Instantly； the haemonculus’s hand flickered over a series of rune images； and all the cell doors in
the section powered down。
At first； nothing happened。 Then a hulking two…metre beast covered in matted fur staggered into
the corridor。 Throwing its head back； it gave a blood…curdling roar。 The dark eldar guards fired；
knocking it back a step。 It roared again； and lurched towards the group of warriors。 Barbed prongs
that shimmered with arcane powers were fired into its flesh； and it fell to its knees as agony seared
through its body。
More and more of the slaves staggered from their cells； blinking their eyes heavily； as if
believing that this was just another part of their torture。 A broad shouldered； four…legged； centaurlike
creature with a reptilian head lurched from its cell； which was barely large enough to hold its
massive form。 It hurled itself into one of the groups of eldar warriors； and two of them died instantly
as it slammed their heads together； crushing their fragile skulls。
Eldar warriors began firing as more slaves spilled from their confinement； and crackling electrowhips
lashed out。 Slaves shuddered and screamed as the whips struck them； sending shooting pains
through their nervous systems； and others fell； their fears； terrors and nightmares coming to life
before their eyes as hallucinatory venom surged through their veins。
Other slaves fell upon each other； fists cracking against skulls and hands wrapping around
throats as racial enmities surged to the fore and individuals driven out of their minds by their
torments sought to slake their insane bloodlust。
All was chaos along the corridor； and Marduk smiled broadly； relishing the surge of hatred； fear
and anger that washed over him。
“Which way？” he said。
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CHAPTER NINETEEN
Dracon Alith Drazjaer stared at the curved； three…dimensional observation screen projected before
him； watching as the hive fleet of the Great Devourer drew ever nearer。 The bridge of his corsair
flagship was dark。 Reclining upon his throne； with its razor…sharp barbs rising around him； he
scowled at the holographic images appearing before him。
He saw the twin moons orbiting the giant gas planet； with the flickering ghost…image of his
bladed ship pulling away from them。 His ship was as one with the darkness； and had the voracious
organism…ships of the Great Devourer not been encroaching； Drazjaer was confident that he could
have preyed upon this system for years to come without detection。
As the moons had finally completed their long arc around the gas giant and emerged into the
light of the system’s dying star； the dark eldar ship had slipped unseen through the mon…keigh
blockade。 It was likely that none had even registered his ship’s presence； and those that had would
have seen nothing more suspicious than a passenger freighter of their own design。
He had plied his trade in this system for two months； relying on the mimic engines and shadow
fields of his slave…ship to confuse the mon…keigh scanners； while his warriors raided the evacuating
populations。 Within visual range； the mimic engines would no longer be able to fool even the pitiful
scanners of the mon…keigh； but still his ship would be almost impossible to pinpoint； thanks to the
shadow fields that cloaked its presence； and it was easy to keep out of the visual range of the
lumbering mon…keigh ships。
It had proved a profitable and successful hunt； and thousands of souls were held in the torture
decks below； ready for delivery to Commoragh。 Still； it was not enough； and for the thousandth time
Drazjaer cursed the very existence of the black…hearted lord of the Black Heart cabal； Asdrubael
Vect。 The tribute he demanded was extortionate。 Drazjaer had hoped that raiding this one sector
would have provided enough souls to please the vicious lord； and it had come close； but his time
here was done。
Within the day； the tyranids would have overrun the prey…moons。 The mimic engines would not
fool the hive…mind。 It was time to move on； to continue his raids elsewhere； for to return to
Commoragh without his full tribute was out of the question。
Dismissing the observation screen with a thought； Drazjaer swung away from the console； which
retracted smoothly into the floor behind him。 He saw one of his Incubi guards waiting for him； head
bowed。
“What is it？” the dracon asked。
“There is a problem on antitherea deck； lord dracon；” murmured one of the incubi； his voice
distorted by his tormentor helm。
With his screens down and completely confident that his mimic engines and shadow fields
would be able to fool any of the mon…keigh vessels； Drazjaer did not see the Astartes stoke cruiser
turning towards his ship。
Marduk hacked a path through the press of inmates； slashing with the blade…limb and sending them
reeling away from him； blood pumping from severed limbs。 Those who fell were crushed in the rush
to escape； and the man； Baranov； kept close behind him。
The First Acolyte had the skeletal form of the haemonculus in a headlock； using his body as a
shield in front of him； and he hacked the blade through the neck of another inmate； who turned
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towards him； froth spilling from his mouth。 The guards were being overwhelmed by the surge of
slaves and paid Marduk no mind as they fought for their lives； weapons spitting and torturous
electro…whips snapping。
“This way； I’m sure of it！” shouted Baranov； directing Marduk down a side corridor。 The slave
deck was a labyrinth of side…tunnels and holding cells； and everywhere was chaos as the slaves set
