Chapter 2 Earthquake

Lan and his men headed to the right on foot. The Michaeline captain placed Sir Geoffrey in charge of the swordsmen, while Lan took charge of the archers. They walked five abreast for several minutes with the swordsmen in the lead and the archers in the rear, their metal armor clattering. Ahead, Lan saw two sets of high walls, which formed a crude street about twenty feet wide. He quickly ordered the knights to fall into a three-abreast formation before continuing.

They followed the street for ten minutes watching for anything unusual, as Evan had instructed. In most places the walls were crumbling or collapsed. The road curved gently to the left and the knights continued only another five yards before reaching a section where the walls on both sides of the street had fallen down. The pile of rubble topped Geoffrey’s head and there was too much stone to try and move it.

Lan saw the blockage as he rounded the corner. “We’ll have to double back,” he said.

However, before anyone could move, the ground began to shake gently. Lan’s eyes widen in surprise for an instant before he suppressed the feeling and began turning around. The motion of the ground slowly grew stronger, making it hard to walk or even stand. Lan was thrown to the ground along with many of the other knights.

The knights around him screamed. Lan looked in the direction of the voices. In some places, the earthquake flattened out small piles of stones. In other spots, large piles of rock had been thrown on top of some knights. Sections of the walls were also crumbling. Other knights were injured from falling debris. A few were able to use their shields to deflect the rubble.

Lan could barely stand but his mind whirred with activity as he focused on the events before him.

Earthquakes in this part of Thalacia are rare. This is an attack by a necromancer.

The trick was finding him. The entire troop made too much noise to sneak up on the man but individuals deployed strategically might be able to. Of course, Lan decided to wait until the quake ended. He hoped the necromancer would still be close by.

The shaking subsided slowly. Once Lan was able to stand, he was on his feet issuing orders, and joined the other able-bodied men in helping injured knights. Suddenly, Lan caught sight of Sir Geoffrey, who was rubbing his sword arm. Lan went to him.

“Are you all right?”

“Aye,” said Geoffrey, “just some bruises.”

“Good,” said Lan. “Take charge of the men. Help the injured back to the horses and then assemble the remaining men. We’ll move out again, when I return.”

“Where are ya going?”

“We’ve been attacked, Geoffrey,” Lan noted gesturing at the knights as they slowly got to their feet. “With luck, I’m going to try and find the source of the quake and prevent another one.”

“Alone?”

“Yes. I’ll need stealth and as a group we make too much noise.”

“And if ya should fail?”

“Then find Father Evan and let him know what’s happened.”

“Aye, sir.”

Lan walked up the crude street and discovered an archer lying dead under some debris. The Michaeline captain picked up the man’s bow and slung the quiver over his shoulder. He nocked an arrow and made his way slowly to an area where the wall had collapsed. Cautiously he peered along its outer face. Debris, pockets of tall grass, and rubble met the knight’s gaze. In the soft earth, he saw footprints. He followed them, moving ten yards deeper into the ruins. Up ahead, Lan spied a man dressed in a simple tunic and trousers.

Lan took aim with his bow and called out, “You there. Stop and identify yourself.”

The man glanced in Lan’s direction and waved his hands. Lan dropped the bow and doubled over in agonizing pain. The man approached Lan, drawing a dagger and smirking. Lan tried to stand, but his legs would not hold him. He tried to crawl, but even that movement was torture. Reluctantly, Lan lay in the grass unmoving to minimize the pain.

The necromancer crouched to put the blade against Lan’s throat. Lan watched the dagger, knowing his life might soon end. His mind whirred and a plan for keeping himself alive formed in his head. He waited for the necromancer to get just a little closer. Then putting all his strength and resolve into one final movement, his arm came up. Fire seemed to roar down his arm and across his shoulder as his joints moved. Lan didn’t know if his aim was good but he felt his knuckles hit something hard and almost immediately the pain eased.

Looking up, Lan saw his opponent fall back and drop the dagger. Wasting no time, Lan scrambled to his feet. He reached for his bow and the other man tackled him. They wrestled on the ground, rolling in one direction and then another. Finally, Lan broke his opponent’s hold and stood up. He groaned and stumbled backwards a little. He shook his head to clear it and then saw his bow a few yards away. He ran over to it.

Meanwhile, the necronancer had stood up and pulled out another dagger from the side of his boot. He threw it and missed. Lan heard the weapon whiz by. Grapping his bow from the ground, Lan loaded an arrow into it and faced his opponent. The necromancer was running towards the dagger he had dropped earlier.

“Stop,” said Lan.

The man ignored Lan and an instant later he cried out in pain and grabbed his leg as an arrow impaled his right calf.

Lan drew another arrow and placed it in the bow. “That way.” He gestured with his weapon. The man did not move. “The next arrow will be through your stomach. Now move.”

The man’s eyes narrowed. He turned slowed and limped in the direction indicated, cursing himself for being captured.