我的美母教师 | 乡村精品合集 | 乡村活寡 | 乡村欲爱 | 乡村春潮 | 乡村花医 | 欲望乡村（未删） | 乡村艳福 | 乡村春事 | 人妻四部曲

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

world？”　asked　the　Warmonger。
“I　do；”　said　Marduk。　“It　is　held　within　the　mind　of　a　servant　of　the　false　Machine…God。”
“You　base　that　belief　only　on　the　word　of　another　servant　of　the　Machine…God；”　snarled　Kol
Badar。　“The　Enslaved’s　loyalty　does　not　lie　with　the　Legion。　For　all　you　know；　he　may　be　leading　us
into　a　trap；　to　deliver　the　device　unto　his　Mechanicus　brethren。”
“The　Enslaved　is　mine；”　growled　Marduk。　“It　has　no　will　of　its　own　any　more。　It　is　not　capable
of　such　duplicity。”
“Speak　with　respect　to　your　First　Acolyte；　Kol　Badar；”　chided　the　Warmonger。　“Marduk；　if　you
trust　the　knowledge　you　have；　then　the　path　is　clear。”
“The　Infidus　Diabolus　cannot　approach　Perdus　Skylla；”　said　Kol　Badar；　changing　tack。　“If
anything；　we　should　return　to　the　Eye　and　gather　the　Hosts　to　our　cause。　Then　we　can　return；　and
take　the　moon　by　force。”
“The　xenos　threat　will　have　obliterated　it　by　then；”　snapped　Marduk。　“We　have　both　seen　worlds
ravaged　by　their　kind；　nothing　is　left　behind。　The　secrets　will　be　lost　forever。”
“You　do　not　need　my　council；　then；　disciple　Marduk。　Kol　Badar；　if　brute　force　will　not　suffice；
explore　more　subtle　ways　of　gaining　victory　for　your　First　Acolyte。”
28
Marduk　smiled　as　he　saw　Kol　Badar’s　jaw　twitch　in　anger。
“As　always；　Warmonger；　you　are　the　voice　of　wisdom；”　said　Marduk；　bowing。　“My　purpose　is
clear；　you　have　allayed　my　fears　and　stripped　away　the　shadow　of　doubt。　I　am　confident　that　my
loyal　Coryphaus　will　find　a　way　forward。”
“One　last　thing；　Marduk。　I　am　disturbed　that　there　are　those　within　the　Legion　who　doubt　your
holy　right　to　lead　them。　I　would　have　it　known　that　I　fully　endorse　your　appointment。”
The　Warmonger　shifted　its　immense　weight；　servos　and　gyro…compensators　hissing。　It　turned　on
the　spot；　each　step　making　the　floor　shudder；　and　reached　out　with　its　immense　power…claw；
scooping　something　up　in　its　grasp。　Then　it　turned　back　towards　Marduk；　and　the　First　Acolyte
strained　to　see　what　the　Warmonger　held。
The　sickle…bladed　talons　of　the　Dreadnought’s　power　claw　opened；　and　Marduk　saw　a　gleaming
helmet；　its　porcelain　features　moulded　into　the　form　of　a　grimacing　skull。　An　eight…pointed　star　of
Chaos　was　carved　into　its　forehead；　and　its　sharpened　fangs　were　fixed　in　a　grinning　rictus。　A　crack；
not　battle　damage；　but　rather　a　carved　affectation；　ran　across　the　left　brow　and　continued　below　the
glimmering　eye…piece　onto　the　cheek。
It　was　a　revered；　ancient　artefact　of　the　Legion；　and　had　been　crafted　by　the　finest　artisans　of
Mars　in　the　years　before　the　commencement　of　the　Great　War　for　the　Warmonger　himself。
Marduk　stared　at　the　sacred　helmet　with　covetous　eyes。
“I　ordered　my　helmet　removed　from　its　stasis　field　within　the　bone…ossuary；”　said　the
Warmonger；　“though　at　the　time　I　did　not　understand　what　it　was　that　urged　me　to　do　so。　I　see
clearly　now　that　it　was　the　will　of　the　gods　for　you　to　have　it；　young　Marduk。”
The　First　Acolyte　stepped　forwards　and　lifted　the　helmet　from　the　Warmonger’s　outstretched
claw；　marvelling　at　the　mastery　with　which　it　had　been　rendered。　The　morbid　visage；　a　dark
reflection　of　the　helmets　worn　by　the　chaplains　of　those　blinded　Legions　that　had　not　joined　with　the
Warmaster；　was　a　potent　symbol　of　death；　the　face　of　damnation　for　all　those　who　refused　to　cow　to
Lorgar’s　word。
Marduk　placed　the　helmet　over　his　head；　and　he　heard　a　mechanical　whine　as　it　adjusted　to　fit
his　cranium。　It　fitted　firmly　in　place；　and　there　was　a　hiss　as　coupling　links　connected。　Then　all
sound　was　blanketed　out；　before　the　integrated　auto…senses　powered　up　and　his　hearing　returned。　He
breathed　deeply；　sucking　in　a　lungful　of　recycled　air；　and　registered　the　flickering　array　of　sensory
information　and　integrity　checks　being　relayed　onto　the　front　of　his　irises。　Servos　whined　as　he
stretched　his　neck　from　side　to　side；　and　an　enticing　targeting　matrix　appeared　before　him；　locking
onto　Kol　Badar　as　he　turned　to　look　upon　the　Coryphaus。　The　towering　war　leader　was　scowling；
