A brief silence fell in the air, broken only by the mechanical whirring of Archmagos Belisarius Cawl of the Adeptus Mechanicus.
The true Lord of Ultramar.
Calgar's first reaction was bewilderment.
But Aggeman, standing beside him, was instantly overcome by anger and suspicion.
The First Company Captain immediately drew the Power Sword from his waist and pointed it at Belisarius Cawl.
"Archmagos, standing before you is the unquestionable Lord of Ultramar, Chapter Master of the Ultramarines, and King of Macragge!"
"He is the heir of the Primarch, the leader of the Ultramarines, and the protector of all the people of Ultramar. Besides him, who else deserves to be called the 'True Lord of Ultramar'?!"
".."
Archmagos Belisarius Cawl looked at Aggeman with an almost contemptuous gaze, as if he were looking at an idiot.
Aggeman was enraged by the humiliation in that look.
"Archmagos, you—"
However, Aggeman's question was cut short by Archmagos Belisarius Cawl.
Belisarius Cawl softly spoke an ancient name, a name that the Ultramarines heard day and night but only as history.
This name stirred a storm in the calm.
Reyna let out an incredulous "Ah?", Greyfax drew a slight sharp breath, Grand Master Voldus' eyes widened slightly, and even the weathered Calgar gripped the armrest of his marble command throne.
The sacred Power Sword in Aggeman's hand almost slipped, and he looked at Belisarius Cawl with confusion and bewilderment, asking softly, "Who?"
"Roboute Guilliman," Belisarius Cawl's voice was calm as cold steel, and he glanced at Aggeman, saying, "Do you deny that Roboute Guilliman is the true Lord of Ultramar?"
Aggeman was instantly choked.
"I come for a ten-thousand-year-old pact, I come for an agreement with the Primarch Roboute Guilliman."
Belisarius Cawl slowly took a step forward, his massive mechanical body slowly unfolding, his metallic frame like a giant beast standing in the hall.
He stared at the Lord of Ultramarines, Calgar, as if he were merely looking at an unimportant child.
"Son of Guilliman, now cooperate with me to complete this mission. I must immediately deliver this sacred cargo to the Primarch."
With that, Belisarius Cawl pointed to the automated relic container beside him.
Marnaeus Calgar's brows were tightly furrowed, staring intently at Archmagos Belisarius Cawl.
The surrounding Chapter serfs didn't even dare to make a sound, watching the scene with fear and terror.
Only the scribes attempted to follow the Ultramarines' tradition and record this dramatic moment, the sound of their writing echoing ceaselessly in the room.
First Company Captain Aggeman pulled himself out of his shock. He looked at Chapter Master Calgar.
"My Lord, I do not trust them."
"An Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus of unknown origin, two blasphemous Xenos, and an illegal psyker have arrived here, carrying a mysterious cargo, attempting to go to the shrine of our gene-father. No one can trust this!"
Aggeman urged with fervent tone:
"Kill those two blasphemous Xenos, control that illegal psyker, and imprison the others."
"We still have a fierce war to fight. After the battle, we can interrogate them thoroughly and analyze that cargo."
Many present nodded slightly, praising Aggeman's judgment.
This was undoubtedly the most reasonable and least risky approach, and the Holy Word Records' directives for such incidents were also thus.
Yvraine raised her eyebrows slightly, and the red-armored warrior Thousand Faces beside her silently placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Monkeigh, before you make a move, I will take off your heads first."
Thousand Faces said in an unquestionable tone:
"Your armor is as thick as a turtle shell, your body is bulky and clumsy, and your swordsmanship must also be crude and unsightly."
Aggeman returned an angry gaze, and the Terminator Power Armor on his body emitted a low hum.
"Then try it, bean sprout," Aggeman replied coldly, "Your body is as slender as a willow, and you probably can't withstand the heavy blows of the Emperor's creation."
For a moment, the atmosphere in the air turned cold and frosty.
Yvraine's body moved subtly, every muscle contracting perfectly, like an Eldar rapier about to be drawn.
She wore no armor, yet the Astartes present could all feel the power contained within her body.
If negotiations broke down, she would carve a bloody path.
"My Lord," Tigurius spoke softly, "You know, I saw the Expeditionary Force in my prophecies. The Emperor's will has shown that they carry the hope we long for."
This statement made Calgar turn his head slightly to look at Tigurius.
Calgar was silent for a few heartbeats, then his gaze fell slightly on Saint Celestine within the Expeditionary Force.
In Calgar's eyes, Celestine was one of the few trustworthy presences in the entire Expeditionary Force.
Celestine nodded gently to Calgar: "This is indeed the Emperor's will. I believe it devoutly, and I hope you believe it too."
Calgar nodded, then refocused his gaze on Belisarius Cawl.
"Archmagos, my Chief Librarian knows of your existence from history and prophecy, and also knows that you once served my gene-father."
"Now, I am willing to briefly set aside the regulations in the Holy Word Records and listen to your needs. Now, can you tell me what mission you are undertaking? And what is that sacred cargo?"
