按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
125
The two figures were immense； as tall as eldar； but easily three times the weight； their bodies
bulked out with thick slabs of muscle。 Blood was everywhere in the circular room。 It had sprayed
across the walls and ceiling； was pooling on the floor； and covered the bodies and the mechanical
arms that pinned them in place。
The dark red armour plates of the mon…keigh were scattered across the floor。 Drazjaer moved
one of them with his foot。 It was heavy and inflexible； a brutal and crude form of armour for a brutal
and crude race。
Returning his gaze to the two human bodies impaled upon the bladed arms of the mechanical
apparatus that held them； Drazjaer saw that one of them was clearly lifeless； and anger blossomed
within him。 What good were they to him if they were dead？
As if feeling his master’s anger bloom； Rhakaeth stepped away from the dracon； putting the
bodies between them。 The eyes of the still living human flicked towards the dracon； fires of rage in
his lidless orbs。 The man’s flesh had been stripped from his body； and his chest cavity was open to
the air； organs pulsing within。
“My lord dracon—” Rhakaeth began in his deep； hollow voice； but Drazjaer cut him off。
“I told you to keep them alive；” the dracon said； his voice low and deadly。
“This one did not die as a result of my ministrations； my lord dracon；” said Rhakaeth。 “The
mandrake； Ja’harael； delivered it half…dead。 It was all that I could do to keep it alive for as long as I
did。”
“Ja’harael。 It’s all Ja’harael’s fault；” said Drazjaer； sneering。 “I’ve heard that before； from the
snivelling sybarite rotting in your cells。 I do not wish to hear any of your excuses； haemonculus。”
“Whether you wish to hear me or not； my lord dracon； I speak the truth；” said the haemonculus；
his voice devoid of fear。 Indeed； Drazjaer had rarely heard any emotion in his servant’s voice。
“And this one？” asked Drazjaer； leaning over the massive form of the still living human
creature。 It pulled at its restraints； massive muscles bulging as it stared at him in hatred。 The dracon
was unmoved； and peered with interest inside the figure’s exposed torso。
“Living； and strong； my lord dracon。 The potency of its soul…essence is worth a hundred； a
thousand of the lesser mon…keigh breed。”
Drazjaer licked his thin lips。 He had already gathered almost ten thousand souls for his lord and
master； the dark lord Asdrubael Vect； but this did not yet meet the extortionate tribute the high lord
of the Black Heart cabal had demanded of his vassal。
When Vect had butchered the cabal leaders of the Bleeding Talons； the Vipers and the Void
Serpents in one dark night； Drazjaer had been cast adrift； vulnerable； now that his lord had been
slaughtered in the murderous plot。 He had been forced to kneel before Asdrubael Vect in chains； and
had been asked if he would submit to his rule； if he would join the Black Heart。 Only once he had
sworn his warriors to the Black Heart over the soulfires of Gaggamel did Vect lay down his terms。
Drazjaer’s time was running short。 The Great Devourer hive fleet would overrun the system
within the day； and his harvest would be over； his tribute not yet fulfilled。 There was no running
from Asdrubael Vect。 No matter where Drazjaer went； no matter how far from Commoragh he fled；
Vect would find him。
However； if he could gather more of these enhanced mon…keigh； these Space Marines； he mighty
yet gain Vect’s favour。 Perhaps the dark lord would even raise him to the exalted status of archon； in
command of an entire slave fleet。
“Their physical makeup is interesting；” the haemonculus was saying； “clearly the result of geneconditioning
and surgical enhancement。 It is offensively crude work； with little subtlety or grace； but
I feel that I could harvest their organs to create a superior blend of eldar warrior。”
Drazjaer barely heard the sibilant hiss of Rhakaeth’s voice； lost in his own thoughts of greed and
desire。
126
“Do whatever pleases you； Rhakaeth；” he said。 “Just see that that one does not die。 I believe that
it is time to unleash Atherak and her wych cult upon the Imperial world。”
“The bitch’s arrogance knows no bounds；” said the haemonculus。
“Indeed；” agreed Drazjaer。 “Let us see if her boastfulness is founded。 Let us see if she can bring
back more than two of these mon…keigh。”
“I will look forward to working upon more of these；” said the Rhakaeth； indicating the pair of
altered humans strung up before him。
“Fine；” said Drazjaer； turning and striding from the haemonculus’s chambers。
Outside； his incubi were still eyeing up the grotesque guards； and a third warrior had joined
them； another of his sybarite captains。
“What is it？” asked Drazjaer。
“My lord dracon；” said the warrior； bowing。 “The traitor returns。”
Solon Marcabus knew that the end was near。 They were running low on food； down to the last
protein bar； and his strength was fading。
Dios seemed neither to tire nor despair； and he pressed on through the snow with grim
determination while Solon often lagged behind； and it was Dios who rubbed warmth into Solon’s
frostbitten fingers and toes whenever they set up camp。
He was determined to see Dios on a shuttle away from Perdus Skylla； and though he had never
been a pious man； Solon swore that he would devote his life to the Emperor if he only allowed the
boy to survive this nightmare。 Dios would have a future somewhere； on some distant planet； far
from the threat of xenos incursions。 Solon was fixated on the completion of what had become an
epic pilgrimage towards the Phorcys spaceport； and he would fight to his dying breath to see the boy
safely off…planet。
Dios could have the life that Solon’s son had been denied。
The ice crunched beneath his laboured steps。 He could barely feel his arm； and though it was a
relief to be free of the throbbing pain of his wound； he knew that it was a bad sign。
He heard a sound like thunder rolling towards them； over the blinding gale； but he gave it little
thought； just more bad weather heading in their direction he thought grimly。 He kept plodding along
