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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。”
Marduk　strode　along　the　line　of　warriors；　seeing　the　fire　of　religious　fervour　and　devotion　on
their　faces。　They　stared　at　him　passionately；　fanaticism　in　their　eyes。
Each　member　of　the　four　coteries　was　a　veteran　of　a　thousand　wars　fought　across　a　thousand
battlefields；　and　each　had　been　tested　and　found　worthy　time　and　again　in　the　forge　of　battle。　These
were　the　most　vicious；　fanatical　and　devoted　of　all　the　vicious；　fanatical　and　devoted　warriors　of　the
Host。　Each　was　a　holy　warrior；　who　would　follow　his　word　without　question；　for　his　was　the　voice
of　the　gods；　and　through　him　their　infernal　will　would　be　enacted　without　question　and　without
remorse。　Devout；　holy　warriors；　they　would　not　flinch　in　their　duty；　and　their　fervour　lent　them　great
strength。
Each　of　the　four　coteries　was　led　by　a　favoured　warrior　champion　of　the　Host。
Kol　Badar　stood　before　four　of　his　anointed　brethren；　each　of　them　enormous　in　their　heavy
Terminator　armour。　The　other　coteries　consisted　of　eight　warriors　each。　Towering　Khalaxis；　his
cheeks　covered　in　ritual　scars；　stood　before　his　17th　coterie；　brutal　warriors　all。　Namar…sin；　shorter
than　his　brothers；　though　he　made　up　for　this　deficiency　with　sheer　bulk；　stood　before　his　warriors　of
the　217th　coterie；　Havoc　heavy　weapon　specialists。　Last　of　the　champions　was　Sabtec；　who　led　the
highly　decorated　13th　coterie。　Neither　as　tall　as　Khalaxis；　nor　as　broad　as　Namar…sin；　Sabtec　was　a
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lean　warrior　whose　tactical　nuances　had　won　countless　glorious　victories　for　the　Host。　A　row　of
horns　protruded　from　the　skin　across　his　brow；　a　clear　mark　of　the　god’s　favour　upon　him；　and　his
hand　rested　upon　the　hilt　of　his　power　sword；　gifted　to　him　by　Erebus。
“Kneel；”　commanded　Marduk；　and　the　gathered　warriors　dropped　to　their　knees　instantly。　He
placed　his　fingertips　upon　the　forehead　of　each　champion　in　turn；　murmuring　a　benediction。　He　felt
heat　radiate　beneath　his　fingers；　and　the　smell　of　burning　flesh　rose。　The　imprint　of　his　fingertips
remained　on　each　champion’s　brow；　five　searing　points　where　the　skin　had　blistered　away　to　the
bone。
Having　completed　the　ritual；　Marduk　turned　towards　the　remainder　of　the　Host；　gathered　in
silence　as　they　witnessed　the　blessing。　He　saw　yearning　and　jealousy　in　the　eyes　of　the　warrior
brothers　who　had　not　been　chosen　to　accompany　him。　Their　champions　would　castigate　the　coteries
not　chosen；　and　when　next　they　entered　the　field　of　war；　they　would　fight　with　redoubled　ferocity。
“Look　upon　your　chosen　brothers　and　feel　pride；　my　brethren；”　roared　Marduk；　spreading　his
arms　out　to　each　side。　“Glory　in　their　successes　as　if　they　were　your　own；　for　they　fight　as
representatives　of　you　all。　Pray　for　them；　that　your　strength　may　buoy　them　in　the　days　to　come；　for
they　will　return　victorious　or　not　at　all。　In　the　true　gods　we　place　our　trust。”
Burias　slammed　the　butt　of　his　icon　onto　the　floor　once　more；　and　the　Host　as　one　hammered
their　fists　against　their　chests　in　response；　the　sound　echoing　through　the　docking　bay。
Turning　back　towards　the　chosen　thirty；　Marduk　dropped　to　one　knee　and　drew　forth　his　serrated
khantanka　knife。　Thirty　other　blades　were　drawn　instantly。　Each　warrior　of　the　Host　carried　a　sacred
blade；　and　it　was　with　his　own　khantanka　knife　that　each　warrior　brother　had　been　blooded　when
first　inducted　into　the　Legion。　Each　khantanka　blade　was　individual；　fashioned　by　the　warrior　it
belonged　to；　and　it　was　said　that　the　true　essence　of　the　warrior　could　be　read　in　its　design。
Marduk’s　blade　was　curved　and　serrated；　while　Kol　Badar’s　was　broad　and　heavy；　bereft　of
ornamentation。　Burias’s　blade　was　masterfully　fashioned　and　elegantly　curved；　and　its　hilt　was
fashioned　in　the　shape　of　a　snarling　serpent。
“Gods　of　the　ether；　we　offer　up　our　blood　as　sacrifice　to　your　glory；”　growled　Marduk；　cutting　a
deep　vertical　slash　down　his　right　cheek。　The　gathered　warriors　echoed　his　words；　mirroring　the
First　Acolyte’s　action。　Blood　ran　from　the　wounds；　running　down　the　faces　of　the　warriors　before
