Horus's Ease, Widening the Gap with Nimrod

921.M30.

The surface of Kirek.

Balthasar Quturi, who had recently become Chief Librarian of the XIX Legion, raised his Bolter and aimed it at the Kirek.

Boom, boom, boom—

Bolts screamed toward the crawling lizard xenos.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

The Kirek bounded and dodged among the crimson rocks, his movements swift; most of the bolts missed.

The first bolt of "Bribe" struck the xenos just as the Kirek crashed into the indigo running water.

The Adamantine Warhead tore through the viscous skin and detonated amid the reddened flesh.

Great chunks of flesh melted away in the blast, exposing stark-white bone.

The Kirek let out an enraged roar, twisted his head, and leaped toward the rocks amid the flowing water.

Boom! Boom!

Balthasar fired two more bolts in succession. The Briber's two consecutive bolts killed the Kirek, whose movements had grown sluggish, and whose defenses had been weakened.

"I truly cannot understand their principles of warfare." He looked around. The Legion Master's Honor Guard were firing Hunting Rifles bestowed by the Black Emperor, shooting needles soaked in Nucerian anesthetic. With a sigh, he said to the Legion Master, Alkahas Phall.

The Kirek were stranger than being "bribed" by him. They offered no resistance at all, retreating like a tide toward the crimson rocks.

They were not afraid of the barrage fired by the Bolters. Even the weakest among these reptilian xenos needed three or four bolt hits to be killed.

The Kirek Balthasar had killed with "Bribe" had only been average in size among the xenos.

When the Kirek crouched on the ground, they were still almost as tall as an Astartes.

The xenos possessed both explosive strength and superb combat skill, and should have forced the Legion's warriors into a bitter fight.

"They only fight within those square arenas several