The First Wall
Gav Thorpe
Book 1 – THE SOLAR WAR
Book 2 - THE LOST AND THE DAMNED
Book 3 - THE FIRST WALL
SONS OF THE SELENAR
(Spring 2020)
Book 1 – HORUS RISING
Book 2 – FALSE GODS
Book 3 – GALAXY IN FLAMES
Book 4 – THE FLIGHT OF THE EISENSTEIN
Book 5 – FULGRIM
Book 6 – DESCENT OF ANGELS
Book 7 – LEGION
Book 8 – BATTLE FOR THE ABYSS
Book 9 – MECHANICUM
Book 10 – TALES OF HERESY
Book 11 – FALLEN ANGELS
Book 12 – A THOUSAND SONS
Book 13 – NEMESIS
Book 14 – THE FIRST HERETIC
Book 15 – PROSPERO BURNS
Book 16 – AGE OF DARKNESS
Book 17 – THE OUTCAST DEAD
Book 18 – DELIVERANCE LOST
Book 19 – KNOW NO FEAR
Book 20 – THE PRIMARCHS
Book 21 – FEAR TO TREAD
Book 22 – SHADOWS OF TREACHERY
Book 23 – ANGEL EXTERMINATUS
Book 24 – BETRAYER
Book 25 – MARK OF CALTH
Book 26 – VULKAN LIVES
Book 27 – THE UNREMEMBERED EMPIRE
Book 28 – SCARS
Book 29 – VENGEFUL SPIRIT
Book 30 – THE DAMNATION OF PYTHOS
Book 31 – LEGACIES OF BETRAYAL
Book 32 – DEATHFIRE
Book 33 – WAR WITHOUT END
Book 34 – PHAROS
Book 35 – EYE OF TERRA
Book 36 – THE PATH OF HEAVEN
Book 37 – THE SILENT WAR
Book 38 – ANGELS OF CALIBAN
Book 39 – PRAETORIAN OF DORN
Book 40 – CORAX
Book 41 – THE MASTER OF MANKIND
Book 42 – GARRO
Book 43 – SHATTERED LEGIONS
Book 44 – THE CRIMSON KING
Book 45 – TALLARN
Book 46 – RUINSTORM
Book 47 – OLD EARTH
Book 48 – THE BURDEN OF LOYALTY
Book 49 – WOLFSBANE
Book 50 – BORN OF FLAME
Book 51 – SLAVES TO DARKNESS
Book 52 – HERALDS OF THE SIEGE
Book 53 – TITANDEATH
Book 54 – THE BURIED DAGGER
More tales from the Horus Heresy...
PROMETHEAN SUN
AURELIAN
BROTHERHOOD OF THE STORM
THE CRIMSON FIST
CORAX: SOULFORGE
PRINCE OF CROWS
DEATH AND DEFIANCE
TALLARN: EXECUTIONER
SCORCHED EARTH
THE PURGE
THE HONOURED
THE UNBURDENED
BLADES OF THE TRAITOR
TALLARN: IRONCLAD
RAVENLORD
THE SEVENTH SERPENT
WOLF KING
CYBERNETICA
SONS OF THE FORGE
Many of these titles are also available as abridged and unabridged audiobooks. Order the full range of Horus Heresy novels and audiobooks from blacklibrary.com
Also available
MACRAGGE’S HONOUR
Dan Abnett and Neil Roberts
Audio Dramas
THE DARK KING & THE LIGHTNING TOWER
RAVEN’S FLIGHT
GARRO: OATH OF MOMENT
GARRO: LEGION OF ONE
BUTCHER’S NAILS
GREY ANGEL
GARRO: BURDEN OF DUTY
GARRO: SWORD OF TRUTH
THE SIGILLITE
HONOUR TO THE DEAD
CENSURE
WOLF HUNT
HUNTER’S MOON
THIEF OF REVELATIONS
TEMPLAR
ECHOES OF RUIN
MASTER OF THE FIRST
THE LONG NIGHT
THE EAGLE’S TALON
IRON CORPSES
RAPTOR
GREY TALON
THE EITHER
THE HEART OF THE PHAROS / CHILDREN OF SICARUS
RED-MARKED
ECHOES OF IMPERIUM
ECHOES OF REVELATION
THE THIRTEENTH WOLF
VIRTUES OF THE SONS/SINS OF THE FATHER
THE BINARY SUCCESSION
DARK COMPLIANCE
BLACKSHIELDS: THE FALSE WAR
BLACKSHIELDS: THE RED FIEF
HUBRIS OF MONARCHIA
NIGHTFANE
BLACKSHIELDS: THE BROKEN CHAIN
