Rezkin wandered into the study that held the multitude of weapons. He retrieved two matching ones he had seen in his previous visits. They were identical and meant to be wielded as a set. Each one consisted of a central hardwood shaft about the length of his forearm. A curved scythe-like blade extended from the tip of each end of the shaft back toward the other end of the shaft but did not connect. They were most unusual weapons for Ashai, but he had seen them before. They were called su’carai and were used by the nomads of the mountain tribes far to the East. A foreign warrior had been brought to the fortress to train Rezkin in the use of the strange weapons, but it had been a while since he had worked with them.

The young warrior took one in each hand, placing his palms in the centers of the shafts. Then, he began spinning them in his fingers so that each looked like a bladed disk. He walked with them into the center of the room, which was kept clear presumably for this purpose, and began sweeping through the forms scoured from his memories.

As his body fell into the familiar motions, the blades spun faster until they created a whirring sound as they swept through the air. Rezkin twisted and spun all the while keeping the blades in motion. The whirring became a melodic cadence that sounded like the ebb and flow of an enormous locust swarm. When Rezkin had completed the final form, the spinning blades came to an abrupt halt, and so did the music.

Rezkin turned to the wall to replace the weapons as he said, “Good afternoon, General. You are home early, again.”

General Marcum stood in the doorway in his crisp military uniform, clasping his hands behind his back. He grunted and remarked, “I have never actually seen those weapons in use. They were always fascinating to me, but I had a difficult time imagining how they could be effective. I understand, now. The man I purchased them from assured me that a true master could make them sing. It seems he was telling the truth.”

“They are surely an interesting weapon—one I had not seen in quite some time,” Rezkin replied.

Marcum shook his head and replied, “You speak of time as would a man two or three times your age. How long has it been since you mastered the su’carai?”

Rezkin cocked his head in thought. “Perhaps three or four years. These were a little awkward when I first picked them up. They are slightly larger than those to which I was accustomed. I imagine mine were sized to fit me at the time.”

“It did not appear to be the least bit awkward from my perspective,” the general commented.

“It came back quickly, and I adjusted,” Rezkin replied. “I have practiced with them on occasion since then, just not often.”