The Callindra Chronicles Book One - First Quest by Benjamin Fisher-Merritt Page B

to answer her question; barely refraining from grinding her
teeth. She swore the old bastard winked at her.
    “ Good. So you can be patient
when it is required. That was an old friend of mine who owed me a
favor.”
    “ Why would a smith owe you
favors?” She smiled, he hadn’t been expecting that.
    Glarian raised an eyebrow, “Very perceptive
apprentice, his name is Belach. He is the finest smith in the known
realms.”
    “ He was making something for
you, what was it?” Both his eyes widened sharply and a smile played
at the corners of his mouth.
    “ Do you know what day it is
today?” She shook her head, “Today is the anniversary of you
becoming my disciple. I thought I’d get you a little present to
celebrate.”
    Callindra followed him inside the house, what
could he mean? On the table there was a bundle wrapped in soft
suede. She looked up at him and he nodded. The leather revealed the
most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The blade was a full pace
long, gently curved with a single edge that looked sharp enough to
slice the wind.
    Her hands trembled as she picked it up. The
hilt was long enough for both her hands although the blade felt
balanced for one handed use. The guard swept back over half the
hilt on the edge side and swept up over the back of the blade on
the other, making a neat mirror image. Although it looked like it
might get in the way, Callindra found it was perfect.
    “ You’re serious? This is for
me?” For once she didn’t care about the tremor in her voice or the
tears that leaked from the corners of her eyes, “He’s so
beautiful.”
    Glarian nodded, “Just make sure you take care
of him. From this day forward he is the last blade you will wield.
As I said, Belach is the finest smith I have ever met and I had him
forge this blade specifically for you. He claims the metal came
from a fallen star and I see no reason to question him. It’s
flexible enough to withstand your power while still being light
enough for you to wield.”
    Reaching over his shoulder he drew his long
straight blade and cradled it tenderly in his weathered hands,
“This is Sakar. She is my bonded blade and has carried my honor in
more battles than I care to recall. The thing that sets us apart
from mere swordfighters is this bond; we choose to limit our study
of swordplay only to one unique weapon and that gives us power that
they shall never experience. Instead of begging a God for favors
like members of Holy Orders or simply relying on our minds to
manage the Weave like Mages do we are able to truly harness the
power that changes the world.
    “ For you and I, the element
of air is strongest, although I have found other para-elements that
respond favorably also. Take care though, if you lose or break this
sword, you will lose your power and likely break your
spirit.”
    “ All those weapons…”
Callindra’s voice trailed off. There must be two score broken
swords, whips, axes and daggers hanging on the wall in the other
room. “You took that from all those challengers?”
    “ Yes.” He watched her
intently over the bowl of his pipe, “But I spared their lives. They
may fight on and find another way to channel their power or they
may give up and live mundane lives. You are the first person I have
encountered who has such an affinity with the weave that it forces
itself upon you.” His voice fell almost below her hearing, “None as
misfortunate as you.”
    “ I swear this to you now
Master Sol’Estin. I shall master both swordplay and blademagic!”
Her eyes glowed with imagination, “With you as my instructor and
this sword in my hands there is absolutely no way I can
fail.”
    She felt the winds swirl around her, catching
the ragged ends of her hair and making the edge of her shirt
ruffle. With a flourish she kissed the flat of the blade as she had
read of in a book titled The Swordsman’s Creed and after a sudden
gust that blew dust into a swirling cone in the corner the breezes
that had