Warp Duel

Alexios, bare-chested and gripping a Training Sword, took two long strides, closing in on Lycurgus with blistering speed, then swung his right arm, trying to bypass Lycurgus's shield.

But Lycurgus's shield blocked Alexios's blade without a gap, the unsharpened sword smashing against it, sending sparks flying.

Lycurgus's other hand held a Short Sword, ready to strike his brother; he timed a thrust from below, aiming straight for Alexios's abdomen. Yet Alexios sidestepped with a quick step, dodging it, and seized the moment to kick Lycurgus hard in the side of the knee, sending him crashing to the ground on one knee.

As he pressed the attack, Alexios lectured his younger brother:

"Too slow. A shield is also a weapon. You can't win by only using it to protect yourself."

Alexios swung his sword, slamming it viciously into his brother's head. The force was so great it left Lycurgus dazed, collapsing to the floor. His scalp split open, a dozen drops of crimson blood spattering the Fighting Cage's floor.

Lycurgus didn't pass out, but he'd basically lost the ability to fight. A Servitor opened the cage and took him away; thankfully, the wound stopped bleeding quickly.

Around the Fighting Cage, a group of veterans in Power Armour and bare-chested Neophytes formed a circle, watching the duel.

At that moment, the Blackrock and four other ships were in the Warp, the fleet traveling through the Immaterium. Out of boredom, Peter had initiated this duel; the two winners among the Neophytes would inherit the two spare sets of Power Armour in the War Band.

Though many Neophytes were injured in the duels, some even getting broken bones from training weapons, it was all within acceptable limits. They were Space Marines after all, destined to prepare for war their entire lives; getting hurt or fractured by a brother in training was trivial.

Now Alexios had defeated Lycurgus and advanced. The other group would also decide their champion.

Watching from the side, Peter and Anthony chatted idly.

Peter said to his brother:

"This Alexios has the best overall qualities among all the Neophytes. He has the potential to become the leader of this batch. He could also lead more Neophytes in the future."

Anthony agreed:

"True, but for the champion, I'm leaning more toward Randolph. He's the biggest of all the Neophytes, and he's fierce, favoring the battle axe. Brother Colin's Chain Axe can be left to him."

Peter nodded in agreement, adding:

"Not just fierce—that guy looks big and rough, but he's cunning too. In his last duel, he hooked the opponent's shield away with his axe, then finished him off with a headbutt and fists."

Randolph, tall with a rugged, thick beard, strode into the Fighting Cage with a massive Two-Handed Battle Axe slung over his shoulder. His opponent, Gorgias, also bare-chested, gripped a Training Sword, leaped high, grabbed a metal beam with his hands, and flipped directly into the cage from above.

Gorgias stood two meters tall, on the leaner side for a Space Marine, and his weapon was a standard One-Handed Sword.

Randolph was taller, more muscular, wielding a Two-Handed Battle Axe that he could sometimes swing with one hand while punching his opponent in the face with the other.

The two faced off, and the duel began quickly.

Gorgias adopted a defensive stance first, his longsword angled toward the ground, body leaning slightly forward, ready for the coming attack. Randolph strode forward, both hands gripping his battle axe, his muscles looking especially solid under the lights. He let out a roar, charged at Gorgias swinging the axe, and though unsharpened, the blade still gleamed coldly.

Gorgias retreated swiftly, dodging Randolph's first strike. He knew going head-on against this big man was unwise; he had to use his speed and agility. He began circling the cage, looking for openings, while Randolph kept swinging his axe, trying to catch Gorgias.

Gorgias's swordsmanship was like a dance—graceful and deadly. Sometimes he thrust with a lightning-fast stab, sometimes he swept out a blade of light; every attack was precise, but Randolph, relying on his immense strength and the broad face of his axe, always managed to block at the last moment. During the fight, Gorgias constantly changed his attack rhythm, trying to disrupt Randolph's pace. As the battle wore on, Randolph began to tire; his attacks, though still fierce, lost speed and power.

Gorgias seized the opportunity and launched a more aggressive offense. Randolph gripped the middle of the axe handle, while Gorgias held his sword's hilt, using the blade's reach to keep thrusting at Randolph's vitals, forcing him to split his focus on defense.

As the saying goes, defend long enough and you'll slip. Gorgias deftly used his sword tip to pry Randolph's axe aside, then quickly followed up, thrusting straight at Randolph's chest. Randolph futilely blocked with the axe handle, but Gorgias's sword tip had already carved a deep wound across his chest.

The victor was decided.

The upset caught everyone a bit off guard, but only a bit. Size doesn't always mean strength; for instance, Anthony was quite short and stocky, under 1.9 meters without his Power Armour. But his swordsmanship was excellent, and he'd taken down plenty of big guys who underestimated him because of his build.

Anthony suddenly asked an unrelated question:

"Captain, why did you order these Neophytes to go home and visit? They're Astartes now; they should serve the War Band, not cling to their past mortal families."

Peter turned to face his brother, meeting his eyes—one intact, the other hidden in a melted socket:

"I didn't do it for these Neophytes, but for the mortals. Anthony, glory is a strange thing. You can't eat it or drink it; it doesn't even have a physical form. But almost everyone can truly feel it. Letting these Neophytes go back and talk to their families, even just once, lets the mortals know their boys became angels and brought back glory."

Peter turned his gaze to the arena, where Alexios and Gorgias were about to have their final bout:

"I'm an Olympian. When I was a kid, I remember my homeland—nine out of ten houses empty, few men left. Everyone hated the Legion coming to recruit, because it meant even more boys would disappear."

"Those boys never came back. They should have grown up, married, had children, worked in factories or farmed the fields. So we can't recruit endlessly from the Homeworld. At least let the Neophytes return to their homes, let the mortals know their children didn't just vanish."

By then, the duel was over. Gorgias had actually won. It seemed this Neophyte truly had talent in close combat.

Thus, Alexios and Gorgias became the successors to their fallen brothers' Power Armour.