by Auryn Hadley
"Pick yer weapons of choice," Cyno told him.
Audgan nodded, grabbing a long slender blade from the stack, and moved into place. Cyno glanced back and nodded, his hands empty.
"Lay on," Blaec yelled.
Suddenly, the timid man became a monster. Sal sat up and leaned forward, shocked. He refused to strike recklessly at the unarmed man, instead using his body for better positioning and his blade to keep Cyno at a distance. He struck, missing more often than not, but each attack was well-thought and timed perfectly. A quiet paranoia crept into her mind, and she couldn't help but think that if the kid managed to hit Cyno, the strike would break something, or that the sword would cut. With each second the fear became more intense until she wanted to call the fight.
Arctic, lock me down! Cyno growled into their heads.
The mental link went quiet, smothering their minds, but it didn't stop the fear. The distraction was enough to let Audgan smack Cyno soundly across the arm with the tip of the blade, and the fear vanished. The assassin snarled and struck, flowing behind the boy to wrap his arm around his throat. His hands gripped the boy's head ready to twist, but Audgan stopped cold.
"I yield," he said, a smile playing at his lips.
The mental link between the Blades returned as Cyno answered, "Nice trick, kid."
"Thought you might like that, sir," Audgan said proudly, placing the sword back in the rack.
What was that? Shift asked.
No fuckin' idea, Cyno replied, but he's doing it intentionally.
I hope he can keep up with the rest of the damned trials then, Zep thought. I fucking wanted to piss myself for a second there.
So it's worse for humans. Good to know, Arctic thought, his amusement leaking though.
Chapter 13
"Sergeant Salryc Luxx," Blaec called, holding out his hand. "And leave the steel."
She laughed and handed him her dagger, smiling at the shocked gasps of the men around them. "Calon," she said. "You're mine."
"You know you want this," Calon muttered under his breath.
Sal's head snapped to him. "Don't push it."
"You're serious?" he asked.
The Black Blades laughed softly, trading amused glances. Sal shrugged, flicked her ears forward, and asked, "Scared?"
"Shit," he said, climbing to his feet. He moved to the weapons rack and snagged a broadsword, smirking at her as he moved to stand across from her.
"You sure?" Sal asked sweetly. "You don't want a couple more to go with that?"
"I think I'm good."
Sal nodded. "I'm good, sir."
Blaec chuckled and yelled, "Lay on."
Sal merely lifted her chin, watching as the human hefted the heavy weapon into a proper guard. He stood still, waiting for her to move. When she refused, he struck. Moving as fast as he could, the man swung, exposing his torso to gain momentum, exactly as Sal had expected. She pounced, tucking her ears tight to her skull as she leapt at him, sliding under his guard. With each hand, she grabbed his forearms and shoved them out, away from her, letting the force of her impact push them back, her knees wrapping around his chest. Calon staggered and dropped his sword trying to pull her off, but Sal growled, and locked her mouth around his neck. She moved her grip to the back of his shoulders, pulling her teeth closer, pressing harder against the exposed flesh.
"Get the fuck off me!" he screamed, flailing.
"Yield, and she'll release," Cyno called from the side lines.
"I fucking yield!"
Sal pushed herself away, landing easily in the sand, and smiled up at the arrogant human. "Keep your nose out of my private life, ok?"
"Yeah," he said, throwing his weapon at the rack and storming back to the sidelines. Sal moved back to her place with the Blades and looked over to find him glaring.
Not really making me sympathetic, Blaec whispered in her head. I think we'll have to cut him soon, if he doesn't quit tonight.
That, Sal replied, looking up with a wry smile, or let me actually bite him.
Blaec chuckled and looked away, then chuckled again. No. "Ok, and Zep, our weapons specialist," he called out, changing the subject.
Zep marched forward and yelled, "Geoni!"
The arrogant recruit nodded and made his way into the center, looking at Zep closely before turning to pick a weapon.
"No matter what I choose, you'll take the counter to it," he said, glancing over his shoulder.
Zep shrugged, "Ok, then toss me a broadsword and get what you want."
