limbs from the spikes impaling them。 His efforts were hopeless。 His muscles bulged with all his
hyper…enhanced strength； but he was powerless against the slender blades that held his crucified
form。
What if the gods had deserted them； thought Marduk with a stab of terror？
Silence such thoughts； Marduk raged。 Such doubts are poison。 Fortify your soul； he reminded
himself； your faith will be rewarded。
Patience； he told himself。
His time would come； and he would be ready。
“You left him behind；” said Burias flatly； his eyes glinting dangerously。
“Am I going to have a problem with you； Burias？” growled Kol Badar。
Burias pursed his lips； not taking his eyes off the Coryphaus。 He took a deep breath； repressing
his violent urge to leap across the shuttle cabin and tear the older warrior’s head from his shoulders。
He had always fought at Marduk’s side。 Even as an acolyte； Burias had recognised that Marduk
was destined for great things； and he was honest enough to admit that that he had befriended him in
the hope that he would be dragged up the chain of command with him。 Burias had never made any
secret of this fact； and he had enjoyed the success he had achieved； and the privilege he had gained；
as Marduk had risen to First Acolyte。 With Jarulek dead and gone； it was surely just a formality
before Marduk became a Dark Apostle； and then Burias’s position would become even more
influential。 He was Marduk’s confidant； his brother； his friend； and he would have had the ear of a
Dark Apostle at his disposal。
In one swift； opportunistic move； Kol Badar had eliminated that future； and for that Burias
would dearly love to rip his hearts from his chest。
“You think he is dead？” asked Burias in a low voice。
“He’s gone；” said Kol Badar。 “The dark eldar took him。 There is no coming back。”
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Burias scowled； all his years of comradeship with Marduk； wasted。 Once again； he let his eyes
roll back into his head and the deafening tumult that was the immaterium screamed into him。
Drak’shal had a bond with the First Acolyte； stronger than any bond between Burias and Marduk； a
bond of servitude； a bond of command。 It was； after all； Marduk who had first summoned Drak’shal
into the icon bearer’s flesh。
Drak’shal reached out at Burias’s urging； searching for Marduk’s soul…fire； for some hint of its
existence。 The daemon found nothing。 Of course； it would take days； weeks even； to properly scour
the turbulence of the empyrean； despite the bond the First Acolyte and the daemon shared； but a
shadow presence should have been simple to locate。 It was as if everything that Marduk was had
been snuffed out。 Slowly； Burias opened his eyes。
“He is truly gone；” he muttered in disbelief。
“As I said；” said Kol Badar。
This changed everything。 If Marduk truly was dead； and what other explanation could there be；
then Burias would have to quickly reassess his position。 Without the First Acolyte’s backing and
favour； his position within the Host was tenuous。 Kol Badar； as Coryphaus； was the most powerful
individual within the Host； and would； as protocol demanded； take over the leadership role。 Burias
would be foolish to take that lightly。 Without the First Acolyte to shield him； Kol Badar could do
with him as his wished with impunity。
“What of the Council？” asked Burias； his mind whirring。 “The life of a Coryphaus that has
allowed his Dark Apostle to die is a tenuous thing； but a Coryphaus that has allowed his Dark
Apostle and First Acolyte to fall？ You’ll be made to suffer； and I have no wish to fall with you。”
“Walk with me；” commanded the Coryphaus； releasing the harness clamping him into his seat；
and making his way towards the control cabin of the Idolator； fighting the angle of the ship’s assent
and the G…forces that pushed against his massive frame。 Clearly； Kol Badar wished to continue the
discussion out of the earshot of the other warrior brothers of the Host； which made Burias at once
both suspicious and intrigued。
Burias threw off his harness and stood up unsteadily。 Using the rail…holds above his head he
hauled himself hand over hand towards the front of the shuttle。 Once inside the control cabin； Kol
Badar punched a blister…rune and the hatch was sealed behind them。
The crew of the Idolator had long been fused with their controls； and what remained of their
flesh was covered in runes and sigils of binding。 They stared ahead with sightless eyes； their entire
existence dedicated to serving their infernal masters。 They would not repeat what words were
spoken in their presence even were they capable of speech。
“The Council need not know all the details；” said Kol Badar slowly； his eyes intense。
“They will need to be told something；” Burias hissed； “unless we do not return to Sicarus at all。”
“No； that is not an option。 No warrior of Lorgar has ever turned from the XVII Legion。 No； we
tell the Council the truth。”
“The truth？” asked Burias。
“Yes； that the Dark Apostle Jarulek was treacherously cut down by the traitor Marduk； who was
envious and covetous of his hallowed role；” said Kol Badar； “and that Marduk was subsequently
slain for his misdeed。”
