OoOoO

When Vinie awoke in the dead of night, at first she supposed it was because of the pain. She was lying alone in bed, the pillows which had previously propped up her bandaged hands and arms knocked down onto the floor. Her limbs throbbed with heat, her seared hands most of all. The pain-dulling effects of the tea she had been given must have worn off.

Gingerly, wincing every inch of the way, Vinie turned herself sideways and upward until she sat with her feet hanging off the edge of the bed. Thin and made of soft linen though they were, it still sent a stinging shock up Vinie's leg when the bedsheets brushed against the bandages wrapping her shins. She sat there for several moments, recovering, before making any attempt to stand.

The emptiness of the bed briefly unsettled Vinie before she remembered that Gideo was in the next room. On advice from the State Hall's healer, they had slept separately, so as not to risk bumping or crushing each other's injuries during the night. Vinie listened for any tell-tale sounds that Gideo was still asleep; his soft, steady snores, or perhaps a dream-laden mumble. There was only silence from the bedroom wall. Now that Vinie was awake enough to notice, there was no noise from anywhere. Outside the window, the entire city of Moaan was eerily dark and silent. There were no sleepy calls of birds roosting atop the State Hall or beneath the soaring arches of Moaan's raised thoroughfares. Beyond the docks, the Beson Inlet lay vast and silent; a vast grey expanse of sea beneath a starless, overcast sky.

That was when Vinie realized what was making the small hairs on the back of her neck rise. There was a strange orange glow rimming the clouds, bathing the sleeping city in a rusty weir light brighter than any full moon. Something was terribly wrong.

Like a dash of cold water down her spine, Vinie felt a surge of energy course through her. Ignoring the protests of her bone-weary, burned body, she pushed herself upright and into her sandals. Her belt with her hand-knife and belawa sword lay draped over a nearby chair. Vinie awkwardly scooped up the belt in stiff, swaddled hands, not bothering to stop and even attempt buckling it on her way to the door. They were in Moaan, inside the State Hall, one of the few places in all of Goran where they ought to feel safe. For reasons Vinie couldn't describe though, she knew they were all in danger.

Besides her sandals and belt, Vinie wore only the loose shirt and short pants she had gone to sleep in. Her footsteps echoed off mosaic-laden walls as she made her way to Gideo's room. A single lantern hung lit along the wall, its flame making the painted tiles gleam like seashells on the floor of a grotto. There were no Moaanese Guards to be seen. In that moment, between the eerie atmosphere outside and the silence inside, Vinie felt utterly alone, as if she were the only person in existence.

She didn't even bother knocking. Using her elbow to push the handle, Vinie shouldered her way into Gideo's room. She found him standing stock-still at the window, a tall black silhouette against the rusty skyline.

"Gideo," Vinie called out softly, almost shy to break the weight of the city's silence. "Come on, we have to find the others."

Gideo did not answer. He continued to stare out at the growing haze reflecting off the clouds. He like Vinie was still dressed for bed, minus even a shirt. His weapons had long since been lost when he was taken prisoner in Danitesk.

"Luv, we have to go."

Still Gideo continued to stare. When Vinie approached and looped his arm through hers, he allowed her to lead him away from the window. He did not break his trancelike gaze at the sky until they were nearly out into the hallway. When finally he did look Vinie in the eye, his brow was covered in a sheen of sweat.

"We have to go," he echoed, voice tight.

"This way. Let's find Kiiss first."

As it turned out, it was Kiiss who found Vinie and Gideo first. They were just setting foot out into the main rotunda of the State Hall when the click-clack of shoes on tiled floors came echoing through the vast space. A large brazier burned on the ground level, its glow reflecting off the gold domed ceiling nine stories above. The metallic gleam was just enough by which to see Kiiss approaching down the spiral staircase ringing hall.

Kiiss was in an uncharacteristic hurry. The moment she spotted the two of them in the doorway, she beckoned them to follow her back up the stairs.

"You had better come see...quickly now! I just finished rousing Ekene and the others."

