Forged Destiny [Book 6: Ch. 15; Book 7: Ch. 9]

Cinder snarled. It was almost in slow motion that she swung her arm forward, summoning a great gout of flame and hurling it towards me. I knew her thoughts as she did. I was no longer a Blacksmith, therefore my one defence against her fire was lost. In elevating myself, I'd weakened myself.

It was something well thought out.

And yet equally flawed.

Ducking low, I surged towards the fires, eyes flashing once as I shifted in a way I instinctively knew how. The words above my head changed – my perception of the world changed – and suddenly I was returned, a Blacksmith once more. My left hand touched my armour a second later and the heat was back, roaring to life as my armour turned bright red. All of it happened in the space of a few seconds and yet Cinder did not see it, her view obstructed by her own attack. I powered through it, emerging from the other side with an angry roar. Cinder backpedalled, panicked, and summoned her swords once more.

My mind clicked. New information, new strength, rushed into me. When our blades clashed, I was a Swordmaster once again.

And I was strong.

With grace I'd never before possessed, I slid into and around her guard, catching one of her blades on mine and bringing my hilt up, twisting her left arm aside and parrying her right with my cross guard. My left foot slid forward, between hers, and I jabbed the pommel of Crocea Mors into her face, stunning her. Following through, the blade came up and down, down onto her collarbone. Cinder screamed in pain and staggered back, blood pouring from the wound.

—Forged Destiny [Book 6: Ch. 15]



Piercing Thrust was termed as a `mighty thrust that pierced the enemy's defences`. It was a thrusting attack that carried me a distance – and it cared nothing for my Dexterity. The moment I used it, I was moving, and at whatever speed the Skill dictated.

It was how I'd caught Cinder off-guard, and it worked just as well here, even if I turned my sword aside at the last second and drove my cross guard into the man's stomach instead.

—Forged Destiny [Book 7: Ch. 9]