Possessing the Grimstone - By John Grover Page 0,6
your first lesson. Start off by being defensive, so as I attack you, block everything you can. Don’t let me in.”
“Got it.”
“Ready?”
Pim nodded, and Jun came at him, slashing straight on. Pim managed to raise his blade and block it. He smiled, but Jun swung low in the other direction, and nearly slashed Pim’s leg open.
“You’re not paying attention,” Jun scolded. “They don’t just launch one attack in one direction. Look for their next swing; it could go upper body, lower body, head, leg, foot… you just don’t know.”
“Then how am I to block it if I don’t know?”
“Instinct. You’ll learn to read it on their faces.”
“Again.”
Jun rushed at him with an attack to his upper body. Pim blocked it, and then Jun switched to strike his mid-section, where Pim blocked him again. Just as he was gaining some confidence, Jun brought the blade straight up, clashing Pim’s sword to the ground, disarming him.
Jun caught the other sword in his free hand. “Now you’re dead. Never let your weapon leave your hand. Never lose your grip.”
“Or, if that happens, I can just do this.” Pim set his feet ablaze, and in a flash, ripped the sword from Jun’s hand, and slipped behind him, pressing the blade to his throat.
“Really, Pim? I can just do this.” Jun spun out of Pim’s grip, reversing the hold, and placing his own blade to Pim’s throat. “Using the fleet does not guarantee a victory. There are many people with other skills that may match our fleet of foot. See how easy it was for me to reverse you? Fleet should be used in defense; it’s for escaping danger, not for combat. There is always someone who will have a trick up their sleeve.”
“Point taken. Now let me go.”
Jun pushed him aside. “You still have so much to learn. Pick up your sword. Again!”
###
On the Red Coast at twilight, the mist stirred. Thunder crashed louder than it ever had, and the clouds lit up with brilliance.
It was just at that moment that a member of the Circle Guard stepped onto the beach. Mithric stopped his mount suddenly, and gawked. The clouds moved in such a strange way that it startled him. His horse brayed, duly spooked, as well.
He watched, astounded, as shadows writhed in the mist-cloaked clouds. Panic swept through him, and his heart pounded his chest. Then it nearly stopped.
A ship burst its way out of the clouds, sails of stone gray, its flags bearing emblems Mithric had never seen. The wood of the boat was black; no wood of such kind grew in this part of the world. Atop the many pedestals and flags, fire burned, and a sooty, black smoke billowed into the air.
This was the first of many ships. More exited the mist, dozens of oars pushing them with ravenous speed. The sound of drums suddenly carried on the winds.
Mithric spied what looked like catapults on some of the decks, with lumbering figures milling about.
Behind these battle ships, as Mithric came to believe they were, two massive barges appeared. Looming sails caught the wind, grand canopies and multiple decks adorned the great behemoths as they cut through the sea and tore the water asunder.
Mithric heard some kind of chanting, now. It was in an alien tongue that was frightening to his senses. The multitude of ships headed directly toward shore.
As the first few grew close, with the speed of some unnatural force, he thought he saw skeletons tied to the bows of their ships.
Mithric swallowed air hard, and the pit of his stomach churned. Sweat dampened his brow. He knew he had to take word to the High Guard and the King. There was no sign of friendship here, or trade, but only the creeping sense of death, and the foul stench on the wind as the ships moved.
He pulled his horse under control and raced across the beach. The lead ship in the army illuminated, and an energy ball, shifting from red to green to blue, screamed across the sky. Mithric looked back with inescapable horror, knowing that he would never out run the magic.
It crashed into him, sending both him and his horse down. The two ignited into flames, howling with agony.
The green-blue fire burned until there was nothing left but ash. The ship’s drums played louder, and horns blared. As they reached the shore, growls and snarls filled the air. The howl of unknown beasts followed.
###
It was early morning in Daustra, one of the first villages of the