devotion to the great cause。 I shall have need of loyal warriors in the days to come。”
“The tyranid invasion could begin at any moment；” said Kol Badar。 “It might already be under
way。 We move out； now。”
Marduk was left alone with Kol Badar as the warriors of the Legion made ready to move out
once more； their movements crisp and full of purpose。
“This world has claimed many warrior’s lives；” said Kol Badar。 “Six Havocs of the 217th；
including their champion； Namar…sin； two warriors of the 13th； six of Khalaxis’s 17th； and two of
my Anointed； all dead to secure the mind of a single mortal。 I hope that it was worth it。”
“It will be；” said the First Acolyte。
“For the glory of Marduk？” sneered Kol Badar。
“For the glory of Lorgar。 For the glory of the XVII Legion；” said Marduk； keeping his anger in
check； though he felt the powers of Chaos stirring within him； feeding his desire to strike down the
insubordinate Coryphaus。
Thoughts of blood filled his mind； and Marduk reached involuntarily for his blade。 He saw Kol
Badar’s power talons twitch。 With all his strength； Marduk pushed the hatred deep inside； where it
would fester and grow strong； but where he could control it。
“Lead forth； oh mighty Kol Badar；” said Marduk； his voice thick with sarcasm。
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The Word Bearers moved out onto the ice； leaving the guild city； with its subterranean tunnels and
claustrophobic chambers behind。 They had not seen any further sign of the enemy； either Imperial or
eldar。 The storms wracking the landscape had not abated。 If anything； it seemed that they had
increased in intensity； furiously whipping ice and snow across the flows。
“How long？” asked Marduk。 He spoke using his inter…vox rather than attempting to roar over the
howling winds。
“Ten minutes；” said Kol Badar。 “Thirteenth； form a perimeter。”
Under Sabtec’s crisp orders； the warriors of the 13th coterie； both old and new members； moved
into position； weapons at the ready。 It was probably an unnecessary precaution； for the chance of
attack within the next ten minutes was unlikely； but having heard the reports of the dark eldar
attacks from Sabtec； Kol Badar was taking no chances。 Marduk also knew that it did the warriors
good to have a duty； something to occupy them。
“The only certainty in a warrior’s life is death；” was an old adage； though Marduk knew that
such a statement was inherently false。 For mortals； yes； death came for every soul eventually； but for
one of the blessed warriors of Chaos； death was no certainty。 Likely； but not certain。 One could
always be raised to daemonhood； and then one might live for all eternity； a demi…god worshipped in
one’s own right。
Something stirred within Marduk； and he felt the presence of Chaos writhing within him。 He had
long become used to the bizarre sensation； and it gave him comfort to know that he was not alone。
“Incoming！” roared Sabtec suddenly； his crusade…era helmet angled skywards。
There came a whistling sound overhead； and the warriors scattered as something large came
hurtling down through the gale。
Marduk threw himself to the side as it came smashing down and struck the moon’s surface just
metres away； sending snow and chunks of ice flying into the air； and sending warriors of the Legion
sprawling。 The First Acolyte rolled smoothly； coming up to one knee with his bolt pistol in his hand。
Had it been an explosive shell； he would be dead； but the thing that had struck the ice was no
shell； nor was it an orbital strike… at least not one of Imperial origins。
At first； Marduk thought it was an asteroid； but now he saw it was something fleshy； something
organic。
It was like the giant seed…pod of some fleshy fruit； and it had smashed a crater four metres deep
and eight metres in diameter。 Steam rose from it； and even as he watched； the tip of the roughly
spherical shape peeled back； flopping down onto the ice； revealing a shapeless； quivering skin…sac
the size of a Dreadnought。
Veins branched across this lump of living flesh； and shapes within strained to be released。
“What in the name of the true gods is that？” asked Burias curiously； stepping carefully towards
the pulsating shape。
“Careful； icon bearer；” said Kol Badar。
The skin of the shape bulged and Marduk could make out the shape of a xenos head straining to
escape。
“Tyranid；” he hissed； just as the first of the hive creatures burst from its embryonic birth sack。
The death of the world has arrived； he thought。
Claws ripped through the film of skin and foul waters empted from within； bio…fluids gushing
out。 Clouds of fog rose as the elted through ice and snow。
Bolters began to fire； tearing gaping rents in the sac that gushed hot liquid。 These amniotic fluids
were pinkish and thick； like glutinous syrup。 Inhuman screams burst from the spore as the bolts
ripped through it。
Then the first of the creatures leapt from within； launching itself directly at Burias； four slender；
bladed limbs poised to impale him。 The blades of its two fore…limbs were the length of swords； and
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though the creature was smaller than the genestealers they had encountered in the hulk on the ocean
floor； the similarities were marked。
Burias swatted the creature aside with the holy icon of the Host； breaking its back； and it slid
through the ice and snow； carving a furrow； until it came to a halt at Kol Badar’s feet。 It snarled up
at the Coryphaus； struggling to stand on its powerful hind legs； which would not respond。 It hissed；
and tried to stab at Kol Badar； but the Coryphaus planted a bolt in its head that ended its struggles。
