Surrounded Giveaway: Fighting Free
Posted by Karen
Hey everyone! Okay, I’ve said it before, but we’ve gone some seriously great writings among The Demon Cycle fans. Check out this entry to the Surrounded Giveaway:
The naked night used to scare me. It used to terrify me, to be more specific. Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water all rose up against my home – my family. It threatened to swallow me whole. The naked night meant death. That is, at least, until the Deliverer brought back hope. He says he ‘ent no Deliverer’ but deliver is exactly what he did. He gave us fighting wards. He gave us a fighting chance.
Fight is exactly what I intend to do.
Fear of the night has been replaced with the thrill of the hunt. I am not in the wild this night by accident. I did not lose track of time, nor was I cast out from the safety of the wardnet back home. I began preparing for this months ago, when word first reached my village that fighting wards had been returned. I gathered the necessary materials and went to work.
An undercoat of repelling wards sewn into the cloth; not painted. Paint fades, and my art was meant to last. With great care, I etched Forbiddings into every inch of my light steel armor and helm, interlocking defenses against the demons. I only wish that I had learned the wards for Night Sight that the Hollowers were rumored to have. Special care was taken to counter the behemoths, the Rock Demons. I’d heard stories of Old One Arm. Their might was undeniable.
Throwing Daggers, an axe, a spear, and a specially prepared chain were all laid out. Sometimes, it paid to be the son of a Blacksmith. They all waited, calling to me the need to be warded for war. As soon as I saw the fighting wards, I began my labor.
I started with a single throwing dagger, adding the fighting wards I had stolen a look at as a man claiming to be from Deliverer’s Hollow passed through. Testing it against a Woodie from the safety of my ward net, I was satisfied by its howls of pain. I engraved every weapon I owned. I even went as far as to carve them into my gauntlets.
All of my work, all of my sleepless nights etching, sewing, and sharpening. It was all meant for tonight. Tonight, I will not hide. I will not cower and pray. I will not wait for the day to burn the demons from my home.
Tonight, I’m going to kill them all. -Keith
This is so incredibly cool. I love the tone and atmosphere of this. It’s more like a story than just an answer to the giveaway’s question. Really stellar job, Keith.
You can grab a copy of The Warded Man hardcover on Amazon or Books-A-Million.