What if every magical creature you'd ever heard of was real, driven into hiding by an army of violent zealots? This is reality for Sarah Heisen and Porter Collins. Sarah is a sphinx living a life of luxury in her family's mansion. Hidden from all da...
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Chapter Three
(Porter)
"Weapons at the ready," Granger ordered.
Porter raised his wooden sword, pointing it at the young man facing him from the other side of the mat. The other boy drew his own sword with a dramatic flourish, grinning at him.
"Begin!" Granger said, waving his hand and stepping backwards off the mat.
The other boy made the first move, his slanted eyes gleaming eagerly as he darted forward. Porter knocked his attack aside with a swing of his sword, and then rapped him on the shoulder.
"One strike!" Granger declared, holding up a finger on his right hand to keep score.
Porter's opponent grinned, taking a couple steps back. Porter let him do it, and then held his sword out in a defensive position. The Asian boy rushed at him again, ducking to anticipate a head strike while thrusting his weapon up towards Porter's chest. Porter stepped out of the way, and then smacked the other boy on the head.
"Two strikes," Granger announced, holding up another finger.
Chuckling under his breath, Porter's opponent retreated back to the other side of the mat and took up a ready stance.
"You want to make the first move?" Porter offered.
In answer, the Asian boy took a step out, threw himself onto the ground, and somersaulted past Porter. Porter spun around and deflected the attack as the Asian boy rolled back to his feet. The boy swung again at Porter's chest, and their wooden blades crossed. They stayed like this for a few seconds before his opponent abandoned the contest of strength. He dropped to the floor, swinging his leg out in an arc, and knocked Porter's feet out from under him.
Son of a... Porter thought as he fell. At the last moment, his free hand shot out, catching him. He thrust upwards, sending his entire body into the air, and flipped so that he landed on his feet. As he descended, he swung his sword again, slamming it onto the Asian boy's head a second time.
"Three strikes!" Granger declared, holding up a third finger. "Porter wins!"
The Asian boy sat on the mat for a few seconds, stunned, before shaking his head and grinning up at Porter.
"I have a taught you well," he said, rubbing his head.
"Yeah," Porter said, a smile rising to his own face, "you wish you were good enough to teach me that." He held out his hand and helped the other boy up. "Good fight, Ozzie. You're getting better."
"Oh, big deal," Ozzie said dramatically, dropping his weapon on the floor. "I may as well be fighting the wind."
"Would you like some advice, Ozzie?" Granger said, stepping forward to pick up the discarded sword.