Marduk fired； his round screaming less than half a metre past Burias’s head to detonate in the
chest of another of the creatures as it scrambled from the crater。 The rest of the Host opened fire as
more of the creatures leapt from the spore； their weapons ripping the creatures apart； spraying sickly
ichor across the snow。
Another mycetic spore screamed from the heavens and smashed into the ground ten metres
away； and then another。
“How long？” asked Marduk； his bolt pistol bucking in his hands as he killed another of the
leaping tyranid creatures。
“Five minutes；” said Kol Badar。
More of the creatures ripped free from birth…sac as the sides of the spores flopped open； and they
launched themselves at the Word Bearers； covering the distance over the snow in powerful leaps。
“Close ranks；” roared Kol Badar； and the Word Bearers formed a tight circle facing outwards；
with Darioq…Grendh’al in the centre。 Weapons barking； ripping the first of the leaping tyranids out
of the air； smashing them backwards as their flesh and chitin was torn apart。
Another spore crashed down nearby； its impact spraying Marduk with snow and ice。 One of the
warrior brothers sent a missile screaming from the launcher braced against his shoulder into the
fleshy pod as its sides flopped heavily to the snow。 The missile detonated inside the convulsing
birth…sac； lighting it up from within for a moment； and the mass of creatures inside could be seen
clearly through the skin of the sac enclosing them。 Then the sides of the pod were ripped apart； and
the high…pitched screams of the dying tyranids echoed through the gale as they were consumed in
flame and shrapnel。
The missile launcher was tossed aside； its ammunition spent； and the warrior drew his bolt pistol
and combat knife。
Marduk blasted the head of another creature into pulp and tracked his pistol skywards as one of
the xenos creatures leapt high into the air。 It descended towards him； sword…bladed arms lancing at
him； and he fired。 The bolt took the creature in the chest； passing through its chitinous exoskeleton
before detonating； creating a head…sized crater of mined flesh。 Still it fell towards him； its brain not
yet registering that it was dead； its every instinct willing it on to kill。
Marduk swiped it out of the air with his chainsword； ripping the toothed blade through the
creature from neck to sternum； but one of its arms stabbed into his chest； biting through his power
armour and embedding itself in his fused ribcage。
Slashing with his chainsword； Marduk sheared through the tyranid’s elbow joint and it fell dead
at his feet； its forelimb still protruding from his chest。 He had no time to remove it； as a wave of the
tyranids swarmed out of the storm。
Shouting a warning； Marduk held his fire until the tyranids were closer。 The creatures from
several of the spore…pods must have banded together； for this brood numbered perhaps thirty
individual aliens。 However； they did not move as individuals； they moved as one single living
organism； with synchronicity that could never have been matched by even the best drilled veteran
coterie of the Legion。
Without any obvious form of communication； the swarm of aliens turned as one； angling
towards the Word Bearers； their movements precise and almost robotic。 Marduk saw that these were
a different subspecies from the leaping aliens； though they were similar。
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More hunched； these ones scuttled forwards bearing what might have been projectile weapons in
their fore…limbs； though in truth the weapons were merely extensions of their limbs； fused to them；
as much a part of the creature as the rest of their vile bodies。
Bolters and heavy weapons roared； ripping the first of the creatures apart in bloody explosions；
but they continued scuttling forwards； oblivious or uncaring of their fallen。 Their bio…weapons
pulsed； the fleshy projectile tubes contracting sharply with peristalsis。 Marduk felt something
splatter across his left arm plates； and hissed in pain。
Looking down； he saw a mass of fleshy grubs boring through his ceramite vambrace and into his
flesh； and he swatted frantically at them； trying to dislodge them。 He squashed dozens of them as
they scrabbled for purchase on his armour； but several of them were already too deep for him to
easily remove； burrowing into the muscle of his forearm； squirming within his body as they feasted
on his flesh。
Focusing his mind； he pushed away the pain and discomfort； and killed two of the tyranids with
his pistol。 He saw one of the 13th coterie fall to the ground； screaming in agony as a mass of
writhing flesh…worms burrowed through his helmet； clogging his respirator and boring through the
lenses covering his eyes； gnawing their way through his skull and into his brain。
A flamer roared； bathing the tyranid brood in burning promethium； and they screamed in
inhuman torment as their bodies were consumed。 Bolters tore through the survivors； but still more
clambered over the bodies of the dead to fire their living ammunition into the tight circle of Word
Bearers。 More snow was kicked up as another spore slammed down into the ice。
Marduk ducked his head as a stream of beetles was spat towards him。 Several wriggling bugs
struck his right shoulder pad； painted black in mourning for Jarulek； but he squashed the voracious
feeder creatures before they could bury themselves in his armour and flesh。
A second putrid stream of voracious organisms spat past Marduk to engulf Darioq…Grendh’al。
An orb of energy appeared around the corrupted magos； and the coruscating electricity of the potent
conversion field fried the tiny creatures。
The mag