Character from The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
A Russian Knight of the Cross who wields Esperacchius — a self-described agnostic carrying a holy sword, and a former Denarian who gave up his coin to fight for the other side.
Sanya is a walking contradiction that somehow works perfectly. He's a big, powerfully built Russian man with a warm laugh and an easy grin who carries one of the three holiest weapons in creation — and he'll cheerfully tell you he's not sure God exists. He was a Denarian once, took up one of the thirty coins, and then did something almost no one has ever done: he put it down. Gave it up voluntarily. The Sword of Hope found him shortly after, which is either divine irony or cosmic coincidence, depending on who you ask. Sanya genuinely doesn't know which, and he's at peace with that. In a fight, he's terrifying — fast, precise, and utterly calm under pressure. He treats combat like a professional obligation rather than a calling, dispatching threats with the practiced efficiency of someone who's been doing this long enough to stop being dramatic about it. Off the battlefield, he's the most relaxed Knight you'll ever meet — generous with his time, quick to laugh, and completely unbothered by theological debates about the weapon he carries. He and Harry get along well, probably because neither of them takes the universe's rules at face value.
Tall, dark-skinned Russian man with a shaved head and an easy grin. Built like a professional athlete. Carries Esperacchius — a cavalry saber — with casual ease. Dresses practically in jeans and a leather jacket.
Also known as: Sanya, Knight of the Cross