Danev

And so Luke helped me back up off my ass and on my feet. I had underestimated him, again, and hopefully, for the last time.

"That was good." I said, between breaths.

"Not really. You held back."

"Barely."

"Still. They won't."

"True. They won't."

"Thanks for that. Needed the reminders about footing and balance. The reactions too."

"No problem." I said, accepting the sword as he handed it back to me and I set it down on a makeshift bench near the edge of the camp, sitting on it to catch my breath. His breath though, as I noticed when he sat next to me, was completely even, as though he hadn't even broken a sweat. Made me feel really small right in that moment. "You really adapted mid-fight though."

"Thanks. Not that I'm given much of a choice."

"No. Your reactions are still off, and you're shit at swordplay with your left hand as well as aiming unless it's point blank, but you can definitely improve."

"That's what I've been doing." He said, not at all annoyed as the words may have implied, but merely 'matter-of-factly.' "We gotta do this more often." He continued. "We'll both need the practice for when the real battle comes."

"Yeah. Think you're ready for it?"

"Not at all, but I can at least prepare for it. Hope to be ready when it comes time."

"Think you'll have your arm back by then?"

"Doctors say no, but fuck 'em."

"Yeah. Fuck 'em."

He sighed, of course, prompting me to ask, "What's up?"

"The camp's moving again. People going on scout missions and the like. I still haven't got a new assignment yet."

"I wouldn't quite say that."

"Know something I don't?"

"Well. In the last attack. Armored got hit the hardest. Same with the 5th, just far less severe. I found a squad and a unit in need of a new gunner."

"Have I been officially assigned to them yet? Not yet, but Lu Ten told me that they're expecting a replacement soon."

"Can I talk to him? Lu Ten?"

"Nah. He's off to talk with Admiral Chan."

"Admiral Chan? Why?"

"With the 5th out of the game? We need somebody else to cover the Northern Front. He put me in charge of finding you a new assignment."

"So you're the one who found this new position for me?"

"More or less."

"Good. It's about time I got off my ass."

As he attempted to rise, I put a hand in front of him to stop him, saying "Not yet, you aren't."

"And why's that?"

"You think I'm going to deliver them an, at best, half functioning firebender? No. You and me. We're just getting started. Now get back up. You have a lot more training in front of you."