Chapter 370: Persistence of Faith

"Be yourself..." This is probably the most frequent phrase Calvin has said recently.

He would think of the advice given to him by "Alpharius" from time to time, and he would also think of the warning given to him by his cheap elder brother before he "died":

"You must be alert, be alert to my other brothers. Although some of them have become slaves who have given up their ideals and succumbed to chaos.

But you must know that these self-esteem guys, after getting used to their own failures, the most unbearable thing is the possibility of your success."

Oh? Calvin thought that one day he would definitely get to know those traitors of the year. But he did not expect this day to come so early.

"Who do you think will be the first?" Calvin recalled his question to Alpharius in the flaming cabin of the Lost Truth.

"Not sure. Maybe it's Perturabo, or maybe it's Mortarion. You have no grudge against them, it depends on who can't help it first...

But you have to know that you are not strong enough to defeat them now."

Alpharius interrupted Calvin's attempt to speak and continued:

"I don't deny the power you have, but you have to know that there may be differences between me and my brothers, but no one has ever had an absolute advantage when facing each other.

You can certainly die with one of them, and I believe you have the ability to do so.

But then what?

What about your legion?

What about your career?

What about the hope that 'he' left in you?

Is it an impulse to die?"

Calvin was silent. When facing Alpharius's merciless questioning, he woke up from the absolute stubbornness and passion of a soldier.

Yes, he is no longer a person now.

Think about the hopes that the veterans of the warband had for him, think about the reliance that the legion soldiers had on him;

Think about the cause that the Inquisition had just gotten on track, think about the Omen Order and thousands of Astartes warriors in the Krieg system...

"You (I) must become stronger!"

The two said at the same time after a long silence, and in contrast to Alpharius's expectant gaze, Calvin had a firm will.

"Be yourself..."

Calvin muttered, watching the priests of the Mechanicus in the test area slowly put the holy object, the Bell of Gestal, into the huge machine after completing the sacred machine soul prayer ceremony.

The huge machine, which was more than ten meters high after reassembly, fell into a strange silence after the holy bell returned to its place.

"Failed?" Calvin waited patiently for a few minutes, and subconsciously looked at Constantine who had not seen him for a long time.

The technology contained in this "Erebus Bell" from the Golden Age is also a very precious gain for the Omen Order.

On the way back to Terra, Calvin discussed with the technicians again and again, and finally decided to wake up Constantine's main consciousness from sleep.

"Don't worry, my friend. Look there..." Following Constantine's finger, Calvin looked at the power supply device of the giant clock.

In the corner of the hall of the test area, metal cables as thick as Calvin's arm were emitting bursts of steam.

That was the effect of the violent evaporation of the coolant.

But no matter how many times he saw it, Calvin felt absurd about the technological system of this universe that was so advanced that he couldn't understand it on the one hand, and so crude in details that made him laugh on the other hand.

"Energy is still being injected, proving that the energy circuit of the machine is not damaged. It has been sleeping for too long, give it more patience..."

Constantine's dark green eyes flashed with a hint of ridicule. After not seeing it for a long time, the character of this young man is still so impatient.

Constantine, who woke up again, looked different. His height was the same as Calvin, and there was very little part of his original body under the dark red robe.

Calvin didn't know whether this was good or bad for the Mechanicus, but judging from Constantine's current state, it seemed pretty good.

"Well, you're always right..." Calvin smiled and shook his head, and turned the topic to Constantine.

"How long can you stay this time? I'm going to see 'him', come back with me.

I remember you said that your hometown is also Terra..."

"Sorry... I'm afraid I'll disappoint you." Constantine was silent for a few seconds, but still rejected Calvin's proposal. It's not that he doesn't want to return to Terra, but his body can't carry his consciousness for a long time.

The loss of memory leads to the self-destruction of personality, which is like a curse engraved in the souls of all Mechanicus personnel.

Even Constantine, who has the entire Inquisition and Krieg Industries behind him, still can't resist the fate of soul death.

"Still not working?" Calvin hesitated.

"Eternal life is a gift, but also a destiny..." Constantine sighed in a low voice.

The disintegration of personality and consciousness is the fate that all Mars casting generals of all generations cannot escape. How can Constantine cross this barrier at the end of life?

"Hey, you know I hate fatalism the most. If I really believe in this, I can't stand here..." Calvin tried to liven up the atmosphere.

"Even if you fail in the end, you can still..."

"I can't!" Constantine raised his head and looked at Calvin beside him, seriously rejecting the former's seemingly unintentional proposal.

"You must know that we are servants of the Emperor, but we are also believers in the truth!

I will never give my soul and faith to anyone for the continuation of life!"

"...Even if it's me?" Calvin asked bitterly.

"...Even if it's you." Constantine answered firmly.

The top observation room of the test area returned to silence again. Behind the heavy protective glass, only the mechanical servos on the two people were humming quietly and steadily in the cold space.

The technicians below were still nervously observing the huge device in the center of the laboratory.

The members of the Omen Order and Father Stovan of Mars stood in front of the Erebus Bell, and from time to time they moved their eyes between the giant bell and the data board in their hands...

"Okay, my friend. You don't have to worry about this."

It was Constantine who broke the silence this time. At this point in the conversation between the two, it was he, the dying man, who comforted others.

"I know your power is enough to protect my soul, but if I entrust my soul to you, it means that I have denied the truth of the empire and betrayed my ideals.

In that case, I will no longer have a bottom line and can do whatever it takes to continue my life.

In that case, I will no longer be myself..."

"I understand." After a long silence, Calvin reluctantly admitted Constantine's opinion.

His low voice sounded in the observation room, and the depression contained in it was almost beyond words.

"Don't worry, my friend." Constantine said to Calvin.

As his voice fell, the huge device in the test area below finally changed.

After absorbing a huge amount of energy that was enough to support the operation of the warship for several minutes, this ancient device called the Erebus Bell finally began to slowly make mechanical operation sounds amid the tension and expectation of a group of technicians.

"You see, just like it, the future always brings us surprises.

Maybe my future is not here, but who can say for sure that it is not in the future?"

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