The Zulani Empire: The New Chronicles of Elemental Magic by Andrew Wood
Authors: Andrew Wood
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there was barely a slither of a moon, when his eye was caught by something fly right by the glass. He jumped back a little in surprise as it flew past again. Darak stepped forward and opened the casement on the window, letting the cool night breeze blow in. He peered through, looking to see if he could identify what had caught his gaze, when he jumped backwards. A great big falcon emerged from the darkness, and flew straight through the opening and into the room.
Sarena who had been sat quietly sewing on an easy chair, jumped up as the bird landed just in front of her. "Look," she cried, "It is carrying a tube of some kind." Darak quickly darted over to where the bird stood, but it just dropped its tube and darted back out of the window, out into the night sky. After watching the bird depart, Darak picked up the tube and examined it. "It is a message," he said pulling out a rolled piece of parchment.
Sarena stood by patiently, as her husband opened the Royal seal on the note and read the contents. He passed the paper over letting his shoulders drop as he did so. Sarena could tell from his posture that the letter did not contain good news, but she read for herself nonetheless. "Darak," she said, "It is happening again isn't it?" Her husband nodded to the affirmative, although it seemed it was not the Darekian force that they thought, that might be coming.
Darak slipped on his boots, and gave his wife a peck on the cheek. "I shall give the order to the garrison commander my dear. I shall be back shortly," he added before slipping out of the door. He walked down the dark pathway of his luxurious home to the gates. After being let through by two of his house guards, one of whom fell in behind as he passed, he made his way down the main street in Forwich.
The garrison here was not a large one by any means, but it was closest to where they thought the trouble might come. The king had told in his scribbled letter that the site of the old capital city would most likely be the Zulani landing site. Barely two hundred soldiers were housed in the barracks in Forwich, and now he had orders, to send each and every one of them to fight an enemy they knew nothing about.
As Darak passed through the garrison gate, the guard on duty saluted. After acknowledging the gesture with a nod of his head, he walked straight for the building where he knew the commander was housed. He could see there was a light on, and knocked loudly on the door. The commander came to the door, and greeted Lord Darak gesturing for him to enter. The commander's home was very simple compared to that of Darak's, but suited the soldier fine enough. Darak explained the situation to the commander, who remained silent, listening to the Kings orders being passed on. "I shall have the men ready to move out within the hour my Lord," the man said bowing his head. Darak nodded and left. He had done his small part. If the town needed any defence now, it would have to rely on the walls and the small number of house guards at his disposal.
As the commander had promised, barely an hour had passed by when the northern gates opened up. Despite it being dark, the force of over two hundred soldiers, fifty of whom were mounted, moved out. A long train of men, pack horses, and wagons left through the gate and out into the darkness beyond the town. Once the last was through, the order was given for the gates to be closed. With no army of note left within the walls to defend it, a little more care would have to be taken.
In Sefton, a similar thing was taking place, although here the garrison was much larger. Nearly five hundred men and the retinue moved slowly out of the gates, heading to the old capital of Hamalin. The man leading them had seen combat before in the previous war with the Darekians. His name was Dane, and back then had been nothing more than a raw recruit. Now he held command over an entire battalion. At his side rode his long time friend and Captain, Camden. Their group
Sarena who had been sat quietly sewing on an easy chair, jumped up as the bird landed just in front of her. "Look," she cried, "It is carrying a tube of some kind." Darak quickly darted over to where the bird stood, but it just dropped its tube and darted back out of the window, out into the night sky. After watching the bird depart, Darak picked up the tube and examined it. "It is a message," he said pulling out a rolled piece of parchment.
Sarena stood by patiently, as her husband opened the Royal seal on the note and read the contents. He passed the paper over letting his shoulders drop as he did so. Sarena could tell from his posture that the letter did not contain good news, but she read for herself nonetheless. "Darak," she said, "It is happening again isn't it?" Her husband nodded to the affirmative, although it seemed it was not the Darekian force that they thought, that might be coming.
Darak slipped on his boots, and gave his wife a peck on the cheek. "I shall give the order to the garrison commander my dear. I shall be back shortly," he added before slipping out of the door. He walked down the dark pathway of his luxurious home to the gates. After being let through by two of his house guards, one of whom fell in behind as he passed, he made his way down the main street in Forwich.
The garrison here was not a large one by any means, but it was closest to where they thought the trouble might come. The king had told in his scribbled letter that the site of the old capital city would most likely be the Zulani landing site. Barely two hundred soldiers were housed in the barracks in Forwich, and now he had orders, to send each and every one of them to fight an enemy they knew nothing about.
As Darak passed through the garrison gate, the guard on duty saluted. After acknowledging the gesture with a nod of his head, he walked straight for the building where he knew the commander was housed. He could see there was a light on, and knocked loudly on the door. The commander came to the door, and greeted Lord Darak gesturing for him to enter. The commander's home was very simple compared to that of Darak's, but suited the soldier fine enough. Darak explained the situation to the commander, who remained silent, listening to the Kings orders being passed on. "I shall have the men ready to move out within the hour my Lord," the man said bowing his head. Darak nodded and left. He had done his small part. If the town needed any defence now, it would have to rely on the walls and the small number of house guards at his disposal.
As the commander had promised, barely an hour had passed by when the northern gates opened up. Despite it being dark, the force of over two hundred soldiers, fifty of whom were mounted, moved out. A long train of men, pack horses, and wagons left through the gate and out into the darkness beyond the town. Once the last was through, the order was given for the gates to be closed. With no army of note left within the walls to defend it, a little more care would have to be taken.
In Sefton, a similar thing was taking place, although here the garrison was much larger. Nearly five hundred men and the retinue moved slowly out of the gates, heading to the old capital of Hamalin. The man leading them had seen combat before in the previous war with the Darekians. His name was Dane, and back then had been nothing more than a raw recruit. Now he held command over an entire battalion. At his side rode his long time friend and Captain, Camden. Their group
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