Show Down (Part 2)

Nothing happened. Vertilline shook the Shocker Gun and tried pulling the trigger again. The charge was completely gone. She groaned yet again and glanced up to see where General Irwin Riggs was. He stood directly over her, sword raised.

"Don't you understand?" The general's voice was slightly muffled by his gas mask, and it was rather short and choppy. "You can't stop the future. Steam is irrelevant, and magic is nonexistent!"

Vertilline stared up at him, "Magic still exists," she croaked through a very dry voice box. "Nydria is full of magic. I admit that we attempted the same thing you did, but magic fought back. You might beat steam but you will never beat magic."

General Riggs' laugh echoed hollowly in the empty street. "Our machines are stronger then yours. We will beat you and your pathetic army. Nothing can stand in the way of the Age of Diesel, but enough of this chatter! You had your chance." He raised his sword and brought it down, it was aimed directly towards Vertilline's torso.

Vertilline rolled to the left but not quick enough. She felt the blade graze her back and a small trickle of blood rolled down her spine. She sprang to her feet and jumped back, narrowly avoiding a second swing from the general's sword. She looked around for a weapon, anything. Her eyes lit on a riffle, it would be a terribly impractical weapon for close quarters, but it was the only thing at hand. She hit the ground and rolled, Riggs' sword whistled through the air where her neck had been. She came up in a crouch next to the riffle.

"Hey-ya Verdi!" Came a cheerful voice, "Do ya need a hand with nasty Mr. Top Hat?" Vertilline looked up, and there stood Edmund J. Fisher.