Read Wizard Dawning (The Battle Wizard Saga, No. 1) for Free Online Page B

drop against his chest.
    Thor motioned with his hand. "Go ahead and grab it."
    Sig looked down at it and then back up at Grampa Thor. "What if it doesn't work today, like all these other things?"
    Thor looked straight at him, and his eyes narrowed. "Now is a good time to find out. I expect you to face up to things. A Battle Wizard moves forward."
    Sig looked back at him levelly in turn. "Like you did with that sorcerer and the demon that's eating your magic?"
    Thor clenched his jaw and exhaled sharply. "Yes, but you can learn from my mistakes. Think while you advance. For example, if you consider it, this is the safest place to change. Do you have any thoughts that tell you that now may not be a good time to try?"
    Sig shook his head and took the amulet between his index finger and thumb. He looked at it, and breathed out "Aðalbrandr." The arena shimmered. Sig looked up and the roof fell towards him. He flinched, but the roof stopped.
    He looked toward Grampa Thor, but he was gone. Wait, down there. He'd shrunk. Sig realized that Grampa hadn't shrunk. Changing size disoriented him. Everything around him appeared smaller except the amulet in his right hand. It had become a five-foot long sword. "How long does it take to get used to this?" He asked.
    Grampa Thor snorted. "In five or ten years it'll be like falling off a toadstool. Now why don't you start getting used to that body? Can you touch the ceiling?"
    Sig looked up to the peak of the sloping tin roof twenty-five feet above. At its lowest point, the support truss hung eighteen feet over the surface of the arena. He looked back down at Grampa with a skeptical look. "You're kidding, right?"
    Grampa looked at him levelly. "Go ahead; at least get a feel for jumping."
    Sig looked around, searching for a place to put the sword.
    Thor pointed. "There's a holster for the sword on your back. Reach over your right shoulder."
    Sig reached around, found the top of the holster, and slid the sword in. Then he took a step and leapt, grabbing the roof truss with both hands. He hung for a moment as the beam creaked. Releasing his hold, he landed back on the dirt floor with a thud and a cloud of dust. What an amazing feeling.
    His amazement reflected in Grampa's face. "It was a joke when I asked if you could touch the ceiling." He blew out a big breath, shrugged, and then said, "Why don't you do some Kendo warm ups? After you're done stretching I'd like to watch how you move."
    Grampa started counting for Sig's warm up " ichi, ni, san, shi "; Sig continued emphatically, " go, roku, shichi, hachi "; building his ki or energy while going through the warm up stretches and then into an exercise routine. It included pushups, squat jumps, sit-ups, and sword movements.
    Sig finished in an hour. A light sheen of sweat covered his body. Grampa looked him over. "You look fresh. I think I'm more tired than you are and only counted cadence. How did it feel?"
    "I feel great. You're right; I feel fresher than when I do the routine in my regular form. I think I could do this for hours; it feels so good. I feel like a machine." He held up one of his arms and looked at it. The size of a tree trunk, it swelled impressively when he flexed.
    Thor nodded. "It can be addictive to have that much power, speed, and grace all under your control. A typical Battle Wizard is a match for five to ten men. You probably are worth twenty men, given your martial arts training. However, I used the word addictive purposely. There can always be too much of a good thing. Too long in that form and you may exhibit anger, hostility, and unreasonable rage. "
    "I've heard about 'roid rage from steroids. Is it anything like that?"
    "Something like that. You have to pay attention and learn your limits. You also have to learn to control it when the situation doesn't allow you to switch back to your normal form."
    Sig took a step forward and roared, "What do you mean hostility?"
    Grampa took a step back.
    Sig laughed, "Just kidding.