Warder Born
by
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A wizard and a squad of men and krolls shifted the odds against Therin and his men greatly, and these men were not just thieves; they were hardened warriors that could wield a sword and shield with skill. Therin was soon faced with a man that had slipped past Ahnon. Therin drew his own steel, keeping the weaving of elements to fight the wizard. This had to be a short fight, or they would be the ones lying on the ground when the sun rose. Therin prepared another weave as he blocked the man’s blade and shoved him backwards. Lightning dove from a snow-clouded sky and struck into the picket line, sending horses in every direction in complete panic. As a kroll came up on Therin’s right, he changed his weave to a twist; dirt and kroll alike shot into the air, and the kroll fell to the ground fifteen feet away, stunned or dead. The Morigdune warrior was good with a blade, and his attack was fierce. Therin remained on the defense, still trying to find the wizard as a wave of lightning sent by Lord Raithe struck the earth, this time dangerously close to the men fighting. Did he not care if he killed his own? No, Therin decided, that was why the lightning did not actually land amongst the fighting. The Morigdune wizard did care about his own men; he did not want them needlessly killed. Was it because he had only a few men or because the man actually cared about those that served him? Therin finally spotted him, his black horse darting about as he directed his men and searched for Therin. This was agreeable to Therin. He would rather have a one-on-one with the man than to have this wizard attacking men. Suddenly Ahnon was beside him, and stepped between Therin and his attacker. Therin moved aside, letting Ahnon take over his sword fight and built another weave. This one was spirit, air, and a touch of fire. It would temporarily disable the wizard from being able to weave if it struck him. Lightning began to dance towards Therin, striking sometimes within just feet of fighting men. Therin intended to simply step among the strikes, as he had done before, but this time, the lightning was hiding another weave. A blast of ice shards erupted from behind the lightning. Therin only countered some with a gust of wind, driving most of them into the ground. The few he missed found their mark in Therin’s skin. They stung like tiny knives. This wizard had learned from Therin at their last session, and he had perfected some of his weaves. They were faster and smoother. Therin decided now was a good time to stop teaching this man new attacks. Still holding the Weave of Severing, Therin spun about and spotted his foe. The path was clear and Therin did not hesitate. The elements struck its target and the man roared with fury and shock. He turned his horse towards Therin and charged him. Therin wove earth and fire, and the ground in front of the wizard exploded and shook. The black horse reared and fell, trapping the wizard beneath. The Morigdune wizard was secured for the moment, and the severing would last for several hours. Therin turned his attention to a kroll that had Kyn Dallar down and was making another massive swing with the blade it carried. Fire streaked across the space between Therin and Kyn, lighting the kroll like a torch. It screamed and dropped its blade, falling to the ground, rolling and thrashing. The night was winter cold, but sweat poured from Therin’s face as another man came at him, this one with a shield and war hammer. He deflected the blow of the hammer with his drawn sword but the impact caused his hand to nearly drop his blade. This man was big, and obviously very powerful. He smiled down at Therin, knowing that he was in control. Then his eyes went crossed and he fell to his knees. Ahnon stood behind him, a sword in one hand, a huge rock in the other. “Should have kept his helm on,” Ahnon spoke calmly as if they were chatting with a mug of ale in hand. “Break off!” yelled a hard, angry voice. “Break off, rally to me!” “Allow it?” Ahnon asked, dropping the rock and drawing his second sword once again. “Make it difficult,” Therin replied, not wanting to have to chase them down. Ahnon nodded and stepped back into the fighting. Therin did as well, but they could not stop the Morigdune men from falling back. The wizard had retreated into the darkness, his men now struggling to follow. “Let them go!” Therin yelled to his own men. Therin did not want his men to venture out into the darkness alone where they would then become prey to the other warriors. The enemy snuck away into the darkness as Therin’s men gathered to him. He had ridden in with six others, and six came to him. All were in various stages of wounded, including himself. Kyn was barely on his feet, a deep gash lay across his chest and his eyes showed the effects of a bad concussion. “Collect the horses and tend the wounded, then we best be after him before he can weave again with any accuracy,” Therin told his small group.
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About the Book
Seasoned warrior and wizard, Therin McKarrin rides into the world of Tha’Davia to pull the strings of prophecy. To save the life of a man that has not yet been born; to find the woman that must live to fight beside him but is already grown; to protect the flame of a land so that it may be overthrown. To do this he must stop the opening of the Well of Souls, a gate to the Underworld that could be the destruction of a prophecy that must unfold. In his effort to find who and what he must, he takes cover as a merchants guard. A twist of destiny has him meet Lady Darfinel of Ladasia, a strong-willed merchant that plans a trip in the direction Therin needs to go. Darfinel, stubborn and defiant, becomes an unlikely asset to join forces with Therin, but he comes to believe she is part of the prophecies. As she travels with the wizard and his company of warriors, Darfinel begins to feel the need to be something more than just a merchant. Her abilities as a warrior surfaces in this time of growing darkness, and through the wizard, Darfinel learns she was born with the blood of an ancient line of warriors. She was meant to be a warrior, not a merchant. They must negotiate the complications of a world that does not allow magic, and wizards are hunted for bounty. The world stirs with evil as the feared Lords of Morigdune join with a strange power. New, monstrous creatures as well as old myths walk the land, leaving death to mark their paths. Fighting both witch hunters and the wizard Lords of Morigdune, Therin learns the Well of Souls is already open. Now they must find a way to close it before the webs of prophecy are wiped away. Find more at Battlesworn.com
About the Author
Lj Jones brings you passion, imagination, and the thrill and experiences of a lifetime of adventures to echo in the minds of her readers. Growing up in Wyoming on the back of a horse, she has the knowledge of over 30 years of real world horsemanship both as a professional competitor and as a backcountry rider. She has a background in the US Army as a Military Intelligence Agent that worked with an anti-terrorist/counter-espionage team in Germany during the Cold War of the late 80’s and early 90’s. After an honorable discharge from the Army she became a wildland firefighter in an initial attack crew with the US Forest Service, fighting forest fires all over the western US. Adding to her skills, she began running sled dogs, enduring the -40°F temperatures that go with exploring the Canadian Cascades on the runners of a dog sled. She believes that experience brings realism and understanding, and enjoys practicing the sword on foot and horse, using the longbow, and shooting competitive rifle. Telling stories is part of her, and her ability has only gained aspect and realism with the wisdom that time brings.