Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第59章

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Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
Warhound；　its　legs　buckling　under　the　weight　of　fire。　The　pilot's　compartment　swung　low　to　the　ground；　the　green　of　its　eyes
locking　with　Forrix　and　he　laughed；　knowing　that　the　beast's　life　was　forfeit。　He　had　it　now。
He　and　his　Terminators　closed　on　the　struggling　machine；　power　fists　raised　to　deliver　the　killing　blow。　Forrix　clambered　onto　its
massive　foot　and　hammered　his　power　fist　into　the　ankle　joint　of　the　Warhound's　leg　again　and　again。
The　war　machine　lifted　its　leg；　realising　the　danger　and　stepped　backwards；　swaying　drunkenly　and　smashing　into　the　building
across　the　street；　causing　it　to　collapse。
Forrix　held　on　for　dear　life　as　the　Warhound　sought　to　dislodge　him；　hammering　his　fist　against　its　ankle。　The　Titan's　leg　swept
round；　slamming　down　on　a　jagged　section　of　rubble。　Forrix　was　thrown　clear　as　the　full　weight　of　the　Warhound　came　down
awkwardly　on　its　pulverised　ankle。
The　joint　sheared　off　in　an　explosion　of　flame　and　the　Warhound　toppled；　smashing　backwards　through　the　burning　building　and
slamming　into　the　ground　in　a　cascade　of　rockcrete　blocks。　The　pilot's　compartment　cracked　open　under　the　impact　and　Forrix
scrambled　across　the　flaming　wreckage　to　finish　the　beast。
Shadowed　forms　struggled　weakly　within　as　Forrix　emptied　his　combi…bolter　into　the　Warhound's　bridge；　slaughtering　its　crew　in
a　storm　of　bolts。
Forrix　laughed　as　he　slew　the　crew　of　the　Jure　Divinu；　racking　the　arming　slide　of　his　underslung　melta　gun。
The　wall　behind　the　slain　beast　collapsed；　showering　him　with　rock　and　smoke；　momentarily　obscuring　his　vision。
As　it　cleared　he　felt　his　pleasure　at　the　kill　drain　from　him　as　he　found　himself　staring　into　the　baleful　eyes　of　the　second
Warhound。
'No！'　hissed　Forrix。
Its　weapons　whined；　building　power　to　fire。
Forrix　raised　his　weapon　and　pulled　the　trigger　as　both　the　turbo　lasers　and　Vulcan　bolters　fired。
Forrix　had　the　briefest　sensation　of　pain　and　frustration　before　the　Defensor　Fidei's　guns　utterly　destroyed　him。
HONSOU　JOGGED　THROUGH　the　fallen　citadel；　elated　beyond　words　at　the　slaughter　around　him。　The　warriors　of　both　his　and
Forrix's　company　followed　him　through　the　streets　of　their　enemy's　fastness；　cheering　his　name　to　the　dark　gods。
Loud　gunfire　roared　from　somewhere　to　his　left　and　he　angled　his　advance　towards　it；　rounding　a　corner　in　time　to　see　a　wrecked
Warhound　topple　to　the　ground　and　Forrix　charging　towards　the　war　machine's　head。
Honsou　saw　the　wall　before　Forrix　collapse　and　the　furious　form　of　the　Warhound's　twin　emerge　from　the　smoke。　He　saw　it　raise
its　weapons　and　blast　Forrix　from　the　ruins　in　an　explosion　of　blood　and　mechanised　body　parts。
As　he　watched　Forrix　die；　Honsou　felt　nothing　but　triumph。　Kroeger　had　vanished　and　Forrix　was　dead：　truly　the　gods　of　Chaos
favoured　him　this　night。
The　Warhound's　victory　was　short…lived　as　the　might　of　the　Pater　Mortis；　its　crashing　footsteps　collapsing　buildings　all　around
them；　emerged　from　behind　Honsou　and　fired　its　weapons。　The　Scout　Titan　vanished　in　a　flurry　of　bright　explosions；　its　few　void
shields　and　light　armour　no　match　for　the　power　of　the　Warlord　Titan。
It　reeled　under　the　impacts　and；　for　an　incredible　moment；　Honsou　believed　it　had　survived；　but　a　massive　explosion　engulfed　its
head　and　the　Warhound　fell；　its　crew　compartment　a　blazing　rain。
