Durek listened to the instructions that they were given, and followed them by picking up a blade. He turned it in his hand for a few seconds, studying it. He was eager for a fight, and although it wasn’t against the scum, it would do. He looked up toward the servitors, observing their modified frames and weapons. He chose which to fight, a servitor armed with its own combat blades. He thought this would be the most likely to be fought in the true fight, so this would be good for training. With that, he followed those who had entered the pit already.

He picked his target, and waited a few moments. He looked the servitor up and down, before quickly casting a side eye to the others in the group. Seeing Lezan immediately choose to go against orders made Durek roll his eyes. We were specifically told to fight individually, he thought. This will only annoy their leader further than he has already become annoyed this day.

Turning his attention back to the servitor, he gave one last look before readying the blade in his hand and charging forward to strike at it. Raising the knife to strike down on it when he closed with the servitor, Durek was ready for the fight.


Ooc: Charge at servitor, attack on servitor, defence on self

having listened to Terix instructions, Shabran just took up one combat blade, it would be good to do some fighting, he could allready feel his body start tensing up, even if it was just combat servitors, though ofcause one shouldent allways downplay the danger piston muscles and ironclad stupidity could pose in the end.
Since this was after all a training exercise even if also to show their prowness to their new masters, it was still just a training, therefor when he got in he got in front and pointed at two servitors, one with a big axe and one with dual mauls, "You two, lets have some fun" as the servitors arayed themselves against him.
With a roar Shabran charged, aiming to get a low shoulder charge in on one of them, hoping to knock it back, and hopefully down so he could begin to violently disasemble the other by itself.

OOC: charge and all out attack.

Shabran's fight was the quickest to have started, the two bulky combatants now staring down at the 'initiate' - their dull eyes getting a sudden, emerald glow and with that they raised their weapons. The maul came first,coming down upon him - only to be knocked back from the shoulder charge, Shabran hearing his foe give off a satisfying 'crunch' from within. The second was more prepared, its axe swinging down at him the instant he had gotten into range, simultaneously bashing his fighting arm aside to cause his attack to miss in its entirety; even as its ribcage broke, the first servitor tried all the same to bring its other fist down upon his helm, an attack that would undoubtedly disorient him if ignored.


The Lion and the Raven fought side by side within the ring, the former managing to avoid any harm to himself as well, the first servitor bringing its maul upwards and avoiding its neck being slit open gruesomely - even if the weapon itself was slammed down into its shoulder with enough force that were it a mortal, they would certainly have had it shattered.
The axe-wielding foe however was far more successful, its programming focused upon the Raven and leaving itself wide open. Eyes briefly flashing violet, it went back to its typical green and with unnerving swiftness, was about to chop down into Lezan's stomach in return were it not for Nykton's use of the advantage - a stab upwards into an armpit, the limb spasmed and yanked backwards, slamming into his shoulderplate but doing little more than disrupt his positioning. They worked well, it seemed--

A sudden BAM went through the small arena, Lezan feeling a sudden searing sensation as a bolt round landed into his breastplate, sending agonies through his nerves and-- it wasn't a bolt round. Already, he realized that it was a 'training' round of sorts; electrified, meant for use against power armoured foes to mimic the sensations through the Black Carapace of being hit. A smoking barrel was held in Terix's hand, a bolt pistol there that he hadn't had before.
"I said to fight alone, Children," he shouted down at them, his helm showing no emotion yet his voice filled with scorn. "Is the lion so proud of his growing mane he cannot hear? Does the raven see so well he turned deaf?"


Dyromedes' own fight was not ignored however - his synthetic opponent would be ruthless in its attacks. A sword in one hand, it would not let its blows be any bit merciful despite the Horusian's own attempts to seem 'weak' in said field, a blade coming down and chopping into his breastplate - not leaving much more than a scratch but most certainly bruising him through it and sending him staggering, even as a fist came up to punch at his gut and send him even further. The fight itself was clear with the first hit that while it wasn't a fight for one's life, damaging them was certainly not going to be prohibited.
"Faster, Pup -quick jabs. Don't put all your weight in swings, focus your movements in your elbows and wrists. Quick, sharp movements- you'll prove your gene-seed yet, lest you wish me to think you an Ultramarine, eh?" Terix spoke through his vox, a small bit of a teasing nature at his last words- despite their earlier bouts, it already at least showed he was not... Aggressive, with him. He saw himself as a mentor, and Dyromedes a student. His incompetency showed that was clear, but it was something that needed to be improved.


