warrior’s leg； cutting it off at the knee。
Marduk judged that this was the leader of the wych troop。 She moved with exquisite； savage
grace； her serpentine whip writhing with a life of its own。 The whip cracked out； and its multiple
barbed tips lashed around the arm of another warrior brother。 Energy coursed up the length of the
whip and the warrior of the XVII Legion dropped to the ground； his body convulsing。
Marduk levelled his bolt pistol at the wych’s head； but before he could fire； a net of fine； razorsharp
wire wrapped around his arm； pulling his aim off target and slicing through his vambraces。 A
tri…forked spear stabbed towards Marduk’s chest； but the First Acolyte swatted it aside with his
chainsword and hacked into the eldar’s neck； ripping his chainblade through flesh。
Untangling himself from the wire net that had cut half…through his vambrace； Marduk turned and
staggered back from the furious assault of another of the wyches。 It danced towards him with a pair
of long…bladed swords weaving before it。 Each of the swords had a guard that protected the
wielder’s hands； and they had curving blades for pommels。
The blades moved faster than Marduk could follow； and he was losing ground before their
flashing advance。 Snarling； he leapt forwards； his hatred fuelling his servo…enhanced strength。
One of the blades slashed for his neck； and Marduk blocked the attack with his forearm； while
the other sword slashed up towards his groin。 He met the blow with one of his own； and for a
moment the two combatants were locked together。 Then the eldar flipped backwards； first one foot
and then the other cannoning into the base of Marduk’s helmet； snapping his head backwards。
The two blades stabbed towards Marduk’s heart； but he twisted at the last moment； and they
scraped a pair of furrows across his chest。 The First Acolyte grabbed one of the eldar’s wrists；
pinning it in place； and smashed the spiked guard of his chainsword into the wych’s face；
pulverising its skull。
Dropping the lifeless corpse to the ground； Marduk surveyed the battle。 The eldar were
everywhere； darting in and out of the melee； blades flashing and pistols spitting razor…sharp
splinters。 Another of the Land Raiders was destroyed； its blackened hull smoking and lifeless； and
jetbikes screamed around the outside of the battle； banking sharply before gunning their engines and
cutting like knives through the combat。 Shadowy figures appeared on the outskirts； preying upon the
unwary； blinking into existence behind warrior brothers engaged in combat； and cutting them down。
His selves well； and the ice was strewn with the eldar dead； but he
knew instinctively that this was not a battle he could win。 The notion of retreating was repellent to
him； but he had to keep things in perspective。 He had what he needed。 The knowledge was locked
inside the explorator’s brain； housed in the body of Darioq…Grendh’al。 He had only to get away from
this damnable moon； and return to Sicarus。 Everything else was meaningless。
Marduk had ordered the warriors of the Host to protect Darioq…Grendh’al； but he saw now that
such precautions were unnecessary。 The corrupted magos was killing anything that came near him；
and the first Acolyte smiled at the daemon’s bloodlust as it overcame any resistance left within its
host body。
A mass of writhing； daemonic tentacles； black and oily； burst from the magos’s body to join his
mechadendrites； each appearing to move with their own will and sentience。 They coiled around the
legs of those eldar that closed in around the magos； effortlessly hurling them through the air； while
other sucker…tipped tentacles drew victims in close； where they were dismembered by Darioq’s
toothed servo…arms。
Snapping mouths upon the tips of mechadendrites burrowed into xenos bodies； and fresh
mutations appeared upon the magos’s flesh。 More spines and horny protrusions pushed out along the
ridges of his servo…arms； and from his knee…joints； metal merged seamlessly into bone and horn。
“We are leaving！” roared Marduk； and Kol Badar instantly set about ordering the evacuation。
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An arc of black light struck the side of the shuttle； and Marduk felt a stab of unease。 It was not a
feeling that he was used to； and it served only to feed his anger。 If the eldar immobilised the shuttle；
there would be no getting off the moon。
“Move！” roared Marduk； stepping back towards the embarkation ramp of the Idolater； holding
his chainsword in both hands。 His bolt pistol was gone； but it mattered not。 All that mattered now
was getting off this cursed world。
