Defend the Arm

Over the next few days, I wore the shield on my newer, smaller, more vulnerable right arm. I know there are those who say it is easier to break the bones of such an arm, and they are not entirely wrong. But for my part, I preferred keeping a sturdy slab of wood between the new limb and potential sparring damage.

Unfortunately, there wasn't time on my run.

The whistle, high above the sounds that human ears could hear, sounded.

"Velana!" I shouted, "Call them off."

"Fetch." she said.

Shit.

If the dogs pulled on my new limb, they could easily tear it off. Didn't she understand that?

I looked at my feet.

I told my System.

[You have scored…]

[You have scored…]

[You have scored…]

Three blows in quick succession, each one a critical. As I said earlier, it wasn't that I feared the dogs. I was afraid of maiming or killing them.