The Death Guard's own fight was perhaps the most 'successful' - the two ran at each other almost simultaneously, though the swings themselves were what differentiated - a horizontal swing from the servitor's axe was sidestepped and in return it had gotten a sizable gash in its side from his combat blade, though the knife itself was parried, the hilt of the sword being used to bash his wrist aside, even as it readied itself for another swing. It ignored the wound even as a tiny bit of black ichor flowed from it, managing to cut enough into the plate to draw 'blood'.

"You wish to fight alongside one another? Do so, perhaps - I wished to see your personal skills. But if this is what you decide to do... Let it be a challenge." A few taps were heard from up on high, and suddenly growls emanated around them, and the Raven & Lion saw more servitors come forward. Two. Three. Four. Five - five of them came forward, each brandishing a different weapon in hand, one slightly larger foe having twin axes with blunt 'serrations' upon them, its helm differentiating in its proper sight of a Khornate Berzerker.

Oh. Damn.



Nykton: 50 -- Dyromedes: 45 -- Durek: 46
Lezan: 42-- Shabran: 44


Heavy Combat Servitors:
Dyro: 40 -- Dur: 40
Shab1: 40 Shab2: 37

Nykton&Lezan's foes;
1: 32 -- 2: 33 -- 3:40 -- 4:40 -- 5:40 -- 6(K):45

@Uriel1339 @Taec @WanderingJester @Jorimel @Grall_Stonefist
​

"I told you... I'm not." Dyromedes grunted, trying to push back the servitor. "Good at melee." The Son of Horus then noticed the complete outnumbered Raven Guard and the Dark Angel descendant. Damn it, that is quite a bit of exaggeration.

@Taec @WanderingJester @Jorimel @Grall_Stonefist
Again the spur of leadership kindled in his heart and he couldn't help but yell across the entire arena. "I care little why you are facing so many foes! But let this be the first test of our brotherhood! Shabran, Lezan, take the berserker out together. Durek, Nykton. Let us fend off the Servitors until our brethren cna rejoin us. But we must regroup on the Ravens position!"

So much for faking his lack of combat abilities, Dyromedes thought to himself as he ignored his own combat servitor and rushed over at full speed, just to bring both blades around and crash into the first servitor. He would attempt to follow up with smashing both of his weapons down onto the same servitor, before smashing his both blades into the next closest fighter.

He cared little if Terix was going to make it worse, he was sure nobody would die today. And if... Then the universe was as cruel as one should expect. But he rather would die with honor and amidst brethren, than on the real battlefield all alone.

Charge vs. Nykton & Lezans Servitor #1
Smash vs. Nykton & Lezans Servitor #1
Smash vs. Nykton & Lezans Servitor #2

Lezan's blade flashed forward, smashing the side of the shoulder of the first servitor coming at him, his training blade deflected at the last second by the servitor's maul. Turning around, he moved to engage Nykton's servitor as well, feinting its opening with his own, and distracting it long enough for the Raven's son to attack its flank, sinking his own weapon into the exposed parts of the enemy. Just as the young astartes moved to regroup, the impact of Terix's shots on his chest stopped him cold.

Lezan paused, stabbing the training blade into the ground to catch his breath. His visor covered his glaring eyes at their leader, clearly reflecting their owner's longing to punch the other space marine in the face. The young astartes pushed down the urge, seemingly coming out from not just his own frustrations, but somewhere much deeper, as though somewhere, sometime long ago his ancestor had personally punished those that dared crossed him. Shaking his head to clear it, he stood back up only to see another group of combat servitors joining the combat, specifically combat against him and Nykton.

Ignoring that growing urge to punch Terix in the face, Lezan looked over at Nykton's position, before hearing the Son of Horus yelled out instructions to the rest of them. Unlike before, when the Lion's Son felt that the Horusan kept volunteering him and the rest of their comrades into a death sentence, Dyromedes' instructions were sound, at least from a perspective. Take out the strongest opponent in front of them, before cutting down the rest. Unfortunately, he had not accounted for the oath Lezan gave to the Raven's Son.

Looking over to Nykton, Lezan said, "do what you wish, but ideally you can continue what you were doing before, and cut down the enemies from behind. The Son of Horus has a point, but do your best to keep close. I gave an oath, and I intend to keep it." With that, he moved carefully towards the Khornate servitor, deliberately and carefully, the sword at ready. The Lion's Son considered if the World Eater would join him, but regardless, continued forward. In a flash, the blade struck out, aiming at the weak points of the servitor, while staying well within a tight circle of movement so that, if need be, he could defend himself.

Lezan also kept an eye on any servitor engaging Nykton, and, at the first target that does so, he would turn and charge the enemy quickly. A striking interception between his weapon and body, before turning back to the Khornate servitor once more.