Download the full range of Horus Heresy audio dramas from blacklibrary.com
Contents
Cover
Backlist
Title Page
The Horus Heresy: Siege of Terra
Dramatis Personae
Prologue
One
Two
Three
Four
Five
Six
Seven
Eight
Nine
Ten
Eleven
Twelve
Thirteen
Fourteen
Fifteen
Sixteen
Seventeen
Eighteen
Nineteen
Twenty
Twenty-One
Twenty-Two
Twenty-Three
Twenty-Four
Twenty-Five
Twenty-Six
Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Eight
Twenty-Nine
Thirty
Thirty-One
Thirty-Two
Thirty-Three
Afterword
About the Author
An Extract from ‘Konrad Curze: The Night Haunter’
A Black Library Publication
eBook license
It is a time of legend.
The galaxy is in flames. The Emperor’s glorious vision for humanity is in ruins. His favoured son, Horus, has turned from his father’s light and embraced Chaos.
His armies, the mighty and redoubtable Space Marines, are locked in a brutal civil war. Once, these ultimate warriors fought side by side as brothers, protecting the galaxy and bringing mankind back into the Emperor’s light. Now they are divided.
Some remain loyal to the Emperor, whilst others have sided with the Warmaster. Pre-eminent amongst them, the leaders of their thousands-strong Legions, are the primarchs. Magnificent, superhuman beings, they are the crowning achievement of the Emperor’s genetic science. Thrust into battle against one another, victory is uncertain for either side.
Worlds are burning. At Isstvan V, Horus dealt a vicious blow and three loyal Legions were all but destroyed. War was begun, a conflict that will engulf all mankind in fire. Treachery and betrayal have usurped honour and nobility. Assassins lurk in every shadow. Armies are gathering. All must choose a side or die.
Horus musters his armada, Terra itself the object of his wrath. Seated upon the Golden Throne, the Emperor waits for his wayward son to return. But his true enemy is Chaos, a primordial force that seeks to enslave mankind to its capricious whims.
The screams of the innocent, the pleas of the righteous resound to the cruel laughter of Dark Gods. Suffering and damnation await all should the Emperor fail and the war be lost.
The end is here. The skies darken, colossal armies gather.
For the fate of the Throneworld, for the fate of mankind itself...
The Siege of Terra has begun.
‘There are three weapons in the armoury of the victorious. Endurance, Belief and Loyalty.’
– Monito san Vastall, First General-Maximus of the Lucifer Blacks
‘There is no foe so powerful or so innumerable that we cannot overcome them with single-minded determination. Our weapons are simply an extension of our will, and it is our will that shall conquer the galaxy.’
– Warmaster Horus, address to the Ullanor Triumph
‘Faith exists to be tested.’
