40k: Midnight Blade.

Chapter 220 44. A Deserter ([-])

In Khalil's opinion, the Indomitable Truth is a very special ship.This specialness does not come from its decoration, but from the knights wearing winged helmets.

They hardly spoke, but the quiet and mysterious atmosphere lingered in the entire corridor.This atmosphere is as conspicuous as their dark green and black armor paint, and there is a distinct smell of incense in the air.

The corridor is wide and has no paintings or other decorations. It is not gorgeous, but it has an extreme sense of solemnity because of the presence of the knights.

Khalil stood by the door, observing them.The people under the winged helmets also stared at him. These dark angels with different markings on their shoulder armors silently paid attention to him, and they all had swords at their waists.Half a minute later, a knight came over.

He had met Khalil five minutes ago and even introduced himself completely.From this, Khalil was able to learn his name. His name was Coswayne.

The knight had been waiting behind the gate early in the morning, and was not surprised when Khalil walked out of the gate.Obviously, he was not here as a guard, so the lion was probably prepared.

Khalil thought about these seemingly insignificant things, slowing down his perception of the outside world, along with his vigilance and a certain instinct that was subtly developed in his body.

Coswayen nodded to him, his winged helmet covering all his expressions, and only a slightly dull word came out of the breathing grille: "I'm sorry to keep you waiting for a while, Instructor Khalil. Now, please follow me. "

"Thank you, please lead the way for me, Lord Coswayne."

"Individual matter."

The knight turned and left, followed closely by Khalil.

He walked loosely, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, swinging lightly.The pace of his walking also naturally changed. At this moment, he even gave people a sense of arrogance when walking, with an exaggerated smile on his lips.

This smile was born out of the dance of Nostramo nobles, but now he used it.Within seconds, those piercing stares shifted in intensity.

The knights were still wary and attentive to him, but no longer as undivided as before.Khalil maintained his disguise and followed Coswayne through three halls and two corridors, finally arriving at a tower.

It was humming at the base, steam fumes spreading out into an escaping mist.There was a slight sound of boots hitting the ground not far away. The Dark Angels did not cover up their tracking, but they did not put everything on the table either.

Khalil lowered his head slightly, using a deliberate arrogance to intensify the feeling of contempt caused by looking down at others at a height of four meters - the knight wearing a winged helmet stared at him calmly, without saying a word, as if he was waiting.

"Is this our destination?"

"Yes," said Coswayne. "Lord Luther conducts his work here."

"I have heard of his name, a brave man?" Khalil chatted with Coswayne skillfully using a technique that made him feel sick. "He is the one who raised your Primarch, isn't he?"

"What the Knight Commander has done is far more than this." The Winged Helmet Knight said stiffly.

"Would you mind telling me a story, Lord Coswayne?"

"This is not within the scope of my authority, Instructor Khalil. If you want to know, you can ask the Knight Commander himself, or our Primarch. As for now, please forgive me, I have to leave."

Khalil turned sideways to make way for him.But Coswayen did not accept his kindness and left directly from the other side.Watching him leave, Khalil smiled silently.

Arrogance - even staged arrogance can lead to bad consequences.

But what else could he say?This matter was not beyond his expectation; rather, it was one of his purposes.

What a dirty politician's tactics.Khalil thought in disgust as he stepped forward and pulled a brass handle on the tower door.It has two flying wings, which are exquisite and majestic.After pulling up and lowering, the door was immediately opened.

A voice came from inside, with a mechanical echo: "Please come in, Lord Khalil Lohars, please come directly to me on the top floor."

On the top floor - actually, the tenth floor - the tower has no quick-lift mechanism.The only thing that allowed Khalil to walk upward was a spiral staircase, designed to be very large to fit the size of the Astartes or Primarchs.

Torches were lit inside instead of lamps, and the scent of tallow filled the entire staircase.There are some exquisite patterns carved on the wooden handrails, and Khalil guessed that they should come from Caliban.

The galaxy is huge, and it makes sense to decorate the ship with things that remind people of home.

The walls made of bricks and steel are hung with oil paintings, mostly of knights fighting giant beasts, or protecting innocent people in the dark green forest.There are only a few portraits, one of which is of Leon Al'Jonson, but does not have a full face.

