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and brutalised almost beyond recognition； life fluids smearing the metal flooring with a thick gruel。
Pulling his blood…smeared helmet from his head； Marduk sucked in a deep breath； inhaling the
hot； heady scent of death。
“Glory be；” he said； a rapturous smile upon his face。
Gears groaned as the giant lift rose from the shaft； powerful engines hauling it up the immense chain
connected to the mining station eight kilometres below。 It came to a clanking rest； and steam vented
from its engines。 The sides of the diamond…shaped lift crashed open； and Sabtec bowed his head as
the First Acolyte stepped from within； his armour caked in blood。
The champion lifted his gaze once more； eyes flicking over the blood…drenched warriors
marching from within the lift。 He raised an eyebrow as he saw that only half of the warriors that had
accompanied Marduk returned。
The First Acolyte’s gaze wandered； coming to rest on the corpse of a Legion warrior； lying on
its back and with its arms crossed over his chest。
“Namar…sin？” asked Marduk。 Sabtec nodded his head。
“Report；” said Kol Badar as he stalked out of the lift。
“Dark eldar；” said Sabtec； “though ones we have not fought before。 They were shadowcreatures；
here and yet not here。 Two brother warriors fell along with Namar…sin。”
“I do not see their bodies；” said Marduk。
“They were… taken； my lord；” said Sabtec。
“They were taken；” said Marduk flatly。
Sabtec stood with his head held high； looking resolutely forward。
“Yes； my lord；” he said。
“You allowed two warrior brothers of Lorgar to be taken by eldar slavers？” snarled Kol Badar。
“They were taken while under my command； my lord； yes；” said Sabtec； “and I will accept any
punishment that my shame requires。”
“You offer no excuses； Sabtec？” asked Kol Badar。
“None； my lord；” said Sabtec。 His voice betrayed no fear。 He moved his gaze towards Marduk。
“If it would please you； First Acolyte； I shall take my own life for the shame I have brought upon
the Host。”
“That will not be necessary； Sabtec；” said Marduk smoothly； “though I am pleased at your
devotion to the great cause。 I shall have need of loyal warriors in the days to come。”
“The tyranid invasion could begin at any moment；” said Kol Badar。 “It might already be under
way。 We move out； now。”
Marduk was left alone with Kol Badar as the warriors of the Legion made ready to move out
once more； their movements crisp and full of purpose。
“This world has claimed many warrior’s lives；” said Kol Badar。 “Six Havocs of the 217th；
including their champion； Namar…sin； two warriors of the 13th； six of Khalaxis’s 17th； and two of
my Anointed； all dead to secure the mind of a single mortal。 I hope that it was worth it。”
“It will be；” said the First Acolyte。
“For the glory of Marduk？” sneered Kol Badar。
“For the glory of Lorgar。 For the glory of the XVII Legion；” said Marduk； keeping his anger in
check； though he felt the powers of Chaos stirring within him； feeding his desire to strike down the
insubordinate Coryphaus。
Thoughts of blood filled his mind； and Marduk reached involuntarily for his blade。 He saw Kol
Badar’s power talons twitch。 With all his strength； Marduk pushed the hatred deep inside； where it
would fester and grow strong； but where he could control it。
“Lead forth； oh mighty Kol Badar；” said Marduk； his voice thick with sarcasm。
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The Word Bearers moved out onto the ice； leaving the guild city； with its subterranean tunnels and
claustrophobic chambers behind。 They had not seen any further sign of the enemy； either Imperial or
eldar。 The storms wracking the landscape had not abated。 If anything； it seemed that they had
increased in intensity； furiously whipping ice and snow across the flows。
“How long？” asked Marduk。 He spoke using his inter…vox rather than attempting to roar over the
howling winds。
“Ten minutes；” said Kol Badar。 “Thirteenth； form a perimeter。”
Under Sabtec’s crisp orders； the warriors of the 13th coterie； both old and new members； moved
into position； weapons at the ready。 It was probably an unnecessary precaution； for the chance of
attack within the next ten minutes was unlikely； but having heard the reports of the dark eldar
attacks from Sabtec； Kol Badar was taking no chances。 Marduk also knew that it did the warriors
good to have a duty； something to occupy them。
“The only certainty in a warrior’s life is death；” was an old adage； though Marduk knew that
such a statement was inherently false。 For mortals； yes； death came for every soul eventually； but for
