He rolled to his knees； slashing low with his sword at a charging Imperial Fist； hacking his legs out from under him。 Honsou
reversed the grip on his sword and hammered the blade through the Space Marine's helm； dragging it free in time to block the
swing of another sword； this time swung by an Imperial officer with a major's star on his chest。
Honsou blocked a clumsy thrust and kicked the man in the groin； shattering his pelvis and dropping him screaming to the ground。
'Iron Warriors to me！' he bellowed； clearing a space around him with wide sweeps of his sword。 Bullets and las…bolts ricocheted
from his armour。
Another two Iron Warriors climbed over the lip of the parapet； forming a wedge with Honsou at its point。 Together； the Iron
Warriors hacked a path through the Imperial Guardsmen； splashing their silver armour with blood。
An Imperial Fist sergeant saw the danger and charged towards Honsou； firing his plasma pistol as he ran。 Honsou swayed aside；
the beam streaking past him and punching through the helmet of an Iron Warrior as he pulled himself over the parapet。
Honsou gripped his sword two…handed and charged to meet the Space Marine； diving forward and rolling beneath the swing of his
opponent's blade。 He rose to his feet and cut high； decapitating the Space Marine in a single blow。
Perhaps a dozen Iron Warriors had gained the ramparts and more were flooding the walls as Honsou's wedge pushed further into
the ravelin； pushing the enemy back before them。 Honsou yelled in triumph as his men spread out along the walls； killing
everything in their path。 The Guardsmen fell back in the face of such savagery and the ramparts were his。 The enemy retreat was
practically a rout； a few Imperial Fists all that held it from collapsing completely。
Honsou leapt from the ramparts as he saw a reserve of Guardsmen with heavy weapons； commanded by a junior officer； lying in
wait in the centre of the ravelin。 He hit the ground and rolled； watching the officer gauging the correct moment to fire。
The officer's sword swept down and heavy weapon fire raked the inner faces of the ravelin； pitching four Iron Warriors from the
walls。 Bolter fire answered them and a handful of men fell； clutching gaping wounds in their bodies。
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
The crescendo of guns and screaming soldiers was powerful in its intensity as battle was joined across the walls and bastions。
Smoke billowed from fires set by shell impacts and gunfire that had ignited the uniforms of the fallen。
More bolter shots tore amongst the Guardsmen as the officer swept his sword down again； but it was too late。 Honsou was
amongst them； hacking and killing with frenzied abandon。 Blood spurted； limbs were severed and entrails spilled as he tore the
beating heart from the defence。
Dozens more Iron Warriors were spilling into the ravelin itself。 Yellow armoured Space Marines were like tiny islands of stubborn
resistance； but Honsou could see they would soon be overwhelmed。
Ahead he could see the massive golden gate of the citadel； flanked by two high towers and topped with battered gun turrets。
Without siege tanks it was inviolable； but to the right of the gate was the great breach and Honsou could see fierce fighting raging
at its top。
'Iron Warriors； rally to me！' roared Honsou； bellowing to be heard over the din of battle。 Raising his bloody sword； he set off at a
run towards the breach。
The Primus Ravelin had fallen。
'FORWARD！' SCREAMED FORRIX from below the crest of the breach； his power glove crackling with deadly power。 They were so
close he could taste victory。 His armour was dented and torn open； but he felt nothing； the arcane mechanics of his newly
augmented body impervious to pain。 He felt another impact against his chest and laughed insanely as the bolt exploded against his
breastplate； the shell fragments scoring shallow gashes in his helmet。
The breach was wreathed in the smoke and confusion of battle。 Bodies lay strewn about； both friends and foes。 Three times they
had taken the crest of the breach and three times they had been hurled back by Dorn's lapdogs。
He clambered up； pulling himself forward in great powered strides。
Then he was hurled backwards as a buried mine exploded beneath him； the ground rearing upwards in a pillar of smoke and fire。
A chunk of rock smashed into his newly repaired helmet and shattered the visor； cracking it too badly to see through。 Forrix rolled
a few metres down the breach； before sliding to a halt in the loose rock。
Angrily； he pushed himself to his feet and wrenched off his ruined helmet； hurling it into the smoke above him。 He could see dim
shapes ahead and opened up with his combi…bolter； spraying the breach with fire。 One figure dropped； but the others swung their
weapons to bear at him。
A blast of gunfire ripped into the hazy figures； deadly fire from a reaper autocannon that swept them away in a hail of shells。
Forrix glanced around him； seeing that his company had suffered fearsome losses to get this far。 It would all be for nothing if they
should fail now。 Iron Warriors climbed past him towards the top of the breach。
He heard a great roar of victory from below and knew that the half…breed had succeeded in capturing the ravelin。 But how
Kroeger's attack on the eastern bastion was faring； he had no idea。 He snarled and resumed his climb； shooting blindly into the
smoke above him。 Nearly twenty Iron Warriors in Terminator armour climbed with him； firing their weapons into the breach。
Las…bolts and bullets spat from the nubs of wall to either side of him； but Forrix ignored them。 The breach was all that mattered。
