Read Online The Reluctant Mage: Book One in the Zandar Series by R. E. Donnellan - Free Book Online
Authors: R. E. Donnellan
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can do?”
Marko’s image seemed to smile. “Of course. Battle is more than magic. Battle is strategy, it is tactics, it is cavalry, it is infantry; it is more, always more yet never enough.”
Marko thought about that for a moment. “Well, I am not a general, but I do know how to fight. My uncle gave me an old Imperial blade. I am not bad with it. Can you teach me more?”
“Sword work? I have not taught that for a long time. It is only taught as a last resort; when the mage has exhausted his magic. But if you want to learn that first, very well.”
“I told you I am not a mage. How do you teach me anyway?”
“Pick up that weapon over there.”
Marko look where his image was pointing. On the small table rested a narrow sword. It was about three feet long but only an inch wide. The metal seemed to be twisted in some way.
Marko walked back to the mirror holding the unusual sword. “This does not look like any sword I know.”
“That is a rapier. It is the weapon of gentlemen. Think of the type of weapon you use.”
Marko thought of his short sword. When he looked down at his hands, he was now holding it. It looked exactly the same down to where the eagle was scratched off.
“Now that we have gotten that out of the way. I need you to ask me to enter your mind.”
“What do you mean? I am dreaming. You are already into my mind. Or at least I am dreaming you up. Same thing, really.”
His image chuckled. “Think what you will about who and what I am. That is not important now. I am limited in how intrusive I can be with your mind. To actually teach you the sword, I have to guide your movement. You will lose the ability to control your body. I will be in control. So, again may I enter your mind?”
“Well, I guess so. I still don’t…”
Marko’s sentence stopped. He looked at himself in the mirror but could not move. He tried to take a step away from the mirror but his legs would not obey.
“Don’t worry. You are all right. I am in control. Now I am going to start by taking you through a series of sword forms. This will loosen you up. If your mind is to learn, it must be confused. It must think that you are actually doing these forms. Your mind believes what you tell it. Now watch.”
To Marko, it was like he was in a wagon watching a teamster next to him drive. He experienced every move but he was just along for the ride. The first two forms looked familiar to Marko. They were forms his father taught him and ones he practiced regularly. The third was completely foreign. It involved as much kicking and punching with his elbows as it did thrusting and slashing with his sword.
By the time he/they were finished, he was thoroughly soaked. He also found that he was in control of his body. “I could tell you were not used to that last form. That was called the Ples. It allows you to fight in tight spaces and when you are so exhausted that you cannot deliver killing blows with you sword.”
“It was strange watching me do those moves. But how does that help me? I mean you were doing them. I will just forget when I wake up.”
“You will remember everything I did at a very deep level. The more that you perform a move, the easier it will be to both copy and decide when to use it. Now I want you to practice that last form. Try to remember exactly how I did it. If it does not feel right, then repeat from the last point that felt right.”
It took Marko at least three times longer to complete the form. He had to regularly repeat areas that did not feel right. When he was done, he was literally dripping wet.
“That was not bad for your first try. Having practice with the sword helped. It should also allow you to learn faster. When you practice in the real world, focus on your kicks. That is your biggest area of improvement. You should be able to control the exact point where your kicks do the most damage. Remember to
Marko’s image seemed to smile. “Of course. Battle is more than magic. Battle is strategy, it is tactics, it is cavalry, it is infantry; it is more, always more yet never enough.”
Marko thought about that for a moment. “Well, I am not a general, but I do know how to fight. My uncle gave me an old Imperial blade. I am not bad with it. Can you teach me more?”
“Sword work? I have not taught that for a long time. It is only taught as a last resort; when the mage has exhausted his magic. But if you want to learn that first, very well.”
“I told you I am not a mage. How do you teach me anyway?”
“Pick up that weapon over there.”
Marko look where his image was pointing. On the small table rested a narrow sword. It was about three feet long but only an inch wide. The metal seemed to be twisted in some way.
Marko walked back to the mirror holding the unusual sword. “This does not look like any sword I know.”
“That is a rapier. It is the weapon of gentlemen. Think of the type of weapon you use.”
Marko thought of his short sword. When he looked down at his hands, he was now holding it. It looked exactly the same down to where the eagle was scratched off.
“Now that we have gotten that out of the way. I need you to ask me to enter your mind.”
“What do you mean? I am dreaming. You are already into my mind. Or at least I am dreaming you up. Same thing, really.”
His image chuckled. “Think what you will about who and what I am. That is not important now. I am limited in how intrusive I can be with your mind. To actually teach you the sword, I have to guide your movement. You will lose the ability to control your body. I will be in control. So, again may I enter your mind?”
“Well, I guess so. I still don’t…”
Marko’s sentence stopped. He looked at himself in the mirror but could not move. He tried to take a step away from the mirror but his legs would not obey.
“Don’t worry. You are all right. I am in control. Now I am going to start by taking you through a series of sword forms. This will loosen you up. If your mind is to learn, it must be confused. It must think that you are actually doing these forms. Your mind believes what you tell it. Now watch.”
To Marko, it was like he was in a wagon watching a teamster next to him drive. He experienced every move but he was just along for the ride. The first two forms looked familiar to Marko. They were forms his father taught him and ones he practiced regularly. The third was completely foreign. It involved as much kicking and punching with his elbows as it did thrusting and slashing with his sword.
By the time he/they were finished, he was thoroughly soaked. He also found that he was in control of his body. “I could tell you were not used to that last form. That was called the Ples. It allows you to fight in tight spaces and when you are so exhausted that you cannot deliver killing blows with you sword.”
“It was strange watching me do those moves. But how does that help me? I mean you were doing them. I will just forget when I wake up.”
“You will remember everything I did at a very deep level. The more that you perform a move, the easier it will be to both copy and decide when to use it. Now I want you to practice that last form. Try to remember exactly how I did it. If it does not feel right, then repeat from the last point that felt right.”
It took Marko at least three times longer to complete the form. He had to regularly repeat areas that did not feel right. When he was done, he was literally dripping wet.
“That was not bad for your first try. Having practice with the sword helped. It should also allow you to learn faster. When you practice in the real world, focus on your kicks. That is your biggest area of improvement. You should be able to control the exact point where your kicks do the most damage. Remember to
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