Read Online A Sea of Shields (Book #10 in the Sorcerer's Ring) by Morgan Rice - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Morgan Rice
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, Fantasy, Action & Adventure, Paranormal, Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Epic, dark fantasy, Love & Romance
Ads: Link
on.
Knowing that his Legion brothers, Reece and Conven and Elden and O’Connor, were all spread throughout the Ring on various tasks, Thor felt comfortable, at least, that he was the one who remained here, close to home, to focus on this task. He’d also been Captain of the Legion, so it felt almost natural he should be the one tasked with rebuilding it.
Thor looked at the dozens of boys before him, and he had high hopes for some, but not for others. They did their best to stand at attention as he came close, and he could tell that some of them were just not warriors; others could be, yet they would need much training. There was an untested look in all their eyes, a look of anxiety, of fear of what was to come.
“Men!” Thor called out. “Because you are all men now, regardless of your age. The day you take up arms to defend your homeland, to risk your life with your brothers, you become a man. If you join the Legion, you will fight for honor, valor. That is what forms a man, not your age. Is that understood?”
“YES SIR!” they all screamed back.
“I have fought with men twice my age who have died beside me,” Thor continued. “Being older did not make them any more of a man than I. Nor did it make them better warriors. You become a man by taking on manly duties; and you become a better warrior by bettering yourselves.”
“YES SIR!”
Thor guided his horse slowly up and down the ranks, observing, weighing each recruit, looking them in the eye.
“A spot in the Legion is a sacred thing. There is no greater honor the Ring can bestow. It will be handed to no one. It is more than position. It is a code. A code of brotherhood. Once you join it, you no longer live to defend yourself. You live to defend your brothers.”
“YES SIR!”
Thor dismounted. He walked slowly, turned and looked out to the field behind him, the newly rebuilt arena.
“There, in the distance, lie a dozen targets. Before you, spears lie on the ground. There is one spear for each of you. You have one chance to hit the target. Show me what you have,” Thor said, walking off to the side, watching.
The boys rushed forward, each racing to grab one of the spears lodged in the ground. Excited, each one hurled his spear, each wanting to be first to hit the target of hay about thirty yards away.
Thor watched their technique with a professional eye. He was not surprised to see that nearly all of them missed.
Only a small handful of boys managed to hit their targets. And none of these hit the center.
Thor shook his head slowly. This would be a long and painful process, he knew. He wondered if he would ever find boys skilled enough to fill the shoes of the others. He had to remind himself what he and his brothers were like on their first day.
“Grab your spears, come back, and try again.”
“YES SIR!”
They sprinted across the arena, heading for the spears, and as Thor watched, a voice startled him:
“Thorgrin.”
Thor looked over and saw the face of a boy he dimly recognized, a boy who looked back at him with hope.
“Do you remember me?”
Thor squinted, trying to put a name to the face.
“I remember you,” the boy said. “You saved my life. You may have forgotten, but it was something I will never forget.”
Thor narrowed his eyes, beginning to remember.
“Where was it?” Thor asked.
“We met in the dungeon,” the boy said. “You had been accused of killing King MacGil. I was there on charges of thievery. You saved my hand from dismemberment. It is a kindness I will never forget.”
Thor suddenly remembered it all.
“Merek!” Thor said. “The thief!”
Merek nodded and smiled. He extended his hand, and Thor shook it.
“I have come to repay the favor,” Merek said. “I heard you’re recruiting for the Legion, and I want to volunteer.”
Thor looked at him in surprise.
“I thought you are a thief?” Thor asked.
Merek smiled back.
“And what better skill could you want for the Legion? After all, to
Knowing that his Legion brothers, Reece and Conven and Elden and O’Connor, were all spread throughout the Ring on various tasks, Thor felt comfortable, at least, that he was the one who remained here, close to home, to focus on this task. He’d also been Captain of the Legion, so it felt almost natural he should be the one tasked with rebuilding it.
Thor looked at the dozens of boys before him, and he had high hopes for some, but not for others. They did their best to stand at attention as he came close, and he could tell that some of them were just not warriors; others could be, yet they would need much training. There was an untested look in all their eyes, a look of anxiety, of fear of what was to come.
“Men!” Thor called out. “Because you are all men now, regardless of your age. The day you take up arms to defend your homeland, to risk your life with your brothers, you become a man. If you join the Legion, you will fight for honor, valor. That is what forms a man, not your age. Is that understood?”
“YES SIR!” they all screamed back.
“I have fought with men twice my age who have died beside me,” Thor continued. “Being older did not make them any more of a man than I. Nor did it make them better warriors. You become a man by taking on manly duties; and you become a better warrior by bettering yourselves.”
“YES SIR!”
Thor guided his horse slowly up and down the ranks, observing, weighing each recruit, looking them in the eye.
“A spot in the Legion is a sacred thing. There is no greater honor the Ring can bestow. It will be handed to no one. It is more than position. It is a code. A code of brotherhood. Once you join it, you no longer live to defend yourself. You live to defend your brothers.”
“YES SIR!”
Thor dismounted. He walked slowly, turned and looked out to the field behind him, the newly rebuilt arena.
“There, in the distance, lie a dozen targets. Before you, spears lie on the ground. There is one spear for each of you. You have one chance to hit the target. Show me what you have,” Thor said, walking off to the side, watching.
The boys rushed forward, each racing to grab one of the spears lodged in the ground. Excited, each one hurled his spear, each wanting to be first to hit the target of hay about thirty yards away.
Thor watched their technique with a professional eye. He was not surprised to see that nearly all of them missed.
Only a small handful of boys managed to hit their targets. And none of these hit the center.
Thor shook his head slowly. This would be a long and painful process, he knew. He wondered if he would ever find boys skilled enough to fill the shoes of the others. He had to remind himself what he and his brothers were like on their first day.
“Grab your spears, come back, and try again.”
“YES SIR!”
They sprinted across the arena, heading for the spears, and as Thor watched, a voice startled him:
“Thorgrin.”
Thor looked over and saw the face of a boy he dimly recognized, a boy who looked back at him with hope.
“Do you remember me?”
Thor squinted, trying to put a name to the face.
“I remember you,” the boy said. “You saved my life. You may have forgotten, but it was something I will never forget.”
Thor narrowed his eyes, beginning to remember.
“Where was it?” Thor asked.
“We met in the dungeon,” the boy said. “You had been accused of killing King MacGil. I was there on charges of thievery. You saved my hand from dismemberment. It is a kindness I will never forget.”
Thor suddenly remembered it all.
“Merek!” Thor said. “The thief!”
Merek nodded and smiled. He extended his hand, and Thor shook it.
“I have come to repay the favor,” Merek said. “I heard you’re recruiting for the Legion, and I want to volunteer.”
Thor looked at him in surprise.
“I thought you are a thief?” Thor asked.
Merek smiled back.
“And what better skill could you want for the Legion? After all, to
Similar Books