– Lorgar Urizen, Lectitio Divinitatus
Dramatis Personae
Horus, Warmaster, Primarch of the XVI Legion, Ascendant Vessel of Chaos
The Primarchs
Perturabo, ‘The Lord of Iron’, Primarch of the IV Legion
Rogal Dorn, Praetorian of Terra, Primarch of the VII Legion
Angron, ‘The Red Angel’, Primarch of the XII Legion
Fulgrim, ‘The Phoenician’, Primarch of the III Legion
Mortarion, ‘The Lord of Death’, Primarch of the XIV Legion
Jaghatai Khan, ‘The Warhawk’, Primarch of the V Legion
Sanguinius, Archangel of Baal, Primarch of the IX Legion
The IV Legion ‘Iron Warriors’
Kydomor Forrix, ‘The Breaker’, First Captain, Triarch
Barban Falk, ‘The Warsmith’, Triarch
Kroeger, Triarch
Vull Bronn, ‘The Stonewrought’, 45th Grand Battalion
Volk-Sa’ra’am, ‘The Obliterator’
Gharal, Captain
Berossus, Captain, Dreadnought
The VII Legion ‘Imperial Fists’
Sigismund, Lord Castellan, Marshal of the Templars
Fafnir Rann, Lord Seneschal, Captain of the First Assault Cadre
Haeger, Lieutenant-Commander, Castellan of the Lion’s Gate space port
Ortor, Sergeant, First Squad, First Assault Cadre
The XIV Legion ‘Death Guard’
Typhus, First Captain, Host of the Destroyer Hive
The XVI Legion ‘Sons of Horus’
Ezekyle Abaddon, First Captain
The XVII Legion ‘Word Bearers’
Zardu Layak, ‘The Crimson Apostle’, Master of the Unspeaking
Kulnar, Slave of the Anakatis Blade
Hebek, Slave of the Anakatis Blade
The XII Legion ‘World Eaters’
Khârn, Captain, Eighth Assault Company
The Dark Mechanicum
Inar Satarael, Archmagos
The Neverborn
Cor’bax Utterblight, The Life Within Death
Imperial Army
Colonel Maigraut, Chief of Staff, Lion’s Gate space port
Zenobi Adedeji, Volunteer, Addaba 64th Defence Corps
Menber Adedeji, Volunteer, Addaba 64th Defence Corps
Kettai, Volunteer, Addaba 64th Defence Corps
Yennu Egwu, Captain, Addaba 64th Defence Corps
Okoye, Lieutenant, Addaba 64th Defence Corps
Alekzanda, Sergeant, Addaba 64th Defence Corps
Seleen, Volunteer, Addaba 64th Defence Corps
Sweetana, Volunteer, Addaba 64th Defence Corps
Tewedros, Volunteer, Addaba 64th Defence Corps
Jawaahir Adunay Hadinet, Integrity High Officer, Addaba 64th Defence Corps
Katsuhiro, Trooper, Palatine Arc quarantine zone garrison
Nasha, Tank commander, Breath of Wrath, Bakk-Makkah First Regiment
Imperial Personae
Malcador, Regent of the Imperium
Euphrati Keeler, Former Remembrancer
Kyril Sindermann, Former Iterator
Valdor, Captain-General of the Legio Custodes
Amon Tauromachian, Custodian
Olivier Muižnieks, Head of the Lightbearers
Manish Dhaubanjar, Hauler operator
Daxa Dhaubanjar, Hauler operator
Himalazia, undisclosed location, date unknown
The smog of hundreds of engines blackened the sky, adding to the gloom of the filth-choked heavens. The thunder of tanks and transports, some the size of city blocks, created a deafening wave of sound that reverberated from the mountainsides, an assault on ears already numbed by the winds of the high Himalazia.
The growl of machine voices all but drowned out human shouts, even those amplified by voxmitters. Electronic clarions howled into the whirl of noise, sounding the advance or stand-to, their modulated calls overlapping.
Everything was sudden movement, dust billowing from treads and boots alike.
‘This is it.’ General-Captain Egwu did not raise her voice, but her words were carried by the tongues of those under her command. ‘Everyone stand ready.’
Beside her, Zenobi Adedeji fidgeted with the cover of the banner she carried, eyes flicking between her company commander and the scene of organised bedlam being enacted around the troopers from Addaba Hive.
‘Everything we have done, the oaths we have sworn, the hardships we have endured, has led to this moment.’ Now Egwu shouted, not simply to be heard, but filled with passion. Her remaining eye stared wide amongst the burn scars that covered most of her face, fresh tissue pink against her dark skin. ‘Now is the time we strike at the enemy! Our families laboured and died to deliver us to this place. Our courage and determination have carried us this far. We may not live beyond this day, but our deeds will!’
‘Now?’ asked Zenobi, her voice quavering with emotion, a shaking hand reaching towards the cover of the standard.
‘Yes,’ said the general-captain. ‘Now.’
