Grath's Story - Week 5

If there was one thing that Den'Mezzier lacked, it was open space. The streets and courtyards were crowded with people, any garden space was the property of some pompous windbag sheik or another, and even most of the roofs were curved domes or tall spires. However, the roof of the inn where Grath and the others were staying was flat, and so it was there that Grath had decided to practice his swordwork.

He winced a little as he brought the large blade up and around his shoulder and then swinging down before him. The gnome had done good work, and considering that just a few days ago a blade had cut into his shoulder and down between his arm and shoulder bones, there was very little stiffness, but Grath was sure that he would have a scar running around the top of his arm for the rest of his life. At least it wasn't affecting the use of the arm, he thought, as the sword spun around in a horizontal arc arcoss his body. He had no idea where he'd be if he had lost it, or if he'd been unable to use it any more.

He took two steps, bringing the blade up behind him, and then turned to slash down and back up. He was beginning to feel exactly where the blade would go, where it would swing and where he needed to step and how he needed to turn to put the maximum force behind the blade. He could also feel himself becoming stronger, feel the muscles in his arms and chest and back becoming firmer and pulling harder.

He leapt into the air, spinning as his blade whistled around him. Too late, he noticed the chimney jutting from the roof, little more than a simple tube of terra cotta coming up past waist level. His blade ripped down through it. He expected it to shatter, but instead the top ring of the tube slid from the chimney to fall on the roof. Grath looked at the ring, then at his blade, and then he shrugged and went back to practicing his forms.

From a few rooftops away, a hooded figure watched the half-orc and his sword for a few moments, and then he walked down a flight of steps and into the crowded street.