armour of all the warriors of the XVII Legion； the colour they had worn since the Legion’s
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inception； but he had long ago stained it the deep red adopted by all of his brethren at Lorgar’s
decree。
Marduk gazed blearily down upon his naked torso for the first time in untold millennia。 It looked
like the body of a stranger。 His pectorals were thick and slablike； and the muscles of his abdomen
rippled as he strained against his restraints。 Dozens of scars marred his perfect form and blue veins
could be seen clearly through his translucent； pale flesh。
Marduk turned his head groggily to the side； looking along the length of his outstretched arms。
His powerful limbs had been stripped of his power armour； exposing passages from the Book of
Lorgar that ran in spirals of tiny script around his forearms； lust looking upon the tiny； archaic script
gave him comfort； even though his eyes still could not focus on the individual words and characters。
Casting his gaze further along his arms； Marduk saw what was constricting his movements。 A
slender； tapering blade had pierced his wrists； passing through his flesh and between his bones；
protruding a metre out the other side。
Marduk pulled against the restraints； trying to slide his limbs off the impaling blades； but jolting
pain accompanied his efforts； making his body shudder and contort in agony。 He could feel the
needles； the long shards of metal that had been inserted between his vertebrae； piercing his central
nervous system。 They ran from the base of his spine to his skull； a slender needle inserted into every
gap between the bones。 Marduk ceased his struggles； and the pain instantly receded。
He was suspended； upright and hanging upon the blades piercing his wrists and lower legs。 The
blades shifted slightly； angling upwards； and Marduk hissed in pain as he slid further back along
their lengths； the spikes grinding against bone。
As his vision cleared； Marduk took in the details of the room。 It was circular in shape； and the
ceiling was low。 It was dim； the only light coming from the featureless floor and low roof； fading in
and out in rhythmic pulses。 There was a single exit from the room； semi…transparent strips of plaslike
material blocking his vision of the room beyond。
Marduk registered the presence of another being in the centre of the room。 He had thought he
was alone； but his vision focused on the back of a tall； unearthly thin individual。 Marduk glared at
the creature hatefully； remembering its touch。
Its emaciated upper body was garbed in a tight…fitting； glossy black bodysuit； and its legs were
concealed beneath an apron of similar material。 The figure was leaning over something； a body
perhaps； and appeared engrossed in its work。 Dozens of blades； hooks and other less easily
recognisable implements hung from its waist； and its hairless head was strangely elongated； its skull
extending back further than was normal。 Dozens of needles and tubes entered the flesh of its skull；
flowing backwards like a mockery of hair。
Hovering above the table on which the death…like eldar worked was an immense spider； a dozen
slim limbs extending from its body。 The long； multi…jointed limbs were akin to the blades that
pierced his own body； their surface black and reflective； and he wondered if it was a similar creature
that held him。 Its legs moved with swift； precise movements； each one easily four metres long and
elongated to sharp points。 Marduk decided that his first impression had been wrong。 This was not a
living creature at all。 It was a machine。
As the machine spider rotated slightly in the air； its long legs moving rapidly and independent of
each other； Marduk saw that his assumption was not quite correct。 The thing was alive； or at least
part of it was。 In the dull light that pulsed from the ceiling and floor； he could see that there was an
eldar figure at the heart of the spider…machine； or at least what must have once been one of the
decadent xenos beings。 Its face was obscured beneath a shiny black； featureless mask； and the
spider…like limbs were attached to its torso； protruding from its spine。 The eldar’s humanoid upper
arms merged into another pair of long spider limbs； though they were shorter than the others and
ended in cruel barbs。 Where its two legs ought to have been there was instead a bulbous； glossy
black abdomen that hung low； bloated and obscene。 From the tip of this abdomen； a pair of
spinnerets exuded a sticky substance。
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As Marduk’s eyes became used to the dim lighting； he saw that the spider…eldar was not
hovering at all； but was attached to the ceiling via a series of coiled cables。 A black substance
moved within those cables in rhythmic spurts； like blood behind pumped through arteries by a
beating heart。
The tall； black…clad humanoid； that Marduk took to be a sub…species of the eldar race； was
talking to itself in a hissing voice。 The First Acolyte could not understand its words； for it spoke in
the foul eldar tongue； but he sensed that the creature was pleased。 As it moved to the side； he saw