through the snow； putting one foot in front of the other。
The sound got louder； and Dios cried out。 Solon lifted his head to see the boy gesturing wildly
into the air。
A shuttle roared out of the banks of billowing snow and ice； flying low and fast through the
storm。 It was hit with a blast of wind and dropped metres through the air as it was buffeted to the
side； and for a moment Solon thought it was going to crash； but the pilot compensated and the
shuttle righted itself； engines screaming。 Solon waved his arms above his head； attempting vainly to
get the attention of the pilot； hoping and praying that the shuttle would stop。 It passed low overhead；
blocking out all sounds of the wind； and Solon stared up in awe and amazement as the shuttle
screamed past； making the ground shudder with the power of its engines。
Then the shuttle was past them； its retro…burners blazing with blue flame。 Solon whipped his
head around as the shuttle roared over their heads。 He could feel the heat from the plasma…core
engines even through his exposure suit； and he relished the almost forgotten sensation。 Stabiliser
burners fired on the underside of the shuttle； lifting it over an outcrop of ice。
Dios was standing； staring； his eyes filled with wonder as he watched the shuttle disappear once
more into the concealing storm。
Solon felt a sudden surge of hope。 They had come for them！ They had come looking for
survivors！ He was certain that he had sensed the shuttle slowing down。 The pilot must have seen
them！
127
“Hurry； Dios！” he shouted； filled with a sudden surge of energy； and he set off in pursuit of the
shuttle； pounding through the snow and ice； his fatigue forgotten。 They had come for them！ They
must have picked up the blinking distress beacon in Solon’s exposure suit that he had activated as
soon as the raiders； the ones that Dios called the ghosts； had departed。
Dios was falling behind； and Solon paused to wait for the boy to catch up； his heart thumping。
Scooping the boy up in his arms； who whooped in excitement； Solon set off； pounding through the
snow； running madly towards where the shuttle had disappeared。
Reality hit home like a punch in the guts。 No one would be coming back。 The shuttle was
probably heading to Sholto guild to pick up rich merchants； or other high guilders of influence。 No
one would be coming to find an orphan and a lowly crawler mule。
He slowed his pace； feeling suddenly exhausted； and dropped Dios back down to the ground。
The boy looked up at him in confusion。 Solon avoided the boy’s eye contact； hanging his head and
putting his hands on his thighs； leaning forward as he strained to catch his breath。
Dios reached out to him； taking hold of his hand and urging him on。 Solon angrily shook his
hand free。 Again； the boy reached for him； and Solon swatted his hand away。
“It’s over； boy！” he shouted； suddenly enraged。 “Don’t you get it？ There is no salvation。 No one
is coming to help us！ We are going to die out here； and no one is going to know。 No one is going to
care！”
Dios stared back at Solon blankly； and Solon fell forward to his hands and knees； tears welling
in his eyes。
“No one is coming；” he said again； this time more softly as despair washed over him。 “No one is
coming。”
Dios stepped alongside him； putting his arm around Solon’s shoulders； and he felt all the tension
and fear within him well up。 The tears ran freely； and Solon was glad that the hood of his exposure
suit hid them from the boy。 After a few minutes； a calmness descended over Solon； and he took a
deep breath。
He looked up at Dios； who was peering at him in concern； and he gave the boy a smile。
Solon pushed himself wearily to his feet and checked the digi…compass beneath a flap of canvas
on his left arm； realigning himself with the direction of the Phorcys starport； which he guessed was
still a day and half’s hike away。 Nodding to Dios； he set off again in that direction； but a tugging at
his belt gave him pause。
Dios was gesturing in the direction that the shuttle had taken。
“No； Dios。 It wasn’t coming for us。 I’m sorry； boy。” Still； the orphan was insistent； gesturing
more emphatically in the opposite direction that Solon had set off in。
With a sigh； he gave in； and turned back。 Dios leapt forwards enthusiastically； grabbing hold of
his hand and dragging him through the snow； into the billowing ice storm。
They had moved perhaps a kilometre through the snow when the wind changed direction；
blowing the banks of fog and ice away to the west； leaving the view out in front suddenly clear。
Solon could see further than he had done for months； and he marvelled at the display of colour that
danced across the heavens。
It was called the Aurealis Skyllian； and it was said that the phenomenon occurred only under
specific atmospheric conditions。 Solon had seen it only twice before in his lifetime； once when he
was a boy； a week after his father had died in a mining accident； and again on the first night he had
spent on the foreign and terrifying ice crawlers； just after he had been expelled from the guild。 Both
times had been momentous occasions in his life； and this one would prove likewise； for there； on the
ice； a kilometre away； lit up by the eerie； heavenly light in the dark sky overhead； was the shuttle。
It was settling on the ice flow； and Solon again felt his spirits soar。 They were stopping for them！
Even if they had not actually seen the two refugees tramping across the ice； it didn’t matter。 What
mattered was that the shuttle was landing； and it was within their reach。
128
A desperate fear that the shuttle would leave again before they reached it filled Solon； and again
he scooped up Dios in his arms； and began to plough his way through the snow。
Salvation had come； at last。
Thank the Emperor； thought Solon。
“The Idolator is inbound；” said Kol Badar’s voice； “touching down over the ridge to the north。”
“Good；” said Marduk。
The Land Raiders had outrun the downpour of xenos spores； and there had been no enemy
contact for almost an hour。 Nevertheless； sensors indicated that the waves of inbound spores we