"According to these schematics, you'll be coming up to a fork. Down the right tunnel, you'll be…"

The static crackled in Malehnkova's headset as Narrolan's voice was lost. Holding up a closed fist, the team stopped dead in their tracks. She gave the headphone a light smack and fiddled with the tuning dial.

"Sanctus to Surface Team. Come in, Surface Team."

The static fluctuated before Narrolan's voice finally came through. "Surface Team to Sanctus. Can you read me?"

"Surface Team, this is Sanctus. Read you loud and clear." Malehnkova replied. A sense of relief washed over her as the signal regained strength and Narrolan's voice cleared up.

"Lost you there for a bit, Sanctus. Looks like the signal's gonna start getting choppy but I'll do my best from here." Narrolan said.

"Copy that. Repeat last." Malehnkova ordered.

"According to the schematics, if you take the right tunnel at the fork you eventually hit a corner. Right around it is where the servo-skull was last pinged."

"Copy."

Malehnkova motioned for everyone to follow and she began down the right fork. The tunnel began growing more narrow. Most of the guardsmen had to lower their heads to avoid hitting them on the ceiling; the skitarii as well. The three tech-priests however were hunched over-even more than normal.

The darkness was all-consuming. The only way to keep from getting lost was to follow what little light the other's stablights and headlamps produced. Everyone stuck close to one another. If somebody managed to get lost. There was no telling of when or if there would be a rescue. Most likely anybody that got separated would be lost to the abyss. Everyone was silent. The only noise being the squishing of whatever amalgamation of waste was beneath their boots. The smell of refuse, rust, and all manner of decay penetrated the guardsmen's rebreathers. Noses stung and eyes watered, but they continued down the tunnel. Even if they wanted to turn back there was no way of telling how. Malehnkova was the only one with a connection to the outside. Their exit was at the water processing center where the supposed epicenter of the network of bombs sat.

Suddenly there was a clang and one of the stablights went wild, its beam flying furiously across the walls followed by a loud splash. Everyone turned their lights toward the noise and Petr-illuminated by stablights-scrambled to his feet.

"Ack! Damn it all!" He growled, trying to shake the waste off of him.

Malehnkova stormed over to him and gripped him furiously by the collar.

"The enemy could be in these tunnels! Shut your mouth before you get us all killed Guardsman!" She hissed at him.

"Found what he tripped over." Rabinov muttered. He knelt down and came back up with what remained of a servo-skull.

One of the tech-priests pushed through the guardsmen and took the skull. There was a blurt of binary followed by a moment of silence. Then the tech-priest looked at Malehnkova.

"Genetor confirms. This is the servo-skull we have been searching for." The tech-priest said. Behind him a working servo-skull floated over to them.

There was another exchange of binary and the servo-skull's eye sockets lit up. In the darkness, its crimson-red eyes made it look like some kind of demon; watching them. Waiting for someone to lose themselves in the suffocating darkness . Even more terrifying was watching it as its tendrils snaked down to the dead skull and stabbed into it. The live servo-skull twitched and let out a buzz before letting the dead skull fall to the ground.

"According to scans of the servo-skull's internal memory. The bombs should be close." The tech-priest said.

"Sanctus to Surface Team, do you read?" Malehnkova spoke into her comm.

"Loud and clear Ground Team. That's where the skull was last pinged. The tech-priest is right. If you round the corner and continue you should be coming up on the bombs now." Narrolan replied.

"Roger that," Malehnkova replied. "Guns at the ready everyone, we're close."


The roar and hiss of a thousand voices filled the air. Echoes of foul insults and accusations resonated through the ancient cathedral. The statues of the Imperial saints were desecrated. Their faces smashed and the three circled sigil of Nurgle painted across them. The stained glass was long-gone, replaced with banners of script that displayed the teachings of the Grandchildren. The main chamber was packed to the brim with tainted men. All of them shouting accusations of heresy and sabotage. To Tagon, it almost reminded him of an Imperial court. At the head of the chamber, sat in their thrones were the Elders. The ones who had spread their teachings and sparked their quest for deliverance.

"Move!" a loud voice boomed.

Tagon felt the muzzle of a laspistol press against his back and he complied Stepping onto the stage he faced the three Elders. In ornate robes and headpieces displaying the sigils of the Grandchildren and of Nurgle, they watched him as he approached. As he stood before them, the mob grew silent. Two Lytsars stepped onto the platform and posted up behind him-lasguns at the ready. The only sound in the chamber was the faint crackle of the human tallow candles. Tagon knelt on one knee and bowed his head.

"Noble Elders of Stagnation, Decay, and Pestilence. You have summoned me and now I come before you." Tagon said.

"Tagon…one of our most trusted instruments. It has been a while since you have crossed into the Messiah's threshold." The Elder of Stagnation said. "We had begun to think you had…gone rogue."

His voice was like gravel in a wound. Tagon winced at every word he spoke. The Elder was little more than a rotting man in a robe. But his connection to the Noxious Messiah had blessed him with untold powers from the warp. Powers that would be revealed to the corpse-emperor's followers in time.

"My operations take time. The unfortunate consequence is that I must sacrifice my time of worship." Tagon said. "My faith is tested but it only strengthens."

Grumbling erupted from the mob, some of them whispering accusations at him.

"You promised us that your plan would turn the tide in our struggle against the Imperials. Yet here you are with nothing to show." The Elder said. "They will move against us soon and yet…we have no answer."

