ne of fire kinked
right and tore amongst the squad beside him。 Four men were pitched backwards； bright blood spraying from their shattered chests。
That couldn't be right。 This was a charge to glory！ Their faith in the Emperor and the justice of their cause was their shield against
harm。 They were supposed to be invincible。
His step faltered and his vision suddenly expanded to encompass the carnage around him。 Bodies littered the ground。 Hundreds？
Thousands？ There were so many； who could tell？
Brave and glorious though their charge had been； the rational part of Leonid's brain suddenly realised its folly。 Frantic charges
against fortified positions without fire support were the stuff of legend until you actually had to do it yourself。 Though he didn't
appreciate it on a conscious level； Leonid had reached the point that all infantrymen must at some point face。
The point where the initial surge of adrenaline had worn off and the body's innate sense of self preservation kicked in。 This was
when true courage was required to carry a soldier the last few metres towards the enemy。
Leonid screamed and continued forwards； side by side with his soldiers； his blood pounding and his heart racing。
They were going to make it！
The traitor line was barely ten metres away。
Then it vanished in a series of bright flashes； smoke and thunderous noise。
A giant fist smashed him in the chest。
He fell； fighting for breath； his vision cartwheeling。
The ground rushed up to meet him and slammed into his face； hot and solid。
Someone screamed his name。
Pain； bright red； razor stabs of pain in his chest。
He rolled onto his back as noise swelled around him； screams and gunfire。 He lifted his head and moaned as he saw scarlet blood
on his breastplate。 Was it his？
He dropped his head and closed his eyes as an immense weariness settled over him。
Then screamed as he was hauled violently up and thrown over someone's shoulder； his chest spasming in pain。 He saw broken；
blood stained earth bouncing below him and a bloodstained Jouran uniform jacket。
He was being carried away from the trenches； he realised； bouncing around on his rescuer's shoulder； the world spinning around
him。 Nothing made sense。 He tried to find his voice； but all that he managed was a hoarse croak。
The man carrying him suddenly stopped and shucked Leonid from his shoulder； propping him up against the side of a wrecked
tank。
Leonid's eyes swam into focus。
Sergeant Ellard knelt beside him； checking the wound in his chest。
'What happened？' Leonid asked thickly。
'You got yourself shot； sir；' answered Ellard。
Leonid looked at his chest。 'Did I？'
'Aye； sir。 You were ahead of everyone else and took a round to the chest。 Good thing you had your flak jacket on underneath your
breastplate； eh？ Still； you're going to have a hell of a braise； sir。'
'Yes； I suppose；' said Leonid； relief flowing through him。 'The last thing I remember； we were just about to jump those bastards。'
'Well； I guess our charge wasn't meant to hit home。 Anyway we've got to keep our heads down； because Corde tells me that our
vaunted Titans are inbound any minute and we sure as hell don't want to be anywhere near those trenches when they open fire。'
Leonid tried to stand； but pain flooded through him and he slumped back。 'Imperator； this hurts！'
'Yes； I think you caught it in the solar plexus； so just lay still for a while； sir。 You're going to be alright。'
'Sure；' said Leonid。 'By the way； thank you； sergeant。 For carrying me out。'
'Not to worry； sir； but if you don't mind me asking； what the hell were you doing？ With all due respect； sir； you took off like a
bloody madman。'
'I don't know； sergeant。 I couldn't think straight；' said Leonid； shaking his head。 'All I could see was the line of trenches and how I
had to get there。 It was insane； I know； but； by the Emperor； it felt amazing！ It was as though I could hear and see everything so
clearly and there was nothing I couldn't do… And then I got shot；' he finished lamely。
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
More bodies began to join them as the distant thunder of Titan footsteps carried through the afternoon air。 Leonid had never heard
a more welcome sound in his entire life。
He pushed himself painfully to his feet and shouted to everyone in earshot； his parade…ground voice cutting through the bark of
sporadic gunfire and the thump of explosions。
'Right； listen up； everybody！ We have Titans coming in； so everyone on your feet！ As soon as they hit I want everyone back to the
citadel in double time or better。 Make sure we don't leave anybody behind and we'll get out of this in one piece； okay？'
A few muted affirmations greeted Leonid's words； but the survivors of the attack were too weary and shell…shocked to respond
with much enthusiasm。
Leonid turned his gaze to the north…west； seeing the lumbering shapes of Titans approaching through the smoke。 Despite the pain
in his chest； he grinned to himself。
The god…machines would surely turn the traitor line into a maelstrom of death and shredded bodies。
KROEGER WATCHED THE slaughter before the trenches with fierce longing； his fist thumping against the side of his Rhino in time
with the crack of explosions。 The carnage was pleasing to him； though he was disappointed the Imperials had not had the courage
to even reach their lines。 His sword was unsheathed and was yet to draw blood。 Its spirit would be angered if it was to be
scabbarded unwetted。 It took all Kroeger's willpower not to climb aboard the Rhino and order a full advance； but he could not do
so unless decreed by the Warsmith。
