Fated Destiny Book Three

Chapter Thirty One: Mount Etna

I stepped off the gang plank back onto solid land with a sigh of relief. After being out at sea for several days we finally arrived at the port city of Messina. Being out at sea hadn't dampened the spirits of the others, so I guess that means I was the only one who didn't like being out at sea. Oh well I guess, I'm just glad that we were done with sailing at least until the return trip back to Rome.

"Thank god the nightmare is over." I murmured thankfully.

"Quit being so melodramatic." I heard Scathach say from behind. I looked over my shoulder and glared at her angrily. "Everything was smooth sailing since we departed Rome, and we didn't even encounter a single storm or rough wave." Scathach said as she placed her hands on her hips. As much as I hate to admit it, everything she said was true.

"That's easy for you to say, but if we had run into an URE ship we might have wound up like the other wrecks scattered along the way." I pointed out. "We weren't exactly riding on some mighty warship, we could have easily been sunk had we been caught off guard!" I exclaimed as I spun around.

"Is that what you were worried about?" Scathach said, crossing her arms unphased. "You realize you have three servants with you who could obliterate any man-made ship of this era." Scathach stated.

"Yeah and how were you planning on defending us if we get attacked in the middle of the night while we're sleeping." I pointed out.

"Then I guess we'll drown, won't we?" Scathach replied.

"Yeah and when Humanity gets incinerated and when we're all in Hell I'm gonna take all the blame for the extinction of humanity." I said and Scathach narrowed her eyes at me.

"Chris!" Jeanne exclaimed just as she and Mashu got off the gangplank.

"I was only joking!" I said raising my hands up in mock defense. "Well, partially joking anyway..." I admitted and Jeanne shook her head in disbelief while Mashu put her hand up to her face...

"Nevertheless we didn't drown and we arrived safely." Scathach said. "So if you're done moaning and groaning about things that didn't happen, can we get things moving? We came here for a reason, to establish a leyline at Mount Etha." Scathach said and I grunted in response. Hey, that was my line!

"Nothing would make me happier." I said as I spun around. "Now where are those damn horses that were supposed to be waiting for us." I murmured looking around the dock.

"Perhaps we should try the stables." Mashu said as she walked up beside me. I looked beside me to see where she was pointing, and saw a wooden structure.

"Right. That's probably a good start." I murmured. Mashu and the others set off towards the building with me following suit, shoving my hands into my pockets. I caught up with the others and it didn't take very long to reach the building and as we got closer we could hear noises coming from inside. Making our way inside we found several horses lining the stables. There was a single soldier inside tending to the horses and upon the door opening he spun around to greet us. Well I say greet, but it looks like he wasn't very happy to see us. He was an older man with salt and pepper hair and looked like he had seen his fair share of war. The soldier approached us wearing an angry expression on his face and one hand resting on his sword. I'm guessing he wasn't the welcoming sort..

"Heus, quid hic agis? Haec regio fines off!" The Roman soldier shouted at us and we all wound up taking a step back. "Haec proprietas pertinet ad Neronem imperatricem. Relinque nunc vel faciem carceris." The soldier added. I didn't understand a word he had said, but I didn't need to know Latin to know that he was probably telling us to take a hike.

"W-we're here under the protection of Empress Nero." I said putting my hands up in an effort to try and calm him down. However there was little point in trying to communicate with him as nobody here spoke English except us. The man stepped forward now with both hands resting on the hilt of his sword looking as if he was getting ready to strike. Mashu stepped out in front of me with her shield raised while Jeanne moved in besides her blocking the soldiers path towards me while Scathach stood beside me with her arms crossed. "I guess nobody told him we were coming." I said.