Warhammer: Black Emperor

Chapter 419 "The Secret Prayer"

After the transport ship left the fleet, it slowed down and ventured deeper into the drifting gray matter.

Ramsey, accompanied by a small squad of shadowy figures, boarded the transport ship.

After the metal cable was wrapped around his waist and the Void Rope was fastened, he was the first to step out of the cabin.

Ramsey floated among the drifting gray matter, Siren Dust crashing against the black armor.

The "Secret Prayer Person" immediately noticed that a mysterious voice was echoing intermittently in his mind.

"I am... I am this..."

"You will liberate me..."

"I will..."

"Who's speaking?" Ramsey looked around warily, but found no one nearby.

He asked over the communication channel, "Can you hear me?"

"Reporting to the Star Speaker, no."

"..."

The "Mystic" pondered, "[Could it be because I, as a "Mystic," possess exceptionally high levels of inspiration?]"
As a bio-psychic, Ramsey precisely manipulates his body, moving through the void as if on a planet with Terra-like gravity.

He stretched out his hand, and dust swirled in his palm like miniature vortexes.

The "Mystic" stared at the particles in his palm, watching them spin in increasingly complex iterative patterns.

As a bio-chemical psychic, he wasn't naturally adept at uncovering information like prophetic diviners.

But after becoming a "Mystic," his abilities in this area improved significantly, and his inspiration allowed him to uncover even more information.

The particles shimmered with bright, fragmented light, remnants of some ancient metal, long since turned to dust in this void.

The "Mysterious Prayer" seeks meaning among patterns and designs, listens to the echoes of the past, and weaves itself into the random interactions of swirling dust.

The words that had been swirling in the ears of the "Mystic" became clearer, and he heard words like "the gods of the material world."

[Could this voice be from the Star God?]
Ramsey released an invisible force with both hands, pushing the shimmering particles toward the crystal bottle held up by the two shadowy figures of order.

The materials for the crystal bottles come from the Crystal Realm. High-quality crystals are selected to make high-requirement items such as data crystals, while medium-quality crystals are crafted by technical soldiers into various storage containers.

The father of genetics had a fondness for all sorts of special items and needed containers to store them.

Pure crystal is perfect for making utensils; most substances can be well preserved when placed in it.

Stray dust drifted into the crystal bottle like grains of sand in an hourglass.

More and more dust enveloped the armor of the other shadowy figures of the Order, and ethereal voices began to echo in their ears.

"Siren Dust, the most beautiful substance in the universe, it is everything."

As if drawn by some irresistible force, they reached out and took the Siren's Dust.

The Shadows of Order ascended to the third level of mindset in time, excluding temptations.

"Star Speaker, we heard a sound..."

Ramsey was astonished to hear that the voices of others were completely different from his own.

After questioning, he confirmed that what the other shadows of order said was true.

Just then, the five crystal bottles were filled, and he immediately gave the order to evacuate.

On the transport ship, Ramsay ascended to the first level of Magnus's mind, and the process of mining Siren Dust for the first time and the information given to him by the Primarch's servant flashed through his mind.

He immediately realized that the powers bestowed upon them by the Father of Genetics were different; the others were "warriors," "hunters," "apprentices," and so on.

He was the only one who was a "secret prayer person".

[Alsena's information mentions fragments of the Star God. If the information comes from Alsena, he may have set up two types of information.]

One type is ordinary information, which can be received through direct contact or large-area indirect contact with the armor.

Another possibility is that he deliberately concealed it, or that only someone with a high level of intuition like me could hear it.
Ramsey decided to temporarily halt mining, offer a sacrifice to the Black Emperor, report on the situation, and then decide on the next course of action after receiving orders.

Building the altar would take time, but the Black Emperor ordered him to use the altar within the think tank.

The "Secret Prayer" didn't understand why he wasn't allowed to directly deliver the Siren Dust he found to his private treasury, but instead had to perform a sacrifice. However, he would carry out the Black Emperor's orders without fail.

[Perhaps the Black Emperor wants me to gain power during the ritual; I am the "Mystic Prayer."]
After boarding the Shadow of Reign, Ramsay directed the Shadows of Order to move the five crystal bottles to the transport vehicle, and then drove the vehicle alone toward the think tank.

Thomas, the director of the think tank, stands in front of the restricted area gate inside the think tank.

The think tank director never allows anyone other than himself to enter the area.

