Contents

Cover

The Red Path 7: The Skulls of Salandraxis – Extract

A Black Library Publication

eBook license

The Red Path 7: The Skulls of Salandraxis

Chris Dows

Locq watched the tactical projection on the bridge of the Malevolent Shade with a deep sense of satisfaction. Some of the information flickering before him was incomplete or had a high degree of potential inaccuracy, but the picture was clear to see. Khârn was being overwhelmed and outmanoeuvred by the Imperial forces down on Salandraxis. The mortal defenders’ losses had been considerable, but their sheer numbers compared to the Khornate berzerkers looked very likely to be in Locq’s favour. The Sisters of Battle and Adeptus Astartes warriors were also directly engaged with Khârn’s warband, and with dozens of Locq’s Black Legion gunships speeding towards the planet’s capital, he would finally have his revenge.

‘Captain, we are receiving another warning from Khârn’s flagship. Shall I order the attack and destroy them?’

Locq considered Odervirk’s query. They had arrived to find the remains of the Angels Eradicant fleet and what was left of the Skulltaker, but Khârn’s flotilla had paid a high price in their battle to reach Salandraxis. The Black Legion ship that had once sailed with Locq floated lifelessly in high orbit, its drive section a sea of flames. While still operational, the former White Scars vessel had sustained heavy damage to its starboard side. The Malevolent Shade had taken a pounding within the asteroid field despite Odervirk’s best efforts, but it was in far better shape than the enemy – and his fleet outnumbered the Wings of the Eagle two to one. It would not take much effort to finish off the vessel and its treacherous crew. It was an appealing prospect; Locq would gladly see every one of those who had deserted Abaddon for the Chosen of Khorne die. Unfortunately, destroying the ship would take too much time. Locq had not expected the situation on their arrival at Salandraxis to be so much in his favour, and after his previous experience of Khârn he was going to press home any advantage without delay.

‘Do they have the capability to prevent us from making planetfall?’

He could not afford to commit all of his Hounds of Abaddon to their transports only to take heavy casualties before they reached the ground. Locq had learned too many bitter lessons over the last few weeks, and now that the gods smiled upon him once more he was not going to jeopardise his return to favour in the eyes of his Warmaster. The communication he had sent Abaddon days past had been acknowledged without response, which he had found disappointing if not surprising. Nothing had come through to him from his master Urkanthos. That was as expected, because Locq had forbidden all external communication from the Malevolent Shade the second they had left the Phelbic asteroid belt. Locq was convinced that the overwhelming majority of those warriors left on board would remain loyal, but he could not discount the possibility that the Lord Purgator still had spies among them that would report back to their master that he had lost half of his force to Khârn.

‘No, my lord. The hangar bays on both ships are either empty or open to space. I believe the enemy have committed their entire force to the planet. In their present condition, they pose no threat.’

Locq stared at the projection and watched the various runes and symbols move around in a pattern that belied the slaughter taking place. Despite trying, the bridge crew had been unable to isolate Khârn as a discrete signal. It looked as if a breakaway group of berzerkers were heavily engaged with an armoured column that was blocking their way to the High Temple of Salandraxis Municipalis. It was a reasonable tactical deployment and they had good air support, but it was not the one that caught his eye. Judging by the concentration of fire on the city’s rear wall and the numbers of berzerkers and treacherous Hound forces committed to the engagement, Khârn was most likely to be in the middle of that battle. It would take approximately eighteen minutes to arrive on Salandraxis, and that spearhead group would be Locq’s target.

‘Very well. Ready the drop-ships. Once we are dispatched, you may do as you wish in relation to the enemy vessel. One more wreck floating in orbit will make no difference to me.’

Locq gripped the handle of his chainsword and marched off the bridge. The time had finally come to bring Khârn before Abaddon – dead or alive.

Gaul stared down at the shimmering blade of Acritus, his reflection as distorted as his temperament. Around him, the transport shook and rattled at top speed. The last transmission to come from the Light of the Emperor had been fractured, but more than enough for him to realise the situation was grave. Shipmaster Mahal had eliminated one of the enemy vessels that had attacked in the wake of the Eradicant Ascending’s destruction, but the appearance of two additional warships shortly before communication had ceased left little doubt about the fate of the battle-barge or their adversaries’ identity.

They were facing an invasion force of one the original Traitor Legions, the blood-crazed World Eaters.

Outside of Municipalis, Colonel Balacet’s main defensive line had been torn asunder, and Gaul had not heard from Canoness Preceptor Alecia since she joined battle against a spearhead group of berzerkers heading for the central avenue. With Tentera and the bulk of the 2nd Company engaged at the rear wall of the citadel and a second wave of invaders on their way, Gaul was free to support Alecia’s counter-attack. They would also bolster the defences of the city and secure the biggest landing area close to its walls.

