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pain in his side and shoulder as more bolts impacted on his armour。 As mighty as Terminator armour was； it could still be brought
down by sheer volume of fire。
The bolter he carried clicked empty and he dropped it into the effluent； reactivating his power fist as two Imperial Fists rushed
him。 He killed the first with a mighty punch to the head； and the second with a reverse stroke that tore out his throat。
Another two warriors charged。 Forrix roared in battle fury as he felt the blade of a crackling sword rip through his armour；
between his ribs and into his primary heart。 Angrily he slammed his fist down across the blade； wrenching it from the Space
Marine's grip before removing his arm with a backhanded blow。 He shoulder charged the other warrior； crushing his helmet
against the tunnel wall before disembowelling the armed Space Marine with his power fist。
Gunfire hammered him and he felt the bone shield within his chest cavity crack as a bolter shell exploded within the ceramite
plates of his armour。 He dropped to his knees as the Imperial Fist closed the gap； firing as he advanced。 Forrix tore out the sword
protruding from his chest and hacked the warrior's legs out from under him； pitching him face…first into the waste matter。
He pulled himself to his feet as more bullets hammered him。 A grenade splashed next to him and he hurled himself back as it
detonated。 Muffled by the water； the blast threw up a spray of liquid and debris； but its lethal force was spent and he was
unharmed。
He rose to his knees as another Imperial Fist charged him。 A bolt took Forrix high on the temple； blasting a portion of his helmet
clear and blood streamed down his face。 Something slammed into his visor； ripping the helmet from his head。 He felt his jawbone
shatter。 Bright lights burst before his eyes and he splashed backwards into the water； gagging as the liquid waste poured into his
nose and open mouth。
The toxins seared his eyes and blistered his skin in seconds。 He lashed out with his fist； feeling it connect with something solid；
and scrambled back； lifting his head from the slime。 He spat a froth of viscous matter； retching as his body fought against the
toxins he had ingested。
He blinked through the searing pain in his eyes； battling to focus as something came towards him。 He punched out blindly； but
missed and bellowed in pain as he felt the wide blade of another sword pierce his chest； tear through his lungs and burst through
the backplate of his armour。
He gripped the sword blade and kicked out； hearing something splinter and a cry of pain。 Blindly； he groped in the swirling；
bloody water； feeling something thrashing in front of him。 Forrix roared and smashed his power fist down upon the shape；
breaking it apart in a flurry of crushing blows。 His chest burned with hot agony as his secondary heart and multi…lung fought to
keep him alive despite the massive traumas his body had suffered。
He heard more shouts behind him； but he had lost all sense of direction in his blindness。 Rescuers or killers？
'Iron within！' he bellowed； raising his power fist； the pain in his chest more intense now。
'Iron without！' came the answering shout and Forrix lowered his arm as the warriors of his company swept past him。 He heard
echoes of bolter fire and roars of hatred； but they seemed to be growing more and more distant with each passing second。
Forrix tried to climb to his feet； but his strength was gone and he could not move。
A tremendous； deafening explosion shook the tunnel。 Rocks fell from above him and orange flames briefly lit up the battle…scarred
tunnel walls。
He sagged forward； supporting his broken body on shaking arms。
He heard the victory chant of the Iron Warriors coming from somewhere that seemed impossibly far away。
Only then did Forrix allow his elbows to buckle； collapsing him to the tunnel's floor。
IN THE DAYS following the abortive attack on the Iron Warriors' tunnel system； the morale of the citadel's garrison slumped as it
became obvious that nothing they could do would prevent the mine from reaching the walls。 Another assault was mounted through
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
the countermine in the Primus Ravelin； but it was repulsed with heavy losses by a strong tunnel guard that never left the mine
workings。
Forrix was carried back to his dugout； where he was attended by the Warsmith's Chirumeks。 The master of the Iron Warriors made
it very clear that their survival was directly linked to that of his war…captain。
While Forrix healed； Honsou volunteered to take over supervision of the mining operations。 Kroeger had not emerged from his
