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half buried in the snow。 There were no guards posted on its walls。
There had been no sign of a living presence at all； cowering inside against the storm like
frightened rodents； Kol Badar had correctly surmised。
He had ripped the door from its hinges and hurled it away； before stalking into the interior of the
complex。 The Land Raiders were situated half a kilometre away； hidden completely in the storm；
where they would remain until this fool’s errand of a task was completed。
He had been angry when the first shouts of warning from the Imperials within the complex had
reached his ears； and he stormed into their midst； ripping them apart with concentrated bursts of his
combi…bolter； tearing arms from sockets with his power talon。
It had taken only minutes to gain control of the facility。
It was strange； though； it appeared that the enemy had known they were coming； and prepared
some hasty defences。 No； that was not correct。 They knew something was coming； but they had not
barricaded the door out onto the ice； but rather； the entrance to the stairwell that led down to the
access tunnel fifty metres below； as if they expected an attack from there。
“Don’t try to understand them；” he reminded himself。 “They are heathen； blinded fools。 Their
ways are madness。”
Kol Badar levelled his combi…bolter at the last of the civilian workers。 The man was breathing
hard； staring up at the towering Terminator…armoured warrior in abject terror。
A waste of ammunition； the Coryphaus decided； and lifted the barrel of his weapon from the
target。 A flash of hope reared in the Imperial citizen’s eyes； but that was extinguished quickly as Kol
Badar stepped menacingly towards him。
62
“Please； no；” wailed the man； shaking his head as the Coryphaus loomed above him。
Kol Badar grabbed the man around one shoulder； power talons digging deep into flesh。 Then he
slammed the pistol…grip butt of his combi…bolter into his face； splintering his nose。 The man’s skull
was caved inwards by the shocking blow； killing him instantly； but the Coryphaus continued to
strike； until the man’s face was an unrecognisable mash of blood and flesh。
He dropped the Imperial worker to the ground； feeling a small amount of satisfaction； though it
did little to abate his simmering rage。
Why had Jarulek left him； allowing the whelp Marduk to assume control of the Host？ For
months； he had raged at Jarulek’s failing。 Long had he hated the First Acolyte； and long had he
waited to kill him； just as Marduk had killed Kol Badar’s blood brother so long ago。
He would have killed Marduk then and there had not Jarulek stayed his hand。
“Not now；” the Dark Apostle had said； though at that time he had been nothing more than a First
Acolyte himself。 “He will be yours to kill； but not yet。 He has a purpose yet to perform。”
It had been three hundred years into the Great Crusade； and Kol Badar had waited long and
impatiently for his time to come； but waited he had； through all the long spanning millennia； until at
last his time had come。
“If we both return； then you may kill Marduk； my Coryphaus。 Your honour will be fulfilled；”
Jarulek had said； just moments before he had descended into the heart of the xenos pyramid on
Tanakreg。 The pleasure of finally being given free rein to kill the whelp had been ecstatic。 That had
been shattered when only Marduk had returned。
“Damn you； Jarulek；” said Kol Badar to himself。
“You should dispose of him；” said Burias in a voice low enough for none but Marduk to hear him。
“The insubordinate old bastard is long past his time。 He is a weight hanging around the neck of the
Host； and he will drag it down； slowly but surely。”
“You still hunger for power； Burias？” asked Marduk。
“Of course；” replied Burias sharply； his eyes flashing。 “Such is our teaching。”
“That is true； icon bearer；” said Marduk。
“He does not fear you；” said Burias。
“What？” asked Marduk。
“Kol Badar。 He feared Jarulek； we all did； but he does not fear you。”
“Perhaps not yet；” agreed Marduk； “but he will come to。 I am changing； Burias。 I feel the touch
of the gods upon me。”
Burias sniffed； savouring the air。 There was an electrical tang in the air that left an acrid taste
upon his tongue； a sensation he had long come to embrace and recognise for what it was： Chaos。
Jarulek had exuded a potent aura so strong that it made those of lesser faith bleed from their
ears； and this was the same； though admittedly less potent； force。
“If he does not learn his place；” said Marduk in a low voice； “and soon； then I shall allow you to
