble Academy is much dimmer than in the past.
"Even if I die, I want to try to become an Astartes!"
Oscar whipped his whip in anger and spurred his horse forward.
"Brother! Calm down, even if you torture 'Gospel', it will not help."
Dud followed Oscar on horseback. They walked to an open area. On the left was a steep cliff. Below the cliff was a deep valley. The mountain peaks were made of white rocks. In front of them, there was a waterfall pouring down from the top of the mountain with the force of rolling thunder.
Into the deep pool at the bottom of the valley.
The rushing water collides with the rocks, water splashes everywhere, and the air is filled with water mist, reflecting the colorful rainbow light.
The surroundings are lush and green, with vibrant green plants extending in all directions.
Compared to Oscar's irritability, Dade only felt a sense of peace spreading throughout his body.
At this moment, he felt soulful and energetic.
"Angel, angel, where is the angel? War, war, where is the war?"
Oscar held the hilt of the sword in his hand and looked around, but he didn't find anything that interested him.
Instead, he only saw two crossed swords nailed to the thick branches of a big tree, bright and dazzling under the sunlight.
This surprised him greatly
"They never left."
Oscar whispered, but only Dade saw the expression on his face clearly - it was a kind of uneasy expectation.
Just when he was about to speak, a strange trend quietly blew up.
The air began to become hot and filled with a pungent smell, which was somewhat similar to the exhaust gas emitted from the factory.
Dud looked up and saw a huge silver "thing" roaring above his head.
It was a big guy, with a strong body with sharp edges and corners, a pair of huge wings that swept back, and blue fireworks sprayed from its tail.
When this "thing" flew overhead, the accompanying scorching heat made everyone involuntarily exclaim.
The students formed a circle on their mounts, and when the huge flying beast roared past again, Dud drew his long sword.
"What the hell is this!"
The harsh noise that filled the clearing forced him to roar loudly.
"I don't know! Maybe the enemy!"
"Impossible! There is no warning in the planet's orbit!"
Dud looked at Oscar again, trying to understand what happened, but his brother just sat safely in the saddle, quietly watching the giant thing flying overhead.
A joyful smile appeared on his face, his hands gripped the reins tightly, and his shoulders couldn't stop shaking.