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before　his　eyes。　The　massive　gates　of　the　bastion　began　to　open；　folding　in　upon　themselves　and
sliding　into　a　hidden　recess　within　the　rock。　Four　armoured　vehicles　emerged；　the　sound　of　their
engines　lost　in　the　howling　wind。
They　were　non…standard　template　vehicles　protected　by　thick　plates　of　white…painted　armour。
Marduk’s　targeting　arrays　locked　onto　the　foremost　vehicle；　and　a　flood　of　data　streamed　in　front　of
his　eyes。　A　heavy　weapons　sponson　unfolded　from　behind　the　main　engine　block；　sliding　forward
and　locking　into　place；　and　the　weapon　panned　left　and　right。　They　were　light　vehicles；　roughly　the
size　of　Rhino　APCs；　and　they　were　clearly　built　for　traversing　the　ice　flows；　with　heavy；　thick　tracks
at　the　rear　and　a　single　upwards　flaring　ski　as　broad　as　the　tank　at　the　front。
If　it　came　to　it；　they　would　easily　be　neutralised　by　his　Land　Raiders；　but　he　had　no　wish　for　the
enemy　to　know；　prematurely；　that　they　were　under　attack。
The　vehicles　moved　up　the　steep　ramp　of　ice　and　snow　that　led　from　within　the　bastion；　heavy
weapons　turrets　rotating　with　precise；　mechanical　movements。
They　turned　to　the　north…west；　and　soon　disappeared　into　the　storm。
“Do　not　engage；”　said　Marduk。
“Acknowledged；”　came　Kol　Badar’s　response；　his　voice　blurred　by　static。
Resuming　his　advance；　Marduk　elbowed　his　way　closer　to　the　enemy　fortification。
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The　aquila　fortress　reared　up　above　him；　its　twin　heads　glaring　out　into　the　darkness。　Despite　his
anger；　disdain　and　disgust　as　he　thought　of　what　could　have　been；　should　have　been；　it　gave　him
perverse　pleasure　to　see　how　far　the　Imperium　had　fallen。　This　world　was　evidence　of　its　failings。　It
was　being　abandoned；　as　was　the　entire　sub…system；　in　the　face　of　a　xenos　threat。　He　shook　his　head
in　mockery　at　such　weakness。
The　long；　insulated　barrels　of　defence　lasers　rose　up　behind　the　aquila　structure；　angled　towards
the　heavens。　He　knew　that　the　vast　power　source　for　the　formidable　weapons　would　be　located　deep
within　the　rock　below。　They　were　weapons　of　awesome　potency；　though　useless　against　an　enemy
that　had　already　landed。
Marduk　advanced　a　further　two　hundred　metres；　assailed　by　the　relentless　wind　and　biting　ice。
The　brutal　environmental　conditions　did　not　concern　him。　His　archaic　power　armour；　a　bastard
hybrid　of　marks　IV；　V　and　VI；　was　capable　of　withstanding　far　more　demanding　situations。
Within　fifty　metres　of　the　enemy　structure；　Marduk　hunkered　down　to　assess　the　defences　of　the
bastion。　Snow　began　to　settle　on　his　power　armour；　so　that　he　was　almost　completely　concealed。
Indeed；　a　human　could　have　stood　five　metres　away　and　not　have　seen　him；　blinded　by　the　gale　and
the　fog。
His　gleaming；　black；　reflective　eyepieces　panned　upwards；　targeters　locking　onto　autocannon
turrets　and　demolisher　cannons　built　into　the　sides　of　the　rock　face。　Had　the　weather　been　less
severe；　the　static　defences　would　have　taken　a　heavy　toll　on　the　Host　as　it　approached。　Such　a　thing
was　unacceptable；　for　Marduk　had　brought　less　than　thirty　warrior　brothers　with　him　on　the　mission
to　Perdus　Skylla。
In　ideal　circumstances；　he　would　have　descended　upon　the　moon　with　the　entire　Host；　and　the
taking　of　the　bastion　would　have　been　a　simple　thing。　However；　with　the　size　of　the　Imperial
blockade　in　the　sub…system　such　an　endeavour　would　have　been　folly；　for　the　Infidus　Diabolus
would　have　been　annihilated　long　before　it　reached　the　moon’s　atmosphere。　As　such；　he　had　chosen
to　lead　just　a　small　strike　force　onto　the　surface　of　the　moon；　and　slipped　unseen　through　the
Imperial　cordon。
It　was　not　the　way　that　he　would　have　liked　to　have　achieved　victory；　for　Marduk；　like　Kol
Badar；　would　have　been　more　pleased　to　have　laid　waste　the　Imperial　world；　to　unleash　the　full
force　of　the　Host　and　leave　nothing　but　corpses　and　edifices　to　the　great　gods　behind。　Victory　here
was　important；　however；　and　the　manner　in　which　it　was　achieved；　less　so。
Pushing　his　extraneous　thoughts　aside；　Marduk　turned　his　attention　to　the　task　at　hand。
