The Everburning City

Act 1, Part 5, Chapter 26

The first creature crashed against it, and as it pushed the sword against his grip, sliding his hand up to the cross guard, the tip punched into the creature's chest about the same distance. Valen shifted his weight to his right foot, and pulled the sword into a slash to strike the second.

He struck the rib deliberately, using the resistance to slow his sword, and then shifted his stance to face the third. Two hands on the sword now, pushing the blade out and up, and with a short step of his right foot brought the sword down on the third creature, through the collarbone and into the chest, pulling the pommel towards his side to draw the blade back out.

His blade was out before the first one struck the ground. Also, just before Captain Dremora fired again.

"You're still two behind, Redgrave." The captain laughed as he reloaded.

Which put the captain at twenty-one. And as far as Valen could count, they had only been at this for thirteen second.

Valen shifted to meet the next one, stepping forward with a quick flick of the blade, scoring a small cut between the creature's ribs. A move he had practiced a thousand times before over the years. A move he didn't have to think about anymore. Nor did he think about his next move, already shoving the blade hard by the pommel with one hand as he gripped it with the other, swinging the tip through another chest hard enough that it passed straight through.

Two more. But Valen didn't have to look over, to know the captain had dropped another three. Every shot the big captain made cut through at least two of the creatures, and his other hand didn't have a knife just to look good for the statue the City was eventually going to make for him.

The coming seconds would favour the captain's count. The bodies of their enemies were becoming an impediment. Valen did something he wasn't expecting to do in a moment like this, and reached for his Salamander.

******

"Grandfather?" Valen asked another time. "You haven't taught me any other weapon."

His grandfather shrugged at that, but it was his grandmother who answered. "Combat is combat. What you learn here, some of it will apply to any weapon you pick up. And soldiers in the army aren't given many other weapons."

"But perhaps I should be learning how to use a Salamander?" Valen asked.

"The army can teach you that well enough. And frankly, they're right to focus on their guns. Any clumsy fool you could take apart with swords is a danger with one of those in their hands. And even being just proficient is enough to cut down dozens of those creatures in the right circumstances."

"So, why are you teaching me the sword?"

"Because Salamanders are superb weapons when you have a steady supply of ammo, barricades, fallback positions, and reserves." His grandfather scoffed, and held up his sword. "This is for when things go wrong. And when the Gloamtaken close, I'd like to meet the man able to keep pace with you, fighting with a Salamander."

******

His grandfather would have enjoyed meeting Captain Dremora.

Short-barrelled Salamander in hand, fire howling in a beat so steady it was almost mechanical, the captain spun a dance of bright light and sudden death. Every shot brought down at least two, one beside another if the captain swept the barrel, taking advantage of the weapon's kick to push it along. His knife worked without impeding his reloads, switching between a forehand and reverse grip when the moment required.

"Did you have a teacher?" Valen asked as he finished a swing into a guard, and waited for the next one. The creatures were slowing, the dead already littered the street, and slowed the others' advance.