Sword and Fire: The Mercian Chronicles by P.J. Reed

Author:P.J. Reed [Reed, P.J.]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Lost Tower Publishers
Published: 2023-12-03T00:00:00+00:00

TWENTY-THREE

Name - Meloc

Location - Cripplegate, Welfasten City

Allegiance - The Mercian Warbands

Meloc eased himself into the saddle, the leather groaning under his weight. He sensed a change in the energy of the city. Black trails of myrkir began to ooze from the Cripplegate walls. He stood in his stirrups, desperately searching for the source of the dark magik.

A shadow moved past the arrow slit at the top of the gatehouse and silver flashed in the orange sky. Meloc’s horse panicked and bucked. The reins flew from his grasp, and he desperately grabbed at the mare’s mane.

Kasian ran over and calmed the frightened horse.

‘Have a care. You may need these,’ Kasian said as he handed the reins back to Meloc.

‘Thanks!’ Meloc muttered, blushing scarlet.

An arrow slapped against the cobbles, missing the warlock’s head by inches.

‘A black flighted arrow! The Dunmuir are here. We must leave now!’ Kasian shouted as he slapped Meloc’s horse on the rump. The black mare leapt forward, galloping wildly through the half-open gate, and onto the mud track as the unfortunate warlock bounced precariously across his saddle.

The little road led onto the majestic grey stone highway which swept across Mercia, linking the four great cities of the kingdom. The roads ran from Heilagar Fortress in the north-west to Ableakan in the east, spreading northwards to Stonefall Fortress and southwards to the seat of Kings, Fastness Fortress.

The highway was seldom empty. It was the main thoroughfare for the King’s armies, munitions, merchants, and the few dazed survivors fleeing the Dunmuir invasion in the north. It was also a road they could not take. Meloc pulled on the mare’s reins and the horse whinnied in panic as she veered to the left.

The small mare stumbled, almost losing her footing on the tumbling stones, as she galloped up a small, stony track heading to Hauger Hill, a picturesque gathering of tall oaken trees which looked disapprovingly down upon Welfasten City.

Meloc reached the top of the hill and spurred his horse onward. An invisible force tugged at his arm, and he flew from the saddle, landing heavily on his back. His right hand stretched out behind his head, seemingly stuck to the ground. Meloc lay there for a moment, winded and gasping for breath. He tried to pull his right hand towards him, but it was stuck fast. He turned towards his errant hand and swore. The runic writing on the wristband was glowing amber.

‘Faen!’ he swore again and grabbed a handful of grass, ripping it up from its roots in frustration. He had strayed too far from the captain and the Samian Confine had been activated.

‘Damn the Wergend!’

Meloc lay there as his horse proceeded to walk straight into a bush and rake the branches with its strong, yellowed teeth. After a few contortions, which would have even impressed the harlots and patrons of the Crusty Mound, the dirtiest alehouse in Welfasten city, he managed to sit up. Meloc paled as he saw the captain spurring his big bay horse uphill as an arc of arrows soared through the sky.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.