Birthright - Book 2 of the Legacy Series (An Urban Fantasy Novel) by Ryan Attard Page A

bulbous heads and eyes to appear out of a hidden door.
    “What is this place?” asked Abi as she eyed the leviathan space.
    “This is a training facility, a laboratory, and a storage room,” said Sun Tzu. He slowly made his way to the computer. “Over here we shall see if I happen to have something suited for your particular needs.”
    I looked around. Supposedly, Sun Tzu had an entire collection of monsters and magical memorabilia, the likes of which were never collected before. At least that was the word on the street. And yet, in this supposed ‘storage room’, all I saw were bare walls and a computer as big as the first one ever built.
    “Where are the monsters?” I asked.
    Sun Tzu chuckled. “Monsters?” he repeated. “I suppose I did allow the rumors to get out of hand. There are no monsters here, my dear friend, other than the ones we bring with us.”
    “Huh?” said Abi and I said in unison.
    “I have no monsters here,” he said. His storm-gray eyes poured directly into mine. “I am no warlock, Erik. My methods are much more ancient. I simply have a collection, which happens to include certain items which may suit your apprentice.”
    “So, no channels?” said Amaymon. “No wonder this place looks so barren.”
    Sun Tzu let out short, annoyed breath. “Ah. No, no channels. Nothing like Erik’s Djinn sword.”
    I tapped the handle of my short sword absent-mindedly. “I thought Amaymon specified a channel.” I shifted my weight uncomfortably. I had this sinking feeling Sun Tzu was not telling me the whole truth and it felt like betrayal. I mean, my entire family is one skeleton in a closet after the other. I thought I could trust Tzu. Guess that showed me.
    “Yes, he was specific.” The elderly man sat down on the leather swivel chair in front of the computer and turned to face us. “But I cannot provide one,” he said as he clasped his hands together. “I simply do not have the materials for it.”
    “But you know who does,” I said.
    “Yes. I suspect your sister may have what you are looking for. But not even she can provide a channel since she does not know the method for such magic,” he replied.
    “And you do?”
    “Yes.”
    I folded my arms. “Then, if we were to get a monster, will you be able to do the ritual and create this channel?”
    “I could.”
    “But you won’t.”
    “No, I would not.”
    “And why the hell not?” burst out Abi. Sun Tzu turned his gaze to her and gave her a stern look. The girl shuddered violently and shrank back.
    “Because, my dear,” said Sun Tzu with a deliberate calm. “You are too immature to handle such power.” He held up a hand to silence me. He seemed to know that I would argue, that we had already gone through this and had reached a decision.
    “You neither have the power, nor the knowledge for it,” he continued. “A channel is not a mere weapon. It is a part of the user’s soul clad inside the object. It carries great strengths and terrible weaknesses. For someone at your level, it would surely sabotage you.”
    He closed his eyes and exhaled a long breath. “What you seek is a weapon. That, I can provide. Only that shall I provide today, until I deem you worthy of handling a channel of my creation.”
    For a long time, no one said anything.
    “Hey, hey.” The loud voice was accompanied by the sudden appearance of a loud, purple uniform and an afro. Eddie burst in, swaggering.
    “Am I–” He froze on the spot, taking in the tense situation. “-interrupting? What’s up with you guys? You all tense and stuff.”
    Sun Tzu beckoned him over with a wave of his hand.
    “We’ll take it,” said Amaymon. All of us looked at him, and he turned his feline orbs toward Abi and me.
    “We’ll take whatever weapon he offers Abi,” he said. “I’ve trained her for a week like you said, Erik, but after listening to Gramps over there I’m not so sure that she can handle it. Besides, a weapon is exactly what we want. If it comes