The Blades: by Zack Luzader (e ink epub reader TXT) 📕

one, just join in and listen to what they say and you can finish out the day."
The boys snicker once more as they pass the seizure ridden, William. The door flings itself open once more and they descend the spiral staircase back down to the courtyard. The dim light of the tower adjusted their eyes and upon leaving the establishment they had to block the sights light with their palms.
"We'll little brother, see you after four!"
"Leo, I'll see you after I make potions!"
The boys depart and Leo finds his teacher instructing young squares near the practice dummies. A muscular, short man with a black goatee was talking to some children sitting down equiped with wooden swords and shields. The man just looks at Leo and nudges for him to sit down and join in the conversation. Leo looked up at him and it was appearent he had a scar over his nose and cheek. Leo folds his legs and listens as the man goes over stances and proper fighting. Leo just sits there and thinks about how cool it's going to be to become a knight.
Classes finish and Leo waits for Markas at the gate for about fifteen minutes and then he goes to search for his brother. After canvases the campas, Leo enters the main building to hear struggling from the back of the hall. Racing through the hall Leo slips a few times but catches himself, he makes a sharp curve right at the end of the hallway to the exit door to the back lot. After slamming the door open he witnesses three kids kicking Markas who is lying on the ground curled up.
"Throw a potion on us, alchemist nerd!"
"Come on turn us into frogs with a potion."
"Potions are for pussies! Real men fight with just a sword!"
"Please, stop guys it hurts!" pleads Markas.
To no avail his pleads are futile, however Leo runs in to tries and stop the bullies from continuing. Leo pushes one boy to the side and kicks another one behind the knee, but suddenly gets uppercutted in the stomach by the remaining bully. Riving in pain from the hit Leo cries out and goes unconscious, Markas gets up and tries to pick up the unconscious Leo. Shuffling to their feet the bullies regroup and assualt the boys once more. Markas has Leo over his shoulder, and they get jumped.
Out numbered and focused yet again on Markas, Leo fills with inner rage and his fist curls together. Leo notices a burning feeling in his hand and as he swings at one of the assaulters a small burst of fire bounces from his palm. The ember flies to the shirt of the bully and begins a fire on his shirt. Amazed at what he just did Leo was froze in fright, as the bully runs around with his shirt ablaze. His friends help him with the fire and Markas just stares at Leo in silent incompetence. The bullies flee in phobia of Leo's abilities, and Markas move slightly towards Leo to thank him.
"How in the world did I just... emitt fire from my palm..." questioned Leo.
"I have no clue but that was... AWESOME!" exclaimed Markas.
"We can't let any one learn about this."
"What the bullying, cause I won't worry about it."
"No stupid, the flame thrower in my hands!"
"But, that's just amazing!" argued Markas.
"Come on let's just go home before mother and father worry about us."
The boys continue out the main building to the main gate. Jade meets the boys there and greets them "Hello... Markas what happened?" Markas looks down and notices his injuries and dirt stains on his shirt. "I, was beat up after class by some bullies but Leo came and saved me!" Leo stares at Markas making sure he doesn't tell the secret to Jade. Jade asks "Are you alright then Markas?"
"Yes mother I'm fine."
"Thank Glorfindel, and thank you to Leo for helping your brother. Please, stay together here I don't want this happening again, understood?"
"Yes."
"Yes, mom."
"Now I have a nice, thick, steak grilling over an open fire at home, who's hungry?"
"Oh, I'm famished, mom!" spontaniously responded Markas.
Leo, as he travelled, continously stared at his palms in wonder of how he pulled off such an amazing feat of mental capabilities. Leo had altered the fabrics of life to master craft a spell to torch his foes, and he wasn't even of age to wield a sword. He realized that with proper training he could become the next great spell caster and aid to the throne.
Markas kept thinking to his self as he ventured forth to his homestead. His thoughts were a twist of "I can't beleive my brother is a pyromancer!" and "That steak is going to taste, F-A-N-T-A-S-T-I-C!" Markas stares unwillingly at his brother, as if compelled by curiousity.
