《Dark Disciple(科幻战争)》

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Dark Disciple(科幻战争)- 第29部分


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distracting。”
Marduk could feel Burias’s impatience like a living thing; intruding on his spirit。
“What is the matter with you?” asked Marduk in irritation。
“I am envious;” said Burias; pausing in his pacing for a moment; flashing Marduk a dark glance。
“I had wished to fight the eldar again。 I wish to test my speed against them。”
“You sound like a spoilt child;” spat Marduk。 “Recite the Lacrimosa。 Begin at verse eighty…nine。
It will calm your nerves。”
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Burias glowered at Marduk。
“Eighty…nine?” he said; furrowing his brow。
“‘And when the accused are confounded and confined to flames of woe; rejoice and call upon
Me; your saviour;’” he quoted。
“The Lacrimosa has always been a favourite of yours; hasn’t it; brother?” asked Burias。
Marduk smiled。 Alone amongst all the warriors of the Host; he tolerated Burias referring to him
as brother; in honour of the blood…oaths that the pair had sworn aeons past; when they were both
idealistic young pups; freshly blooded in battle。 Nevertheless; Marduk allowed the icon bearer the
honour only when they were alone; or out of earshot of the other warrior brothers of the Host; for
such familiarity was unfavourable; especially now that he was certain that his ambitions of
becoming Dark Apostle were fated to be; at last; fulfilled。
A Dark Apostle must be aloof from his flock; a symbol of the undying faith of the holy word。 He
had learnt that from Jarulek; and it was; his arrogant master had taught him; part of the reason why
the role of the Coryphaus was important。 The Dark Apostle must be more than a warrior; he must be
an inspiration; a saint; the holiest of disciples。 He must be raised above the warriors of the Host; for
the gods spoke through him。 A Dark Apostle had no brothers except others of his rank; for it was
deemed that familial relations within the Host humanised him too much; weakening the awe he was
held in by his warriors。 Such a thing led to a weakening of the strength of the Host; and a lessening
of the faith。
“A Dark Apostle;” Jarulek had lectured him condescendingly; “must be above reproach; above
question。 He cannot have close ties with the warriors of his flock。 Your Coryphaus is your closest
confidant; and your will is enacted through him。 He is the bridge that spans the gap between the
Dark Apostle and the Host。”
Marduk pushed the distracting; errant thoughts back; his mood darkening。
“The Lacrimosa brings me great calm;” said Marduk。 “It at once soothes my soul and rekindles
my hatred。”
“I shall do as you suggest; brother;” said Burias。 “So long as Sabtec leaves a few for me; I guess
I can wait。”
Another loud groan shuddered the lift; and Burias scowled。
Kol Badar stamped towards them; and the cordial companionship between Marduk and Burias
evaporated。 At once; they were no longer long…time friends and blood brothers; now they were once
again First Acolyte and icon bearer。
“This lift is a relic;” remarked Kol Badar。 “If a fault in the hull appears; we will all be crushed to
death。 This is a foolish endeavour; an unnecessary risk。”
“Are you going senile in your dotage Coryphaus?” snapped Marduk。 Burias sniggered。 “You are
repeating yourself。 Your protestations have been heard before; and duly noted。 I don’t care what you
think。 I am your leader now; and you will do as I wish。”
The Coryphaus’s brow creased in anger。
“If a fault appears; then we are dead;” Marduk said; more calmly。 “Such would be the will of the
gods; but I do not believe it will be so。”
“How can you be so sure?” asked Kol Badar。
“Have faith; Coryphaus;” said Marduk。 “Each of us is in our allotted place; as per the will of the
gods。 If it is our time to die; then so be it; but I do not think that it is。 The gods have much more in
store for me; of that I am certain。”
“And for me?” asked Burias。
Marduk shrugged。
“You speak as if all our actions are already predetermined;” growled Kol Badar。
“Are you so sure they are not?” countered Marduk。 “I have seen things in dream visions that
have come to pass。 Many amongst the Host have。 Does such a thing not suggest that every decision
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that we think we make has not already been determined beforehand? A path set in front of us that
we; try as we might to avoid our fate; are condemned to walk?”
“By that rationale; why should we strive for anything? Why should we seek to destroy our
enemies; if the outcome has already been decided?” asked Burias。
“Don’t be a fool; Burias;” said Marduk sharply。 “The gods help those that help themselves。 If
you were not going to try to defeat your enemies; then you were already fated to lose。”
“If what you suggest is correct; then this;” said Kol Badar; levelling his combi…bolter at
Marduk’s head; “is the will of the gods?”
