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swiftly acknowledging the diagnostic reports。 The mon…keigh’s secondary heart had failed to pick
up where its larger organ had failed。 His subject was dead。
No！ This could not be； he railed。 There was no possible way that the subject’s heart could have
stopped； unless the creature had control of its functions； but such a thing was surely impossible in
one as lowly as this lesser being。
More glowing runes appeared； hovering in the air above the mon…keigh’s body； and Rhakaeth
frowned deeply as he pulsed a swift mnemo…command to the lesser talos…artifice hovering above
him。 The creature’s spider limbs were twitching nervously； sensing the displeasure of it master。 His
subject was not breathing。
Rhakaeth stabbed a needle into the Space Marine’s neck before dropping the syringe to a
waiting hover…pad； and summoning a breath…regulator to his side with a wave of his hand。 Above；
the lesser talos…artifice sank low above the table at Rhakaeth’s mnemo…command； rubbing its
forelegs together。 Blue electricity jumped between the two bladed limbs； and at Rhakaeth’s
command； it touched the tips of the blades to the subject’s chest。
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The subject jolted； his body arching as power surged through him； and the runic projectors
informed Rhakaeth that its twin hearts had recommenced their regular beat。 Two heartbeats later；
they had stopped again； however； and the haemonculus realised that the being was resisting his
attempts to revive it。
Rhakaeth gestured； and additional hardware emerged from the underside of the operating slab；
hovering up to his side。 It mattered not that the creature was attempting to kill itself。 It had no choice
in the matter。 He would keep it alive whether it wished it or not。
Leaning down low over the subject’s lifeless face； Rhakaeth hissed in the crude； human tongue。
“You will not escape me so easily；” he hissed； “and I shall make you pay for such disrespect。”
The subject’s dead eyes flickered suddenly； its primary heart lurching back into life。 Rhakaeth
tried to pull back； realising that he had been tricked； but he was too slow； and the subject’s teeth
flashed for his throat。
It had not been hard to fool his torturer。 The eldar were an arrogant race and Marduk had guessed；
correctly； that his captor would have no real understanding of Astartes physiology or what it was
capable of。
It had been a simple matter to activate his sus…an membrane and begin the process of entering
suspended animation； though it had taken more control to halt his primary heart completely。
Marduk bit into the eldar’s neck； his teeth gripping the jugular tight。 The eldar’s flesh was dry；
like a desiccated cadaver’s。 It would have been so easy to rip out its throat in one sharp movement；
but that would achieve nothing other than fleeting satisfaction。 Instead； he turned his head to the
side； pulling the eldar across him； dragging its face towards one of the recurved； protruding calliper
blades positioned to the side of his face。
Bladed spider limbs stabbed into his flesh； straining to pull its master free； and he felt the scalpel
fingers of the eldar slashing frantically against his face and neck； but Marduk had no intention of
relinquishing his hold。 With relentless strength； he pulled the eldar towards the blade； careful not to
tear its throat out。 Still； the eldar resisted； but its body was weak in comparison to Marduk’s； even
restrained as he was； and the thick muscles of his neck bulged as he pulled the haemonculus onto the
point of the blade。 The tip of the calliper pierced the dry； wasted skin of its cheek； and a trickle of
blood ran from the wound down the blade。
The eldar uttered something in its sharp language； and the blade…restraints were instantly
retracted； ensuring that the torturer was not impaled； but also freeing Marduk’s limbs。
The First Acolyte surged upright； tearing a chunk of dry flesh from the eldar’s throat。 The
haemonculus fell backwards； gasping； hands trying to stem the blood flow gushing from the wound；
and Marduk swung his legs from the bladed slab hovering just off the floor。
His stomach was still sliced open； and four of the spider…like legs of the eldar…machine hovering
above him still pierced his skin。 They slid from his flesh； and all twelve of the slender； powerful
limbs descended towards him； stabbing and cutting。 Marduk grabbed the spiked； gun…like instrument
from the floating tray to his side； and with one hand holding his organs in place； he rolled himself
off the bladed slab。
Marduk hit the ground hard； his intestines bulging from between his fingers。 He rolled under the
