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control；　aiming　it　towards　the　gaping　launch　bay　that　was　looming　up　before　them；　filling　their
vision。
Assault　batteries　alongside　the　launch　bay　pivoted　towards　the　Rapture　as　she　screamed　towards
the　ship；　and　they　began　to　fire。　The　shuttle　was　struck　twice；　shearing　one　of　her　wings　off　in　an
explosion　of　sparks　and　flame；　and　then　the　Rapture　was　inside　the　Word　Bearers’　launch　bay。
Indentured　workers　scurried　from　their　path　as　the　Rapture　slammed　down　onto　the　launch　bay
landing　zone；　and　a　shower　of　sparks　rose　as　the　shuttle　skidded　and　spun　across　the　metal　flooring。
It　smashed　into　a　wall　and　ricocheted　off；　shearing　its　left　side　completely　away　before　coming　to　a
screeching　halt。
“Nice　landing；”　said　Marduk。
Two　full　coteries　of　Word　Bearers　Space　Marines　stood　with　bolters　trained　on　them　as　Marduk
and　Baranov　stumbled　from　the　twisted　wreckage　of　the　Rapture。　Marduk　grinned　and　slapped
Baranov　on　the　back　heavily；　knocking　the　man　to　his　knees。
“It’s　good　to　be　home；”　he　said。
The　First　Acolyte　was　still　naked　from　the　waist　up　and　his　flesh　was　a　tattered　ruin；　hanging
from　his　body　in　bloody　strips。　The　gathered　warrior　brothers　stood　with　bolters　levelled　at　Marduk；
for　a　moment；　not　recognising　him；　before　they　dropped　to　their　knees；　bowing　their　heads　to　the
ground　before　him。
“The　traitor　Astartes　are　attempting　to　disengage；　admiral；”　said　Gideon　Cortez；　flag…lieutenant　of
the　Hammer　of　Retribution。
“How　many　have　we　lost？”　asked　Admiral　Rutger　Augustine。
“Two　frigates　and　a　destroyer。　Another　two　destroyers　have　taken　severe　damage。　The　captain　of
the　Implacable　wishes　to　pursue。”
“Order　him　to　disengage；”　said　Augustine；　somewhat　reluctantly。　“We　need　those　ships　to
protect　the　line。”
“The　mass　transports　have　pulled　free　of　the　Perdus　moons’　atmospheres；”　said　Gideon；　reading
the　communiqué　from　a　data…wafer　that　was　passed　to　him　from　a　subordinate。
“Finally；”　said　Augustine。　He　looked　out　towards　the　moons。　A　fierce　battle　was　underway；　as
the　bulk　of　the　tyranid　fleet　converged　on　the　doomed　worlds；　moving　into　firing　range　of　the　main
blockade　line。
“Your　order；　admiral？”　asked　Gideon。
Augustine　sighed。
“Exterminatus；”　he　said　wearily。
Solon　watched　the　rays　of　dawn　lift　above　the　horizon　for　the　first　time　in　over　five　months；
relishing　the　sensation　of　natural　light　upon　his　face。　The　storms　had　all　but　cleared；　and　from　his
position　he　had　a　clear　view　across　the　ice　flows。　The　white　glare　was　almost　painful；　even　through
the　tinted　windows　of　the　spaceport；　and　he　was　awed　by　the　sublime　view。
For　the　past　hour　he　had　watched　the　alien　chrysalides　falling　from　the　sky。　The　xenos　enemy
could　be　seen　now；　approaching　Phorcys　like　a　living　tide。　People　were　screaming　in　panic；　but
Solon　did　not　bother　himself。　There　was　no　army　here　to　face　the　enemy　for　it　had　long　evacuated
the　moon；　and　there　was　nowhere　left　to　run。
Above　the　living　carpet　of　the　enemy；　trails　of　fire　were　roaring　down　from　the　sky；　as　if　the
burning　tears　of　the　Emperor　were　falling　from　the　heavens　to　smite　the　never…ending　xenos　horde。
The　cyclonic　torpedoes；　fired　by　more　than　a　score　of　battleships　in　high　orbit；　slammed　into　the
surface　of　Perdus　Skylla；　and　the　moon　was　instantly　engulfed　in　flames。
171
Solon　and　all　those　who　had　not　managed　to　secure　passage　off…world　died　instantly；　and　more
than　eight　million　tyranid　organisms　perished　in　the　hellish　conflagration。
“The　Emperor’s　will　be　done；”　said　Admiral　Rutger　Augustine　as　he　watched　the　moon　ignite　from
the　bridge　of　the　Hammer　of　Righteousness。
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CHAPTER　TWENTY…TWO
Beneath　a　sky　of　fire　and　blood；　the　Basilica　of　the　Word　rose　impossibly　high　into　the　air；　hundreds
of　barbed　spires　piercing　the　roiling　heavens。　Each　spire　was　more　than　five　kilometres　high；　and
studded　with　jutting；　rusted　spikes。　Ten　or　more　living　sacrifices　were　impaled　on　each　spike；　and
they　moaned　in　agony　and　torment　as　their　flesh　was　torn　from　their　bones　by　skinless　daemons。
