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Kol　Badar　and　two　of　his　Anointed　warriors　were　leading　the　advance；　walking　in　single　file；
their　massive　shoulders　sometimes　scraping　along　the　walls　of　the　narrow；　dark　corridors。
Terminator　armour　had　been　originally　constructed　with　brutal　ship…to…ship　boarding　actions　in
mind；　where　the　immense　protection　its　heavy　plates　provided　far　outweighed　its　lack　of　speed　and
manoeuvrability。　Within　the　flooded　hulk；　they　were　the　obvious　choice　to　lead　the　advance。
Khalaxis　walked　a　pace　behind　them；　a　blinking　auspex　held　before　him；　scanning　for
movement。　The　amount　of　interference　from　the　ship　was　playing　havoc　with　its　accuracy；　limiting
its　range　to　less　than　fifty　metres。　Anything　moving　within　the　range　of　its　sweeps　would　appear　as　a
blinking　icon；　but　thus　far　only　the　other　members　of　the　Host　had　appeared　on　its　blister　screen。
Marduk　walked　with　Burias　in　the　centre　of　the　group；　along　with　the　hulking　form　of　Darioq…
Grendh’al。　Members　of　Khalaxis’s　coterie　surrounded　them；　and　the　other　two　members　of　the
Anointed　brought　up　the　rear。
They　moved　with　well…practiced　discipline。　Despite　no　movement　or　heat　signatures　being
picked　up　by　the　auspex；　individual　warriors　peeled　off　to　lay　fields　of　over…watch　down　side
corridors　and　into　darkened　rooms。　Those　behind　moved　past　the　sentinels；　which　filed　back　into
line　towards　the　rear。　At　the　very　back　of　the　formation；　the　Anointed　ensured　that　no　enemy　was
able　to　approach　unannounced。　The　formation　was　in　constant　movement；　each　warrior　providing
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cover　for　his　brethren　before　moving　on；　and　though　their　progress　was　slow；　they　moved
inexorably　deeper　into　the　hulk。　It　was　standard　practice　in　unknown；　tight　confines　such　as　these；
and　centuries　of　drilled　combat　doctrine　ensured　that　everyone　knew　his　place。
The　air　within　the　ship　was　perfectly　still；　like　the　inside　of　a　mausoleum；　and　the　silence　was
oppressive。　The　darkness　was　all　consuming；　and　with　the　utter　absence　of　any　form　of　light；　even
the　enhanced　vision　of　the　Word　Bearers　was　impaired。　Their　footsteps　echoed　painfully　loudly
along　the　empty　corridors；　and　Marduk　ground　his　sharp　teeth　in　frustration；　drawing　blood。　In　the
desolate　silence　of　the　hulk；　sound　travelled　easily；　and　their　quarry　may　already　have　heard　their
advance　and　moved　deeper　into　the　freighter。
The　line　of　warriors　emerged　from　a　branching　corridor　into　a　room　that　might　once　have　been　a
thriving　workshop。　Piles　of　mechanics　and　engine　parts　were　strewn　across　the　grilled；　uneven
flooring；　and　heavy　machinery　that　would　have　taken　a　dozen　power…lifter　equipped　servitors　to
shift　lay　overturned；　like　the　discarded　toys　of　an　infant。
Half　a　dozen　dark；　uninviting　corridors　led　from　the　room；　as　well　as　at　least　four　closed；
powered　doors。　Warriors　had　taken　up　position　at　each　entrance；　auto…sensors　straining　to　locate　any
threat。
“Which　way？”　asked　Kol　Badar。
The　Coryphaus’s　tone　conveyed　the　warlord’s　thoughts　clearly；　without　need　for　words；　that　this
was　a　hopeless　venture；　but　Marduk　ignored　his　inference　and　paused；　calming　his　breathing　and
closing　his　eyes。
He　had　entered　this　half…trance　a　dozen　times　already　within　the　ship；　searching　for　any　residual
warp…trace　that　might　suggest　the　explorator　had　come　this　way；　but　so　far　had　found　nothing。　The
soul　of　every　living　creature　in　the　universe　was　a　flaring　beacon　within　the　warp—those　individuals
who　manifested　latent　psychic　powers　burning　the　most　fiercely—and　to　those　schooled　in　the
occult　teachings　of　the　Word　Bearer’s　priesthood；　it　was　possible　to　perceive　this　soul　glow　in　the
material　realm；　sensing　it　even　at　distance。
Marduk　strained　to　pick　up　anything；　and　had　almost　resigned　himself　to　failure　once　more　when
he　felt…
something。　It　was　very　faint；　like　the　fading　heat　image　that　surrounded　a　body　an　hour　dead；　but
it　was　definitely　there。　His　eyes　snapped　open。
“There；”　he　said；　pointing　towards　one　of　the　corridors。
Without　a　word；　the　Word　Bearers　continued　deeper　into　the　Flame　of　Perdition。
