Free The Guardian Lineage by Seth Z. Herman Page A

say, the Black Brethren. Now, everyone hold out a hand in front of you.”
    Mike still didn’t really understand who the Black Brethren were yet – okay, they were the bad guys, intent on evil and world domination, et cetera – but he instinctively crouched into a karate stance and held out a hand. Next to him, Aaron did the same, bobbing up and down in mock intensity. Mike stifled a laugh.
    â€œThis is one of the spoken charms, different than anything you’ve learned yet. Until now, you were harnessing the elements around you. Very important, but not our task here.”
    Stockton continued, but Mike spaced out for a minute. Wait a minute … they were going to spar magically ? A pit of disappointment formed in his stomach. Karate sparring was something he was confident in, something he’d done before… but magical fighting, that was something different. Mike was slightly afraid – okay, more like overwhelmingly terrified – of his powers, and the thought of actually trying to hit someone with a fireball… his mind drifted back to the scorch marks he’d burned into the wall in Pyro 101 a few hours earlier. He realized he was freaking out again, but he couldn’t help it.
    I can’t… it’s too dangerous…
    Stockton himself crouched into a karate stance – different than Mike’s, more jujitsu-ey – and held out an arm. “ Magena ,” Stockton said, enunciating slowly.
    A shimmering surface extended from the end of Stockton’s fist, silvery-blue, about as tall as a surfboard. Mike heard whispers emanate from his classmates.
    â€œNow your turn. Enunciate slowly.”
    Mike swallowed. He did as he was told, half expecting something to blow up. But just like Stockton had predicted, a glimmering light emerged from Mike’s fist, and it didn’t knock anybody off its feet. It just stayed there, illuminated, like he was holding a fat lightsaber that extended from his head to toe. Mike snuck a peek up and down the line, and was surprised to see that many of the students had succeeded, as well.
    Maybe spoken spells were easier than the other magic. And less flammable.
    â€œExcellent, but we’re going to need everyone to be able to shield themselves if we’re going to spar. Again!”
    The class performed the shield another ten times, until every single member was holding an opaque oval shield. Mike thought they looked like a modernized Roman army, save for the spears and clumsy battle armor.
    Stockton nodded as he looked up and down the ranks. “Well done, well done.” He looked at his watch. “And now, what you’ve all been waiting for.”
    Mike tensed as Stockton grabbed a clipboard that could only hold the class list. He scanned it casually.
    â€œCaulderon, Minor, you two are up first.”
    Surprise registered on Aaron’s face. He glanced down the line, trying to spot Aaron’s opponent. A short kid with black hair and a thing for acne stepped out onto the carpet and awaited further instruction. Aaron did the same.
    â€œApproach each other.” The two boys complied. “Knock fists, and step back fifteen paces.” Aaron and Minor did as they were told, then assumed ready positions.
    â€œNow, listen carefully. To minimize injury on the first day of class, we are going to slow things up.”
    Minimize, not eliminate, Mike noticed. An interesting choice of words…
    â€œEach student will have an opportunity to attack and defend. However, for now, we are going to give the defense five seconds to put up a shield first, before any type of attack.” Stockton smirked. “After five seconds, all bets are off.
    â€œMinor, you’re attacking first.”
    Stockton pulled out a match and went over to the torch, lighting it on fire and placing it in a small metal stand on the floor. He opened the bottle of water, then flicked a switch on the electric current, which turned on