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！
reserves of energy dwindled。
His very soul was being drained as he fought to destroy this monster。
The Avatar spread its arms and gave vent to a shout of hatred that shook the very walls of the bastion with its fury。 A rippling
whirlwind of raw； red hunger swept from the Avatar's armour； spreading throughout the breach like the pressure wave of an
explosion and scything through every warrior within a hundred paces。 A lashing storm of hate…fuelled energy whipped around the
interior walls of the Mori bastion； and every man touched burst apart in an explosion of red； his blood swept up in the etheric
whirlwind as it howled back to the Avatar at its epicentre。
The Avatar swelled to monstrous proportions； its armour creaking and groaning as it sought to master the energies ripped from the
deaths it had just caused。
Dry； fleshless husks surrounded it； Iron Warriors； Jourans and Imperial Fists； their vital fluid drained to feed the monster that had
killed them。 The Avatar rose to its full height； towering in the breach； its armour and weapons blazing with barely…contained
power。
Only one figure remained standing： Librarian Corwin； his knees buckled and the sacred sigils on his armour little but faded scorch
marks。 He supported himself on his staff； swaying unsteadily as the Avatar's pounding footsteps crashed towards him across the
breach。
'Not dead yet； psyker？' roared the Avatar； raising its sword。 'Soon you will wish you were。'
Corwin looked up into the blazing eyes of the Avatar and saw death。
The Avatar swung its sword； the passage of the iridescent blade cutting through the fragile veil of reality with a dreadful ripping
sound； like tearing meat。
A black gouge torn in the walls separating realities opened； filling the air with sickening static； as though a million noxious flies
had flown through from some vile； plague dimension。
Librarian Corwin closed his eyes and died without a sound as the Avatar's blade split him in two； both halves of his body sucked
into the black tear opened in space and time。
The Avatar feasted on the slaughter it had caused； sensing the oceans of blood yet to be shed through the gateway its sword；
bloated with death； had torn in the world。 Galaxies of billions upon billions of souls awaited harvest and feeding to the Blood
God。 There were realms where the time it had wasted here was but the blink of an eye； where there were slaughters that would
perhaps one day assuage Khorne's hunger。
The Avatar laughed； knowing that such a thing could not come to pass： the Blood God's hunger was a depthless ocean and would
never be sated。 New life and new purpose thundered through the bulging fabric of its armour as the pull of fresh souls suffused it。
Larana Utorian continued to scream inside her mind as she saw the eternity of slaughter that lay before her； and all the deaths to
come。
She screamed because she realised that some vile part of her soul desired this。
Without a backward glance； the Avatar abandoned Hydra Cordatus to its fate； stepping through the dark portal to a time and place
beyond mortal understanding。
An age of battle awaited； and it had time without end to be part of it。
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
HONSOU SCRAMBLED UP the slopes of the breach； his blood afire with killing。 Iron Warriors gathered at the crest of the breach； the
rocks there enveloped in clouds of explosions pierced with stabs of flame from some unseen weapon。 Already he could tell that
the gunfire had to be coming from a Titan。
Forrix saw him coming and waved him forward； shouting over the din of the sawing fire of the Warhounds' Vulcan bolters。
'We cannot go further！'
'But the guns of the bastion will cut us to pieces if we stay here！' retorted Honsou。 'We must carry the breach！'
Forrix pointed through the smoke to the shadowy outline of the Mori bastion and Honsou suddenly noticed the complete absence
of any sounds of battle。 No gunshots； no screams of wounded men and no clash of steel on steel。 Only then did he notice the
slowly shrinking wound torn in the air that hung in the breach； a veil of stars glittering from beyond。
'What in the name of Chaos is that？'
'I do not know； half…breed； but it is where Kroeger has gone。'
'I don't understand；' said Honsou as the shimmering vision faded to nothingness。
'Nor I； but the whereabouts of Kroeger is the least of our worries。 We need something to shift these thrice…damned Warhounds。'
As if in response to Forrix's demand； the thunder of something impossibly vast slamming against the earth shook the ground；
loosening giant rocks from the breach。 The massive vibration hammered through the ground again and Honsou turned as he felt
the presence of something ancient and fearsome approaching。
More rocks tumbled downwards from the breach as the tempo of the thunderous impacts grew。
The smoke parted and the Dies Irae limped from the smoke and strode towards the citadel。
HIGH IN THE command bridge of the Warlord Titan； Honoris Causa； Princeps Daekian heard the excitement in Princeps Carlsen's
voice even over the vox； and smiled with grim resignation。
'It's the Dies Irae； it's mobile again。 Emperor knows how； but it's coming straight for Vincare bastion； princeps！'
Carlsen's warning was unnecessary； Daekian's forward observers had already reported the appearance of the corrupted Emperor
Titan。 He could sense the unspoken desire of Carlsen to come and join the fight against the Dies Irae； but even a cursory glance at
the tactical plot told Daekian that Carlsen's Warhounds were best employed covering the breach。
'Hold fast； Princeps Carlsen。 Stay where you are；' he ordered。
'Aye； princeps；' replied Carlsen； his disappointment plain。
Daekian expertly walked his Warlord through the gateway of the inner wall； ducking the Titan's massive head to avoid losing its
carapace weapons。 The two Reavers that followed him； the Armis juvat and the Pax Imperator； were smaller and passed below the
gate without trouble。 All three Titans had undergone hurried repairs after their first engagement； but none was yet fully
operational。
Daekian had faith in his crews and the fighting spirit of the Honoris Causa； but he had made his peace with the Emperor before
climbing to the bridge of his Titan。 He had long known that it would come to this and though he was sure it would mean his death；
he was honoured that it would fall to him to avenge Princeps Fierach。
Already he could see the effect the Dies Irae was having on the battle。 Imperial troops were streaming back in terror from the
gargantuan apparition that had emerged from the smoke。 The Imperial Fists fell back in good order； even the Space Marines
realising the futility of standing before this beast。 Their ramparts were no protection against such a towering monster； able to cross
the bastion with a single step； able to obliterate the walls with a shot。
Daekian cursed as the troops fled beneath him； unable to step forward for fear of crushing whole platoons beneath his tread。 The
Dies Irae had reached the third parallel and was barely seconds away from reaching the walls。
'Moderati Issar； take down that abomination's shields！' he yelled； raising the massive foot of his Titan and praying that the men
below would get out of his way。
'Engineering deck； give me slow striding speed。'
He watched as flaming traceries of staccato gunfire pumped from his carapace…mounted Catling blaster； the high velocity shells
ripping across the body of the Dies Irae。 Bright pulses flared as void shields collapsed； but Daekian knew that it would take more
than the gatling blaster to finish this beast off。
The Armis Juvat and Pax Imperator spread out to his flanks； firing as they went； as he gracefully manoeuvred the Honoris Causa
through the mass of fleeing troops。 A massive explosion threw up chunks of rockcrete as the enemy Titan's plasma annihilator
opened fire and vaporised a corner gun tower on Vincare bastion； melting the rockcrete of the walls and causing them to sag under
the intolerable heat。
Daekian grunted as he felt shields collapsing under the weight of fire from the Dies Irae； cursing as he swung his Titan left into
the bastion； stepping over the lines of entrenchments。
His monstrous foe was before