Burias’s mastery over Drak’shal was almost complete。 Again； Burias let Drak’shal begin to rear
within him； and his hand blurred into daemonic talons； before he reasserted his dominance and
pushed the daemon back within him。 Feeling Marduk’s gaze upon him； Burias’s eyes flicked up； and
he winked at the First Acolyte。
Darioq stood apart from the brothers of the Legion。 The corrupted magos could not sit even had
he wished too； his mechanical body was not constructed to accommodate such luxury； and the bulk
of his servo…harness would have made it impossible。 The activated electromagnets within his heavy；
augmented boots kept him locked to the floor； and his four mechanical servo…arms were braced
between two bulkheads。 Weighing well over a metric tonne； nothing was going to move the technomagos。
“You have a wish to converse； Marduk； First Acolyte of the Word Bearers Legion of Astartes；
genetic descendent of the traitor Primarch Lorgar？” said the magos。 The timbre of his voice was
different； a growling； daemonic presence underlying his usual robotic monotone。
“Speak the word ‘traitor’ once more when referring to the blessed daemon…lord of our Legion；
Darioq…Grendh’al；” said Marduk； “and I shall allow Kol Badar to rip your limbs off one by one； and
no； I have no wish to converse with you。”
The Idolator made its way through the darkness across the featureless surface of the moon for
two hours； and as they drew near the target； Marduk intoned a final benediction； and the warriors of
the Host made ready to disembark。 With his skull…faced helmet in place； Marduk ritualistically ran
through his final diagnostics； checking his life…systems and those of his revered power armour。
At last； throbbing blister…lights warned of the final approach； and Marduk rammed a fresh sickleclip
into his bolt…pistol。 Retro…blasters fired； slowing the Idolator； and the nose of the transport craft
lifted as its momentum dropped。
Kol Badar relayed his debarkation orders with curt commands； ensuring that each of the four
coteries knew their position。
Restraint harnesses were thrown off as the rear landing legs touched down； and the vacuum seals
of the rear embarkation ramp were released with a hiss。 Before the Idolator had even settled； the
37
ramp was thrown outwards； and snow and ice blasted into the interior； swirling around in blinding
eddies。
“Get him moving；” shouted Kol Badar over the screaming of engines and the howling of wind；
pointing tobers of Namar…sin’s coterie urged the corrupted magos
towards the lowering ramp。
The first warriors were already pounding down the ramp； moving towards their allotted
positions； filing off left and right。 Marduk stomped down the assault ramp and stepped onto the
frozen surface of Perdus Skylla。 The enhanced auto…sensors in his helmet allowed his sight to pierce
the raging blizzard； though mere mortal eyes would have seen nothing but a blinding sheet of white。
Marduk filed off to the right just as the Land Raiders； two tucked beneath each stubbed wing；
were lowered onto the ice。 They growled like angry war…beasts as they were released from their
locking clamps。 Their engines revved； and smoke billowed from their daemon…headed exhaust
stacks。 Marduk ducked his head as he entered the armoured hull of the closest Land Raider and
locked himself into a seat。 Burias slammed into the seat opposite； a feral grin upon his features。 As
usual； he did not deign to wear his helmet； his witch…sight easily the match of any automated
sensors。 Long strands of oiled black hair that had escaped their binding whipped around his head
like a gorgon’s serpents。
Brother Sabtec and his esteemed 13th joined them； piling into the Land Raider and taking their
seats； and the assault ramp was slammed shut。 The frenzied wind died away instantly； and the
shower of snow and ice settled on shoulder pads and greaves。
The Land Raider’s massive tracks spun on the ice for a second before catching； and the heavy
assault tank lurched into motion。 Less than thirty seconds after the Idolator had landed； the four
Land Raiders； each filled with blessed warriors of Lorgar； were speeding across the surface of
Perdus Skylla。
Marduk was shaken as the assault tank hit a bank of snow； and there was a moment of
weightlessness as the front of the vehicle lifted up before crashing down again with titanic force。
“Twenty minutes to target；” growled Kol Badar over the vox。
Burias’s features shimmered like a faulty pict viewer； and the face of the daemon Drak’shal was
momentarily superimposed over his features。 Tall； uneven horns rose from his brow； and deeply
slanted； hate…filled eyes blinked。 Then Burias shook his head； pushing the daemon back within； and
the image was gone。
“Not long； Drak’shal；” said Marduk in the guttural tongue of the daemons。 Burias grinned at him
once more。
38
CHAPTER FIVE
Hundred…kilometre winds whipped across the ice flow； and the roar of the storm was such that no
human ear would have heard any shout or the staccato reverberations of gunfire。 The darkness
would have concealed anything from the naked eye； and the blinding swirl of ice； snow and fog was
such that all but the most sophisticated sensor arrays were rendered useless。 Still； Marduk was
taking no chances as he elbowed his way cautiously forwards； edging nearer to the Imperial bastion。
He could see the dark shadow of the structure rising before him； though even his advanced autosensors
and magnifier auspexes had difficulty piercing the blinding gale。 It was built into a massive
pinnacle of rock that pierced the thick ice； the first geological landmark that the Word Bearers had
