Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第58章

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was　not　wholly　natural　and　he　squinted；　trying　to　make　sense　out　of　what　he　saw　before　him。　His　armour　stood　where　he　had　left
it；　but　there　was　something　different…　It　took　him　several　seconds　before　he　realised　what。
There　was　someone　wearing　it。　And　they　carried　his　sword。
'Whoever　you　are；　you　are　dead；'　promised　Kroeger。
The　intruder　shook　its　head。　'No；　Kroeger；　you　are。　We　grow　weary　of　you；　and　have　no　more　need　of　you。'
Kroeger　started　as　he　recognised　the　voice。　But　it　was　impossible。　It　could　not　be　her；　not　that　weak　snivelling　human。
She　would　pay　for　such　impudence。　He　launched　himself　forward；　club…like　fists　raised　to　strike　her　down。　The　woman　swayed
aside；　slashing　the　sword　across　his　flank；　the　blade　biting　a　hand's…breadth　into　his　flesh。　Kroeger　roared；　blood　washing　in　a
crimson　flood　from　his　body。
Before　he　could　recover；　the　sword　struck　again；　ripping　through　his　belly　and　spilling　his　looping　guts　to　the　earthen　floor　of　the
dugout。　Kroeger　dropped　to　his　knees；　a　pleading　look　in　his　eyes。　The　sword　came　at　him　again　and　he　vainly　raised　his　hands　to
ward　off　the　blows。
The　armoured　warrior　spared　him　no　mercy；　hacking　him　into　pieces。　First　came　his　hands；　then　his　arms。　Kroeger　flopped　onto
his　back；　amidst　his　severed　limbs　and　pooling　blood　as　the　woman　knelt　astride　him　and　cast　aside　the　sword。
With　deliberate　slowness；　the　warrior　removed　the　helmet　and　Kroeger　coughed　thick　gobbets　of　blood　as　he　saw　the　reborn　face
of　Larana　Utorian。
Gone　was　the　terrified　woman　he　had　tortured　these　long　weeks；　and　in　its　place　was　a　twisted　face；　devoid　of　pity　or　mercy。　A
face　so　full　of　hate　that　it　chilled　him　to　the　very　core　of　his　being。
She　raised　her　arms　high　above　her　head；　a　dulled　bone　knife　gripped　in　both　hands。
The　thing　that　had　once　been　Larana　Utorian　plunged　the　knife　through　Kroeger's　eye　socket　and　into　his　brain；　stabbing　again　and
again　until　there　was　nothing　left　of　her　tormentor's　skull　but　a　pulverised　mass　of　shattered　bone　and　matter。
FORRIX　CONSULTED　A　dust…covered　data…slate；　checking　on　the　position　of　the　mine；　content　it　was　following　the　correct　path。　The
tunnel　had　traversed　beneath　the　ditch　and　he　expected　to　be　under　the　walls　within　the　hour。　He　stepped　over　the　corpse　of　a　slave
and　watched　the　activity　on　the　rockface　before　him。　The　drilling　rigs　could　not　work　this　close　to　the　wall　for　fear　of　Imperial
detection　and　so　gangs　of　slaves　worked　with　cloth…wrapped　picks　and　shovels　to　extend　the　tunnel。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
Human　soldiers　guarded　the　slaves　with　barbed　cudgels　and　electro…prods。　It　was　a　pleasing　irony　that　these　fools　were
precipitating　their　own　species'　downfall。
Satisfied　that　all　was　proceeding　as　planned；　Forrix　made　his　way　back　along　the　hot　tunnel；　pushing　past　teams　of　cowering
slaves。　He　passed　various　galleries　and　blind　passages　designed　to　disguise　the　true　direction　of　their　attack　from　the　Imperial
sappers。
Iron　props　supported　the　roof　of　the　tunnel　and　sound　absorbent　mats　were　laid　along　its　length。　Forrix　was　taking　no　chances　that
this　tunnel　might　be　discovered；　though　he　knew　that　the　enemy　must　be　aware　of　the　tunnelling　operation。　There　was　always　the
chance　the　Imperials　might　discover　it　through　blind　luck。
Forrix　had　prayed　they　would　not　and　that　his　successful　demolition　of　a　portion　of　the　curtain　wall　would　restore　his　master's
favour。
He　had　not　seen　the　Warsmith　since　the　destruction　of　the　batteries。　The　lord　of　the　Iron　Warriors　had　retreated　within　his　pavilion
and　had　allowed　only　Jharek　Kelmaur　into　his　presence。　He　didn't　know　whether　the　Warsmith　was　aware　of　Kelmaur's　folly；　but
he　fully　intended　that　he　would　learn　of　it。　The　idea　of　the　sorcerer's　downfall　was　only　marginally　more　appealing　to　him　than
Honsou's。　Why　the　Warsmith　had　allowed　the　half…breed　to　live　after　Forrix　had　told　him　that　it　was　Honsou's　failure　that　had　cost
them　the　guns　on　Tor　Christo　was　a　mystery　to　him。