what was occupying the creature’s attention。 A fellow warrior of the XVII Legion： Sarondel； one of
the 13th coterie was pinned down upon a bladed slab； his chest sliced open to expose his internal
organs。
Anger roiled up within Marduk to see one of his sacred brothers of the Word so violated。 The
tall； skeletally thin eldar was removing the warrior’s organs one by one； and placing them in shallow
dishes that hovered alongside the slab。 The eldar’s long fingers ended in scalpel blades； and he saw
a cruel smile on the creature’s face as he got his first look at his captor’s visage。
Its cheeks were hollow and sunken； emphasising its sharp； high cheekbones and thin mouth； and
its almond…shaped eyes were black and dead。 Its movements were crisp and sure as at sliced through
Sarondel’s flesh； and the warrior growled； gritting his teeth against the pain as his blood began to
flow anew。
Marduk felt savage pride as the warrior of the 13th coterie spat a wad of blood and phlegm up
into the twisted surgeon’s face。 The eldar was unconcerned； and wiped its face with the back of one
hand。
“The dark gods of Chaos will feast on your soul come the end；” said Marduk。 “You are already
lost； you just don’t know it yet。”
The eldar straightened； dead eyes fixing on Marduk。 It ghosted across the floor to stand before
him。
“In the end we are all lost；” it said； lifting a bladed fingertip to Marduk’s cheek。
The First Acolyte did not flinch beneath its touch； though he felt hot blood running down his
face。 Instead； he grinned； his blazing eyes holding the eldar’s gaze。
“Your time will come sooner than you think；” he said。
“That is your prediction？ You are a prophet then； human？”
“I am far beyond humanity。 I am Marduk； First Acolyte of the 34th Grand Host of the XVII
Legion； the Word Bearers； blessed of Lorgar。 I make no predictions； xenos filth。 I make you a
promise。”
Marduk’s eyes rolled back into his head as he sought to draw the power of the warp into his
body； to call the daemons of the immaterium to him and unleash their fury upon this wretch that
dared to defile the sacred forms of Lorgar’s angels of the Word… but nothing happened。 Silence
and emptiness was all that greeted him； vast； cold and empty； and he screamed his fury。
Marduk tried to fly free of his mortal body； to rise above his earthly shell and become as one
with the blessed ether； but it felt as if shackles held him locked into his body； imprisoning him
within the cage of his flesh。
Had the gods of the ether forsaken him？ Had they withdrawn their favour from him？ The
thought was more terrifying than any pain or horror that this being could ever heap upon him。
The eldar sneered at him； dead eyes watching him with keen interest。
“You can bring none of your taint here； slave；” it said； its voice mocking。 “Your gods have
turned their backs on you。”
Marduk gritted his teeth and threw himself forward； muscles straining as he sought to rip the
eldar limb from limb； but he was jerked backwards。 The bladed limbs that impaled him hauled him
back； and shooting pain blossomed up his spine。
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Marduk thrashed and roared； and fresh blood began to run from his wounds as he fought to tear
himself loose。 The eldar merely gave a dry； cruel laugh； and turned away from him； and Marduk
stared venomously at the retreating figure as it strode from the room； parting the hanging partition
with a wave of its hand。
You can bring none of your taint here； slave； his captor had said； and Marduk could well believe
the truth in the words。 The feeling of isolation was staggering。
Did a null…field containment force keep his link with the warp at bay？ Or had the gods truly
forsaken him？
He had experienced a similar sensation of being cut off from the powers that be； once before；
deep within the xenos pyramid on the Imperial world of Tanakreg； in that hellish otherworld that
was not truly part of the material universe； but something else entirely。 He had experienced a similar
sensation there； and there he had won out； defeating his former master and escaping with his prize。
Escaping？ The doubt came unbidden to his mind。 Had he truly escaped？ Or had he merely been
allowed to escape？ Surely such a being as powerful as the Undying One would never had allowed
him to flee its realm had it not wished it to be so。
“My lord；” said a cracked voice； and Marduk glanced over towards the mutilated figure of
Sarondel； stretched backwards upon the surgeon’s slab； his chest ripped open。 The monstrous spider
creature was still poised over him； and it sprayed a liquid film over the exposed organs from the tip
of its vile； bulbous； segmented abdomen。
“The gods… have they deserted us？” breathed Sarondel； echoing Marduk’s thoughts。 “I cannot
feel their touch。”
“Speak not such heresies；” growled Marduk。 “This is a test of our faith。 The xenos filth will be
punished for what they have done to you； brother。 I promise you that。”
Sarondel groaned something indecipherable in response； and Marduk strained again to pull his
limbs from the spikes impaling them。 His efforts were hopeless。 His muscles bulged with all his
hyper…enhance