Alive again

The ground isn't supposed to move

I had barely woken up that day when I realised it all had been real. It wasn't just a dream, but a vision. I had seen Saráh and Satéh discussing my fate. That morning could've been perfect: a generous breakfast, gentle people willing to accept work is not a curse, but the conditions of wellbeing... it was a wonderful community, this one.                                                                         Would've loved staying for a while. However, I realised the gods had another plans. I'd forgotten how much gods like interfering with each others' businesses. I wasn't in the mood for an earthquake that morning, man.

I heard a few men shoutin something, the sound muffled by the walls and the roar of the ground.

- [...] church has been destroyed! Save [...] relics!

-We must [...] them at all cost! Protect the children [...]!

-The lower chamber has collapsed! [...] evacuate to [...]

And so on. The wisest was to leave the building. Running like the hundreds of people who lived here, I reached the outside. Everyone was scared. Children were crying and looking for their parents, while parents were screaming and looking for their children. Reliquitur, with Lieutenant on his left shoulder, dropped his shoulders when he saw me.

-Master, we must evacuate immediatly!-He insisted-They are barely able to keep it under control, quick!

-Keep what under control?-I asked.

-The main energy source. A dragon in a ravine-there's no time for this, master, we must escape!

He grabbed a saddle and the reins of a horse, attached everything to a grey horse and  put me on it. The chaos already looked generalised, and I could've sworn having seen something on fire.

-Huzzah!

And the horse raced like there was no tomorrow. For a few minutes, I thought we'd fall, for the ground was still shaking, but by midday we either were far enough for it to not be noticed or it had already stopped.

-is everyone good?-Reliquitur asked.

Lieutenant meowed angry and started licking her back with dignity. I said I was fine and asked him the same.

-Unharmed and ready for anything, master!-He answered-Looking forward to receiving orders.

The horse stopped, and only then I realised its magnitude. An enormous mare, with a fur grey like the moon in a quiet night.

-What's the name of the horse?

-Ah, umm... I don't know. I grabbed the first horse I found.

-How are we on supplies, Reliquitur?

-I restocked just before the earthquake hit. With this, we should have at least three weeks of travel, taking into account that you don't eat and that Lieutenant and the mare live off the land.

-Lovely. Shall we part, then?

-Was waiting for you to say it, master.

And we continued our path, still weeks far from the ancient Qûlker that hosted the Archmage's tower, where the immortal Elder was ensuring the world's survival and training new wizards. The trip to visit him was being fun. I hope it all will be like it has been since the beginnig.

With the sun setting, I resumed Reliquitur's lessons. He was a fast learner, but really far away from my level yet. After the sunset, we went to sleep, hoping for nothing wacky or uncharacteristic to happen to us.

Oh, I was really wrong with that thought... I realised while being dragged, tied up, in the quiet of the night.