按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 vent to a shout of hatred that shook the very walls of the bastion with its fury。 A rippling
whirlwind of raw； red hunger swept from the Avatar's armour； spreading throughout the breach like the pressure wave of an
explosion and scything through every warrior within a hundred paces。 A lashing storm of hate…fuelled energy whipped around the
interior walls of the Mori bastion； and every man touched burst apart in an explosion of red； his blood swept up in the etheric
whirlwind as it howled back to the Avatar at its epicentre。
The Avatar swelled to monstrous proportions； its armour creaking and groaning as it sought to master the energies ripped from the
deaths it had just caused。
Dry； fleshless husks surrounded it； Iron Warriors； Jourans and Imperial Fists； their vital fluid drained to feed the monster that had
killed them。 The Avatar rose to its full height； towering in the breach； its armour and weapons blazing with barely…contained
power。
Only one figure remained standing： Librarian Corwin； his knees buckled and the sacred sigils on his armour little but faded scorch
marks。 He supported himself on his staff； swaying unsteadily as the Avatar's pounding footsteps crashed towards him across the
breach。
'Not dead yet； psyker？' roared the Avatar； raising its sword。 'Soon you will wish you were。'
Corwin looked up into the blazing eyes of the Avatar and saw death。
The Avatar swung its sword； the passage of the iridescent blade cutting through the fragile veil of reality with a dreadful ripping
sound； like tearing meat。
A black gouge torn in the walls separating realities opened； filling the air with sickening static； as though a million noxious flies
had flown through from some vile； plague dimension。
Librarian Corwin closed his eyes and died without a sound as the Avatar's blade split him in two； both halves of his body sucked
into the black tear opened in space and time。
The Avatar feasted on the slaughter it had caused； sensing the oceans of blood yet to be shed through the gateway its sword；
bloated with death； had torn in the world。 Galaxies of billions upon billions of souls awaited harvest and feeding to the Blood
God。 There were realms where the time it had wasted here was but the blink of an eye； where there were slaughters that would
perhaps one day assuage Khorne's hunger。
The Avatar laughed； knowing that such a thing could not come to pass： the Blood God's hunger was a depthless ocean and would
never be sated。 New life and new purpose thundered through the bulging fabric of its armour as the pull of fresh souls suffused it。
Larana Utorian continued to scream inside her mind as she saw the eternity of slaughter that lay before her； and all the deaths to
come。
She screamed because she realised that some vile part of her soul desired this。
Without a backward glance； the Avatar abandoned Hydra Cordatus to its fate； stepping through the dark portal to a time and place
beyond mortal understanding。
An age of battle awaited； and it had time without end to be part of