'I believe so, my lord,' nodded Maloghurst. 'It appears they boarded a Thunderhawk and flew to the Eisenstein!

They stole a Thunderhawk,’ repeated Horus. 'We are going to have to review our security procedures regarding these new craft. First Saul Tarvitz and

now these remembrancers; it seems anyone can steal one of our ships with impunity,’

They did not steal it on their own,’ explained Maloghurst. 'They had help,’ 'Help? From whom?'

'I believe it was Iacton Qruze. There was a struggle and Maggard was killed,’

'Iacton Qruze?' laughed Horus mirthlessly. 'We have seen no shortage of wonders, but perhaps this is the greatest of them. The Half-heard growing a conscience,’

'I have failed in this, Warmaster,’

'It is not a question of failure, Maloghurst! Mistakes like this should never occur. More and more of my efforts are distracted from this battle. Tell me, where is the Eisenstein now?'

'It attempted to break through our blockade to reach the system jump point,’

'You say "attempted",' noted Horus. 'It did not succeed?'

Maloghurst paused before answering. 'Several of our ships intercepted the Eisenstein and heavily damaged it,’

'But they did not destroy it?'

'No, my lord, before they could do so, the Eisen-stein's commander made an emergency jump into the warp, but the ship was so badly damaged that we do not believe it could survive such a translation,’

'If it does, then the whole timetable of my designs will be disrupted,’

'The warp is dark, Warmaster. It is unlikely that-'

'Do not be so sure of yourself, Maloghurst,’

warned Horus. The Isstvan V phase is critical to our

success and if the Eisenstein carries word of our

plans to Terra, then all may be lost.'

'Perhaps, Warmaster, if we were to withdraw from the Choral City and blockade the planet, we could ensure that the Isstvan V phase proceeds as planned,’

'I am the Warmaster and I do not back down from a battle!' shouted Horus. 'There are goals to be won in the Choral City that you cannot comprehend,’

Horus was shaken from his memories by the chiming of the communications array fitted into the arm of his throne. This is the Warmaster,’

A holomat installed beneath the floor projected a large square plane on which swirled an image, high above the Warmaster's temple. The image resolved into the face of Lord Commander Eidolon, evidently inside his command Land Raider. The sound of distant explosions washed through the static.

Warmaster,’ said Eidolon. 'I bring news that I feel you should hear,’

'Tell me,’ said Horus, 'and it had better be good news,’ 'Oh, it is, my lord,’ said Eidolon. 'Well, don't drag this out, Eidolon,’ warned Horus. 'Tell me!' We have an ally inside the palace,’

'An ally? Who?' 'Lucius,’

THE AFTERMATH OF a battle was the worst part.

An Astartes warrior was used to the tension of waiting for an attack to come, and even the din and pain of battle itself. But Loken never wished for a time without war more than when he saw what was left after the battle had finished. He didn't experience fear or despair in the manner of a mortal man, but he felt sorrow and guilt as they did.

Angron's latest attack had been one of the fiercest yet, the primarch himself leading it, charging through the ruins of the palace dome towards Loken's defences. Thousands of blood covered World Eaters had followed him and many of those warriors still lay where they had fallen.

Once this place had been part of the palace, a handsome garden with summer-houses, ornamental lakes and a roof that opened up to the sun. Now it was a rubble-strewn ruin, its roof collapsed and only an incongruous decorated post or the splintered remains of an ornamental bridge remaining of its finery.

The bodies of the World Eaters were concentrated on the forward barricade, a line of heaped rubble and metal spikes constructed by the Luna Wolves. Angron had attacked it in force and Tor-gaddon had relinquished it, letting the World Eaters die for it before his Astartes fell back to the defences at the entrance of the palace's central

dome. The ruse had worked and the World Eaters had been strung out as they charged at Loken's position. Many had died to the guns Tarvitz had stationed above the barricades, and by the time Loken's sword had left its sheath it was only momentum that kept the World Eaters fighting -victory was beyond them.

Luna Wolves were mixed in with the World Eaters' dead, warriors Loken had known for years. Although the sounds of battle had faded, Loken fancied he could still hear echoes of the fighting, chainblades ripping through armour and volleys of bolter rounds splitting the air.

'It was a close run thing, Garviel,’ said a voice from behind Loken, 'but we did it,’

Loken glanced round to see Saul Tarvitz emerging from the central dome. Loken smiled as he saw his friend and battle-brother, a man who had come a long way from the line officer he had been back on Murder to command the survivors of Horus's treachery.

'Angron will be back,’ said Loken.

'Their ruse failed, though,’ said Tarvitz.

They don't need to break in, Saul,’ said Loken. 'Horus will whittle us down until there's no one left. Then Eidolon and Angron can just roll over us,’

'Not forgetting the Warmaster's Sons of Horus,’ said Tarvitz.

Loken shrugged. There's no need for them to get involved yet. Eidolon wants the glory and the World Eaters are hungry for blood. The Warmaster

will happily let the other Legions wear us down before they strike,’ 'That's changed,’ said Tarvitz. What do you mean?'

'I've just had word from Lucius,’ explained Tarvitz. 'He tells me that his communications specialists have broken the Sons of Horus communiques. Some old friends of yours are coming down from the Vengeful Spirit to lead the Legion,’

Loken turned from the battlefield, suddenly interested. 'Who?'

'Ezekyle Abaddon and Horus Aximand,’ said Tarvitz. 'Apparently they are to bring the Warmaster's own wrath down upon the city. The Sons of Horus will be playing their hand soon enough, I think,’

Abaddon and Aximand, the arch-traitors, men Loken had admired for so long and the heart of the Mournival. Both warriors stood at Horus's right hand and possibilities flashed through Loken's mind. Deprived of the last of its Mournival, a crucial part of the Legion would die and it would start unravelling without such inspirational figureheads. 'Saul, are you certain?' asked Loken urgently. 'As sure as I can be, but Lucius seemed pretty excited by the news,’

'Did this intercept say where they would be landing?' demanded Loken.

'It did,’ smiled Lucius. The Mackaran Basilica, just beyond the palace. It's a big temple with a spire in the shape of a trident,’

'I have to find Tank,’

'He is with Nero Vipus, helping Vaddon with the wounded.'

'Thank you for bringing me this news, Saul,’ said Loken with a cruel smile. 'This changes everything.'

Lucius PEERED PAST the bullet-riddled pillar, scanning through the darkness of one of the many battlefields scattered throughout the ruins of the palace. Bodies, bolters and chainaxes lay on the shattered tiles where they had been dropped and many of the bodies were still locked in their last, fatal combat.

It had not been difficult for Lucius to slip out of the palace. The biggest danger had been the snipers of the recon squads the Warmaster's forces had deployed among the ruins. Lucius had spied movement in the ruined buildings several times and had taken cover in shell craters or behind heaps of corpses.

Squirming through the filth and darkness like an animal - it had been humiliating, though the sights, sounds and smells of these battlefields still filled his senses in an arousing way. He stepped warily into the courtyard. The bodies that lay everywhere had been butchered, hacked apart with chainblades or battered to death with fists.