beneath its mass； and though hundreds of kilometres of empty space separated the two ships； it
seemed that every intricate detail of the cruiser could be made out。 It felt close enough that Marduk
had but to reach out his hand to touch it； and he wondered if people aboard it looked even now upon
the Idolater。 Did any of them realise that their mortal enemy was passing beneath them so close？
The shadow of the cruiser passed； and Marduk nodded his head to the Coryphaus。 Kol Badar
barked an order； and the Idolater turned onto a new bearing。 The engines were fed more power； and
the ship pushed through the blockade of the Imperial cordon and began to power towards Perdus
Skylla。
It looked so insignificant from here： a tiny white moon circling in the orbit of a green gas giant。
“Five hours until planetfall；” said Kol Badar； consulting a glowing data…slate built into the
command array of the bridge。
“See that the warrior brothers are ready。 I want to move out as soon as the landing is made；” said
Marduk； not looking at the Coryphaus。
Kol Badar’s lips curled back； and his ancient eyes burrowed into Marduk’s face。
“What？” asked Marduk； turning to face the larger warrior brother。 “I am your master now； Kol
Badar。 Be a good dog and do as you are told。”
Kol Badar struck with a speed that belied the bulk of his Terminator armour； wrapping his
power talons around Marduk’s throat； his eyes blazing in fury。
34
Marduk laughed in his face。
“Do it；” he barked。 “Do it； and be cursed by Lorgar。”
Kol Badar released Marduk with a shove。
“Know your place； Kol Badar。 Jarulek is dead。 This Host is mine now； mine alone；” said
Marduk。 “Just as you are mine。”
“The Council of Sicarus will repudiate your claim over the Host；” growled Kol Badar。 “They
will strip you of your brotherhood； flay the flesh from your bones and have your eyes burnt from
your sockets。 Bloody and blind； you will be cast out into the corpse…plains； where the souls of the
condemned will torment you； and the kathartes will strip the muscles from your limbs。 You will
wander in agony for ten thousand years； unable to die； your mortal body a wretched shell； your soul
stripped and gnawed upon by the denizens of the darkness。 All this awaits you； Marduk。 Such is the
punishment for one who plots against his Dark Apostle。”
“Jarulek groomed me as a sacrifice；” said Marduk； “and I know that you were party to his
schemes； but I do not hold a grudge against you for that； you were following your Dark Apostle’s
orders。 The gods of Chaos chose for Jarulek to fall； however； and for me to flourish。 They
abandoned him in favour of me。”
“You fear to return there； and that is why we have not gone back；” said Kol Badar。
Marduk laughed； genuinely surprised。
“I fear to return there？ I think not； my Coryphaus。 I yearn to return； but I will not return without
the secrets of the Nexus unlocked。 I thought that you merely wanted me to return a failure； with a
lifeless hunk of xenos metal； with no knowledge of what it did or how it is activated。 I had no idea
that you thought that the council would punish me。 Punish me？” Marduk laughed。 “The council will
honour me。”
“You are a dreamer and a fool； then；” said Kol Badar； turning away。
Marduk moved in front of the Coryphaus； standing in his way。 He stared up at the older warrior；
the light of fanaticism in his eyes。
“Look into my eyes； Kol Badar； and tell me that the gods do not favour me。 Ever since we left
Tanakreg； I have felt their favour upon me。 My skin is crawling with their power。 I can feel it
writhing within me。”
Something moved beneath the skin of Marduk’s face。
“I am the favoured of Lorgar； and the council will embrace me。 Tell me that you do not see the
gods’ favour upon me。 Even you； who can barely feel the touch of the warp or the gods； must surely
sense my growing favour。 Tell me that you cannot。”
Kol Badar clenched his jaw； his eyes blazing with fury； but he did not speak。 Marduk laughed
softly。
“You do sense it then；” he said； as the Coryphaus stalked past him。 Kol Badar barged his
shoulder into Marduk as he passed； knocking the smaller man aside； but Marduk merely laughed
again。
The Coryphaus turned at the doorway。
“Maybe you could trick the council；” he said； “but you have to make it there alive first。”
The armoured nose of the Idolator glowed red hot as the ship screamed down towards the surface of
Perdus Skylla。
“Unto those who in ignorance and stubbornness refuse the Word； bring the fires of hell。 Sunder
their flesh； and burn them of their impurity。 Take vengeance upon them for their failings； and teach
them the weakness of their false idols；” roared Marduk； the vox…amplifiers built into his skull…faced
helmet booming his words through the enclosed space of the transport。 “Thus spoke Lorgar； and so
it shall be done。 Open their veins that the truth might enter them。 Cut upon them and let their blood
35
flow。 With holy bolter and chainsword we shall slaughter the unbelievers； and usher the word of
truth into the world！”
Strapped into their harness restraints； the warriors of the Host roared their approval as the Gforces
assailed them； the words of their holy leader fuelling their hatred and religious fervour。
“No mercy； no remorse；” barked Marduk。 “Such things are for weaklings。 We are the faithful；
Lorgar’s chosen！ None shall stand against us。 Give praise to the gods of Chaos as you kill。 Death
will be our herald； and all who look upon us will know fear。”
The Idolater broke through the upper atmosphere of Perdus Skylla； streaking down through the
darkness like a fiery comet from the heavens。
