was caved inwards by the shocking blow； killing him instantly； but the Coryphaus continued to
strike； until the man’s face was an unrecognisable mash of blood and flesh。
He dropped the Imperial worker to the ground； feeling a small amount of satisfaction； though it
did little to abate his simmering rage。
Why had Jarulek left him； allowing the whelp Marduk to assume control of the Host？ For
months； he had raged at Jarulek’s failing。 Long had he hated the First Acolyte； and long had he
waited to kill him； just as Marduk had killed Kol Badar’s blood brother so long ago。
He would have killed Marduk then and there had not Jarulek stayed his hand。
“Not now；” the Dark Apostle had said； though at that time he had been nothing more than a First
Acolyte himself。 “He will be yours to kill； but not yet。 He has a purpose yet to perform。”
It had been three hundred years into the Great Crusade； and Kol Badar had waited long and
impatiently for his time to come； but waited he had； through all the long spanning millennia； until at
last his time had come。
“If we both return； then you may kill Marduk； my Coryphaus。 Your honour will be fulfilled；”
Jarulek had said； just moments before he had descended into the heart of the xenos pyramid on
Tanakreg。 The pleasure of finally being given free rein to kill the whelp had been ecstatic。 That had
been shattered when only Marduk had returned。
“Damn you； Jarulek；” said Kol Badar to himself。
“You should dispose of him；” said Burias in a voice low enough for none but Marduk to hear him。
“The insubordinate old bastard is long past his time。 He is a weight hanging around the neck of the
Host； and he will drag it down； slowly but surely。”
“You still hunger for power； Burias？” asked Marduk。
“Of course；” replied Burias sharply； his eyes flashing。 “Such is our teaching。”
“That is true； icon bearer；” said Marduk。
“He does not fear you；” said Burias。
“What？” asked Marduk。
“Kol Badar。 He feared Jarulek； we all did； but he does not fear you。”
“Perhaps not yet；” agreed Marduk； “but he will come to。 I am changing； Burias。 I feel the touch
of the gods upon me。”
Burias sniffed； savouring the air。 There was an electrical tang in the air that left an acrid taste
upon his tongue； a sensation he had long come to embrace and recognise for what it was： Chaos。
Jarulek had exuded a potent aura so strong that it made those of lesser faith bleed from their
ears； and this was the same； though admittedly less potent； force。
“If he does not learn his place；” said Marduk in a low voice； “and soon； then I shall allow you to
take him。 I would enjoy watching you rend him limb from limb。”
Burias grinned savagely。
“But that time is not yet；” reminded Marduk。
“No life signs detected； Coryphaus；” said one of the members of the 13th； looking at the gleaming
red flashes on the blister…screen of his corrupted auspex； “though there are cooling heat signatures
ahead。 Possible weapons discharge。”
“Understood；” growled the war leader。
Burias placed one hand upon the cold metal surface of the door and closed his eyes。
“The air within is rich with fear；” he said。
“Good。 That will work in our favour；” said Kol Badar。 “Burias； take point。 Go。”
63
Without ceremony； Burias kicked the door off its hinges； wrenching the reinforced steel out of
shape and sending it smashing inwards。
A steel landing extended beyond； and Burias moved forward warily； his bolt pistol in one hand；
the holy icon of the Host in his other。 The landing was narrow； and a steel stairway descended from
it。 Moving swiftly and silently； elegant and perfectly balanced despite his bulk； Burias stepped down
the steel stairs that led into a corridor。 The hallway extended ten metres ahead； before turning
sharply to the right。
The walls； carved from solid ice； radiated cold； though he barely registered the sub…zero
temperature。 Moving swiftly forwards； his every daemonically enhanced sense alert； Burias rounded
the corner and came up against a mesh…link fence that rose from floor to ceiling； barring the way
forward。 A chained gate was set into the fence； and a frozen corpse was slumped outside it。
Curious； Burias moved forwards。 It was the body of a man； wearing the same white plas armour
as the soldiers they had fought at the Imperial bastion。 One hand was clutching at the locked gate。
Clearly； the man had been shot down while attempting to flee； but the locked gate had barred his
progress。 Half a dozen dark splinters were embedded in his armoured back plate； and Burias
frowned。
The icon bearer holstered his bolt pistol and grasped the heavy chain that secured the gate shut。
With a sharp jerk； he snapped the heavy chain and dropped it to the ground。 He wrenched the
gate open and the corpse of the enemy soldier was dragged across the floor as it swung wide； frozen；
dead fingers locked around the mesh…links。
Stepping over the corpse； Burias continued along the corridor。 After several twisting turns and
intersections； it opened out into an access tunnel at least fifty metres wide。 Down the centre of the
tunnel was a sunken carriageway； and two wide platforms ran alongside it。
Moving warily into the tunnel； Burias stepped over wreckage and debris； amongst which were
sprawled a number of corpses。 Their bodies had been slashed by blades and ripped apart by
unfamiliar projectile weapons。 Several burnt out vehicles were scattered throughout the tunnel； like
the discarded toys of a giant。 Several were upturned and leaning against the walls； while others had
fallen into the sunken carriageway。
