didn’t like the thought of how many lives he had ended, even if they had been enemies. He felt queasy and didn’t know if it was because of the realization of what he had done or because he was so tired.
“Let’s head back to the palace,” he said to Darian as he opened his eyes. “Maybe we can still get a little sleep.”
“That’s a good idea,” Blaize said. “There’s no reason for you to stick around here. You need to get as much rest as you can. I have a feeling this attack was only a precursor of what’s to come.”
Traven nodded in agreement as he bent down and cleaned his sword. The attack hadn’t come from the supposed main horde of galdaks that were being shielded from his view. The hidden horde was still at least a full day away. He would need all of his strength when they arrived.
“Good luck,” he said to Blaize as he turned and began walking back towards the city. As the commander general, Blaize still had a long night ahead of him.
“You’re a good man,” Darian stated.
“What?” he asked tiredly as he stepped over the lifeless body of yet another galdak. He had no idea what had prompted Darian’s statement.
“You could have been rid of competition for the princess’ affection,” the elf explained.
“Oh,” Traven replied as he realized what Darian meant. He couldn’t deny that the thought had briefly passed through his mind. “I was just fulfilling my duty.”
“You did more than that,” Darian replied. “You were in the midst of battle. All you had to do was continue to defend yourself. The vice baron wasn’t your responsibility.”
Traven turned to his faithful companion with a smile and nodded. It seemed that Darian never missed anything. Traven had made a choice when he saved Gavin, and he was glad he had done it.
* * * * *
Blaize watched as Traven and Darian picked their way through the carnage. Traven moved heavily with his shoulders drooping. Darian, still concealed in his cloak, nimbly walked along at his master’s side. As much as he didn’t understand the elf or his motivations, he was glad that Traven had the elf’s companionship and support. Much would be expected of the young wielder, even more so after his amazing show of sword work.
Blaize himself was astounded at what he had just seen. It seemed as though the galdaks had sensed that the young man was the largest threat to them. Just after Traven had saved Gavin, the creatures had begun focusing on the young wielder and streaming towards him. It had been incredibly beneficial for the army as a whole. With the galdaks focused on Traven, the soldiers had been able to regroup and attack in an organized and efficient manner.
At first, he had been worried for Traven, but the young man’s performance had awed him and quieted his fears. The large, strong galdaks had appeared to be moving in slow motion as they tried to cut down Traven. The young wielder’s sword had flashed with blinding speed and deadly accuracy. His quickness and uncanny ability to easily avoid every attack brought against him had left his attackers impotent.
For the last stretch of the battle, Blaize had joined with the surrounding soldiers in watching with awe as Traven dispatched all of the remaining galdaks. It had truly been a sight to behold. Pride had swelled within his breast as he watched his onetime pupil demonstrate an almost inhuman mastery of the sword. He had known for a long time that Traven was special, but the young man still continued to amaze him.
Blaize grimaced as he turned from watching Traven walk away and looked out over the battlefield. The small force of galdaks had taken a great toll on the army. He didn’t want to think of what might have happened if Traven hadn’t been there. He would have to wait for an official count, but it appeared he had lost over half of his twenty thousand troops camped outside the city. A cold lump
“Let’s head back to the palace,” he said to Darian as he opened his eyes. “Maybe we can still get a little sleep.”
“That’s a good idea,” Blaize said. “There’s no reason for you to stick around here. You need to get as much rest as you can. I have a feeling this attack was only a precursor of what’s to come.”
Traven nodded in agreement as he bent down and cleaned his sword. The attack hadn’t come from the supposed main horde of galdaks that were being shielded from his view. The hidden horde was still at least a full day away. He would need all of his strength when they arrived.
“Good luck,” he said to Blaize as he turned and began walking back towards the city. As the commander general, Blaize still had a long night ahead of him.
“You’re a good man,” Darian stated.
“What?” he asked tiredly as he stepped over the lifeless body of yet another galdak. He had no idea what had prompted Darian’s statement.
“You could have been rid of competition for the princess’ affection,” the elf explained.
“Oh,” Traven replied as he realized what Darian meant. He couldn’t deny that the thought had briefly passed through his mind. “I was just fulfilling my duty.”
“You did more than that,” Darian replied. “You were in the midst of battle. All you had to do was continue to defend yourself. The vice baron wasn’t your responsibility.”
Traven turned to his faithful companion with a smile and nodded. It seemed that Darian never missed anything. Traven had made a choice when he saved Gavin, and he was glad he had done it.
* * * * *
Blaize watched as Traven and Darian picked their way through the carnage. Traven moved heavily with his shoulders drooping. Darian, still concealed in his cloak, nimbly walked along at his master’s side. As much as he didn’t understand the elf or his motivations, he was glad that Traven had the elf’s companionship and support. Much would be expected of the young wielder, even more so after his amazing show of sword work.
Blaize himself was astounded at what he had just seen. It seemed as though the galdaks had sensed that the young man was the largest threat to them. Just after Traven had saved Gavin, the creatures had begun focusing on the young wielder and streaming towards him. It had been incredibly beneficial for the army as a whole. With the galdaks focused on Traven, the soldiers had been able to regroup and attack in an organized and efficient manner.
At first, he had been worried for Traven, but the young man’s performance had awed him and quieted his fears. The large, strong galdaks had appeared to be moving in slow motion as they tried to cut down Traven. The young wielder’s sword had flashed with blinding speed and deadly accuracy. His quickness and uncanny ability to easily avoid every attack brought against him had left his attackers impotent.
For the last stretch of the battle, Blaize had joined with the surrounding soldiers in watching with awe as Traven dispatched all of the remaining galdaks. It had truly been a sight to behold. Pride had swelled within his breast as he watched his onetime pupil demonstrate an almost inhuman mastery of the sword. He had known for a long time that Traven was special, but the young man still continued to amaze him.
Blaize grimaced as he turned from watching Traven walk away and looked out over the battlefield. The small force of galdaks had taken a great toll on the army. He didn’t want to think of what might have happened if Traven hadn’t been there. He would have to wait for an official count, but it appeared he had lost over half of his twenty thousand troops camped outside the city. A cold lump
Similar Books
