The Forever Man 6 - Dystopian Apocalypse Adventure: Book 6: Rebirth by Zerf Craig

Author:Zerf, Craig [Zerf, Craig]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, mobi, epub
Publisher: Anglo-American Press
Published: 2016-03-27T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 28

Nathaniel sat astride his horse and oversaw the teams of townsfolk working on the dry moats. In the distance more men were working on the wreckages of the battle wagons, stripping them of all and any equipment that may be of value. An earlier survey had shown that three of the mallet guns were still in working order and the forth one would need some work done on its boiler and steam pipes before it could be up and running once more.

Floating just above the marine’s right hand was a small, spluttering ball of orange fire. It waxed and waned, growing as large as a pumpkin and shrinking to the size of a baseball. Nathaniel had been practicing whenever he had the chance, spreading his net of power as far as he could, drawing it in and then releasing it as fire. But there was so little life-force left in the land that all he could create were mere parlor tricks. Cigar lighters and fire starters. Small balls of plasma to cast some light in the night.

He banished the flame as he looked up to see the shimmer of something approaching in the far distance. Using his far-looking powers he trained his focus on the image and smiled.

It was his friend, Captain Tobias and his Landship, the Gwendolyn, complete with outriders.

The marine spurred his mount and galloped towards the approaching wagon. As he drew closer one of the outriders moved towards him and, as they got closer, Nathaniel realized with a shock that he knew them.

‘Jethro,’ he called out in greeting to the first man that he had met after he awoke in this new time and place.

‘Raggedy man,’ returned Jethro. ‘Looks like you’ve gone up in the world.’

‘Looks can be deceiving,’ countered Nathaniel. ‘So, you ride with Captain Tobias now?’

‘Yep. He’s a good man. Told us about you, the hero of Cutter’s Pass. Always knew that you were carrying that axe for a reason.’

‘Jethro, what are you and Tobias doing here? You knew that the town was going to be scoured so why come?’

‘We knew,’ confirmed the outrider. ‘That’s why we came. Reckoned that the people would need help. Women, children being cast out into the badlands. It’s not right.’

‘Good man,’ said Nathaniel. ‘As you can see, “The Scouring” didn’t quite go as the Highmen planned.’

Jethro grinned. ‘I would venture to say that it went about as far wrong as any event could possibly hope to ever go. What actually happened to them?’

The marine turned in his saddle and pointed at the Leviathan that hung over the town. ‘That happened to them. In a big way. Now we’re busy fortifying the town, scavenging the mallet guns and ammo. Creating some serious defenses.’

‘You’ll need some, raggedy man,’ added Jethro. ‘When the Highmen council find out about this they are going to come down on you like the proverbial ton of crap. You have earned yourself a world of hurt.’

The marine smiled ruefully. ‘It’s nothing that I haven’t dealt with before, Jethro.

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