Amendments Read Online Free PDF Page A

barrier he could in front of the defending men.
                  A metallic clinking and whirring sound filled the air and suddenly the grotesquely huge appendage flung forward over the creature’s head.  It pressed the creature to the ground and its bones cracked as the massive weight was flung forward.  The mass of metal slammed against Noir’s barrier over the heads of the Talik soldiers.  The weight and force put into the blow was staggering.  Noir put all his effort into maintaining it.  He felt his head get lighter and black circles threatened to close in around his vision.  “Get away from it!” He yelled as loud as he could.  Men had already started to scramble away from the massive metal appendage.  Noir couldn’t hold the object up any longer and let his barrier dissipate.  The mass of metal fell to the earth missing all of the soldiers.  Noir felt the earth tremble slightly from the force of the object.  If it had fallen without Noir’s barrier, many of those men would have been easily crushed.
                  The beast regained consciousness and tried to stand, but too many of its bones had cracked under the weight.  It squirmed on the ground.  Noir faintly heard Elrid calling for the men to take the creature out.  Noir had to sit and put his head in his hands.  The barriers had been some of the biggest and strongest he had ever had to create.
                  The sickening noise of blades going into flesh signaled the beast’s demise.  Elrid called for them to quickly get away from it after it was dead, but no din explosion followed.  The battlefield was silent except for Elrid calling out orders to the men.
                  After a while, Noir was able to open his eyes and stand.  Nearby, five armored men watched the wilderness.  Now with regained senses, the battlefield made Noir sick.  He stood, tested his balance, retrieved the food and map, and then quickly walked away.
     

 
    Chapter 3
    Indecision
     
                  Noir walked through New Talik without realizing where his feet were taking him.  The events that had just occurred repeated in his mind over and over.  Soon, without remembering the trip there, he was standing inside the doorway of Elrid’s simple house.  Elrid’s wife, Lucille, and their two children were huddled together under their simple wooden table watching Noir.  Despite her guarded state, Lucille had the same look of determination that Noir had grown to be accustomed to from the woman.
                  “What’s going on, Noir?  What were those explosions?”  Lucille held her hands over the ears of her youngest daughter who looked up at him with wide eyes.
                  “Straghs,” Noir admitted.  He wasn’t sure how to explain any more than that.  “I think.”
                  “My husband went out to check something a few minutes ago.”
                  Noir was confused for a moment, and then understood the hidden question.  “He was in the battle, but he is fine.  Don’t worry.”
                  Elrid's wife took her hands off her child’s head and her tension seemed to ease significantly.  “Anyone else?”
                  Noir instantly knew what she meant that time.  “One soldier.  Rahls.  I didn’t know him.”  He walked around the table and went towards the tiny room with a cot that was his space.  “I think it’s safe to come out now if you would like.  The whole town is on alert and I think the straghs are all dead.”
                  Lucille nudged her children out from under the table and stood.  Noir went to his cot and crouched down to gather his belongings.
                  Lucille's voice came from behind Noir as he searched through his things.  “Tell me exactly what happened.”
                  Noir sighed with exhaustion.  He just