Legacy of the Defender (The Defender Series Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page A

thought that I shou…”
    “Do not think anymore.  Do as you are told and you will be better than any man on your entire planet or in the heavens” The words hit me hard.  How was I supposed to do that?  I could not even beat Jason in sparring. 
    “You will be able to soon.”
    Did he just read my mind?   I thought.
    “Yes.”
    I shuddered.  This was not going to be fun.  Reflections in the light danced off the flames as we sat there staring at the fire.  I was rather unnerved by my teacher whose I name I did not know.  He had the ability to read my mind, even as I sat wondering what his name was.  Not only could he read my mind, but he could also speak directly to me.  It was comforting to know I would not be alone in my thoughts – which someone would always be with me.  At the same time, I would not be alone in my thoughts!  He would know everything, I thought, before I realized it.  This scared me.  My privacy was a thing of the past.
    He sat across from me.  His open eyes reflected the dancing fire like it was alive.  He mediated.  The Flames moved at their own rhythm.  He appeared to command the fire.  Thoughts drifted to what else he could do.  Could he shape water to his will?  Perhaps the wind itself held no sway over him.  Such wonders I was beginning to see as they unfolded before me in this land.  Where ever “this land” was.
    Sleep started to take me when a whisper in my mind came...ever so subtle.  “I am Malnuras.”
    I did not even jump.  A smile crossed my lips.

III
    Test
     
    The bright morning rays peeked over the realm and found their way into my eyes.  I tried to fight off this intruder by swinging at it with an open hand, not realizing it was only the sun.  My efforts seemed in vain when suddenly it went dark.  My hand lowered instinctively, only to feel something strike me right on the sweet spot, still sore from yesterday.  I winced and coughed as the rib moved.  My muscles started to spasm.  Both eyes shot open, and I struggled to focus on the shadow.
    “Get up.  It is time to train,” said a voice.
    I started to mumble under my breath about unfair treatment and got another jab to the rib.  It amazed me how fast he was.  For someone who gave the appearance he was not martial in any way, he regularly beat the daylights.  Fortunately, he used lessons to do it.  He saw me wince and lose my balance only to catch it again before falling towards the fire.  A very warm stone saved me.  A few choice words escaped my lips while I regained my feet.  Holding my side, I managed to catch my breath.
    “It is not healing yet?” he asked.
    “No, it is not.  I think that staff strike broke a rib.”
    “That is unfortunate.  However, you cannot allow it to slow you down.  When you are surrounded by your foes, they will not relent just because you are wounded.”  He poked me in rib on the most painful spot and I nearly blacked out.
    “I get the point of the lesson, Master,” I said, grimacing.
    “Stop calling me that.  I am not your master.  I am your teacher.  Soon you will meet the one that you will call master,” he said.
    “When will he come?”  I asked.
    He ignored my question.  It seemed to me that whenever I asked an obvious question, there was never an easy answer.  He spoke in riddles.  A forthright answer would be nice.  Watching martial arts movies taught me that masters were always full of riddles.  Once, after he punched me in the face, I asked him why.
    “Because I can,” was his response.
    My nose remained broken for weeks because he kept smacking it when my attention wandered.
    It took weeks for me to get used to his constant strikes.  Then one day they stopped.  When asked why he stopped the response was always silence.  His ways seemed odd on so many levels.  My training was never dull. 
    My studies progressed from basic hand-to-hand fighting, which I loved, to an introduction to weapons.  Jason tried to teach me staff,