Part of Vinie wondered if she weren't still asleep and dreaming as she and Gideo followed Kiiss up to the highest level of the State Hall; the offices of Xolani and Oesu. The throbbing sting of her burns felt somehow unreal, barely even registering beyond a wince when Vinie reached out instinctively to hold open the office door behind Kiiss. If she were dreaming though, perhaps she wouldn't be wearing nightclothes.

Not that it mattered; even Xolani and Oesu themselves were wearing silken nightrobes belted above their sandals. Xolani hadn't even bothered to put on his lavish false arm. The Lord and Lady of Undor stood at the large window behind their desks, gazing out at the sky much as Vinie had found Gideo. Ekene, Okoreo, and Dalar were there, as was Ijireen. The Red Ovate hung back a short distance from the others, clutching at the neck of her borrowed (likely one of Oesu's, judging by the size and quality) nightrobe.

"How close?" Xolani was asking a Moaanese Guard, who was currently studying the horizon through a spyglass. "Is it on the south side of the jungle bridge?"

"Yas, and moving fast. The entire north bank of the river is already gone," answered the guard.

Oesu gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. "What!? You mean the north bank of the bridge, right?"

"No Madame, the entire northern jungle. I see only smoke and ash behind the fire's head."

"What's happening?" Vinie broke in. Her throat was still raw, and her voice came out hoarse and cracked.

Surprising considering their reception the previous evening, both Xolani and Oesu turned to answer Vinie directly.

"A forest fire has broken out in the jungle. It's enormous, and moving very, very fast." Xolani tapped the guard on the shoulder, and he offered the spyglass to Vinie.

Holding the metal tube in her bandaged hands was difficult. Vinie barely managed to get the eyepiece up to her face, much less hold it in place. She didn't need more than a glance though to see just how enormous the jungle fire was.

Red-orange flames stretched from horizon to horizon, rolling across the jungle in a hungry tide. Plumes of thick black smoke belched out behind the blaze, darkening the air even as the reflected glow of the flames set the cloudy sky afire. Feathery tree ferns went up like torches, their delicate leaves shriveling in an instant. As Vinie watched through the spyglass, a towering mahogany tree – charred and barren – succumbed to the flames and fell in a shower of sparks and smoke. Even from this distance, Vinie could see the tiny figures of apes swinging through the treetops, desperately fleeing south away from the wave of fire and destruction. The flames moved impossibly fast though, leaping from tree to tree like a living predator in hot pursuit.

"How is it moving so fast!?" Vinie exclaimed in horror. It was not the effort of holding the spyglass that made her arms shake.

"There must be a southerly wind tonight," Oesu tried to rationalize. "We have to work quickly. I just gave the order to ring the city bells. There may be just enough time to fell a perimeter of trees around the city. If we can create enough open space...and water! We have an ocean of water right at our fingertips!"

"We'll help," Ekene was quick to chime in. "Just put axes in our hands and we'll-"

"Abandon the city."

Every single head turned in disbelief toward Ijireen. The teenage girl continued to stand hugging herself, but her jaw was set in grim determination. Outside, a sudden clamour rang out as the warning bells of Moaan began to toll.

Xolani tried to smile reassuringly. "I don't believe that's necessary just yet, Bright Eyes. You may not have seen a forest fire before, but they're actually rather common in Undor at high summer. At least, smaller ones are."

Ijireen shook her head with such vehemence, it startled even Vinie. "No! You have not seen a magic-born fire before, One Hand, but I have!" She rounded on Vinie and Gideo. "And so have you, up close! Look out there and tell me that's a natural flame!"

The cold, sinking feeling in the pit of Vinie's stomach was beginning to make perfect sense.

"Mahir..." she whispered.

"Yes, Mahir! After what happened in The Lair, do you really think he was going to let the south go unpunished? He's unleashed Arzai and the others, and he'll burn Undor to the ground before he sees it go free. Those flames will be here much, much sooner than you think, and they will burn as fierce and hot as dragon-fire. Not even Moaan's stone walls will survive." Ijireen seized hold of Kiiss's sleeve, red eyes wide and genuinely frightened. "Please, you have to believe me! Mahir doesn't want peace anymore...he wants revenge!"

