Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第34部分

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bounding　forwards　with　inhuman　speed。　At　his　order；　the　warriors　began　firing；　ripping　the　aliens
apart。　Within　twenty　seconds　a　score　of　the　aliens　were　dead；　and　gore　and　blood　splashed　across　the
walls。
Marduk　risked　a　glance　behind　him；　seeing　the　hulking　form　of　Darioq…Grendh’al　working　on
the　bulkhead。　The　lascutter　on　the　tip　of　one　of　his　servo…arms　burned　white　hot　as　it　seared　through
the　reinforced；　thirty…centimetre　structure；　but　the　magos　was　only　half　way　around　the　bulkhead’s
circumference；　and　he　growled　in　frustration　before　turning　away　and　burying　a　bolt　in　another
alien’s　brainpan。
The　xenos　attacked　their　position　furiously；　racing　headlong　towards　the　Word　Bearers　only　to
be　shredded　by　the　concentrated　weight　of　fire。　Still　more　of　them　poured　into　the　room；　and　the　pile
of　dead　at　the　corridor　entrance　was　growing。
“Have　your　Mechanicus　lapdog　hurry　it　up；”　rumbled　Kol　Badar　to　Marduk。　“Our　ammunition
will　not　last　forever。”
Marduk　did　not　answer。　No　words　would　have　hurried　the　methodical　work　of　the　magos；　but　he
knew　that　the　Coryphaus　was　right；　if　the　enemy　maintained　this　intensity　in　attack；　they　could　not
hold。
Even　as　the　thought　formed；　one　of　the　aliens　reached　the　semicircular　line　of　the　Legion
warriors；　despite　the　weight　of　fire。　Two　of　its　arms　were　blown　clear　of　its　body　by　percussive
blasts；　but　it　did　not　drop；　and　it　leapt　forwards　and　drove　its　claws　through　the　faceplate　of　a　brother
Space　Marine’s　helmet；　popping　his　skull　like　an　overripe　fruit。
The　alien　was　cut　from　shoulder　to　hip　by　Khalaxis’s　roaring　chainaxe；　and　then　in　half　by　the
veteran’s　chainsword；　retrieved　from　one　of　his　fallen　warriors；　which　he　wielded　in　his　other　hand。
“Hold　the　line；”　roared　Kol　Badar；　but　Marduk　had　seen　Khalaxis’s　bloodlust　dozens　of　times；
and　knew　that　the　words　would　probably　not　penetrate　the　red　haze　that　had　descended　over　the
warrior。
Alien　blood　splattered　across　his　armour；　Khalaxis　roared　as　he　leapt　forwards　into　the　no…man’s
land；　spinning　the　pair　of　chain　weapons　around　in　a　brutal　arc　that　tore　through　the　body　of　another
alien　as　it　was　forced　backwards　by　explosive　bolt　rounds。
Not　wishing　to　be　outdone　by　the　blood…frenzied　champion；　Burias…Drak’shal　leapt　into　the　fray；
slamming　another　of　the　aliens　into　the　wall　with　a　swing　of　his　icon；　his　talons　shearing　the　face
from　another。
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The　killing　ground　was　gone；　and　firing　into　the　melee　risked　hitting　Khalaxis　and　the　Icon
Bearer；　and　so　Marduk　roared　a　deafening　cry　and　hurled　himself　into　the　fray；　his　daemonic；　heavybladed
chainsword　roaring。
The　other　warriors　reacted　instantly；　throwing　themselves　forwards　without　thought　for　their
own　safety；　firing　their　bolt　pistols　at　point　blank　range　into　the　melee　and　swinging　their
chainblades　in　murderous　arcs。
Kol　Badar　stalked　forwards；　gunning　down　one　of　the　creatures　before　swatting　the　head　of
another　from　its　shoulders　with　a　backhand　sweep　of　his　power　talons。　The　Anointed　advanced
alongside　the　Coryphaus；　power　weapons　humming　with　energy。　One　of　them　sent　a　white…hot　gout
of　plasma　shooting　from　his　combi…weapon　into　the　face　of　one　genestealer；　liquefying　its　flesh　and
rendering　its　bones　to　powder。
Still；　the　xenos　creatures　were　fast　beyond　belief；　and　their　strength　was　inhuman。　Marduk
fought　with　controlled　rage；　all　the　anger　and　tension　of　the　last　months　fuelling　every　murderous
stroke　of　his　chainsword。
“This　is　not　my　time！”　he　roared。　His　bolt　pistol　clicked　impotently　as　his　last　bolts　were
expended；　and　he　threw　it　to　the　floor　in　disgust。　Claws　slashed　across　his　chest　plate；　gouging　deep
