hand across the expanse of dark water before dropping down onto the top of one of the
submersibles。 He landed in a steady crouch； and grinned across the open water towards the others
before unscrewing its top hatch and dropping down into its interior。
Within moments； Burias had powered the vessel to life； its twin spotlights piercing the dark
water like a pair of glowing eyes； and manoeuvred it towards the waiting warriors of the Host； its
impeller engines creating a whirlpool of turbulence。
One by one； the warriors stepped onto the submersible； clambering into its belly； until just
Marduk； Khalaxis and Darioq…Grendh’al remained。
“You next；” said Marduk； nodding towards the corrupted magos。
“A biological entity approaches；” said Darioq…Grendh’al； and both Marduk and Khalaxis were
instantly alert； weapons raised as they sought a target。
“I see nothing；” hissed Khalaxis。
“There；” said Marduk； nodding towards a darkened side…passage。 His finger tensed on the trigger
of his bolt pistol； before he relaxed and holstered the weapon。
A shape solidified out of the darkness； staggering towards them。
“Rhamel；” laughed Khalaxis； “you whoreson！ You had me worried for a moment there。”
“Fine； brother；” replied Rhamel； his voice strained。 “I don’t die easily。”
Khalaxis laughed and slapped his blood…brother on the shoulder； knocking him forward a step。
“Are you well； warrior brother？” asked Marduk； eyes narrowing。
“I will be fine； First Acolyte；” Rhamel replied fiercely。
“Remove your helmet； warrior of Lorgar；” commanded Marduk。
Rhamel pulled his helmet clear； standing to attention before the First Acolyte。 The flesh of his
broad； ritually scarred face was pale and waxy； and deep rings circled eyes that glinted with a
feverish light。 A scabbed wound was located on his neck； and the skin around the puncture was
tinged vaguely blue。
“You are… unwell？” asked Marduk。 “Poison？”
“Ovipositor impregnation；” intoned Darioq…Grendh’al。
“What is the machine speaking of？” asked Khalaxis。
“I don’t know；” replied Marduk。
“Source： Magos Biologis Atticus Fane； Lectures of Xenos Bioligae； 872。M40； Consultation of
Nicae； Tenebria； Q。389。V。IX。 Ref。MBim274。ch。impttck。 The xenos subject species； genus
Corporaptor； observed implanting gene…template into body of host；” said Darioq…Grendh’al。
“Override of genetic coding documented。 Bio…gene…splicing observed。 Conclusion： Corporaptor
Hominis overrides genetic makeup of host species； dominating upper cerebral cortex functions。
Speculation： Corporaptor Hominis a vanguard species； locating and suppressing indigenous
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populations。 Genetic corruption of local species suspected as a method of drawing Hive Fleet to
suitable prey…worlds。”
The three Word Bearers looked blankly at the corrupted magos。
“Potential reversal of implanted host species’ gene…corruption： nil；” concluded Darioq…
Grendh’al。
“Gene…corruption；” murmured Marduk。
“The machine babbles nonsense；” growled Khalaxis。
“Speak more clearly； Darioq…Drak’shal；” said Marduk； “perhaps in words that we might
understand。”
“It is believed that the genestealers infiltrate potential prey…worlds for the tyranid xenos species
to feed upon；” intoned the magos。 “They infect the populace； and some believe that the collective
control they exert over those bearing their genetic coding acts as a psychic beacon； drawing the
organic Hive Fleets to those worlds where the beacon burns strongest。”
“And you say this… implant attack that Rhamel has suffered is altering his genetic coding？”
asked Marduk。
“That is correct； master。”
“The bodies of the warriors of Lorgar are sacred temples； for in them we bear the mark of
Lorgar。 From his genome were we created；” said Marduk； “and such a… corruption is an
abomination。”
The First Acolyte looked at Rhamel； who grimaced as another wave of pain shot through him。
“You understand what must be done； Brother Rhamel；” said Marduk。 It was a statement； not a
question。
“I understand； my lord；” said Rhamel through gritted teeth； and the warrior dropped to his knees
before the First Acolyte。
“What if the machine is wrong？” asked Khalaxis。 “Could not the chirurgeons on the Infidus
Diabolus reverse this corruption？”
“The machine is not wrong； brother；” said Rhamel。 “I can feel it working within me； changing
me。 Let me pass with honour； my brother。”
The warrior closed his eyes tightly against the pain。
“I would ask that you do it； Khalaxis；” he hissed； pleadingly。 “Do this for me； my brother。
Please。”
Khalaxis looked at Marduk； and the First Acolyte nodded his head grimly。
“It is only fitting；” said the First Acolyte。
“As you wish； my brother；” said Khalaxis； moving in front of the kneeling warrior。
Marduk passed the champion of the almost obliterated 17th coterie his bolt pistol； and the taller
warrior took it in his hands with great reverence。 Then he raised the bolt pistol and placed it against
Rhamel’s forehead。
“Into the darkness he strode；” quoted Marduk； from the Trials of the Covenant； “into the flames
of hell； with his head held high； and he smiled。”
“Be at peace；” said Khalaxis。
Rhamel smiled； looking up at Khalaxis with eyes shining with belief。 “I’ll see you on the other
side； my brother；” he said。
Then the bolt pistol bucked in Khalaxis’s hand； and the back of Rhamel’s head was obliterated；
exploding outwards in a shower of gore。
Marduk dipped a finger in the blood and drew an eight…pointed star on Rhamel’s forehead； the
hole of the entry wound at its centre。
“What was that all about？” Burias asked in a low voice as they climbed into the submersible；
