A young man took a swig from his cup of ale. His black hair was a little messy. He used a comb and a mirror to help keep it presentable. He unfurled a map and referred to his hastily-scribbled notes. Coins and tags clanked and fell into their bag as he finished counting.

  “That’s one night down,” He marked a check in his journal.

  He was told by the locals of the place the big passenger boat should arrive by noon. A rare occurrence in these lands. Kuldrin, affectionately nicknamed The Big Nothing by its inhabitants. A peaceful island getaway for some, but a cage surrounded by barren to this individual.

  “Might as well say goodbye. Don’t plan on coming back anyways,” He gathered his belongings.

  He greeted the innkeeper and paid his rent’s due on his way out. His nose was greeted by the fresh scent of the sea. He looked up and surmiseed it was midmorning. Its warmth gave a light embrace. Perfect, he thought. He reckoned he could get some practice in before the boat’s arrival.

  He strolled his away around the port. The fishermen rowed their boats, merchants had finished up setting their stalls, and the dockworkers concluded their meeting. They went to work as that little port town had begun to greet this new day.

  The man headed up a few ways north, away from the town. He set down his bag by a tree. Surprise took him as he saw an unlikely person before him. A man in armor so well kept, it was practically shining if you look at the right angle. A decorated helm cradled under his left arm.

  He could not clearly see, but the man appeared to be speaking to someone. He turned to see if there was a second person, but no one was there.

  “Hmm? A guest?” The man in the armor turned to him.

  He looked mature. His face still had traces of youth, but his eyes had a shine to it, like it had seen hundreds of battles if not thousands. He moved towards him, each step had purpose behind them. He wielded a gunblade and it was rested on his shoulder.

  “Lerosa told me someone would come here. Seems she was right,” He looked to his gunblade.

  “Beautiful name for a gunblade,” He complemented.

  The two shared a conversation. Topics ranged from weapons to news going on around in the world. They ended up on their purpose of being in the town. The younger man stated his desire to leave this land and his reasons to do so. The man in armor nodded, and asked for the young man’s name.

  “Avryn Starbright. That’s my name,” he formally introduced himself.

  “And I’m Sir Iver Honsel, of the Knights of Hrenvar,” he returned the gesture.

  It clicked in Avryn’s head now. He had heard of Iver’s holy order only through the books. Agents and the more faithful disciples of Hrenvar, the God of Justice. A question still remained in his mind,

  “Why are you out in Kuldrin when your services are needed more elsewhere?” He asked.

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  “Visiting an old friend. Hrenvar’s pretty understanding on the matters of the heart,” He replied. “But enough about me…”

  He put some distance between him and Avryn. He proposed something to help both of their situations.

  “Truth is, I’ve been looking for a successor for Lerosa here,” He affectionately held the gunblade over both his hands. “And you wish to make your own fortune, yes?”

  “I sure do, and I got a feeling I know what you’ll ask of me,” Avryn laid his hand on the sabre sheathed on his back.

  Iver smiled again. The decision was made easier. If only they had crossed paths earlier, he thought to himself. He gave his proposal: They would have a duel. If Avryn won, he would inherit the gunblade Lerosa and Iver would be given a warrior’s death. If Iver won, Avryn would go back home.

  “How many times have you proposed this to total strangers?” Avryn asked.

  “Four. I won all of them,” He joked.

  Avryn squinted his eyes at that,

  “Well yes, you’d be dead if you lost even one of those,” He replied.

  Iver adjusted his armor and donned his helmet,

  “Exactly. Now what do you say, Starbright? You can save me the trouble and go home right now if you like,” He taunted.

  “The day I say yes is the day you can send me back home in a box,” Avryn accepted.

  He unsheathed his sabre and got into his fighting stance. Iver halted him.

  “First I shall ask Hrenvar to serve as witness for this duel,” He knelt.

  Avryn allowed him his moment. He looked around and made sure they were truly alone. The odd bird or two flying over was the answer he needed. Iver stood up.

