Chapter 23: Something Big…. (3)

Chapter 23: Something Big.... (3)

He never had a chance to reunite with Gandash, though it was to his delight that, in the afternoon, Sergeant Tamharu was assigned to his squad.

Xerk! the sergeant said. How you holding up?

Doing okay, Sarge. Any news? Say, what happened to Master Ligishs machine? I forgot about it in all the commotion.

I think the mages forgot, too, he said. Captain Ishki got orders to lock it up for safe keeping. I guess theyll wait until this invasion is dealt with before looking at it. You ready to go out there and skewer some bug monsters?

Xerxes grinned. Ready to sliceem and diceem!

Tamharu laughed.

As it turned out, they were assigned to patrol Harborview. To Xerxes surprise, he learned that Tamharu had also been born and raised there.

How come you dont talk like it? Xerxes asked.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

How come you dont? the sergeant responded. I heard some of the boys saying you were born and raised here, but you sound like an ogdown fancypants mage to me.

Xerxes laughed. Okay, fair point.

They didnt encounter any Abhorrent. Or any cultists. They did stop a mugging, and arrested a pickpocket, although Ninsunu said they didnt have time to cart them to jail, so they let the lawbreakers off with beatings.

Before long, it was time to part ways with Tamharu. Even though theyd only known each other for a short time, Xerxes felt closer with him than with virtually any of the other mages with whom hed been associated for much longer.

Take care of yourself, Xerk, Tamharu said.

You too, Sarge.

No need for the title.

Xerxes heart suddenly felt heavy, though he wasnt sure why. Okay, Tamharu. Please, be careful. If things get bad just be careful.

The sergeant gave him a casual salute, then left. Xerxes tried to ignore the premonition this might be the last time he saw him.

Just nerves, he told himself.

Never mind.

Gazing back out into the sky briefly, he was about to turn and head back into the keep when he saw another meteor.

Look! he said.

The soldier stepped closer to get a better view through the crenelations. Falling star? the soldier said.

Yeah, Xerxes replied. The Abhorrent are coming in those things. I wonder.

The soldier gulped nervously. I sure ope its nothing but

He stopped talking as he realized that this meteor was a lot closer than the other, so much so that he had to crane his heads to see it. Furthermore, its angle of descent was much steeper.

Xerxes, having experienced a meteor flying directly overhead, didnt duck as it passed over, but the soldier did. They heard a faint rumbling sound as the meteor crashed into the ground so close to the city walls that they saw a cloud of dust a moment later.

Oly shit, the soldier said.

Xerxes gritted his teeth. Yeah, we need to report this. Come on, lets

He stopped talking.

Up in the sky, hed spotted another burning object. But somehow, he could tell that this one was much bigger than any of the others.

The smaller meteors had streaked down like diving falcons; this bigger one tumbled end over end without any sense of urgency. It almost seemed to be falling in slow motion. But as it got bigger, and bigger, and bigger, Xerxes heart pounded.

How big was it?

And it seemed to be heading directly toward him. It wasnt like the situation back on the road, where the meteor had looked like it was heading toward him, but actually wasnt. As the meteor grew larger and larger in his field of vision, he didnt get any sense that it was slowly drifting to the left, or the right. No, it was coming right toward him. What would happen when it hit? Fire? Explosions? Destruction? Probably all of those.

Its going to land in the city, he said. Maybe even hit the keep.

Fucking ell, the soldier muttered, standing there as motionless as a gravestone.

Yeah. Keeping his eyes on the meteor, he pushed past the petrified soldier and toward the door. If that thing hits us, were dead!