The Anvil (84 page)

Soon
the
Ilemite
forces
pulled
back
and
the
battle
was
over
.
Tom
started
walking
back
to
his
tent
when
a
man
rushed
over
to
him
and
looked
at
his
hands
.
The
white
clothes
told
he
was
a
healer
.
The
man
shook
his
head
,
looked
at
Tom
’
s
face
“
I
’
m
afraid
I
can
’
t
let
you
fight
for
a
while
until
your
hands
heal
.
If
you
keep
fighting
and
using
your
hands
too
much
they
will
not
heal
as
quickly
and
perhaps
cause
permanent
damage
to
your
hands
.
I
will
check
on
you
every
two
days
,
so
come
to
the
medical
tent
in
two
days
.”
the
healer
said
and
walked
away
.
Tom
looked
at
his
hands
and
frowned
,
not
because
he
liked
fighting
but
because
he
wanted
to
help
his
country
.
He
shrugged
and
went
to
his
tent
,
took
off
his
armour
,
washed
,
put
fresh
clothes
on
and
walked
out
with
only
his
axe
.

He
figured
he
would
always
carry
it
so
he
could
defend
himself
.
Zack
joined
him
as
he
walked
to
get
some
food
.
Zack
started
to
ask
a
question
but
Tom
knew
what
he
would
ask
“
I
am
not
allowed
to
fight
until
my
burns
heal
.”
Tom
explained
,
and
realization
dawned
on
Zack
’
s
face
.
They
continued
walking
and
got
some
food
.
The
next
four
days
passed
extremely
slowly
for
Tom
,
although
the
Ilemite
army
attacked
two
days
after
.

Tom
usually
passed
his
time
studying
tactics
,
geography
among
other
subjects
Alex
told
him
to
.
He
also
practiced
singing
and
playing
guitar
,
sometimes
along
with
one
of
his
friends
.
Tom
also
went
to
the
medical
tent
as
the
healer
told
him
to
.
On
the
fifth
day
after
the
last
battle
Tom
was
in
he
sat
outside
his
tent
drawing
battle
tactics
for
Alex
,
when
suddenly
the
horns
sounded
and
Tom
knew
they
were
under
attack
.

He
instinctively
started
to
get
his
armour
on
but
stopped
and
tried
to
continue
drawing
the
tactics
.
After
a
moment
he
gave
up
,
spread
his
wings
and
flew
to
a
nearby
hill
in
the
Arstanian
camp
.
He
could
see
most
the
battle
from
there
and
sat
watching
as
the
two
armies
fought
.
Suddenly
a
Ilemite
riding
a
dragon
landed
in
front
of
Tom
.
The
man
,
obviously
high
ranking
,
saw
Tom
as
he
pulled
out
his
axe
.

The
enemy
laughed
as
his
dragon
prepared
to
lunge
.
Tom
made
a
wall
in
front
of
him
as
the
dragon
lunged
,
and
he
could
hear
the
dragon
hit
it
.
He
jumped
over
and
made
the
wall
break
apart
and
hit
the
dragon
and
rider
.
He
landed
behind
the
enemy
and
cut
at
the
dragon
’
s
back
leg
.
The
blow
hit
and
the
dragon
turned
slowly
as
the
enemy
rider
prepared
to
strike
at
Tom
.
But
Tom
didn
’
t
wait
for
them
to
strike
him
,
he
put
his
axe
in
his
belt
and
pulled
out
a
dagger
.

He
ran
at
the
dragon
,
slid
under
it
and
used
the
dagger
to
stab
the
dragon
.
The
dagger
went
through
the
dragon
’
s
scales
and
Tom
knew
it
would
kill
.
He
sent
a
burst
of
air
at
the
dragon
and
the
burst
caught
the
dragon
’
s
wings
and
made
it
lift
slightly
.
Tom
took
the
moment
to
get
out
from
under
it
and
pull
out
his
axe
again
.
The
dragon
fell
again
and
lay
dead
as
the
rider
jumped
at
Tom
from
the
saddle
.
Tom
sent
a
rock
flying
at
the
man
’
s
chest
,
sending
him
back
over
the
dragon
.

Tom
flew
over
the
dead
dragon
and
found
the
rider
pushing
the
rock
off
his
chest
.
Tom
slammed
his
axe
handle
into
the
man
’
s
head
and
magically
moved
the
rock
off
him
.
The
dazed
rider
didn
’
t
fight
as
Tom
put
leather
cuffs
onto
the
man
’
s
wrists
and
ankles
and
led
him
to
the
prison
tents
.
Tom
gave
a
guard
the
prisoner
and
returned
to
his
vantage
point
.
Tom
watched
the
rest
of
the
battle
and
went
back
to
his
tent
.