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Ellard's support； he would surely have collapsed。
He could hear the cries of the enemy close behind； and the screams of those they had caught。
Suddenly he caught sight of three massive forms standing just at the edge of sight before him and； as Ellard continued pushing
him forward； he almost laughed with relief as the shapes resolved themselves into the welcome form of two Reaver Battle Titans
and a Warlord。
But as he drew nearer he saw； with a mounting sense of horror； that the Titans were horrendously damaged。 Their carapaces were
buckled and scorched by repeated weapon impacts。 What had happened to these war machines？ As he took in the scale of the
damage he realised again the terrible nature of the foe they faced here and the folly of underestimating them。 Flow many lives had
been lost today because of such a mistake？
Two Warhounds lurched backwards through the smoke and dust； their weapons firing controlled bursts into the ranks of the
enemy。 Both were damaged； their armoured flanks scored and burned； but both were still fighting。
He watched as the Reavers and the Warlord opened fire and the air exploded with the shocking noise。 The Warhounds gratefully
took shelter in the shadow of their larger cousins； adding their own gunfire to the barrage。
Leonid stumbled forward； past the Titans and into the cover of the guns of the Primus Ravelin； relieved beyond words that he had
made it back alive。 Fresh troops manned the firing step at the edge of the forward ditch and Ellard passed him off to a frightenedlooking
soldier before returning to the battlefield to see to his men。 Leonid leant against the wall of the parapet； cradling his head
in his hands as the full horror of the battle crashed down upon him。
With those Dragoons who could escape now under the protection of the Titans of the Legio Ignatum and the citadel's gunners； the
majority of the enemy did not appear too keen to continue the massacre； turning back to their own lines with raucous cries and
taunts on their lips。 Some could not contain their lust for killing and tried in vain to catch their victims； only to be mown down by
close range fire from the Titans and the columns of fire from the ravelin and bastions。
Leonid felt an unbelievable exhaustion smother him。 He put a hand out to steady himself； but the world spun crazily and he slid
down the wall and collapsed before the soldiers next to him could catch him。
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
FOUR
DESPITE THE WARM wind that gusted across the mountain peaks； a shiver passed down Major Gunnar Tedeski's spine as he
watched the activities below the fortress of Tor Christo。 The stocky major leant over the parapet of Kane bastion； steadying
himself with his one arm； and tried to guess at the number of men working below on the plains。 At a conservative estimate； he
guessed there were perhaps eight or nine thousand workers digging or otherwise engaged in the siege…works below。 The enemy
was not short of men to dig； that was for sure； but how many actual warriors faced him was impossible to say。
'Uh； Major Tedeski； I'm not sure that's such a good idea；' ventured his aide…de…camp Captain Poulsen； who followed behind him
clutching a data…slate。
'Nonsense； Poulsen； these Chaos scum aren't the sort to go in for snipers。'
'Even so； sir；' reiterated Poulsen as the boom of artillery echoed from the sides of the valley。
Tedeski shook his head； saying； 'It's too short to matter。'
Sure enough the shell landed in the ruins of the watch…tower； sending up a plume of dust and rock fragments。 The watchtower had
been demolished after less than a day's shelling； but it had never been designed to withstand such a comprehensive bombardment
in the first place。
Tedeski pulled back from the parapet and continued his walk around the perimeter of the bastion's walls。 Soldiers sat； playing dice
or sleeping below the level of the parapet。 A few scanned the ground before them； their faces lined in exhaustion and lack of sleep。
The more or less constant shelling had denied everyone sleep； and nerves were stretched taut。
In the week since the abortive attack on the traitors' trench system by the Legio Ignatum and the armoured units of the Dragoons；
the plateau had changed beyond all recognition。 Enemy artillery had pounded the plains day and night with high explosives；
obliterating razor wire and detonating mines。 Zigzag trenches covered the ground； reaching out towards the promontory that Tor
Christo sat upon； their sides heavily reinforced with earthen ramparts。 Tedeski's gunners had done their best； but the trenches had