Kiiss laid a manicured hand overtop Ijireen's. She studied the young sorceress carefully, appraising her. Then, slowly and deliberately, she spoke. "Lord Xolani, Lady Oesu...when an Obad trembles, it is time to run."

"Run!" Oesu scoffed. She did however glance nervously at sky's ominous orange glow. "Run where? There are nearly one hundred thousand people within Moaan's walls. Where could so many people even go?"

"Anywhere! Out to sea! You yourself said that we need open space and water to escape the fire! The sea has plenty of both. Isn't it true that every Undorian household has a boat? Order everyone into the boats and away from shore, before the city burns around them. It may already be too late..."

There was a definite note of panic to Ijireen's pleas now. Xolani and Oesu looked torn; they kept looking back and forth between one another and the rousing city below. Shouts of confusion rang out from the rooftops where people had been sleeping. The bells continued to ring, loud and long and clear, calling the citizens of Moaan from their beds and out into the streets. Many were already beginning to gather outside the State Hall. All stared fearfully up at the growing haze in the clouds overhead. Whatever was to be done, it had to be done decisively and quickly.

Suddenly Gideo – who until then had been leaning in a daze against the far wall – straightened up and cleared his throat. It took several coughs, but eventually he managed to speak.

"Vinie and I are leaving. We'll warn as many people as we can, and take anyone with us who wants to go, but we going down to harbour, finding a boat, and heading out to sea. You can either lead the evacuation with us, or you can stay here and try to fight magic barehanded." Gideo held up his bandaged hands before him. There were hollows beneath his cheekbones that Vinie hadn't noticed before, made more prominent by week-old beard stubble. Strands of silver gleamed in his dark curls. "I don't think you'll like how that fight turns out," he said grimly.

Outside, the tolling of the bells and the confusion of the crowd grew steadily louder. Xolani and Oesu stared long and hard at one another, speaking without words. Vinie waited and held her breath. The fire was still at least two leagues – a little over an hour – away, but already she could taste a smoky tang in the air.

"We are leaving," said Vinie, affirming Gideo's decision. "How many lives are you willing to risk trying to save a pile of stones with a name?"

Xolani nodded at Oesu. Oesu's jaw firmed. Approaching her side of the crescent desk, she inserted a key into a drawer and withdrew an armful of scrolls and letters. With these tucked in the crook of her arm as tenderly as one would cradle a human child, the Lady of Undor addressed the room.

"We abandon the city. Xolani and I will address the people of Moaan and give the order to put out to sea. Lieutenant..." Oesu's brow furrowed briefly as she gazed at Vinie and Gideo, her golden-brown eyes apprehensive. "...General, I would like you both present as well. The people...they trust you."

It was as close to an apology as Vinie suspected she was ever likely to receive from the proud pair. With Gideo alive at her side and the end of the world bearing down on them, it was easy enough to put aside any lingering resentments. There just wasn't time to do anything but.

"We're with you."

"Stars help us all," murmured Ekene.

OoOoO

The order to flee Moaan for the sea was initially met with disbelief. No one in the crowd gathered before the State Hall made any move to obey. Even with the acrid scent of burning jungle hanging thick in the air, most seemed uncertain whether this wasn't all some sort of strange dream. It had taken the Moaanese Guard physically urging the crowd out of the square to set most of them into motion. Even so, most walked rather than ran through the streets toward their homes, as if they had all the time in the world to gather their families and belongings.

It wasn't until the panicked trumpeting of elephants was heard outside the walls of Moaan that the realization of danger truly set in. Ordinarily shy, elusive creatures, an entire herd came streaming out of the jungle right beyond the western wall. The elephants crushed every plant before them in their wild dash for the shore. Some near the back of the group were smudged with soot and ash along their vast grey flanks. A tiny baby wobbled along behind its mother, singed ears flapping, and its frightened cries finally burst the bubble of incredulity covering the citizens of Moaan.

