[Word Bearer 02] - Dark Disciple by Anthony Reynolds

Author:Anthony Reynolds
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Published: 2012-01-22T08:43:27.550033+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“You want us to go in there?” asked Kol Badar flatly, looking in disdain at the maintenance submersibles bobbing slightly on the surface of the dark pool of water.

“This is the way that the explorator came; we must follow in his footsteps,” said Marduk evenly.

“That statement is categorically false, Marduk, First Acolyte of the Word Bearers Legion of Astartes, genetic descendant of the glorified Primarch Lorgar,” intoned Darioq-Grendh’al.

Marduk turned slowly towards the daemonically infused magos, glowering within his skull-faced helmet.

“What?” he said in a low, dangerous voice.

“Repeat: ‘This is the way that the explorator came, we must follow in his footsteps’ is categorically false,” said the magos.

Marduk licked his lips. If he did not feel like he had such control over the daemon inhabiting Darioq’s body, he would think that the magos was being wilfully obtuse.

“What is incorrect about that statement?” asked Marduk slowly.

“Explorator First Class Daenae,” said Magos Darioq in his monotone voice,

“originally of the Konor Adeptus Mechanicus research world of UL01.02, assigned to cl4.8.87.i, Perdus Skylla, for recon/salvage of the Dvorak-class interstellar freighter Flames of Perdition, which reappeared within Segmentum Tempestus in 942.M41 and crashed onto the surface of cl4.8.87.i, Perdus Skylla, in 944.M41 after being missing presumed lost in warp storm anomaly xi.024.396 in 432.M35, is of the female gender.”

Marduk blinked.

“Well I am certainly glad that we got that cleared up,” he said in a deadpan voice.

“I am pleased to have caused you gratification, Marduk, First—” began the magos, but Marduk held up a hand to stop him.

“Enough,” he impelled, the word laced with the power of the warp, and the magos fell silent mid-sentence.

“Why don’t we rip out his tongue?” suggested Burias. “Or his speaker box, or whatever.”

“The thought had crossed my mind,” said Marduk, before turning back towards the line of docked submersibles.

“We are going in those,” he said to Kol Badar. “No discussion.” Though wary of possible attack and on edge having witnessed the profane mural upon entering the mining facility, they had encountered no resistance as they penetrated deeper into the complex. They had come across several shrines that 114

appeared to venerate the four-armed creature that Marduk recognised as xenos in origin, with crudely scrawled images of the beast in alcoves surrounded by offerings of tokens, charms and coins. He ordered these fanes destroyed, and the walls cleansed with bursts of promethium from flamer units.

Though they faced no resistance, a growing crowd of humans, miners it would seem, were shadowing their progress. At first, just a few figures were seen ghosting their steps, ducking into the shadows whenever warrior brothers looked in their direction. As they continued onward they attracted more of a following, until hundreds of miners were following in their footsteps, though they still maintained a wary distance. Marduk felt their anger as the shrines were obliterated but, wisely, they did not dare to attempt to stop the actions of the Word Bearers.

Not wishing to be slowed, Marduk ordered the warrior brothers to ignore the growing crowd that shadowed their progress, pressing on with an increasing sense of urgency.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.