Twisting my sword to break free of the blade linked with mine, I stepped to the side with a suddenness that caused the rider to lose his balance and tumble off his mount. I slashed him in the back on his way down to help him land harder.
With a snap of my wrist, I activated the shield I had magically hidden in my leather cuffs, and a latticed network of electric strips immediately sprang out over the back of my forearm. I lifted the crackling shield of pure lightning just as a chain mace ball full of spikes swung at my head. It hit the shield instead, and the electric lines seemed to grip the metal ball and follow the chain down to the hilt where it electrocuted the hand of the man holding it. He screamed and flew back away from me, blood pouring from his ears while black soot covered his
