The Anvil (79 page)

The
gathering
lasted
two
days
more
,
Tom
,
free
from
tests
,
wandered
around
talking
to
the
Guardians
and
practiced
the
various
skills
he
was
learning
.
Sometimes
he
would
stand
and
watch
as
Guardians
practiced
,
both
in
the
air
and
on
the
ground
,
he
was
amazed
at
the
speed
,
strength
and
hand
eye
coordination
they
all
showed
.

Often
the
wooden
practice
weapons
broke
from
the
power
of
the
hits
,
when
that
happened
the
Guardian
would
simply
start
using
magic
or
their
body
as
a
weapon
.
On
the
last
day
the
two
graduating
apprentices
were
given
a
coat
of
arms
,
armour
and
golden
claws
,
all
symbols
of
Dragon
Guardian
.
Tom
and
the
other
apprentices
didn
’
t
see
the
actual
ceremony
,
but
they
got
to
come
to
the
feast
afterwards
.
Tom
and
Alex
then
went
back
to
Blangto
,
where
Tom
resumed
his
training
.

A
month
later
,
as
Tom
was
fighting
a
small
group
of
dirt
men
controlled
by
Alex
,
a
single
horseman
came
to
Blangto
.
He
went
straight
through
the
village
towards
the
Guardian
’
s
cabin
.
Tom
destroyed
the
last
dirt
man
as
the
man
dismounted
in
front
of
the
training
ground
.
The
man
took
a
moment
to
catch
his
breath
then
looked
at
Alex
“
The
Ilemart
are
back
,
with
a
bigger
army
.”

Chapter
24

             
Alex
and
Tom
went
straight
inside
after
the
messenger
finished
explaining
to
pack
.
The
Ilemite
was
angry
at
the
Arstanians
because
of
their
defeat
and
had
decided
to
send
a
giant
army
against
them
,
and
leading
the
army
were
both
the
remaining
Supreme
Generals
.
The
small
number
of
groups
that
stayed
after
the
first
army
,
like
the
one
Tom
and
Alex
had
fought
,
had
stayed
behind
to
find
and
perhaps
kill
the
Arstanian
leaders
and
others
who
had
been
key
in
the
Arstanian
victory
.

Within
a
few
hours
Alex
and
Tom
were
with
the
small
group
of
soldiers
from
Blangto
marching
towards
Oltar
’
s
Plains
.
That
is
where
the
kingdom
’
s
army
was
assembling
,
but
along
the
way
groups
of
warriors
and
archers
joined
the
group
Tom
was
in
,
coming
from
nearby
towns
and
villages
.
One
day
Josh
silently
joined
the
group
,
along
with
the
vampires
and
four
other
Immortals
.

A
week
after
they
left
,
they
arrived
at
Oltar
’
s
Plains
.
Most
of
the
southern
army
was
already
assembled
on
the
plains
.
The
Pontal
River
created
a
natural
border
between
Ilemart
and
Arstan
,
with
a
large
bridge
crossing
in
the
plains
,
on
the
Ilemart
side
was
continued
plains
for
a
few
more
yards
,
then
what
used
to
be
a
forest
,
now
thin
woods
due
to
the
Ilemart
wars
and
building
.
On
the
Arstanian
side
of
the
river
stood
Castle
Yont
,
named
for
the
first
owner
,
and
on
the
Ilemite
side
was
a
fort
.
Some
Arstanian
engineers
and
soldiers
worked
on
various
defences
,
sharpening
large
sticks
and
placing
them
in
rows
,
digging
trenches
,
making
and
preparing
ballistas
and
other
anti
-
siege
weapons
and
setting
traps
.

The
traps
were
made
by
two
groups
of
elite
woodsmen
,
the
Hunters
and
the
Beastmasters
.
The
hunters
were
great
trappers
,
usually
had
a
pet
to
help
them
hunt
and
were
amazing
at
shooting
the
large
longbows
they
used
.
The
Beastmasters
were
able
to
tame
the
wildest
of
beasts
by
befriending
them
,
also
good
shots
with
bows
but
usually
used
knives
for
fighting
.
Tom
could
see
many
animals
some
laying
around
and
others
helping
their
masters
.
Tom
flew
to
where
they
were
digging
trenches
and
silently
got
a
shovel
and
began
digging
.

After
an
hour
he
took
a
break
and
ate
lunch
,
a
soup
in
a
bread
bowl
.
He
then
went
to
where
they
were
placing
the
sharpened
sticks
near
the
river
bank
and
started
to
help
again
.
On
the
third
day
the
Ilemite
army
started
appearing
on
the
other
side
of
the
river
,
groups
would
show
up
at
random
and
join
the
mass
of
tents
on
both
sides
.
The
day
after
enemy
troops
started
appearing
one
of
the
Supreme
Generals
flew
into
the
enemy
camp
with
a
troop
of
wyvern
and
griffin
riders
.