As they approach their dwelling, the party sees Bard awaiting Jade and questioning "Jade, is the cow on the grill?" Jade nods and the group gains another as they enter their house. Bard shifts the lock on the door and twists the knob, he realizes it is astoundingly hot. The door would not budge and so he rams the door with his elbow.
The door slams open to a house set ablaze from the kitchen onward, Bard yells "Damnit, Jade! Why would you leave a fire unattended?" Bard rushes to the upstairs tub crashing through the hall with amazing speed for a big man such as himself. Bard slips to a sharp turn and abruptly shifts to the bathroom.
Jade forces the boys out of the house and commands "Boy's stay here and do NOT go into that house, got it?!" Markas replies "Ok, mom", and Leo just stood their shocked with a thousand yard stare locked on his eyes.
Jade crashed into the house and found bard futily attempting to dwindle the tempest of flames with a meger bucket of water. Jade yells to him "I don't remember starting to grill! How could this have happened?" Bard's reply was "I don't know lets just - LOOK OUT!" A support beam fromt he house has cracked under the heat and a sickening thumping noise bussled through the house like a charging mare. Bard Heaved with his bulkin stomach and bicepts to try and force the beam off of his beloved wife. His attempt however, was futile for she had collapsed on impact and was no longer a living, breathing soul.
Bard, now in tears, arose and watched in a horrific act, his house crumbling before him. All his memories with his kids, his wife, and his childhood being scorched in a spiteful flame. His eyes widened as he remembered the kids, but he knew he couldn't make it out to them before the infernal overwhelmed him. As as soon as it had started the flame had ended. Bard, long covered in sut and crumbling debris from the fire, too had lost his life.
Now orphans, the boys stood in completed shock an awe as they realized that they have no place to call their home and that they may never again have parents. Leo mantained his stare and Markas collapsed from emotion on the ground near him.
The headmaster approaches the carnage and lays his right hand on Leo's left shoulder. "You know my pain now, the same incident happened to me when I first learned magic." explained the headmaster, "Which one of you was it?" Leo shook of the stare and faced the headmaster with a flood of emotionally enduced tears. "What does it matter we're going to the orphanage!" lashed Leo. Markas groaned and the headmaster knelt down to notice the rune of fire etched on Markas' hand. "Ah, it has been quite a while since my last pyromancer apprentice, 50 years ago..." The headmaster turns over to Leo and announces "You aren't going to the orphanage. I can't do much to mend your loss but I can atleast train you boys into the real world before it's to late. You will be going to the school and you will be taught, both of you. Neither of you even had a little skill in your supposed arts, but with some training it will be taught to you. No are you going to come with me or are you going to just set there.
The headmaster held out his hand in contemplation and Leo, shyly, reached out and touched his fingers. A blue swirl filled Leo's eyes as he became dizzy and fainted. With a smirk the headmaster said "These boys are going to be excellent additions to the guild."
Life is Hell...

Squinting his eyes, Markas is blinded by bright, vigorous sunlight etching a path into the room. He can he faint conversation from beside his bed, "His markings one his hand. They are very similar to the ones on Wrynn when he was an apprentice here. If it be possible that he is the lost child to the last known pyromancer, those damned legions fom hell just might be stopped."
"But what if he isn't and we just waste resources on a lost cause? Maybe this is Glorfindel telling us this is our time to return to his shining kingdom?"
"If we don't even try to act on this we might as well curl up and allow those beasts to slaughter us like cows to the smokehouse! I will not stand idlely as Maricha falls into the grasps of Orcs and we are sold into slavery." the blurr's voice gets scratchier as he continues the arguement. "If you think that I am one to give up on everything that is MINE, then you are dead wrong, this is my land and I will see it gaurded no matter what the cost. Be it men or gold or any other currency!"
"Right sir, but it never does hurt to be skeptical, even in these lighter days we must still be on