The Witcher

To Catch a Changeling

The sword of daylight was held straight, its clear, shiny coat reflecting the image of the wooden fence. With a smile, Jim flicks the sword. The metal became thinner as it showed each side of his face. Raelle stood beside her brother in her recently discovered second form. In her gargoyle form, her legs are quadrupedal, Raelle making her stand on her toes. She has her claws at the ready.

"All right. Do your worst," Jim said as he stood in a fighting stance as Toby prepared to throw the watermelon.

The melon twisted in the air, finding the blade, Jim perfectly cut through the rounded object, and a blue glow emitted from between the slices, letting each piece splinter, leaving no remains as it popped. Jim couldn't help but smile at the sight and raise his sword.

"It slices!" Toby began.

"It dices!" Jim finished.

Toby then threw several apples are Raelle, one at a time. When the apples were close enough, Raelle used her claws to shred them into pieces. The three teens celebrated.

"That was amazing, Rae!" Toby exclaimed.

Jim picked up a bag of tacos with the tip of his sword and let the bag slide down the smooth blade, catching it with his other hand. He set his sword into the dirt patch as he pulled out a taco, enjoying the flavor.

"All right, what else you got?" Jim wondered as Toby shoved a taco into his mouth.

"Mmm. You know, we probably should recycle these," Toby said, grabbing a stack of magazines, "On the other hand, shredding them is more fun! It's less environmentally conscious, but more fun!"

Jim finished his taco and quickly grabbed his sword.

"Pull!" Jim yelled excitedly.

Toby spins and lets go of the stack of plastic-like paper. He falls back with a thud, watching as the target flies through the air and straight for Jim. With an easy slice, a glow of blue once again covers the sliced target, blowing it to pieces. Many little remains of the magazines fell to the ground, covering Jim, Raelle, Toby, and the lawn.

"Oh! Home run!" Jim exclaimed.

"Woohoo!" Raelle cheered.

"It's like a ticker-tape parade of awesome!" Toby said.

The three share a laugh as Draal steps out into the backyard, shutting the door as Toby runs to Jim and Raelle's side.

"What is this mockery?" Draal asked, eyeing the teens.

"Oh, hey, Draal," Jim said, "Just working on some sword fighting skills."

Jim took a swipe with his sword as Draal walked closer to the teens.

"The Sword of Daylight is not a toy to be played with," Draal scolded the teenage boy, "It is a hallowed obligation I have spent my entire life training to be worthy of."

"You want to take it for a spin?" Jim offered.

Draal snorts as Jim holds out the weapon with a smile. Draal watched with small eyes before realizing the situation. His large hand reaches for the sword gently, grabs it, and holds it high, smiling. The reflection of his father appeared before the sword glowed and evaporated, finding its way back into Jim's hands. Draal ducks his head with a hint of sadness as the image of his father is fresh in his mind.

"Sorry. I forgot," Jim apologized.

"If my destiny is to not hold the sword, perhaps it is to teach you how to properly wield it," Draal said.

Draal's eyes catch a floor lamp that had been put in the pile for Jim to annihilate. He picked up the object and threw off the lampshade. Taking furious swings, he walked closer to Jim, backing up with a surprised gasp. The troll had done a few epic movements, twisting and throwing it side to side before pointing the lightbulb at Jim.