Honsou　snarled　in　satisfaction　and　set　off　once　more。
Everywhere　the　enemy　was　defeated；　broken　and　fleeing　before　them。
He　emerged　into　a　wide　square；　at　the　far　end　of　which　he　saw　a　pitiful　ring　of　the　Imperial　Fists。　They　stood；　swords　bared　at　the
entrance　to　caverns　gouged　into　the　mountains；　their　faces　proud　and　defiant。
Honsou　laughed　as　he　marched　at　the　head　of　his　company；　the　Warsmith　descending　from　the　hot　darkness　above　him。　The
master　of　the　Iron　Warriors　landed　hard；　the　cobbles　hissing　molten　with　his　step；　as　though　the　ground　itself　rebelled　against　the
chaos　writhing　within　him。　His　body　rippled　with　change；　as　though　a　million　forms　sought　to　be　birthed　from　his　unquiet
anatomy。　The　black　our　was　becoming　glossier；　more　organic　looking；　like　the　carapace　of
an　insect。
The　Warsmith　nodded　to　Honsou；　a　gesture　of　respect　between　warriors。
'It　is　time　we　finished　this；'　rasped　the　Warsmith；　his　voice　thickened　and　coarse。
'Aye；'　agreed　Honsou；　marching　towards　the　Imperial　Fists　as　the　Iron　Warriors　spread　out　to　surround　them；　weapons　raised。
A　stillness　fell　as　the　ancient　foes　faced　one　another　in　the　glare　of　the　burning　citadel　and　a　massive　shadow　fell　across　the　square
as　the　Pater　Mortis　strode　from　the　ruins。
A　warrior　stepped　from　the　ring　of　Space　Marines　and　removed　his　helmet。　Honsou　could　feel　the　hatred　this　warrior　had　for　him
as　he　spat；　'I　am　Brother…Captain　Eshara　of　the　Imperial　Fists；　proud　son　of　Rogal　Dorn；　soldier　of　the　Emperor　and　scourge　of
deviants。　Face　me　and　die；　traitor。'
The　Warsmith　faced　Eshara　and　Honsou　grinned　as　he　saw　the　effect　his　presence　had　upon　the　Space　Marine。　As　the　captain's
face　twisted　in　sudden　pain；　the　Warsmith　leapt　forward；　his　mighty　axe　sweeping　down　to　cleave　Eshara　in　two。
Eshara　crossed　his　swords　above　his　head；　blocking　the　blow；　the　impact　driving　him　to　his　knees。　He　grunted　and　spun　low；
slashing　a　blade　across　the　Warsmith's　flank。　Black　blood　gouted　from　the　wound。　The　Warsmith　smashed　his　fist　against　Eshara's
chest；　cracking　his　breastplate　open。
As　Eshara　fell；　the　Imperial　Fists　charged；　the　name　of　Rogal　Dorn　on　their　lips。
Gunfire　erupted　from　the　Iron　Warriors；　cutting　them　down　as　battle　was　joined。
But　it　was　an　unequal　struggle　and　though　the　Imperial　Fists　fought　hard；　the　outcome　was　never　in　doubt。
Honsou　drove　his　sword　through　an　Imperial　Fist；　watching　in　amazement　as　Eshara　groggily　rose　to　his　feet；　coughing　thick　wads
of　blood。　The　Warsmith　roared　and　hammered　his　axe　down　upon　Eshara's　shoulder　guard；　cleaving　him　from　collarbone　to
pelvis；　the　blade　shearing　through　his　armour　like　paper。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
Eshara　crumpled；　but　weakly　raised　his　head　as　the　Warsmith　sheathed　his　massive　axe　and　stooped　to　lift　him　from　the　ground。
'Know　this；　son　of　Dorn；'　hissed　the　Warsmith。　'I　will　gorge　myself　on　your　gene…seed　and　I　shall　make　you　and　all　your　kind
extinct。'
The　Warsmith　lifted　Eshara's　dying　body　to　his　head　where　there　was　a　monstrous　cracking；　sucking　noise。　Blood　splashed　the
steaming　ground　at　the　Warsmith's　feet　and　he　bellowed　in　orgiastic　pleasure；　dropping　Eshara's　mutilated　corpse。
Even　Honsou　was　shocked　as　he　saw　the　Space　Marine's　entire　chest　cavity　had　been　bitten　through；　the　organs　within　sucked
from　his　body　and　devoured　by　the　Warsmith。
Honsou　dismissed　the　incident　from　his　mind　and　set　off　after　the　Warsmith　as　he　charged　through　the　gateway　that　led　into　the
