huge stone guardians as he passed them。 What in the warp were they supposed to be？ He might have
said ogryn； but they were too misshapen even for that。 They didn’t look like orks； either。 In fact；
they didn’t match the appearance of any xenos race that Wulfe had ever encountered or read about。
All too soon； the tunnel swallowed him。 Black walls cut off his view and he was plunged into
darkness。 The air that moved around him was immediately cooler。 He noted this as a breeze played
over the hairs on his forearms and on the back of his neck。 He noted； too； that the featureless black
floor of the tunnel was sloping downwards。
The tanks on either side lit their headlamps； and cones of light shot forward； striking the clouds
of oily exhaust fumes put out by the machines in front。 There didn’t seem much else to see； at least
for now； just featureless tunnel walls； blue…grey clouds of exhaust smoke and the backs of the
machines in front。
“Metzger；” said Wulfe over the intercom； “hit the lights。”
“Aye； sir；” said Metzger； and Last Rites II added her own illumination to the darkness。 It didn’t
make much difference。
On the vox； van Droi’s voice sounded again。 “Are we all in？”
Wulfe turned and looked over his shoulder at the shrinking square of red daylight behind him。
Silhouetted against it were the dark hulls of the last machines in the column。 “Looks like it； sir；” he
reported to van Droi。 “I see the last of the Conquerors coming in now。”
“Good；” voxed van Droi。 “Then I want all of you to move in to the sides of the tunnel； nice and
slow。 We don’t need any accidents。 There’ll be a Chimera coming back through here in a couple of
minutes； heading up towards the entrance。”
“What the devil for； sir？” voxed Sergeant Viess。 “We can’t send men back out there。”
Wulfe noted the hesitation in van Droi’s voice； and the weariness when he said at last； “It’s a
demolitions team； sergeant。 General deViers has ordered the entrance sealed behind us。”
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CHAPTER TWENTY…SIX
The Cadian column moved slowly and carefully through the dark； for the best part of three hours；
guided by Sentinel walkers with searchlights fitted。 They discovered a plethora of side tunnels as
they went； smaller passageways that branched from the broad one they were following。 Each of
these was given a cursory inspection； but they twisted away in countless directions and were far too
small to accommodate the tanks。 With little choice； the expedition force found itself committed to a
single path that led ever downwards； deeper into the darkness。
DeViers marked the passing of time on the antique pocket…chronometer his grandfather； for
whom he had been named； had bequeathed him over eighty years before。 It was an exquisite piece
of Agripinaan craftsmanship； inlaid with emeralds and white diamonds； finished in platinum； and
decorated across the face with a filigree of the most delicate gold。 It had been with him a long； long
time。 Looking at its pristine face always brought feelings of peace and comfort。 He had been turning
to it more and more often since his arrival on this accursed planet。
Did they think he didn’t know what was going on； those damned Mechanicus？ Did they think he
was so easily used？ Warp blast and damn them； he was Mohamar Antoninus deViers； Saviour of
Thessaly IX； Protector of Chedon Secundus； decorated with the Iron Star for his overwhelming
victory at Rystok； awarded the Platinum Skull 1st Class for exemplary leadership at Dionysus。 Then
there were Modessa Prime； Phaegos II； and a host of other glories。 Age hadn’t addled his mind that
much。 He knew all too well that they had an agenda。 He knew they were guiding him along the path
that best suited their purposes； but what could he do？ He needed them to help find Yarrick’s tank。
Their Machine…God didn’t speak to normal men； even men as worthy as him。
He hadn’t missed the looks his senior officers had been giving each other； either。 They were
losing confidence in him。 That much was evident。 Even Gerard Bergen seemed ready to question
him these days。 That stung deViers particularly sharply。 Prior to that mess on Palmeros； he had
started to consider the handsome officer something of a protégé。
Well； they’d all see the error of their ways in the end。 This wasn’t over； not by a long shot。 The
Fortress of Arrogance was still out there somewhere。 It couldn’t be far。 Orks had taken it； and it was
his job to get it back。 The Imperium depended on him。 Whether the Mechanicus had initiated this
expedition or not； it was a Munitorum operation now； and he was in charge。 Not one man； not one
ounce of Guard materiel would leave this blasted world until he had his prize。 There was still
everything to play for。 His place in the history books was still within reach。 He would join the list
alongside Yarrick； Macaroth and Harazahn。 He would be forever remembered as one of the great
men of his age。
He looked down at the chronometer’s ticking hands。 There was still time enough for that。
“Caffeine； sir？” asked Gruber from the other side of the Chimera’s passenger compartment。 “It’s
hot。”
“No thank you； Gruber。 I’m wound up enough already。”
Gruber looked at the chronometer in the general’s hand and let out a snort of laughter。 “Good
one； sir。 Wound up。 I get it。”
DeViers smiled weakly。 He hadn’t meant to make a joke at all； but fine。 Let his adjutant think
what he would。 Laughing in the face of such desperation made him seem strong in the eyes of
others。 Let them think him unfazed by the frustrating turns the expedition had taken。
What lies ahead； he wondered？ What obstacle will test me next？
