Storm Of Iron(科幻战争)-第68章

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the　bastion；　stepping　over　the　lines　of　entrenchments。
His　monstrous　foe　was　before　him；　and　a　cold；　lead　weight　settled　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach　as　he　clearly　saw　the　terrifying　form　of
the　Dies　Irae　over　the　jagged　top　of　the　broken　ramparts。　Its　body　was　blackened　and　scorched　by　fire　and　its　head　was　a　molten；
dented　mass；　green　fire　blazing　from　behind　its　single　remaining　eye。　Gunfire　blazed　from　its　weapon　mounts；　sawing　through　the
ramparts　and　hammering　the　Titans　of　his　battle　group。
The　Armis　Juvat　staggered；　a　round　from　the　enemy　Titan's　hellstorm　cannon　defeating　its　shields　and　clipping　the　knee　joint　of　its
left　leg。
'Armis　Juvat　and　Pax　Imperator；　brace　for　firing！'　shouted　Daekian　as　he　increased　speed　and　thundered　towards　the　bastion's
flank。
The　princeps　of　the　Reavers　planted　their　Titans'　feet　squarely　on　the　ground　and　unleashed　a　deadly　volley　of　fire　at　the　Dies　Irae。
The　enemy　Titan　returned　fire　as　it　continued　to　advance。　Daekian　initialised　the　linear　accelerators　that　powered　the　Volcano
cannon　and　took　command　of　the　weapon　himself。　Not　that　he　did　not　trust　and　respect　the　Moderati　who　controlled　the　weapon；
but　if　there　was　to　be　a　kill　shot；　he　would　be　the　one　to　make　it。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
Another　shot　from　the　Dies　Irae's　plasma　annihilator　blew　apart　a　further　section　of　the　wall　as　it　stepped　down　into　the　ditch；
crushing　hundreds　of　corpses　with　every　ponderous　tread。　He　flinched　as　a　flare　of　bright　light　to　his　side　briefly　illuminated　the
bridge　and　he　craned　his　neck　to　see　what　had　exploded。
The　Armis　Juvat　toppled　backwards；　the　top　half　of　its　upper　body　blown　away。　Geysers　of　plasma　fire　spilled　from　the　ruptured
reactor　as　the　slain　Reaver　crashed　to　the　ground。　The　Pax　Imperator　was　suffering　under　the　barrage　of　fire　from　the　daemon
Titan；　but　was　still　fighting。
'Void　shields　failing；　princeps！'　shouted　Moderati　Issar　as　a　volley　of　shells　struck　the　Honoris　Causa。
'Full　speed！　We　must　close　with　the　monster　before　we　suffer　a　similar　fate！'　replied　Daekian。
Less　than　a　hundred　metres　separated　them　now　and　Daekian　could　make　out　the　terrible　damage　Princeps　Fierach　had　managed
to　inflict　on　this　warp…spawned　beast　before　being　dragged　to　his　death。　Huge　steel　plates　were　crudely　welded　across　the　Dies
Irae's　midsection　and　all　manner　of　auxiliary　mechanisms　had　been　grafted　to　its　legs　to　allow　it　to　move。
Fire　from　the　gatling　blaster　blasted　off　more　of　its　void　shields　and　as　Daekian　saw　a　single　shell　explode　against　its　upper
bastions；　he　knew　that　the　beast　was　stripped　of　its　infernal　protection。
He　pushed　the　Honoris　Causa　forward　and　raised　the　volcano　cannon。
'This　is　for　Princeps　Fierach；'　he　snarled　and　fired。
He　watched　the　searing　beam　of　unimaginably　powerful　energy　streak　towards　the　Dies　Irae's　head；　knowing；　even　as　he　fired；
that　the　shot　was　true。
His　triumph　turned　to　disbelief　as　the　beam　struck　on　a　void　shield；　repaired　at　the　last　second　before　impact。　The　Dies　Irae
ground　its　torso　towards　him；　the　white…hot　barrel　of　its　plasma　weapon　aimed　directly　at　him。
'Evasive　manoeuvres！'　he　bellowed；　even　as　he　knew　it　would　be　too　late。
The　Honoris　Causa　lurched　sideways　as　the　plasma　bolt　fired。
Princeps　Daekian　ost。
The　shot　impacted　on　the　Warlord's　volcano　cannon；　instantaneously　vaporising　the　weapon　in　a　seething　ball　of　plasma。　The
explosion　ripped　up　the　Titan's　arm；　the　adamantium　structure　flashing　molten　in　a　heartbeat。
Daekian　screamed　in　agony；　convulsing　as　the　flashback　from　his　arm's　destruction　flared　along　the　mind　impulse　link。　Blood
streamed　from　his　nose　and　ears；　but　he　kept　true　to　his　course；　striding　towards　the　hazy　outline　of　the　Dies　Irae　through　the
smoke　filling　the　command　bridge。
He　reached　the　walls　at　the　same　instant　as　the　Dies　Irae；　the　raised　ground　inside　Vincare　bastion　bringing　him　level　with　his
foe's　head。　The　Pax　Imperator　circled　around　to　his　right；　its　carapace　running　with　plasma　fire　and　limping　as　its　leg　joints　trailed