Geoni obeyed. Zep caught the large wooden weapon and chuckled loudly when the applicant grabbed a pair of sabers. He looked back at Sal and thought, If this kid beats me, I'm retiring.
Nah, Sal told him, he's not as desperate as I was.
Wouldn't count on it, Shift said. Arrogance often covers desperation.
That made her look at the man with new eyes. Tane Geoni was rather average. From first glance, little about him stood out except his knowledge of iliran traditions and his arrogance. But there seemed to be a lot more to him than that. When both fighters found their place, Zep nodded.
"Lay on."
Geoni tried to move like Sal, rushing inside Zep's guard, hoping the human would be slow, but Zep was not a typical human. He grabbed the kid's throat before the iliri could get his teeth anywhere close, and shoved him back, slapping his ribs with the sword to prove the point. Geoni didn't learn, though. He rushed again, this time with more finesse. He smacked at the broadsword with his main hand weapon, and swung at Zep with his offhand. Zep dropped to the ground and rolled, hitting his feet again easily and smacking the man across his rump.
"Stop fucking around," Zep snarled, "and fight."
And Geoni did. He lifted the sabers into the proper guard position, then circled. They traded a few tentative blows and the true match started. Zep swung for his forearm. Geoni pulled back, slicing across his body at the exposed ribs. Zep flexed, avoiding the blade, and lifted his hilt for a secondary guard before lashing out with the tip. Geoni batted it away, stepping into the arc of the weapon, striking once it moved past.
The sound of wood on wood rang out, the Blades watching for more than who won. They wanted to see who had the technique to learn quickly and the agility to handle multiple opponents. Zep began to press and Geoni rose to the challenge, falling back to basics when things got tough. Every time Sal thought Zep would score a solid hit, Geoni returned to guard, deflecting the blade in time. Zep continued to press, his dark body slick with sweat in the hot sun. Soon, Geoni's ivory skin was glistening as well.
The recruit's mouth was open, sucking air, but Zep looked on, stone-faced, and swung again. This time, Geoni made a mistake. His exhausted muscles couldn't move fast enough. The broadsword smacked soundly into his waist with nothing to block its force, making the recruit gasp. He dropped his weapon.
"I yield," Gioni panted, waving Zep off. "You're toying with me and we both know it. If I miss again, I'll be out of the trials with a damned broken rib."
"You good?" Zep asked, leaning over to grab the sword from the dirt.
"Yeh," he managed. "Gonna have one hell of a bruise, but that's it. Just a damned good wake up call, sir. You're not even breathing hard."
"Walk it off," Zep said. "I'll rack this."
Geoni nodded and tried to straighten, his hands clasping his side. He took a deep breath, then staggered to the rail, leaning against it and stretching back, hoping to keep the muscles from cramping.
"Ok," Blaec said, moving to the center. "Each of you have just seen what it's like to spar with an elite. Now that you have seen my Blades in action, you know what is and what will be expected of you. Few of you could match them in combat," he said, "but you will have to be as good as any of them to pass these trials. If you cannot improve – and quickly – there is no shame in resigning. It will not be looked on poorly if you do so and choose to apply again at a later date. Arctic will be in my office, and will arrange for transportation for anyone who chooses to
rethink his preparedness."
"We didn't get to see you spar, sir," Geoni called out, wincing.
Arctic stepped forward, "The Major doesn't - "
Blaec cut him off. "Does it matter?" he asked the recruit.
Geoni shrugged. "You're supposedly the best of them, but none of us have seen it. They're pretty damned good. I'm just wondering what it looks like to be better than that."
Zep laughed and looked at Blaec. "He's got a point, you know."
"I stopped sparring with applicants when I broke a man's hand," Blaec explained. "You want to see what the Black Blades can do? I'll show you."
He turned to Sal and passed her back the steel dagger. Would you like to dance, love?
Sal grinned wickedly. Live weapons?
And full combat. No holds.
The Blades glanced at each other and Shift chuckled. "I've got ten krits on LT."
"I'll match that," Cyno said softly, "but I'm bettin' on Sal."
