HORUS PUT HIS fist through the pict-screen that showed the transmission from the Dies Irae. The image of the World Eaters' gunships splintered under the assault as his anger at Angron's defiance boiled over. One of his allies - no, one of his subordinates - had disobeyed his direct order.

Aximand, Abaddon, Erebus and Maloghurst eyed him warily and Horus could imagine their trepidation at the news of Angron's impetuous attack on the survivors of the virus bombing.

That there were survivors at all was galling, but Angron's actions put a whole new spin on the Isst-van campaign.

'And yet,’ he said, choking back his rage, 'I am surprised at this,’ Warmaster,’ said Aximand, 'what do you-' Angron is a killer!' snapped Horus, rounding on his Mournival son. 'He solves every problem with raw violence. He attacks first and thinks later, if he thinks at all. And yet I never saw this! What else would he do when he saw the survivors of his Legion in the Choral City? Would he sit back and

watch the rest of the fleet bombard them from orbit? Never! And yet I did nothing!'

Horus glanced at the smashed remains of the pict-display. 'I will never be caught out like this again. There will be no twists of fate I do not see coming,’

The questions remains,’ said Aximand. 'What shall we do about Angron?'

'Destroy him with the rest of the city,’ said Abaddon without a pause. 'If he cannot be trusted to obey his Warmaster then he is a liability,’

The World Eaters are an exceptionally effective weapon of terror,’ retorted Aximand. 'Why destroy them when they can wreak so much havoc among those loyal to the Emperor?'

There are always more soldiers,’ said Abaddon. 'Many will beg to join the Warmaster. There is no room for those who can't follow orders,’

'Angron is a killer, yes, but he is predictable,’ put in Erebus, and Horus bristled at the implicit insult in the first chaplain's words. 'He can be kept obedient by letting him off the leash every now and again,’

The Word Bearers may live by treachery and lies,’ snarled Abaddon, 'but in the Sons of Horus you are loyal or you are dead!'

What do you know of my Legion?' asked Erebus, rising to meet the first captain's ire, his mask of smirking calm slipping. 'I know secrets that would destroy your mind! How dare you speak to me of deceit? This, this reality, all you know, this is the lie!'

'Erebus!' roared Horus, ending the confrontation instantly. 'This is not the place to evangelise your Legion. I have made my decision and these are wasted words,’

Then Angron will be destroyed in the bombardment?' asked Maloghurst. 'No,’ replied Horus. 'He will not,’ 'But Warmaster, even if Angron prevails he could be down there for weeks,’ said Aximand.

'And he will not fight alone. Do you know, my sons, why the Emperor appointed me Warmaster?' 'Because you were his favoured son,’ replied Maloghurst. 'You are the greatest warrior and tactician of the Great Crusade. Whole worlds have fallen at the mention of your name,’ 'I did not ask for flattery,’ snarled Horus. 'Because you never lose,’ said Abaddon levelly. 'I never lose,’ nodded Horus, glaring between the four Astartes, 'because I see only victory. I have never seen a situation that cannot be turned into triumph, no disadvantage that cannot be turned to an advantage. That is why I was made Warmaster. On Davin I fell, yet came through that ordeal stronger. Against the Auretian Technocracy we faced dissent from within our own fleet, so I used the conflict to rid us of those fomenting rebellion. There is no failing I cannot turn to a component in my victories. Angron has decided to turn Isstvan III into a ground assault - I can consider this a failure and limit its impact by bombing Angron and his World Eaters into dust along with the rest of the

planet, or I can forge a triumph from it that will send echoes far into the future,’

Maloghurst broke the silence that followed. 'What would you have us do, Warmaster?'

'Inform the other Legions that they are to prepare for a full assault on the loyalists in the Choral City. Ezekyle, assemble the Legion. Have them ready to launch the attack in two hours,’

'I shall be proud to lead my Legion,’ said Abaddon.

You will not lead them. That honour will go to Sedirae and Targhost,’

Anger flared in Abaddon. 'But I am the first captain. This battle, where resolve and brutality are qualities required for victory, is tailor-made for me!'

'You are a captain of the Mournival, Ezekyle,’ said Horus. 'I have another role in mind for you and Little Horus in this fight. One I feel sure you will relish,’

Yes, Warmaster,’ said Abaddon, the frustration disappearing from his face.

As for you, Erebus...'

ЛУагтаз1ег?'

'Stay out of our way. To your duties, Sons of Horus,’

THIRTEEN

Maggard

Factions

Luna Wolves

PRINCEPS TURNET LISTENED intently as the orders came through, though Cassar couldn't hear the orders piped into the princeps's ear and he didn't want to - it was all he could do to keep from vomiting. Every time he let his mind wander outside the systems of the Dies Irae, he saw nothing but the tangles of charred ruins. His consciousness retreated within the machine, pulling his perception back into the massive form of the Titan.

The Dies Irae was coming back to life around him; he could sense the god-machine's limbs flood with power and could feel the weapons reloading. The plasma reactor at its heart was beating in time with his own, a ball of nuclear flame that burned with the Emperor's own righteous strength.

Even here, among all this death and horror, the Emperor was with him. The god-machine was the instrument of His will, standing firm among the destruction. That thought comforted Cassar and helped him focus. If the Emperor was here, then the Emperor would protect.

'Orders in from the Vengeful Spirit,' said Turnet briskly. 'Moderati, open fire.'

'Open fire?' said Aruken. 'Sir? The Isstvanians are gone. They're dead.'

To Cassar, Aruken's voice sounded distant, for he was subsumed in the systems of the Titan, but he heard Tumet's voice as clearly as if he had spoken in his own ear.

'Not at the Isstvanians,’ replied Turnet, 'at the Death Guard.'

'Princeps?' said Aruken. 'Fire on the Death Guard?'

'I am not in the habit of repeating my orders, moderati,’ replied Turnet, 'and they are to fire on the Death Guard. They have defied the Warmaster.'

Cassar froze. As if there wasn't enough death on Isstvan III, now the Dies lrae was to fire on the Death Guard, the very force they had been sent to support.

'Sir,’ he said. 'This doesn't make any sense,’

'It doesn't need to!' shouted Turnet, his patience finally at an end. 'Just do as I order,’

Looking straight into Tumet's eyes, the truth hit Titus Cassar as though the Emperor had reached out from Terra and filled him with the light of truth.

The Isstvanians didn't do this, did they?' he asked. The Warmaster did,’

Turnet's face creased in a slow smile and Cassar saw his hand reaching towards his holstered sidearm.

Cassar didn't give him the chance to get there first and snatched for his own autopistol.

Both men drew their pistols and fired.

MAGGARD TOOK A step forwards, drawing his golden Kirlian blade and unholstering his pistol. His bulk was even more massive than Sindermann remembered, grossly swollen to proportions beyond human and more reminiscent of an Astartes. Had that been Maggard's reward for his services to the Warmaster?

Without wasting words of preamble, Qruze raised his bolter and fired, but Maggard's armour was the equal of Astartes plate and the shot simply signalled the beginning of a duel.

Sindermann and Mersadie ducked as Maggard's pistol spat fire, the noise appalling as the two warriors ran towards one another with their guns blazing.