The Anvil (53 page)

He
pushed
the
handle
forward
and
it
gripped
the
string
then
he
pulled
it
back
.
He
let
go
of
the
handle
to
start
putting
the
bolt
in
and
it
quickly
went
forward
under
the
power
in
the
string
.
He
went
back
inside
to
change
his
design
this
time
adding
a
grip
and
improving
the
release
device
,
and
went
back
outside
.
This
time
when
he
cocked
the
crossbow
the
string
stayed
.
He
loaded
the
crossbow
,
aimed
and
shot
.
The
cocking
device
shortened
the
loading
time
by
almost
half
.

Now
he
simply
had
to
push
forward
then
pull
back
,
load
the
bolt
,
aim
and
shoot
.
He
didn
'
t
have
to
fumble
with
the
crossbow
.
He
went
back
to
the
archery
range
to
test
his
design
out
more
.
After
a
few
minutes
the
crowd
had
started
gathering
again
,
so
he
decided
to
find
someone
to
train
with
.
Alex
was
preparing
the
town
'
s
troops
to
march
and
Josh
was
with
the
golems
trying
to
figure
out
more
about
them
.
He
went
to
the
training
ground
for
the
troops
and
asked
Alex
if
there
was
anyone
who
could
train
with
him
.
Alex
pointed
at
a
large
,
muscular
man
standing
practicing
magic
.

Tom
walked
over
to
the
man
“
My
master
said
I
could
train
with
you
,
so
will
you
help
me
train
?”
Tom
asked
,
and
the
man
laughed
in
reply
“
If
you
think
I
am
just
doing
this
for
a
dare
or
something
but
I
need
someone
to
train
with
and
Alex
told
me
you
could
help
.”
Tom
continued
,
this
time
the
man
grabbed
a
practice
sword
and
got
ready
“
Don
'
t
cry
when
I
beat
you
,
boy
.
Anything
but
archery
goes
,
and
don
'
t
kill
”
the
man
said
Tom
lifted
his
practice
axe
and
shield
and
got
ready
also
.

The
man
ran
at
him
and
swung
his
sword
quickly
and
powerfully
,
Tom
simply
deflected
each
blow
using
the
smallest
amount
of
energy
possible
.
He
is
expecting
a
quick
victory
,
so
he
is
wasting
all
his
energy
Tom
thought
.
After
about
five
minutes
of
this
Tom
decided
to
go
on
the
offensive
.
He
jumped
out
of
the
way
of
a
particularly
clumsy
and
powerful
blow
,
the
man
didn
'
t
have
the
strength
to
stop
the
blow
before
it
hit
the
ground
.
Tom
swiftly
dropped
his
axe
and
unsheathed
a
fake
knife
as
he
went
behind
the
man
.
Tom
put
the
knife
against
his
throat
as
he
got
a
grip
on
him
and
whispered
“
I
win
.”
Tom
released
the
man
and
bent
to
grab
his
axe
.

Suddenly
the
man
lifted
his
foot
and
kicked
Tom
in
the
butt
with
all
his
strength
,
sending
Tom
sprawling
forward
. “
No
,
I
win
!”
he
yelled
getting
everyone
'
s
attention
.
Tom
stood
up
and
before
the
man
knew
what
was
happening
Tom
had
his
wings
out
and
was
covered
in
black
scales
.
Tom
made
his
axe
and
shield
fly
to
his
hands
as
he
walked
slowly
to
the
man
. “
Before
I
beat
you
again
,
I
would
like
to
know
your
name
.”
Tom
said
“
Cameron
town
champion
,
what
'
s
your
name
?”
came
the
reply
“
Tom
.”
Tom
answered
simply
.

Tom
suddenly
leaped
forward
and
swung
his
axe
.
In
a
series
of
quick
,
hard
blows
,
he
had
disarmed
Cameron
.
Tom
created
a
cage
of
stone
around
him
,
moved
Cameron
'
s
weapon
out
of
his
reach
,
and
flew
onto
the
cage
.
Tom
looked
down
as
he
heard
Cameron
muttering
.
Obviously
he
was
trying
to
cast
a
spell
,
one
of
the
bars
was
slowly
moving
,
Tom
quickly
moved
it
back
,
then
he
jumped
down
and
as
he
changed
back
into
his
normal
form
asked
“
Now
do
you
accept
that
I
beat
you
?”
Cameron
simply
nodded
then
Tom
continued
“
And
are
you
going
to
take
any
cheap
shots
after
I
let
you
out
of
this
cage
?”
the
man
shook
his
head
.