Somewhere　in　the　distance　there　was　an　echoing　clang。　It　was　impossible　to　gauge　the　distance
of　the　sound；　but　to　Marduk　he　felt　it　was　confirmation　of　the　whereabouts　of　the　explorator。
“Quickly；”　he　urged。
The　Anointed　were　leading　the　way；　their　combi…bolters　tracking　for　movement。　Khalaxis’s　auspex
throbbed　with　its　steady　light。
The　remainder　of　the　warriors　followed　single…file；　weapons　held　at　the　ready。
They　had　been　moving　within　the　Flame　of　Perdition　for　over　an　hour；　time　enough　to　have
walked　its　length　twice　over　had　their　path　not　been　so　circuitous　and　slow。　No　further　sound　had
been　heard　other　than　that　one；　distant　echo；　but　Marduk　was　confident　that　his　quarry　was　near。
The　First　Acolyte　was　lost　in　his　thoughts　when　it　happened。
A　sheet　metal　wall　panel　punched　inwards；　crumpling　like　synth…board；　and　a　blurred；　dark
shape　leapt　from　the　gaping　hole　in　the　wall。　A　clawed　limb　smashed　into　a　warrior　brother’s
helmet；　crumpling　it　like　paper；　and　hot　blood　spurted；　splashing　across　the　wall。
Marduk　saw　a　blur　of　limbs；　an　exoskeleton　of　dark　chitin；　and　another　warrior　brother　was
dead；　claws　tearing　an　arm　from　its　socket　and　punching　through　a　breastplate。
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In　the　tight　confines　of　the　corridor；　all　was　suddenly　chaos；　with　warriors　shouting　and　bolters
barking。
The　warrior　in　front　of　Marduk　staggered　backwards　as　the　xenos　creature　turned　its　attention
towards　him；　claws　flashing。　In　an　instant；　his　hand　was　severed　at　the　wrist　by　the　flashing　claws；
the　bolt　pistol　in　his　hand　still　firing　as　it　hit　the　ground；　and　Marduk　stared　into　the　venomous　eyes
of　the　deadly　killer。
The　creature　was　bipedal　and　hunched；　its　four　arms　hanging　low　from　its　armoured　carapace；
and　its　hypnotic　eyes；　glinting　yellow　slashes；　set　deep　into　a　wide；　pallid　face。　Marduk　found
himself　ensnared　by　the　power　in　those　golden　orbs；　and　for　a　second　he　was　frozen　in　place；　staring
dumbly　at　the　alien。
It　pulled　the　disarmed　warrior　into　a　tight　embrace；　and　its　jaws　closed　around　the　Word
Bearer’s　helmet。
Bolter　fire　struck　the　xenos　creature　from　behind　and　a　high…pitched；　inhuman　scream　was
ripped　from　its　throat　as　chunks　of　chitin　were　blasted　from　its　body；　splattering　Marduk　with　its
vile；　xenos　blood。
The　splatter　of　blood　upon　the　skull…face　of　his　helmet　broke　his　hypnotic　reverie；　and　Marduk
lifted　his　bolt　pistol。　Even　as　his　finger　was　squeezing　the　trigger；　the　xenos　creature　spun　towards
its　assailant。
Marduk’s　shots　took　the　creature　in　the　back　of　the　head；　and　its　forehead　exploded　like　a
ruptured　egg；　spraying　brain　matter；　blood　and　shards　of　skull；　and　it　fell　to　the　ground；　dead；　a
tangle　of　alien　limbs。
Khalaxis　gave　a　warning　shout　as　his　auspex　suddenly　lit　up　with　movement。
“Contact；”　he　shouted。
“Where？”　bellowed　Kol　Badar。
“Everywhere！”　came　the　frantic　response。
Marduk　swore；　and　stared　down　in　disgusted　fascination　at　the　lifeless　corpse　of　the　xenos
creature　on　the　ground。
The　exposed　flesh　of　its　head　and　hands　was　pallid；　tinged　slightly　purple…blue；　and　its　chitinous
shell；　like　that　of　an　insect’s；　was　the　colour　of　the　night　sky。　It　had　been　monstrously　fast　and
strong；　and　the　fact　that　one　creature　had　managed　to　kill　two　veteran　Astartes　and　injure　another　in
mere　seconds　meant　that　this　corridor　was　not　a　place　Marduk　wanted　to　be　when　more　of　them
appeared。
“Move！”　he　hollered。
With　a　nod　from　the　Coryphaus；　the　Anointed　at　the　forefront　of　the　group　began　advancing。
The　Anointed　in　the　rear　began　firing；　their　combi…bolters　barking　loudly　as　they　fired　at　the
wave　of　creatures　surging　at　them　from　behind。　Passing　a　side　passage；　Marduk　looked　to　the　left
and　began　firing；　seeing　another　of　the　creatures　scuttling　up　the　corridor　towards　him　with
sickening　speed。　He　dropped　it　with　a　controlled　burst　from　his　bolt　pistol。
The　warriors　at　the　front　of　the　group　halted；　opening　up　with　their　weapon　systems　as　more　of
the　xenos　creatures　appeared。
“A　powerful　foe；”　growled　Burias…Drak’shal　with　relish；　forming　the　words　with　some　difficulty
now　that　his　mouth　was　filled　with　daemonic　tusks　and　teeth。