71 A Knights Tale Part 1 (2/2)

Not only was it fast, but the weight of his attack drove my feet half an inch into the earth as I blocked it with my falchion.

”Since you're doing so well, I'll tell you a little secret,” Jimmy's laughter hadn't died down yet. ”Ranked Magesong viseres don't have fairy gifts… it's the equivalent trade to becoming unkillable.”

My eyes widened at this revelation. ”The children's binding curse!”

Jimmy raised his glaive in a flash and just as quickly slashed it down. I barely had enough time to parry it and then take a step away from him.

He didn't let up. He thrust his glaive at me.

While he attacked, he also found time to say, ”I'd heard a report that a young commander from the Trickster Pavilion stole the clan's precious blood sacrifices. I assume that was you?”

I sent my sword arm swinging down so that my falchion could block the thrust. It worked.

”Yeah, my unit is responsible for ending the Magesong's crazy blood ritual!” I said proudly.

With his glaive swooshing harmlessly past me, I took the initiative and stepped in for the killing stroke. But I'd seen it enough times to know an unarmed strike was coming my way.

Sure enough, a palm strike aimed at my chest came hurtling at me.

”Then I should thank you!” He yelled. ”I hated having that kind of despicable trump card weighing on my honor!”

His hand was inches away. But I came prepared.

While my sword arm stayed at the ready, my other arm, the one I'd just hidden in my back as it gripped tightly on my dagger's handle, whipped out in a rush. I slashed at Jimmy's incoming hand and drew blood.

But the crazy bastard, despite the blood pouring down his palm, continued his thrust toward me. Thankfully, the trajectory of his strike had been disrupted by my counter, and instead of the attack on my chest that would have left me even more winded, he'd simply managed to smash into my left shoulder.

”Argh!” I hissed.

I felt the pain lance up and down my arm. I felt the shoulder pop out of place. Quickly followed by the weakening of my arm which consequently forced me to drop my dagger.

However, I wasn't out of the fight yet. And just like Jimmy's mad attack, I too pushed through the pain with gritted teeth, and with a quick snap of my sword arm, sent my falchion up his right arm.

Usually, hauberk-type armor had long sleeves fashioned out of chain mail. Jimmy's hauberk armor, however, was short-sleeved. This meant there was bare flesh between his arm gauntlets and his shoulder guards. His arms were beefy for sure, and under normal circumstances or against a regular shadowblade, he might have had enough muscle to keep a wound shallow. But my falchion's shadowblade was special.

Imagine a chain-saw meeting an unprotected limb. That's all the visual anyone really needs.

The blood spraying out of the deep gash I'd cut into his upper arm washed over my face and gear.

I could smell the metallic scent of blood so close to me. And if anyone could believe it, this scent was all it took to send my mind back to the moment I'd met Auranos Trickhaven.

After Aura's brother stopped his knight from turning me into roasted shish kabob, he'd asked me to come closer.

I probably wouldn't have out of fear of his protector overreacting again if Aura hadn't encouraged me with an almost imperceptible nod.

”So, sister...” Auranos spoke in the softly-spoken voice that failed to hide the hidden vigor in him. ”Introduce me to your new errant knight.”