Free Dawn of Man (Thanos Book 1) by Thomas A. Watson Page B

shimmering air. He pulled them out and noticed Kenna pushing on the shimmering air but couldn’t push through like he could. Leaning over, he said, “Don’t worry, and stay here with me. Ahnon has a shield around us,” he whispered. She looked up at him, giving a little smile with fear on her face.
    Ahnon turned to Karme. “They’re moving to me first. They don’t consider you a threat. I hope you have some throwing blades.”
    “Yes, I do,” she said, dropping her hand to her waist.
    “Get ready to shield yourself,” he told her, and she looked at Kenna. “Don’t worry; as long as she stays by Jedek, she’ll be safe,” Ahnon assured her. Throwing his head back, Ahnon shouted, “The coliseum is open. Let the games begin!” as he turned to his right. Karme reached to her waist and pulled out her shield powder, trying to remember the words. “Contego orbis,” Ahnon offered softly.
    “Thank you,” she replied, turning to her left. Now, she could hear them moving softly around them. “I will not disappoint you, Father,” Karme said aloud, and a calm fell over her.
    Ahnon spotted five off in the garden and reached behind him, touching his spell bag on his left. The bags were slung across his back with a pouch on each side. On the bottom of each were five spigots that he only had to touch to get drops of liquids and powder. Then if needed, he could stick his hand in the side of the pouches and pull out small, wax paper packets containing pre-wrapped spell components that he couldn’t get from the ten spigots.
    “Incendio jaculum,” he said, holding out his hand. Dozens of flaming darts shot forth in quick succession, streaking at incredible speed off into the garden where he pointed. Screams suddenly echoed from the garden, and one man fell out of a tree, grabbing his chest. Jedek gasped, seeing the man had three burning holes in his chest, screaming. “Come on; let’s play. I’m getting bored!” Ahnon yelled. When Ahnon yelled again, Karme almost took off running.
    Shouts started coming from around them. Ahnon reached back then pointed at the ground in front of him, moving his arm in an arc. “Diru emuqa.” A shimmering wall a hundred feet long shot from the ground on the group’s right, and several arrows hit it, shattering. “That’s right; look who’s a stupid cow!” Ahnon yelled, turning to see five running up behind them.
    Five attackers were about a hundred yards away and closing fast. The fact they were using magic feet, moving as fast as a horse, did bother Ahnon a little. “Alright, someone with some skill,” he said and pulled at the end of his staff. The top quarter of the staff came off in Ahnon’s hand, connected to a sword. Surprised, Jedek studied it. It looked like the katana at Ahnon’s waist but was straight, and the blade was slightly shorter.
    With the sword in one hand, Jedek watched as Ahnon dropped the rest of the staff, reaching a hand to his back. “Vas Mucro!” Ahnon yelled, swinging his arm in a wide arc. As Ahnon’s arm moved, glass shot out of his hand. If Jedek didn’t think that was cool enough, the glass formed into an impossibly long blade. When Ahnon’s hand came around to his front, the glass blade shot out further, hitting the five running at them. They were still thirty paces away as the blade passed through all five at the waist. Jedek turned away but not before seeing the torsos separate from the waist and legs.
    “Contego orbis,” Jedek heard from his left and turned just in time to see a ball of fire explode on Karme, covering her in flame. Kenna cried out but then saw the fire die away from the sphere around Karme. Jedek looked in front of Karme and saw a group of men dressed in green cloth with black stripes charging her.
    He turned around to tell Ahnon but saw him cutting a man’s arm off. Ahnon never stopped moving toward another group of men that were coming from behind the statue at them. Jedek looked at the magic wall Ahnon made and saw