As War Unfolds: an act of valor

Chapter 3

Picture of Al in side bar

I duck under the swinging sword and retaliate with a blast of ice. My new found friend, Joan, stumbles back, his sword arm covered in ice. With only a few more blasts of magic, he's frozen to the mountain fort's wall.

"I think I win." I smile, lowering my own curved sword.

It has been three weeks since I arrived. So far I've met Flint and Joan and discovered my talent lies with a khopesh and water magic, a rather deadly combination.

"I highly doubt that." Flint smirks. His eyes glance to something behind me.

I spin and raise my blade, knocking away Joan's blade. Somehow, he was able to break free of the energy ropes holding him to a post.

I grab him by the back of his tunic and place my khopesh to his chest.

"Now I've won." I smirk.

"You'd already be dead." Joan smiles back.

I look down to see he has a nasty looking dagger a mere centimeter away from my stomach.

"I guess you lost," Flint grins.

"Mortals 3," Joan sheathes his dagger, "Mage-"

He's cut off by me kneeing him in the crotch and knocking him to the ground. i place my blade at his throat with my foot on his chest.

"Mortals 2," I smirk, "Mage 3."

"But-" Joan starts.

"You sheathed your dagger to early." Korris says from the sidelines, "You know the rules: fight does not end till the other can not fight no longer. I see that Flint can't even move and your placement isn't looking to good."

Joan scowls at Korris, causing Korris to smile and wave.

I place a stone binding Joan to the ground by his wrists and ankles.

"I've officially won." my grin growing wider.

I sheath my sickle shaped blade and remove the bindings. I pull Joan to his feet and he doesn't pull a weapon on me.

"Now help me free Flint." I order more than suggest.

Joan pulls his sword and starts to hack away at the ice. I gather a small flame in each hand and place them on the frozen ice encasing Flint.

Korris simply waves his hands and the ice melts instantaneously, causing my flames to burn Flint slightly.

"Sorry." I apologize.

"It's fine," Flint rolls his shoulders, "But you should really apologize for freezing me to a tree. My fingers have turned blue."

"I said it once and I'm not saying it again." I reply, taking his wrist. The three men chuckle.

I place my hand over Flint's blue fingers and focus my abilities. Flint and Joan have gotten used to me touching a wound on them and trying to heal it. Sadly, healing is something I'm not all that great at even though it's what I spend most of my time on. I'm able to return the color of his hand back to it's natural pale state.

Joan and Flint are brothers but look completely different. Joan has black cropped hair and cocoa colored skin with a large and strong build while Flint has hair the color of snow, pale skin, and more of a lean frame. Joan is the brawn and Flint is the brain.

"We should get going," Korris suggests, "it's almost supper time."

With that we went to the mess hall only to find something different that usual. The silver knight stands on top of one of the tables all eyes on him. Korris smiles knowingly causing me to give him a strange look.

"Good to see you're here just on time Korris." the Silver Knight's voice booms throughout the hall. "You can explain what we'll be doing after supper."

Korris climbs up onto the table as the Silver Knight steps to the side.

"Hello recruits." Korris starts a bit awkwardly. "I am Sir James Korris, the mage trainer. Tonight once the sun falls we will go out to Larken valley and play a game of Capture the Flag. We will split up the teams. We only have three mages so one team will have two mages and the other will only have one. The rules will be explained after supper so I suggest you all eat up before we hike over."

With that, Korris steps off the table and walks over to the knight's table. The Silver Knight steps down from the table and joins Korris and the other knights.

After going through a long line to get a bowl of a hardy stew, Flint, Joan, and I sit down.

"So, Al," Joan asks, "If you were to have one of us on your team, who would it be?"

"Probably Gregor." I reply, spooning a piece of potato into my mouth.

"I mean between Flint and I." Joan corrects me.

"Joan." I reply without a second of hesitation.

"And why not me?" Flint questions, faeing fake hurt.

"Joan's a bigger target and easier to use as a human shield." I shrug and spoon more stew into my mouth.

"Can't you just do that ice shield thing?" Joan asks.

"What's the fun in that?" I make eye contact with both boys at the same time.

The two brothers sit in silence for a second before breaking out into laughter. I smile and shake my head.