Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第15章

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grip　on　the　barrel　of　the　weapon；　the　turret　flopped　lifelessly　to　the　side。
More　turrets；　higher　up　on　the　bastion’s　face；　were　opening　fire；　raining　down　a　hail　of　gunfire；
which　was　answered　by　the　heavy　weapons　fire　of　those　warrior　brothers　further　back。　One　of
Namar…sin’s　coterie　was　caught　in　a　fusillade　from　two　directions；　and　fell　to　one　knee　as　his　body
was　pierced　a　dozen　times。　Still；　he　refused　to　fall；　and　pushing　himself　back　to　his　feet；　he　ran　on
towards　the　bastion　gates。
Bullets　glanced　off　Marduk’s　shoulder　plates；　and　a　round　caught　him　in　the　chest；　knocking　him
back　a　step；　though　it　did　not　penetrate　his　thick　ceramite　armour。　With　a　hiss　of　anger；　he　lurched
forwards；　running　down　the　incline　towards　the　bastion　gates。　Beneath　the　overhanging　lip；　he　was
protected　from　the　worst　of　the　fire；　and　Marduk　pulled　a　melta…bomb　loose　from　a　chain　around　his
waist。　He　whispered　a　prayer　to　the　Great　Changer　as　he　primed　the　potent　grenade　and　slammed　it
onto　the　thick　door；　placing　it　over　one　of　the　locking　mechanisms。　Electromagnets　held　it　firmly　in
place；　and　a　red　light　on　the　melta…bomb　began　to　flash。
“On　approach；”　said　Kol　Badar；　his　voice　overlaid　with　static　and　interference。
As　another　melta…bomb　was　slammed　into　place　by　a　warrior　of　the　217th　coterie；　the　champion
Namar…sin　staggered　into　the　protection　beneath　the　gateway；　smoking　bullet　craters　across　his
armour。　His　left　arm　was　gone；　blown　clear　by　autocannon　fire；　and　his　armour　was　awash　with
blood。
“You　took　your　time；”　growled　Marduk。
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“I　apologise；　my　lord；”　he　said。　The　powerful　anticoagulants　in　the　warrior’s　blood　had　already
stemmed　the　flow；　and　formed　a　thick　crust　around　the　shocking　wound。
“I　can　still　do　my　job；”　said　Namar…sin　defensively；　feeling　Marduk’s　gaze　on　his　injuries。
Gritting　his　teeth；　the　champion　primed　his　melta…bomb　somewhat　awkwardly　with　one　hand；　before
slamming　the　bulky　grenade　into　position。
More　lascannon　beams　stabbed　from　the　ice　storm　towards　the　bastion’s　defences　as　the　Land
Raiders　approached。　In　response；　the　first　of　the　battle　cannons　spoke；　firing　blindly　into　the　gale；
the　ensuing　reverberations　shaking　the　ground。
The　melta…bombs　detonated；　and　the　metre…thick　gates　buckled　inwards。　The　force　of　the　superheated
explosions　was　directed　inwards；　searing　through　the　reinforced　metal　barrier。　It　was　not
fully　breached；　but　as　he　lowered　the　arm　that　shielded　his　face；　Marduk　recognised　instantly　that　its
integrity　was　compromised。
“Twenty　seconds；”　said　Kol　Badar’s　voice　in　Marduk’s　helmet。
Lascannons　fired　from　the　blinding　gale；　and　then　the　dark　shadow　of　the　first　Land　Raider
could　be　seen；　driving　at　speed　for　the　gatehouse。　An　explosion　slammed　into　the　ice　beside　the
behemoth；　knocking　it　to　the　side；　and　for　a　second　its　left…hand　tracks　lifted；　spinning　wildly　before
it　slammed　back　on　the　ground　and　corrected　its　angle　of　approach。
Marduk　moved　to　the　side；　his　back　to　a　rockcrete　support　buttress；　as　the　immense　Land　Raider
gunned　its　engines。　Its　ancient　hide　was　inscribed　with　passages　from　the　books　of　Chaos；　and
symbols　of　devotion　and　allegiance　marred　its　clotted…blood　coloured　armour　plates。　Autocannon
rounds　ricocheted　off　the　Land　Raider；　unable　to　penetrate；　and　heavy　bolter　rounds　were　deflected
