In the strategy chamber of the Vengeful Spirit.
Horus Lupercal watched the fading trident silhouette on the holographic display.
Though he had won the void battle, he had not achieved his objective, and the two companies of the battle-proven Serghar Targost and Tybalt Marr had been lost aboard the enemy vessel.
The Quillborn, supposedly adept at void warfare, had annihilated them in a boarding action.
Zadkiel did not seem like a son of Lorgar.
Though he had personally witnessed Erebus swiftly defeat Torgaddon and Aximand in duels, and then best Saul Tarvitz of the Emperor's Children, he now knew the Dark Apostle had been blessed with supernatural power.
What power did Zadkiel rely on to defeat the formidable Serghar?
Could it be that even after betraying Lorgar, he still enjoyed the blessing of warp allies?
As Horus pondered, his Equerry Maloghurst, standing nearby, reported.
"Warmaster, the Auger Master reports that scans are being disrupted by energy fields."
"This likely relates to the Arcane Prism crystals produced on this world, a type of crystal that contains warp energy."
"Drones have conducted surface observation and discovered fortresses among the mountains of the mining zones."
Horus's gaze shifted from the empty void to the earth-toned planet.
"The Shadow of Order does not intend to give up this world."
"Ezekyle will welcome their decision."
"Ezekyle has already landed on the surface and is searching for the Shadow of Order's hiding places." The equerry raised his control staff, marking the landing zone on the planet's surface.
Horus nodded. He had not wanted to unleash his blade so early in the war, but now he needed a victory from Ezekyle.
"Regulus believes the Vengeful Spirit must temporarily withdraw from further combat and return to M'Pandex for repairs."
"I agree." Horus's gaze returned to the void.
"We have already torn open an opening at Ghana's Rock. The next step is to bring the Cyclops Cluster under our control."
"Order Maximus Karania to lead the Legio Tempestus to Millstone."
"Tell Fulgrim, it is time for him to move. Starting with Gethsamaine."
...…..
Ghana's Rock, Mining Zone J-L07.
Ezekyle Abaddon bent down to examine the ground, layers of footprints, some deep, some shallow, wound toward the mine tunnel entrance.
The pattern of footprints was no different from what he had seen in the other three mines.
In those three, he had found nothing, scattered tools and debris, but not a single Shadow of Order, not even a mortal.
He frowned, rose, and asked the Justaerin Terminator beside him, who was holding a black disc: "Is the Dark Mechanicum's device useful?"
"My lord, there are faint runic signals, flickering on the screen at intervals of seconds or minutes."
Abaddon snatched the black disc and stared at the clusters of diamond-shaped runes.
The runes dissolved like melting snow.
He raised his arm and swung it down.
"Move out!"
The Cthonian conscripts could not wait to charge into the mine, they were desperate to prove themselves as sons of Cthonia before the great First Captain.
Abaddon watched the impatient dregs. 'There are no true Sons of Horus left.'
His gauntlet creaked. 'No, we will reclaim Cthonia and rebuild the Legion.'
He strode forward, though clad in Justaerin Terminator armor, his pace far outstripped the conscripts in Mark IV power armor.
The formation was thrown into disarray. The Sons of Horus flashed with anger, but none dared to look at the monstrous First Captain.
Kebo and Karrus Ekaddon advanced side by side, leading the Justaerin Terminators and the Cthuluan Raiders respectively, keeping close to Abaddon's steps.
Abaddon's boots echoed through the deep tunnels, following the intermittent guidance of the runes through one branching passage after another.
As they drew closer, the runes grew increasingly unstable.
Abaddon's boots struck the center of the original rune-mark.
His gaze swept across the empty corridor, he opened the high-power vox-channel.
Crackle!
The crackling static tugged at the corner of Abaddon's mouth, in his earlier searches, the high-frequency channels had not been affected.
"You all claim to be born of Cthonia, you claim to be Sons of Horus."
"Now is the time to prove it."
"In our tradition, only by killing a worthy target do you earn your own name. Bring back the heads of the Shadow of Order, and you shall be Sons of Horus."
"Can they be trusted?" Ekaddon asked.
He had grown up under the domes of Cthonia's underhive slums; in his upbringing, he had used his own blade to kill many children like himself.
When Maloghurst had conscripted him, he had nearly taken the Twisted One's life with the same knife still sheathed at his waist.
"I have given them their chance."
Even if they failed, they could draw out the hated sons of Nareth.
Abaddon finished speaking and chose the outermost passage on his right.
His heavy footsteps echoed, beating against his own raging heart.
Boom!
A sun rose in the darkness with the blast.
Abaddon's legs spun like wheels, sending debris and gravel rolling before him.
Green and black entered his vision.
A Shadow of Order moved with trailing afterimages, appearing and disappearing among the conscripts.
He swung his arm, the bolter of a conscript who had sighted him suddenly flew from his hands, spinning into another squad of Sons of Horus firing from behind mining machinery.
The central figure of the three-man squad was knocked flying, his arms slammed into the two conscripts beside him.
They flew backward, colliding with deflected bolter rounds.
Abaddon raised his bolter, aiming at another Shadow of Order.
Just before the muzzle aligned with the black-armored warrior, he rolled on the spot.
At nine o'clock, three Shadows of Order fired, their bolts drilled into the helmets of conscripts who had slipped.
'Not deflection, not coincidence. Nareth's sorcerer whelps!'
A shrieking blade snapped out, Abaddon had fought psykers before.
As long as his attack was faster than their damned foresight.
Abaddon moved with hunter's steps, charging straight at the three Shadows of Order.
Kebo and Ekaddon followed close, three blades spun in a blur.
The Shadows of Order retreated rapidly among the massive hanging crystal columns, they moved in perfect order, evading every bolter round fired by the Justaerin Terminators.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Abaddon crashed through crystal pillars, his two hearts pounded.
Adrenaline surged through his body; blazing breath escaped his respirator grille, trailing twin plumes of white steam in the frigid mine.
His power sword flashed.
Blue light scattered across the flying crystal shards, igniting sparks.
The disintegration field threw up a cloud of dust.
The blade shrieked as it pierced Mark IV power armor, the blue tip emerging through the spine.
"Roar!"
Abaddon clasped his hands together and hurled the Shadow of Order away.
Bang!
The Shadow of Order slammed into another.
"Winner" Jules snapped his head around, his obsidian eyes locked onto Abaddon.
....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu