Silver Skull: Heart of Steel, Skull for the Golden Throne (3)!

The Silver Skull Chapter's homeworld was called Xavius.

It was a jungle world blanketed year-round by a hot tropical climate.

Deep within its vast rainforests, numerous Savage Tribes lived and multiplied.

It could be said that nearly every Silver Skull came from one of the local primitive tribal clans.

Even to preserve the combat prowess and survival instincts of all the Savage Tribes,

the Silver Skull Chapter only appeared before tribal chiefs when recruiting new aspirants or when necessary.

Otherwise, they avoided excessive contact with any of the Savage Tribes.

Buzz buzz buzz—

Thunderhawk Gunships, their engines emitting deep roars, swiftly crossed more than half the planet's flourishing rainforests.

Warm rain from the monsoon season repeatedly lashed against the silver-sheened metal fuselages, producing an increasingly dense patter.

Before long, everyone looked outside through the Thunderhawk Gunships' portholes.

A massive fortress-monastery, standing entirely within a rainforest valley, faintly emerged beneath the concealment of countless vines and jungle trees.

Once all the Thunderhawk Gunships had slowly landed upon the docking platforms,

Rorschach and the others arrived for the first time at the fortress-monastery belonging to the Silver Skull Chapter.

According to the accompanying Librarian Shivaro,

most of the Chapter's forces were currently supporting the Imperial World of Aragorn V, which had come under attack from an unidentified daemon warband.

Thus, aside from numerous Mortal Servitors and Servitors, only several dozen Astartes remained within the monastery as its final defensive force.

What surprised Rorschach and the others even more was that

although the Silver Skull Chapter liked to collect enemy skulls after battle and preserve them after plating them in silver,

judging solely by how they interacted with Mortal Servitors,

the relationship between the two sides was remarkably equal. It was rare even among the Ultramarines Sub-Chapters.

As Rorschach and the others silently