Free Legacy of the Defender (The Defender Series Book 1) by Jacob Spadt

each other.  When the flying horde approached, they blocked out the sun.
    For my training, I had only faced a handful at a time.  The one circling me now was a tougher test.
    Hundreds of days before, I had learned to focus my inner strength and release it in a burst that propelled me several meters into the air.  A dual set of runes painfully appeared on either hip.  Although I could not see them, unless looking at my reflection, I could feel the welts.  The daemons had a hard time escaping my blades when they got too close, even though I could not fly.  The key was to time my strikes to avoid their teeth and claws as they passed.  My favorite tactic was to cleave their wings and watch them furrow into the ground.
    It was a standard tactic for them, seen many times before.  The daemons would dive straight at me in a lance-like formation.  If I moved one way or the other, one of them would make contact.  The last thing they would expect was for me to stand my ground and strike from the middle.  While it gave them more hitting power, it also offered them less maneuverability. 
    It circled again, diving at me…faster this time.
    My inferior training blades flashed out wide.  It cried out as my metal passed through its leathery hide, sinewy flesh, and ribs…then clean out the other side.  Just like the pressure you feel when pushing your finger into an orange that still has its peel, tough and hard at first, but then the tension releases as the skin breaks, allowing access to the softer inside.  The ribs were never an issue.  That sensation always gave me satisfaction.  I pulled my weapons clear of the carcass before it hit the ground, and with a small flick of my wrists flung any clinging fluids to my sides.  Last one for that group.  You would think they would learn that flying faster meant dying faster.  That would have been difficult with only one blade.  I was thankful for finally receiving a second blade some time ago.  I loved dual wielding.
    With a satisfied grin, I looked to my master, Mathias.
    Mathias trained me in every weapon known to man…even a few never seen before in movies or books.  Everything from bludgeoning weapons to large two-handed swords; we covered everything.  The training was brutal.  My master had taught me so much in such a small measure of time.  As I looked at him each day, my desire to be just like him increased.  I quickly became a weapons master because I learned faster than his previous students had.  It was hard to avoid being prideful, but my view was very humble and I was excited for what was to come.
    Mathias was a towering figure for what I thought to be a man.  He had chiseled features like a Grecian statue, only even more defined.  His body bulged with muscles for which they did not have names.  A firm, square, unbreakable jaw.  Flaming red hair adorned his shoulders.  It was straight but seemed to get brighter towards the tips.  When not pulled back, his hair looked alive, as if it could move on its own.  I could have sworn it deflected my blows a few times when luck was with me.  His eyes freaked me out at first; they had no pupils so you could never tell where he was looking.  It was a bit unnerving for a while.  He had no facial hair either.  When I started to ask, he just smiled and hit me.
    I had never seen legs as powerful as his, even in what little bodybuilder magazines I had read or pro wrestling seen on television.  His ability to leap vertically was superior.  On his descent, he drifted slowly as if he commanded the elements to carry him.  His power of control was amazing for I had seen him land so hard that he cracked the ground on other occasions. 
    "Will I ever be built like you?" 
    He smiled and hit me. 
    He reminded me of my teacher...only Mathias spoke even less.
    My training was more than just weapons.  I learned that inner peace and calm was the key to surviving the most horrific events.  Mastering my fear would have