Two　twin…linked　autocannon　turrets　guarded　the　approach　to　the　bastion　gates；　and　they　panned
back　and　forth　across　the　open　ground　before　them。　Each　was　restricted　to　a　ninety…degree　firing　arc；
though　the　arcs　of　the　two　turrets；　and　the　others　nearby；　were　overlapping；　ensuring　that　no　enemy
could　approach　the　bastion　from　any　angle　without　coming　under　fire。　Heavier　siege　cannons
protruded　from　the　rock　face　above　the　gates；　but　they　were　of　less　interest　to　Marduk；　for　he　was
below　their　arc　of　trajectory。　They　were　designed　to　fire　upon　enemy　two　hundred　metres　and
further　out；　not　at　a　foe　already　at　the　base　of　the　bastion。　Still；　he　opened　up　a　visual　feed　with　Kol
Badar；　allowing　the　Coryphaus　to　see　what　he　did；　so　that　the　war　leader　was　aware　of　what　he
would　be　riding　into　once　the　gates　were　breached。
“Brother　Namar…sin；”　said　Kol　Badar　in　a　growled　response　to　the　visual　feed。　“Move　your
coterie　into　position　and　target　the　turrets。　Fire　on　the　First　Acolyte’s　command。”
“So　it　shall　be；　Coryphaus；”　came　the　response。　Somewhere　behind　Marduk；　invisible　even　to
his　augmented　sight；　the　Havoc　Space　Marines　of　Namar…sin’s　coterie　would　be　targeting　the
autocannons　with　their　ancient　heavy　weapons。
Marduk　again　looked　up；　peering　through　the　blinding　ice　storm。
“Come　on；　Burias；”　he　hissed　in　impatience。
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Two　hundred　and　fifty　metres　up；　Burias　scaled　the　vertical　rock　face；　hauling　himself　up　hand　over
hand。
Kol　Badar　had　identified　one　last　possible　escape　route　from　the　bastion；　and　it　was　the　icon
bearer’s　duty　to　close　it　off。
He　had　allowed　the　change　to　come　over　him；　bringing　the　daemon　Drak’shal　to　the　fore；　and
great　horns　rose　from　his　head。　Hellfire　burnt　within　his　eyes；　and　his　teeth　were　bared；　exposing　a
double　row　of　serrated　shark…like　teeth。　Impossibly；　his　darkly　handsome；　immaculate　features　could
still　be　seen　beneath　the　image　of　the　daemon；　as　if　both　beings　were　coexisting　in　the　same　space。
Bunching　his　leg　muscles；　Burias　pushed　off　from　rock　face；　leaping　upwards。　He　grabbed　a
rocky　overhang　with　one　hand；　and　for　a　second　he　hung　there　over　the　vertical　drop。　The　ground
could　not　be　seen　below；　lost　in　the　swirling　storm；　though　the　glow　of　lascannons　could　be　dimly
discerned。　Hauling　himself　over　the　edge；　the　heat　of　his　breath　clouded　the　air　around　him；　and
feral　eyes　locked　onto　the　hateful　shape　of　the　giant　aquila　that　reared　above　him。　He　dug　his　taloned
hands　into　stone　carved　in　the　form　of　feathers　and　continued　his　ascent。
Up　above；　roughly　a　hundred　metres　away；　the　twin　eagle　heads　of　the　colossal　stone　aquila
glared　out　across　the　landscape；　one　facing　east；　and　the　other　west。　A　bright　light　shone　like　a
lighthouse　from　the　eye　of　the　right　eagle　head；　while　the　eye　of　the　left　head　was　dark　and　blind。
Burias　ascended　towards　the　shining　eye；　his　talons　easily　finding　handholds　between　the
massive　carved　feathers。　He　ascended　the　sheer　exterior　of　the　immense　statue；　swiftly；　barely
pausing　as　he　climbed；　like　a　dark　stain　upon　the　noble　eagle’s　body。　The　wind　howled　around　him；
buffeting　him　and　threatening　to　rip　him　loose；　and　ice　and　snow　drove　into　him　at　gale　force。
Climbing　swiftly　and　surely；　he　scurried　up　the　curving　neck　like　a　spider　until　he　was　directly
below　the　head。　With　a　snarl　he　sprang　out；　twisting　in　mid…air；　and　one　hand　locked　around　a
feathered　grip　three　metres　higher。　Without　pause；　he　continued　up　beneath　the　immense　head；
crawling　upside　down　along　the　underside　of　the　monolith。　He　paused　as　he　reached　the　beak；　for
the　stone　was　as　smooth　as　glass　and　there　were　no　handholds。　He　changed　the　angle　of　his　climb；
and　scrambled　up　the　vertical　eagle　head；　being　careful　to　stay　out　of　sight　of　the　shining　eye；　and
pulled　himself　atop　the　massive　structure。
Oblivious　to　the　danger　the　winds　presented　as　they　assailed　him；　Burias　threw　his　head　back
and　roared　into　the　gale。
Dropping　to　a　crouch；　Burias　made　his　way　on　all　fours　towards　the　eagle’s　shining　eye。
Cautiously；　he　peered　inside。
He　saw　a　man　sitting　at　a　desk；　an　almost　completely　empty　decanter　of　dark　liquid　in　front　of
him。　By　his　manner