Page 84 of Ares' Shield
“Yeah, Claud, we have to save friends. Dax escaped the chains you guys made for him.” I swipe at the sweat on the back of my neck.
“Help friends.” Claud bounds over to his work station and picks up a few things.
The door opens behind us and I glance over to find Kira rushing into the room. “Good, I caught you.”
“What’s up?” I raise a brow at her.
“There’s some things I need to explain to Adrian about his gift.” She turns to Adrian as Claud races over to them with a grin.
Claud holds out a bow and a quiver of arrows to Adrian. “Gift.”
“Claud, thank you,” Adrian says in awe.
The bow appears to be bronze inlaid with gold much like the sword currently sitting on my hip.
Kira pulls one of the arrows from the quiver and inspects it. A pulse of light runs through the gold filigree. “If you give it a little magic, the arrows can do just about anything, but don’t give it too much or it could explode in your face.”
“Ouch.” Claud rubs his face.
“Also, the arrows will magically reappear back in the quiver once they’ve been fired at a target so you will never run out of arrows. Even if they explode.” Kira puts the arrow back into the quiver.
Adrian stares between Kira, Claud, and the bow. “This is the most amazing gift I have ever been given. Claud, thank you.”
Claud bounces on his feet, giddy with excitement, and I pitch to the side as the ground shakes beneath my feet for a moment. Jayden catches me, steadying me.
“Easy there, buddy. You’re gonna destroy this place with us inside.” Jayden claps Claud on the arm.
“Jayden,” Claud says with wide, hopeful eyes.
He hands him a scabbard similar to mine only bigger. The broad sword inside it swirls with shadows inlaid with obsidian accents.
“Wow,” Jayden says. “This is perfect.”
Jayden tests the weight of the blade in his palm, his eyes gleaming as he stares at it.
Kira steps forward. “You should be able to direct your hellfire through it. The same way Beth does with her lightning.”
Jayden concentrates for a second and the sword bursts into flickering black flames that almost appear to be blue.
Jayden turns a grin on Claud. “Thank you, Claud. This is amazing.”
“You like?” Claud sniffs.
Was the big guy really scared we wouldn’t like his gifts? Even if they had been terrible, I still would have told them they were amazing because it was the thought he put into them, but they are all absolutely perfect for us.
“I love it, buddy. It will really help us protect ourselves on our mission.” Jayden releases the flames from his blade and places it back in the scabbard.
“See, Claud.” Kira grins. “I told you they would love them.”
“Protect friends,” Claud agrees with a solemn nod of his own.
“Yeah, you are helping protect your friends. You’re a good friend, Claud.” I squeeze his hand.
“Miss friends.” Claud sniffles and blinks tears from his big blue eye.
“We’re going to miss you too. We will come see you as soon as we get back, okay?” I wrap an arm around him as best I can with his towering height.
“Okay, be safe.” Claud wipes his eye.
