Dark Disciple(科幻战争)-第53章

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blood　was　smeared　across　the　floor　and　past　the　strips　that　led　into　an　adjoining　room。
Sensing　movement；　Marduk　ducked　and　rolled　to　his　right；　narrowly　avoiding　being　impaled　on
two　barbed　forelimbs。　He　slashed　with　the　hollow　limb；　shearing　through　two　of　the　creature’s　legs；
which　dropped　to　the　floor；　and　more　hissing；　black　fluid　seeped　from　the　creature’s　wounds。　It　spun
to　face　him　and　thrust　the　rear　of　its　bloated　abdomen　forwards；　stabbing　it　towards　him　from
beneath　its　body。　Liquid　squirted　from　its　grotesque　spinnerets；　and　although　Marduk　managed　to
avoid　the　worst　of　it；　a　line　of　the　foul　substance　sprayed　across　his　right　shoulder。　His　flesh　began
to　hiss　and　bubble；　but　he　stood　before　the　creature　with　his　makeshift　blade　in　both　hands；　ignoring
the　pain。
The　creature’s　eldar　torso　writhed　in　obvious　torment　as　ichor　dripped　from　its　severed　limbs。　Its
blank　face　snapped　towards　Marduk；　and　it　launched　itself　at　him　once　more；　bladed　limbs　flailing
frenziedly。
The　First　Acolyte　leapt　to　meet　the　beast；　spinning　the　bladed　limb　around　in　his　grasp　so　that　he
held　it　over　his　head　like　a　spear。　With　a　roar　of　animalistic　fury；　Marduk　slammed　the　blade　into　the
twisted　eldar；　the　tip　of　the　weapon　piercing　the　flesh　of　its　throat　and　driving　on　into　its　body
behind　its　ribcage。
Bladed　limbs　hacked　at　his　arms；　tearing　bloody　strips　of　flesh　from　his　bones；　but　the　force　of
the　creature’s　momentum　was　its　death；　for　it　continued　to　push　forward；　impaling　itself　further　onto
its　own　bladed　limb。
Its　front　legs　collapsed　beneath　it；　and　Marduk　stepped　back；　breathing　heavily；　blood　running
down　his　arms。　The　loathsome　creature　fell　headfirst　into　the　floor；　its　greyish　lifeblood　running
from　its　wounds。　It　tried　piteously　to　lift　itself　up　again；　but　its　legs　gave　way　beneath　it；　and　it
crumpled　in　a　heap　on　the　floor　at　Marduk’s　feet。　He　spat　down　onto　the　dying　beast；　and　wrenched
the　bladed　limb　from　its　neck。　Reaching　down；　he　retrieved　another　of　the　creature’s　severed；　razor
sharp　limbs　from　the　floor；　and　so　armed；　he　followed　the　trail　of　blood　left　by　the　haemonculus。
With　the　tip　of　one　blade；　Marduk　parted　the　strips　of　heavy；　semi…transparent　material　that　hung
from　the　doorway　leading　from　the　circular　room　that　had　been　his　entire　world　for　the　gods　knew
how　long。　He　moved　cautiously　forwards；　eyes　darting　around　him；　seeking　any　threat　or　movement。
151
This　room　was　larger　than　the　first；　and　circular；　and　half　a　dozen　chambers　led　off　it；　each
partially　hidden　behind　hanging；　translucent　strips。　He　could　hear　groans　and　muffled　shouts　from
within　those　rooms；　voices　crying　out　from　raw　throats　whose　owners　had　clearly　heard　the　sound　of
Marduk’s　escape。　Some　of　them　sounded　familiar；　but　Marduk　ignored　them；　focusing　his　senses　on
finding　the　whereabouts　of　his　twisted　captor。
The　centre　of　the　room　was　bare　except　for　a　torturous　bladed　slab　akin　to　the　one　he　had　just
escaped　from；　with　pale；　thin　lights　shining　down　upon　it。　This　table　had　a　score　of　bladed　arms
extending　from　beneath　it；　but　they　appeared　lifeless；　or　at　least　dormant。　The　room　had　dozens　of
hovering　shelves　and　tables　around　its　circumference；　each　one　with　strange　perverse　implements
and　objects　arrayed　upon　it。　The　light　was　dim；　pulsing　faintly　from　the　floor　and　the　ceiling；　but　he