and　Marduk　grinned。　He　dismissed　the　targeting　matrices；　somewhat　reluctantly；　with　a　blink；　and
dropped　to　one　knee　before　the　Warmonger。
“I　have　not　the　words　to　express　the　honour　you　do　me；　Warmonger；”　he　said；　his　voice
growling　from　the　vox…grills　cunningly　concealed　behind　the　fangs　of　the　death　mask。
“Leave　me　now；　my　captains；”　said　the　Warmonger。　“The　preparations　for　the　final　push　against
Terra　must　be　made。　Join　your　brothers；　and　rejoice　in　prayer　and　exaltation　for　within　the　month；
we　shall　assail　the　walls　of　the　Emperor’s　Palace。”
“Rest　well；　Warmonger；”　said　Marduk；　and　he　and　Kol　Badar　backed　away　from　the　towering
Dreadnought；　recognising　that　the　ancient　one’s　lucidity　was　slipping。　Often　it　was　this　way；　as　the
Dreadnought　relived　battles　of　days　past。
The　pair　left　the　crypt；　leaving　the　Warmonger　to　relive　his　memories。　Marduk　strode　out　in
front；　a　triumphant　strut　to　his　walk。　Kol　Badar　stalked　behind；　a　deep　scowl　on　his　face　as　he　glared
at　the　First　Acolyte’s　back。
Cowled　slaves　pushed　the　skull…inlaid　doors　wide；　and　Marduk　stalked　out　into　one　of　the　expansive
docking　bays　of　the　Infidus　Diabolus。　The　entire　Host　was　gathered　there；　and；　as　one；　the　warrior
29
brothers　dropped　to　their　knees　as　the　First　Acolyte　strode　through　their　serried　ranks；　heading
towards　the　stub…nosed　transport　ship；　the　Idolater。
Indentured　workers；　their　bodies　augmented　with　ensorcelled　mechanics　and　their　eyes　and
mouths　ritualistically　sutured　shut；　hurried　to　ready　the　ship；　pumping　fuel　into　its　gullet　through
bulging　intestine…hoses　and　daubing　its　armoured　hull　with　sacred　oils　and　unguents。　Four　Land
Raiders；　massively　armoured　tanks　that　had　borne　the　warriors　of　the　Host　into　battle　on　a　thousand
worlds；　were　moved　into　position　beneath　the　stubby　wings　of　the　Idolater；　and　reinforced　clamps
locked　around　them　from　above；　securing　them　for　transport。
Marduk　was　wearing　the　deaths…head　helmet　gifted　to　him　by　the　Warmonger　for　the　first　time
in　front　of　the　Host；　and　he　felt　awe　and　reverence　ripple　out　across　the　gathered　warriors。　Passages
freshly　scribed　upon　the　flayed　flesh　of　slaves　hung　from　devotional　seals　fixed　to　his　armour；　and
he　felt　savage　pride　as　he　looked　upon　the　warriors　of　the　Legion。
He　stalked　to　the　front　of　the　assembly；　where　a　group　of　thirty　warrior　brothers　knelt　facing　the
rest　of　the　Host。　These　warriors　uniformly　bowed　their　heads　as　Marduk　came　to　a　halt　in　front　of
them；　his　gaze；　hidden　behind　the　inscrutable　red　lenses　of　his　helmet；　sweeping　over　them。
With　a　nod　to　Burias；　the　icon　bearer　stood　to　attention　and　slammed　the　butt　of　his　heavy　icon
into　the　floor。　The　sound　echoed　loudly；　and　with　an　imperious　gesture；　Marduk　motioned　for　the
thirty　warriors　to　stand。　Kol　Badar　stepped　out　of　their　ranks　and　began　to　prowl　along　the　lines；
inspecting　them　with　a　grim　expression　on　his　broad　face。
The　thirty　warriors　were　gathered　into　four　coteries　and　Marduk’s　gaze　travelled　over　the
waiting　warrior　brothers；　reading　their　eagerness　for　the　forthcoming　descent　towards　the　Imperial
planet　in　their　faces　and　their　stances。
Each　holy　Astartes　warrior　stood　armed　for　war；　his　helmet　held　under　his　left　arm；　and　weapons
readied。　They　stood　motionless　and　attentive　as　they　awaited　Marduk’s　word；　their　heads　held　high。
Each　was　fiercely　proud　to　have　been　selected　to　accompany　the　First　Acolyte。
Including　Marduk；　Burias　and　the　enslaved　daemon…symbiote　Darioq；　they　would　number　thirtytwo。
It　was　an　auspicious　number　that　equalled　the　number　of　the　sacred　books　penned　by　Lorgar。　It
augured　well。　Marduk　had　read　the　sacred　number　in　the　entrails　of　the　squealing　slave…neophyte　he
had　butchered　in　the　blooding　chamber　not　an　hour　earlier；　and　he　knew　that　the　gods　had　blessed
his　endeavour。
“Brothers　of　Lorgar；”　said　Marduk；　addressing　the　thirty；　though　his　voice　was　raised；　so　that　it
carried　to　every　member　of　the　Host；　“you　are　blessed；　for　amongst　all　the　glorious　Host　you　have
been　chosen　to　be　my　honour　guard；　to　accompany　me　in　doing　what　must　be　done　to　ensure　that
victory　is　ours；　for　the　glory　of　blessed　Lorgar。”