Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第44部分

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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
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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　was　not　turning　back。
He　had　been　bound　with　manacles　that　coursed　with　energy；　sending　shooting　pain　through　his
nervous　system；　and　had　endured　the　humiliation　of　being　bundled　from　the　battlefield；　hovering　a
metre　above　the　ground；　held　aloft　by　the　vile　sorceries　of　the　eldar。　He　had　been　raised　to　the　back
of　one　of　the　eldar　skiffs；　and　he　saw　that　other　warrior　brothers　had　been　captured。　They　were
prodded　and　kicked　into　low　cages　beneath　the　deck　of　the　skiff；　while　the　hateful　xenos　laughed。
Marduk　had　stared　hatefully　at　the　female　wych　that　had　disabled　him；　her　long；　fiery　hair
flowing　down　her　back。　She　sneered　at　him　and　slammed　the　solid　cage　door　closed。
The　vehicle　had　reached　incredible　speed；　and　at　some　point　Marduk　had　felt　a　subtle　change　in
the　air；　as　if　the　skiff　had　been　transported　somewhere　else　entirely；　and　its　speed　increased　tenfold。
At　some　point　he　had　passed　out；　and　he　had　come　to　again　only　when　the　skiff　screamed　to　a
smooth　halt。　Once　again；　the　air　tasted　subtly　different；　more　cloying　and　close。
Marduk　and　the　other　captives　had　been　dragged　from　the　hold　beneath　the　deck　of　the　skiffs；
and　had　looked　around　them　angrily。　They　were　inside　a　cavernous；　expansive　dome；　with　bladed
ribs　arching　up　above　them；　and　Marduk　saw　scores　of　alien　skiffs　and　jetbikes　lined　up　around　its
sides；　hovering　at　rest　above　the　floor；　lined　up　one　above　another。　Hundreds　of　eldar　soldiers
moved　through　the　lair；　and　Marduk　glowered　at　them　hatefully。
A　gateway　of　crackling　darkness　hung　in　mid…air　in　the　centre　of　the　dome；　enclosed　by　elegant
bladed　arches。　Even　as　he　watched；　Marduk　had　seen　a　skiff　emerge　from　the　portal；　appearing　from
the　wafer…thin；　vertical　pool　of　darkness　and　gliding　effortlessly　several　metres　above　the　ground；
the　warriors　upon　its　decks　leaping　to　the　floor。
Then　searing　pain　exploded　through　Marduk’s　body；　his　every　nerve　ending　on　fire　as　needles
stabbed　into　his　flesh。　He　resisted　it　as　long　as　he　was　able；　and　a　further　set　of　needles　stabbed　into
him。　Still；　he　fought　his　captors；　struggling　and　roaring　his　anger。　A　third　set　of　needles　plunged　into
his　neck；　and　at　last　he　was　overcome；　and　everything　had　gone　black。
Glancing　down；　Marduk　saw　that　his　arms　and　legs　were　spread…eagled　out　to　either　side。　His
blessed　armour　had　been　stripped　from　his　upper　body；　and　his　pallid　skin　was　puckered　with　tens　of
thousands　of　tiny　pinpricks　of　dried　blood。　His　armour　had　been　slowly　fusing　to　his　body；　and　the
inside　of　their　plates　were　covered　with　thousands　of　tiny　barbs　that　were　growing　into　his　flesh。
Removing　the　armour　plating　was　a　painful　and　oddly　distressing　procedure；　for　it　was　as　much　a
part　of　him　as　his　limbs；　and　he　had　only　twice　removed　his　breastplate　since　the　blessed　Warmaster
had　perished。
That　was　an　age　ago；　a　lifetime　in　the　past。　Once　his　armour　had　been　granite　grey；　as　had　the
armour　of　all　the　warriors　of　the　XVII　Legion；　the　colour　they　had　worn　since　the　Legion’s
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inception；　but　he　had　long　ago　stained　it　the　deep　red　adopted　by　all　of　his　brethren　at　Lorgar’s
decree。
Marduk　gazed　blearily　down　upon　his　naked　torso　for　the　first　time　in　untold　millennia。　It　looked
like　the　body　of　a　stranger。　His　pectorals　were　thick　and　slablike；　and　the　muscles　of　his　abdomen
rippled　as　he　strained　against　his　restraints。　Dozens　of　scars　marred　his　perfect　form　and　blue　veins