could　see　the　trail　of　blood　on　the　floor　clearly；　and　he　quickly　saw　his　wasted　torturer　crawling
away　from　him；　one　hand　still　clamped　around　its　bloody　throat。
With　a　roar；　Marduk　leapt　forwards；　ignoring　the　pain　in　his　tortured　limbs。　One　of　the　eldar’s
wasted；　skeletal　hands　was　reaching　up　towards　a　flickering　rune　that　hovered　before　what　Marduk
took　to　be　a　sealed；　circular　portal；　but　before　it　could　activate　the　doorway；　Marduk　stabbed　one　of
the　slender　blades　down　into　the　back　of　its　thigh　and　dragged　it　backwards。　It　gave　a　wet；　gargling
cry　of　pain　as　it　struggled　futilely　against　him。
Marduk　knelt　over　his　eldar　tormentor；　twisting　the　blade　ruthlessly；　feeling　it　grinding　against
the　bone；　and　smiled。
“How　do　you　like　the　feel　of　that；　xenos　filth？”　he　snarled。
The　eldar　did　not　answer；　but　the　bladed　arcs　of　the　circular　portal　slid　aside　soundlessly；　and
Marduk　shifted　his　attention　to　the　new　threat；　leaping　forwards　and　spinning　the　twin　blades　in　his
hands　before　he　even　saw　what　was　coming。
There　were　two　creatures；　vaguely　eldar　in　appearance　but　altered；　like　mutant　versions　of　the
slender　xenos。　One　was　a　woman；　her　body　covered　in　tiny　scales　that　flushed　an　angry　red；　and　the
other　was　almost　reptilian　in　appearance；　with　hundreds　of　shivering　quills　inserted　into　its　flesh。
The　first　blade　struck　the　woman　in　the　side　of　the　neck　before　she　could　react；　nigh　on
decapitating　her；　and　his　second　blade　stabbed　towards　the　other　creature’s　gut。　Spines　emerged
from　its　wrists　and　it　deflected　the　blow　with　a　circular　sweep　of　its　arms。　Then　it　threw　its　arms
towards　Marduk。
The　First　Acolyte　swayed　backwards；　moving　his　body　out　of　range　of　the　creature’s　touch；　but
the　spines　in　its　wrists　shot　forward。　Marduk　twisted；　but　even　so　one　of　the　spines　sliced　a　shallow
graze　across　his　side；　shooting　pain　blossoming　from　the　scratch。
The　female　creature　was　on　its　knees；　holding　its　head　in　place　so　that　it　did　not　flop　to　the　side。
Its　scaled　body　was　covered　in　rich；　hot　blood。
Marduk　backed　towards　the　centre　of　the　room；　stepping　over　the　prone　form　of　the
haemonculus；　which　had　managed　to　knock　a　surgical　implant　to　the　floor　and　seal　its　neck　wound
with　a　spray　of　a　synthetic　skin。
The　spined　abomination；　enraged　by　the　harm　done　to　what　Marduk　guessed　was　its　mate；　threw
itself　towards　him　wildly。　Marduk’s　blade　swung　up；　swatting　aside　a　pair　of　spines　that　were　shot
towards　him。　He　rammed　his　weapon　deep　into　the　creature’s　side；　wrenching　the　blade　up　under　the
ribs　to　pierce　the　heart。　It　slumped　to　the　ground；　hissing　in　hatred　and　scrabbling　at　his　flesh　as　it
died。
Moving　to　his　torturer；　which　stared　up　at　him　venomously；　Marduk　hauled　it　to　its　feet。　Holding
it　upright　by　the　scruff　of　its　thin　neck；　Marduk　moved　towards　the　circular　portal；　intending　to　step
into　the　corridor　beyond。
Claws　dug　into　his　shoulders　as　the　female　creature；　its　horrific　neck　wound　all　but　healed　with
astonishing　swiftness；　landed　on　his　back。　It　bit　deeply　into　his　neck；　and　Marduk　dropped　both　his
captor　and　his　weapon。
152
Reaching　over　his　back；　his　hands　brushing　past　something　cold　and　smooth　attached　to　the　back
of　his　neck；　he　grabbed　the　feral　creature　in　his　crushing　grip；　and　threw　it　over　his　head　towards　the
wall。　It　tore　a　chunk　from　his　neck　as　he　hurled　it　away　from　him；　and　he　cursed　as　blood　gushed
