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and the gate。 Their massive bodies scraped down its face； trailing flaming sheets of burning plasma and ripping another great tear
in the walls。
Honsou scrambled over the lip of the ditch； desperate to reach the safety of the earthworks。 Forrix ran alongside him； his new
bionics enhancing his speed； despite the Terminator armour he wore。
The two Titans slammed into the ground； the impact throwing Honsou from his feet and hurling him forward。 He smashed into the
top of the earthwork； rolling over its top as a river of plasma spilled from the ruptured reactors of the Titans。
Burning plasma flooded the ditch； incinerating the corpses that filled it in an instant。 The Primus Ravelin was destroyed； crushed
beneath thousands of tonnes of armaplas and ceramite。 Huge flames and geysers of magma…hot steam ripped along the ditch；
vitrifying the rocks throughout its length。
Razor sharp chunks of white…hot debris rained down inside the citadel； one shard from the Honoris Causa's bridge section
hammering through a section of ramparts less than five metres from Castellan Leonid。
Both war machines thrashed weakly in the molten soup that filled the ditch； grappling to the last as the searing fires consumed
them。
The first attack had failed。
FIVE
CASTELLAN LEONID POURED himself a glass of amasec and drained his glass in a single swallow。 He set down the glass on his
desk and sat on the edge of his bed； his entire body aching。 He winced as stitches from a dozen shallow cuts pulled tight across his
arms and legs； rubbing his temples in an attempt to ease the pain of the last few days。
Such a miracle was beyond his powers。 He poured himself another glass； looking through the armoured loophole in the tower's
wall。 A dim glow still radiated from the dying plasma fires in the ditch where the two Titans had fallen and he raised his glass to
the light。 'Here's to you； Princeps Daekian。 May the Emperor watch over your soul。'
He drank the fiery spirit and briefly considered pouring another。 He decided against it； knowing he had much to organise before
morning。 He rubbed a calloused hand through his hair when a knock came at his door。
'Come in。'
Brother…Captain Eshara ducked his head as he entered the room； pulling up a sturdy chair from beside Leonid's desk and sitting
opposite the citadel's castellan。
The pair sat in a companionable silence before Eshara said； 'Your men fought bravely today。 They are a credit to Joura； and your
kin would be proud of you all。'
Seeing Leonid's sadness； he added； 'I was grieved to hear of Major Anders's death。'
Leonid nodded； remembering the awful sight of an Iron Warrior casually butchering his brave friend in the Primus Ravelin。
'As did yours； captain。 We all feel Brother Corwin's loss。'
Eshara's face was lined with sorrow； 'I do not pretend to understand what happened in that bastion； but I believe he gave his life to
save us all。'
'As do I；' replied Leonid。
Reports of the battle in the Mori bastion were confused to say the least。 The infirmary building was awash with soldier's ravings；
telling of a giant warrior killing everything in the bastion by his voice alone and a whirlwind that fed on blood。 Luckily； Leonid
had been able to scotch these wild tales before they had reached the remainder of the garrison。
'Tomorrow will be the last day will it not？' asked Leonid。
Eshara didn't answer and Leonid thought he was avoiding the question； but the Space Marine had merely been considering his
answer。
'If we do not pull back to the citadel's inner wall； then； yes； it will be。 We have less than four thousand men； virtually no heavy
guns and three breaches。 The wall is too long and we cannot hold everywhere at once。 We will make it a thankless； bloody battle
for our enemies； but； ultimately； the citadel will fall。'
'Then we will give up the outer wall and fall back to the inner citadel。 The wall there is unbroken and； despite its irregular
coverage； we still have the protection of the energy shield。'
Eshara nodded。 'Aye。 The sacrifice made by Princeps Daekian has bought us some time to regroup； and it would be best if we
begin now。'
'I will issue the orders immediately；' stated Leonid pouring himself a last glass of amasec and taking out his vial of detox pills。
He swallowed one and shook his head at the dreadful taste； placing the vial on the desk。
'I have observed your men taking these pills as well；' noted Eshara。 'Might I enquire as to what they are？'
'What； the detox pills？ Oh； of course； you do not need these do you？ Well； I don't suppose any of us will need them any more
really。'
Eshara looked puzzled and said； 'Need them for what？'
'Well； it's the air here；' explained Leonid； waving his hand around him； 'It's poisonous。 The Magos Biologis of the Adeptus
Graham McNeill ？Storm of Iron？
Mechanicus provide these pills to keep the men from getting sick from the toxins in the air。'
Eshara leaned closer and lifted the vial。 He shook out a handful of pills and took what seemed； to Leonid； an unnecessarily deep
breath。
'Castellan Leonid； are you aware of an organ unique to the physiology of the Space Marines known as the neuroglottis？'
Leonid shook his head as Eshara continued。 'It is situated at the back of the throat and is capable of analysing the chemical content
of anything we ingest or breathe。 If need be； it can shift the pattern of my breathing to divert my trachea to a genetically altered
lung better able to process the toxins in any given atmosphere。'
Eshara replaced the vial on Leonid's desk and said； 'I am afraid you have been misled； my friend； because I can assure you that the
air on this planet is quite harmless。 Unpleasant to breathe； yes； but poisonous？ Most definitely not。'
LEONID LET HIS anger grow with each step that took him towards the Machine Temple； situated deep beneath the citadel。 He
clutched the vial of detox pills in his left hand； his laspistol in his right； as he made his way along the antiseptic corridors that led
to the lair of Arch Magos Amaethon。 Captain Eshara was beside him and his honour guard of carapace…armoured Guardsmen
marched in step behind him。
Now he knew why Hawke had not sickened and died on the mountains。 Now he knew why the men stationed here were afflicted
with headaches and constant nausea。
Now he knew why there were so many flags and regimental plaques around the briefing chamber。 With these ''detox'' pills； it was
only a matter of time until the citadel would need another garrison。
Eshara had sampled one of the pills； allowing the chemicals to swill around his mouth before spitting them into an empty water
jug。
'Poison；' he declared at last。 'Slow…acting to be sure； and subtle in its effects； but poison nonetheless。 There are many chemicals
present in this tablet I know to be highly carcinogenic。 It is my guess that after a few years of taking these； the victim would be
suffering from one or more highly virulent cancers。'
Leonid was horrified and stared in revulsion at the vial of pills before the cold realisation of how long he had been taking them
struck him。 'How virulent？' he whispered。
Eshara frowned。 'Debilitating after maybe six or seven years and fatal soon after that。'
Leonid was speechless with rage。 The magnitude of the betrayal was unbelievable。 That the Adeptus Mechanicus could have
perpetuated such a lie upon their own people was staggering。 Thinking of the hundreds of regimental flags in the briefing
chamber； he tried to calculate how many men the Adeptus Mechanicus had murdered； but gave up； appalled； as the numbers
spiralled into the millions。
'Why would they do such a thing？'
'I do not know。 What is it that this citadel defends？ Is it so valuable that not even its defenders can be allowed to tell what they
know？'
Leonid shook his head。 'No； well； maybe； I don't know for sure。 As far as I know； this place is some sort of way…station for xeno
artefacts discovered in the sector。 I was told that the facility was built upon a ruin from the Dark Age of Technology—'
'Again； I feel you have been misled。 I do not believe the Adeptus Mechanicus would stoop to such base behaviour simply to
protect recovered xeno artefacts。 There is a secret hidden within this citadel that is worth the l