From that moment on, the effort to keep outright chaos at bay was nothing short of titanic. Most families in Moaan kept their boats moored amidst the vast floating docks on the Bay of Torbos. There was only so much harbor frontage though, and ninety-two thousand people all trying to get onto the docks at once quickly created a jam. The Moaanese Guards did what they could to direct the crowds into single streams, but many simply jumped into the water and swam in search of their boats. This tactic created its own problems though. Dozens of swimmers were nearly keelhauled by boats already on their way out of the bay.

The Serpent's Tunnel was little better. Although fewer boats were moored in the enclosed channel, those closest to shore were boarded and ready for cast off before the owners of boats at the far end even reached their crafts. As the closer boats tried to sail down the tunnel, they were immediately blocked by further boats trying to push off from either side.

Ships tended to reflect the wealth and status of their owners, and Xolani and Oesu's boat was no exception. The largest dhow that Vinie had ever seen sat at anchor in a small cove tucked behind The Serpent's Tunnel. With its soaring masts, tiered cabin, and broad teakwood decks, the dhow was easily large enough to carry thirty, if not forty people. That was why, when they put out to sea, Xolani and Oesu would be taking with them not just Vinie and Gideo, but also Ijireen, Kiiss and her family, the surviving StarGazers, and any elders in Moaan without kin or a boat of their own.

Vinie tried to help as much as she was able, but the growing pain of her burns and the clumsiness of her bandaged hands made just about every effort ten times more difficult. Unable to help carry crates of food on board – who knew how many floating households the large dhow might have to support if others did not think to pack provisions? – she instead turned her attention to the log-jam of people trying to get onto the docks. The Moaanese Guards were doing their best, but there just weren't enough of them. Just as she was watching, Vinie saw a man in the water get clipped by a passing beden fishing boat.

"Too many people in too many places!" she exclaimed. "There has to be some way to keep everyone organized."

"They're more afraid of fire than of the guards, and rightly so," said Ekene darkly.

The sight of Ekene - tall and fearsome in her black crocodile-skin StarGazers' armour - gave Vinie an idea. "Ekene! You could get them to listen! They'd be afraid enough of you to back off at least a little."

Ekene's brows shot up. After giving the suggestion a quick once-over though, she called out for Okoreo and Dalar.

"Put your masks on and follow me! Chidea! Ngozi!"

"Yes Mama!" The two teenagers dropped the banana crate they were carrying and came running.

"You can help too. Just keep your masks on and stand where the crowding is worst."

The StarGazers donned their featureless red and white 'executioners' masks and vanished into the masses. Minutes later, startled shrieks broke out at various spots along the edge of the dock. Like a school of minnows parting around a shark, the crowd shrank away from the sudden appearance of assassins in their midst. These little pockets of space gave the Moaanese Guards the opportunity they needed to corral everyone into a somewhat orderly flow.

"Well done, FireBelly." Kiiss flashed a brief smile at Vinie as she passed, youngest grandchildren in tow. Young Obi – Anuli StarGazer's orphaned daughter – clung to Kiiss's hand with grey-knuckled fingers. For her sake, Vinie dared to hope that the evacuation of the city might actually succeed.

Thinking of children brought realization crashing down upon Vinie like a thunderclap. Sahar's boys, Zaneo and Tani! Bakko! Her father and the boys were still at home in Utunma, unaware of the inferno that was tearing its way through the southern jungles. She had to go to them, had to warn them!

Vinie was just about to go sprinting back up the pier in search of Xolani and Oesu when a strange roaring whoosh stopped her short. It sounded like it was coming from just outside Moaan's gate. For the first time in nearly half an hour, Vinie found a moment to look to the north. So did everyone else jammed into the harbour.

Like a wave crashing upon a shoal, a flash of fire fanned up above the city wall. Undeterred by a lack of fuel, it barely hesitated at the sandstone barrier. Flaming tongues spilled over the wall and into the northern districts. Rooftop canopies under which people had been sleeping only hours ago went up in little puffs, crackling embers blowing on the wind to drift down over the waters of the bay. Whatever time Moaan might have had left, it wasn't going to be enough. Already the fire was surging toward the State Hall.