The Coryphaus’s weapon system whined and clicked as fresh bolts were loaded into the firing
chambers。 Burias licked his lips; glancing between the First Acolyte and Kol Badar。
Behind them; kneeling in a tight circle with his squad; Khalaxis half…rose to his feet; but the
heavy hand of one of the Anointed held him in place。
The sergeant…champion glowered up at the Terminator…armoured warrior; his rage building; but
he relented and remained kneeling; watching the outcome of the confrontation。
Marduk took a step forward so that the twin barrels of the Coryphaus’s weapon pressed against
his forehead。
“Pull the trigger and find out;” said Marduk。
After a tense moment; Kol Badar bent his arm; removing the weapon from his superior’s head;
and stalked away angrily。
“What if he had pulled the trigger?” asked Burias quietly。
“Then I’d be dead;” said Marduk。
Sinking ever deeper; the lift continued descending through the inky…black water。 This was more of
an abyss than the depths of deep space; thought Burias。 At least there pin…pricks of light could be
glimpsed; distant stars and coronas a hundred million light years distant。 Here; the darkness was
complete and all…consuming。
Still they descended。 It felt like they had been descending for days; though it had been less than
an hour; and Burias continued his restless pacing; stalking back and forth; clenching and
unclenching his fists。
Khalaxis’s squad knelt in a close circle around Marduk; who was in a half…trance; intoning from
the unholy scriptures。 The warriors of the Anointed stood in a second circle around the kneeling
figures; the Coryphaus leading a morose counter…chant。
Of the warrior brethren; only Burias stood apart; for he could not calm his mind enough to be
part of the communion。
Impatience knotted his stomach; and he snarled in frustration。
Burias stamped around the interior of the lift; slamming the butt of his icon into the grilled
flooring with each step。 The flickering lights above were irritating him with their incessant buzzing
and for a moment he toyed with the notion of smashing them。
While other Astartes warriors within the Host took pleasure in creation; painstakingly copying
the illuminated volumes of the Books of Lorgar into new volumes; labouring for weeks on end over
each page; Burias had not the patience for such pursuits。 He took pleasure in destruction; whether it
was ripping apart a living creature and watching its life fade; or smashing apart the profane statues
of the Imperium。
What worth was a hundred years of toil if a man could destroy it in seconds?
Thankfully; the Host was almost constantly at war。 It was at times like these; however; when the
enemy was so close; yet the thrill of battle was denied him; that his fury rose; clouding his mind and
shattering his concentration。
He paced around the extent of the lift; until finally he saw a soft glow permeating up from below
through the porthole windows。
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In the distance below; the lights from the mining station were radiating up from the ocean floor。
It looked like some outpost station on a desolate asteroid or moon; with the blackness of space
all around it。 A broad; domed central hub; roughly the size of the largest galactic battleship; was
rooted in the rock bed; surrounded by dozens of bulbous satellite outbuildings。 Cylindrical;
transparent corridors connected all the sub…structures to the main hub。 Light; harsh and unnatural;
spilled from the arterial tubes; and peering closely; Burias thought he could see vehicles and people
moving through them; like tiny insects within an artificial environ…farm。
Burias rolled his shoulders and stretched the muscles of his neck。
“Finally;” he muttered。
Pressure gauges vented; equalising the compressed air within the lift with that of the mining facility。
The sides of the lift slid aside with a clatter and water gushed down from above; slipping off the
angled surfaces of the lift’s hull; and draining away through the grates set in the floor。 Darkness
greeted them inside the mining facility; though an infrequent strobe of light sparked from severed
cables hanging loose from the low ceiling。
The Word Bearers walked cautiously forward; stepping through the dripping water; weapons
seeking targets。 There were none。
Kol Badar’s Anointed led the way; combi…bolters and repeater autocannon tracking from side to
side。
The air was hot and humid; a far cry from the dry; gelid atmosphere on the planet’s frozen
surface。
“There is no one down here;” growled Kol Badar。
“There are people here;” said Burias。 “I saw them on the descent。”
The warriors drew towards the main entrance into the mining facility; an immense arched
processional that led from the lift base to the main hub of the structure。
Marduk’s eyes were drawn up above the archway。 A massive figure had been roughly painted
onto the plascrete wall; like a mural; though its workmanship was crude to say the least。 A low hiss
escaped his lips。
“What is it?” asked Burias; his eyes wide。 “A daemon? Are these miners cult worshippers?”
“No; it’s not a daemon;” said Marduk; not taking his eyes from the primitive mural。
“You are sure?” asked Kol Badar; glowering upwards。
“I feel no touch of the warp here;” said Marduk。 “Worship of the great gods of the immaterium
would leave a palpable trace; a lingering presence; but there is none。 No; this is no daemon。 I could
command a daemon。 There is no commanding that。”
The warriors of the Host shuffled uneasily。 A four…armed figure was daubed on the wall above
the archway; painted in garish blues and purples。 Two of its arms ended in claws; while the others
ended in humanlike hands。 Its eyes were yellow and its mouth was wide; exposing a caricature of
sharp teeth; painted as simple triangles and dripping with garish red paint representing blood。 A
long; stabbing tongue protruded from the toothy maw。
“I think your battle…lust will soon be sated; Burias;” said Marduk in a soft voice。
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CHAPTER ELEVEN
“You want us to go in there?” asked Kol Badar flatly; looking in disdain at the maintenance
submersibles bobbing slightly on the surface of the dark pool of water。
“This is the way that the explorator came; we must follow in his footsteps;” said Marduk evenly。
“That statement is categorically false; Marduk; First Acolyte of the Word Bearers Legion of
Astartes; genetic descendant of the glorified Primarch Lorgar;” intoned Darioq…Grendh’al。
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