The Contention by Jeremy Laszlo Page A

fashioned for each man shin and thigh guards and also vambraces for their forearms and wrists. The attire protected their major organs, yet allowed them to move freely without an abundance of added weight. Furthermore, these pieces required the least fitting and modification as none had any relation to a joint, and thereby could not restrict or hinder movement.
    The weapons took a little more time. Seth needed to give his men arms that felt natural to them and required little to no training to wield. Each of the wolfmen had brought for Seth to alter a basic sword, and pondering the situation a moment, Seth came up with an ideal solution. He unleashed his power into the inanimate steel of the weapons and within seconds the swords began to transform. First they shrank into roiling balls of apparent liquid steel, then heaving here and twisting there, new shapes began to take form. Smiling as the ecstasy of the power flowed through him, Seth worked to complete the items quickly. Moments later, Seth himself snatched up one of the four weapons he had created and fit it to his own hand. He had impressed even himself, he realized, as he hefted the small weapon, and the others in the room looked on in satisfaction as well.
    These were weapons of simple design consisted of a small bar that fitted within the palm of the hand. From the bar protruded three blades, each about eight inches long, that would extend out from between the fingers of the bearer when grasping the handle. From the backs of the blades, where they protruded from the fingers, a plate that could be used to deflect a blow had been affixed to protect the back of the bearer’s hand. Beyond the plate was a hinged cuff that fit snugly around the forearm just past the joint in the wrist. This cuff anchored the weapon to the arm for two purposes. First, it maximized the leverage of each blow landed by the weapon, and secondly, it kept the handle from pivoting within the fist when a blow was dealt.
    Handing the weapon to the first of his men, Seth watched as the beast of a man slid his wrist through the cuff and grasped the bladed handle. Reflexively the soldier swung the short bladed weapon several times before grinning a wicked, sharp-toothed grin. Then he and his comrade collected their new weapons and the unused pieces of armor they had brought to their master.
    “Leave the leftovers, they may be of use to the others,” Seth said before dismissing his men.
    Seth watched the pair of werewolf soldiers leave the room, knowing he would have to repeat the process more than two hundred times this very night. Having performed it twice already, however, Seth had discovered he could replicate it more easily the second time. He hoped that after a few more alterations the process would become second nature and he could work through his troops rather quickly. In any case he knew that time was a commodity he was running low on.
    This in mind Seth sent Sara’s werewolf guardian, Jonas, to the hall to keep anyone else from entering the room uninvited. Then ushering his petite wife in her skin-tight leather across the room, Seth picked up his breastplate and leaned it against the wall. Stepping back, Seth unleashed a tiny portion of his power. Bending it to his will, he formed a small green and yellow fireball within his upturned palm. With a thought and a flick of his wrist the fireball shot across the room and, on striking the breastplate, was consumed in a quick flash of white light. Sara smiled at Seth excitedly, assuming that this was all he had prepared to show her, but then Seth turned his back upon the discarded armor. Returning her smile he spoke.
    “Release,” Seth commanded.
    Instantly, as before, the breastplate blazed to life in blinding white light. Due to having very little power contained within its aura, the blinding vision lasted only a couple of seconds before vanishing once again without any trace. Sara, having remained facing the object, blinked repeatedly in an