hovering slab； narrowly avoiding the stabbing legs of the spider…being that smashed down to impale
him。
The haemonculus was crawling away； one hand clasped to his throat； blood gushing across the
floor。 He was trying to call for aid； but all that came from his mouth was a gargle of blood and froth。
Praying to the gods of Chaos that it would work； Marduk pulled the flaps of skin across his
abdomen and pressed the bladed tip of the surgical instrument against the join。 Its trigger was too
small for his large fingers to easily operate； and they slipped off the slender trigger rune twice。 The
spider…creature wrapped its limbs around the bladed； hovering slab under which Marduk lay； and
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with a surge of power it hurled the table aside； throwing it into the wall； which shuddered and
cracked beneath the impact。
Marduk managed finally to squeeze the trigger； and with a swift； painful movement； he roughly
sealed the incisions。 A pair of glossy black spider…limbs stabbed into his shoulders； and he howled
with pain as the slender limbs passed through him； impaling his body on their lengths； and the
wound…sealing implement fell with a clatter from his hands。
The First Acolyte was lifted into the air； still impaled on the two limbs； and was hurled away
from the frenzied spider…creature。 He struck the wall heavily； sending a ripple of cracks arcing out
across its surface； and slid to the ground。
The spider…being disengaged from the ceiling； dragging its cabling and wires with it； and hit the
ground； its bladed； slender limbs scrabbling for purchase。 It launched itself at the First Acolyte； its
forelegs rising to impale him once again。
Rolling beneath the stabbing limbs； which smacked into the wall behind him with colossal force；
Marduk came up underneath the vile creature。 He threw his body against the joint of one of the
beast’s back legs； which buckled under his sudden weight； and it stumbled。
Marduk grasped the slender limb with both hands and pushed his knee against the joint； grunting
with the effort。 The muscles of his arms and back strained； and he felt the limb bending beneath his
force； until with a final； sickening crack； he sheared the limb in two。
Black fluid ran from the hollow limb； and the creature sprang away from him； scrabbling and
sliding on the smooth floor。
Holding the bladed limb in both hands like a sword； Marduk waited for the creature to spring。
He risked a glance behind him； and could see no sight of the haemonculus； though a telltale trail of
blood was smeared across the floor and past the strips that led into an adjoining room。
Sensing movement； Marduk ducked and rolled to his right； narrowly avoiding being impaled on
two barbed forelimbs。 He slashed with the hollow limb； shearing through two of the creature’s legs；
which dropped to the floor； and more hissing； black fluid seeped from the creature’s wounds。 It spun
to face him and thrust the rear of its bloated abdomen forwards； stabbing it towards him from
beneath its body。 Liquid squirted from its grotesque spinnerets； and although Marduk managed to
avoid the worst of it； a line of the foul substance sprayed across his right shoulder。 His flesh began
to hiss and bubble； but he stood before the creature with his makeshift blade in both hands； ignoring
the pain。
The creature’s eldar torso writhed in obvious torment as ichor dripped from its severed limbs。 Its
blank face snapped towards Marduk； and it launched itself at him once more； bladed limbs flailing
frenziedly。
The First Acolyte leapt to meet the beast； spinning the bladed limb around in his grasp so that he
held it over his head like a spear。 With a roar of animalistic fury； Marduk slammed the blade into the
twisted eldar； the tip of the weapon piercing the flesh of its throat and driving on into its body
behind its ribcage。
Bladed limbs hacked at his arms； tearing bloody strips of flesh from his bones； but the force of
the creature’s momentum was its death； for it continued to push forward； impaling itself further onto
its own bladed limb。
Its front legs collapsed beneath it； and Marduk stepped back； breathing heavily； blood running
down his arms。 The loathsome creature fell headfirst into the floor； its greyish lifeblood running
from its wounds。 It tried piteously to lift itself up again； but its legs gave way beneath it； and it
crumpled in a heap on the floor at Marduk’s feet。 He spat down onto the dying beast； and wrenched
the bladed limb from its neck。 Reaching down； he retrieved another of the creature’s severed； razor
sharp limbs from the floor； and so armed； he followed the trail of