Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第61章

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thoughts；　Castellan。　These　traitors　are　heretics　and　know　nothing　of　notions　such　as　bravery　and　honour。　They　keep　coming　at　our
walls　to　die　because　they　fear　the　wrath　of　their　masters　more　than　us。　Push　such　thoughts　from　your　mind。　You　must　not　allow
yourself　to　identify　with　this　scum　in　any　way；　lest　you　find　pity　staying　your　hand　and　pay　with　your　life　for　that　moment　of
laxity。'
Leonid　nodded　and　returned　his　gaze　to　the　massacre　below。　'What　purpose　is　served　here？'　he　asked。　'They　will　never　gain　a
foothold　on　the　walls　like　this。　It　is　madness。'
'They　gain　a　clearer　understanding　of　our　defences；　explode　our　minefields　and　clog　the　walls　with　dead。'
'Why　don't　the　Iron　Warriors　come；　damn　them？'
'Do　not　worry；　Castellan；　you　will　get　your　chance　to　fight　the　Iron　Warriors；　but　you　may　soon　regret　that　wish。'
'Perhaps；'　said　Leonid；　watching　as　a　dozen　soldiers　managed　to　survive　long　enough　to　traverse　the　barricades　below　and　begin
scrambling　up　the　breach。　To　either　side　of　him；　his　platoon　waited；　rifles　aimed　in　a　line　down　the　breach。　Leonid　swept　down　his
sword　and　shouted；　'Fire！'
Thirty　rifles　fired　in　a　perfect　volley　and　the　enemy　were　blasted　backwards；　flopping　like　boneless　puppets　as　they　cartwheeled
down　the　breach。
For　a　further　three　bloody　hours　the　enemy　threw　themselves　at　the　wall　before　pulling　back　at　some　unheard　signal；　leaving　over
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
two　and　a　half　thousand　men　dead　in　the　ditch。　Not　a　single　traitor　had　managed　to　climb　the　breach。
A　hoarse　cheer　followed　the　traitors　back　to　their　lines　as　the　weary　Guardsmen　hurled　enemy　corpses　from　the　walls　of　the
ravelin；　and　orderlies　rushed　from　posterns　in　the　Destiny　Gate　to　carry　back　the　wounded。
'Well；　we　survived；'　said　Leonid。
'That　was　just　the　beginning；'　promised　Eshara。
CAPTAIN　ESHAKA'S　WORDS　were　to　prove　prophetic；　as　the　soldiers　of　the　Iron　Warriors　launched　another　two　assaults　on　the
walls。　Thousands　more　died　in　the　nightmare　hell　of　the　ditch；　shelled　to　bloody　rags；　shot　or　blown　apart　by　mines。　On　three
occasions；　the　Primus　Ravelin　almost　fell；　but　Piet　Anders　and　the　Space　Marines　managed　to　rally　the　defenders　every　time　and
take　back　the　walls　just　when　everything　seemed　lost。
Flanking　fire　from　the　face　of　the　Mori　bastion　swept　the　face　of　the　ravelin　clear　of　attackers　and　as　night　fell　on　the　first　day　of
the　escalade；　Leonid　guessed　that　some　five　thousand　enemy　soldiers　lay　dead　in　the　citadel's　ditch。　The　preliminary　butcher's　bill
amongst　his　own　men　for　today's　fighting　was　estimated　to　be　a　hundred　and　eighty　dead；　with　perhaps　twice　that　seriously
wounded。　Of　these　wounded；　perhaps　a　third　would　not　fight　again。
The　Iron　Warriors　could　afford　to　suffer　such　horrendous　loss　of　life　without　fear；　but　Leonid　could　not。
Even　if　the　Jourans　could　keep　up　such　an　impressive　kill…ratio；　the　Iron　Warriors　would　inevitably　wear　them　down。　Leonid　knew
he　could　not　allow　this　battle　to　become　one　of　attrition。
Under　cover　of　darkness；　he　and　Eshara　descended　from　the　walls；　leaving　the　citadel　through　the　Destiny　Gate's　postern　and
making　their　way　to　the　Primus　ravelin。　Here　they　found　Major　Anders；　his　face　blood　and　sweat　stained；　sitting　with　his　men
drinking　a　mug　of　caffeine。
'You've　done　well；　men；'　called　Leonid。　'Damn　well。'
The　soldiers　beamed　with　pride　at　their　commander's　words。
'But　tomorrow　will　be　just　as　hard；　and　I'll　need　your　very　best。'
'We　won't　let　you　down；　sir；'　said　a　soldier　from　the　ramparts　above。
Leonid　raised　his　voice　and　said；　'I　know　you　won't；　son。　You're　doing　fine　here；　and　I'm　damn　proud　of　you。　You've　shown　these
curs　what　it　means　to　take　on　the　383rd！'
The　soldiers　cheered　as　Leonid　turned　to　Piet　Anders　and　shook　his　hand。
'Nice　work；　Piet；　but　watch　your　left　flank；'　he　cautioned。　'With　the　breach　on　that　side；　we　can't　bring　enough　guns　to　bear　and
more　of　the　enemy　are　getting　around　it。'
Anders　saluted。　'Aye；　sir；　I'll　keep　an　eye　out。'
