The commander got the magic sword for cheap. Its spell drew down lightning each time it was drawn, but the enchantment was poorly cast. Sheathing the blade was the only way to stop the effect.
Flashy but impractical, he used it to inspire the troops, calling a bolt as the finale of his most rousing speeches.
It proved very effective until the day a grunt assigned to clean his tent accidentally knocked the blade out of its stand and sent it flying.
The resulting fires and damage nearly bankrupted the company, but he sold the sword to offset the costs.

“Ka-boom (lightning)” by Leszek.Leszczynski is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Everyday Drabbles © 2025 by Hugh J. O’Donnell is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0