off　its　angled　plates。　Its　side　sponsons　lit　up　the　darkness　as　they　stabbed　into　the　gates；　further
weakening　them；　and　Marduk　pressed　himself　backwards　so　as　not　to　be　struck　by　the　monstrous
battle　tank　as　it　dropped　down　the　incline　towards　the　entrance　to　the　bastion。
It　slammed　into　the　weakened　gates　with　the　force　of　a　battering　ram；　and　they　collapsed
inwards。　Another　Land　Raider　bedecked　with　chains　from　which　severed　heads　and　limbs　hung
followed　the　first；　its　daemon…headed　exhausts　spewing　black　smoke　as　it　roared　down　the　incline
and　into　the　belly　of　the　bastion；　followed　by　the　third。　The　last　of　the　Land　Raiders　would　hold
position；　scanning　for　any　sign　of　the　enemy　out　on　the　plain。　With　the　enemy　bastion　breached；　the
heavy　weapons　toting　Havocs　of　the　217th　coterie　pulled　back　towards　the　Land　Raider；　as　per　Kol
Badar’s　orders；　though　their　champion　Namar…sin　was　to　enter　the　bastion　alongside　the　First
Acolyte。
As　the　third　Land　Raider　roared　past；　Marduk　broke　into　a　run　behind　it；　using　it　as　moving
cover。　He　drew　his　chainsword　as　he　ran；　and　felt　the　impatience　of　the　daemon　Borhg’ash　within
the　daemon　weapon。
Already　he　could　hear　the　sounds　of　gunfire；　the　hiss　of　lasguns　and　the　whine　as　they　repowered；
and　the　deep　percussive　boom　of　heavy　bolter　fire。
The　ramp　descended　into　the　interior　of　the　bastion；　which　had　been　carved　into　the　solid　rock。
The　interior　was　not　unlike　the　hangar　deck　of　the　Infidus　Diabolus；　with　high　ceilings　and　various
levels　and　gantries　running　around　its　walls。　Around　thirty　APCs；　light　scout　vehicles　and　a　couple
of　heavier　tanks；　all　armoured　in　the　same　uniform　white　plates；　were　lined　up　in　serried　ranks；　and
white…armoured　soldiers　were　running　forwards。　Officers　were　shouting；　and　men　were　running　in
from　portals　in　the　north　and　south。　Others　were　taking　up　positions　upon　the　gantries　lining　the
walls；　firing　down　at　the　Word　Bearers。
The　two　Land　Raiders　had　ground　to　a　halt；　heavy…bolters　built　into　their　hulls　pumping
explosive　rounds　into　the　enemy；　ripping　men　apart　in　bloody　detonations。　The　frontal　assault　ramps
slammed　down　onto　the　rockcrete　floor；　and　the　bulky　forms　of　the　warriors　of　the　Host　appeared
from　the　red…lit　interiors；　smoke　billowing　around　them。
Kol　Badar　strode　from　the　lead　Land　Raider；　his　face　hidden　beneath　his　quad…tusked　helmet　and
fire　spitting　from　the　barrels　of　his　archaic　combi…bolter。　The　Coryphaus　roared；　the　daemonic　sound
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resounding　from　vox…grills　as　he　cut　a　white…armoured　man　in　half　with　bolter　fire。　Behind　him；　the
four　warriors　of　the　Anointed；　the　warrior　elite　of　the　Host；　stalked　forwards　heavily。　The　servos　of
their　ancient　Terminator　armour　hissed　and　vented　steam　as　the　Anointed　advanced　from　the　interior
of　the　battle　tank；　their　weapons　roaring。
Sabtec　and　Khalaxis　emerged　from　the　other　Land　Raiders；　leading　their　respective　coteries。　The
13th　instantly　took　cover；　bolters　spitting　death　as　they　coolly　split　into　two　teams　and　manoeuvred
into　good　firing　positions。　As　Sabtec’s　warriors　laid　down　their　hail　of　suppressing　fire；　Khalaxis
and　his　17th　coterie　disdained　any　attempt　to　seek　cover；　and　raced　headlong　towards　the　enemy；
revving　the　motors　of　their　chainblades　and　snapping　off　shots　with　their　pistols。
A　portal　lifted　beside　Marduk；　and　he　swung　his　bolt　pistol　around　and　fired。　A　troop　of　whitearmoured
soldiers　ran　at　him；　and　his　first　rounds　took　one　of　them　in　the　chest。　He　fell　with　a
