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away； his forked daemon…tongue lapping at the blood covering his lips and chin。
The attack was repulsed abruptly； though the throbbing auspex showed that another wave of the
aliens was gathering further along the corridor。 The remaining Word Bearers hastily reloaded their
weapons and began to fire once more。
Pulling his hand away from his neck； Marduk stared at the bright red blood on his fingers and
palm； and his anger surged。 The blood began to bubble and spit on his gauntlet； and inside his
helmet； Marduk’s eyes turned black as the power of the warp surged through him； fuelled by the
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bloodshed and the fury of the warriors around him； and jolting his body with its suddenness and its
power。
Feeling the building power； Burias…Drak’shal was driven to his knees； clasping his icon in both
clawed hands； his head lowered。 Blood ran from his ears； and his hands shook as infernal power
coursed through the icon； which began to vibrate and smoke； giving off an acrid； sulphurous stench。
The sounds of weapons firing and Kol Badar bellowing orders faded from Marduk’s
consciousness as the fury of the Lord of Skulls entered him； and he struggled to contain the
unrelenting waves of insane anger coursing through his body。
His muscles tensed to the point of bursting； veins bulging in his neck and arms； and he struggled
to maintain control over the bloodthirsty urges that assailed him； urging him to lash out； unmindful
of who he killed so long as the blood flowed。 Blood pumped loudly through his veins； drowning out
all sounds； and his vision was red and hazy。 Slowly； he gained mastery over the surge of diabolic
power； forcing it to submit to his will。
“Darr’kazar； Khor’Rhakath； Borr’mordhlal； Forgh’gazz’ar；” intoned Marduk； speaking the
true names as they formed in his mind’s eye。 Daemonic voices roared in rage and hatred at his
command over them； but Marduk cared not； and continued to recite the names as they came to him。
“Borgh’a’teth； Rhazazel； Skaman’dhor； Katharr’bosch；” said Marduk； completing the eight
names that burnt red…hot within his mind’s eye。 He dropped to his knees and spread his arms out
wide； throwing his head back as he spoke the words of summoning and binding。
Akkar’s body； lying on the floor with its skull a bloody ruin； began to bloat； as if his innards
were expanding exponentially； like a balloon filling with gas。 His hermetically sealed Terminator
armour groaned and strained； threatening to rupture like a canister of promethium hurled into hot
coals。 A tiny hairline fracture appeared in the centre of the breastplate and it quickly expanded
outwards； until； with the sickening sound of cracking bone and tendon； the armour ripped apart； like
the shell being peeled from a crustacean。
A shapeless blood…bag swelled from the fissure； flopping down onto the floor alongside the
ruptured corpse。 The veined skin of the amorphous mass pulsed and heaved as something struggled
to be released from within； and the whole mass swelled as it increased in volume； growing larger
with every passing moment。
A blade pierced the birth…sac； its surface blackened as if by fire and with glowing； infernal runes
carved upon its surface。 A daemon rose to its clawed feet as the skin of the blood…bag sloughed from
its body。
The daemon was one of Khorne’s minions； a foot soldier of the Lord of the Brazen Skull
Throne； and its flesh was the colour of congealed blood。 It uncurled from its hunched； foetal
position as the last vestiges of its birth…sac dropped away； and it sucked in a deep breath； its first in
the material realm。
Its limbs were long and scaled； and they rippled with sinuous muscle。 Its head was elongated and
bestial； and the fires of hell burned in its hate…filled serpent eyes。 It hefted its immense blade in one
hand as it staggered drunkenly for a moment； getting a feel for its new； physical incarnation。 The
runes upon the hellblade’s blackened surface glowed with the heat of an inferno； and as the daemon
steadied itself； becoming instantly accustomed to its new…found body and the rules of the material
plane； it exhaled； breathing out a blast of sulphurous black smoke。
Then it roared； throwing its horned head back； the infernal sound ripping forth from deep within
its tautly muscled chest with all the fury of its patron deity。 It clenched its tall hellblade tightly；
quivering in anticipation of the slaughter； and took in its surroundings with malevolent eyes。
It snarled； eyes narrowing as it looked upon the red…armoured figures of the Word Bearers。 Its
