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question。
“I　understand；　my　lord；”　said　Rhamel　through　gritted　teeth；　and　the　warrior　dropped　to　his　knees
before　the　First　Acolyte。
“What　if　the　machine　is　wrong？”　asked　Khalaxis。　“Could　not　the　chirurgeons　on　the　Infidus
Diabolus　reverse　this　corruption？”
“The　machine　is　not　wrong；　brother；”　said　Rhamel。　“I　can　feel　it　working　within　me；　changing
me。　Let　me　pass　with　honour；　my　brother。”
The　warrior　closed　his　eyes　tightly　against　the　pain。
“I　would　ask　that　you　do　it；　Khalaxis；”　he　hissed；　pleadingly。　“Do　this　for　me；　my　brother。
Please。”
Khalaxis　looked　at　Marduk；　and　the　First　Acolyte　nodded　his　head　grimly。
“It　is　only　fitting；”　said　the　First　Acolyte。
“As　you　wish；　my　brother；”　said　Khalaxis；　moving　in　front　of　the　kneeling　warrior。
Marduk　passed　the　champion　of　the　almost　obliterated　17th　coterie　his　bolt　pistol；　and　the　taller
warrior　took　it　in　his　hands　with　great　reverence。　Then　he　raised　the　bolt　pistol　and　placed　it　against
Rhamel’s　forehead。
“Into　the　darkness　he　strode；”　quoted　Marduk；　from　the　Trials　of　the　Covenant；　“into　the　flames
of　hell；　with　his　head　held　high；　and　he　smiled。”
“Be　at　peace；”　said　Khalaxis。
Rhamel　smiled；　looking　up　at　Khalaxis　with　eyes　shining　with　belief。　“I’ll　see　you　on　the　other
side；　my　brother；”　he　said。
Then　the　bolt　pistol　bucked　in　Khalaxis’s　hand；　and　the　back　of　Rhamel’s　head　was　obliterated；
exploding　outwards　in　a　shower　of　gore。
Marduk　dipped　a　finger　in　the　blood　and　drew　an　eight…pointed　star　on　Rhamel’s　forehead；　the
hole　of　the　entry　wound　at　its　centre。
“What　was　that　all　about？”　Burias　asked　in　a　low　voice　as　they　climbed　into　the　submersible；
eyeing　the　brooding　Khalaxis。
“Nothing；”　said　Marduk。　“A　brave　warrior　is　dead。　He　will　be　mourned。”
116
CHAPTER　FOURTEEN
A　crowd　of　hooded　cultists　was　waiting　for　them　as　the　submersible　entered　the　docking　pool　within
the　mining　station；　pushing　in　as　Burias　climbed　out　onto　the　wharf。　Nevertheless；　they　kept　their
distance；　wary　of　the　immense　red…armoured　warrior　and　the　potent　aura　of　savagery　around　him。
The　icon　bearer　snarled　as　he　looked　upon　the　press　of　humanity；　and　dropped　onto　the　docking
wharf；　eyeing　the　crowd　darkly。　He　allowed　the　change　to　come　over　him　and　took　a　menacing　step
forwards；　enjoying　the　fear　that　made　the　people　recoil。　They　did　not　run；　however；　and　there　were
shouts　and　jeers　from　the　masses。　It　was　curious　behaviour　for　mortals；　and　Burias　could　not
understand　it。　Lesser　beings　always　reacted　to　his　presence　with　abject　terror；　so　why　did　these　ones
not　flee？
As　the　other　Word　Bearers　emerged　from　the　deep…sea　scout/maintenance　vehicle；　one　man
pushed　to　the　front　of　the　crowd。　His　pale　face　was　cowled　and　thin；　and　a　servo…skull　hovered　near
his　shoulder。　His　eyes　gleamed　with　feverish　light。
This　man　studied　the　Word　Bearers　as　they　disembarked；　an　expression　of　outrage　upon　his　face。
The　anger　twisted　his　features　so　that　he　looked　barely　human　at　all。
“They　have　spilt　the　blood　of　our　brood…fathers！”　he　bellowed；　holding　his　arms　up　high。　The
billowing　sleeves　of　his　robe　fell　back　at　the　movement；　exposing　pale　arms　pitted　with　plugs。
Spiralling　tattoos　covered　his　flesh；　oddly　alien　embryonic　shapes　that　wrapped　around　his　forearms。
An　angry　roar　rose　from　the　gathered　crowd　that　stepped　forwards；　faces　twisting　into　visages　of
hatred。
“Someone　shut　him　up；”　said　Marduk。
Kol　Badar　stepped　towards　the　man；　who　stood　defiant　before　him　even　though　the　people
around　him　shrunk　back　from　the　Coryphaus’s　titanic　frame。
“You　have　befouled　the　inner　sanctum　of　the　brood…fathers；”　howled　the　man　at　Kol　Badar　as　he
approached。　He　came　up　barely　to　the　Coryphaus’s　chest；　but　held　his　ground　defiantly。　“And　for
that　grave　insult；　you　will　be　punished。”
“Who　is　going　to　punish　me；　little　man？”　asked　Kol　Badar。　“You？”
The　man　quivered　in　rage；　and　with　a　scream　of　hatred　hurled　himself　at　Kol　Badar’s　immense
figure；　hands　outstretched　like　claws。
Kol　Badar　wrapped　his　power　talons　around　the　man’s　head；　and　lifted　him　off　his　feet；　which
kicked　uselessly　a　metre　off　the　ground。
The　crowd　surged　forwards；　many　drawing　laspistols　and　cudgels　from　their　robes；　screaming　in
outrage。
Bemused；　Kol　Badar　clenched　his　fist　and　there　was　an　audible　wet　crunch　as　the　man’s　skull
was　crushed。　He　hurled　the　body　into　the　crowd。
There　were　hundreds　of　the　frenzied　cultists；　but　they　were　as　nothing　next　to　the　warriors　of　the
XVII　Legion。　None　of　the　Word　Bearers　deigned　to　expend　any　of　their　precious　ammunition　upon
the　crowd；　and　they　weighed　in　with　chainswords　and　fists　as　the　crowd　surged　in　to　surround　them。
It　was　as　if　the　crowd　was　in　the　grip　of　some　kind　of　group　hysteria；　thought　Marduk；
eliminating　all　fear；　and　replacing　it　with　this　frenzied　hatred。　That　was　exactly　what　this　was；　he
realised　these　people　were　the　dupes　of　the　xenos　hive　mind。
117
The　butchery　was　over　in　minutes。　Bodies　lay　sprawled　across　the　floor；　many　of　them　maimed
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