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

had feared.
Glarian took a deep breath and blew it out, nearly extinguishing
the fire in the process. It was years since he had exhibited lack
of self-control like this. He was committed now though; there was
no turning back.
    He walked outside, unsheathing Sakar as he
went. This was going to be a difficult journey. He had better be in
condition to handle whatever came; it was beginning to worry him
that no one had come to challenge him in spite of the talismans
being active for a month. It was only a matter of time; they were
probably watching him already.
    -
    Callindra was too angry to feel the pain and
exhaustion as she went to the wood shed and began splitting
kindling for the evening fire. Thankfully the axe handle touched
different places on her palms than the sword hilt and she made
quick work of it. She was too weak and she knew it.
    Next she grabbed the yoke and buckets for
water. She hated the yoke because it was hard to fit over her
shoulders when she had the baldric on and because she had
difficulty taking it off without getting help or spilling all the
water. Her arms weren’t up to the task of carrying the buckets on
their own though. Not yet.
    The path down to the stream was well-worn.
She and Glarian weren’t the only animals who walked it, they shared
it mainly with deer but she had seen signs of bears and even wolves
as well so she always made her way carefully. After all, Glarian
had killed that puma not far from here.
    A flock of birds took to wing on her left,
she tried to turn quickly to track where they had come from but the
yoke and buckets hampered her. With a growl of frustration she
hurried to the stream, filled the buckets and walked back to the
house as fast as she could, trying to look in every direction at
once.
    She entered the clearing and saw Glarian. He
was practicing the Seventh Korumn, she had seen it before although
she was in no way ready to try it. With every swing he jumped in
the air, each time getting higher and higher until he hardly seemed
to touch the ground at all. When the Korumn was finished, he
balanced lightly on the balls of his feet, a blast of air from the
impact of his landing seeming to move Callindra’s hair, even at
this distance.
    Seeing his skill and the beauty of the Korumn
wiped the thoughts of anger from her mind. “Master, you are
amazing!”
    She knelt next to the cistern, ducking out
from underneath the yoke. Her leg screamed at her, but she ignored
it. Pain was fleeting; unless she managed to push past it there was
no way she could ever get stronger.
    “ It has been too long since
I have completed all seven Korumn in a row. I’m actually quite
rusty.” He was stripped to the waist, sweat beading on his
forehead. The muscles on his shoulders rippled as he sheathed his
sword. Callindra was reminded of how far she had to go, even just
in basic strength. She marveled at his perfectly muscled frame,
wondering if she would ever be able to measure up to his
expectations.
    “ That should be enough water
for you Master; I’ll go get water for my bath now.” She said,
shouldering the buckets again in spite of the sharp protest her
muscles made. She would become stronger. She would rise to the
challenge he had presented. She didn’t have a choice. When she
turned to go, she missed the approving look on his face.
    -
    His apprentice was finally showing some grit,
Glarian smiled as she left to get more water. That limp had him
worried though, he had to make sure she didn’t push herself too
hard.
    “ I think she shows promise,
although it won’t matter in a few minutes.” A voice seemed to come
out of nowhere.
    Glarian turned calmly, hands at his sides.
“It was clever of you to wait until after I’d practiced. A good
strategy, but I have plenty of stamina. I’m not your typical old
man.” A man slipped from the shadows, drawing a wicked looking
scimitar from his belt.
    “ You’re right. You are a
dead man.” The attack was so fast Glarian barely had