gaze met Burias…Drak’shal’s； and its muscles tensed as it prepared to hurl itself at the possessed
warrior； the runes upon its brazen hellblade glowing like lava。
Marduk’s carefully weighted words stabbed at the daemon like intangible blades and it recoiled；
swinging its heavy head towards the First Acolyte in hatred。 It bared its teeth at its summoner； but
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Marduk’s mastery over it was complete； his will binding it more effectively than chains； and though
it fought against him with every fibre of its being； muscles straining； it was powerless against him。
There was always an element of risk involved in summoning the infernal denizens of the ether；
and Marduk would normally only beseech the warp for aid when he had the time to prepare the
correct rituals。 The tiniest mispronunciation； a slip of concentration； could have catastrophic and
eternally damning results； and yet； the rewards were often worth the risk。
Eight of these bloodletters stood over the shattered corpses that had borne them。 Eight was the
sacred number of the blood god Khorne； and the muscles of the daemons in echo of their patron
twitched with barely restrained rage as they waited for a command。
“Well？” asked Marduk； his voice infused with power。 “Go。”
As one； the eight lesser…daemons of Khorne threw themselves into the corridor； like rabid packdogs
unleashed from their tethers。 They roared their daemonic fury as they charged into the massing
genestealers； their hellblades carving burning arcs through the air。
The aliens leapt to meet the daemons head on； talons ripping and tearing at bodies formed of the
stuff of Chaos； alien speed and strength pitted against the diabolical fury of the god of battle and
murder。
His limbs quivering with the residual power of the summoning； Marduk swung around and
stalked towards Darioq…Grendh’al； who had almost completed cutting his way through the bulkhead。
With a barked order； infused with the essence of the immaterium； Marduk forced the defiled
magos aside and slammed the flat of his boot into the bulkhead。 It buckled under the blow； and
another kick sent it smashing inwards。
Marduk’s blood was up； and he stepped through the portal； brandishing his daemon blade； ready
for anything。
A robed figure sat cross…legged on the floor； and it looked up as the First Acolyte stormed into
the enclosed； darkened room。
Marduk crossed the distance in three steps； and grabbed the figure by the neck； lifting it a metre
off the ground and slamming it back against the far wall。
“Tell me you are the one I seek； and you shall live to draw another breath；” said Marduk。
The figure’s legs kicked uselessly in the air； and Marduk peered closely into its round； hairless
face。 Neural implants bedecked its bald head like feral ornamentation； and a fist…sized； cog…shaped
badge of the Adeptus Mechanicus was fused to its forehead； puckering the skin。
The figure struggled to draw breath。
“Speak；” commanded Marduk。 “What is your name； dog？”
“Daenae；” came the gasped reply。
Marduk grinned within his skull…faced helmet。 The figure’s kohl rimmed eyes bulged； and
feminine lips grimaced beneath his torturous grip。 Marduk released his crushing hold； and the
explorator crumpled to the floor at his feet。
“I do not know who you seek；” gasped the woman； her voice hoarse； “but my name is Daenae；
Explorator First Class Daenae of the Adeptus Mechanicus； and you are a traitor of the Imperium。”
“You have no idea how pleased I am to have found you； woman；” said Marduk。
Explorator Daenae was of stocky build and considerable girth。 Her waist was thick and strong； and
her bosom heavy。 Even had Marduk been more familiar with mortals； or cared； he would have been
unable to gauge her age； for she had been extensively altered by juvenat surgery； one of the only
vanities in which she indulged。
Her body was not augmented to nearly the degree of Darioq’s； and what augmentation she had
was relatively subtle。 Both arms had been enhanced with mechanical bionics； though they had been
fashioned such that their mechanised nature was not initially obvious； and she bore a slim…line
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power…source on her back that was a fraction of the size and weight of the immense generator that
Darioq required to power his servo…harness and largely mechanised frame。
Power couplings linked her backpack to her bulky forearm bracers； within which were stored her
tools。 Neural implants allowed her to access these tools with a thought； extending lascutters； dataspikes
or power drills behind her fist as required。
Her eyes opened wide as the bulky form of Darioq…Grendh’al entered the room。
“Darioq？” she whispered hoarsel