eyeing the brooding Khalaxis。
“Nothing；” said Marduk。 “A brave warrior is dead。 He will be mourned。”
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
A crowd of hooded cultists was waiting for them as the submersible entered the docking pool within
the mining station； pushing in as Burias climbed out onto the wharf。 Nevertheless； they kept their
distance； wary of the immense red…armoured warrior and the potent aura of savagery around him。
The icon bearer snarled as he looked upon the press of humanity； and dropped onto the docking
wharf； eyeing the crowd darkly。 He allowed the change to come over him and took a menacing step
forwards； enjoying the fear that made the people recoil。 They did not run； however； and there were
shouts and jeers from the masses。 It was curious behaviour for mortals； and Burias could not
understand it。 Lesser beings always reacted to his presence with abject terror； so why did these ones
not flee？
As the other Word Bearers emerged from the deep…sea scout/maintenance vehicle； one man
pushed to the front of the crowd。 His pale face was cowled and thin； and a servo…skull hovered near
his shoulder。 His eyes gleamed with feverish light。
This man studied the Word Bearers as they disembarked； an expression of outrage upon his face。
The anger twisted his features so that he looked barely human at all。
“They have spilt the blood of our brood…fathers！” he bellowed； holding his arms up high。 The
billowing sleeves of his robe fell back at the movement； exposing pale arms pitted with plugs。
Spiralling tattoos covered his flesh； oddly alien embryonic shapes that wrapped around his forearms。
An angry roar rose from the gathered crowd that stepped forwards； faces twisting into visages of
hatred。
“Someone shut him up；” said Marduk。
Kol Badar stepped towards the man； who stood defiant before him even though the people
around him shrunk back from the Coryphaus’s titanic frame。
“You have befouled the inner sanctum of the brood…fathers；” howled the man at Kol Badar as he
approached。 He came up barely to the Coryphaus’s chest； but held his ground defiantly。 “And for
that grave insult； you will be punished。”
“Who is going to punish me； little man？” asked Kol Badar。 “You？”
The man quivered in rage； and with a scream of hatred hurled himself at Kol Badar’s immense
figure； hands outstretched like claws。
Kol Badar wrapped his power talons around the man’s head； and lifted him off his feet； which
kicked uselessly a metre off the ground。
The crowd surged forwards； many drawing laspistols and cudgels from their robes； screaming in
outrage。
Bemused； Kol Badar clenched his fist and there was an audible wet crunch as the man’s skull
was crushed。 He hurled the body into the crowd。
There were hundreds of the frenzied cultists； but they were as nothing next to the warriors of the
XVII Legion。 None of the Word Bearers deigned to expend any of their precious ammunition upon
the crowd； and they weighed in with chainswords and fists as the crowd surged in to surround them。
It was as if the crowd was in the grip of some kind of group hysteria； thought Marduk；
eliminating all fear； and replacing it with this frenzied hatred。 That was exactly what this was； he
realised these people were the dupes of the xenos hive mind。
117
The butchery was over in minutes。 Bodies lay sprawled across the floor； many of them maimed
and brutalised almost beyond recognition； life fluids smearing the metal flooring with a thick gruel。
Pulling his blood…smeared helmet from his head； Marduk sucked in a deep breath； inhaling the
hot； heady scent of death。
“Glory be；” he said； a rapturous smile upon his face。
Gears groaned as the giant lift rose from the shaft； powerful engines hauling it up the immense chain
connected to the mining station eight kilometres below。 It came to a clanking rest； and steam vented
from its engines。 The sides of the diamond…shaped lift crashed open； and Sabtec bowed his head as
the First Acolyte stepped from within； his armour caked in blood。
The champion lifted his gaze once more； eyes flicking over the blood…drenched warriors
marching from within the lift。 He raised an eyebrow as he saw that only half of the warriors that had
accompanied Marduk returned。
The First Acolyte’s gaze wandered； coming to rest on the corpse of a Legion warrior； lying on
its back and with its arms crossed over his chest。
“Namar…sin？” asked Marduk。 Sabtec nodded his head。
“Report；” said Kol Badar as he stalked out of the lift。
“Dark eldar；” said Sabtec； “though ones we have not fought before。 They were shadowcreatures；
here and yet not here。 Two brother warriors fell along with Namar…sin。”
“I do not see their bodies；” said Marduk。
“They were… taken； my lord；” said Sabtec。
“They were taken；” said Marduk flatly。
Sabtec stood with his head held high； looking resolutely forward。
“Yes； my lord；” he said。
“You allowed two warrior brothers of Lorgar to be taken by eldar slavers？” snarled Kol Badar。
“They were taken while under my command； my lord； yes；” said Sabtec； “and I will accept any
punishment that my shame requires。”
“You offer no excuses； Sabtec？” asked Kol Badar。
“None； my lord；” said Sabtec。 His voice betrayed no fear。 He moved his gaze towards Marduk。
“If it would please you； First Acolyte； I shall take my own life for the shame I have brought upon
the Host。”
“That will not be necessary； Sabtec；” said Marduk smoothly； “though I am pleased at your
devotion to the great cause。 I shall have need of loyal warriors in the days to come。”
“The tyranid invasion could beg