“Let us pray； brothers of the Host； and let the gods bear witness to our eulogies and bless us with
their holy strength；” bellowed Marduk。 “Great powers of the warp； guide the arms of your servants
that they might let the blood of your enemies in your honour。 Gird us with the strength and fortitude
to do your bidding； and let our faith protect us from the blows of the faithless。 Let your dark light
shine upon us； filling us with purpose and belief。 With thanks； we give ourselves unto you； pledging
body and soul to your glory； for now and for time immaterial。 Glory be。”
“Glory be；” came the response from the warriors of the Host； led by Kol Badar。
“And unto those who would do harm to your faithful servants；” said Marduk； locking eyes with
Kol Badar； “bring an eternity of torment and pain。”
The Idolator continued its descent until； after several minutes； the relentless g…forces began to
ease and the transport started to level out。 Flying low； it screamed across the frozen wasteland；
kicking up a great turbulence of snow and ice in its wake。 Powerful winds rocked the transport；
jolting its occupants from side to side； as it roared into the face of a fierce ice storm。 Sudden drops
in pressure and blasts of wind made the Idolator rise and fall by ten metres at a time； threatening to
slam the ship into the ice crust at any moment。
Marduk grinned fiercely； exposing sharpened teeth。 Adrenaline pumped through his system。
Kol Badar had plotted the approach course that the Idolator was now following with keen
tactical acumen。 They had entered the atmosphere along the equatorial belt of the moon； four
thousand kilometres from the closest Imperial listening post； and they were now approaching the
northern polar cap on the lee side of the moon； under the cover of darkness。 The Imperials were
based solely at the extreme northern and southern tips of the moon； where they had mining colonies；
starports and fortress bastions。 Immense defence lasers protected these settlements； each of which
Kol Badar had estimated consisted of between eight and twelve million people； living beneath the
ice。
Virtually nothing lived on the surface； its conditions too severe to maintain life or even any
permanent structures other than the bastions。 Even the starports were carved into the ice。 Reinforced
titanium roof structures covered the circular starports； protecting them and the vessels within from
the harshest of weather conditions； and those roofs would open like the petals of a flower to allow
transport vessels and freighters to dock。
From the information garnered from the Adeptus Mechanicus archive on Kharion IV； the most
recent location of the explorator who held the secrets of the device had been ascertained； and it was
towards this bastion station that the Idolator was bound。
They would get as close as they were able to the Imperial bastion； flying low across the
windswept landscape and using the sweep…jamming ice storms to conceal their approach。 Kol Badar
had factored in the swirling eddies of low pressure； continent sized cyclones that wracked the empty
wasteland； in order to further conceal their approach； though he had loudly voiced his displeasure at
such subterfuge。
Regardless of the Coryphaus’s misgivings； Marduk could not fault Kol Badar’s execution。 They
would be upon the bastion long before their presence was known； and it would be a simple matter of
breaching its defences and locating the custodian。 The portents had boded well； and Marduk felt
assured that it would be a simple undertaking。
36
He freed the restraints that locked him to his seat； and stood up； easily compensating for the roll
of the transport as it was buffeted by howling winds。 Stretching out his shoulders； his gaze wandered
up the rows of seated Word Bearers； assessing them each in turn。
Khalaxis’s teeth were bared； his aggressive nature mirrored in the expressions of his members of
the 17th coterie。 He jerked his head to the side； flicking his braided hair out of his eyes；
concentrating on his knife as it carved into his flesh。 He and his warriors had removed their left
vambraces and were cutting ritualistic slashes across their forearms。 Always the first into any
breach； and the last to be extracted； his warriors were lethal combatants all。
Namar…sin； in stark comparison to Khalaxis； was composed and silent； though his one eye
gleamed with a fervour no less passionate than Khalaxis’s。 His Havocs were dutifully tending their
weapons； apparently oblivious to the shuddering transport and the roar of the engines。 They went
about their duties with utter focus； silently incanting benedictions of the dark gods upon their
revered heavy weapons。
Brother Sabtec’s face was serious； his stoic demeanour familiar and unwavering； and he led the
hallowed 13th coterie in a low chant as they checked over their life…systems； and ensured that
grenades； spare ammunition clips and devotional chapbooks were secured at their sides。
The final coterie； Kol Badar’s veteran Anointed； glared ahead blankly； their expressions grim。
Their faces were covered in ritual tattoos and each in turn lowered his head in deference as Marduk
looked upon them。
Burias was looking at his hand as the fingers fused and elongated into talons； before he forced
the daemon Drak’shal back and his hand took on its natural form once more。 Marduk realised that
his control over the daemon was growing。 Often the possessed would become little more than
screaming wretches； their will enslaved to one of the myriad entities that inhabited the warp； but
Burias’s mastery ove