The Lord of Iron
Farewells
An honour bestowed
The Iron Blood, Terran near orbit, seventy hours before assault
Patches of static in the holo-display vexed Perturabo, causing him pain in a way that a wound to his flesh could not. Every blur marring the projected image was a failure of surveyors, each a gap in his knowledge.
His only companions were the six automatons of his Iron Circle, stationed at regular intervals around the periphery of the octagonal chamber. They stood with their shields raised, mauls dormant, the only movement that of their ocular lenses, which whirred and clicked as they followed the pacing of their creator.
‘I could extrapolate the defences hidden from me,’ Perturabo thought aloud to his bodyguard. Their unquestioning silence was a welcome break from the ceaseless doubts and queries that spilled from his subordinates of late. ‘I have perfect recollection of other works raised by Dorn, and by patterning those memories with what is shown here I can fill the gaps to a high degree of accuracy.’
He stared at a glimmering hololith that filled most of his planning chamber aboard the Iron Blood, as though force of will could make it offer up its secrets.
‘Extrapolation is not fact,’ he growled. ‘There is too much at stake for assumption, no matter how well informed.’
His mind, his military genius, was the key Horus needed to unlock the palace of his father, but it needed data like an army needed supplies.
He stepped into the display, his massive suit of armour hissing and wheezing. Its shadow obliterated whole sectors of the Sanctum Imperialis as he strode to examine one area in particular. He crouched, coming eye to eye with a fictional defender standing on the Ultimate Wall.
The yellow of Dorn’s Legion was spread everywhere, though it was concentrated around the north-east and south-west. The red of the Blood Angels was strongest to the south-east, where Mortarion’s Death Guard had launched a damaging but ultimately unsuccessful assault near the Helios Gate.
The Khan’s White Scars were harder
to place. They had sallied forth against Mortarion in support of Sanguinius, but had since been seen in several other battles to the north and west of that attack. The precise whereabouts of the primarchs themselves was a factor to be considered, but impossible to ascertain with any degree of timeliness or certainty.
Raising the fingers of his left hand, he gestured and the display rotated around him, placing him behind the wall so that he was looking out across the Katabatic Plains surrounding the Palace.
The Warmaster’s forces were rendered in a more abstract sense; series of runes, numbers and sigils denoting troop type, strength, current morale estimates, longevity of engagement, and half a dozen other factors.
And there were more features, sketched with a nomenclature he was still creating. These were the forces of the warp, whose powers he had only just started to investigate. Daemons. Possessed legionaries. Word Bearers and Thousand Sons sorcerers.
And his brothers. Swirls of arcane conjunctions between the real and the imaginary, with a foot in the world of the mortal and immortal alike. Angron, so determined to prove himself, unable to hold his wrath, was still trying the defences at Helios. Mortarion had not personally attempted to breach the Emperor’s shield yet, and at the command of Horus was redirecting efforts to the south-west, attacking a twenty-kilometre stretch of wall near to the bastion of the Saturnine Gate. The Emperor’s Children and Fulgrim, who Perturabo considered the least trustworthy of Horus’ other lieutenants, had been engaging the defenders to the west and north, without any breakthrough.
Of Magnus there was no sign, but his Legion commanders had been content to take assignment from Perturabo and invested the south-west of the continent-city, supporting the efforts of the Death Guard.
All of his brothers were baulked at the walls still, held back by the last and most powerfully enigmatic variable in the whole war.
The Emperor.
So many questions Perturabo could scarcely think of them, much less attempt to provide answers. Queries that stretched back decades, strategies and decisions he had been picking apart since first he’d come into the presence of his creator.
But it was equally simple to dismiss most of the unease. Questions of why his father had acted in certain ways, why He had treated His sons the way He had, were now irrelevant. All that was left was the how of the matter. It was connected to the powers of the warp. If Perturabo could unpick that relationship, he could break apart the psychic wards that held back his brothers.
‘Titans,’ he reminded himself. ‘The Warmaster needs our Titans to break the siege. He is right – the war engines of our foes’ Legios are a force we cannot yet counter.’