His powerful strides had almost taken him to the top of the breach when a deafening roar erupted from beyond the crest and the
rocks before him exploded； huge chunks of rockcrete blasted to powder by shell impacts。 Six Iron Warriors were obliterated in a
single； devastating volley as a searing energy beam vaporised another's upper body； leaving his legs standing for a second before
they toppled back down the rubble slope。 Forrix dropped and crawled towards the edge of the breach； lifting his helmetless head
over the rocks。
The beast of legend was before him； not just one； but two of the agile Scout Titans darted back and forth in the gap between the
citadel's inner and outer walls。 Constantly in motion； the Warhounds loped back and forth like caged beasts； pausing every now
and again to spray the breach with murderous fire from their Vulcan bolters。
Forrix's heart sank。
While the Warhounds covered the breach； there was almost no way they could cross it。
THE THING THAT had once been a determined lieutenant in the Jouran 383rd； but was now something infinitely older and more
malevolent； pushed its way forwards over the jagged steel and rockcrete of the Mori bastion's breach。 The Avatar of Khorne
roared in primal lust as it drank deep from the well of hatred supplied by Larana Utorian。
Hatred of the Guard for shelling her。
Hatred of Kroeger for driving her to this。
Hatred of the Emperor for allowing this to happen。
Larana Utorian now had hatred carved upon her heart。
The warriors of Kroeger's company followed the thing they believed to be their leader； fighting their way through the hell of
gunfire and explosions； in awe of the ferocity and sheer good fortune he displayed。
Bullets seemed to float around him； lasers passed through him and explosions that should have ripped him in two pattered like rain
against his pristine armour。 Where they struggled up the steep slope； their leader ascended as effortlessly as if he walked on level
ground。 The distance between the Avatar and the Iron Warriors widened as it powered ahead to the top in easy； loping strides。
As the Avatar leapt to the top of the breach； its sword sang out in dizzyingly beautiful traceries； and wherever it struck； an enemy
died。 The Iron Warriors were still some distance behind； and soon Imperial Fists surrounded the Avatar； their swords bright and
deadly。
The Avatar cared not。 It welcomed this。 It needed it。 It vaulted over the heads of the lead warriors； decapitating two before it
landed behind the others。 It kicked out； snapping a warrior's spine and clove another in half with a two…handed sweep。 Imperial
Fists and Guardsmen clamoured around it； but none could land a blow。
The Avatar pistoned its fist through the skull of a screaming soldier； gripping his uniform jacket and hauling him upwards to allow
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
the jetting spray of blood to drench its gleaming armour。 The blood hissed as it landed； seeping within the armour with a
monstrous suckling noise。
Yet more foes closed in； and each died at the hands of the Blood God's Avatar。
A rippling haze formed around the Avatar； its form bulging as though unable to contain its sheer vitality。 A booming laugh；
redolent with the malice of ages echoed across the Mori bastion； and the Imperial defenders quailed before such evil。
The Iron Warriors finally clambered over the lip of the breach； spreading out from behind the Avatar； drawing their weapons and
hurling themselves into the fight。
The Avatar watched it all； feeling the waves of hatred and aggression washing through it like a tonic； nourishing its new host with
pain and death。
A sharp jolt of cold pain startled the Avatar from its reverie of carnage and the white glare behind its helmet burned with the fire
of a sun as it sought out its attacker。
A Space Marine in the spartanly embellished armour of an Imperial Fists Librarian advanced towards it。 He carried a crackling
force staff and the Avatar laughed as it recognised the power of a psyker。 Here was a death worth inflicting。
Glittering haloes of psychic energy flared from the Librarian's helmet； engraved with hexagrammic sigils of great potency and
scrimshawed purity seals。
'Abomination！' hissed Librarian Corwin。 'I shall send you back to the hell from which you crawled！'
A beam of coruscating light lanced from the Librarian's force staff and struck the Avatar in the centre of its chest。 The Avatar
staggered； dropping to its knees as it was bathed in flickering balefires。 It bellowed in pain； suddenly thrusting with its sword and
impaling an Iron Warrior on its blade。
Blood sprayed along the weapon and the Avatar roared as it fed； rising to its feet as the drained Iron Warrior collapsed to the
ground。
Flaring washes of energy erupted from the Avatar's body as the power earthed through its armour。 The Avatar laughed again。
'You are deluded；' grated the altered voice of Larana Utorian。 'Do you not realise that Khorne is the bane of psykers？'
The Librarian braced himself against the rocks as the desperate struggle at the top of the breach swirled around them。 Neither side
was willing to intervene in this battle that was fought in the realm of the spirit。
'The power of the Emperor commands you！' bellowed Corwin； striking the Avatar with another blast of light and driving it to the
ground once more。 'Begone； foul daemon！'
Again and again he fired searing bolts of psychic power at the figure of the Avatar； sagging against the side of the breach as his
reserves of energy dwindled。
His very soul was being drained as he fought to destroy this monster。
The Avatar spread its arms and gave ven