grip on the barrel of the weapon； the turret flopped lifelessly to the side。
More turrets； higher up on the bastion’s face； were opening fire； raining down a hail of gunfire；
which was answered by the heavy weapons fire of those warrior brothers further back。 One of
Namar…sin’s coterie was caught in a fusillade from two directions； and fell to one knee as his body
was pierced a dozen times。 Still； he refused to fall； and pushing himself back to his feet； he ran on
towards the bastion gates。
Bullets glanced off Marduk’s shoulder plates； and a round caught him in the chest； knocking him
back a step； though it did not penetrate his thick ceramite armour。 With a hiss of anger； he lurched
forwards； running down the incline towards the bastion gates。 Beneath the overhanging lip； he was
protected from the worst of the fire； and Marduk pulled a melta…bomb loose from a chain around his
waist。 He whispered a prayer to the Great Changer as he primed the potent grenade and slammed it
onto the thick door； placing it over one of the locking mechanisms。 Electromagnets held it firmly in
place； and a red light on the melta…bomb began to flash。
“On approach；” said Kol Badar； his voice overlaid with static and interference。
As another melta…bomb was slammed into place by a warrior of the 217th coterie； the champion
Namar…sin staggered into the protection beneath the gateway； smoking bullet craters across his
armour。 His left arm was gone； blown clear by autocannon fire； and his armour was awash with
blood。
“You took your time；” growled Marduk。
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“I apologise； my lord；” he said。 The powerful anticoagulants in the warrior’s blood had already
stemmed the flow； and formed a thick crust around the shocking wound。
“I can still do my job；” said Namar…sin defensively； feeling Marduk’s gaze on his injuries。
Gritting his teeth； the champion primed his melta…bomb somewhat awkwardly with one hand； before
slamming the bulky grenade into position。
More lascannon beams stabbed from the ice storm towards the bastion’s defences as the Land
Raiders approached。 In response； the first of the battle cannons spoke； firing blindly into the gale；
the ensuing reverberations shaking the ground。
The melta…bombs detonated； and the metre…thick gates buckled inwards。 The force of the superheated
explosions was directed inwards； searing through the reinforced metal barrier。 It was not
fully breached； but as he lowered the arm that shielded his face； Marduk recognised instantly that its
integrity was compromised。
“Twenty seconds；” said Kol Badar’s voice in Marduk’s helmet。
Lascannons fired from the blinding gale； and then the dark shadow of the first Land Raider
could be seen； driving at speed for the gatehouse。 An explosion slammed into the ice beside the
behemoth； knocking it to the side； and for a second its left…hand tracks lifted； spinning wildly before
it slammed back on the ground and corrected its angle of approach。
Marduk moved to the side； his back to a rockcrete support buttress； as the immense Land Raider
gunned its engines。 Its ancient hide was inscribed with passages from the books of Chaos； and
symbols of devotion and allegiance marred its clotted…blood coloured armour plates。 Autocannon
rounds ricocheted off the Land Raider； unable to penetrate； and heavy bolter rounds were deflected
off its angled plates。 Its side sponsons lit up the darkness as they stabbed into the gates； further
weakening them； and Marduk pressed himself backwards so as not to be struck by the monstrous
battle tank as it dropped down the incline towards the entrance to the bastion。
It slammed into the weakened gates with the force of a battering ram； and they collapsed
inwards。 Another Land Raider bedecked with chains from which severed heads and limbs hung
followed the first； its daemon…headed exhausts spewing black smoke as it roared down the incline
and into the belly of the bastion； followed by the third。 The last of the Land Raiders would hold
position； scanning for any sign of the enemy out on the plain。 With the enemy bastion breached； the
heavy weapons toting Havocs of the 217th coterie pulled back towards the Land Raider； as per Kol
Badar’s orders； though their champion Namar…sin was to enter the bastion alongside the First
Acolyte。
As the third Land Raider roared past； Marduk broke into a run behind it； using it as moving
cover。 He drew his chainsword as he ran； and felt the impatience of the daemon Borhg’ash within
the daemon weapon。
Already he could hear the sounds of gunfire； the hiss of lasguns and the whine as they repowered；
and the deep percussive boom of heavy bolter fire。
The ramp descended into the interior of the bastion； which had been carved into the solid rock。
The interior was not unlike the hangar deck of the Infidus Diabolus； with high ceilings and various
levels and gantries running around its walls。 Around thirty APCs； light scout vehicles and a couple
of heavier tanks； all armoured in the same uniform white plates； were lined up in serried ranks； and
white…armoured soldiers were running forwards。 Officers were shouting； and men were running in
