Side story (Return to the Horus Heresy)-When a surprise is staggering enough, even fate can break

Erebus came through the rain. He was part of the downpour. He was part of the storm. He was the elemental fury devouring the old city walls.

Everyone except Ollanius Persson and Litu grew tense.

Aktea could see the dense darkness and distortion surrounding Erebus, and it almost suffocated her.

Erebus was fully armed, towering like a beast from hell.

Rain and fury formed part of his body; the rest was made of words, filthy, evil words twisted and bound together into a human shape.

Litu had been the fastest member of the group, its only Astartes, their sole hope of fighting a Word Bearer.

But things were different now.

Boom!

The Men of Iron guard at the head of the group opened fire.

Orange-red light erupted without warning, hurtling straight at the approaching Erebus.

In the light scattered by the searing beam, their enemy's lips moved slightly, as though he had said something.

A string of unclean phonemes dredged from the Warp formed a word, which he wielded as a weapon.

It had originally been intended for Ollanius Persson, but the devastating beam before him left Erebus almost no time to react.

The word's power struck the beam and scattered it, the dispersing energy punching holes through the old city wall.

Rain hissed loudly against patches of molten ground.

Some of the reflected energy sent tiny ripples across the shield.

"Adjusting power."

The Men of Iron guard's voice sounded even colder amid the moisture-laden gale.

Erebus quickly leaped backward, putting some distance between them.

He was about to speak again, probably another of those terrible words.

"No."

Erebus spoke.

Just the word "no."

Ollanius Persson realized he could not move. Neither could anyone else.

Yet a record flashed through the Data Core of the Men of Iron guard at