"The network has been rigged. My Akhamshy'y are priming the final bombs as we speak." Tagon replied. "When they are ready our fury will be known to all who oppose us."

"No, it won't."

The word came out of nowhere. Tagon tried to look up to see who said it. But the heavy hand of a Lytsar shoved his head back down.

"Unfortunately for you, the Imperials have learned of your plan and are already moving to stop it." The Elder of Pestilence said. "Our contacts have informed us that a servo-skull discovered your bombs."

Tagon raised his head again. "How? I destroyed it."

"But not fast enough Tagon! The Imperials know the bombs' location and have sent a team into the sewers! Your failure has put our crusade at risk!" The Elder cursed Tagon.

The crowd erupted into a cacophony of howls and cries for punishment. Tagon's heart raced. He was destined to be the one that drove their crusade forward.

"Noble Elders. Let me atone for my incompetence! Let me and my Akhamshy'y go. We will stop them and ensure our plan succeeds!" Tagon said.

"Tagon, you are one of our favorites. You have served us loyally for a long time. You are fortunate that the Noxious Messiah is forgiving. For we are not. With his blessing you and your warriors are to go and ensure your plan succeeds. If not…then the council will have another sacrifice for the pyre."


"By the Emperor…"

Rabinov shined his stablight at the large barrel. Even standing close enough to get a good look at it made him anxious. All manner of wiring and tubes fed into the top and snaked out down the tunnel. He followed them and began counting. By the time he reached the bend he had counted off four large barrels containing the pestilent gas.

"They're trying to render the entire hive a wasteland." Malehnkova said in a quiet voice. "And if our predictions about the water treatment plant are correct…"

Further down the tunnels the tech-priests followed by their skitarii cohort were following the wires to their source. They were all rigged to blow at the same time. If they could find the central control it would be as easy as disabling it. Then they would just have to dispose of the barrels. But that would be easier said than done.

"These things must stretch out for miles." Rabinov said as he and the rest of the guardsmen caught up with the tech-priests.

"I wonder how long they've been down here." Petr said. "I mean, all of these definitely took some time to rig up, no? And, what if they go off while we're down here?"

"You sound scared Kioka." Baranova nudged him.

"I'm just saying. I've seen what this stuff can do." Petr shrugged.

"It's ok sweetheart, I'll protect you." Baranova chuckled, pushing past him.

The big flamer tanks on her back nearly knocked him out as he went ahead of him.

"Watch yourself, big-body!" he growled

"Lock it down, guardsmen!" Malehnkova hissed.

The group continued down the tunnels. Eventually they reached a large metal door. The wires trailed up the wall and through a hole drilled through the wall. One of the tech-priests turned around to face rest of the group.

"Our predictions were correct. The bombs all trail back to the water processing center." he said.

"Let's get through the door and figure out how to disarm them." Malehnkova said.

"Agreed."

The tech-priest turned back around and exchanged a mess of binary between the other two tech-priests. As they began working on the door, Malehnkova motioned for her team to take positions just in case.


"Lord Tagon. The Imperials are almost to the processing center! In your stead I have ordered our warriors to prepare themselves to pounce!"

"MY WARRIORS!" Tagon snarled at Tasha grabbing her head and slamming her against the tunnel wall. "You all answer to me and ONLY ME!"

"Of course Lord Tagon!" Tasha gasped. She could feel a warm wetness begin to trail down her face as he held her to the wall. "B-but, with you being summoned and the Imperials' arrival. W-well. Someone had to take command."

Tagon let her go and she slumped to the ground.

"Very well. Nevertheless you made the right call." He said. "I will give them the order to pounce when the time is right."

"Yes, sir!" Tasha scrambled to her feet.

She touched the wetness on her forehead and saw blood stain her fingers. Her head pounded from the impact but as Tagon walked off she followed close.

"A thousand apologies sir, I will ensure I do not make the same mistake." She said.

"You will do right not to. And you better forget that Imperial tongue. The others might question your loyalty if you keep up with it." Tagon said. "And I may not be able to protect you if they decide you are a liability."

"Tahk, ser. Vybashen'ya." Sasha said.

Tagon made his way to the processing center's atrium but he didn't enter. Instead he climbed up and entered a maintenance shaft. After making his way through a series of corridors he came to a grate that gave him an unobstructed view of the atrium and the heart of the bomb continued along to her position in the maintenance shaft. As Tagon looked out through the grate he could see his Akhamshy'y behind similar grates all across the room. Some of the more nimble ones had climbed up to the catwalks above the water tanks.

Tagon adjusted himself and waited. The atrium was flooded with red emergency lights. There was a hiss and metallic whine as the main door unlocked and sunk into the floor. Everyone stood deathly still, watching. Two servo-skulls entered the chamber. Then a team of mechanical men entered. Behind them a group of guardsmen. They swept the atrium and the water tanks. Once there was no sign of the enemy they called out to someone still outside. Tagon noticed his men grow anxious. Some of them sitting restlessly as the enemy began working on disarming the bombs. Tagon angled the barrel of his lascarbine to poke just enough through the grate and lined up a shot. Centering his sights on one of the tech-priests. With a slow breath he steadied himself and squeezed the trigger.

(A/N: Alrighty folks! Here's the next chapter of TMaB. I had some fun delving into the GrandChildren a bit. I normally have Tagon and the other Grandchildren speak in a bastardized chaos tongue but I decided to use normal english since it would be easier to understand than try to use context clues to deduce the conversation. Just imagine them speaking chaos tongue! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I can't wait to see you in the next one!

-S.W.G)