thus far seen on Perdus Skylla。 Marduk snarled up at the hateful silhouette of the fortress。 It had
been constructed in the form of an immense aquila； the two…headed eagle that was the symbol of the
Imperium and the Emperor’s rule。
It rose some three hundred and fifty metres above the ice plains； the highest point on all of
Perdus Skylla。 If the weather had been clearer； it could have been seen for kilometres all around； an
immense structure that dominated the landscape。 Doubtless it had been built to remind the populace
of Perdus Skylla of the Emperor’s authority； to cow the people it loomed over and never let them
forget who it was that ruled their lives。
To the ignorant people of Perdus Skylla it might have been a symbol of reverence； but to
Marduk it represented all that he hated about the Imperium； all that he desired to see toppled。
What sort of empire would allow a lifeless corpse to be venerated as a god； and let pompous
fools and bureaucrats dictate how a galaxy was to be run？ For the millionth time； he cursed the holy
warmaster for being laid low by the trickery of the enemy。 Had Horus overthrown the Emperor； the
galaxy would never have fallen into stagnation and torpor。 The Great Crusade would still be
underway； wiping all xenos and non…believers from the universe。 Humanity would be united in faith。
Marduk froze； pushing himself flat to the ground as his keen auto…senses flashed a warning
before his eyes。 The massive gates of the bastion began to open； folding in upon themselves and
sliding into a hidden recess within the rock。 Four armoured vehicles emerged； the sound of their
engines lost in the howling wind。
They were non…standard template vehicles protected by thick plates of white…painted armour。
Marduk’s targeting arrays locked onto the foremost vehicle； and a flood of data streamed in front of
his eyes。 A heavy weapons sponson unfolded from behind the main engine block； sliding forward
and locking into place； and the weapon panned left and right。 They were light vehicles； roughly the
size of Rhino APCs； and they were clearly built for traversing the ice flows； with heavy； thick tracks
at the rear and a single upwards flaring ski as broad as the tank at the front。
If it came to it； they would easily be neutralised by his Land Raiders； but he had no wish for the
enemy to know； prematurely； that they were under attack。
The vehicles moved up the steep ramp of ice and snow that led from within the bastion； heavy
weapons turrets rotating with precise； mechanical movements。
They turned to the north…west； and soon disappeared into the storm。
“Do not engage；” said Marduk。
“Acknowledged；” came Kol Badar’s response； his voice blurred by static。
Resuming his advance； Marduk elbowed his way closer to the enemy fortification。
39
The aquila fortress reared up above him； its twin heads glaring out into the darkness。 Despite his
anger； disdain and disgust as he thought of what could have been； should have been； it gave him
perverse pleasure to see how far the Imperium had fallen。 This world was evidence of its failings。 It
was being abandoned； as was the entire sub…system； in the face of a xenos threat。 He shook his head
in mockery at such weakness。
The long； insulated barrels of defence lasers rose up behind the aquila structure； angled towards
the heavens。 He knew that the vast power source for the formidable weapons would be located deep
within the rock below。 They were weapons of awesome potency； though useless against an enemy
that had already landed。
Marduk advanced a further two hundred metres； assailed by the relentless wind and biting ice。
The brutal environmental conditions did not concern him。 His archaic power armour； a bastard
hybrid of marks IV； V and VI； was capable of withstanding far more demanding situations。
Within fifty metres of the enemy structure； Marduk hunkered down to assess the defences of the
bastion。 Snow began to settle on his power armour； so that he was almost completely concealed。
Indeed； a human could have stood five metres away and not have seen him； blinded by the gale and
the fog。
His gleaming； black； reflective eyepieces panned upwards； targeters locking onto autocannon
turrets and demolisher cannons built into the sides of the rock face。 Had the weather been less
severe； the static defences would have taken a heavy toll on the Host as it approached。 Such a thing
was unacceptable； for Marduk had brought less than thirty warrior brothers with him on the mission
to Perdus Skylla。
In ideal circumstances； he would have descended upon the moon with the entire Host； and the
taking of the bastion would have been a simple thing。 However； with the size of the Imperial
blockade in the sub…system such an endeavour would have been folly； for the Infidus Diabolus
would have been annihilated long before it reached the moon’s atmosphere。 As such； he had chosen
to lead just a small strike force onto the surface of the moon； and slipped unseen through the
Imperial cordon。
It was not the way that he would have liked to have achieved victory； for Marduk； like Kol
Badar； would have been more pleased to have laid waste the Imperial world； to unleash the full
force of the Host and leave nothing but corpses and edifices to the great gods behind。 Victory here
was important； however； and the manner in which it was achieved； less so。
Pushing his extraneous thoughts aside； Marduk turned his attention to the task at hand。
Two twin…linked autocannon turrets guarded the approach to the bastion gates； and they panned
back and forth across the open ground before