Thinking　of　Honsou　brought　his　anger　to　the　fore　again；　and　he　vowed　the　ungrateful　half…breed　would　pay　in　blood　for　his
usurping　of　Forrix　in　the　Warsmith's　favour。
Consumed　with　resentment；　Forrix　almost　didn't　hear　the　noises　from　the　rockface　until　it　was　too　late。　Screams　and　the　crash　of
stone　startled　him　from　his　bitter　reverie　and　he　threw　aside　the　data…slate　as　he　realised　what　was　happening。
He　grabbed　the　nearest　soldier；　shouting；　'Go　to　the　surface　and　send　warning。　The　tunnel　is　under　attack！'
Forrix　dropped　the　terrified　soldier；　who　scrambled　away　from　the　giant　Terminator　and　sprinted　back　along　the　tunnel　in　panic。
Forrix　heard　the　crack　of　gunfire　and　screams　echoing　through　the　mine　and　activated　his　power　fist；　the　crackling　blue　arcs　of
energy　throwing　the　darkness　of　the　tunnel　into　stark　relief。
The　rapid　firing　of　automatic　weapons　grew　louder　as　he　strode　through　the　tunnel；　combi…bolter　at　the　ready。　A　group　of　human
soldiers　ran　towards　him；　dropping　their　electro…prods　and　clubs　as　they　ran　in　terror　from　the　rock…face。　Throngs　of　slaves　fled
alongside　them。　Forrix　shot　them　down　in　a　hail　of　bolts；　stepping　over　their　shredded　bodies　as　he　fought　his　way　forward。
Ahead；　he　saw　five　figures　in　yellow　power　armour　beneath　a　hole　blasted　in　the　cavern　roof；　standing　in　a　ring　of　dead　bodies。
Two　Space　Marines　were　advancing　towards　him；　while　the　others　prepared　explosives　to　bring　down　the　tunnel　before　it　could
reach　the　citadel's　wall。　Forrix　opened　fire　before　they　saw　him；　the　sound　of　his　weapon　deafening　in　such　a　confined　space。　One
Imperial　Fist　dropped；　a　series　of　red　craters　torn　in　his　breastplate。
Ricochets　blew　out　the　glow…globes；　sputtering　light　casting　lunatic　shadows　over　the　tunnel　walls。　The　second　Space　Marine
dropped　into　a　crouch　and　returned　fire　with　his　bolt　pistol。　The　impacts　hammered　against　Forrix's　breastplate；　but　Terminator
armour　had　been　designed　for　just　this　kind　of　close…quarters　fighting　and　not　a　single　bolt　could　penetrate　the　thick　armour。
Forrix　shot　again；　swinging　his　power　fist。　The　warrior　ducked　and　rolled　aside；　Forrix's　blow　smashing　apart　an　iron　prop　and
pulverising　a　huge　section　of　wall。　Rock　and　dust　filled　the　air　as　he　rounded　on　his　opponent。　The　Imperial　Fist　drew　a　sword；　its
blade　wreathed　in　amber　fire；　but　die　tunnel　was　too　cramped　to　wield　it　effectively。
Forrix　batted　aside　the　blade　and　pistoned　his　fist　through　the　warrior's　chest；　smashing　his　ribcage　and　ripping　out　his　heart　and
lungs。　He　pushed　aside　the　bloody　corpse；　stepping　into　the　main　gallery　and　spraying　the　Imperial　Fists　with　bolter　fire。　One　man
dropped；　blood　washing　down　his　thigh　as　the　others　dived　for　cover。　Bolter　fire　blasted　the　rock　around　him　and　pounded　his
armour。
Somehow　a　bolt　found　its　way　through　his　shoulder　guard　and　blood　started　to　pour　from　a　wound　in　his　arm。　He　roared　in　anger
and　emptied　the　remainder　of　his　bolter's　magazine　into　the　nearest　Imperial　Fist；　the　snap　of　the　hammer　dropping　on　an　empty
chamber　shockingly　loud　in　the　cramped　tunnel。
Behind　him；　Forrix　could　hear　the　shouts　of　approaching　soldiers。　His　bolter　empty；　he　pulled　back　the　arming　slide　on　his　combiweapon's
other　armament　fixture。
The　last　Space　Marine　rose　from　his　cover　and　opened　fire；　hosing　Forrix　with　bullets。　Forrix　rocked　under　the　impacts；　bringing
his　weapon　to　bear　and　fired　the　underslung　melta　gun。　The　white…hot　blast　of　superheated　air　punched　into　the　Imperial　Fist；
incinerating　his　torso　with　a　hissing　detonation；　the　oxygen…rich　blood　in　his　body　flashing　to　a　stinking　red　steam。
A　pile　of　armoured　limbs　and　a　head　…　all　that　remained　of　the　Space　Marine　…　clattered　to　the　floor；　the　gory　stumps　cauterised
and　molten。　Forrix　dropped　his　weapon　and　swept　up　a　fallen　bolter　as　red…clad　human　soldiers　raced　to　join　him　from　the　surface。
Suddenly；　Forrix　caught　the　stench　of　something　vile　from　the　opening　in　the　cavern　roof　and　realised　he　had　to　get　out　of　here。
He　turned　from　the　rockface　and　ran　past　the　startled　soldiers　without　a　word。　He　ran　as　fast　as　he　could　back　towards　the　surface；
but　as　he　heard　the　roaring　thunder　behind　him；　he　realised　he　wouldn't　make　it　in