been constructed with mathematical precision and they were impossible to enfilade。 Only once； when a portion of the trench had
overreached； were they able to cause some real damage； killing the diggers and obliterating their machinery。
But since then； as each trench approached a point where the guns would be able to fire down their length； giant figures in greysteel
armour would direct the workers to alter the angle of digging。
A spider web of communication trenches and redoubts spread back to the main campsite and； though the Christo's guns shelled
them daily； his observers could see no appreciable damage。 It was maddeningly frustrating to see the foe advance with such
impunity。 The enemy had thrown out a second parallel at the termination of the saps； its sharp curve matching the sweep of his
walls exactly。 In two sections of this new parallel； high walls had been built。 No doubt the trench behind them was being deepened
and widened to allow the placement of large…bore howitzers。
Though the men in the Christo had been under fire for over a week； the range was too great for the enemy guns to do more than
chip away at the walls。 However； the range was ideal for delivering ricochet fire； which had dismounted a great many of Tor
Christo's wall…mounted guns。 Tedeski had ordered the remaining guns to be pulled back into the fort； and though casualties had
been light … fifty…two men dead so far … that would all change when the batteries of the second parallel were completed。
But Tedeski had a surprise in store for Tor Christo's attackers。
Guns situated at the base of the rocky promontory； kept in reserve thus far； would soon make their presence felt when the enemy
moved their heavy artillery forward into those newly constructed batteries。
'It won't be long now； Poulsen；' mused Tedeski。
'What won't； sir？'
'The attack； Poulsen； the attack；' replied Tedeski； unable to mask his irritation。 'If we can't stop them from completing those
batteries； they will bring up their big guns and lob high explosive shells right over our walls。 Then they won't need to batter our
walls down； they'll be able to walk right up to the main gate and come in； because there will be no one left alive to stop them。'
'But the guns below will stop them； surely？'
'Possibly；' allowed Tedeski； 'but we'll only be able to pull that trick once。 And that's assuming they don't know about them already。
Remember that reconnaissance party we fired on at the beginning of all this？'
'Yes； sir。'
'Well there's every chance our enemies know of the guns down there； and have planned accordingly。'
'Surely not； sir。 If the enemy had discovered them； they would have attempted to shell them before now； would they not？'
Tedeski nodded thoughtfully； resting his elbow on the stonework of the parapet； its sharply angled construction allowing a soldier
to fire at attackers almost directly below。
'There is that； Poulsen； and that's the only reason I haven't had the passages below ground blocked。 I can't risk not having those
guns firing when the time comes。'
Emboldened by his superior officer's cavalier attitude to the potential danger of snipers； Captain Poulsen stood at the edge of the
parapet and watched the bustling activity on the plains。
'I never thought to see such a thing；' he whispered。
'What？'
Poulsen pointed towards the towering form of the Dies Irae； standing immobile where the death of the Imperator Bellum had
crippled it。 Its lower legs were blackened and still smoking where the meltdown of the Imperial Titan had scorched it。 Vast
swathes of scaffolding and buttresses had been erected around its legs as hundreds of men worked to try and repair the grievous
damage done to it。 The Titan's upper body had escaped the worst of the blast and each day its guns would fire upon the citadel；
wreathing its walls in tremendous explosions； daring its enemy to come out and face it once more。
Tedeski nodded； 'Nor I。 It was an honour to watch so brave a warrior fight such a diabolical monster。 His brother Titans will
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
avenge him though。'
'And who will avenge us？' pondered Poulsen。
Tedeski rounded on his aide…de…camp and snapped； 'We shall not need avenging； Captain Poulsen； and I will have words with any
man who publicly voices such an opinion。 Do you understand me？'
'Yes； sir；' replied Poulsen hurriedly。 'I only meant—'
'I know what you meant； Poulsen； but do not say these things aloud；' cautioned Tedeski； waving his arm at the soldiers who
manned the parapet and the gunners who tended their artillery pieces。
What do you think is the single most important element of a fortress； Poulsen？ It