in the shelter of this
trench。 They looked to him for guidance and Honsou snarled as he reached back and grabbed one by the neck； tossing him into the
approach trench。 The man landed hard and； as he rose to his feet； bolter fire shredded him。
Before the body had even hit the ground； Honsou spun low around the corner of the trench； firing controlled bursts at the Space
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
Marine。 His victim crumpled； his armour breached by his shots。 Honsou's jaw hardened as he saw the clenched； black fist icon on
the warrior's left shoulder guard。
Imperial Fists！ The ancient enemy； source of his polluted blood and cause of millennia of misery at the hands of those who were
not fit even to serve beside him。
Blind rage took Honsou and he roared in hate； charging through the body…filled trench； the desperate need to kill Imperial Fists
driving him onwards。 Another yellow…armoured warrior appeared at the entrance to the battery and levelled his bolter； but Honsou
was quicker； pulling the trigger and emptying his weapon's magazine at the hated foe。
Sparks and earth flew as his shots ricocheted from the Space Marine's armour。
Honsou screamed in fury； throwing aside his bolter when the hammer slammed down empty； and drew his sword as the warrior
before him dropped to one knee and took careful aim。
He felt impacts slam into his chest； but nothing； not even death itself would prevent him from reaching his enemy。 Pain ripped
through him； but he ignored it； hammering his boot into the Space Marine's breastplate。 He reversed his grip on his sword hilt and
drove it downwards through the chest of the fallen warrior； hate…fuelled strength driving it hilt…deep into his victim。
Blood splashed him as a flaring explosion thundered through the battery and another daemon engine vanished in a sheet of flames；
its shriek momentarily drowning out the noise of the blast。 Psychic Shockwaves buffeted Honsou and he felt the ancient malice of
a being that was ancient before mankind was born roar through him。 He rejoiced in its hate； feeling it consume him； pouring fresh
vigour through his body as it took his unworthy flesh for its own。 He spread wide his arms； actinic bolts of black lightning arcing
from his hands。
Destruction ripped through the battery as the bolts lashed out； indiscriminately ripping apart banks of soil； machinery and groups
of soldiers … both enemy and allied。
Honsou revelled in such carnage； though he knew that it was but borrowed power。 Flaring purple afterimages seared across his
retinas； but he laughed； hurling spears of warp energy into the confused mass of men and machines。 His body swelled as daemonic
power poured in。 His armour buckled and he screamed as joints and sinews stretched； bones cracked and his jaw stretched wide in
a soundless cry of agony。
More thunderous detonations rocked the battery and Honsou felt yet another daemonic presence explode from within its iron
machine…prison。 He dropped to his knees as the daemon within him suddenly withdrew； feeling its hatred of the newly…birthed
entity。 As the power drained from him； he watched the two daemonic creatures spiralling heavenward； locked in battle and fading
from his vision even as he watched。 He ached for such power again； even though he knew it would destroy him。
He groaned in pain as the terrible damage done to him by the daemon's brief occupancy surged through his nerve endings。 He
pushed himself to his feet as the human soldiers swarmed around him； shooting into the mass of Guardsmen and Space Marines。
A mad shrieking filled the battery as more explosions lit up the night。 A daemon engine； its bindings cracked and flailing； howled
as it fought to finally sever the magicks that bound it to the war machine。 Men were crushed beneath its bronze treads； and
Honsou watched as its mighty gun swung ponderously around and fired repeatedly。 The screaming projectiles sailed over his
head； exploding somewhere deep in the Iron Warriors' camp； and a string of secondary detonations swiftly followed。
Honsou dragged his sword from the body beside him； wincing as his tortured muscles protested。 There were still Imperial Fists to
slay and he set off into the fiery hell of the battery to find them。
BOLTER IMPACTS RANG from the walls； almost deafening； and Hawke felt the impact of countless bullets hitting the underside of
the gantry。 Desperately he hammered his elbow against the grille behind him； firing the lasgun blindly over the edge。
Sparking ricochets spanged from the torpedo and Hawke filled the air with a constant stream of expletives； expecting the damn
thing to blow with every impact。 Fie could hear the metallic thunk； thunk； of boots on the ladder beside him； and rolled over in
time to see a grizzled face atop a red collar appear at the edge of the gantry。
He lashed out； his elbow smashing the man's nose across his face in a spray of blood。 The man's hands flew to his face。 He
screamed as he fell from the ladder。
Hawke yelled； 'And stay down！' before glancing over the edge of the gantry to watch him fall。 A bullet streaked past him； grazing
his temple and he yelped in pain； blood washing down his face from the cut。 He rolled back as another man clambered up the
ladder。
A bolter shell plucked at his sleeve and blood streamed from his bicep。 His hand spasmed and he dropped the las…gun。 It rolled to
the edge of the gantry and he lunged for the rifle； just stopping it from falling。 Something heavy landed on him。
A fist cracked against his jaw； but he rolled with the blow； twisting his head aside as the man on top of him repeatedly punched
him。
