bounding forwards with inhuman speed。 At his order； the warriors began firing； ripping the aliens
apart。 Within twenty seconds a score of the aliens were dead； and gore and blood splashed across the
walls。
Marduk risked a glance behind him； seeing the hulking form of Darioq…Grendh’al working on
the bulkhead。 The lascutter on the tip of one of his servo…arms burned white hot as it seared through
the reinforced； thirty…centimetre structure； but the magos was only half way around the bulkhead’s
circumference； and he growled in frustration before turning away and burying a bolt in another
alien’s brainpan。
The xenos attacked their position furiously； racing headlong towards the Word Bearers only to
be shredded by the concentrated weight of fire。 Still more of them poured into the room； and the pile
of dead at the corridor entrance was growing。
“Have your Mechanicus lapdog hurry it up；” rumbled Kol Badar to Marduk。 “Our ammunition
will not last forever。”
Marduk did not answer。 No words would have hurried the methodical work of the magos； but he
knew that the Coryphaus was right； if the enemy maintained this intensity in attack； they could not
hold。
Even as the thought formed； one of the aliens reached the semicircular line of the Legion
warriors； despite the weight of fire。 Two of its arms were blown clear of its body by percussive
blasts； but it did not drop； and it leapt forwards and drove its claws through the faceplate of a brother
Space Marine’s helmet； popping his skull like an overripe fruit。
The alien was cut from shoulder to hip by Khalaxis’s roaring chainaxe； and then in half by the
veteran’s chainsword； retrieved from one of his fallen warriors； which he wielded in his other hand。
“Hold the line；” roared Kol Badar； but Marduk had seen Khalaxis’s bloodlust dozens of times；
and knew that the words would probably not penetrate the red haze that had descended over the
warrior。
Alien blood splattered across his armour； Khalaxis roared as he leapt forwards into the no…man’s
land； spinning the pair of chain weapons around in a brutal arc that tore through the body of another
alien as it was forced backwards by explosive bolt rounds。
Not wishing to be outdone by the blood…frenzied champion； Burias…Drak’shal leapt into the fray；
slamming another of the aliens into the wall with a swing of his icon； his talons shearing the face
from another。
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The killing ground was gone； and firing into the melee risked hitting Khalaxis and the Icon
Bearer； and so Marduk roared a deafening cry and hurled himself into the fray； his daemonic； heavybladed
chainsword roaring。
The other warriors reacted instantly； throwing themselves forwards without thought for their
own safety； firing their bolt pistols at point blank range into the melee and swinging their
chainblades in murderous arcs。
Kol Badar stalked forwards； gunning down one of the creatures before swatting the head of
another from its shoulders with a backhand sweep of his power talons。 The Anointed advanced
alongside the Coryphaus； power weapons humming with energy。 One of them sent a white…hot gout
of plasma shooting from his combi…weapon into the face of one genestealer； liquefying its flesh and
rendering its bones to powder。
Still； the xenos creatures were fast beyond belief； and their strength was inhuman。 Marduk
fought with controlled rage； all the anger and tension of the last months fuelling every murderous
stroke of his chainsword。
“This is not my time！” he roared。 His bolt pistol clicked impotently as his last bolts were
expended； and he threw it to the floor in disgust。 Claws slashed across his chest plate； gouging deep
rents through the ceramite armour； and tearing through his flesh。 He grasped the daemon chainsword
with two hands； allowing the daemon’s hunger for blood to flow through him； and hacked the blade
into the widespread maw of the alien as it lunged towards him。
Marduk carved the daemon weapon through alien teeth； muscle and flesh； spraying blood and
fang…shards in all directions； and the creature’s lower jaw was torn away as he wrenched the
chainblade clear。 Inhuman； gargling screams burst from its throat； and it thrashed around madly；
spraying blood left and right； slashing and tearing at Marduk’s armour。
His left shoulder plate was ripped away； shorn almost in two； and a tri…clawed talon dug into his
neck； punching through his armour and flesh； grinding against his hyper…strengthened vertebrae。
Blood pumped from the wound； and he reeled backwards from the pain…fuelled； frenzied attack of
the alien。 It came after him； but was driven into the ground by a hammer…blow from Kol Badar’s
power talons。 The Coryphaus silenced its screams； crushing its skull with a heavy stamp of his foot。
Khalaxis booted another in the face with the flat of his foot； cracking its skull before shearing a
pair of its arms away with a downward sweep of his chainaxe。 The claws of its remaining arms
ripped across his chest； crumpling his breastplate like paper and gouging a deep wound through his
fused breastplate； but his blood frenzy drove him on； and he rammed his chainsword into its
midsection； disembowelling it。 Sickly purple and pinkish steaming organs flopped from the wound。
Brother Akkar swung his reaper autocannon like a club； smashing an alien away from him as it
hurled itself at him； sending it crashing into a wall。 As it struggled to right itself； sinuous limbs
thrashing； the Anointed warrior tore it to shreds with a burst of fire from his heavy weapon； the high
calibre rounds ripping through its body and puncturing the pipes and cables behind； which spewed
