Chapter 3 The Elephant in the Room - Return to Krieger
After spending nearly a month, Calvin set out from Terra and headed south, finally reaching the Krieg system.
Ignoring greeting the stationed Astartes, the huge Silver Dawn passed through the surrounding planetary worlds and flew straight to the core planet of the Industrial Alliance.
Under the watchful eyes of the garrisons of all the planetary worlds in the galaxy, a group of Thunderhawks set off from the open deck on the belly of the battleship, and flew into the atmosphere like several lightsabers flying upside down amid the escort fleet.
There was a faint roar from the edge of the sky, and a group of silver thunderhawks quickly grew from a light point to a larger size, then steadily passed through the sky once and landed on the tarmac.
The escorting fighter groups roared and circled overhead. After receiving the signal from the Thunderhawks, they swung their wings, then gathered into a battle formation and left again.
On the apron the size of a square, monks in red robes lined up quietly in two rows. Several Astartes warbands, who were taking turns to rest, and high-ranking generals, also stood in queue with their adjutants.
On one side, the members of the Tribunal on the other side formed the two wings of the crowd.
The Thunderhawk's gate fell, and the Primarch... no, the Gray Knights appeared.
More than a hundred directly affiliated companies, all wearing Terminators, were the first to step down. In the center of the array, a group of five flag guards, composed of fifteen people, held high the silver blade battle flag symbolizing the legion, as well as two large battle groups.
The flag flapped fiercely in the wind.
The Astartes officers responded solemnly, because this was the first time the Gray Knights had appeared in front of them as a legion.
The armor on these warriors has obviously been changed and rested, and is in the best state of preparation for war, but there is still the lingering flames of war and smoke in their faces and eyes.
Eighty-five three-meter-tall gray knights spread out to both sides with heavy steps, while the standard guard composed of fifteen people stopped.
The heavily armored Honor Guards and the golden Imperial Guards finally appeared. The entire huge array of steel, just in time to adjust their footsteps, took up the gap left by the front array in an instant.
And surrounded by their array, Calvin, the master of this galaxy and even the entire Gray Knights, finally appeared in everyone's eyes.
The array of more than a hundred people has finally taken shape and started again, but nearly half of its seemingly complete military capacity was recruited from soldiers recuperating on Titan.
But no matter where they came from on the battlefield before, these Gray Knights all have a scent that is familiar to the Astartes.
It was a smell heavier than blood. It was the smell of all the Gray Knights headed by Calvin after the War Council was formally established, and after they fully embraced order, they shouldered the endless cold curse.
Fire Eagle warriors are familiar with it, because when they were born, they had to endure severe battle losses while enduring the mutations in their bloodline alone;
The Lamenters know and feel the same, for it is the price of the gift of the noble blood of Sanguinius.
Blood thirst and black rage are like eternal curses. While their humanity faces endless tests, it also makes the countless sacrifices made by all the descendants of Sanguinius in the darkness even more filled with silent heroism and sorrow.
And now, such a familiar smell has appeared on these Gray Knights.
They don't know what happened to these Gray Knights, but what they can know is that compared with the mysterious but full of nothingness Gray Knights in the previous chapter era, these Gray Knights have a lingering sense of self.
After feeling heavy, it seemed more real in their eyes.
"Your Majesty, Sanguinius..." The resonance of the soul made the mourners instantly think of their genetic father.
Thousands of years of ups and downs and torture made them question him countless times in their hearts, while also struggling between love and hate countless times...
But the Gray Knight in front of him was different from those of them who had lost the source of their bloodline forever.
Although the coldness and gloom are like maggots attached to the bones, lingering on these strange warriors, just because they are the most dazzling presence in the crowd, their temperament has a calmness that cannot be ignored... and hope!
"The Emperor's blessing!" Several Astartes officers from the Chapter Alliance knelt on one knee and prayed to the Emperor.
No matter how many times it is repeated, the almost miraculous figure of the original body can still shock these warriors deep in their souls.
The changes in the appearance of the Gray Knights certainly made these Astartes feel sincere awe and envy, but no matter how dazzling the presence of the Steel Division in front of them was, it could not cover up even the slightest gleam of the being surrounded by the crowd.
.
Calvin's face remained at the age of 20 as before, as if time had no meaning in front of him, but the eyes under the blue crystal laurels appeared deeper, as if they had not been seen for decades.
But he has gone through the vicissitudes of mortal life for hundreds of years.
"My Lord!" The mechanical priests also joined in the salute to welcome the source of their struggle.
The same was true for the stationed officers of the Tindalos Legion, whose black and gold military uniforms instantly fell down.
The huge welcoming team was already lying down, and only the members of the Tribunal were still standing. But despite feeling the huge pressure from the surroundings, these pale-faced judges still stubbornly insisted on their stance and walked with dignity.
The double-headed eagle salute expresses their greatest respect.
"Get up, all get up..." Calvin's voice was not high-pitched, but it was gentle and tired with a will that could not be refused.
Everyone stood up immediately, while the original man frowned slightly after looking at the welcoming crowd.
"Where's Constantine...he can't come anymore?"
Several priests looked at each other, and then the one in the center stepped forward and explained to Calvin:
"The chief sage's state... is not stable. According to the results of the recent Turing test, we advise him not to leave the stasis position easily."
"Understood, please lead the way." After a slight silence, Calvin still replied calmly. Although his mood was sad enough at this time, everyone here was waiting for him and paying attention to him.
He must show his calm and strong side. This is his obligation and responsibility.
But he had to worry about Constantine's current situation. He could only express his inner emotions at a slightly accelerated pace while fulfilling his responsibilities as commander.
At this moment, his identity is contradictory. As a commander, he needs to support the hearts of all his followers, regardless of distance;
But as a person with complete emotions, he is destined to have different reactions to the death of each life depending on the distance between them.
The original face met the crowd one by one with a serious look on his face, and everyone knew the purpose of his visit and did not bother with him too much.
After the brief meeting, the leaders of these industrial alliances left one after another, leaving only the local Mechanic-Priest and the team behind him to guide the original body on the way to the underground.
On the high points on both sides of the central avenue, Astartes warriors in different colors saluted the Primarchs passing below them at their sentry posts.
After a calm and simple gesture of raising his hand, Calvin sighed slightly, and then ordered the priest at the front on the left side of the team:
"Let's go, take me to see him."
"Your will..." The priest in red robe bowed and saluted, and the huge team on the Central Avenue gradually disappeared among the mountains of steel peaks on the ground as the star's light came to an end.