Hawke drove his knee into the man's groin and delivered a thunderous head…butt as his opponent's shoulders dropped。 He
hammered the heel of his hand into the man's neck and gripped his red overalls。 Hawke slammed his head into the metalwork of
the railings before heaving him over the edge。
Another enemy soldier stood in front of him； aiming a rifle。
Hawke kicked out hard； cracking his boots against the man's legs and shattering his kneecaps。 The man shrieked and dropped to
the floor of the gantry。
Hawke fired a hail of las…bolts； ripping the man's chest to bloody ruin and blasting clear the wall…mounted grille behind him。 More
bullet impacts raked the wall around him and he rolled away from the gantry's edge； finding himself looking into the depths of the
torpedo's access panel。
How the hell did he fire this bloody thing？
He couldn't remember。
He heard more people climbing and cursed as he saw the charge indicator on the rifle flash red。 Almost empty。 He could see
another soldier had reached the top of the ladder。 He snatched the late Guardsman Hitch's pride and joy from his belt and rammed
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
the full length of the Jouran fighting…knife into the man's neck。 Bright arterial blood spurted from the wound； drenching Hawke。
He frantically wiped his eyes clear； scrambling back towards the torpedo and ramming the knife back in its scabbard。
Gunfire sounded from below； but none of the shots seemed to be directed at him。 He risked another furtive glance over the gantry
and saw that the armoured giant had killed his remaining soldiers。 Perhaps they hadn't been keen to meet the same fate as their
comrades。
Hawke grinned suddenly。 He didn't blame them。
'You are braver than I took you for； little man；' said the Chaos Marine； mounting the iron ladder。 'I will honour you with the most
brutal death。'
'If it's all the same to you； I'll pass on that；' shouted Hawke； firing his lasgun； but the weapon was useless； his shots bouncing from
the warrior's burnished armour。 He searched desperately for something to use as a weapon； his gaze finally falling on the one thing
he knew would finish this bastard off。
But how to use it？ What had Beauvais said？
Strike the rune of firing upon the…
The what？
He bit his lip as he heard the warrior climbing。
'To hell with it；' he said and closed his eyes； reaching inside the access panel and hammering his open palm against the exposed
runes； switches and buttons。
Nothing happened。
'Emperor damn you！' Hawke screamed in frustration。 'You useless pile of worthless junk！ Fire； damn you！ Fire you bastard！ Fire！'
As the last word left his mouth； a rumbling tremor filled the chamber； klaxons blared and a series of lights began flashing at the
chamber's top。 Hawke opened his eyes and laughed hysterically。 Of course！ The Chant of Awakening！
Sudden heat filled the chamber and steam flashed up the walls as powerful rocket engines began igniting sequentially。 He'd only
gone and bloody done it； hadn't he？
As the heat in the torpedo room suddenly leapt upwards he realised his danger。 The ladder was sure as hell not an option and he
cried in relief as he saw the duct exposed by the shattered grille。 He didn't know where it led； but was sure it had to be better than
here。
'Well； Hawke； my lad；' he whispered； 'time to get going。'
Swiftly he crawled towards the duct； pushing his lasgun ahead of him。 It was easily wide enough to accommodate him and he
slithered inside。
Something tugged at his fatigues。 He turned and cried out as he saw the Chaos warrior's loathsome； mechanised claw snap shut on
his ankle。
The giant was too large to enter the duct； but the claw would soon pull him out。
'If we are to die； we will die together； little man；' promised the warrior。
'Guess again；' snapped Hawke as he drew his knife and sawed through the throbbing power cables that ran from the claw。 Black
oil and hydraulic fluid spurted out； and the claw jerked spastically。
Its iron grip slackened and he kicked it clear； powering along the smooth metal duct。 With every passing second he expected a
bullet in the back； but none came。 Vibrations rumbled along the duct and he pushed his muscles harder than he would have
believed possible。
Hot steam billowed after him。 Sweat poured from his brow as the aimbling of rocket engines grew behind him and the ductwork
creaked as it expanded in the burgeoning heat。
Suddenly there was space above him。 He pulled himself from the duct and slung his rifle over his shoulder as he found himself in
what looked like a vent chamber。 Other ducts fed into the chamber and another ladder ascended to a circle of reddish sky high
above him。 He leapt onto the ladder； climbing as fast as he could； hearing the rumble behind him build to a full…throated bellow；
like a mighty dragon waking from its slumbers。
He climbed and climbed as the roar built below him。
Geysers of scalding steam flashed past him。
The heat was intolerable and he gritted his teeth。 His skin blistered； but he shut out the pain； putting one hand above the other and
pulling himself onwards。
Hawke reached the top of the ladder and moaned in fear as he felt a blaze of heat rash towards him and searing orange light flare
around him。 He shouted with one last herculean effort； hurling himself over the lip of the vent and rolling aside as a fountain of
fiery exhaust gasses exploded behind him。
Hawke squeezed his eyes shut； and rolled away from the heat until he was sure he was safe。 He gasped for air and pushed himself
into a sitting position； opening his eyes in time to see the torpedo roaring through the sky on a pillar of fire。
Guardsman Juliu