The Word Bearers formed a retreating arc； closing together and backing towards the shuttle；
bolters blazing and chainswords roaring； and the engines of the Idolater roared to life。
Marduk stood with Kol Badar and Sabtec at the top of the embarkation ramp as the engines of the
Idolater fired。
“Here he comes；” remarked Kol Badar as Burias…Drak’shal leapt through the press of dark eldar；
crushing the skull of one of the wyches as he came。 He was bleeding from dozens of wounds； the
largest a gaping hole in his side； and his armour was peppered with splinters that protruded from his
armoured plates like bizarre decorations。
The icon bearer staggered up the ramp； and Marduk stepped aside to let him pass。
“One minute more and we would have left；” barked Kol Badar； snapping off shots with his
combi…bolter。
The daemon left Burias； his natural form returning； and he slumped forward unconscious；
sprawling face first out on the deck； blood running freely from his wounds。
“Somebody see to him；” barked Marduk。
The engines roared as the plasma core came into full power； and the ramp began to close。
Splinters spat up at the trio standing guard atop the ramp； and Sabtec and Marduk ducked back to
avoid the deadly projectiles。 A line of the fine shards struck Marduk across the side of his helmet；
their tips just penetrating far enough to graze his cheek。 He ripped his helmet off and tossed it into
the shuttle’s interior。 Kol Badar merely endured the barrage of fire； for the splinters had not the
power to penetrate his thick Terminator armour。
The eldar wyches made a last charge； leaping lightly onto the ramp as it rose past horizontal。 Kol
Badar killed three of them； firing his combi…bolter on full auto； and Sabtec took down another two；
his bolter ripping the slender warriors in half。 Marduk’s chainsword killed another； the toothed blade
ripping it from groin to heart。
Behind them was another wych； the tall； elegant and sneering female with flowing hair that
Marduk had seen take down at least three of his warriors； and as Kol Badar and Sabtec gunned
down her companions； her sinuous； serpent…like whip lashed out； its barbed tips whipping around
Marduk’s throat。
Debilitating energy coursed through the length of the whip； rendering Marduk’s enhanced
physiology all put paralysed； and his muscles twitched spasmodically。 Fighting the energy coursing
through him； Marduk dropped his chainsword and reached up to the strangling whip wrapped
around his neck； trying to pry it loose。 With a powerful wrench； the eldar warrior hauled Marduk
towards her。
Sabtec cried out and reached for the First Acolyte； but Marduk was already falling。 Kol Badar’s
combi…bolter roared； but the wych back…flipped from the ramp that was now more vertical than
horizontal； and the bolts missed their mark。 Marduk was dragged from the ramp behind the wych。
Kol Badar’s power talons lashed out； grabbing Marduk around the wrist as he fell。 The
Coryphaus leant his shoulder against the closing ramp； and its motors strained against him as he
held it open。
Debilitating energy was coursing through Marduk’s body from the whip lashed around his neck；
but he looked up at Kol Badar with fiery eyes。
“Don’t… let… go；” he hissed。
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Kol Badar stared into the First Acolyte’s eyes； his entire body straining to hold the shuttle’s
ramp open。
Then the Coryphaus’s talons opened； and Marduk fell to the ground below。
“No！” gasped Sabtec as the ramp slammed closed and the shuttle lifted from the ice。 “We must
go back！”
“Be silent；” barked Kol Badar。 “He’s gone。”
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BOOK THREE：
SHE WHO THIRSTS
“And so from decadence； wantonness and depravity a new power was birthed into the darkness。 In
darkness it resides and in darkness it hungers； now and for all time。”
—Ravings of the Shalleigha； Flagellantaie Diabolicus
139
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Marduk opened his right eye groggily as he regained consciousness。 His left daemonic eye was
lidless； but he could see nothing with it。 Perhaps it had been ripped from his socket while he was
unconscious； he thought； before he remembered the needle that had been pushed into the eye。 He
tried to move his limbs； but they were held fast； and he gritted his sharpened teeth as pain coursed
through his body。
With the pain； his memories came flooding back to him。 Again； he felt the paralysing length of
the whip wrapped around his neck and the jolt as he hit the ice。 He felt the Coryphaus’s grip on him
slip； and saw again the blue engines of the Idolater as it roared up into the heavens away from him。
Rage had blossomed as he had realised that it