Securing both bow and quiver with the utmost of care took but a few minutes.

Rem tried if he could easily reach for a spare arrow and drew the Stake all the way back. Its body was well oiled and produced only the slightest of creaks when he released the string. Satisfied, he slid it on the back of his armor, where his bow bed was already securely attached by Val. Underneath it and around the back of his waist rested the box quiver. Comfortable leather straps tied to his belt made sure that it didn’t dangle, clank with his other gear and produce unnecessary noise.

He now had to pick something for the inevitable moment when he’ll need to go close. Again, with the knowledge that those were lightly armed and armored Useless, Rem’s choice was limited. There was no point lugging heavier weapons across the forest, nor shields by that matter; he was not going to war.

Rem walked over to his “Blade cabinet” and opened it. The thing held almost all of his melee weapons and although some of them had no blades, it was tradition for any Solver of problems to call their weapon stash like that. He was not sure how it all started, but nowadays none of his peers would dare even entertain the idea of naming their special furniture in any other way.

His fingers touched one or another blade while he examined his collection.

Multiple swords, daggers of all sizes and shapes, a spear; his cabinet held everything, clean, sharp and ready to use.

Val stood nearby with a spare belt and awaited her master’s choice. Just as his ranged weapons, the blades were too enchanted. When on a job, even something as mundane as a kidnapping or burning someone’s business, Rem had to have an edge. Indeed, in the city there were many others who possessed magical weapons, but Krart was so large and its population so numerous, that the chance of him facing another sporting powerful items like his was rather slim.

A Solver of problems always had the proper tool for the job and remembering his first, Rem’s face twitched.

What was the favorite saying of all goblin assassins?

“You never bring a gun to a dagger fight.”

The buggers were right, of course. Guns were pretty much useless in close quarters combat. However, the number of naive fools who thought that you could fell everything with one was beyond reckoning, Rem didn’t have to buy that arcane musket of his. It was battle loot and the dwarf thug who had it, decided that it was a neat idea to take a little stroll down Krart’s narrow sewage waste disposal tunnels and shoot Rem in the back while he was there.

Oh, that ruffian did indeed manage to squeeze the trigger... once. Rem was, of course, obliged to show this stocky yob the blade of his short sword, and from up close. The dwarf got a sudden and most deadly case of steel poisoning. The bumbling fool’s blood became part of the sewage. As a matter of fact, his everything became one with the tunnel’s most diverse layer of rotten sludge. All except the gear he had on him, that is.

Good times, easier times!

Why you never bring a gun to a dagger fight? Because someone will walk away with it, and that someone won't be you!

Rem knew that most of his weapons weren’t the best choice for this thick and branchy environment. Although the Useless had to have a camp and that should be on some small clearing, it wouldn’t provide nearly enough space for Rem to comfortably wield most of his long weapons. Therefore the fight would be up close and at worst, medium range.

The Solver of problems narrowed his options to three.

"Sap", not to be mistaken for a... sap.

A good sword and dagger combo was always nifty to have on your belt. The sword named “Sap” was somewhat heavier than most short arming swords since this weapon had no fuller and instead its blade was thicker at the center. That added weight allowed the swordsman to strike with the flat of its blade and the weapon had a nifty enchantment woven in it called Brawler magic.

When you hit someone with the flat, protruding part of the sword it was as if you were wielding a small mace. The magic gifted this already versatile and quick sword with even more uses during combat. You could stab, slash and even crush someone’s bones with it; unless they wore plate armor, that is.

Usually, Rem would pair “Sap” with one of his treasured shields – not on this job.

He picked up one of his favorite daggers called “Sparrow” and flung the perfectly weighed weapon at the nearby training dummy. Val placed the bracer which came together with “Sparrow” on his left wrist and with a thought, Rem ordered the dagger back in his opened hand. Which it did swiftly, and if one was not careful, they could get hurt by its handle or, Kan forbid, the blade.

The dagger was an excellent off hand weapon and in melee most swordsmen used one to glance off or parry blows, while they riposted with their main weapons.

Satisfaction guaranteed or you get your dagger back!

The second choice was his trusty longsword “Maruin.” One of the fist enchanted blades he ever ordered made, and as such, it held a dear place in his heart. The blade was no longer than most swords of similar design, but it was slightly wider.

Its weight was, of course, within the limit. Nobody strolled around with unweildly, gigantic and overly heavy blades, not unless they were Trolls or Ogres. “Maruin” had a longer handle, which allowed Rem to use both his hands and strike with full power when he needed to.

The weapon had a most appropriate enchantment woven in its blade called Mirror strike. You could swing from as far as three and a half feet away. The spell would project a blade which would replicate your strike precisely, with only but a short delay of one second.

When used properly “Maruin” was a devastating weapon and Rem had felled many a duelist... by stabbing them in the back.

Which, coincidentally, was the best and safest way to kill a duelist.

Its magic swinging time! That or perhaps, stabbing?

Rem loved this weapon and when he had enough space to swing the thing around, it was indeed one of the deadliest tools in his arsenal. “Koul” was enchanted with Fire breath spell and it enveloped both its striking ends with blue flame. The spear’s main disadvantage was its size, moreover, Rem had to drop it if he had to shoot the bow. One of his hands had to be occupied at all times simply carrying the spear.

There was also that super pesky, yet quite important for one’s survival parrying thing. A spear was not that effective when your enemies got in your face. Unless you chose the place where you fought carefully and used proper tactics, that is. Though Rem longed for another job somewhere warm, with nice cobbled streets under his boots to swing Koul around, the choice now was obvious.

As Val buckled his weapon belt, he tied the sheathed Sap and Sparrow on it.

Spears are always nice to have.

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Link to part twelve.

Just another job Part 5 - Up close and personal