Thunder General

I find myself at the centre of a courtyard with my feet pressing against the dirt. At the other end of this patch is the general.

"Use whatever weapon suits you. I will be holding back, but you need not do the same."

"While I appreciate your kindness, I have no intent on fighting to the death either."

I use the word kindness, but that is the last thing I can use to describe this man. There is no doubt that his achievements earned him his position, but he is still lacking humility. He feels himself to be bulletproof despite never once staring down the barrel.

"The rules are simple. Fight until the other surrenders. Are you ready, Blessed Knight?"

Thorsten draws one of the two swords hanging at his hip. He points it at me as if aiming directly for my neck. I meet his blade with my pistol, which he identifies as a dagger. Just as a precaution, I also draw the recently acquired silver blade in my left hand.

"Of course. Let us have a good fight."

"Then begin!"

The general kicks against the ground and quickly closes the distance between us. I will admit that his speed is extraordinary, but he would have barely gotten halfway if I was willing to pull the trigger.

"Your title is your shield. I'd rather not soil relations by killing you…"

With two hands against the handle, he takes a swift swing across my chest. I bend my upper body backwards at an angle and force his blade to slice only air.

"Wha—!"

My sword hand makes contact with the ground and sends me back within striking range. I thrust my gun forward and make contact with the general's chin. He attempted to bring his blade back for defense, but failed to block in time.

"What is your form!? I've never seen a knight move like that!"

He didn't receive any wounds. However, the shock was more than enough to throw off his concentration.

"This is simply how I fight."

"Very well! I will take on your dance!"

Thorsten pushes forward again with a flurry of strikes. Unlike that previously complacent swing, these require me to parry with my blade.

"These attacks are simple, but they just keep coming…"

The two of us migrate across this arena from end to end multiple times as I prioritise evasion.

"Will you continue running, Blessed Knight?"

"Do not mistake patience with cowardice."

I block his downward strike with my pistol and make a stab of my own. My blade is too short, forced to settle for the gap in his armour where his shoulder rests. Not one of his strikes had a care for my safety, so mine likewise is going for blood.

"You are rather infuriating!"

Red droplets fall to the floor as the general takes several steps back. 

"If you think this is enough to stop me, then that title is wasted on you! We're only getting started!"

He had promised a light trial to gauge my abilities, but that never seemed to be his goal.

"This has dragged on far too long…"

Whether the king or I like it or not, Thorsten wants my head. If this continues for too much longer, one of his strikes will eventually take it. I'm not permitted to take his life, so I have to somehow endure until he grows tired. Unfortunately, that seems to be far off.

Thorsten once again dashes towards me with blade in hand.

"You're nothing special! Once you run out of tricks, this will be over!"

"Unfortunately for you, these 'tricks' are more than enough to handle you."

BANG

A red pillar fires from the barrel of my silver and red revolver. Normally, this sound would be greeted with groans and the collision of flesh with dirt. This sound did not come even though my shot was completely accurate. Instead, I received shattering metal and the surprise of a hostile general.

"M-My sword! You used your magic on me!?"

"I was told to use whatever I wished."

I want to bite my lip at this use of my precious third bullet, but this is the most sure way of reaching tomorrow. Without a weapon, the general should have no choice to end this charade.

"You've left me no choice!"

His tidy hair is now a mess from both our brawl and the hand digging through it. Appearances are no longer on the table as he draws a second sword, his final blade.

"It seems that you need divine punishment to understand your place!"

My eyes are locked onto this peculiar sword. Unlike the familiar steel weapons most people use, this one has a bronze colour reminiscent of copper. Lodged into the leather handle and attached to the blade is a yellow gem.

Before I can make any kind of move, the room is engulfed in a yellow light. All Thorsten does is point and my body is immediately assaulted by a searing pain.

"How do you like this? This is the difference between our powers!"

I can barely see his form through the thundering bolts of lighting. My gun is still aimed at him, but my finger struggles to pull the trigger through this numbing pain. I can't find the ability to yell, but it would likely just be drowned out by the booming bolts.

"End this at once!"

My vision begins to flicker, but I manage to hear a muffled roar. It appears that my opponent also heard as the lights cease to electrify me. I fall onto my knees and just barely manage to maintain consciousness. When my eyes return to focus, I witness Duncan facing down the general.

"Thorsten, you fool! You dare raise your magic against a fellow knight!?"

"Your alarm is unwarranted, Your Highness! We were simply putting our power on display, magic included."

Duncan's rage does not quell at this sloppy explanation. It seems to only grow when he sees the shattered sword on the floor. The prince draws his blade and aims it directly at Thorsten's neck.

"Clement could have struck you to death, yet he didn't! You repay that act of respect like this! If it weren't for your importance in the upcoming attack, I would have you put down this moment!"

At a certain point, guards had appeared at the entrance of the courtyard and started watching the event unfold. Under the sudden spotlight, he returns his magic sword to its sheath and places a solemn hand on his chest.

"Forgive these actions of mine. It was a simple lapse of judgement that will never occur again."

His words lack sincerity, but they were enough to convince Duncan to lower his blade. The prince turns away from the general and moves to help me on my feet.

"Are you well, Clement?"

"I have certainly felt better."

I'm honestly surprised to still be alive. A human should not be capable of taking several bolts of lighting to the chest while maintaining the ability to stand. Either the bodies of this world are much stronger than on Earth, or I've been saved by the goddess's blessing.

Duncan supports me down the hallway until I'm ready to walk alone.

"It was an error leaving you two alone. I thought that Thorsten could swallow his envy, but that was but a dream."

"Envy?"

If there was anything that I gleaned from the way he carried himself, Thorsten was confident in his abilities and position. He has a sword capable of firing lightning at his foes. He has a position that countless other men would die for. He didn't even respect a bullet capable of drilling through human flesh as if it were sand.

"You're the Blessed Knight."

The two words that form my title echo in my head. At first, I'm confused as to his meaning, but everything soon falls into place.

"We all dream of being chosen by the goddess. A knight hunts for glory and strength in hopes that they are chosen to become this world's saviour."

"There cannot be more than one…"

"Exactly. While many are grateful that you arrived. There are those among us that feel disappointed at the same time."

I feel this disappointment in Duncan's voice and the silence that follows us upstairs. He's at the perfect age and has the following of his entire nation. It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that he as well fought tooth and nail for this honour, the honour I obtained by chance.