‘We will be touching down in thirty seconds. Stand by for deployment.’

Gaul held his relic blade up before him and saw a number of his brothers bow their heads at its appearance. Fury coursed through his veins at the loss of his fleet. His Chapter had sustained enormous losses, and his hatred for the forces of Chaos knew no bounds. He would take this rage and loathing, form it into a cold, hard blade more powerful than Acritus itself and plunge it into the soulless heart of the enemy. They would know the might of the Angels Eradicant. He would cleanse this world in the name of the Emperor.

The Thunderhawk’s weapons began hammering out a preparatory barrage, and the interior of the hold shook violently as the ship hit the ground. Within seconds the door was open and Gaul was on his feet, running out at the head of his phalanx. Behind him, two more gunships deployed in palls of smoke and fire.

The Chapter Master had not spent a lot of time on Salandraxis, but even he was struck by the carnage visited upon the planet in such a short time. The landing area was the very same spot at which he had arrived so triumphantly with Lozepath, but the avenue down which they had walked was a burning ruin. Those buildings that had not disappeared into enormous gaping craters were ablaze, and every statue that lined the way to the High Temple had been destroyed. There was no sign of Canoness Alecia or her armoured column, and the plumes of thick black smoke behind the shattered buildings to his left suggested they had not made it this far. As he looked to the citadel, most of it was obscured by sheets of flame. He could not even see the approach to the High Temple through the acrid gloom. Chaos had rained down its darkness onto this shining pearl, and it was up to him and his brothers to save it from eternal damnation.

The ground erupted into chunks of stone and earth. Gaul looked up to see an enemy gunship approaching and signalled to Captain Maedinar of the 1st Company to address the threat. As the captain’s Sternguard Veterans took aim at the closing Thunderhawk with a pair of lascannons, Gaul knew that it was already neutralised. Within five seconds Maedinar had deployed a handful of brothers to secure the massive landing field, and within ten Gaul was leading the remainder of the 1st Company at full charge up the avenue towards the citadel.

The explosion blew Gaul off his feet. Thumping into a still-smoking crater, he quickly scrambled upright only to find that Epilesus, one of his best Vanguard Veterans, had been hit squarely in the chest by at least two missiles. Parts of his armour lay strewn around the broken walkway, his battle-brothers crouching and laying down a salvo in the direction of the fire. Somewhere behind, Gaul could hear his drop-ship lifting into the air at the head of the flight. He bellowed a warning to its commander but it was too late; a second wave of missiles streaked overhead and into it, catching the bottom of the cargo pod just as it cleared the ground. The underside disappeared in a dazzling white flash and the Thunderhawk pitched forwards, its nose smashing into the ground as the company scattered out of its way. Gaul threw himself into the belly of the crater, avoiding the blast wave that came a fraction of a second later. He felt the heat sear over him in a sheet of burning promethium, but the instant it had passed he was up on his feet. Signalling his squads to maintain their position, he advanced alone, staying low until he could fully ascertain the location and strength of the enemy.

Another salvo streaked towards him, and through the clearing smoke ahead Gaul could see about two dozen figures – squads of Havocs – armed with missile launchers and autocannons. Behind them, past their trophy-hung Rhino transports, the steps to the High Temple were consumed by a mass of swarming bodies. Some of them wore scarlet power armour, but most were clad in black. The Sisters of Battle were fighting at suicidally close quarters with the berzerkers to protect the Living Saint’s sanctuary and, from what Gaul could see, they were losing. Ducking around the side of the Thunderhawk’s gutted shell, he ran wide and used the broken statues for cover, weaving out into the avenue only for rockets to sail past him and plough into the ruined gunship as his brothers laid down supporting fire behind him. Gaul faced a choice. He either charged the well-positioned Havoc squad and took the losses that would surely come, or he looked for a way to get around them. The wall of the citadel stretched into the distance to the left and right, explosions and plumes of smoke telling their own stories of deadly combat. The situation provided only one logical course of action.

‘Sergeant Ordelon, take your squad down the left flank. Kodaelak, break right. Concentrate fire on the transports behind the heavy weapons strongpoint. Captain Maedinar, I will draw fire so you can target the traitors from your position.’

The acknowledgements came immediately. Gaul tightened his grip on Acritus and checked his bolter for ammunition.

‘Keep low, move fast and do the Chapter honour.’

To the eternal credit of his brothers, a few of them actually chuckled at the parade-ground instruction.

‘For the Emperor!’