Calgar said gently to Belisarius Cawl.
"No comment," Belisarius Cawl answered Calgar simply and directly.
This time, even the two Eldar standing by the side were a little strained, especially Yvraine. Her gaze towards Belisarius Cawl was so sharp, filled with the emotion of "can this person even speak properly?"
Calgar, on the other hand, was relatively calm.
He had read the records Tigurius found, knowing that this Archmagos of the Adeptus Mechanicus had lived for a full ten thousand years, and his memory, soul, and even emotions were likely preserved in a non-human way. It was normal for there to be problems in communication with people.
"Only upon reaching the Primarch can I reveal my mission to you," Belisarius Cawl's metallic body trembled slightly, and his tone suddenly softened a little as he spoke.
Calgar nodded gently, then gazed at the Archmagos, falling into a brief thought.
Everyone in the hall waited for Calgar's judgment.
"I understand and approve of Aggeman's judgment. This is undoubtedly a correct judgment."
Calgar slowly began, but he immediately changed his tone:
"But I also know that we are now in an era where everything is changing. The forces of Chaos are constantly growing stronger, traitors are rampaging again, and the Great Rift spans the heavens."
"I believe that now I must make some judgments that go beyond the norm, especially since I cannot abandon the guidance of Chief Librarian Tigurius, and I also trust the assurance of the Saint."
"..Even if I have little reason to trust the two Eldar and Archmagos Belisarius Cawl."
Calgar sighed slightly, as if dissatisfied with the decision he had made:
"You may proceed to Guilliman's Shrine, under the supervision of myself, Tigurius, and Grand Master Voldus."
Aggeman did not refute Calgar's judgment. He merely bowed slightly to the Chapter Master, then stepped back to the side.
Ultramarines knew when to voice their opinions and when to obey orders.
The anger and impulsiveness Aggeman displayed from the very beginning were merely to cooperate with the Chapter Master in obtaining more information and better observing the reactions of the Expeditionary Force members.
His mission had been accomplished, so there was no need for him to say anything more.
Chapter Master Calgar nodded slightly to Aggeman.
He then handed over command of the entire war to Aggeman, who, along with a squad of First Company Terminator veterans and Tigurius, would supervise the Expeditionary Force's journey to Guilliman's Shrine, aided by the Grey Knights' Third Brotherhood led by Grand Master Voldus.
Reyna followed the Expeditionary Force, walking on streets made of marble and barbed wire, watching the distant sun of Macragge already dipping below the horizon.
Through the intricate architecture of Hera Fortress and the towering mountains of Macragge, the sunset was not prominent; only faint lights could be seen flickering.
However, the sunset was never absent above Hera Fortress. The battle between the Black Legion and the Ultramarines never ceased. Their exchanges of fire spread around Hera Fortress, constantly igniting twilight-like explosions on the Void Shield, as if turning the entire Hera Fortress into a fiercely burning furnace.
The battle remained undecided even when Reyna and the Expeditionary Force had passed through the extremely complex marble stairs and arch bridges to arrive before Guilliman's Shrine; in fact, the traitors' offensive grew even stronger.
Under Calgar's leadership, the Expeditionary Force began to enter Guilliman's Shrine.
Reyna's heart pounded, a strong sense of tension impacting her brain and soul.
To meet a Primarch, not a statue or a true corpse, but a Primarch who was still alive, merely confined within a Static Field.
Not to mention Reyna, even among the governors of a million planets in the galaxy, few had such an honor.
Reyna involuntarily reached out to touch her cheek, wanting to feel the Holy Word Records tattoo her mother had etched there.
However, what Reyna touched in the end was only the scar. Only then did she vaguely remember that the Holy Word Records tattoo her mother had left her had long been destroyed.
This gave Reyna an inexplicable sense of emptiness. In a trance, she remembered her mother.
Reyna's mother was so devout, yet when Reyna was discovered to be an psyker, she chose to protect Reyna and flee into the Lower Nest.
"This tattoo is from the Holy Word Records; it will protect you."
Reyna still remembered how her mother gently stroked her hair and said:
"Mommy will protect you too, always protect you."
Reyna always believed that her mother's actions were not a betrayal of faith, but rather that she believed Reyna could carry out the Emperor's will.
Her mood suddenly became somewhat calm.
It was such a sacred moment, the best moment she could achieve in her faith, yet why did she feel lonely?
Reyna vaguely recalled the question she had once debated with Alexander in Ashford: "Can maternal love be greater than faith?"
She insisted that faith would not be something as narrow as love.
Suddenly, a hand was placed on Reyna's shoulder.
Reyna gently twisted, but saw no one, yet she knew it was Alexander's hand.
"It's time to go in," Alexander whispered into Reyna's ear, so softly it was like an illusion.
Reyna nodded imperceptibly and, with Alexander, whose figure was hidden beside her, stepped into Guilliman's Shrine.