  “Done?” He asked.

  “Indeed, he has agreed to be witness for this duel. Hope you had plans for an early return trip,” The knight jested.

  Avryn took the initiative and brought the fight to him. Their swords clashed into a bind until he forced an opening through the knight’s defenses. He slipped through and attempted to end the fight then and there, but Iver recovered quickly and parried the attack.

  “Not bad, young man, not bad,” He praised before he chuckled. “But not good enough.”

  The point of Lerosa was aimed at Avryn’s face. He only noticed now the barrel part of the gunblade rested just above its point. He dodged in time with the assistance of pushing it to the side. He had his free hand quickly grab his pistol, an intimidating speciment by itself, the barrel stared down Iver.

  “Oh, interesting,” He was impressed.

  He dodged the gun’s shot by tilting his head to the side. He used his strength to create distance between themselves.

  “But can that outshoot my Lerosa?” He touted.

  They both fired their weapons. The bullets slid past each other but the force was enough to change their trajectories. Iver’s curiosity was sated. It was his turn to get on the offensive.

  He charged at Avryn, using the flat slide of Lerosa to deflect the bullets aimed at him. Tree bark met flesh as Avryn is propelled onto the tree behind him. Iver lifted his blade for a slash attack. He pulled the trigger and the recoil accelerated the gunblade.

  Avryn’s eyes widened, he dropped down and barely avoided the attack. He felt a few strands of his hair was cut from this. He rolled through. Luckily they decided to fight on mostly flat ground. He looked behind to see the entire tree was sliced down. He tightened his grip on his sabre’s handle.

  “Clever lad, let’s see what you come up with next time,” Iver bantered.

  Avryn grinned, gestured down with his eyes. The knight realized a tad too late. A grenade’s explosion propelled him high into the air with a thunderous boom. He struggled to regain control in midair. He felt a sharp pain in his gut, Avryn hit him with a spinning kick.

  He rolled through and blocked the follow up blow. Avryn let go of his sabre. He used the recoil to wind up a powerful hook. If he had hit any harder, it would have dented Iver’s helmet. He grabbed Lerosa in the middle of the confusion.

  Iver rolled through, blades of grass, pebbles, and loose dirt flying from the force. His labored breathing was interrupted. Cold, sharp steel entered his body. It took all his willpower to not scream from the sudden pain. He looked up and realized his Lerosa was embedded into his body. Avryn knocked him down with a foot to the shoulder. Sweat was trickling down his face.

  “Well…isn’t this ironic,” Iver yielded.

  The world stool still between them both. It felt like they had waged war against each other by the way they fought. Blood soon followed as it flowed out from Iver’s body. There was a tinge of sadness mixed with his relief. His first defeat in a long time, and he could not be happier. He congratulated the young man.

  “Sorry about Lerosa,” regret can be heard in Avryn’s tone.

  Iver shook his head,

  “Don’t be. I asked for this. Besides,” he caressed the gunblade. “You earned her, as well this victory.”

  Avryn pulled out the gunblade. Iver groaned. He fell to the ground. His armor cried with a thud as it met with it. Avrny knelt by his side.

  “Take care of her, and she’ll do the same. As she had for me,” Iver advised.

  Avryn nodded,

  “I will. Rest easy, Sir Iver.”

  The wind flowed through the grass and the trees. Birds chirped and flew by, curious at this sight. Avryn caught his breath. The sun was nearly at its apex. It was almost time for the ship to arrive.

  “Good luck…on your journey ahead, Avryn Starbright. I look forward to hearing it when we meet again,” his voice faltered, the last of his life seeped away.

  Avryn wrapped up Lerosa. He stood up and gave him one last nod before leaving the place. Iver’s last thoughts rested upon a vague silhouette of a woman. She appeared to be waiting for him. Her auburn hair gave him a sense of calm. The name that gave him the strength to carry on now became the last words in his life.

  “Lerosa…” his weary eyes finally found rest as they closed for the last time.