Lawrence Watt-Evans
The old wizard wasn't exactly happy with Valder, who'd led his enemy to his hut. Now hut and magical supplies were destroyed. But he'd promised the young scout a magic sword to get him safely back to his own lines—and a much-enchanted sword Valder would get!
The resulting sword gave perfect protection—sometimes! It could kill any man—or even half demon. In fact, once drawn, it had to kill before it could be put down or sheathed.
Army
...Tobas had been lucky to find a wizard to take him on as apprentice. But then the wizard died suddenly and unexpectedly after teaching Tobas only a solitary spell, and the youth was too old to find a new master. How could he earn a living when all the magic he could do was light fires?