Firredal grinned as he faced off with Amano, a young Shienarian whose skill with the sword roughly equaled his own. One of the trainers watched them from off to the side, grim-faced in the afternoon sun.
Amano took his longsword in a two-handed grip, and assumed a High Guard. Firredal shifted easily, his katana in his right hand, its shorter brother in his left. All three weapons were wooden, and – despite the practice armor – would hurt if they connected. Firredal had no intention of allowing that to happen, but knew that it was probably inevitable. It doesn’t matter. He let the thought drift, stilling his mind in preparation for the movements to come.
“Begin,” said the Gaidin.
Amano and Firredal moved at the same time, the Borderman bringing his blade down sharply as Firredal brought both of his up to block. Blocking with only one weapon was not a risk he was prepared to take, not with Amano using a two-handed grip. Amano snapped a kick at his knee, but Firredal intercepted it with a counter-kick and turned his blades, dragging the longsword down and to the side. Amano resisted, using his advantage in leverage, and Firredal quit pushing immediately and struck out with his shorter blade, a horizontal slice aimed at Amano’s forearms.
Amano simply stepped back, lowering his hilt to catch the attack on the strong of his blade. Then he thrust – Hummingbird Kisses the Honeyrose – and Firredal felt the tip of the longsword go past his cheek as he struggled to turn it aside with the katana in a one-handed grip. If he hadn’t dodged as well as blocked, Amano would have had him.
This time Firredal struck across with the katana, pushing the tip of the longsword away to his left with the wakazashi. The movement required a certain coordination, but Firredal had always been dexterous. Amano snapped his weapon back into a defensive posture, with the hilt up and the tip down, but he escaped more by ducking away than by using the parry. Firredal pressed the advantage, following through with the shorter blade and hoping to catch his opponent before he could straighten.
Amano, however, threw himself to the side and rolled, passing beyond the range of the wakazashi and trying for a strike at Firredal’s leg as he went. It missed – Amano couldn’t really focus on his opponent while moving that way – but served to keep Firredal back long enough for the Borderman to complete his roll and come to his feet. So, Firredal thought. The combined range is only as long as the shorter weapon. I will have to close with him.
He turned, changing to a left-forward stance, and smiled. The wakazashi was held in front of him, extended, while the katana was held back near his right hip. Scowling, Amano stepped in, making a twisting thrust with his longsword and using the two-handed grip to lever Firredal’s shorter blade out of the way. Firredal turned with the movement, stepping out with his right foot to shift his torso out of the way. The same movement brought his right hand up the longer blade thrusting at Amano’s foreams. The Shienarian cursed as it connected.
“Stop!” ordered the Gaidin, and both students froze immediately. Striding forward, the man paused to examine their positioning. “Firredal, that was risky. His follow-through could taken you in the head, throat, or chest. However, since he did not make contact and you did…” He glanced at the Borderman. “Amano, you may continue as if your arm is injured. You may use it for balance, but not to grip your sword or your opponent.” Amano nodded respectfully.
The Warder stepped back and nodded to them. “Continue!”
Firredal came in on the offensive this time, with a circling movement that pushed Amano’s blade aside with the shorter sword, leaving the katana a clear opening. Amano retreated, twisting to get his leverage back. Firredal, however, gave him no chance to recover: he stepped in again and thrust with the katana, keeping the wakazashi between himself and the blade of Amano’s practice sword. The katana connected solidly, and Amano stepped back and grounded his blade.
“So,” said the Warder, approaching them again. “You see? Two weapons are at their best against an opponent with a weapon in a single hand.” He glanced at Firredal. “Even so, I wouldn’t get overconfident – a good swordsman can make use that empty hand as a weapon as well. Still, the skill can be used effectively, though it may be better to keep a two-handed grip on your own weapon when facing a skilled opponent.” He glanced up, shading his eyes as he judged the distance between sun and horizon. “That is enough for today, lads. Get cleaned up, and get some food.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Firredal and Amano, almost in unison. Facing each other, they nodded once before hurrying away.