OOC: Attack on (K) Servitor, Defense on self, charge at first enemy to attack Nykton.

@Jorimel

Nykton fought with the speed he was adept at using, and with the help of Lezan it was working. The brief elation of success coloured his adrenaline-spiked mind, but he was just as quickly shot down. Luckily for the Raven's Son, not as literally as his co-warrior.

Nykton would have stared in shock had he not been trained and indoctrinated thoroughly in the ways of war. Instead these same neo-instincts kicked in in other ways. As Lezan leaned on his sword he started to run swiftly to stand over the Lion's Son, planning to cover him from - wait, not enemy fire. Before he could cede whatever small advantage of position he might have won entirely, Nykton stopped, his guard up. Terix clearly believed in hard lessons.

"We must regroup on the Ravens position!" Dyromedes called out, attempting to marshall his comrades. Nykton agreed with the sentiment even as he was surprised to find himself the focus of it. He looked back to Lezan, the split second his Astartes senses took to parse the new threat already sending pulses of warning to his brain.

Looking over to Nykton, Lezan said, "do what you wish, but ideally you can continue what you were doing before, and cut down the enemies from behind. The Son of Horus has a point, but do your best to keep close. I gave an oath, and I intend to keep it."

"Playing to our strengths is the best course of action," Nykton said, his helmet bobbing in a curt nod. The missing piece fell into place. Where he had heard words of agreement to a suggestion, the First Legion warrior had meant them as his oath. Nykton knew of the legendary honour of the First. He wasn't about to allow it to be compromised. It took him by surprise, nonetheless, to see it deployed in his favour. Quietly impressed by his fellow Astartes' determination he straightened, both energised and poised to break into a sprint.

"I will strike and fade," he said, waiting for just such an opportunity in the advancing rank of servitors. Nykton sized up the approaching rank and darted towards the weaker flank, aiming to get behind the line, using any terrain to his advantage. One does not need to keep to the floor. He looked for weak points, for wounds from others' shots, for opportunistic cuts he might make as he passed.

The Khornate one he left for Shabran. It would just be rude to do otherwise.



[Harry the flanks. Flank/rear attack on servitors x 2, dodge x 1, try not to let Battle-Brothers down!]

Shabran ignored the conspirering events for now he had his two servitors to fight, and atleast he could follow simple instructions, Though that several new servitor activated so now it Surely endes up with even more work for him.
Shabran attemtped to sidestep so that the plummiting mechanical fist would only glance off his pouldron, as he attempted to knock down the servitor he just charged again, But Also keeping the other one busy with his blade.

Ooc: defence on self and 1 attack on both sevitors

Durek saw that new servitors had joined the fight, but he was not finished with his target yet. He intended to ensure it went down before he voluntarily took on new targets. Moving his focus back to the first servitor, he gritted his teeth before striking it again, but not being too careless as to allow it too much oppurtunity to take him down.

Ooc: 2 attacks on servitor, 1 defence on self

The 'Berserker' Servitor seemed to have been programmed with a similar to the personality the Newbloods were told of, charging forward the moment that Lezan seemed to have focused on him - chainaxes raised up high and swinging violently as though it had no mind of its own, swinging haphazardly. Surprisingly, it worked; perhaps not with the same intellect an Astartes would use, but the violent smashes, uppercuts, swings and chops were done in such a fashion that it was hard for the Dark Angel to do anything more than back up lest he want to get cracked plate and bones; even so, it dented and cracked at his ceramite all the same, leaving lines on the armour and bruising him inside, bringing a weapon down just as he found a point of attack or lunging forward when he thought he had a moment to catch his breath.
And just like that, he'd found the opening - lunging forward with the combat blade, he stabbed right into the muscles on one arm, piercing the shoddy plate and causing black ichor to flow out. With a spasm the arm fell limp, and the Khornate backed slightly and giving its arm little more than a passing glance; disarmed quite literally, its attacks would be substantially less threatening than before, the bulky chainaxe falling with a heavy 'thud' to the floor.

The Raven on the other hand was doing mildly worse in some sense - The servitors seemed to have no blind spots now, constantly glancing back and as he found a chance to attack one, another slammed their weapon forward with enough force to shatter bone had they connected; yet Nykton always managed to back away, even as it meant losing the chance to hit a vital point. One servitor aimed to bring a maul down at Nykton in particular, close enough for his brother to counterattack; only to fail, Lezan's blade being parried by the handle, though it managed to keep the machine-man from hitting Nykton proper.

