Zarkaria

Chapter Four

As the woman ran away from the wall the ground began too shake under her feet. Never before had the ground shook this bad.

A roar like nothing she had heard before sounded loudly across Zarkaria. The noise quickly changed as water lapped at her feet. "Water?" She thought as the whooshing sound grew louder and her feet were swept out from under her.

The current of rushing water carried the poor woman right into the centre of Zarkaria. Hands reached down and plucked the woman out of the water.

Air began to fill her lungs pushing the water out that had invaded them. The hands carefully turned the battered and bruised woman on her side as she coughed the foul liquid out. "What happened?" Some asked over the rushing waters.

The woman didn't hear an answer as the sounds of the rushing water was drowned out by a new sound. A sudden heat wave beatted down on the woman and her rescuers. Blisters formed on their exposed skin as the water began to float upwards.

"Quickly we must hide." Someone said as the woman was hoisted up, an arm wrapped around her waist and she was lead inside.

"What is happening?" The woman asked. Her rescuers shook their heads. They had no idea either.

"I need to see elder Quinton." The woman suddenly said.

"We can't leave here. Look outside. Evil forces are at work here." The one said.

"That is why I must go to Elder Quinton. He may know what is happening." The woman replied.

The second rescuer agreed. Sighing the first rescuer nodded in agreement. "Alright we will go. But mark my words. This isn't going to be good."

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Zeal and Casper sat quietly in the tower.  The stillness of the darkness made everything seem quieter than it had been moments before the sun had made it's final decent. Each man thinking about what the night might bring them.

Suddenly the tower began to shake and A roar rose above the town causing the pair to bump into each other trying to get to the telescope. "Where is that noise coming from?" Casper asked after getting up from the floor.

"I don't know. It's loud but quiet at the same time." Zeal replied as he too got to his feet.

Casper made it to the telescope and scanned the darkness. "Nothing in sight."

Zeal went to the town's side of the tower. Looking out he saw what he couldn't believe.  "Casper!"

Casper came rushing over as carefully as he could. Looking over the side he gasped at the sight below him.

Their homes were under a lake of water. Lights blinked out as the water continued it's decent across the town. "What do we do?" Casper asked.

"Head down. We have no choice. I can't leave all those people." Zeal replied as he backed away from the edge. He quickly went to his gear and began tearing everything out of it's holders.

"What are you doing?" Casper called out just as a light lit up the tower.

"Heading down. We need this light to navigate."

Casper nodded and followed the boy out of the tower and down the wall towards the stairs. His breathing began to  get laboured as the air began to feel hot. Dropping to his knees Casper gasped. Zeal turned and ran back to his trainee. The air around him began to heat up, his breathing  became laboured. Not stopping to question what was happening Zeal hooked his arms with Casper and dragged him along. The flashlight laid were Casper had collapsed. Forgotten for now as the young man tried to save the older man.

Blisters began to form on their faces and hands as Zeal tried to find shelter. Finally Zeal managed to drag Casper to the staircase. The coolness of the rocks protected the pair from the strange heat. Casper's breathing began to level out and not sound so laboured. Even Zeal found himself being more able to breath.

Looking out at the town Zeal couldn't believe what he was seeing. The water that had washed many houses out was evaporating the water droplets literally floated back up into the night sky. The sounds stopped and an eery silence fell over the town.

Now not only was outside the walls dark but inside as well. 

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