dugout for days and Honsou wondered what new blood…madness now possessed him。 The Imperial Fists had explosively sealed
their countermines when it had become obvious that their attacks could not succeed。 Once the damage done by the sally had been
repaired； the undermining works progressed once more。
Siege tanks now moved up through the saps towards the third parallel； taking their positions in the heavily fortified earthwork。
Day and night； trucks laden with shells for these iron behemoths would make the dangerous trip from the campsite； depositing the
ordnance in newly constructed and heavily armoured magazines。
Observers watched as embrasures were cut in the earthworks； the soil left in place until such time as the tanks were ready to
unleash their firepower against the defenders。
Fresh trenches were dug backwards from the third parallel； equipped with smaller parallels where huge numbers of soldiers could
muster； ready to hurl themselves at the walls。
A sense of dread began to permeate the garrison； despite the officers' attempts to raise spirits and boost morale。 The sheer scale of
the assault soon to be unleashed upon them preyed upon the minds of even the most determined Imperial defenders。
Three days after the attack on the tunnels a terrible rumbling rocked the walls of the citadel； like the beginnings of an earthquake。
The ground beneath the fortress heaved upwards and cracks split the roadways throughout the inner walls。
Along the edge of the ditch； a huge wall of fire and smoke leapt upwards as explosives planted there blasted its crest apart；
scattering rubble into the ditch and providing a means for infantry to descend into it。
But barely had the dust settled when an explosion of far greater magnitude shook the ground。 Wide galleries that ran underneath
the curtain wall linking the Destiny Gate and the right flank of the Mori bastion collapsed as vast quantities of ordnance detonated
and vaporised huge swathes of the wall's foundations。
The centre section of the great wall groaned as it sagged； the noise swelling as a giant crack split the curtain wall； the sound like a
deafening gunshot。 Officers shouted at their men to clear the walls； but for many it was already too late as the sixty…metre high
wall slid ponderously into the ground； huge chunks of rockcrete shearing away and tumbling into the ditch。 Hundreds of men were
carried to their deaths and vast clouds of dust billowed skywards。
As more of the wall fell； the speed of its collapse increased exponentially； whole sections of the ramparts toppling into the ditch。
The scale of the destruction was incredible and it seemed inconceivable that such a mighty edifice could be so thoroughly
annihilated。
By the time the collapse had ceased； almost the entire centre of the wall had been brought down。 A great breach some thirty
metres wide had been torn in the curtain wall； the rubble from the wall's destruction forming a debris slope that ran from the floor
of the ditch to the crest of the breach。
The Iron Warriors had broken open the citadel。
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
STORM OF IRON
ONE
As THE GREAT wall came crashing down into the ditch； a swelling roar burst from the thousands of Iron Warriors' human soldiers
who went over the top of their trenches and charged the citadel。 Despite the pleas from his officers； Leonid stood on the rubble at
the crest of the breach； his power sword and bolt pistol drawn。 His bronze breastplate shone like new and his uniform was freshly
pressed and immaculate。 Brother…Captain Eshara stood alongside him； twin swords gripped tightly in his gauntlets。
Leonid felt the fury of the enemy soldiers strike him like a blow and its intensity stunned him。
'They hate us so；' he whispered to himself。 'Why？'
'They are heretics and hate all that is good；' stated Eshara in a voice that brooked no argument。 The Space Marine captain swung
his arms； loosening his shoulder muscles and rotating his neck。
The guns of Mori bastion opened fire and a second later were joined by those in the Primus Ravelin。 Hundreds of soldiers were
scythed down in the murderous crossfire； their bodies torn apart in a hail of shells and lasers。
The first wave was almost completely annihilated； but thousands more followed； spilling down into the ditch and swarming across
the rubble…strewn ground。
The floor of the ditch heaved upwards； obscuring the attackers in fire and shrapnel； as anti…personnel mines exploded and gouged
bloody holes in the charging horde。 The ditch became a blood…soaked killing ground as soldiers died in their hundreds； blown
apart by mines or shot f