The original figure in the painting is wearing a dark green cloak and shining armor, holding a giant sword, riding a war horse and killing a giant beast.The war horse is almost as big as the prey in the painting.

There is a platform on each of the ten floors for people to distinguish their current location, but their stone doors are tightly closed, and there is nothing else on the platform except cursive numbers.Khalil withdrew his gaze and stopped observing these things and obtaining more information.He maintained his disguise and gradually reached the platform on the tenth floor, where he met a man.

He has short hair, a broad forehead, a strong chin, and a thick, neatly trimmed beard.His face had an obvious sense of weather, and the eyes sunken into the sockets behind his straight thick eyebrows were staring sharply at Khalil. Although he looked up, he was not humble.

Just one look and Khalil smiled.

"Hello, Lord Luther."

He took off his disguise and skin and greeted softly.The voice had changed, and so had his face.The bloody truth was revealed naturally on a shattered face, with blood and flesh splattering and falling to the ground, leaving a sticky echo.

Luther was struck by lightning in an instant.
-
Sitting on the sofa, the lion looked at his brother with calm eyes.

They are sitting on a sofa now. This sofa is very precious. A creation that can bear the weight and identity of the original body will not be cheap.Conrad Coates sat on his right, his posture more serious than the Lion's slightly casual posture.

The lion did not miss this information, his observations were very detailed, and the results obtained in these few seconds of silence began to be combined in his mind little by little.

Konrad Curze stared back at his brother, of course he didn't know what the Lion was going to ask him, but he would tell it all truthfully to a certain extent.

He might be honest.

He wished he could be honest.

"So, the first question, brother." Leon El'Jonson spoke in his unique voice, which was not loud and could even be called a whisper. "What is your purpose?"

"I thought you would want to talk about things that have nothing to do with work first." Kurtz sighed. "But... well, after all, I made a promise. I don't have any purpose, Leon. I just want to complete my duties and complete the tasks assigned to me by Terra, that's all."

"The responsibility lies at the front of the mission, that's good." The lion nodded expressionlessly, with approval in his voice, but his expression was surprisingly cold.

"I don't mean to make irresponsible remarks about your age, but you are indeed too young, Konrad. You don't understand me and my legion, that's why you took this mission."

"Is that what you think?" Curze asked.

The lion looked at him steadily for a while, and suddenly - he spoke sharply.

"You don't understand my responsibilities, you don't understand what I take on, and that's why you're here. Yes, that's it, that's what I think, Conrad. You're just a tooth compared to me. A young child learning to speak, just like your legion. The Eighth Legion is the executioner, but the First Legion has gone further than you in this regard!"

Curze slowly narrowed his eyes.

"Listen, Leon, I'm not here to argue with you or compete with you." He persuaded in a calm tone.

"And my age is essentially just an insignificant lie. It can be one or a hundred. What's the difference? Our minds are beyond ordinary people. How can you look at and evaluate me from a secular perspective?"

"Because I don't want to convince myself that all this is because you don't agree with me." The lion replied in a low voice.

There was earnestness in his eyes - it was not the earnestness of a 'man', but that of a beast, a beast that had finally found its kind.

"Fulgrim excelled in inspiring the world with his eloquence, and Ferrus used his iron determination to destroy all ignorant people who tried to defy the Empire. Rogal Dorn silently shouldered everything, Robert Guilliman Use his ideals to make every world conquered by the Ultramarines grateful to the Empire."

"But I am different, Konrad. All I left to the empire are unspeakable, unsearchable names and ashes. Most of the victories my legions achieved must be hidden in history, but no one has ever heard of me. complain?"

"Father gave me this duty, and I carry it out. And you and I can smell a similar scent on you, Conrad. You are also a beast, the only difference is that I was born in the woods, and you are Born in steel and concrete. I once fought against giant beasts, how about you?"

His sudden tirade ended with a question, and the lion tore off his coat, leaving the knight's identity behind and leaving the shackles of civilization in the dust.

His words were sharp and his questions pointed directly at people's hearts.But his purpose is actually very simple - he just wants to know more about his brother.

So Konrad Coates answered him honestly.

"Sin." He replied softly, and caught the change in the lion's eyes without any surprise.

　One more chapter.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)