from portals in the north and south。 Others were taking up positions upon the gantries lining the
walls； firing down at the Word Bearers。
The two Land Raiders had ground to a halt； heavy…bolters built into their hulls pumping
explosive rounds into the enemy； ripping men apart in bloody detonations。 The frontal assault ramps
slammed down onto the rockcrete floor； and the bulky forms of the warriors of the Host appeared
from the red…lit interiors； smoke billowing around them。
Kol Badar strode from the lead Land Raider； his face hidden beneath his quad…tusked helmet and
fire spitting from the barrels of his archaic combi…bolter。 The Coryphaus roared； the daemonic sound
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resounding from vox…grills as he cut a white…armoured man in half with bolter fire。 Behind him； the
four warriors of the Anointed； the warrior elite of the Host； stalked forwards heavily。 The servos of
their ancient Terminator armour hissed and vented steam as the Anointed advanced from the interior
of the battle tank； their weapons roaring。
Sabtec and Khalaxis emerged from the other Land Raiders； leading their respective coteries。 The
13th instantly took cover； bolters spitting death as they coolly split into two teams and manoeuvred
into good firing positions。 As Sabtec’s warriors laid down their hail of suppressing fire； Khalaxis
and his 17th coterie disdained any attempt to seek cover； and raced headlong towards the enemy；
revving the motors of their chainblades and snapping off shots with their pistols。
A portal lifted beside Marduk； and he swung his bolt pistol around and fired。 A troop of whitearmoured
soldiers ran at him； and his first rounds took one of them in the chest。 He fell with a
strangled cry as his ribcage was shattered。 A second enemy dropped as his head exploded； and
Marduk pumped another pair of shots into the body of a third warrior。
The soldiers halted； those in front dropping to one knee as they raised their lasguns。 Others
sought cover against the pipes protruding into the corridor； and they fired as their sergeant shouted
an order。
Las…rounds impacted with Marduk’s chest and shoulder pads； knocking him back half a step。
They left blackened scorch marks on his armoured plates； and Marduk snarled in fury as he leapt
forwards； his chainsword roaring。
More las…rounds pinged off his armour as he closed the distance； and he began to recite the
Litanies of Hate and Vengeance； barking the words like a mantra。 Several of the enemy soldiers
baulked and stumbled back from his charge as his vox…enhanced voice made their eardrums bleed。
Marduk blew the arm off one of them with his bolt pistol fired at close range； and then he was
amongst them。
His chainsword hacked into the neck of the first； teeth biting through armour； flesh and bone；
and hot blood splashed across Marduk’s tabard。 Blood ran down the feeder grooves carved into the
sides of the chainsword and was sucked into the internals of the weapon； and Marduk felt fresh
power and strength flow through him as the daemon Borhg’ash fed。 Veins pulsed along the length of
the ancient weapon； and the daemon urged Marduk on to feed it further。
He dropped to one knee； and a las…bolt seared above him where his head had been a fraction of a
second earlier。 He hacked out again； cutting through another soldier’s leg； the bone ripped apart by
Borhg’ash’s eager teeth。 He fired his bolt pistol； and another enemy was slammed backwards into its
comrades as the back of its head exploded outwards。
Brother Namar…sin was at Marduk’s side； and he buried his axe in the chest of another of the
soldiers； the pain of his severed arm lending him additional strength and fervour。 He planted his
boot on the chest of the man and ripped his axe free； kicking the soldier to the ground。 He hacked
his axe into another man； severing his arm and cutting half way through his torso。
Another warrior of Namar…sin’s 217th fired his bolter at point blank range； blasting the soldiers
back； chunks of flesh and blood spraying in all directions。 One man； his lifeblood running from his
wounds； was on his knees before the warrior brother； and his skull was pulverised by the butt of a
bolter。
Marduk continued reciting from the Litanies of Hate and Vengeance and rammed his
chainsword into the gut of another enemy。 The whirring； barbed links of the weapon ripped the
soldier in two； cutting off his pitiful cries of agony。
Borhg’ash was gorged with blood； and it leaked from the internals of the chainsword like a
syrup； but the daemon still hungered for more。 Marduk felt the sentience within the chainsword
urging him to kill again； and he gladly indulged its will。
Having emptied his bolt pistol clip； he holstered the weapon as he hacked a lasgun being
levelled at him in two with a backhand sweep of his chainsword。 The sparking halves of the lasgun
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were ripped from the terrified soldier’s hands； and as he staggered backwards in shock； Marduk
cleaved him from shoulder to hip with a powerful two…handed blow with his chainsword。
There were no more living threats； and Borhg’ash revved its engine； expressing i