from　the　wound。　The　creature　spun　in　the　air　like　a　cat；　and　landed　on　the　circular　wall　on　all　fours。
It　did　not　fall；　but　rather　remained　stuck　there；　staring　at　him　with　hate…filled　eyes。
It　skittered　up　the　sheer　wall　and　onto　the　ceiling；　and　raced　across　it　towards　him。　When　it　was
three　metres　from　him　it　launched　itself　from　the　ceiling；　reaching　for　him　with　outstretched　claws。
Marduk　stepped　into　the　creature　as　it　flew　towards　him；　and　slammed　his　fist　square　into　its
face。　Its　skull　crumpled　beneath　the　blow；　and　its　limbs　went　limp　as　it　flopped　to　the　ground。
Having　seen　its　regenerative　powers　already；　Marduk　gave　it　no　chance　to　recover；　and　ripping　the
blade　from　the　gut　of　its　dying　companion；　he　hacked　completely　through　the　creature’s　neck　and
tossed　its　head　to　the　far　corner　of　the　room。
Swaying　with　blood…loss　that　his　enhanced　physiology　struggled　to　stem；　the　result　of　the
torturous　wounds　covering　his　body；　Marduk　dropped　to　one　knee。　His　hands　reached　up　behind　his
neck；　towards　the　alien　device　that　he　had　felt　attached　to　the　base　of　his　skull　when　he　had　hurled
the　she…bitch　monstrosity　from　his　back。
His　hands　closed　around　a　smooth；　coldly　metallic　artifice　embedded　in　his　flesh。　His　fingers
gripped　the　device　around　its　edges；　and　his　agonised　muscles　strained　as　he　sought　to　rip　it　away
from　his　flesh。　The　pain　was　intense；　and　it　felt　as　if　he　might　rip　a　part　of　his　mind　away　with　it；　but
Marduk　ripped　the　alien　device　from　his　neck　with　a　powerful　surge　of　adrenaline。
The　force　of　Chaos　hit　Marduk　like　a　roaring　tidal　wave；　staggering　in　its　power。　The　full　force
of　the　warp　rushed　to　fill　the　emptiness　of　his　soul　as　the　null…field　generator　that　kept　the　power　of
the　immaterium　at　bay　was　ripped　clear；　and　his　body　was　suffused　with　the　power　of　the　dark　gods
once　more。
His　vision　swam；　and　blood　dripped　down　his　back　as　Marduk　stared　dumbly　at　the　black　thing
in　his　hands。　Synthetic　claws　with　patches　of　skin　and　hair　still　clinging　to　them　rimmed　the　ovular
shape。
Understanding　came　to　him。　The　gods　had　not　deserted　him。　This　foul　device　had　merely　cut
him　off　from　its　blessed　presence。　It　was　a　form　of　null…field　generator。　Marduk　hurled　it　away　in
disgust。
Burias　stood　alongside　the　Coryphaus；　Kol　Badar；　on　the　foredeck　of　the　Infidus　Diabolus。　The
Idolator　had　docked　with　the　mighty　strike　cruiser　less　than　twenty　minutes　earlier；　and　Kol　Badar
had　straight　away　ordered　the　warp　engines　of　the　ancient　ship　fired　up；　preparing　to　jump　into　the
roiling　ether　and　leave　this　cursed　system　behind。
It　had　been　a　tense　flight　from　Perdus　Skylla；　for　the　damage　done　to　the　Idolator　had　meant　that
they　had　drifted；　powerless；　through　the　Imperial　armada。　At　any　moment；　Burias　had　expected　them
to　drift　into　the　path　of　a　broadside；　and　for　the　fragile　shuttle　to　have　been　blasted　to　smithereens。
Once　clear　of　the　blockade；　they　had　drifted　for　tens　of　thousands　of　kilometres；　until　at　last　they　had
been　drawn　into　one　of　the　strike　cruiser’s　immense　docking　bays。
There　had　been　unease　as　they　had　disembarked　from　the　shuttle　and　it　became　clear　to　the
waiting　warriors　that　Marduk　was　not　accompanying　them。　Refusing　to　address　the　Host　yet；　Kol
Badar　had　ordered　Darioq…Grendh’al　confined　to　his　spartan　quarters；　and　stalked　to　the　strike
cruiser’s　foredeck　in　preparation　for　warp　jump。
Flickering　screens　of　red　light　showed　the　relative　position　of　the　Imperial