The histories of Goge Vandire and the age of apostasy was the title of the book I was reading when I was called to attention.

“Lexicanium Solomon, is that book more interesting than your duties?” a gruff voice said from across the room.

I froze for a second and turned around “Ah no I have already finished my duties epistolary razikeil, it has already been submitted and is under review” I was more that a little stiff since he snuck up on me

He chuckled at my response “relax boy it was a jest, I know you are done” he holds up a data slate “your exemplary ability to do your standard duties is not why I am here, I am here to tell you that you and I are accompanying a squad from 10th company to a world for a battle”

I perk up at this “is it finally time for me to leave these dusty halls and gain some real experience?” I say this with a little too much enthusiasm which brings a wry smile to his face

As quick as lightning a book is launched at me at speeds a normal unaugmented man couldn’t react to. With a spike of focus I stop the book mid air with telekinesis just three inches from my face.

I grab the copy of farming and agriculture m41 out of mid air. “Was the test necessary, you could have damaged the library”. All of the sudden a large book thumped hard onto the top of my head.

“You may have talent and skill but you lack experience, attacks can come from any direction at any time, be vigilant and be wary especially on the battlefield” he begins to chuckle “although with a helm on book pose no danger, oh speaking of danger here”. He tossed me a sword in a scabbard that I hadn’t noticed him carrying.

I catch it midair and inspect the hilt, guard and scabbard. Runes were etched and embossed onto each part. An black gemstone and gold Inlaid pattern of circles within linked circles wrapped around the top of the scabbard. I unsheathed the blade and noticed it was clean of any defects and decorations besides a weaving pattern of gold along the center. This was strange in two parts because every astarties decorated their weapons more in some way and every blade had some sign I had seen battle. But this was an unused blade.

“A blade needs a worthy hand to use it and it’s sad to discover this one gathering millennia of dust.” I pull the blade out of the scabbard and give it a few practice swings. “It’s a fine blade and perfectly balanced, thank you for this”.

“It’s an untested blade, don't thank me yet. We depart in ten hours so if there is something you need to do in the meantime do it right away” I nodded in affirmation.

I had just been cleared to go on missions with guidance which I believe razikeil was going to be my mentor. It was high time anyways I had finished my training with my power armor and had completed all of my augmentations, although I did still feel very new to being a space marine. It had been twenty years since I arrived here. I had made it to the training cages after a brief “meal” of nutrient gruel which honestly tasted like sand and old coins. Although I was decent at fighting against the combat servitors, my skill against multiple opponents was still lacking.

Stolen story; please report.

It’s only when I’m alone in the cage fighting can I think of what has happened to me and what I could mean for my future. So far it’s been pretty much training except for the time one of the other neophytes went crazy and attacked me trying to escape. I had been fighting him for what felt like an eternity before a brother chaplain arrived and took him away. I haven't seen him since. I can only speculate on what had happened to him.

The memories fill my head as I strip to the waist and swing my new sword a few times to get a feel for the grip. It was in this very training cage that the berserk youth nearly killed me. I walked to the cage controls to set the difficulty of the battle servitors. They had eleven levels of difficulty, one through ten were the standard difficulties, each getting more intense. I technically only had access to one through seven. I punched in a code that I had overheard from a firstborn space marine then selected eleven.

I had only used this level once before but had to stop halfway through because I had nearly died, it was the lethal setting that only veteran marines had access to. As I stepped into the training cage eleven green lights turned on in the walls of the cage, underneath each was a battle servitor. I stopped in the center directly underneath the brightest light that filled the cage. With a deep breath to calm my nerves I speak one word “begin”.

As quick as lightning three battle servitors closed in on me, blades that replaced their arms reflecting light into my eyes. I sidestepped the first then deflected the second strike into the path of the third. I readied to cut down the second when I noticed a shadow in the corner of my eye. The first had already recovered and was spearing one of its arms towards my neck.

I spun out of the way and used the momentum to deliver a decapitating strike to the first. I barely felt resistance as the blade removed its head. In my momentary triumph against one I left myself open to the other two. Hot pain erupted from my ribs as number two sliced a line across it although it wasn’t a deep cut but I was still bleeding. I managed to parry number threes thrus before I had to back step to avoid another slash from number two. This gave me an opening to thrush my blade into the head of number two and it went limp.

I heard two mechanical clicks from behind me. I spun around and slashed downwards bisecting the newly released servitor from shoulder to hip. I could hear three more clicks and knew I had to finish off number three. It was a good thing I had turned around because number three hand jumped towards me with both blades raised to pierce my chest. I gave him a swift head kick that stove in its chest and sent him flying. On the wall three of the green lights had turned red. Just as swift as the other three battle servitors another three closed in on me but this time they had different weapons. On their arms they had saws that whined as they spun; they also had basic armor instead of just bare flesh and machinery.

I leaned back to dodge a swipe then spun backwards to avoid the other two. With two quick flicks of my sword I removed the head of one and the arm of another. Raising my guard I fended off a few more blows before I finished the two off with quick thrusts in between their strikes.

Another three clicks sounded and the wall released another set of fully armored servitors. The upside of these ones was the fact that they were slower than the others. Unfortunately they were also bigger, stronger and had further reach due to the poleaxes they had. I kept moving, staying light on my feet maneuvering so that I only had both of them in front of me. Light strikes won’t work on these ones but they have their own weaknesses.

I sidestepped a downwards strike and flick out a strike to the elbow of one only to do superficial damage. I click my tongue and stay inside their guard striking at their joints whenever I get a chance. This lasted a few minutes before I started to breathe heavily. Although I had whittled them down I had run out of stamina. The automata though continued forward unfazed by the numerous injuries done to them. I had to end this before I got seriously injured. I called out “end scenario” and the servitors went rigid then returned to their alcoves along the wall.

The normal training mode helps with general movements but lethal gives me much needed experience against something trying to kill me. I touched the cuts on my body, the one on my ribs being the worst. Although because of my alterations I do heal quickly, my hand came away with a little bit of blood. The cut was already closing but it was deeper than I realized, hopefully this isn’t a sign of what’s to come.