rents　through　the　ceramite　armour；　and　tearing　through　his　flesh。　He　grasped　the　daemon　chainsword
with　two　hands；　allowing　the　daemon’s　hunger　for　blood　to　flow　through　him；　and　hacked　the　blade
into　the　widespread　maw　of　the　alien　as　it　lunged　towards　him。
Marduk　carved　the　daemon　weapon　through　alien　teeth；　muscle　and　flesh；　spraying　blood　and
fang…shards　in　all　directions；　and　the　creature’s　lower　jaw　was　torn　away　as　he　wrenched　the
chainblade　clear。　Inhuman；　gargling　screams　burst　from　its　throat；　and　it　thrashed　around　madly；
spraying　blood　left　and　right；　slashing　and　tearing　at　Marduk’s　armour。
His　left　shoulder　plate　was　ripped　away；　shorn　almost　in　two；　and　a　tri…clawed　talon　dug　into　his
neck；　punching　through　his　armour　and　flesh；　grinding　against　his　hyper…strengthened　vertebrae。
Blood　pumped　from　the　wound；　and　he　reeled　backwards　from　the　pain…fuelled；　frenzied　attack　of
the　alien。　It　came　after　him；　but　was　driven　into　the　ground　by　a　hammer…blow　from　Kol　Badar’s
power　talons。　The　Coryphaus　silenced　its　screams；　crushing　its　skull　with　a　heavy　stamp　of　his　foot。
Khalaxis　booted　another　in　the　face　with　the　flat　of　his　foot；　cracking　its　skull　before　shearing　a
pair　of　its　arms　away　with　a　downward　sweep　of　his　chainaxe。　The　claws　of　its　remaining　arms
ripped　across　his　chest；　crumpling　his　breastplate　like　paper　and　gouging　a　deep　wound　through　his
fused　breastplate；　but　his　blood　frenzy　drove　him　on；　and　he　rammed　his　chainsword　into　its
midsection；　disembowelling　it。　Sickly　purple　and　pinkish　steaming　organs　flopped　from　the　wound。
Brother　Akkar　swung　his　reaper　autocannon　like　a　club；　smashing　an　alien　away　from　him　as　it
hurled　itself　at　him；　sending　it　crashing　into　a　wall。　As　it　struggled　to　right　itself；　sinuous　limbs
thrashing；　the　Anointed　warrior　tore　it　to　shreds　with　a　burst　of　fire　from　his　heavy　weapon；　the　high
calibre　rounds　ripping　through　its　body　and　puncturing　the　pipes　and　cables　behind；　which　spewed
steam　into　the　blood…soaked　room。
A　genestealer　hit　the　Anointed　brother　from　behind；　driving　claws　into　either　side　of　his　helmet；
and　his　skull　was　crushed　to　pulp。
Burias…Drak’shal　gripped　the　writhing　alien　in　his　arms；　pulling　it　away　from　Akkar；　who　was
already　dead　and　falling　to　his　knees；　and　bit　down　on　its　elongated　cranium；　his　fangs　piercing　its
skull。　Black　blood　squirted　into　his　mouth　as　the　creature　died；　and　the　possessed　warrior　hurled　it
away；　his　forked　daemon…tongue　lapping　at　the　blood　covering　his　lips　and　chin。
The　attack　was　repulsed　abruptly；　though　the　throbbing　auspex　showed　that　another　wave　of　the
aliens　was　gathering　further　along　the　corridor。　The　remaining　Word　Bearers　hastily　reloaded　their
weapons　and　began　to　fire　once　more。
Pulling　his　hand　away　from　his　neck；　Marduk　stared　at　the　bright　red　blood　on　his　fingers　and
palm；　and　his　anger　surged。　The　blood　began　to　bubble　and　spit　on　his　gauntlet；　and　inside　his
helmet；　Marduk’s　eyes　turned　black　as　the　power　of　the　warp　surged　through　him；　fuelled　by　the
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bloodshed　and　the　fury　of　the　warriors　around　him；　and　jolting　his　body　with　its　suddenness　and　its
power。
Feeling　the　building　power；　Burias…Drak’shal　was　driven　to　his　knees；　clasping　his　icon　in　both
clawed　hands；　his　head　lowered。　Blood　ran　from　his　ears；　and　his　hands　shook　as　infernal　power
coursed　through　the　icon；　which　began　to　vibrate　and　smoke；　giving　off　an　acrid；　sulphurous　stench。
The　sounds　of　weapons　firing　and　Kol　Badar　bellowing　orders　faded　from　Marduk’s
consciousness　as　the　fury　of　the　Lord　of　Skulls　entered　him；　and　he　struggled　to　contain　the
unrelenting　waves　of　insane　anger　coursing　through　his　body。
His　muscles　tensed　to　the　point　of　bursting；　veins　bulging　in　his　neck　and　arms；　and　he　struggled
