You memorised the whole thing?'
'Word/ he swallowed and then finished, 'perfect/
There was another juddering boom and a rush of hot air gusted down the corridor.
'Are we gonna stand around like ninkers all day or are we gonna get off this ship?' Kara snapped, bracing against me.
'I think that might be wise/ I agreed.
But the way was blocked. Cherubael had come back for me.
Its malicious rampage had crippled the Essene. It was still seething with the pain I had inflicted. It wasn't even talking any more.
It surged down the corridor towards us. I couldn't reach the Malus Codicium now. I was having enough trouble just standing up.
Eleena cried out in terror. I cursed, helpless, useless.
Aemos hobbled forward and place himself between us and the charging warp-spawn. He braced the runestaff against the floor and lowered the tip towards Cherubael. He knew what to do. May the God-Emperor show him mercy, he knew better than I.
There was a release of power and light so powerful that it was beyond sound. The host body disintegrated, showering us with a hail of burned flesh, charred bone and blackened augmetic debris.
Aemos and the runestaff shuddered and jerked as they both lit up with corposant that crackled and flashed up and down them.
The last few electrical arcs sizzled away into the deck. Aemos remained standing where he was with the staff still upraised. A tiny plume of smoke licked off the headpiece.
Aemos? Aemos!'
'I've… dispossessed it… for a moment…' Aemos said without turning round. His voice was low and his words were emerging only by huge effort.'.. .So it's weak… and confused… but that won't… last… we need… a proper host vessel… for it to… occupy…'
He turned to face us. The destruction of the astropath's host body had singed his clothes and knocked his eyeglasses off.
'What did you do with it?' I asked.
He didn't answer. The effort would have been too great. Aemos would only ever say two more words to me.
'Aemos, what did you do with it?' I repeated.
He opened his eyes. They were blank. Completely blank.
It took us ten minutes to make the daemonhost safe, ten minutes we really didn't have. I was encumbered by the fact I couldn't move unaided. Eleena had to hold the Malus Codicium for me as I did the work, making the marks and runes and wardings with blood from my own wounds. I recalled the same hasty rituals I had performed on the beach at Miquol.
'Come on!' Kara urged.
'There! It's done! Aemos, can you hear me? It's done!'
His old hands were shaking. He lowered the staff. I could see his mouth trying to form the words, but he couldn't manage it.