There still remained over a thousand people at the harbour's edge. Whatever hesitation the civilians might have felt at the appearance of the StarGazers, the arrival of the fire blew it utterly to shreds. A mad panic broke out, spreading as fast if not faster than the flames within the city. People pushed and shoved out of desperation, in many cases accidentally knocking each other off the piers and into the water. The Moaanese Guards could no longer hold back the tide; they fell away from their posts and rushed to join their own families in the boats.

"Madame, do we cast off!?" the captain of the dhow called down to Oesu.

"Not yet!" she called back. "There are still people in the city, and we have a little room to spare. Is Xolani aboard with you?"

"No Madame, we haven't seen him!"

"Gideo, we have to warn-" Vinie realized in mid-sentence that Gideo was not beside her. Her fears for Bakko and the boys were abruptly joined by terror for Gideo. "Gideo!"

"They're not here!" confirmed Ijireen from the deck of the ship.

A shrill yip-braying rang out above the shouting of the crowd and the crackling of the fire. From the direction of the State Hall, there came the clopping of hooves down cobbled city streets. Vinie's fear turned to shock when she realized just what was causing all the ruckus.

Xolani and Gideo were each mounted on the back of one of Kiiss's carriage zebras, leading the other two behind them by the reins. Xolani also held what looked like a small birdcage pinned against his chest by his golden arm. Unable to hold either set of reins in his bandaged hands, Gideo was using only his knees to steer and guiding the rear zebra to follow with the straps around his wrist. None of the animals needed much convincing; Vinie could see the bright glow of fire at the end of the street behind them.

"Gideo!" Vinie sprinted to meet them, and she wasn't alone. Oesu and Kiiss also came running, leaving Ijireen to keep hold of the children aboard the dhow. "What were you thin-"

"YOU DEADHEADED BASTARD!" Always poised, ever professional Lady Oesu exploded at Xolani the moment he was within hearing range. "You went back for four zebras and that broken bird!?"

"Absolutely," gasped Xolani. His headwrap was charred in several places from falling embers, and he and Gideo were both covered in ash. "Her wings haven't healed enough for her to fly yet."

Inside the cage Xolani held to his chest was none other than the little green parrot which had brought news of Gideo's capture from Danitesk. The bird had been fitted with a tiny golden prosthetic beak to replace the damage done by Syrinese falconers, and although quite ruffled, appeared to be alive and well. She, like the zebras, was also fairly distressed by current events. Parrot and zebras alike cried out shrilly. The zebras began to rear and flash their hooves the second Xolani and Gideo reined them to a halt at the dock.

Oesu was about to start screaming at Xolani again when she was interrupted by Kiiss. "Since you went to all the trouble of saving my team, hurry and let's get them on board! Quickly now!" Although the zebras continued to bray and toss their heads, the one being led by Gideo quickly consented to follow its mistress once she stepped forward to take the reins.

Still concerned, Vinie approached Gideo, who still sat mounted on the back of one of the zebras.

"Luv, are you alright? Come on, climb down now."

The excitement of his and Xolani's mad rescue apparently having worn off, Gideo now seemed even more dazed than he had before. When Vinie touched his knee, his gaze found her face, but his eyes remained unfocused, staring through Vinie rather than at her. Dark curls stuck out around Gideo's head in a singed halo, silhouetting him against the angry orange sky. Then, abruptly, his eyes rolled back in his head and he pitched sideways in the saddle.

"Hey! Gideo! Somebody help!"

Vinie being half Gideo's size, it was a struggle to keep him from falling long enough for Ekene and another StarGazer to come running. Between the three of them, they managed to maneuver Gideo safely down to the ground.

"What happened!?" exclaimed Ekene.

Vinie glanced up from cradling Gideo's limp head in her lap. "He's got nothing left to give. Here, help me get him on board."

