"Debra Doyle & James D. MacDonald - School of Wizardry" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doyle Debra)

School of Wizardry
by Debra Doyle & James D MacDonald
Randal thought he wanted to be a wizard. . . .

As a young squire, Randal seems assured of a future as a
knightтАФuntil a mysterious wizard enters the castle gates.

To his astonishment, Randal discovers that he himself
possesses special powers. He leaves the security of life as a
squire to become a student at the School of Wizardry.

Once his training in the mystic arts has begun, however,
Randal soon learns that there are many perilsтАФand one deadly
enemyтАФto be overcome before he can advance from sorcerer's
apprentice to journeyman wizard....

I. A Visitor at Castle Doun
"I TOLD YOU it was going to rain," said Randal. He frowned
at the drops spotting the dusty flagstones of the courtyard of
Castle Doun. In a minute or two, a layer of slick mud would be
covering the pavement.

"And I told you Sir Palamon would have us out here
anyway," said his cousin Walter as he strode off toward the
pellsтАФthick, man-high poles of wood, notched and chipped from
taking sword blows from Castle Doun's knights and squires.

Walter was sixteen and already wearing metal armor.
Randal, at twelve and a bit, still practiced in padded cloth and
leather. He watched his cousin cutting high and low, left and
right, at the pells, and wondered if armor made a difference.
 The sound of spurs clinking on the pavement made him turn
around. Sir Palamon, master-at-arms for Castle Doun, stood
with his thumbs hooked into his belt. "Good to see you boys out
here," he said. "Carry on with your practice."

Randal gripped his sword. Again and again he swung the
heavy blade above his head, snapped it forward past his
shoulder, and thrust with all his weight behind it. Sir Palamon's
hoarse voice interrupted him in mid-motion. "Let's see that last
move againтАФand this time step forward into it!"

Randal thrust with the sword.

Sir Palamon looked disgusted. "What do you think you're
doingтАФpoking holes in a sack of flour? Do it again."

Randal tried again. Sir Palamon shook his head and drew his
own sword.