Training with the Black Blade
"Instead of blocking the strike and slowing yourself down, try and evade it," Nacht instructed as his sword sliced through the air toward Ashley. She attempted to dodge and block, but no matter her effort, Nacht's blows landed with precision. His mastery of the blade was unmatched, each move calculated and swift. Frustration mounting, Ashley searched for an opening, but Nacht swiftly closed any gap, countering with his own strikes.
"All right! All right! I give up. I need a moment to catch my breath," Ashley called out before Nacht's next strike could land.
Ashley made her way to the bench and slumped down, tossing her sword aside in frustration. Nacht joined her, his disappointment evident in his expression. "Your skill with a firearm is weak at best, and your skill with the blade is just pathetic. Have you never been in any combat situation when you were with those bandits?" he asked, his tone tinged with disappointment. Ashley sighed deeply. "No, I haven't. Most of the time, I just had to hold the people they robbed at gunpoint while they searched their belongings. I had never even held a sword before I met you," she explained.
Nacht chuckled, his amusement apparent. "I can see that," he replied mockingly. Rising to his feet, he extended his hand toward her. "Come on. If we want to win, you'll have to get stronger," he urged. Ashley nodded determinedly, taking his hand and pulling herself up. She retrieved her blade, readying herself for Nacht's next strike. "We have to win tomorrow. Only then can I rescue my brother," she thought, steeling herself for the challenges ahead.
Rise of The Silver Blade
"Congratulations, you passed your test rounds," Nacht acknowledged, observing the bloodied blade in Ashley's hand and the turmoil on her face. She was visibly shaken by the necessity of taking lives in combat, yet she grasped the grim reality of the arena. Nacht offered a reassuring tap on her shoulder. "You still have much to learn to refine your swordsmanship, but you held your own," he remarked.
Without warning, Nacht grabbed her sword and tossed it aside. "What are you doing?" asked Ashley, her eyes following the weapon as it clattered to the ground. Nacht picked up a long case and handed it to her. "You'll need something better for the main event than that piece of rust," he said. Ashley opened the case to reveal a beautiful curved sword with a silver handle and a glistening, razor-sharp blade. The sheath was crafted from high quality blackened leather with silver accents.
"Where did you get this?" Ashley asked, carefully inspecting the blade.
"I know someone in the city who crafts quality swords," Nacht replied, sitting down and retrieving his canteen from behind his cloak. He handed it to Ashley. "Here, something to drink. You must be exhausted after... that," he said, gesturing toward the corpse lying in the middle of the arena.
Ashley sighed and took a seat beside Nacht. She grabbed the canteen and took a sip, immediately recoiling in disgust. "What is this?" she exclaimed, the taste bitter and almost undrinkable.
Nacht chuckled. "Herbal tea. Helps with fatigue," he explained, taking the canteen back and sipping it without reaction. He sighed. "I need to find a place to sleep tonight, prepare for tomorrow. You should do the same."
Ashley smiled. "I already have a place. Rented an inn for a few days. If you're still looking, you could stay there and rest up for tomorrow," she suggested.
Nacht nodded. "Sure, why not? Easier to save money. I'm running short."
Ashley nodded in agreement. "Consider it a thank you," she said, raising her new sword. "For this sword, I mean."
After arriving at the inn, Nacht and Ashley entered the room she had rented. She noticed her mother lying down and walked over to her. Ashley shook her a few times to try and get her awake, but her mother had no reaction.
"Mother? Mother! Mother, wake up!" she tried, but still no reaction. Nacht looked at her mother and immediately rushed to her. "She is freezing up," he said after feeling her forehead. He opened her eyes and looked at her pupils. They had a blood-red color instead of their usual blue hue.
"What happened?" Nacht asked. Ashley shook her head. "I don't know. When I left her here, she was tired, but she didn't seem sick," she explained. Nacht grabbed the mother's wrist and checked her pulse. "Her pulse is way too weak. Did she come into contact with any infected place or people?" he asked.
Ashley thought for a moment. "We were in a village a few days ago. We met two people there, they claimed they knew you and pointed us in your direction," she replied. Nacht looked at her. "You have been to that village?" he asked. Ashley nodded.
Nacht grabbed her wrist too. "Your pulse is also weak, still, it isn't too bad. Your mother, was she healthy before you entered that village?" Nacht asked. Ashley shook her head. "No, those bandits roughed her up before I managed to save her," she explained.
