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As soon as Honsou's hand touched the metal of the armour； Kroeger's hand shot up and gripped his wrist； wrenching it away and
pushing him back。 Honsou snarled； drawing his sword partway from its scabbard； but Kroeger turned； and Honsou was seized by a
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
dire premonition that to attack Kroeger would be to die。 A pale nimbus of light played around Kroeger's helmet and； though he
couldn't be sure； Honsou thought he could see that same light seeping through the visor of Kroeger's helm。 The light carried hints
of an ancient malevolence and Honsou had slowly sheathed his sword； turning on his heel and returning to his company。
He shook his head free of the memory； shifting his weight from foot to foot； impatient for the attack to begin。 The boom of the
Vindicators suddenly ceased and； with a huge revving roar； the siege tanks pulled back from the earthworks。 This was the signal
he had been waiting for。 Honsou rose to his feet； raising his pistol and sword high above him。
'Death to the False Emperor！' he roared and sprinted through the embrasure in the earthwork。 He scrambled down its blasted front；
his warriors following him through this and other gaps fashioned in the earthwork。
The rubble slope of the ditch was less than ten metres away and Honsou ran towards it as the crack of small arms fire snapped
from the crumbling ramparts of the curtain wall and the flanks of both bastions。 Shots slashed through the air beside him； bright
streamers of las…fire plucking at his armour or vaporising nearby patches of earth。 A roar of hate built in Honsou's throat as he slid
down the rocky slope into the ditch。
A sea of red bodies； already beginning to rot in the heat； carpeted the trench。 He charged across the multitude of corpses； crushing
bones and pulverising soft； decaying tissue underfoot as yet more fire was directed at them。 The soldiers on the Primus Ravelin
had fought hard these last few days； but they had faced only the chaff of the Iron Warriors' army。 Now they would fight the best。
Heavier blasts of las…fire speared from the ramparts； blasting craters in the floor of the ditch and tossing severed limbs and gasbloated
corpses high into the air。 But Honsou could see the inferior quality of the Imperial soldiers was telling now as the majority
of their shots flew high。 Without a huge mass of targets to aim at； their shooting was woefully inaccurate and barely a handful of
Iron Warriors had fallen。
Honsou reached the blasted foot of the ravelin； its once…smooth face now cracked； broken and easily climbed。 He fired at the top
of the ravelin and began scrambling his way up the slope。 A shot struck the top of his shoulder guard； but he ignored the impact
and kept climbing。
Withering hails of bullets and las…bolts from the flank of the Mori bastion hammered the walls of the ravelin。 He heard a roar of
warriors unleashed far to his right and knew that Forrix and Kroeger were beginning their attack。
Dozens of warriors were clambering up the slopes of the ravelin amid the explosion of grenades and constant snap of lasgun fire。
The Iron Warrior beside him lost his grip as a shell burst above him； tearing his head off in a fountain of blood。 His heavy corpse
smashed half a dozen warriors from the wall as he fell。
Honsou shook his helmet clear of blood； punching his fist deep into the wall and gripping onto a reinforcement bar as he saw a
cluster of grenades slither down the wall towards him。 He pressed his body flat against the wall as they detonated； blowing clear a
chunk of grey rockcrete。 Torn ligaments in his arms shrieked as the force of the blast lifted him from the wall； but his grip on the
rebar held him firm。
Red runes winked into life on his visor； and he felt blood flowing along his limbs； but he pushed upwards； dragging himself up the
wall。
The slope grew less steep as he climbed； reaching the broken sections of the wall pulverised by the siege tanks。 Gunfire from
below slackened as the Iron Warriors firing at the parapet now holstered their weapons and began climbing。
A face appeared above Honsou。 He put a bolt through it and carried on upwards。 He risked a glance behind him。 Perhaps a dozen
Iron Warriors were dead and they had yet to clear the ramparts。 Honsou turned in time to see an Imperial Fist swing the crackling
edge of a power sword towards his head。 He threw himself flat against the wall； feeling the sword blade hack a portion of his
shoulder guard away。 He rolled as the sword swung again； cutting through the rockcrete and sliding free in a shower of orange
sparks as it struck an embedded reinforcement bar。
Honsou dragged his own sword from its scabbard and rolled as he saw the Imperial Fist on the rampart draw back his sword for
another strike。 Honsou lunged； spearing his foe through the chest with his sword。 He hurled himself over the parapet； barrelling
into a group of Guardsmen rushing to plug the gap in the walls and landing in a tangle of limbs。
Honsou battered his elbows downward； hearing screams； feeling bones break and skulls cracking open。
He rolled to his knees； slashing low with his sword at a charging Imperial Fist； hacking his legs out from under him。 Honsou
reversed the grip on his sword and hammered the blade through the Space Marine's helm； dragging it free in time to block the
swing of another sword； this time swung by an Imperial officer with a major's star on his chest。
Honsou blocked a clumsy thrust and kicked the man in the groin； shattering his pelvis and dropping him screaming to the ground。
'Iron Warriors to me！' he bellowed； clearing a space around him with wide sweeps of his sword。 Bullets and las…bolts ricocheted
from his armour。
Another two Iron Warriors climbed over the lip of the parapet； forming a wedge with Honsou at its point。 Together； the Iron
Warriors hacked a path through the Imperial Guardsmen； splashing their silver armour with blood。
An Imperial Fist sergeant saw the danger and charged towards Honsou； firing his plasma pistol as he ran。 Honsou swayed aside；
the beam streaking past him and punching through the helmet of an Iron Warrior as he pulled himself over the parapet。
Honsou gripped his sword two…handed and charged to meet the Space Marine； diving forward and rolling beneath the swing of his
opponent's blade。 He rose to his feet and cut high； decapitating the Space Marine in a single blow。
Perhaps a dozen Iron Warriors had gained the ramparts and more were flooding the walls as Honsou's wedge pushed further into
the ravelin； pushing the enemy back before them。 Honsou yelled in triumph as his men spread out along the walls； killing
everything in their path。 The Guardsmen fell back in the face of such savagery and the ramparts were his。 The enemy retreat was
practically a rout； a few Imperial Fists all that held it from collapsing completely。
Honsou leapt from the ramparts as he saw a reserve of Guardsmen with heavy weapons； commanded by a junior officer； lying in
wait in the centre of the ravelin。 He hit the ground and rolled； watching the officer gauging the correct moment to fire。
The officer's sword swept down and heavy weapon fire raked the inner faces of the ravelin； pitching four Iron Warriors from the
walls。 Bolter fire answered them and a handful of men fell； clutching gaping wounds in their bodies。
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
The crescendo of guns and screaming soldiers was powerful in its intensity as battle was joined across the walls and bastions。
Smoke billowed from fires set by shell impacts and gunfire that had ignited the uniforms of the fallen。
More bolter shots tore amongst the Guardsmen as the officer swept his sword down again； but it was too late。 Honsou was
amongst them； hacking and killing with frenzied abandon。 Blood spurted； limbs were severed and entrails spilled as he tore the
beating heart from the defence。
Dozens more Iron Warriors were spilling into the ravelin itself。 Yellow armoured Space Marines were like tiny islands of stubborn
resistance； but Honsou could see they would soon be overwhelmed。
Ahead he could see the massive golden gate of the citadel； flanked by two high towers and topped with battered gun turrets。
Without siege tanks it was inviol