Watt-Evans, Lawrence - Annals of the Chosen 01 (75 page)

Indeed,
that
day's
downpour
seemed
a
halfhearted
effort
compared
with
what
they
had
seen
before.
The
countryside did
not
lend
itself
to
using
lightning-blasted
trees
as
roadblocks,
though
they
did
see
some
distant
flashes
and
hear
a rumble
or
two,
and
as
a
result
they
made
decent
time
to
Quince
Market.

And
in
Quince
Market,
rather
than
the
quiet
village
and
dismal
rain
they
had
anticipated,
they
found
smoldering
ruins
and
excited
natives.
They
saw
the
smoke
from
an
hour
away,
even
through
the
haze
of
rain,
and
knew
something
was
wrong,
but
it
was
not
until
they
passed
the boundary
shrine
and
found
themselves
surrounded
by townspeople
that
they
had
any
clear
idea
just
what
had
happened.

"You
are
the
Chosen,
aren't
you?"
a
man
demanded
before
the
wagon's
rear
wheels
cleared
the
shrine.

"Yes,
we
are,"
replied
the
Leader
from
the
driver's
bench.
"What's
happened
here?"

"It's
the
Wizard
Lord!"
someone
called
from
farther
back. "He
threatened
to
kill
us
all
if
we
helped
you!"

"He's
gone
mad,"
a
woman
added.
"You
have
to
kill
him."

"He
called
fire
from
the
sky!"

"He
spoke
through
Doublethumb's
dog!"

"How
severe
is
the
damage?"
the
Leader
asked.
"Has
anyone
been
seriously
hurt?"

"Four
houses
are
burned!"

"And
a
stable!"
,

"Little
Emerald
has
broken
ribs!" "My
cat's
missing!"

"Calm,
people,
calm!"
the
Leader
called,
rising
to
his
feet
and
spreading
his
hands.
"I
know
a
Dark
Lord
is
a
terrible
thing,
and
one
we
thought
we'd
never
live
to
see,
but
it's
nothing
we
can't
handle.
We
are
on
our
way
to
the
Galbek
Hills
to
deal
with
him,
and
this
is
just
a
desperate
attempt
to discourage
us.
I'm
very
sorry
for
Emerald,
and
about
this
woman's
cat,
and
of
course
for
the
four
families
who
lost their
homes,
but
if
that's
the
worst
of
it
you've
been fortunate—your
ler
are
looking
out
for
you."

"What
are
you
going
to
do
about
it?"

"We
are
going
to
the
Galbek
Hills
to
remove
the
Wizard Lord,
by
whatever
means
may
be
necessary.
What
else
can
we
do?"

"What
about
my
home?"

"You'll
rebuild,
of
course,
and
I'm
sure
your
neighbors and
priests
will
help
you.
But
right
now,
we
have
a
long
journey
ahead
of
us,
and
we
need
lodging
..."

The
crowd
suddenly
fell
silent.

"You
can't
stay
here,"
a
big
man
said.

"He'd
kill
us
all."

A
murmur
of
agreement
ran
through
the
gathered
townsfolk.

Breaker
peered
out
between
the
Leader
and
the
Archer, and
saw
that
the
crowd,
which
up
until
then
had
been
merely
angry
and
upset,
had
now
turned
hostile.

"Ah,"
the
Leader
said.
He
glanced
back
into
the
wagon,
as if
asking
if
anyone
had
any
useful
suggestions,
then
turned his
attention
back
to
the
crowd.
"I
see,
and
you
have
a
good point.
Then
we
will
reprovision
and
move
on
..."