"Sorry, man," Zep told Blaec. "Ten on Sal for me."
Razor grabbed a pad of paper from the ground beside him and started making notes. "I'm going with LT. Arctic?"
"LT."
"Risk? Tilso?"
Tilso chuckled and shook his head. "Nope, you all don't pay me that well. I'm just here for the show."
Risk looked at the two fighters and thought hard before saying, "I bet ten on a draw."
The recruits watched in awe, some shifting to be more comfortable, none willing to take their eyes away from the two Black Blades checking their weapons. Blaec pulled his heavy sword and swung it, then rubbed his hands in the sand before testing it again. Sal slipped her steel dagger into its sheath and checked those strapped to her leg. With a smile, she turned to Cyno.
"Would you loan me a short sword?"
"Sal," Risk called out. "I've got my sabers, you want those?"
Her eyes lit up. "Perfect, and thank you."
He passed over a pair of thin, black resin blades, shorter than the typical sabers but well-balanced. She made a few tentative swings, then moved toward the center. With an evil grin, she stepped closer to Blaec, standing just inside his reach.
"Rules of engagement," Blaec said loud enough for them all to hear. "Full contact, combat style sparring. Fight ends when one of us yields." Sal nodded showing that she understood, and he added, "So don't fuck around, Sal."
"Not against you, sir."
"Arctic?" Blaec asked, resting his hands easily on his sword.
Sal relaxed, crouching slightly, and Arctic's voice called out clearly, "Lay on."
His eyes hit her first, trying to make her submit, but Sal kept her focus on his sternum. Neither moved for the space of a breath, a deep rumble slowly becoming audible, and then everything erupted. Blaec swung and Sal twisted, snarling. She ducked under his blade but he struck out with his elbow, catching her in the arm as she danced past him. She shifted and kicked out, hitting him in the back of the knee, and he staggered but stepped into the motion, turning to face her again. Their blades hit, his heavy resin against both of her light ones.
Sal pulled her weapons apart, ducking his sword as he pressed into her, and again she stepped around him, cracking him in the back solidly, the resin blade cutting into the leather but not through. The recruits gasped, realizing for the first time what full contact truly meant.
Blaec turned again, slower but more powerful than Sal, and no less deadly. She tried to dodge, but his arm snaked out and caught hers, yanking her to the ground. His lip curled, and he swung again, but Sal rolled and kicked out at his leg. Blaec fell. Sal scrambled to her feet, dropping her right sword to go for her dagger, the fight on her terms now.
She lunged, but he back-handed her hard. Sal's head snapped back, her lip split. Roaring her rage, she rushed him again. And again he swung, but this time she dodged. Blaec rolled and caught her in the shoulder with the hilt of his sword, but she was too close. The steel blade flashed and leather parted across his arm, a deep red gash showing she'd aimed true.
Blaec scrambled to his knees, but Sal was still moving. He tried to turn, since she had a fondness for attacking from the back, and was barely in time. A pale glint darted toward his shoulder. Blaec swung, hard. Moving like an acrobat, she threw herself over the blade, the resin passing just under her back as she spun in the air, landing easily on her feet but at the wrong angle for a counter attack. He reached for her again, using one hand to block her saber with his sword, the other snagging her pale hair.
He pulled her close, dropping his weapon, but Sal took the advantage, stabbing toward his stomach. Blaec's eyes went wide, realizing his torso was exposed.
Still holding her with one hand, his other closed on her wrist, pushing it away. The steel tip brushed his leather, but he lunged. With her left arm pinned between their bodies, her right held in his own, and her head yanked back, Blaec buried his teeth in her throat, snarling.
Surprisingly, Sal began to giggle. "I yield!" she managed to say.
For a moment there was nothing but silence and the sound of Sal's amusement.
"I missed the joke," Zep called from the side. "What is so funny, demon?"
Blaec released her, confused, but Sal couldn't stop laughing. "I just realized where the rumors come from!"
Suddenly, Cyno chuckled, too. Blaec sighed and made his way to his feet, but Sal lay in the sand, still giggling.
"Bite me again, baby," she said, clutching her stomach in her mirth. "I mean, sir!"