The thunder of autocannon fire started the second Gaul broke cover. Missile contrails reached towards him, some shells exploding forwards to hinder his progress, others aimed directly at his brothers. Running at full speed, he fired in short bursts, keeping his aim as he advanced. A berzerker emerged from a Rhino’s top hatch and opened fire with the combi-bolter over the heads of the Havoc squad. Gaul heard the strangled grunts of his brothers as they shrugged off explosive hits. In response, the forward armour of the vehicle disintegrated in a series of searing beams, and the head of one of the Havocs disappeared in a smear of blood as Maedinar’s bolter found its first target. Gaul felt a thump in his chest that spun him to one side, but he recovered quickly and kept on running towards the line. Ordelon had caught up with him on the left with half a dozen of his warriors still with him. There was no sign of Kodaelak on the right. Enraged, Gaul shouted over the din of battle.

‘Grenade the enemy position! Put them to the blade!’

Ordelon’s veterans readied their frag grenades as they ran. After three more strides, a shock wave blew Gaul off his feet.

Chunks of metal clattered to the floor all around him, and while some of the warning runes on his visor display were flashing red, the majority of them indicated that he was largely unhurt. As he got to his feet, Gaul was gratified to see that this was more than could be said of the Havoc squads. Whatever munitions they had carried with them had left nothing but a deep, smoking hole and a path blasted for him between the mangled tanks. Gaul roared his encouragement to the remaining Angels Eradicant behind him, and they joined him at his flanks, chainswords, power mauls and axes out and ready for hand-to-hand combat with the berzerkers infesting the base of the High Temple.

Within seconds they were at the foot of the steps, although it was difficult to judge where the stone began because of the heap of dead Sisters of Battle piled at the bottom. Gaul raised Acritus to strike at the nearest enemy, and felt a crushing force hit him from the side. As he was smashed to the ground, a chainsword plunged towards his head and Gaul kicked violently upwards with his knee, dislodging his assailant and sending him out of his view. Gaul was up in a heartbeat, and saw that the berzerker’s armour had been melted and burned at the base of the spine, inhibiting his movement. Turning with a roar of rage, the barbarian threw himself forwards with all of his might, his broken-horned helmet low. Gaul angled his relic blade down, allowing his attacker’s weapon to grate its way down its length. Gaul spun and struck back, but his opponent had already adjusted his grip to deflect the blow. Regardless of his ungodly nature, his foe was very, very good. This would only add to the satisfaction of sending him back to the foul depths from whence he had crawled.

Bolter fire tore past Gaul’s head, forcing him to separate from his opponent. The berzerker jumped up into a gap between two Sisters of Battle and swept down with his chainsword, making Gaul pitch backwards out of the way of the lethal arc. More fire came from the Sisters of Battle close to the doors to the High Temple, hitting the berzerker on his arm and sending his weapon spinning into the air. Gaul noticed it bore white and red honour markings, likely a trophy taken in some blasphemous attack. That the berzerker had dared to wield such a noble weapon enraged Gaul, and he thrust Acritus upwards towards the now disarmed figure. The berzerker angled to his side, the blade carving through the front of his chest armour. Bellowing some foul oath, his opponent kicked sideways, using his advantage of elevation to send Gaul crashing into Sergeant Ordelon at the very edge of the steps. Gaul recovered himself to see the berzerker pounding up towards the gates of the High Temple, his massive boots stomping over the fallen corpses of a dozen Sisters. Gaul could spare no more thought for them than his enemy, and with a roar of fury at the desecration the Chaos warrior was committing, bounded after his foe.

Barging his way upwards through a seething mass of fighting, Gaul reached the top of the steps. Here, the melee was beginning to thin, with more bodies on the ground than upright and battling. It did not take long to spot the berzerker with the broken helmet pulling a newly acquired chainaxe from the mangled body of a Sister Superior. Gaul charged, rotating Acritus in a circle and raising the relic blade high to smite down the foul creature. The berzerker turned and blocked the blow with the shaft of his axe. Acritus cleaved the grip, but the force of his blow unbalanced Gaul and for a fraction of a second, his left flank was exposed. It was all the time the berzerker needed to spin and ram the head of the axe into Gaul’s leg. The Chapter Master’s world slid sideways as his knee gave way. Raising his relic blade instinctively, Gaul managed to fend off the next murderous swing, but as the berzerker raised his axe above his head for the third, Gaul knew he would not be able to deflect the final blow. This, then, was the price for his hubris.