Thousands　more　kathartes　circled　the　basilica；　filling　the　air　with　their　screeches　and　deathly　cries。
The　sound　of　the　daemons　mingled　with　the　morbid　chanting　of　countless　millions　of　proselytes
within　the　basilica；　their　voices　accompanied　by　braying　daemonic　choirs　and　the　pounding　of
industry。　Lurid　flames　burst　forth　from　daemon…headed　gargoyles　as　an　endless　stream　of　sacrifices
were　slain　in　the　blood…chambers　deep　within；　and　the　deep　baritone　of　Astartes　voices　lifted　in
morbid　cantillation。
Outside　the　temple；　the　lines　of　sacrifices；　ten　million　strong；　shuffled　forwards；　a　never…ending
stream　of　humanity　that　wound　its　way　through　the　blood…soaked　avenues。　Deathly　cherubs　with
skeletal　wings　growing　from　their　bloated；　childish　bodies　swooped　low　over　the　masses；　and　foulsmelling
incense　billowed　from　the　censors　hanging　from　the　chains　that　pulled　at　their　skin。　Ever
more　penitents　were　constantly　added　to　the　lines；　slaves　and　odalisques　taken　from　a　hundred
thousand　worlds　on　which　the　Word　Bearers　had　fought；　bringing　the　holy　word　of　Lorgar　to　all；
willing　or　not。　Most　were　already　utterly　corrupted　to　the　worship　of　dark　gods　and　went　to　their
deaths　willingly；　eagerly；　yet　twisted；　black…clad　minions　of　the　Word　Bearers　continued　to　stalk　the
lines；　stabbing　their　needle…like　fingers　into　any　that　shuffled　forward　too　slowly；　urging　them　on。
Discords　floated　along　the　lines；　mechanical　tentacles　waving　gently；　and　the　rapturous　blare　of
Chaos　in　all　its　insanity　assaulted　the　eardrums　of　the　condemned　from　their　grilled　speakers。
Relentless　mechanical　pounding　boomed　from　the　discords；　overlaid　with　daemonic　bellows　and
roars；　voices　whispering　of　death　and　the　glory　of　Chaos；　weeping　of　children　and　hate…filled
screams。
Eight　immense　gehemahnet　towers　surrounded　the　monstrous　temple；　and　the　doleful　tolling　of
their　bells　resounded　across　the　hellish　landscape。　Hundreds　of　thousands　of　rapturous　voices　rose　in
glorifying　chants　as　the　colossal　bells　pealed；　the　sound　torn　from　raw　throats。
For　as　far　as　the　eye　could　see；　from　horizon　to　horizon；　towering　shrines　and　temples　to　the　dark
gods　rose　from　the　blood　soaked　earth　of　Sicarus；　daemon　home　world　of　the　XVII　Legion　and　seat
of　power　of　the　Primarch　Lorgar。　Kilometre…high　obelisks　hanging　with　thousands　of　lifeless　bodies
and　daubed　with　infernal　runes　had　been　erected　in　every　quarter；　and　grand　mausoleums；
cathedrals；　and　giant　statues　surrounded　by　squares　teeming　with　worshippers　spread　out　around　the
basilica。
Spider…legged　cranes　picked　their　way　across　the　horizon；　each　one　accompanied　by　half　a
million　slave…workers　that　toiled　to　raise　ever　more　impressive　structures　of　devotion　and　worship　to
the　gods　of　Chaos；　constructing　new　temples；　fanes　and　sacrariums　atop　older；　crumbling　edifices
and　cathedrals。　The　work　was　constant；　level　built　upon　level；　so　that　the　majority　of　the　buildings
were　subterranean；　an　impossibly　deep；　labyrinthine　warren　of　interconnected　structures；　all　devoted
to　the　worship　of　Chaos　in　all　its　guises。　Indeed；　millions　of　slaves　toiled　below　ground；　never
seeing　the　surface　at　all；　carving　out　more　caverns　of　worship；　crypts　and　deep；　hidden　sanctums
many　kilometres　beneath　the　surface　of　the　daemon　world。
173
The　rogue　trader；　Ikorus　Baranov；　was　down　there　somewhere；　thought　Marduk　in　amusement；
if　he　was　not　already　dead。　He　had　enjoyed　the　look　of　horror　and　betrayal　on　the　weakling　mortal’s
face　when　he　had　ordered　him　to　be　taken　into　the　slave　gangs。　The　human　had　served　its　purpose；
and　was　less　than　nothing　to　Marduk。
Two　moons　hung　low　in　the　burning　skies；　their　jet…black　surfaces　wreathed　in　hellfire；　like　the
eyes　of　the　gods　staring　down　upon　Marduk。
He　stood　on　a　high　balcony　constructed　from　human　bones；　staring　down　upon　the　glory　of　the
Host；　arrayed　below　him　on　one　of　the　immense　terraces　that　extended　down　the　sides　of　the
basilica：　his　Host。
It　was　gathered　in　all　its　might；　standing　in　serried　ranks；　and　Marduk　felt　pride　as　he　looked
upon　them。　Pennants　of　flayed　human　flesh　fluttered　from　back…banners；　and　all　within　the　Host　had
repainted　their　le