the　powerful　anti…coagulants　in　their　bloodstreams　sealed　the　wounds。
A　pair　of　murderous　kathartes　flickered　into　being　high　above；　the　skinless　daemons　circling
down　over　the　congregation；　borne　upon　bleeding；　leathery　wings；　and　settled　upon　the　Idolater　to
witness　the　ritual。
With　his　sacred　blood　dripping　from　his　jaw　and　onto　his　armour；　Marduk　carved　a　horizontal
line　across　his　cheek；　bisecting　the　other　cut　to　form　a　cross。
“Garner　us　with　strength；　and　let　your　dark　light　flow　through　our　earthly　bodies；”　intoned
Marduk　as　he　made　the　incision。　Again；　his　words　and　actions　were　replicated　by　the　chosen　thirty；
and　more　of　the　kathartes　flickered　into　being；　breaching　the　skin　between　the　real　and　the　warp。
“We　give　of　ourselves　unto　you；　oh　great　gods　of　damnation；　and　open　ourselves　as　vessels　to
your　immortal　will；”　said　Marduk；　making　a　third　cut　that　bisected　the　other　two　diagonally。
“With　the　letting　of　this　blood；　we　renew　our　pledge　of　faith　to　the　Legion；　to　Lorgar；　and　to　the
glory　of　Chaos　everlasting；”　said　Marduk；　completing　the　ritual　and　making　the　final　cut　upon　his
face；　forming　the　eight…pointed　star　of　Chaos　upon　his　cheek。
A　flock　of　thirty…two　kathartes　had　gathered　atop　the　Idolater；　silent　witnesses　to　the　conclusion
of　the　ritual。　They　kicked　off　from　their　roost；　and　circled　low　over　the　heads　of　the　Host；　blood
dripping　from　their　skinless　muscles；　and　their　hideous　faces　contorted　as　they　screamed。　Then　they
scattered；　filling　the　air　with　their　raucous　cries；　and　one　by　one　they　flickered　and　disappeared；
rejoining　the　blessed　immaterium。
Again　Marduk　raised　his　arms　up　high；　and　his　vox…assisted　voice　boomed　out　across　the
docking　bay。
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“The　portents　bode　well；　my　brothers；　and　the　true　gods　have　blessed　this　venture；　let　us　go
forth；　and　kill　in　the　name　of　Lorgar。”
“For　Lorgar；”　echoed　the　Host；　their　voices　raised；　and　Marduk　smiled。
“Let’s　get　this　done；”　snapped　Kol　Badar；　and　the　thirty　warriors　boarded　the　Idolater。　Darioq
was　brought　forth　from　a　side…door；　having　been　rightly　excluded　from　bearing　witness　to　the
khantanka　blooding　ritual；　and　was　marched　towards　the　waiting　transport　ship。　Marduk　had
allowed　him　to　reconstruct　his　servo…harness　armatures；　though　he　had　ensured　that　the　weapons
systems　of　the　unit　had　been　stripped；　and　had　personally　branded　an　eight…pointed　star　upon　his
hooded　forehead。
The　First　Acolyte　was　the　last　to　enter　the　transport　ship；　and　the　engines　roared　as　the　boarding
ramp　slammed　shut　behind　him。
“Gods　of　the　ether；　guide　us；”　he　whispered　to　himself。
The　three　Firestorm…class　frigates　of　Battle　Group　Orion　sent　their　sweeps　out　in　front　of　them；
searching　in　vain　for　the　suspected　Astartes　vessel。　Every　scan　came　back　negative；　and　attempts　to
locate　the　ship　through　astrotelepathic　means　proved　equally　fruitless。　It　was　as　if　the　ship　had　never
existed。
“It　could　be　a　ghost…image　from　a　jump　a　thousand　years　ago；”　remarked　the　captain　of　the
Dauntless；　the　lead　ship　of　the　patrol。　“There　is　nothing　out　here。”
With　reports　of　the　escalating　engagement　with　the　tyranid　hive…ships　coming　in　and　eager　not　to
miss　out　on　the　hunting；　the　captain　ordered　the　frigates　to　come　around　and　rejoin　the　rest　of　the
battle　group。
Unseen　and　invisible　in　the　radiation　field　of　the　red　giant；　an　Imperial…class　transport　vessel
blasted　from　the　hangar　decks　of　the　Infidus　Diabolus　and　began　to　make　its　way　across　the　gulf　of
space；　heading　towards　the　Imperial　blockade　and　the　moon　of　Perdus　Skylla　beyond。
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CHAPTER　FOUR
Marduk　felt　his　anger　rising　as　he　stared　out　at　the　Imperial　armada。　He　could　see　dozens　of　ships；
ranging　in　size　from　immense　battleships　bristling　with　weapons　to　small　civilian　transports。　The
warships　were　long；　inelegant　vessels　with　thick　armoured　prows；　like　the　ironclad　ships　that　he　had
once　seen　ploughing　the　oceans　of　the　Imperial　world　of　Katemendor；　before　that　world　had　been
put　to　the　sword。　Cathedral　spires　rose