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parchment were plastered to their sides； half obscured by snow and ice。
The first of the tanks ground to a halt before the shuttle； and dark smoke rose from its exhaust
stacks。 An assault ramp at the front of the vehicle slammed down on to the ice； and giants dressed in
red plate armour emerged。
Solon had only heard stories about the blessed Space Marines that protected humanity； and he
had never dreamed in his wildest fantasies that he would ever get a chance to lay eyes on the nighon
mythical warriors of the Emperor。 They were the Emperor’s chosen； biologically enhanced
warriors that were as strong as ten men； armed with the most advanced weaponry the Adeptus
Mechanicus could provide； and armoured in heavy plate that could withstand a direct hit from a
Leman Russ battle tank； so it was said。 They were the finest fighting force that the galaxy had ever
seen； and it was said that nothing could stand against them。 Looking upon the divine warriors； Solon
could well believe it； though these warriors looked more like bloodthirsty butchers than holy
protectors of humanity。
“Angels of death；” he whispered。
In his childhood dreams he had pictured them armoured in faultless golden plate； with angelic
countenances and noble bearing。 While such beliefs were clearly childish； Solon knew that there
was something horribly wrong here。 He was desperate to believe that salvation had come to Perdus
Skylla； that the Emperor had dispatched his finest warriors to free the moon from alien invasion； but
these Space Marines filled him with dread。
The other monstrous tanks disgorged their cargo of Space Marines； and two of the massive
vehicles backed under the shuttle’s stubby wings。 Locking clamps descended like umbilical cords；
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latching onto the immense tanks and lifting them up beneath its wings while the other pair
manoeuvred into position behind。
The first warriors stamped up the embarkation deck into the belly of the shuttle。 One of them
paused on the ramp； consulting a hand…held tech…device。 It turned in their direction； and Solon sank
down lower into the snow； barely daring to breathe。
A warrior with a helmet fashioned like a grinning death’s head spun to face them； and a fresh
wave of panic gripped Solon as he realised that they had been spotted。 Other warriors turned in their
direction； and； raising their weapons before them； they began to march towards their position。
Sick with panic； Solon staggered to his feet； his heart thumping。 He lifted his hands up before
him； to show that he was unarmed。
The Space Marines halted； though they did not lower their weapons。 One of them； a lean warrior
whose head was bare to the elements； turned to the skull…helmed one； speaking something that Solon
could not hear。 The warrior appeared to approve； nodding his head almost imperceptibly before
turning away and striding up the embarkation ramp towards the interior of the shuttle。
The barefaced warrior turned back towards Solon with a cold smile upon his noble face； and
Solon licked his lips uneasily。 The other Space Marines turned away； but this one warrior remained
staring at them。 Solon felt as if he was transfixed by the Space Marine’s gaze。
Then the man turned into a monster； and Solon felt his sanity fray。
“No；” he whispered； as the warrior grew； his shoulders bulking out and his hands extending into
talons。 The warrior’s image flickered like a faulty pict screen； and for a moment Solon could see the
image of two beings overlapping each other； both inhabiting the same space。 Although he knew
such a thing was impossible； and his rational mind baulked at what he was seeing； he could not
refute what he saw with his own eyes。 The warrior was still there； lean and striding towards them
with an easy； relaxed grace； but there was something else… something horrific。
It was a hulking daemon from the pits of hell； and its hateful features overlaid the classically
handsome face of the Space Marine。 Its eyes burnt with malice and the promise of pain； and its lips
curled back to expose hundreds of sharp teeth； arrayed in serried layers； one behind the other； all the
way to the back of its throat。 Tall horns rose from its brow； and the air was thick and cloying where
it exhaled。
The two images became one； a bastard hybrid； and Solon； horrified beyond reason； began to
back away even as the daemonic hybrid creature began loping towards them。
“Run！” Solon roared； his paralysis giving way to abject terror。
Glancing over his shoulder； Solon saw that the hellish creature was gaining on them rapidly；