strangled　cry　as　his　ribcage　was　shattered。　A　second　enemy　dropped　as　his　head　exploded；　and
Marduk　pumped　another　pair　of　shots　into　the　body　of　a　third　warrior。
The　soldiers　halted；　those　in　front　dropping　to　one　knee　as　they　raised　their　lasguns。　Others
sought　cover　against　the　pipes　protruding　into　the　corridor；　and　they　fired　as　their　sergeant　shouted
an　order。
Las…rounds　impacted　with　Marduk’s　chest　and　shoulder　pads；　knocking　him　back　half　a　step。
They　left　blackened　scorch　marks　on　his　armoured　plates；　and　Marduk　snarled　in　fury　as　he　leapt
forwards；　his　chainsword　roaring。
More　las…rounds　pinged　off　his　armour　as　he　closed　the　distance；　and　he　began　to　recite　the
Litanies　of　Hate　and　Vengeance；　barking　the　words　like　a　mantra。　Several　of　the　enemy　soldiers
baulked　and　stumbled　back　from　his　charge　as　his　vox…enhanced　voice　made　their　eardrums　bleed。
Marduk　blew　the　arm　off　one　of　them　with　his　bolt　pistol　fired　at　close　range；　and　then　he　was
amongst　them。
His　chainsword　hacked　into　the　neck　of　the　first；　teeth　biting　through　armour；　flesh　and　bone；
and　hot　blood　splashed　across　Marduk’s　tabard。　Blood　ran　down　the　feeder　grooves　carved　into　the
sides　of　the　chainsword　and　was　sucked　into　the　internals　of　the　weapon；　and　Marduk　felt　fresh
power　and　strength　flow　through　him　as　the　daemon　Borhg’ash　fed。　Veins　pulsed　along　the　length　of
the　ancient　weapon；　and　the　daemon　urged　Marduk　on　to　feed　it　further。
He　dropped　to　one　knee；　and　a　las…bolt　seared　above　him　where　his　head　had　been　a　fraction　of　a
second　earlier。　He　hacked　out　again；　cutting　through　another　soldier’s　leg；　the　bone　ripped　apart　by
Borhg’ash’s　eager　teeth。　He　fired　his　bolt　pistol；　and　another　enemy　was　slammed　backwards　into　its
comrades　as　the　back　of　its　head　exploded　outwards。
Brother　Namar…sin　was　at　Marduk’s　side；　and　he　buried　his　axe　in　the　chest　of　another　of　the
soldiers；　the　pain　of　his　severed　arm　lending　him　additional　strength　and　fervour。　He　planted　his
boot　on　the　chest　of　the　man　and　ripped　his　axe　free；　kicking　the　soldier　to　the　ground。　He　hacked
his　axe　into　another　man；　severing　his　arm　and　cutting　half　way　through　his　torso。
Another　warrior　of　Namar…sin’s　217th　fired　his　bolter　at　point　blank　range；　blasting　the　soldiers
back；　chunks　of　flesh　and　blood　spraying　in　all　directions。　One　man；　his　lifeblood　running　from　his
wounds；　was　on　his　knees　before　the　warrior　brother；　and　his　skull　was　pulverised　by　the　butt　of　a
bolter。
Marduk　continued　reciting　from　the　Litanies　of　Hate　and　Vengeance　and　rammed　his
chainsword　into　the　gut　of　another　enemy。　The　whirring；　barbed　links　of　the　weapon　ripped　the
soldier　in　two；　cutting　off　his　pitiful　cries　of　agony。
Borhg’ash　was　gorged　with　blood；　and　it　leaked　from　the　internals　of　the　chainsword　like　a
syrup；　but　the　daemon　still　hungered　for　more。　Marduk　felt　the　sentience　within　the　chainsword
urging　him　to　kill　again；　and　he　gladly　indulged　its　will。
Having　emptied　his　bolt　pistol　clip；　he　holstered　the　weapon　as　he　hacked　a　lasgun　being
levelled　at　him　in　two　with　a　backhand　sweep　of　his　chainsword。　The　sparking　halves　of　the　lasgun
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were　ripped　from　the　terrified　soldier’s　hands；　and　as　he　staggered　backwards　in　shock；　Marduk
cleaved　him　from　shoulder　to　hip　with　a　powerful　two…handed　blow　with　his　chainsword。
There　were　no　more　living　threats；　and　Borhg’ash　revved　its　engine；　expressing　i