steam into the blood…soaked room。
A genestealer hit the Anointed brother from behind； driving claws into either side of his helmet；
and his skull was crushed to pulp。
Burias…Drak’shal gripped the writhing alien in his arms； pulling it away from Akkar； who was
already dead and falling to his knees； and bit down on its elongated cranium； his fangs piercing its
skull。 Black blood squirted into his mouth as the creature died； and the possessed warrior hurled it
away； his forked daemon…tongue lapping at the blood covering his lips and chin。
The attack was repulsed abruptly； though the throbbing auspex showed that another wave of the
aliens was gathering further along the corridor。 The remaining Word Bearers hastily reloaded their
weapons and began to fire once more。
Pulling his hand away from his neck； Marduk stared at the bright red blood on his fingers and
palm； and his anger surged。 The blood began to bubble and spit on his gauntlet； and inside his
helmet； Marduk’s eyes turned black as the power of the warp surged through him； fuelled by the
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bloodshed and the fury of the warriors around him； and jolting his body with its suddenness and its
power。
Feeling the building power； Burias…Drak’shal was driven to his knees； clasping his icon in both
clawed hands； his head lowered。 Blood ran from his ears； and his hands shook as infernal power
coursed through the icon； which began to vibrate and smoke； giving off an acrid； sulphurous stench。
The sounds of weapons firing and Kol Badar bellowing orders faded from Marduk’s
consciousness as the fury of the Lord of Skulls entered him； and he struggled to contain the
unrelenting waves of insane anger coursing through his body。
His muscles tensed to the point of bursting； veins bulging in his neck and arms； and he struggled
to maintain control over the bloodthirsty urges that assailed him； urging him to lash out； unmindful
of who he killed so long as the blood flowed。 Blood pumped loudly through his veins； drowning out
all sounds； and his vision was red and hazy。 Slowly； he gained mastery over the surge of diabolic
power； forcing it to submit to his will。
“Darr’kazar； Khor’Rhakath； Borr’mordhlal； Forgh’gazz’ar；” intoned Marduk； speaking the
true names as they formed in his mind’s eye。 Daemonic voices roared in rage and hatred at his
command over them； but Marduk cared not； and continued to recite the names as they came to him。
“Borgh’a’teth； Rhazazel； Skaman’dhor； Katharr’bosch；” said Marduk； completing the eight
names that burnt red…hot within his mind’s eye。 He dropped to his knees and spread his arms out
wide； throwing his head back as he spoke the words of summoning and binding。
Akkar’s body； lying on the floor with its skull a bloody ruin； began to bloat； as if his innards
were expanding exponentially； like a balloon filling with gas。 His hermetically sealed Terminator
armour groaned and strained； threatening to rupture like a canister of promethium hurled into hot
coals。 A tiny hairline fracture appeared in the centre of the breastplate and it quickly expanded
outwards； until； with the sickening sound of cracking bone and tendon； the armour ripped apart； like
the shell being peeled from a crustacean。
A shapeless blood…bag swelled from the fissure； flopping down onto the floor alongside the
ruptured corpse。 The veined skin of the amorphous mass pulsed and heaved as something struggled
to be released from within； and the whole mass swelled as it increased in volume； growing larger
with every passing moment。
A blade pierced the birth…sac； its surface blackened as if by fire and with glowing； infernal runes
carved upon its surface。 A daemon rose to its clawed feet as the skin of the blood…bag sloughed from
its body。
The daemon was one of Khorne’s minions； a foot soldier of the Lord of the Brazen Skull
Throne； and its flesh was the colour of congealed blood。 It uncurled from its hunched； foetal
position as the last vestiges of its birth…sac dropped away； and it sucked in a deep breath； its first in
the material realm。
Its limbs were long and scaled； and they rippled with sinuous muscle。 Its head was elongated and
bestial； and the fires of hell burned in its hate…filled serpent eyes。 It hefted its immense blade in one
hand as it staggered drunkenly for a moment； getting a feel for its new； physical incarnation。 The
runes upon the hellblade’s blackened surface glowed with the heat of an inferno； and as the daemon
steadied itself； becoming instantly accustomed to its new…found body and the rules of the material
plane； it exhaled； breathing out a blast of sulphurous black smoke。
Then it roared； throwing its horned head back； the infernal sound ripping forth from deep within
its tautly muscled chest with all the fury of its patron deity。 It clenched its tall hellblade tightly；
quivering in anticipation of the slaughter； and took in its surroundings with malevolent eyes。
It snarled； eyes narrowing as it looked upon the red…armoured figures of the Word Bearers。 Its
gaze met Burias…Drak’shal’s； and its muscles tensed as it prepared to hurl itself at the possessed
warrior； the runes upon its brazen hellblade glowing like lava。
Marduk’s carefully weighted words stabbed at the daemon like intangible blades and it recoiled；
swinging its heavy head towards the First Acolyte in hatred。 It bared its teeth at its summoner； but
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Marduk’s mastery over it was complete； his will binding it more effectively than chains； and though
it fought against him with every fibre of its being； muscles straining； it was powerless against him。
There was always an