The Chosen by Jeremy Laszlo Page B

for with ambition. It was a draw if I could call it anything. Had it been an actual battlefield with overworked healers all the way behind the rear lines, I doubt either of us would have survived. Our sparring ended with me spilling Garret’s guts upon the ground and him nearly cleaving me in two from top to bottom.” Sirus stated the facts finishing with a grin. “He is indeed a quick learner and continually adapted to my fighting style, no matter how I altered my tactics.”
    Garret could not help but blush at the compliment. He knew he was intelligent and he enjoyed this sort of training. But mainly he was happy to not have disappointed those who were doing the teaching. However, Garret could not help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the fact that Zorbin had received a blessing before he had.
     
     
     
     

 Chapter 3
    Discovery and Desiccation
     
     
    As Garret and Zorbin were learning the art of battle from their mentors, Seth memorized tome after tome of magical lore. Sara helped Seth whenever she was able, but often during the days she was preoccupied with other tasks and errands assigned to her by Judilanthaliz.
    Jud, it turned out, was a very patient man. But even patient men have their limitations, and Seth feared time was growing short. If he was unable to show Jud any sign of a blessing very soon he and Sara would have to run. Sara had already seen to their escape plans, notifying the ever loyal Borrik of their situation.
    Seth didn’t want to run. The thought of spending the rest of their days hiding because of his inability to come to terms with things set in motion before his birth left him feeling empty. Sara deserved better, and Seth had already decided on a course of action to ensure that Sara and he were able to remain in service to the king.
    Weeks had passed with Seth reading every document he was able to get his hands on. He was fairly certain at this point that he had read everything written on the subject of magic that existed here in the castle city. Now he felt it was time to put the knowledge he had gained from those countless tomes to work.
    The sun had already faded from the single window in Seth’s small room. Sara had already visited, exhausted from her day of errand running, and had retired to her room to start again in the morning. Lighting a single magical candle, Seth knelt before his small desk, mentally preparing himself for the task ahead. Unsure if his plan would work, Seth took deep breaths to relax himself before his attempt to summon a god. He had always been fearful of the gods and the way they used people like pawns in a big game, but Seth felt that for some reason in this particular venture he had the upper hand. It seemed to him the goddess had chosen him to carry out some task for her, thus giving him something to bargain with. If he could manage to stick to the plan, in the presence of an all-knowing immortal, he knew that he could keep himself and Sara safe within the walls of the castle, and more importantly, keep them together. Closing his eyes, and imagining himself in the stone chamber with no doors or windows where he had first seen the goddess, Seth called out with every fiber of his being.
    “Goddess Ishanya, I seek you out.” Seth prayed into the openness of the world around him.
    A long moment passed, where in Seth’s mind he remained alone in the exit-less stone chamber. He began to second guess his attempt at summoning a goddess.
    “Open your eyes, stop groveling on your knees, and face me like a man worthy of my presence,” came the goddess’ voice, stern yet musical, startling Seth into motion.
    Seth actually jumped from surprise at the reply, but was quick to regain his composure and do as he was commanded by the goddess. Gone was the stone chamber from his mind. As his eyes opened to gaze upon the goddess once again in all her glory, he was unable to contain a gasp of shock. She was as beautiful as was possible for a woman in mortal flesh to be, but