mountains　and　their　ultimate　goal。
LEONID　HAMMERED　HIS　rifle　butt　through　the　glass　of　an　incubation　tank　and　stood　back　as　the　amniotic　fluid　spilled　out　along
with　its　foetal　cargo。　He　used　brute　force　because　his　lasgun's　power　cell　had　long　since　drained。　He　moved　onto　the　next　capsule；
staring　in　awed　wonder　at　the　sheer　scale　of　the　cavern　stretching　before　him。　Its　end　was　lost　in　shadows；　the　vastness　broken　up
by　wide　avenues　of　incubation　capsules。　Thousands　of　tanks　ran　in　ordered　lines　into　the　darkness；　their　clear　surfaces　frosted　and
cold　to　the　touch。
Now　Leonid　understood　the　danger　inherent　in　this　place。　If　what　Naicin　had　told　them　was　even　partly　true；　there　was　enough
genetic　material　stored　here　to　create　untold　thousands　of　twisted　warriors　of　Chaos。　The　very　thought　of　such　creations　being
birthed　from　here　was　truly　horrifying。
Worker…servitors　with　shoulder…mounted　illuminators　were　spots　of　light　in　the　darkness；　moving　silently　through　the　echoing
cavern　as　they　tended　to　their　biological　charges。　Hundreds　of　his　soldiers　rampaged　through　the　cavern；　shooting；　burning　and
smashing　everything　they　could。　But　Leonid　knew　it　was　a　hopeless　task；　the　sheer　scale　of　the　facility　here　would　defeat　them。
There　was　no　way　they　could　destroy　it　all　before　the　Iron　Warriors　came　to　kill　them。
But　they　would　try。　It　was　all　they　had　left。
HONSOU　AND　THE　Iron　Warriors　followed　the　Warsmith　as　he　sped　down　through　the　corridors　beneath　the　mountains。　There　was
a　desperate　hunger　to　the　Warsmith　now；　like　a　fleshhound　with　the　scent　of　blood　in　its　jaws。　His　body　pulsed　like　a　heart　in　the
throes　of　a　massive　seizure；　as　though　containing　a　whirlwind　of　potentiality　that　strained　to　be　born。
Ahead；　Honsou　heard　sounds　of　destruction　and　knew　they　were　approaching　the　prize　the　citadel　had　jealously　guarded。　As　the
passageway　widened　and　levelled　out；　he　saw　a　massive　set　of　gold　doors；　green　lightning　dancing　across　their　surfaces；　and　a
cavern　beyond。
Shouts　and　the　sound　of　shattering　glass　quickly　turned　to　cries　of　alarm　as　the　humans　saw　the　charging　Iron　Warriors。　A　few
brave　souls　attempted　to　stand　before　the　pled　as　he　neared　them；　screaming　and　spasming　in　agony。
The　Iron　Warriors　plunged　into　the　cavern；　gunfire　echoing　from　the　walls　as　they　slaughtered　the　last　defenders　of　the　citadel。
The　Warsmith　halted　beside　a　shattered　incubation　capsule　and　dragged　out　a　limp　rag　of　pink　flesh；　sodden　and　only　vaguely
humanoid。　The　Warsmith　feasted　upon　the　genetic　host　matter；　feeding　on　the　soft；　boneless　tissue　and　Honsou　felt　his　skin　crawl
as　though　a　powerful　electric　charge　was　building。
The　Warsmith　moved　to　the　next　capsule　and　fed　once　more。　He　turned　to　Honsou　and　rasped；　'Finish　them　all。'
LEONID　WORKED　HIS　way　back　to　the　cavern's　entrance；　his　power　sword　gripped　tightly　and　his　face　set　with　grim　resolve。　There
was　no　more　they　could　do　here　to　make　a　difference　and　he　felt　their　failure　as　a　bitter　weight　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach。　If　this　was
to　be　their　end；　they　would　meet　it　head　on；　not　hiding。　His　men　had　no　ammunition　left　and　the　sounds　of　battle　around　him　were
brutal　and　short　lived。
He　and　perhaps　fifty　soldiers　followed　a　revolting　sucking；　guzzling　noise；　determined　to　sell　their　lives　as　dearly　as　possible　now
that　the　end　was　inevitable。
Leonid　rounded　a　corner　of　dripping　capsules　and　recoiled　at