Gaul thought the light flooding through his soul was the beginning of his journey to the Emperor’s side. When the blast swept the berzerker before him away like an insect and the pain continued to scream from his leg, he realised his work was not yet done. Scarlet-armoured bodies flew past him, cartwheeling and twisting like dolls. A deep rumble shook the ground and Gaul craned over to the towering High Temple doors. They had opened, and between the fallen of the defenders and invaders stood a dazzling, beautiful sight – Lozepath, the Living Saint and holy protector of Salandraxis. In one hand he held a white-hot glowing blade and in the other an aquila-emblazoned shield. His entire body was pulsating with a golden aura, and through the shimmering energy field, Gaul could see a look of absolute malevolence on his face.

Click here to buy The Red Path 7: The Skulls of Salandraxis.

A Black Library Publication

Published in 2016 by Black Library, Games Workshop Ltd,
Willow Road, Nottingham, NG7 2WS, UK.

Produced by Games Workshop in Nottingham.
Cover illustration by Paul Dainton.

The Skulls of Salandraxis © Copyright Games Workshop Limited 2016. The Skulls of Salandraxis, GW, Games Workshop, Black Library, The Horus Heresy, The Horus Heresy Eye logo, Space Marine, 40K, Warhammer, Warhammer 40,000, the ‘Aquila’ Double-headed Eagle logo, and all associated logos, illustrations, images, names, creatures, races, vehicles, locations, weapons, characters, and the distinctive likenesses thereof, are either ® or TM, and/or © Games Workshop Limited, variably registered around the world.
All Rights Reserved.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 978-1-78572-221-9

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

See Black Library on the internet at
blacklibrary.com

Find out more about Games Workshop’s world of Warhammer and the Warhammer 40,000 universe at
games-workshop.com

eBook license

This license is made between:

Games Workshop Limited t/a Black Library, Willow Road, Lenton, Nottingham, NG7 2WS, United Kingdom (“Black Library”); and

(2) the purchaser of an e-book product from Black Library website (“You/you/Your/your”)

(jointly, “the parties”)

These are the terms and conditions that apply when you purchase an e-book (“e-book”) from Black Library. The parties agree that in consideration of the fee paid by you, Black Library grants you a license to use the e-book on the following terms:

* 1. Black Library grants to you a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable, royalty-free license to use the e-book in the following ways:

o 1.1 to store the e-book on any number of electronic devices and/or storage media (including, by way of example only, personal computers, e-book readers, mobile phones, portable hard drives, USB flash drives, CDs or DVDs) which are personally owned by you;

o 1.2 to access the e-book using an appropriate electronic device and/or through any appropriate storage media; and

* 2. For the avoidance of doubt, you are ONLY licensed to use the e-book as described in paragraph 1 above. You may NOT use or store the e-book in any other way. If you do, Black Library shall be entitled to terminate this license.

* 3. Further to the general restriction at paragraph 2, Black Library shall be entitled to terminate this license in the event that you use or store the e-book (or any part of it) in any way not expressly licensed. This includes (but is by no means limited to) the following circumstances:

o 3.1 you provide the e-book to any company, individual or other legal person who does not possess a license to use or store it;

o 3.2 you make the e-book available on bit-torrent sites, or are otherwise complicit in ‘seeding’ or sharing the e-book with any company, individual or other legal person who does not possess a license to use or store it;

o 3.3 you print and distribute hard copies of the e-book to any company, individual or other legal person who does not possess a license to use or store it;

o 3.4 you attempt to reverse engineer, bypass, alter, amend, remove or otherwise make any change to any copy protection technology which may be applied to the e-book.

* 4. By purchasing an e-book, you agree for the purposes of the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000 that Black Library may commence the service (of provision of the e-book to you) prior to your ordinary cancellation period coming to an end, and that by purchasing an e-book, your cancellation rights shall end immediately upon receipt of the e-book.

* 5. You acknowledge that all copyright, trademark and other intellectual property rights in the e-book are, shall remain, the sole property of Black Library.

* 6. On termination of this license, howsoever effected, you shall immediately and permanently delete all copies of the e-book from your computers and storage media, and shall destroy all hard copies of the e-book which you have derived from the e-book.

* 7. Black Library shall be entitled to amend these terms and conditions from time to time by written notice to you.

* 8. These terms and conditions shall be governed by English law, and shall be subject only to the jurisdiction of the Courts in England and Wales.

* 9. If any part of this license is illegal, or becomes illegal as a result of any change in the law, then that part shall be deleted, and replaced with wording that is as close to the original meaning as possible without being illegal.

* 10. Any failure by Black Library to exercise its rights under this license for whatever reason shall not be in any way deemed to be a waiver of its rights, and in particular, Black Library reserves the right at all times to terminate this license in the event that you breach clause 2 or clause 3.