Blutkreuz

—Douglas Waker

**Blutkreuz** is Johannes Alizarin's signature weapon. It is a Bolt Action Anti-Materiel Zweihänder (BAAMZ), which Johannes is first seen wielding in "Friends and Enemies".

## Description

Blutkreuz is an enormous zweihänder sword. It possesses a long, double edged blade with parrying hooks above the ricasso. The leather-wrapped ricasso houses the bolt action system and internal box magazine of Blutkreuz. The hilt features a long, curved crossguard with two side rings and houses the weapon's trigger assembly and mechanical controls. The sword's handle is a two-handed black leather grip with an engraved mushroom-shaped pommel.

Blutkreuz features two mechanical functions: its rifle mode and an extending blade.

The rifle mode is activated and deactivated by pulling on the pommel. When activated, the handle slightly angles and Blutkreuz's blade opens, revealing the rifle barrel inside. The rifle functions with a bolt action system, taking three round stripper clips or a single Dust-infused round fed into the receiver inside of the ricasso. The ricasso also serves as the forestock for the rifle. The Twisting the pommel unhinges the fronts of the separated blade, providing a bipod for more stable firing.

Blutkreuz's blade possesses the ability to retract and extend, shifting from its smallest length of 5 feet to its longest length of 7 feet. This mechanism is controlled by a three-position pivoting tab located on the handle above the trigger guard. The left position retracts the blade to its 5 foot length, the center position extends the blade to its 7 foot length, and the right position causes the blade to rapidly switch between the two lengths.

Blutkreuz is highly durable, never having shown signs of damage or wear on the blade.

When at its retracted length, Blutkreuz can be put in its scabbard to be carried over the shoulder on a baldric. The metal scabbard is wrapped in black leather and decorated with red leather and steel on the throat, mount, and chape, which feature designs resembling a *tatzenkreuz*.

## History

Johannes built Blutkreuz when he attended Signal Academy, like the rest of the students who attended.

Johannes brings Blutkreuz with him when he travels to Shade Academy, wielding it in class, on missions, and during the 40th Vytal Festival Tournament. Despite its heavy use, Blutkreuz has no visible scratches or nicks.

## Dust Use

As an alternative to standard rounds, Blutkreuz is also compatible with Dust-infused rounds. Unlike standard rounds, which are loaded via three round stripper clips, Dust rounds can only be loaded into Blutkreuz one at a time. The recoil from Dust rounds is significantly stronger than that from normal rounds. Johannes has exploited this heavy recoil to his advantage in combat, using the force to enhance his mobility.

Blutkreuz is capable of firing most varieties of Dust, though Johannes has shown a preference for fire Dust.

## Trivia

* Blutkreuz is German for "blood cross," alluding to Johannes' and the weapon's association with the color crimson, as well as its crosslike shape.
* Despite being an enormous and heavy two-handed weapon, Johannes has been shown to be capable of effectively wielding Blutkreuz with only one hand at its shorter length.
* Blutkreuz is both the largest and heaviest weapon in the story.
* In early concept designs of Blutkreuz, one of the quillons was shaped like a pistol grip to provide ease of firing. The quillons have since been changed to be identical, and the ricasso now serves as a forestock for the weapon's rifle form.
	+ The ability to extend and retract the blade was also added later in the series.