Nacht quickly opened his backpack and grabbed a pouch. He grabbed what seemed like a surgical knife and a bottle of alcohol from the backpack too and walked back to Ashley's mother. He drenched the knife in alcohol and looked at Ashley.
"There are some leaves in that pouch, go and crush those leaves into fine pieces and bring them to me while I make some cuts," he said. "What are you doing?!" shouted Ashley. Nacht sighed and threw her the pouch. "You'll have to trust me for now," he said firmly, addressing Ashley's concerns. "Otherwise, we can bury your mother together later, and I can go over the basics of trusting someone then," he said before turning to her mother. Ashley sighed and nodded against her wishes. "Fine."
She quickly opened the pouch and started crushing the leaves.
Nacht proceeded methodically, making small incisions across Ashley's mother's body. As Ashley returned with the crushed leaves, she watched with a mixture of concern and uncertainty as her mother's skin became marred with tiny cuts, each one a necessary step in Nacht's unconventional treatment.
Upon receiving the crushed leaves, Nacht wasted no time. He dipped them into the alcohol, carefully placing them over the cuts before wrapping them in bandages. Ashley's distress was palpable as she watched, her voice trembling with fear and frustration. "What are you doing? You're hurting her!" she protested, her words echoing in the quiet room.
Yet, Nacht remained steadfast, his focus unwavering as he attended to Ashley's mother. He reassured her with calm certainty, "She'll be fine. Her pulse is stable again," his voice a steady anchor amidst the storm of uncertainty.
Ashley's relief was palpable as she collapsed onto the nearby chair, exhaustion and emotion washing over her in equal measure. Nacht, ever practical, reached for his backpack, retrieving another pouch filled with the same leaves. With gentle urgency, he handed it to Ashley, his words laden with both instruction and concern. "Make some tea from these leaves and have her drink it twice daily until she regains her strength," he instructed, his tone carrying the weight of responsibility.
Ashley nodded, her eyes reflecting a mixture of concern and comprehension as she accepted the pouch from Nacht's outstretched hand. "And what are these leaves?" she inquired, her voice tinged with curiosity and trepidation.
Nacht took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding, his tone measured yet filled with the weight of the knowledge he carried. "These leaves," he began, "are a remedy against the effects of the poisonous air that often follows after a mass infection." He paused, allowing the gravity of his words to sink in before continuing. "You witnessed the aftermath in that village, didn't you? The death and decay that linger there." Ashley nodded, a shiver running down her spine at the memory.
"After they turn," Nacht explained, his voice taking on a solemn tone, "the 'gasses' released by the infected bodies turn into a lethal poison. For those who are weak or vulnerable, such as your mother, exposure to these toxins can prove fatal." He paused, the weight of the revelation hanging heavy in the air. "It's not the most pleasant death," he added jokingly, "as the poison slowly freezes the blood from within."
Ashley's brows furrowed in concern as she absorbed Nacht's words, her mind grappling with the enormity of the situation. "I understand," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "But what about the cuts?" she continued, seeking clarification amidst the uncertainty. "Couldn't you have brewed the leaves into a tea like you said?"
Nacht shook his head, his expression grave yet resolute. "Unfortunately, the poison had already seeped into her bloodstream," he explained. "I had to make tiny incisions to allow the leaves to directly absorb the toxins, while the tea serves to continue purging any lingering traces of poison from her system."
Ashley nodded, a mixture of gratitude and apprehension flickering in her gaze as she accepted the weight of the task ahead.
After resting for a moment Nacht chuckled and glanced at Ashley. "Quite the host you are, girl bandit," he remarked before taking off his cloak, sword, boots, and gauntlets. Ashley, taken aback by his sudden disrobing, exclaimed, "What are you doing?" Nacht gave her an odd look. "I'm going to sleep," he replied, proceeding to lay down on a futon rolled out on the ground. Ashley blushed, feeling embarrassed by the situation. Then, she heard Nacht chuckle. "What an odd bandit," he whispered teasingly.
"Oh, and have you decided on a nickname for the Arena? You haven't chosen one yet, have you?" Nacht inquired. Ashley shook her head. "No, I just provided my name and mentioned I would come up with one later," she replied. "Yours is Black Blade, isn't it?" she added. Nacht nodded without turning to her. "Pretty cool. Then I'll be..." Ashley trailed off, glancing at her new sword, a smile spreading across her face. "The Silver Blade," she declared. She heard another chuckle from Nacht. "Alright, Black and Silver Blade it is," he commented.