Ascendants of Ancients Sovereign - By Phillip Jones Page 0,83

keep going until she marks the boundaries of her magical territories.”

“Agreed,” Helga whispered back. “That’s the smartest thing you’ve said all Peak, mutt. I’ll protect us just in case.” The older sorceress waved her hand, and an invisible wall of force encircled them.

Shalee queried, “So, are you going to tell me the words?”

“Torina is for wood and coa is for life, Child. I ask you, again. Think. This isn’t the best idea.”

“Gotcha! I know how you feel. But I want to know my limitations, so let’s see where my line is drawn in the sand.”

“Okay, Child, but I think we can look for this line on some other Peak. You should rest first.”

“I’ll be okay. Don’t you worry about me. I can handle a little failure.”

Helga looked at Mosley. “She is not going to listen until she finds a wall to run into.”

Mosley nodded.

Shalee thought for a moment, and then a smile spread across her face. Remembering something Sam had said when they were in the Temple of the Gods, she uttered, “This should be cool. I know no one has ever seen something like this around these parts.” She lifted her staff and spoke in a forceful tone, “Precious, torina nuar coa!”

The remaining pieces of wood jumped off the floor and formed a small being shaped like her favorite childhood character, Elmo, from Sesame Street. The wooden creature had a coat made of an intense fiery fur, and it moved as if it was alive.

As Elmo started to dance, Shalee anticipated the intense reward she would receive for success, but it never came. Something was wrong. Fiery Elmo stopped and turned to look at Shalee. With a sad expression on his face, he exploded, sending a shockwave through the room. The wave hit Shalee so hard her body lifted from the floor and flew through the air like a rag doll thrown by an angry child. She hit one of the load bearing columns at the center of the room. The collision knocked her shoulder out of joint.

Landing on the floor, Shalee’s arm twisted beneath her weight. It snapped and made a loud cracking sound that could be heard in the alley beyond the hole in the wall. Her screams caused the patrons who were standing on the porch of the slaughter house beyond the exploded barrel to turn and look.

Helga’s reaction was instantaneous. She darted out of the room to fetch a healer from the local vestry, shouting over her shoulder, “Mosley, put the child to sleep!”

The wolf breathed on Shalee’s face and sent her into a peaceful sleep.

Sam’s Training Continues

BJ beat on Sam after Mosley disappeared across the field. The wolf had called Sam a “fool” and this bothered Sam. The instructor was delivering hard lessons to multiple areas of Sam’s anatomy, hitting his student on the head on three occasions, his lower back four, upper back twice, chest eight, both arms a combined seventeen, and Sam’s feet had been swept from under him on seven occasions.

BJ extended his hand to pick Sam up off the ground yet again. The novice swordsman had fallen hard this moment. Not only did he fall, but his stave had been taken from him before he landed, adding further insult to his numerous bruises.

The teacher shouted, “I told you to watch your balance when you’re moving in to strike! You’re leaving yourself wide open, and this will get you killed! A weapon won’t be the only tool your opponent will use against you. His hands, his feet, his legs, his elbows, and even his head are all harbingers of death.”

The teacher took a few steps back. “Now get up, mind your balance, and be ready for anything. I swear to the gods, I feel like I’m teaching a child of only five seasons.”

Sam was frustrated, but he was not about to admit it or quit. They kept at it for a while longer, and after a few more trips to the ground, Sam held up his right hand and motioned for BJ to stop.

“Are you yielding?” BJ jeered.

“Hell no,” Sam rebutted. “Just give me a moment.” He limped over to where his sword was lying and picked it up. Sam bent to one knee and whispered to the blade. “I have a name for you.”

Before anything else could be said, the ground started to tremble. The quake lasted for nearly 15 breaths before it stopped. Sam found BJ’s eyes. It was clear his mentor had never been in an earthquake before,