The Son of Horus on the other hand charged forward without a care in the world for his own, shoulderbashing one foe in the chest - the satisfying 'crunch' of the ceramite cracking coming through his helmet feeds - before violently swinging both blades down, ichor and oil flowing from the fresh wounds he'd caused. The second servitor took notice, bringing its axe up and blocking the blows intended for it and swinging a fist in vain at his head - the suddenness of it all causing the blow to swing too early and miss him.
His own servitor didn't miss the chance for an opening though, the bulky automaton stabbing its sword upwards and cutting into the back of his breastplate, the sounds of metal shrieking and sending sparks as pain lanced up his side; had it been a proper blade, it would have been quite a blow.

Shabran on the other hand, kept to enjoying his own personal fight - the jarring impact of the blow at his pauldron was easily ignored, swinging his blades up and cutting into armour, flicks of black flowing from wounds he caused on one, only to get a sudden blow from the other in the meantime, a maul glancing off his breastplate and staggering him briefly; superficial, barely bruising, but it was something all the same had it been a blow meant for killing. In return his own swipes landed deep in the servitor, ceramite plate shattering and falling apart, its pauldron and chestpiece becoming scrap that fell to the floor in a clatter.

Lastly was the Death Guard - Terix's sights on him as he fought with a single blade, stabbing and lunging where it was needed and blocking or dodging those hits that came his way. He'd managed three strikes to get in, one doing little more than scoring the armour but the other two drawing blood and staggering his foe, all the while staying unharmed himself.

The Dusk Lord above continued to watch the Newbloods, a bit of contentment coming to him. He eyed the controls for a moment and considered sending more, but decided against it; while he knew that putting them into the thick of it would show their true skills, he didn't want to risk too many injuries, and their battle plate was something that he could not afford true damage coming to that wasn't repairable with their current supplies.

Still... he enjoyed the sight of their camaraderie. One only could hope that it stayed strong in these harsh times.

Nykton: 37 -- Dyromedes: 39 -- Durek: 46
Lezan: 29 -- Shabran: 42


Heavy Combat Servitors:
Dyro: 40 -- Dur: 32
Shab1: 36 Shab2: 23
Servitor #2 for Shabran has had its armour cracked - it takes bonus damage from incoming hits.

Nykton&Lezan's foes;
1: 32 -- 2: 33 -- 3:40 -- 4:40 -- 5:40 -- 6(K):30


Khornate Servitor has had an arm disconnected; its incapable of flurry attacks, and defensive actions have a penalty.

@Uriel1339 @Taec @WanderingJester @Jorimel @Grall_Stonefist
​

Lezan blocked and parried the best he could, but he knew that he, nor anyone with his current skill level, could come out of the berserker servitor's attack without getting some hits on them. Thus he allowed the least damaging blows to land. Unfortunately, the least damaging blows did not equate the least painful ones. As the flurry of attacks came, ceramite cracked, and his body bruised. Yet the Lion's son kept his composure, his weapon deflecting the more major blows, and waited.

Finally an opening presented itself. The exaggerated follow through of one of chain axes left the servitor over extended, and thus needed an extra second to get back into guard. Lezan seized the chance, and his training blade shot forward, plunging into the arm of the servitor and severing the circuits and tendons of the limb. The chain weapon crashed to the floor as the arm went limp, and the Lion's Son looked at it as servitor assessed its damages.

The chain axe, yes a more effective weapon, but too bulky for Lezan. His strength was precision, not brute strength. It had its place, but it was one of the many tools for him, not his main one. Another look around showed the situation turning quickly against them. The Lion's Son was no doubt the most damaged out of his 'brothers' but the servitors used pure attrition to wear them down. They would fall one by one if something didn't change.

"Hey, Son of Angron," Lezan gave a call to Shabran, before kicking the chain axe towards him, making the weapon skid across the floor to stop at the World Eater's feet. "I believe that will work better than our training blade. Show us why you are your father's son." Even without the nails, the World Eater should do some serious damage to their foes with the weapon famed in his gene-sire's legion. At least, that was what the Lion's Son hoped would be the case.

Turning back to the berserker servitor, Lezan kept his distance, staying on the defensive before unleashing a single precise strike at the enemy, aiming to finally fell the stubborn enemy. At the same time, he kept himself close to the Raven's Son. Having an oath to keep, the Lion's Son would step in to defect any serious openings of Nykton before they could connect. If he was to fall here, he would do so in defiance against Terix, the one whose pride would cost Osterios his blood bought purchases.


@Grall_Stonefist

OOC: Attack on berserker servitor, defence on self, defence on Nykton.