I doing when I felt the tingle?
Shalee pondered for many moments before she finally figured it out. I was doing nothing. I was just lying here. That’s it, just lying here feeling relaxed. My mind wasn’t all boggled up.
Again, she closed her eyes and cleared her mind. A few moments later, the staff sent another wave of its power through her, but now it was a much stronger wave. Her whole body filled with warmth, and the sensation caused her to tingle in places she did not know she could tingle. There was nothing else she could recall that ever made her feel like this. Again, she sat up and looked at the staff. After a long series of moments filled with admiration, she spoke.
“That’s better than … oh, my,” she giggled. “You can do that to me anytime. Let’s try that again. Okay, Precious? And I do mean, you’re precious. My goodness-gracious, I couldn’t have named you better if I would’ve thought forever. You just keep on making me feel like that, and I’ll never leave this room.”
Shalee rolled back onto the mattress. She could not stop smiling and talking to her wooden friend as she rolled about. Now, she wanted the staff to make her feel as good as it possibly could, for as long as she could keep her mind silent. Go with it, Shalee. Don’t worry about anything. When she managed to do so, the staff sent more of its energy through her.
Shalee absorbed the warmth. Every hair stood on end as the intensity built. Large tears of joy rolled down her cheeks as her hands grabbed hold of the mattress. This was the most incredible experience of her life. And before she had the moments to think, an intense rush, far beyond anything she had ever experienced, consumed her being. Every muscle tightened as she exhaled with a deep sense of satisfaction. The sensation seemed to last forever, and after a long series of moments, her muscles relaxed. Exhausted, she drifted off to sleep.
Sam’s Training Begins
After eating breakfast, Mosley and Sam left the inn and met up with a weapons instructor named Barthom Jonas. Barthom was the proprietor of the School of Weaponry, and everyone in the village called him BJ.
BJ was a strong man, despite being 61 summer seasons. He was in excellent shape, and he had acquired salt and pepper hair before turning 20. Many enemies had fallen victim to his blade because they assumed he was weaker and older than he was. He wore leather pants and boots, and his shirt was made of a white fabric that hung relaxed beneath an open vest.
As they hiked to a field that was on a hilltop outside the village, Sam examined his sword. He remembered Bassorine’s words when the god had handed him the blade at the temple.“This is the Sword of Truth and Might. It is one of a kind. The sword possesses the ability to search for truth when used upon your enemies. Place the blade on your foe’s shoulder, ask it for the answer you seek, and it will be given unto you.”
Sam also remembered Bassorine saying, “...Just because you possess the sword, doesn’t mean you have the ability to wield it.”
Sam spun the blade in his hand and smirked as he mumbled, “Bassorine said I also have much to learn, and that I wouldn’t want you failing me in battle.” He rolled his eyes. How ridiculous of him to say that. Who does he think I am ... an idiot? I know I don’t know how to wield a sword.
Now, fellow soul ... do you remember me telling you about how Sam often failed to show his intelligence? Well, you’re about to get an example of how overconfident and stupid the genius could be.
Sam did not know what the god meant when Bassorine said, “...Just because you possess the sword, doesn’t mean you have the ability to wield it.”
How ridiculous, Sam thought as he moved the blade around in front of him. It can’t be any harder than the fights I had back home. He was surprised at how light the weapon felt. He had never spent his moments around swords, but the blade was appealing, and the markings on the hilt were mysterious. “Hey, Mosley, do you know what these markings mean?”
“I’m sorry, Sam, I don’t.”
“Why are you sorry?” Sam retorted. “I didn’t expect you to know. I was just hoping you did.”
BJ replied, “Perhaps you’re not worthy of