streamers　of　white　sparks。
Daekian　lashed　out　with　the　Honoris　Causa's　one　remaining　arm；　his　battle　claw　slamming　against　the　Dies　Irae's　chest。　The
massive　Titan　rocked　back　under　the　powerful　blow；　swinging　its　arm　against　the　lip　of　the　bastion　and　smashing　through　the
rockcrete　and　hammering　into　the　Honoris　Causa's　upper　leg。
Daekian　felt　the　leg　crack　and　heard　the　screams　over　the　vox　from　the　engineering　decks。　He　had　moments　at　best。
He　swiped　again　at　his　gigantic　foe；　ripping　the　armour　plating　away　from　the　Dies　Irae's　belly　as　it　pummelled　his　wounded　flank
with　its　arms。　It　lurched　backwards；　attempting　to　protect　its　now　vulnerable　reactor。
The　horrendously　damaged　Pax　Imperator　charged　into　the　fight；　its　chain　fist　ripping　through　the　upper　bastions　of　the　Dies　hae；
its　blade　shrieking　as　it　tore　downwards　towards　the　war　machine's　bridge。
The　Dies　Irae's　barbed　tail　swung　and　pulverised　the　knee　joint　of　the　Pax　Imperator；　shaking　loose　its　chain　fist　and　staggering
the　mighty　god…machine。
Daekian　watched　the　Dies　hae　turn　and　hammer　the　barrel　of　its　plasma　annihilator　into　the　bridge　of　the　Pax　Imperator　and　fire　at
point…blank　range。
The　upper　half　of　the　Reaver　vanished　in　a　searing　blast；　enveloping　the　two　battling　Titans　ains　of　the
Pax　Imperator　crashed　over　the　walls　of　the　bastion　into　the　ditch；　huge　plumes　of　black　smoke　trailing　from　its　burning　hulk。
But　its　death　had　given　Daekian　the　opening　he　needed。
He　rammed　his　battle　claw　against　the　heat…softened　midsection　of　the　Dies　Irae's　reactor　chamber；　through　the　wound　first
opened　by　Princeps　Fierach。　He　roared　as　he　punched　through　into　his　foe's　guts；　gripping　its　nuclear　heart　in　his　iron　grip　and
crushing　it　with　all　his　might。
HONSOU　WATCHED　THE　battle　between　the　enormous　war　machines　through　the　drifting　haze　of　smoke；　willing　the　majestic　form
of　the　Dies　Irae　to　smash　its　inferior　foes　to　scrap　metal。　He　sheltered　in　the　lee　of　the　breach；　his　armour　dusty　and　bloodstained。
His　frustration　grew　with　every　explosion　above　him。　They　could　not　force　the　breach　like　this。
He　watched　as　the　leviathans　struggled　on　the　far　bastion；　their　battle　shaking　the　ground　as　though　a　powerful　earthquake　gripped
the　world。　'Forrix！'　he　yelled　over　the　din　of　shells　exploding　at　the　crest　of　the　breach。　'One　way　or　another；　this　battle　will　soon
be　over。　It　is　time　to　withdraw！'
Forrix　shook　his　head；　sneering。　'I　should　have　known　your　cowardice　would　finally　come　to　the　fore！　We　stay　and　take　this
breach。'
Honsou　felt　his　anger　flare　and　gripped　Forrix's　armour；　shouting。　'We　have　to　go！　The　attack　has　lost　its　momentum　and　the
enemy　will　be　regrouping　behind　the　walls。　We　only　reinforce　failure　if　we　stay。　There　will　be　another　time！'
For　a　second；　Honsou　thought　Forrix　was　about　to　rebuke　him　again；　but　the　fury　drained　from　his　eyes　and　he　nodded；　turning
without　a　word　and　scrambling　down　the　breach。
Honsou　followed　him　and　the　Iron　Warriors　retreated　from　the　walls；　falling　back　to　the　ditch　in　disciplined　groups。　As　he
clambered　over　an　iron…bar…studded　chunk　of　rockcrete；　the　day　was　lit　by　a　terrible　brightness。　The　sky　was　bleached　of　colour
and　everything　before　him　was　bathed　in　the　blinding　light　of　a　star。
Graham　McNeill　？Storm　of　Iron？
The　Dies　Irae　was　enveloped　in　a　dazzling　ball　of　incandescent　fire；　huge　sprays　of　plasma　gouting　from　its　belly。　The　enemy
Titan　with　the　burning　white　eyes　had　its　fist　buried　in　its　guts；　tearing　and　destroying　the　magnificent　daemon　machine。　Locked
together；　the　two　Titans　wrestled　to　escape　each　other's　grip；　the　ground　heaving　with　their　battle。
As　Honsou　watched；　a　terrible　groaning　rent　the　air　as　the　two　machines　rocked　past　their　combined　centre　of　gravity　and　slowly
began　to　fall　towards　them　into　the　ditch。
'Run！'　he　shouted；　all　thought　of　a　disciplined　retreat　forgotten　in　the　face　of　this　new　danger。　He　sprinted　past　the　ravelin　and　leapt
up　the　rubble　slopes　of　the　ditch　as　the　two　war　machines　slammed　into　the　outer　face　of　the　curtain　wall　between　Vincare　bastion
and　the　gate。　Their　massive　bodies　scraped　down　its　face；　trailing　flaming　sheets　of　burning　plasma