Climbing atop one of the ruined armoured vehicles； Burias squinted into the distance in each
direction。 There was no living soul in sight； though the gently curving tunnel ensured that the icon
bearer could see no more than half a kilometre ahead。
He dropped onto the bonnet of the white…armoured APC； which buckled inwards beneath his
weight； and stepped lightly to the floor。
“All clear；” he said into his vox…relay。 “Looks like someone got here before us。”
As the remainder of the Host moved on his position； he dropped to his haunches to inspect one
of the corpses。
It was another of the white…armoured soldiers； whose face was purple and had swollen like a
balloon。 Burias plucked a long； barbed splinter from the corpse’s neck； and studied it with interest。 It
was half the length of a finger； and so thin that if he turned it sideways it was all but invisible。 He
lifted it carefully to his lips； and his tongue flashed out to sample the serrated tip。
The taste was acrid； and he registered unknown toxic agents upon the splinter。 He tasted blood
as the barbed shard sliced his tongue。
Xenos toxins entered his bloodstream； and his limbs began to shudder。 A slight sweat broke out
on his brow； and he lifted a shaking hand in front of his eyes； attempting to keep it steady； but
failing。
He felt the unknown serum coursing its way towards his twin hearts； but remained unconcerned。
Indeed； as soon as the venom had entered his bloodstream； his bio…engineered defences had
activated； and were even now isolating and breaking down the xenos poison。 His heart rate
increased as his body combated the threat； pumping his blood swiftly through his oolitic kidney
implant； cleansing it of the deadly serum。
64
After less than a minute； Burias’s heart rate had returned to normal and the shaking sickness had
left him。
“Intriguing；” he said to himself。
The coteries had been moving through the tunnel system for about an hour。 They had encountered
no sign of life； though there was evidence of furious firefights。 The tunnels were as silent as tombs；
and cold light blazed down upon them from the rows of strip…lights overhead。 Abruptly the lights
flickered abruptly and died。
“Five unknowns； moving on our position；” barked Namar…sin； breaking the silence。 “Coming fast。
Very fast。”
Marduk and the Stetavoc Space Marines of Namar…sin’s coterie were instantly moving for cover。
A faint whine could be heard； approaching rapidly。
“Ware the north；” Marduk bellowed； just as five blurred shapes roared out of the darkness of the
side tunnel； moving with impossible speed。 They scythed through the air； skimming two metres
above the ground and banked sharply into the access tunnel。 They were as sleek and deadly as
knives； and shot forward as their engines were gunned。
Khalaxis and his coterie were caught in the open； and before they could even raise their weapons
to fire； three of their number were cut down beneath a hail of barbed projectiles。
Another was dropped as the jetbikes streaked through the coterie； a curved blade slicing off one
of the warrior brother’s arms； severing it at the elbow。
Then the jetbikes were past； hurtling by the Word Bearers and jinking around the scattered
debris。
Bolters coughed； lighting up the darkness； but they were too slow and the enemy too fast。 One of
the Anointed unleashed the fury of his reaper autocannon； and hundreds of high calibre rounds
chased the jetbikes as they banked around in a wide circle； passing behind the wreckage of the
derailed carriages of the rail conveyance。 The autocannon tore through the carriages of the train and
ripped out great chunks from the rockcrete walls； but even the enhanced targeting sensors built into
the Anointed’s Terminator armour could not match the speed of the enemy。
Empty shell casings fell like rain from the mighty weapon； but the jetbikes roared on through the
darkness unscathed。 A missile； launched by one of Namar…sin’s Havoc Space Marines； streaked
through the darkness towards one of the jetbikes as it rounded the debris。 With preternatural
reflexes； the jetbike’s rider spun his vehicle around in a spiralling corkscrew roll； and the missile
passed beneath it harmlessly； impacting in a fiery explosion against the wall。
Marduk fired his bolt pistol on semi…auto at the enemy silhouetted against the flames of the
explosion； but even though he had compensated for their speed； still he was too slow。
Two more of Khalaxis’s coterie were cut down as they scrambled for cover； and then the
jetbikes were gone； disappearing up the tunnel that they had emerged from only seconds before。
Kol Badar was roaring orders； and the remains of Khalaxis’s 17th coterie dragged their fallen
brethren into cover。
The one…armed Namar…sin and his heavy weapon toting Havoc warriors rose from their position
and ran forwards； half…dropping into cover behind a wrecked Imperial vehicle while others took up
position behind rockcrete pillars。 They readied their heavy weapons； hefting them to shoulders or
bracing them in their arms； their stances wide as they sought targets。
“More hostiles inbound；” shouted Sabtec。
“Where？” snapped Kol Badar。
“Behind us；” replied Namar…sin； and Marduk swore。
65
“Sabtec； protect the rear。 Enfilading fire；” ordered Kol Badar。 The warriors of the 13th moved
instantly into position； moving with practiced efficiency。 All the warrior brothers were in cover；
with one line facing north； one west。
“Khalaxis； report；” ordered Marduk。
“One dead； one as good as；” growled the towering champion of the 17th。
The Anointed split； two moving to join the 13th in the rear； the other two standing with