take him。 I would enjoy watching you rend him limb from limb。”
Burias grinned savagely。
“But that time is not yet；” reminded Marduk。
“No life signs detected； Coryphaus；” said one of the members of the 13th； looking at the gleaming
red flashes on the blister…screen of his corrupted auspex； “though there are cooling heat signatures
ahead。 Possible weapons discharge。”
“Understood；” growled the war leader。
Burias placed one hand upon the cold metal surface of the door and closed his eyes。
“The air within is rich with fear；” he said。
“Good。 That will work in our favour；” said Kol Badar。 “Burias； take point。 Go。”
63
Without ceremony； Burias kicked the door off its hinges； wrenching the reinforced steel out of
shape and sending it smashing inwards。
A steel landing extended beyond； and Burias moved forward warily； his bolt pistol in one hand；
the holy icon of the Host in his other。 The landing was narrow； and a steel stairway descended from
it。 Moving swiftly and silently； elegant and perfectly balanced despite his bulk； Burias stepped down
the steel stairs that led into a corridor。 The hallway extended ten metres ahead； before turning
sharply to the right。
The walls； carved from solid ice； radiated cold； though he barely registered the sub…zero
temperature。 Moving swiftly forwards； his every daemonically enhanced sense alert； Burias rounded
the corner and came up against a mesh…link fence that rose from floor to ceiling； barring the way
forward。 A chained gate was set into the fence； and a frozen corpse was slumped outside it。
Curious； Burias moved forwards。 It was the body of a man； wearing the same white plas armour
as the soldiers they had fought at the Imperial bastion。 One hand was clutching at the locked gate。
Clearly； the man had been shot down while attempting to flee； but the locked gate had barred his
progress。 Half a dozen dark splinters were embedded in his armoured back plate； and Burias
frowned。
The icon bearer holstered his bolt pistol and grasped the heavy chain that secured the gate shut。
With a sharp jerk； he snapped the heavy chain and dropped it to the ground。 He wrenched the
gate open and the corpse of the enemy soldier was dragged across the floor as it swung wide； frozen；
dead fingers locked around the mesh…links。
Stepping over the corpse； Burias continued along the corridor。 After several twisting turns and
intersections； it opened out into an access tunnel at least fifty metres wide。 Down the centre of the
tunnel was a sunken carriageway； and two wide platforms ran alongside it。
Moving warily into the tunnel； Burias stepped over wreckage and debris； amongst which were
sprawled a number of corpses。 Their bodies had been slashed by blades and ripped apart by
unfamiliar projectile weapons。 Several burnt out vehicles were scattered throughout the tunnel； like
the discarded toys of a giant。 Several were upturned and leaning against the walls； while others had
fallen into the sunken carriageway。
Climbing atop one of the ruined armoured vehicles； Burias squinted into the distance in each
direction。 There was no living soul in sight； though the gently curving tunnel ensured that the icon
bearer could see no more than half a kilometre ahead。
He dropped onto the bonnet of the white…armoured APC； which buckled inwards beneath his
weight； and stepped lightly to the floor。
“All clear；” he said into his vox…relay。 “Looks like someone got here before us。”
As the remainder of the Host moved on his position； he dropped to his haunches to inspect one
of the corpses。
It was another of the white…armoured soldiers； whose face was purple and had swollen like a
balloon。 Burias plucked a long； barbed splinter from the corpse’s neck； and studied it with interest。 It
was half the length of a finger； and so thin that if he turned it sideways it was all but invisible。 He
lifted it carefully to his lips； and his tongue flashed out to sample the serrated tip。
The taste was acrid； and he registered unknown toxic agents upon the splinter。 He tasted blood
as the barbed shard sliced his tongue。
Xenos toxins entered his bloodstream； and his limbs began to shudder。 A slight sweat broke out
on his brow； and he lifted a shaking hand in front of his eyes； attempting to keep it steady； but
failing。
He felt the unknown serum coursing its way towards his twin hearts； but remained unconcerned。
Indeed； as soon as the venom had entered his bloodstream； his bio…engineered defences had
activated； and were even now isolating and breaking down the xenos poison。 His heart rate
increased as his body combated the threat； pumping his blood swiftly through his