Unable to lift or carry, Vinie could only watch helplessly as Gideo was borne up and onto the ship by the two assassins. Okoreo and Dalar were trying to coax the fourth and final zebra toward the gangplank. An ominous crackle and creaking of wood behind Vinie made her turn.

The fire was bearing down upon them, leaping from building to building with breathtaking speed. In a matter of minutes, the entire street and the pier itself would be engulfed...and the Lord and Lady's dhow still sat at anchor.

"Cast off!" Vinie screamed. "Cast off now!"

The captain didn't need any further convincing. The crew cut the mooring line free immediately, causing the dhow to rock back away from the pier. The gangplank wobbled precariously; any further and it would fall away entirely.

"Let it run!" Vinie shouted to Okoreo and Dalar. With the dhow inching further and further away, the three of them were in serious danger of being left behind themselves. The final zebra was simply too panicked to be led anymore. The instant the reins slipped through Dalar's fingers, the animal bolted off down the shorefront at full gallop.

"Come on! Hurry!" Kiiss, Ijireen, and Ekene were all at the railing, shouting and urging them toward the teetering gangplank. Vinie, Okoreo, and Dalar put their heads down and sprinted all-out. Seconds before the three of them reached it though, the edge of the ramp slid off the pier and into the water. The dhow's sails dropped and billowed out, catching the blast of hot air being driven by the flames. In minutes the ship would be out in the harbour and on its way to open sea.

"We have to swim for it!" Dalar indicated the rapidly growing stretch of water between the ship and the pier. The inferno was almost upon them; it roiled down the burning street like a wave.

Vinie didn't hesitate. She plunged off the dock and into the water alongside Okoreo and Dalar. The salt water made her burns sting with an intensity that was almost overwhelming. Above the surface of the water, everything was a mottled haze of darkened sky and fiery light. A stream of bubbles escaped Vinie before she even realized she had gasped. The lungs of a pearl diver remembered how to stretch though. Without surfacing, Vinie began to frog-stroke her way toward the underwater hull of the dhow.

When Vinie dared to come up for air, there was no time to rest. The ship was still pulling away, carried by the fire's breath out into the harbour. In so much pain that she could barely see and gasping for breath, the distance to the dhow felt insurmountable to Vinie. For half a heartbeat, she was tempted to let her leaden limbs go slack and simply let the sea – the lifeblood of her people – claim her at long last. After so many years of struggling, for it all to come to this...it just felt like too much to bear anymore. The roar of the flames and the shouting of voices all blurred together through the water in Vinie's ears. Beneath the surface though, everything was so quiet and peaceful...

Strong arms suddenly slid beneath Vinie's shoulders, abruptly jerking her back to full consciousness. On either side of her were Okoreo and Dalar, pulling her along even as they risked being unable to catch up with the ship themselves. These people were all but strangers to Vinie, and yet they had come back for her.

Shame and sudden fury shot through Vinie like a spear. How dare she give up when so many others needed her? Gideo was aboard that dhow, weaker now than he'd ever been in his entire life. How could she abandon him after all they'd been through together? How could she just drown and leave her father, as well as Sahar's boys? Even Kiiss, however much she pretended to be made of wit and money, had already lost more family in one lifetime than anyone ever should. They all needed her, now more than ever. Weakly, Vinie began to kick, trying to help Okoreo and Dalar along in their swim however she could.

A splash in the water in front of them startled Vinie. Blinking the seawater from her eyes, she realized that the dhow had cast out a rope. Okoreo wasted no time; seizing hold of it with his free arm, he looped the rough twine around all three of their waists.

"Pull!"

Aboard the boat, everyone was working to pull in the rope as fast as possible. Hand-over-hand, Ekene, Kiiss, Ijireen, Chidea, Ngozi, even Xolani and Oesu hauled the trio in the water aboard. They emerged soaked to the bone, shivering with exhaustion, but alive. The crew continued to work frantically to get the dhow out to sea, swarming about the deck even as Vinie, Okoreo, and Dalar slumped dripping against the railing.