to　maintain　control　over　the　bloodthirsty　urges　that　assailed　him；　urging　him　to　lash　out；　unmindful
of　who　he　killed　so　long　as　the　blood　flowed。　Blood　pumped　loudly　through　his　veins；　drowning　out
all　sounds；　and　his　vision　was　red　and　hazy。　Slowly；　he　gained　mastery　over　the　surge　of　diabolic
power；　forcing　it　to　submit　to　his　will。
“Darr’kazar；　Khor’Rhakath；　Borr’mordhlal；　Forgh’gazz’ar；”　intoned　Marduk；　speaking　the
true　names　as　they　formed　in　his　mind’s　eye。　Daemonic　voices　roared　in　rage　and　hatred　at　his
command　over　them；　but　Marduk　cared　not；　and　continued　to　recite　the　names　as　they　came　to　him。
“Borgh’a’teth；　Rhazazel；　Skaman’dhor；　Katharr’bosch；”　said　Marduk；　completing　the　eight
names　that　burnt　red…hot　within　his　mind’s　eye。　He　dropped　to　his　knees　and　spread　his　arms　out
wide；　throwing　his　head　back　as　he　spoke　the　words　of　summoning　and　binding。
Akkar’s　body；　lying　on　the　floor　with　its　skull　a　bloody　ruin；　began　to　bloat；　as　if　his　innards
were　expanding　exponentially；　like　a　balloon　filling　with　gas。　His　hermetically　sealed　Terminator
armour　groaned　and　strained；　threatening　to　rupture　like　a　canister　of　promethium　hurled　into　hot
coals。　A　tiny　hairline　fracture　appeared　in　the　centre　of　the　breastplate　and　it　quickly　expanded
outwards；　until；　with　the　sickening　sound　of　cracking　bone　and　tendon；　the　armour　ripped　apart；　like
the　shell　being　peeled　from　a　crustacean。
A　shapeless　blood…bag　swelled　from　the　fissure；　flopping　down　onto　the　floor　alongside　the
ruptured　corpse。　The　veined　skin　of　the　amorphous　mass　pulsed　and　heaved　as　something　struggled
to　be　released　from　within；　and　the　whole　mass　swelled　as　it　increased　in　volume；　growing　larger
with　every　passing　moment。
A　blade　pierced　the　birth…sac；　its　surface　blackened　as　if　by　fire　and　with　glowing；　infernal　runes
carved　upon　its　surface。　A　daemon　rose　to　its　clawed　feet　as　the　skin　of　the　blood…bag　sloughed　from
its　body。
The　daemon　was　one　of　Khorne’s　minions；　a　foot　soldier　of　the　Lord　of　the　Brazen　Skull
Throne；　and　its　flesh　was　the　colour　of　congealed　blood。　It　uncurled　from　its　hunched；　foetal
position　as　the　last　vestiges　of　its　birth…sac　dropped　away；　and　it　sucked　in　a　deep　breath；　its　first　in
the　material　realm。
Its　limbs　were　long　and　scaled；　and　they　rippled　with　sinuous　muscle。　Its　head　was　elongated　and
bestial；　and　the　fires　of　hell　burned　in　its　hate…filled　serpent　eyes。　It　hefted　its　immense　blade　in　one
hand　as　it　staggered　drunkenly　for　a　moment；　getting　a　feel　for　its　new；　physical　incarnation。　The
runes　upon　the　hellblade’s　blackened　surface　glowed　with　the　heat　of　an　inferno；　and　as　the　daemon
steadied　itself；　becoming　instantly　accustomed　to　its　new…found　body　and　the　rules　of　the　material
plane；　it　exhaled；　breathing　out　a　blast　of　sulphurous　black　smoke。
Then　it　roared；　throwing　its　horned　head　back；　the　infernal　sound　ripping　forth　from　deep　within
its　tautly　muscled　chest　with　all　the　fury　of　its　patron　deity。　It　clenched　its　tall　hellblade　tightly；
quivering　in　anticipation　of　the　slaughter；　and　took　in　its　surroundings　with　malevolent　eyes。
It　snarled；　eyes　narrowing　as　it　looked　upon　the　red…armoured　figures　of　the　Word　Bearers。　Its
gaze　met　Burias…Drak’shal’s；　and　its　muscles　tensed　as　it　prepared　to　hurl　itself　at　the　possessed
warrior；　the　runes　upon　its　brazen　hellblade　glowing　like　lava。
Marduk’s　carefully　weighted　words　stabbed　at　the　daemon　like　intangible　blades　and　it　recoiled；
swinging　its　heavy　head　towards　the　First　Acolyte　in　hatred。　It　bared　its　teeth　at　its　summoner；　but
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Marduk’s　mastery　over　it　was　complete；　his　will　binding　it　more　effectively　than　chains；　and　though
it　fought　against　him　with　every　fibre　of　its　being；　muscles　straining；　it　was　powerless　against　him。
There　was　always　an