upon their captors and each other with insane fury。 Marduk had sworn that he would make the xenos
scum suffer for the ignoble sufferings that had been committed upon his flesh； and he smiled to see
the mayhem he had wrought。
Marduk moved past dozens of cells。 The wretched inmates still cowered within many of them；
crouching in the corners； rocking back and forth； their heads in their hands； but it did not matter。
Enough of the slaves were hell…bent on overcoming their captors to provide an adequate distortion。
“There！” shouted Baranov； pointing towards what looked like a dead end。 “That is where they
brought me from。”
Marduk swung down the corridor。 A group of eldar warriors was backed up against its end； a
circular； closed aperture behind them。 A slave； a human； launched itself at Marduk； hands clawing
for him； but the First Acolyte slashed his blade across its face。
With the haemonculus held in a brutal headlock； Marduk broke into a ran； dropping his shoulder
and barging his way through the crowd towards the far end of the corridor。 Baranov struggled to
keep up； running in his destructive wake。
With a swat of his arm； Marduk slammed the first of the guards back into the wall； and slashed
his blade across the neck of the second； blood gushing from the wound。
Something stabbed into Marduk’s unarmoured back； and his body was jolted as his pain
receptors flared； and his muscles twitched uncontrollably。 He lost his grip on the haemonculus； who
slumped to the ground in a bloody heap； and twisted around to see a trident sparking with energy
jabbed into his flesh； held in the grasp of a blade…helmeted dark eldar warrior。 He grabbed the haft
of the weapon； sending flaring pain up his arm； and swung it upwards； sending the warrior wielding
the weapon smashing into the low roof。 The warrior released its hold on the trident； and Marduk
turned and impaled another of its dark kin on its points。
“Get the doors open；” he barked； spinning and decapitating another warrior with a sweep of his
blade。
“I’m trying；” shouted Baranov； his fingers flickering over the glowing rune of a side…panel。
“Try harder；” roared Marduk； just before he was slammed back against the wall as a comscating
arc of dark energy struck him square in the chest； fired from the snub…nosed rifle of another enemy。
The eldar warrior was about to fire on him again； but stumbled as another slave slammed into his
back； knocking the eldar off…balance and towards Marduk。 The First Acolyte reared up with a growl；
the flesh of his chest blistered and smoking； and slammed his fist up into the eldar’s chin； throwing
his full force behind the blow。
The warrior’s neck snapped backwards with an audible crack； and Marduk positioned himself in
a protective position in front of Baranov； ensuring that no one came near him。 He saw the
haemonculus clawing away from him on the floor； and at a whim he placed his still…armoured foot
upon the skeletal eldar’s elongated cranium； pinning it to the floor。
“It’s not opening；” said Baranov desperately。 “It’s been locked down； or something。”
“You can open it for me；” Marduk said to the haemonculus； exerting more pressure on the
creature’s skull。 It gurgled something； and Marduk bent down and picked it up by the scruff of its
neck。 His fingers completely encircling its neck； he held it half a metre above the ground。 He pushed
Baranov roughly aside。
“Open it；” Marduk growled； and slammed the haemonculus’s head into the control panel for
emphasis。 Its nose broke； and blood splattered across the black panel。
The eldar gargled something； but its voice was unintelligible； and Marduk slammed its face into
the panel again。
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“Open it；” he hissed again； before slamming its head into the panel once more。 Its face was a
bloody ruin； its nose smashed； and blood and mucus was smeared across the deathly visage。
“You’ll kill it；” warned Baranov； but the haemonculus lifted one of its claw…like hands； reaching
blearily towards the panel。
The eldar’s fingers stabbed at a series of runes and blade…arcs of the circular door slid open。
An armed group of eldar warriors stood beyond the doors； a hundred slender rifles lowered
towards him。 At the centre stood a tall figure in glistening black； barbed and segmented armour； its
pale xenos face staring at him with noble arrogance。 He saw the long…haired bitch that had ensnared
him at its side； and a milky…eyed creature； glowing blue runes carved upon its ebony flesh。
“You… lose；” gargled the haemonculus； looking up at him in triumph。
“I don’t think so；” said Marduk； and slammed the haemonculus’s head into the control panel
once more； this time with fatal force。 Its skull crumpled。
He flicked his glance towards Baranov； whose face was pale as he stared out at the horde of
enemy warriors before them。
“Stay close to me；” hissed Marduk。
Letting the dead figure of the haemonculus slump to the ground； leaving a smear of brainmatter
across the control panel’s surface； Marduk lifted his head high and stared defiantly at the eldar；
awaiting his fate as a warrior of Lorgar。
Blood covering his heavily scarred； naked torso； Marduk locked his eyes on the central eldar
figure。 This one was clearly the leader of the dark kin； and if he had any hope of escape； it lay in
him。 The arrogant bastard stood with his arms folded across his chest； blades gleaming down its
forearms； a look of utter contempt and sardonic humour on his xenos face。 Surrounded by over a
hundred of his warriors； all with weapons lowered； the haughty eldar lord sneered down his nose at
Marduk。
“This is the prey…slave that has caused all this disturbance？” he asked； enunciating the wor