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He was about to find out。
“Vox is flashing； sir；” said Gruber； indicating a blinking green light on the wall…mounted unit
above the general’s left shoulder。 “Let me get that for you。”
Even though deViers was closest to the device； he let Gruber take care of the call。 It was the
man’s job； and it didn’t do to have the other officers think they could bother their general directly
with every little detail。 He had enough on his mind。 Over the years； Gruber had learned to screen the
general’s incoming vox…calls with great intuition。
Absently； deViers half…listened as Gruber spoke into the vox…caster’s mouthpiece。 Then the
adjutant turned and said； “It’s Colonel Marrenburg； sir。 He says his scouts have found the end of the
tunnel。”
DeViers felt his pulse quicken。
“I’ll speak to him；” he said； and accepted the mouthpiece from Gruber； who immediately
returned to his seat and his flask of hot caffeine。
“General deViers； here。 Go ahead； colonel。”
“Yes； sir；” said Marrenburg。 “I’ve just had it confirmed。 About three hundred metres ahead； the
main tunnel levels out。 It straightens there； too。 I’m told it ends another two hundred metres after
that。”
“I see； colonel。 And just how does it end。”
“Well； sir； I’m not sure how to say—”
“Let’s not play guessing games； man。 I don’t have the patience。”
Marrenburg’s voice was suddenly brusque as he answered。 “My apologies； general。 From what I
understand； it opens onto some kind of city； sir。 An underground city。”
Of course it does； thought deViers sarcastically。 Let’s see how the magos explains this one。
When Gerard Bergen’s Chimera； Pride of Caedus； emerged from the end of the tunnel and into the
huge open space under the mountain； half of the force’s vehicles were already there； the crews
gaping； staring wide…eyed at what lay before them。 The other half were still moving down through
the last stretches of the main tunnel。 The rearguard would enter within the hour。
Bergen stood in his cupola； turning his head from left to right； taking it all in。 The air around him
was thick with exhaust fumes； but they were less dense than they had been in the confines of the
tunnel。 There was more space for them to dissipate here。 The air pressure had changed。 He could
feel it on his skin。 It was cooler here； too。
With the vehicles spreading out in an ever…widening perimeter； there was plenty of light； though
not nearly enough to illuminate the cavern’s ceiling or the far walls。 Bergen still couldn’t begin to
estimate the size of the excavation。 What he did see； however； stole his breath away。
A city of smooth； dark metal stretched out from the mouth of the tunnel into the blackness
beyond。 It was a dead city； a city without movement or sound or energy of its own； but a city
nonetheless。
“So this is Dar Laq；” Bergen muttered to himself。
The buildings framed in the headlights of the Cadian vehicles shone back at him。 Every single
surface； every corner； every wall； was made of a shimmering； iridescent metal the likes of which
Bergen had never seen before。 As his eyes moved from one structure to the next； the colours seemed
to shift and change like sunlight on the surface of an oily pool。 It was beautiful in its own way。 It
reminded him of a shell he had once found on the south…western shores of the Caducades Sea。 He
had been practically an infant back then。 The memory had been lost in the recesses of his mind until
this very moment。 Suddenly it was as sharp as a high…resolution pictograph。
Troopers were spilling out of trucks and halftracks around his Chimera。 The beams from their
torches cut like sabres through the murk as their sergeants led them down alleys and avenues； each
footstep kicking up little puffs of dust。 “Safeties off！” he heard one sergeant call out as he passed
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within a few metres of Pride of Caedus。 “If there are any bloody xenos here； we’ll be ready for
them。”
Bergen doubted the barking sergeant would find any xenos alive down here。 This place was as
dead as the desert they had ridden through to get here。 He could feel it。 More so； in fact； for there
was life in the desert if one only knew where to look。 This place had all the atmosphere of a
mausoleum。
That was changing even as he watched。 After the…Throne…knew how many millennia of utter
silence and stillness； Dar Laq was filling with bustle and noise。 It seemed an almost sacrilegious
intrusion。 Bergen watched the troopers march off until they were lost behind the rows of blocky
alien structures。
Each of the buildings he looked at raised the same questions in his mind。 Where were the doors？
Where were the windows？ There seemed no obvious access points to any of them。
General deViers had questions； too。 Bergen heard him bark out a short order on the vox； and
powerful searchlights came on one at a time； reaching out for the ceiling and the far walls with their
brilliant white beams。 For the first time； Bergen saw massive towers standing tall over all the other
structures。 He looked up in wonder at the nearest； approximately three hundred metres away。 It
recalled to his mind the famous Cadian pylons that protected his home world from the vicious warp
storm known as the Eye of Terror。 As an officer…cadet； he had once visited the base of one of the
Cadian pylons； a rare privilege largely forbidden to those of the noncommissioned ranks。 He
remembered the aura of power he had sensed around that inexplicable monolith。 He had imagined at
the time that some kind of living force resided there； something of incredible energy and potency。
The Cadian pylo