Kroeger stood resplendent in his freshly polished armour； the burnished iron gleaming like new。 The female prisoner he had
spared from the initial massacre had restored his armour's lustre； and though he still couldn't say why he had not killed her； it was
pleasing to him to have a lackey of the Emperor serve him。 There was more to it than that； but he did not know what； and the
feeling that the decision had not been his would not leave him。 Kroeger dismissed the woman from his thoughts； he would
probably kill her within a day or two。
The din of battle echoed from the valley sides and the discordant clash of steel on steel was music to Kroeger's ears。 For thousands
of years； Kroeger had lived with this sound and he wished he could make out the huge shapes battling through the smoke to the
west； where the Legio Mortis grappled with the enemy Titans。 There was a battle indeed！ To fight in the shadow of such creations
was to fight in the realm of true death； where a warrior's life hung by the threads of chance as well as skill。
Kroeger impatiently stalked to the edge of the trench's firing step； watching the wall of smoke and flames with hunger。 He cast his
gaze over the troops that waited either side of him； pitiful humans who thought that by their service to the Iron Warriors they
would be honoured in the sight of Chaos。 He despised them。
Further west； Kroeger could see Honsou and his company of mongrels。 Honsou also looked impatient to enter the fray； and in this
at least； Kroeger knew they shared a common bond。
He heard the rumbling of powerful engines behind him and turned to see three massive Land Raiders moving into position at the
main gateway。 The frontal ramp of the mighty vehicle in the lead dropped with a heavy clang and a powerful figure； clad in ornate
Terminator armour stepped out into the red； afternoon sun。
Forrix marched across the steel decking that bridged the trench and joined Kroeger on the firing step； an ancient and heavily
ornamented combi…bolter clutched in his right hand； while the left was a monstrous； crackling power fist。
'The Warsmith has decreed that we are to attack；' said Forrix。
'We？' asked a bemused Kroeger。 Forrix had not taken to the field of battle in nearly three millennia。
'Yes； we。 I am an Iron Warrior； am I not？'
'You are that； Forrix；' nodded Kroeger as Honsou strode across to join them。
'Forrix？' said Honsou。 'You fight with us this day？'
'Aye； half…breed； I do。 You have something to say？'
'No… brother。 You do us honour with your presence。'
'I do；' nodded Forrix。
Kroeger and Honsou shared a glance； both equally puzzled and a little unsettled by this latest development。 Kroeger laughed and
slapped a gauntlet across Forrix's shoulder guards。
'Welcome back； Forrix。 It has been too long since you shed the blood of the enemy。 I'll wager that power fist comes back with
more blood on it than even the half…breed or I can shed today。'
Forrix nodded； clearly uncomfortable with Kroeger's bonhomie。 He shook off Kroeger's hand and snapped； 'Stay away from me；
Kroeger。 You are nothing to me。'
Kroeger removed his hand with exaggerated care and took a step back。
'As you wish。'
Honsou stepped away from Forrix and returned to his position in the line just as Kroeger left the firing step to rejoin his company。
He cast furtive glances back towards the giant figure of Forrix； silhouetted in the deep red of the sky。 Something had happened to
Forrix and Kroeger was instantly suspicious。 There had been a fire in the ancient veteran's voice that Kroeger had not heard for
many centuries。
Something had rekindled Forrix's spirit and Kroeger suspected that the old general was privy to some secret that both he and I
Honsou were ignorant of。 What that might be or how he came by it； Kroeger could not guess； but he would make it his business to
find out。
Further speculation was ended when a deafening roar sawed through the front ranks； blasting dozens of men on the firing step to
shreds。 Heavy calibre shells ripped apart the lip of the trench in a hail of fire； sending earth and bodies flying in all directions and
a fierce grin broke on Kroeger's face。
Through the billowing smoke he could make out the blurred outline of what looked like a Scout Titan。 He jogged quickly to his
Rhino； jumping onto the running boards and hammering his fist upon its roof。
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
The Rhino's engine roared as it powered forwards； following Forrix's Land Raiders through the gateway and into the smoke of
battle。
Kroeger stood tall and raised his chainsword for all his warriors to see。
'Death to the followers of the False Emperor！'
THREE
LEONID WATCHED THE loping forms of the Warhounds as they circled his position； pouring fire from their Vulcan bolters onto the
traitor lines。 The men under his command cheered and punched the air at this show of defiance； though Leonid knew that was all
it was。 The Warhounds would buy them time to regroup； but nothing more。
'All units； this is Colonel Leonid。 Regroup and fall back to the rally point immediately。 Do it quickly； we don't have much time；'
ordered Leonid as the deep throated roar of vehicles swelled from the traitor lines。
PRINCEPS CARLSEN JINKED his agile Warhound Titan from side to side； frantically evading enemy shots while attempting to
manoeuvre into a favourable firing position for his weapons moderati。 Lie and Princeps Jancer in the Jure Divinu took it in turns
to dart forwards and hose the trenches with their Vulcan bolters and turbo lasers； shredding anything that dared show its face；
before rapidly withdrawing to safety in the smoke。 Their height made a mockery of the protection offered by the fi