Leonid　nodded；　confident　in　his　officer's　ability　to　hold　the　ravelin。　He　returned　Anders'　salute　before　he　and　Eshara　returned　to
the　citadel。
They　visited　Vincare　bastion；　the　curtain　wall；　the　breach　and　Mori　bastion；　heaping　praise　on　the　soldiers　and　exhorting　them
with　tales　of　valour　from　the　other　sections　of　the　citadel。　Each　body　of　men　vowed　to　outdo　the　others；　and　by　the　time　Leonid
returned　to　his　temporary　billet　in　the　gate　towers　he　was　exhausted　and　a　little　light　headed　from　the　amount　of　amasec　his　men
had　forced　upon　him。
He　lay　down　on　his　simple　pallet　bed　and　fell　into　a　dreamless　sleep。
TWO
JHAREK　KELMAUR　CLIMBED　the　blasted　mountain　of　Tor　Christo；　picking　his　way　confidently　across　the　rubble；　despite　the
darkness。　His　head　scanned　from　side　to　side；　as　though　searching　for　something；　while　a　red…robed　figure　followed　behind　him；
hands　clasped　beneath　its　robes　and　head　bowed。　The　robed　figure's　physique　was　swollen　and　disproportionate；　with　broad
shoulders；　grossly　misshapen　arms　and　a　barrel　chest。
The　sorcerer　crested　a　ridge　of　jagged　rock　and　scanned　the　ground　before　him。　His　tattooed　skull　bobbed　as　he　hunted　for
something　within　the　wreckage　of　the　mountain。　Something　that；　for　now；　eluded　him。
'It　should　be　here；'　he　muttered　to　himself；　withdrawing　a　tattered　scroll；　its　gold　lettering　faded　and　almost　illegible。　His
frustration　was　growing　and　he　knew　he　did　not　have　much　time　left。　His　vision　had　promised　him　a　hidden　chamber　beneath　the
rock　of　Tor　Christo；　so　where　was　it？　He　descended　into　a　huge　crater　of　loose　stone　and　scarred　rock；　his　footing　sure　even
through　the　black　night　and　rough　ground。
His　silent　companion　dutifully　followed　him；　its　footsteps　surprisingly　heavy　for　a　being　of　such　mass。
The　moonlight　pooled　around　the　curious　pair；　bathing　them　in　vermilion　light。　Kelmaur　circled　the　crater　with　increasing
desperation。　Behind　him；　the　robed　figure　stopped　abruptly　and　lifted　its　head　to　stare　directly　towards　a　huge　slab　of　rock；　toppled
from　the　mountain　and　lying　flush　with　the　blasted　rockface。
Without　any　word　to　Kelmaur；　the　figure　strode　across　the　crater　towards　the　rock；　halting　ten　metres　from　the　slab。
Jharek　Kelmaur　smiled。
'You　sense　it；　don't　you？'　he　whispered　and　watched　as　the　figure　unclasped　its　arms　and　extended　them　towards　the　slab。　The
fabric　of　its　robe　rippled；　as　though　some　monstrous　motion　disturbed　it；　and　something　black　and　glossy　extended　from　the　ends
of　the　sleeves。
The　crater　was　suddenly　bathed　in　light　as　twin　beams　of　incandescent　fire　shot　from　the　figure's　arms　and　the　rock　exploded　into
fragments。　As　the　dust　dissipated；　Kelmaur　rejoiced　at　the　sight　of　an　ancient；　verdigris…stained　bronze　gate。　Again　the　searing
beams　stabbed　out　and　the　gate　exploded　into　molten　chunks；　revealing　a　darkened　passageway　that　led　deep　into　the　mountain。
Kelmaur　felt　his　heart　race　in　excitement。　Here；　he　would　walk　passages　that　had　not　known　the　tread　of　man　for　ten　thousand
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
years。　The　robed　figure　clasped　its　arms　once　more　and　set　off　towards　the　revealed　passage。　Kelmaur　followed　and　the　pair　made
their　way　through　the　remains　of　the　gate　and　into　the　mountain。
Neither　Kelmaur　nor　his　fellow　traveller　required　light　to　see。　The　sorcerer　marvelled　at　the　precise；　geomantic　precision　of　the
tunnel　as　it　descended　for　hundreds　of　metres　into　the　rock　of　Tor　Christo。
Eventually；　the　tunnel　emerged　into　a　wide；　domed　chamber；　lit　by　a　diffuse　glow　that　radiated　from　the　walls。　The　floor　was　a
broad　disc　of　solid　bronze；　almost　thirty　metres　in　diameter；　with　an　intricately　designed　pattern　etched　onto　it。　It　was　familiar　to
Kelmaur；　but　he　could　not　remember　why。　Reluctantly；　he　tore　his　senses　away　from　its　beguiling　pattern。
His　wordless　companion　moved　to　the　chamber's　centre；　reaching　up　with　glistening；　black　hands　that　seemed　just　a　little　too
large；　and　pulled　back　the　hood　of　its　robes。
Beneath　was　a　face　that　had　once　been　human；　but　was　now　disfigured　beyond　all　recognition。　Adept　Etolph　Cycerin's　face　was
alive　with　crawling　bio…organic　circuitry。　Even　the　augmentations　grafted　on　by　the　Adeptus　Mechanicus　had　transformed