Corswain stood second only to the primarch among the Dark Angels. Perhaps only the former Ninth Order Grand Master, Arakos, and Astelan could have matched him.
Back then, he and the Lion had split up, only to reunite on Terra. The Lion had immediately replaced all the equipment of his "dear Akou." The Lord Seneschal of the Lion currently wore the most balanced pattern of Tartaros Terminator armor.
As for Elkenarx before him, as a member of the Phoenix Guard, he wore Cataphractii Terminator armor and wielded his ornate swordsmanship directly at Corswain's vital points.
Like their primarch Fulgrim, the Emperor's Children excelled at swordsmanship. Elkenarx's blade flashed like a startled swan in flight, striking at Corswain's joints, neck, and other weak points.
He did not recognize the Dark Angel's Terminator armor. It was neither Indomitus nor Cataphractii pattern, but its cold black sheen kept him from lowering his guard in the slightest.
"Is that all?" Corswain suddenly said amid the fierce battle.
Although Elkenarx's swordsmanship did not rank among the very best in the Third Legion, he was still a formidable swordsman. His technique was precise to the extreme, every movement displaying an elegant bearing.
"Why do you need so many flashy, useless poses when you use a sword?"
Corswain continued his critique. His own swordsmanship appeared utterly ordinary, yet he always disrupted every feint and ornate technique of the Emperor's Child.
In his eyes, the Emperor's Children commander's counterattacks seemed as harmless as children at play. He blocked Elkenarx's assaults while pointing out the flaws and shortcomings in his technique.
Anger rose within the Emperor's Child. He could accept defeat, but he could not accept an enemy's humiliation.
"I suppose you aren't one of the Palatine Blades? Your technique is far beneath theirs."
The Palatine Blades Corswain mentioned