He couldn't help it, one laugh burst out. "Ok, get up, Sergeant."
Sal nodded, and tried, but started giggling again, glancing over at the recruits, then back to Cyno. "Does this mean I just made out with Calon, too?"
At that, Shift began to laugh. Soon all of them were, and Blaec sighed as he wiped the sand from his leathers, checking the cut on his arm.
"Least she takes losing well," Geoni said. "Good fight, sir. We make it through trials, you gonna teach us some of those moves?"
Sal, sighing deeply, was finally able to control herself so answered for him. "Typically a month of training. Intense training. And yeah, we'll teach you not only those moves, but others, and how to adjust for just about anything that comes at you." She grinned. "Including teeth."
"So," Geoni asked, looking among them all, "why isn't regular army taught all of this?"
"Most can na do it," Cyno said. "We're iliri. We move faster, we're stronger, and," he shrugged, "we're predators."
For the first time, the recruits stopped and truly looked at each other. Most of them had some iliran traits, from pale eyes to washed-out skin that never seemed to burn. Jad Ivant tilted his chin toward Zep.
"He's not."
"He is still a predator. We do na rule out humans," Cyno said, his eyes traveling across Ivant, making his point. "Some of ya have enough talent."
"So in order to be a Black Blade," Calon asked, glaring at them, "I have to put up with acting like a scrubber?"
"Yeah," Zep said. "Exactly. You have to bust your ass to keep up with half of what they can do."
"What's in it for me?"
"The pay's pretty fucking nice," Sal said. "And one of ya needs to buy me a drink for throwing that fight!"
"Fuck off." Zep pulled her beside him. "I lost ten krits on you."
Sal shrugged. "You should know no one beats LT."
"Ok," Blaec waved them down. "You all are off for the rest of the night. Sorry, we haven't found a pub close by, but I'll get the mess stocked well. There's about to be at least four other units of elites in the compound, so all of you be respectful. I hear of any recruit pissing off another unit, and you're out. No questions asked. Got it?"
"Yes, sir!" the recruits called in chorus.
"You're dismissed. Enjoy it. And like I said, Arctic will be in my office until sundown if anyone wants to resign their application with the option to try again at a later date."
Chapter 14
Sal climbed out of the bath and heard voices on the other side of the doo
r. She tucked the towel around her and walked into the sleeping area, her ears working furiously to identify the second man.
"We have nothing to substantiate the reports, which is why I'm sending you. See if the 97th will lend a squad and take Shift, so I know you have a medic."
"Ya know I do na like goin' without her," the second man said, and Sal recognized Cyno's voice easily without a door between them.
"I know. I can't spare her this time, though." Blaec said.
"Yeh, I gotcha. We good between us?"
"We're good. That has nothing to do with this. Honest, Cyno."
"Ok, LT. I just do na wanna cross the line."
Blaec chuckled. "I notice you didn't say you'd back off."
"Na," Cyno admitted. "I can na."
"You too?"
There was a long pause. Sal found a brush and pulled it through her wet hair, wondering if she should feel any guilt at listening.
"Yeh. I've heard about it, but did na expect it ta happen ta me, ya know?"
"You tell her?"
"Tried. She does na quite understand yet. I'll die fer her, LT. I can na help it."
"I know," Blaec said softly. "She's got me, too. What are the chances of that?"
"Slim," Cyno said softly. "It's like ayati. You have na told her."
"And tell her what? That she smells good?"
Cyno laughed. "Yeh, that's kinda what I said."
"Just be safe, ok? I don't want to ever have to explain to her that you aren't coming back. Shit, you should have seen her before Yager's."
"Really?" Surprise tinted Cyno's voice.
"She was going to fight through me to come get you. She doesn't have a clue what her instincts are screaming at her, but they're good instincts."
"How you gonna handle this?"
"One day at a time, man. Just one day at a time. If she grows into her ability, I'll step back. We just have to keep her safe until then, ok?"
There was a pause, and Sal waited, listening for sounds of movement, but none came to her. Finally, Cyno spoke again.