“You wish to lie to the Council？” asked Burias； his voice incredulous。
Kol Badar did not have a chance to answer； as warning lights lit up across the consoles of the
shuttle。 The Coryphaus moved swiftly towards the pict screens flashing with a stream of data； and
swore。
“What is it？” asked Burias in alarm。
“A tyranid spore shower；” answered the Coryphaus。
It was heading right towards them。
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“Admiral；” said Gideon Cortez； flag…lieutenant of the Hammer of Righteousness。 “The master of
ordnance has a firing solution。 Request approval to launch torpedoes。”
“Approved；” said Admiral Rutger Augustine。
He was standing at the forward observation deck with his hands on his hips； watching the battle
unfold before him。 The strategy of maintaining a blockade in front of the encroaching tyranid
menace and decimating any world； inhabited or not； in its path still rankled with Augustine； but such
were his orders。
Most of the enemy hive ships were still tens of thousands of kilometres away； but he could see
them： immense； sentient creatures kilometres long with skin thick enough to endure living in deep
space； their vile bodies armoured in segmented carapace easily as strong as the hull of the mighty
Retribution…class battleship he stood in。 It almost defied logic that creatures as large as this could
exist in the universe。 The largest of the bio…ships was easily a match for the Hammer of
Righteousness； and rivalled her for size； and there were hundreds of smaller living ships that shoaled
around the largest organisms。 The smaller creatures ranged from the size of light cruisers all the way
down to the size of attack craft and interceptors。 The smallest bio…ships flew in dense clouds around
the large hive ships； like swarms of angry bees around their mother…hive； and several Cobra…class
escorts had already been destroyed by them when they had ventured too close。
The tyranid fleet was a terrifying prospect to face at close range； and Augustine had decreed that
no Imperial vessel approach within six thousand kilometres of it。 Even so； the xenos bio…ships were
capable of startling bursts of speed that had at first taken the Imperials by surprise； and Augustine
had lost the light cruiser Dominae Noctus and its entourage of frigates and escorts due to this
unexpected trait。
A pair of hive ships had swung towards the Dauntless…class light cruiser as she had been turning
to starboard to make a strafing run across the flank of the hive fleet； breaking from the formation of
bio…ships。
Though the commander of the Dominae Noctus had seen the danger； he had been powerless to
pull away fast enough。 The cruiser had desperately unleashed the fury of a full broadside into the
two bio…ships training in on him。 Augustine had watched the destruction unleashed on the living
organisms on one of his flickering pict screens； and had seen the carapaced hides of the beasts
rupture beneath the barrage； spilling bio…fluids into space。 Still； the bio…ships had continued on；
spitting streams of acid that melted the side of the Dauntless light cruiser and launching swarms of
smaller creatures； exhaling them from gill…like rents in their sides。
A trio of Sword frigates had nobly moved into the path of the behemoths； seeking to draw them
away from the floundering light cruiser； and two of them were overwhelmed as boarding chrysalides
were excreted from the hive ships； clamping onto and cutting through their hulls before overrunning
their decks with swarms of warrior organisms。
One of the bio…ships was drawn by the bait； and turned on the last remaining Sword frigate；
while its twin closed on the doomed Dominae Noctus。 The rest of the fleet had watched in growing
horror as immense hooked tentacles shot forth from the prow of the bio…ships； locking onto the hulls
of the light cruiser and the frigate； drawing them into the immense living beasts。 More tentacles
wrapped around their hulls。 The Sword frigate was crushed utterly beneath the pressure and ripped
in half。 The Dominae Noctus lasted little longer； for the tentacles drew it in close to the hive ship；
and its hull was rent by the immense； bony beak concealed at the heart of the mass of tentacles。 For
an hour； the creature gorged upon the light cruiser； its hull almost entirely obscured by the tentacles
that wrapped around it； and Augustine had listened in stoic silence to the screams of the dying as
bio…acid and feeder organisms had been spewed into the interior of the compromised ship。
Augustine had no intention of losing any more of his fleet to the xenos fleet； and the Imperials
were engaging the tyranids only at medium to long range。
The Hammer of Righteousness’s dorsal lance batteries had taken a heavy toll on the advancing
tyranid fleet； but the xenos ships continued on relentlessly； absorbing the casualties they suffered
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and pushing ever forwards。 The bio…ships mortally wounded by the long distance barrages were
devoured by the other hive…ships； who would doubtless use the genetic material to spawn more of
their foul kind。
Augustine f