Sparring with Cain.

What is like sparring with Lord Cain?

"I will admit," Hektor began, "that I often forget that Lord Cain is actually human." He said with a wry chuckle. "Because whenever we spar, I experience death."

You experience… Death?

"The first time Lord Cain approached me to ask to spar with him, I had some doubts." He sighed, "How foolish I was, thinking I was going to need to hold back; even humour him and take a dive or two."

"I soon learned better." Hektor's eyes steeled.

"All thoughts about how to approach the fight vanished when I met Lord Cain's eyes across our chosen battlefield." He took a deep breath in order to clear his head and put what he experienced into clear thoughts. "I saw myself die."

What do you mean?

"It's hard to put into words." Hektor admitted. "But I swear to Khorne, that if I had approached him with anything short of my best, I would've died."

"I was so startled, that I immediately prepared myself to charge and attack full force, like I was back under the influence of the Nails." He then shuddered. "But I saw myself die again."

"And again, and again." Hektor said, looking resigned. "No matter how I saw myself rushing him, the end result was the same: with my head separated from my shoulders."

"I must confess…" Hektor looked almost ashamed. "That after seeing myself dying so many times, I instinctively reached for a Bolt Pistol to try and instead to attack from range." Hektor let out a strange laugh. "Lucky for me, I grasped only air since I had no Pistol on me."

"A former World Eater wanting to step back and attack from long range…" Hektor mused. "Thank Khorne, I didn't embarrass myself like that."

What happened next?

"What else, but approach Cain with my greatest ferocity, tempered with my utmost caution." Hektor said. "And seeing as I still have my head attached to my body, I survived my sparring match with Cain." He then reached towards his neck, "Although there were a few close calls."

After all that, you continue to spar with him?

"Of course," Hektor responded, sounding almost offended. "It would make me a terrible warrior and Space Marine if visions of death were to deter me from fighting." He then relaxed a bit. "Besides I owe my allegiance to Cain, for liberating me from this infernal Nails, so sparing with him whenever he asks is the least I could do for him."

"Although…"

Although?

"When Cain approached me for sparring, he said it was to keep his own skill's sharp." Hektor said with narrowed eyes, "But now, I think he did it for my sake."

"Ever since I began sparring with him, my skills have improved. Not my strength or reflexes, but my technique. Something that had long degraded thanks to the Nails."

"It goes to show that The Liberator is no mere Mortal."

"A Mortal training a Space Marine into becoming a better fighter, truly some Men are just built different.