one of the blessed warriors of Chaos； death was no certainty。 Likely； but not certain。 One could
always be raised to daemonhood； and then one might live for all eternity； a demi…god worshipped in
one’s own right。
Something stirred within Marduk； and he felt the presence of Chaos writhing within him。 He had
long become used to the bizarre sensation； and it gave him comfort to know that he was not alone。
“Incoming！” roared Sabtec suddenly； his crusade…era helmet angled skywards。
There came a whistling sound overhead； and the warriors scattered as something large came
hurtling down through the gale。
Marduk threw himself to the side as it came smashing down and struck the moon’s surface just
metres away； sending snow and chunks of ice flying into the air； and sending warriors of the Legion
sprawling。 The First Acolyte rolled smoothly； coming up to one knee with his bolt pistol in his hand。
Had it been an explosive shell； he would be dead； but the thing that had struck the ice was no
shell； nor was it an orbital strike… at least not one of Imperial origins。
At first； Marduk thought it was an asteroid； but now he saw it was something fleshy； something
organic。
It was like the giant seed…pod of some fleshy fruit； and it had smashed a crater four metres deep
and eight metres in diameter。 Steam rose from it； and even as he watched； the tip of the roughly
spherical shape peeled back； flopping down onto the ice； revealing a shapeless； quivering skin…sac
the size of a Dreadnought。
Veins branched across this lump of living flesh； and shapes within strained to be released。
“What in the name of the true gods is that？” asked Burias curiously； stepping carefully towards
the pulsating shape。
“Careful； icon bearer；” said Kol Badar。
The skin of the shape bulged and Marduk could make out the shape of a xenos head straining to
escape。
“Tyranid；” he hissed； just as the first of the hive creatures burst from its embryonic birth sack。
The death of the world has arrived； he thought。
Claws ripped through the film of skin and foul waters empted from within； bio…fluids gushing
out。 Clouds of fog rose as the elted through ice and snow。
Bolters began to fire； tearing gaping rents in the sac that gushed hot liquid。 These amniotic fluids
were pinkish and thick； like glutinous syrup。 Inhuman screams burst from the spore as the bolts
ripped through it。
Then the first of the creatures leapt from within； launching itself directly at Burias； four slender；
bladed limbs poised to impale him。 The blades of its two fore…limbs were the length of swords； and
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though the creature was smaller than the genestealers they had encountered in the hulk on the ocean
floor； the similarities were marked。
Burias swatted the creature aside with the holy icon of the Host； breaking its back； and it slid
through the ice and snow； carving a furrow； until it came to a halt at Kol Badar’s feet。 It snarled up
at the Coryphaus； struggling to stand on its powerful hind legs； which would not respond。 It hissed；
and tried to stab at Kol Badar； but the Coryphaus planted a bolt in its head that ended its struggles。
Marduk fired； his round screaming less than half a metre past Burias’s head to detonate in the
chest of another of the creatures as it scrambled from the crater。 The rest of the Host opened fire as
more of the creatures leapt from the spore； their weapons ripping the creatures apart； spraying sickly
ichor across the snow。
Another mycetic spore screamed from the heavens and smashed into the ground ten metres
away； and then another。
“How long？” asked Marduk； his bolt pistol bucking in his hands as he killed another of the
leaping tyranid creatures。
“Five minutes；” said Kol Badar。
More of the creatures ripped free from birth…sac as the sides of the spores flopped open； and they
launched themselves at the Word Bearers； covering the distance over the snow in powerful leaps。
“Close ranks；” roared Kol Badar； and the Word Bearers formed a tight circle facing outwards；
with Darioq…Grendh’al in the centre。 Weapons barking； ripping the first of the leaping tyranids out
of the air； smashing them backwards as their flesh and chitin was torn apart。
Another spore crashed down nearby； its impact spraying Marduk with snow and ice。 One of the
warrior brothers sent a missile screaming from the launcher braced against his shoulder into the
fleshy pod as its sides flopped heavily to the snow。 The missile detonated inside the convulsing
birth…sac； lighting it up from within for a moment； and the mass of creatures inside could be seen
clearly through the skin of the sac enclosing them。 Then the sides of the pod