could　be　seen　clearly　through　his　translucent；　pale　flesh。
Marduk　turned　his　head　groggily　to　the　side；　looking　along　the　length　of　his　outstretched　arms。
His　powerful　limbs　had　been　stripped　of　his　power　armour；　exposing　passages　from　the　Book　of
Lorgar　that　ran　in　spirals　of　tiny　script　around　his　forearms；　lust　looking　upon　the　tiny；　archaic　script
gave　him　comfort；　even　though　his　eyes　still　could　not　focus　on　the　individual　words　and　characters。
Casting　his　gaze　further　along　his　arms；　Marduk　saw　what　was　constricting　his　movements。　A
slender；　tapering　blade　had　pierced　his　wrists；　passing　through　his　flesh　and　between　his　bones；
protruding　a　metre　out　the　other　side。
Marduk　pulled　against　the　restraints；　trying　to　slide　his　limbs　off　the　impaling　blades；　but　jolting
pain　accompanied　his　efforts；　making　his　body　shudder　and　contort　in　agony。　He　could　feel　the
needles；　the　long　shards　of　metal　that　had　been　inserted　between　his　vertebrae；　piercing　his　central
nervous　system。　They　ran　from　the　base　of　his　spine　to　his　skull；　a　slender　needle　inserted　into　every
gap　between　the　bones。　Marduk　ceased　his　struggles；　and　the　pain　instantly　receded。
He　was　suspended；　upright　and　hanging　upon　the　blades　piercing　his　wrists　and　lower　legs。　The
blades　shifted　slightly；　angling　upwards；　and　Marduk　hissed　in　pain　as　he　slid　further　back　along
their　lengths；　the　spikes　grinding　against　bone。
As　his　vision　cleared；　Marduk　took　in　the　details　of　the　room。　It　was　circular　in　shape；　and　the
ceiling　was　low。　It　was　dim；　the　only　light　coming　from　the　featureless　floor　and　low　roof；　fading　in
and　out　in　rhythmic　pulses。　There　was　a　single　exit　from　the　room；　semi…transparent　strips　of　plaslike
material　blocking　his　vision　of　the　room　beyond。
Marduk　registered　the　presence　of　another　being　in　the　centre　of　the　room。　He　had　thought　he
was　alone；　but　his　vision　focused　on　the　back　of　a　tall；　unearthly　thin　individual。　Marduk　glared　at
the　creature　hatefully；　remembering　its　touch。
Its　emaciated　upper　body　was　garbed　in　a　tight…fitting；　glossy　black　bodysuit；　and　its　legs　were
concealed　beneath　an　apron　of　similar　material。　The　figure　was　leaning　over　something；　a　body
perhaps；　and　appeared　engrossed　in　its　work。　Dozens　of　blades；　hooks　and　other　less　easily
recognisable　implements　hung　from　its　waist；　and　its　hairless　head　was　strangely　elongated；　its　skull
extending　back　further　than　was　normal。　Dozens　of　needles　and　tubes　entered　the　flesh　of　its　skull；
flowing　backwards　like　a　mockery　of　hair。
Hovering　above　the　table　on　which　the　death…like　eldar　worked　was　an　immense　spider；　a　dozen
slim　limbs　extending　from　its　body。　The　long；　multi…jointed　limbs　were　akin　to　the　blades　that
pierced　his　own　body；　their　surface　black　and　reflective；　and　he　wondered　if　it　was　a　similar　creature
that　held　him。　Its　legs　moved　with　swift；　precise　movements；　each　one　easily　four　metres　long　and
elongated　to　sharp　points。　Marduk　decided　that　his　first　impression　had　been　wrong。　This　was　not　a
living　creature　at　all。　It　was　a　machine。
As　the　machine　spider　rotated　slightly　in　the　air；　its　long　legs　moving　rapidly　and　independent　of
each　other；　Marduk　saw　that　his　assumption　was　not　quite　correct。　The　thing　was　alive；　or　at　least
part　of　it　was。　In　the　dull　light　that　pulsed　from　the　ceiling　and　floor；　he　could　see　that　there　was　an
eldar　figure　at　the　heart　of　the　spider…machine；　or　at　least　what　must　have　once　been　one　of　the
decadent　xenos　beings。　Its　face　was　obscured　beneath　a　shiny　black；　featureless　mask；　and　the
spider…like　limbs　were　attached　to　its　torso；　protruding　from　its　spine。　The　eldar’s　humanoid　upper
arms　merged　into　another　pair　of　long　spider