Think tanks speculated that some extremely dangerous forbidden weapons were sealed within, but Ramsey now guessed that an altar must have been built inside the restricted area.

Just as Ramsey was about to get out of the car and bow, Thomas waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "Go inside."

“Lord Thomas, thank you for your help.” “All for my lord.” Thomas finished speaking and used his staff to tap the runes on the black gate.

A flash of light, and the door slowly opened with a hydraulic hum.

"All for my Lord." Ramsey started the vehicle and drove into the restricted area.

As soon as he entered the restricted area, he discovered that it was divided into two levels.

Thomas then walked in and said:
"The restricted area is divided into two layers, the inner layer being the altar."

"The outer area is the ceremony preparation area; cars can only be parked here."

"In addition, there are bathing areas, meditation areas..."

As a former "secret seeker," Thomas perfected the ritual's procedures, explained it to Ramsey, and then left.

Ramsey picked up a crystal bottle in each hand and walked toward the inner sanctum. At the door, he put down the bottles and picked up the control staff by the door.

Following Thomas's instructions on how to open the gate, the "Mystic" infused his staff with spiritual energy and quickly struck eleven runes on the gate.

Eleven runes were randomly distributed on the gate, some in the shape of a book symbolizing the ironclad laws of a monarch, others in the shape of golden scales...

The gates roared open, and Ramsey picked up two crystal bottles and stepped into the altar.

After lighting the flickering candle, he looked at the eleven-meter-high, thirty-three-meter-diameter altar.

Around the altar were metal sacrificial altars of varying heights, some square and some round. Ramsay carried the crystal bottle and walked to the two nearest altars, placing the offerings on them.

He then went back and forth twice, placing three more crystal bottles filled with Siren Dust on the metal altar.

The third time, he picked up a bundle of ceremonial candles with the other hand, instead of the crystal bottle.

After placing the crystal bottle, the "secret prayer person" takes out a ritual candle, gently strokes the flame with his palm, and uses spiritual friction.

After being repeated three times, the candles were lit, emitting a fresh fragrance, and the air in the sealed altar immediately became fresh.

The "secret man" placed thirty-three candles on the candlesticks around the altar.

He looked at the inner hall door where the altar was located, where a line of numbers in Dunn's language appeared on the hanging golden clock—33:33.

The "Secret Prayer" learned from Thomas that once the altar was set up, the countdown would begin, and the ceremony must start exactly when the countdown reached zero.

The procedures differ depending on the ritual. For the sacrificial ceremony he was to perform, all other items on the altar were already prepared; he only needed to place the offerings on it.

In all the different rituals, the lighting of ceremonial candles is the final act to declare the altar ready.

The "secret man" left the altar and headed towards the bath.

He removed his Mark II power armor, dripped thirty-three drops of ritual oil into the bath, and then lay down in the bath, which was eleven meters in diameter and three point three meters deep.

The "secret prayer person" clasps their hands together, with their index fingers pointing downwards and the other fingers together, hanging naturally downwards.

Eleven minutes later, the "secret man" climbed out of the bath, dried himself off, and changed into a black silk ceremonial robe.

He then went to the meditation room and knelt on the black iron mat to meditate.

The "Secret Prayer" clasped his hands together, following the inverted hand gesture designed by the Think Tank Director and the Primarch's attendant, and entered a meditative state.

Meditation time should be at least eleven minutes, plus the previous bath time for a total of twenty-two minutes. The remaining time is for walking and flexible use of time. There is plenty of time and you won't feel rushed.

With two minutes left in the countdown, Ramsay closed the gates and went up to the altar.

He picked up the ceremonial knife and recited in Dunn's language:
"I sanctify you, Blade of Ritual!"

I purify you, so that you may serve me in the ritual!

......"

Spiritual energy burst forth from the tip of the knife, and the "secret prayer person" felt signs of dissolving within his body.

He rose and walked around, an invisible force surging forth.

The "secret prayer person" felt that a spiritual wall had indeed been erected around them, keeping out all unclean things.

At the same time, the melting sensation inside the body became more pronounced.

Through his previous meditation, his body, mind, and soul had already quieted down. He knelt on the black onyx cushion and began to recite the formal incantation in Dunn:

"The Black Emperor of the Shadow of Order"
The mysterious ruler of a disordered kingdom
......"

As he recited the prayer, Ramsay felt his body surge with energy.

I pray for Your watchful gaze.

I pray for Your favor.

I offer you a sacrifice.

......"

(End of this chapter)