"Did you have to wait so long!?" Oesu scolded even as she thumped Dalar soundly on the back. "Is everyone going to risk their lives for livestock tonight?"

Vinie coughed up several mouthfuls of water before managing to gather enough breath to speak. "You came back...for me... Thank you," she gasped to Okoreo and Dalar.

Okoreo – currently being hugged by both Obi and Ekene – shrugged. "You looked like you could use the help."

Vinie nodded gratefully. Then she clutched Kiiss's arm. "Where is Gideo?"

"Below decks" Kiiss answered Vinie's questioning look with a shake of her head. "Still not awake. He's in much rougher shape than he even looks, I suspect."

Vinie tried to stand, but her legs remained stubbornly numb. When Ekene offered her a hand, she just barely managed to make it upright before slumping against the taller woman.

"Xolani, Oesu!" she cried. "We have to sail for Utunma, right away! If we get there in time, we might be able to warn them!"

To Vinie's shock and dismay, both Xolani and Oesu shook their heads grimly. Xolani still clutched the cage with the little green parrot.

"We could never sail faster than those flames. You saw yourself how fast they moved. Utunma and Danitesk will have as much warning as we did...we can only hope that they escape to sea as well."

"Maybe the fire will burn itself out before then?" asked young Ngozi hopefully.

Ijireen spoke up. "No, it won't. The flames will keep burning until there's nothing left for them to burn. I told you, this is Mahir's revenge. He'll have Arzai and Frandel keep the spell going until the south is nothing but ash."

Vinie wasn't ready to give up on her father and the boys just yet. "Please, we have to do something! The people of Utunma will need our help!"

"The people of Moaan already need our help," said Oesu, her voice heavy with apprehension. The Lady of Undor stood at the ship's rail gazing back across the harbour. "Look."

One-by-one, they all went to stand beside Oesu. Vinie still leaned heavily upon Ekene, and so she felt the StarGazer's breath hitch when she saw the city. Vinie's did the same.

Moaan was a funeral pyre. Flames danced from every single rooftop, including the State Hall. The golden domes of Moaan's most distinctive landmark gleamed like metal in a forge. Then, moments later, the towering framework supporting them gave way and crumbled. The domes shattered and tumbled down in a burst of black smoke and glittering shards. The harbour-front marketplace was awash with fire, utterly unrecognizable as the bustling center of Undorian commerce. Beyond the city, not a single green leaf could be seen. There was only cinder and ash and smoke as far as the eye could see. Just as Ijireen had said, another wall of fire was already continuing its rampage southward. The speed with which it moved was absolutely breathtaking. Trees caught the flames and went up like tiny matchsticks, leaving nowhere for the creatures of the forest to hide. The elephant herd could be seen standing forlornly in the shallows a little way down the beach; safe for now, but utterly homeless...like the people of Undor.

Worse than the city though was the harbour. The Bay of Torbos was a patchwork of boats, its waters crammed full with all the vessels which only hours ago had floated peacefully at anchor. Every boat was packed with as many people as it could carry. Entire household bobbed atop the waves. Most had only the clothes on their backs; only a lucky few had managed to salvage anything from their homes in the city. The most immediate danger escaped, all now stood silently on the decks of their boats, watching Moaan burn. Most were too stunned to cry. Some were too hurt or frightened not to.

In the middle of it all floated the Lord and Lady of Undor's dhow, too large to miss even amidst all the chaos. A few people were already gathering enough presence of mind to begin rowing toward them. Like a queen bee surrounded by her lost hive, Xolani and Oesu's ship would soon draw the survivors to them. It tore Vinie's heart apart to admit it, but Oesu was right. The leaders of the south were desperately needed right here and now. Even if she herself were in any fit shape to take a boat and sail to Utunma, Vinie couldn't abandon Gideo. She would just have to trust that Bakko would see the danger coming and flee as they had.

Meanwhile, one question above all swirled amidst the darkening smoke.

Where do we go now?  

OoOoO

End of Volume 3 

Volume 4 of The Book of Terrus - 'Rising Tides, Falling Stars' coming soon!