Broken Blades Don't Sing (Tales of Ashkar Book One) Read Free Page A

man with glee. “I bet someone
would pay a high price for an elementalist. Maybe the king himself?
Imagine what kind of wealth he’s got in his coffers, eh Brag?"
    Little? Did he just say I’m little?
    Serraemas’s eye twitched slightly.
    "Let me take this one solo, Tro", replied Brag
as he drew out another dagger from his ragged cloak, though this
new blade was considerably larger. "After I'm done with you we're
gonna have a good time with your lady friend." Without giving
Serraemas any time to answer the dagger-wielding bandit lunged at
the staff-wielder.
    "Focus", Zaranet whispered softly.
    With precision Serraemas swung his arms,
releasing the sliver of ice toward Brag. To his dismay, the bandit
sidestepped out of harm’s way. The spike flew past the bandit,
embedding itself into the ground.
    The dark figure lunged again.
    This time, Serraemas did not have the advantage
of a gap to prepare another sliver of ice. With a firm grasp of his
staff he thrust the tip, aiming at the man's head—
    Brag ducked, narrowly dodging the strike and
then thrusting his blade in return toward Serraemas's throat. In
response, Serraemas quickly shuffled his feet and arched his torso,
shifting his center of balance to the right.
    The blade cut the air where his neck had been
just before.
    Brag retracted his arm intending to thrust
again—
    Serraemas was quicker. With a swift kick he
struck the cloaked figure in the stomach, knocking him down.
Serraemas then leapt backward and slammed his staff into the
ground, freeing his hands. He tensed his body and generated more
ice out of thin air. This time, he created three spikes that
floated above him. A bead of sweat ran down his face, and he felt
himself grow hotter.
    Brag snarled, attempting to get back on his
feet. "Come here you son of a—"
    Serraemas swung his arms before the bandit could
finish his sentence, and the barrage of slivers flew toward the
bandit. The bastard slumped back to the ground, impaled three times
in the chest. A look of surprise mixed with horror flashed across
his lifeless face as blood seeped from his wounds and mouth.
    Without pause, Serraemas wheeled around to where
Brag's accomplice had stood.
    He had made a grave mistake.
    The brigand named Tro now stood where Elena had
been, grasping her tightly with a blade pressed against her throat.
Fear rose within Serraemas, for he knew there would be no
bargaining with such wretches, especially now that he had taken the
life of one of them already.
    "You gonna regret it, you bastard", said Tro
with a menacing face. He drew the dagger closer to her, about to
slash. “You gonna regret it.”
    "Wait!" shouted Serraemas, extending his hand
toward where both the murderer and his love stood. He looked at the
face of his hope. Her complexion—a mixture of terror and
apprehension—made his heart sink, but she said nothing. Her eyes
searched his for solace. He gave her a look of resolution, hiding
his uncertainty. She brightened, but only slightly, still fearful
for her life.
    "Calm yourself, Serraemas, and look for the
right moment", said Zaranet.
    Tro grinned.
    Finding amusement in the dread that the couple
were experiencing, the cloaked giant relaxed slightly, giving
Serraemas the opportunity he was looking for. "Go on, say your last
wor—"
    Serraemas flicked his hand before the man could
finish. In an instant the very first sliver of ice he had
generated—its sharp point still embedded in the ground—launched
toward Tro and straight through the side of the large man's
head.
    Tro was dead before he hit the ground.
    With a loud thud the second bandit’s body fell
to the cold earth, and blood pooled out of his fatal wound.
    Panting, Serraemas buckled under exhaustion and
collapsed onto to his knees. He grasped his staff firmly for
support, though he felt weak. His face was even paler than usual;
he had only recently discovered the powers dormant inside of him,
and it took a tremendous toll on his body to utilize it.
    He