covering the ground with tremendous leaps； using its arms to steady itself with each landing。
These were not the Emperor’s divine angels； he thought； they couldn’t be。 They were the flip
side of everything he had ever heard about them； and they were going to butcher him and Dios； after
all they that had struggled through。
Solon glanced back to see the daemon close behind them； its powerful legs bunched beneath it
as it prepared to launch itself upon them。 Solon shoved Dios to the side as the creature leapt。 It
would not get them both at once； but he knew that he was only delaying the inevitable； for neither of
them could hope to stand against such a creature。
Solon spun around to face the monster as it lunged towards him； staggering backwards in the
snow； raising his hands futilely to ward off its attacks。
A beam of pure darkness stabbed through the air and slammed into the daemon’s body；
smashing it to the ice； and it roared in fury and pain。
The daemon writhed on the ground。 A searing hole had punched through its side just above the
hip； passing clean through its body； and as it thrashed around； hot blood splashed across the ice and
snow； causing steam to rise where it landed。
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Solon spun to see where the blast had come from； and blinked as he saw several dark vehicles
gliding smoothly across the ice。 They looked similar to the skiffs that the first colonists on Perdus
Skylla were said to have used； long thin boats with blades on their undersides that had used the
power of the winds to propel them across the ice flow。 These were not touching the ground at all；
but hovered two metres above the ground； and slid forward with phenomenal speed。
Another lance of dark light stabbed from one of the vehicles； striking one of the daemonic Space
Marines’ battle tanks； which exploded spectacularly； the immense fireball throwing the shattered
vehicle high into the air。
Dark figures leapt from the sides of the skiffs。 Somersaulting from the decks and landing
effortlessly on the ground； they began running lightly towards the Space Marines。
“Ghosts；” breathed Dios； his eyes wide with fear and panic。
Grabbing the boy around the waist； Solon lifted him and ran。
Burias…Drak’shal pushed himself to his knees； growling and spitting。 The shot had gone clear
through him； passing between his hip and the base of his fused ribcage； leaving a gaping aperture of
weeping flesh and internal organs exposed to the air。 Already his enhanced； daemonically infused
physiology was sealing the wound； his blood flow clotting and his flesh beginning to re…knit； but it
would take some time before he was fully healed； and no amount of healing could repair his
sundered power armour。
Pushing himself to his feet； Burias…Drak’shal hissed in pain and staggered； falling back to his
knees before once again rising。 All thought of the pair of humans was gone； and he scanned the
landscape； focusing on the dark shapes of the eldar as they darted towards his comrades。
Wincing in pain； the icon bearer began to stagger back towards the shuttle； when his enhanced
senses picked up a familiar scent on the air。 He threw himself forward into a roll as he registered the
appearance of the shadow…eldar behind him； and came up facing the being； teeth bared。
That the creature was of eldar origin was clear； for its frame was tall and slight； its limbs long
and elegant； but that was where the similarities ended。 Its skin was as black as the night； and runes
of twisted eldar design were inscribed into its flesh。 These runes glowed with cold light； pulsing
brightly as the creature entered fully into the material realm。
Burias…Drak’shal felt the power of the warp within the creature； but it was not possessed in the
same manner as he was。 It was almost as if the daemon within the eldar shade was at once there and
not there； its will and individuality gone； but its strength tapped。
The shadow…eldar hissed at him； elegant； alien features contorting to reveal an array of small；
sharp teeth； and its milky； elongated eyes； shockingly white against its black skin； flashed its
murderous intent a fraction before it moved。
The creature disappeared； leaving a smoky outline in its wake； before it reappeared beside
Burias…Drak’shal； the blades emerging from the back of its forearms slashing towards his wounded
side。
Burias…Drak’shal was ready for it this time； swinging his arm around in a brutal arc that would
have decapitated the slender eldar had its reflexes been less than preternatural。 It swayed backwards
from the blow； the possessed Word Bearer’s talons passing just centimetres from its face。
Burias…Drak’shal pushed his ad