that meant forcing themselves against Senda, which made it impossible for him to open the door.
Suddenly, the weight on Senda's back disappeared and he cried out as he yanked with all his might. The hinges opened with a loud creak. Senda threw himself through the door just as a soldier grabbed his foot. He kicked as hard as he could, smiling as he felt his foot connect with the man's face and laughing when he heard the grunt of pain.
“One of ‘em's gettin’ away!”
Senda ran for the nearest alley, panic and instinct driving his feet. He pushed over barrels and crates, hoping to slow pursuers just enough to allow him to escape. Senda bolted through people's homes, closing the doors as he passed through them. He slowly but surely made his way for the coast. As he ran, the sound of pursuit grew quieter.
He never looked back, just kept running for his life. His adrenaline began to give out as he got closer to the coast. The sound of the waves crashing on the rocky shore drowned out his heavy breathing.
Senda knew he couldn't stop to rest. He had to find a boat and get off the island quickly. He climbed over rocks and boulders, wincing as they cut into the soles of his feet. As he caught sight of the docks, his heart sank. Someone had set fire to all of the boats, leaving behind charred bits of wood. There is no way off the island!
The children of the island spent a lot of time playing on the shore, exploring the multitude of natural caves and enclosures formed by the rocks. Senda hoped he could escape detection long enough to begin searching the other side. A few of the Lords had estates close to shore. It was possible they had some kind of craft that could make it across the Sea of Solace. Senda heard shouting in the distance and clambered over the rocks, ignoring the pain in his feet. He found an opening and climbed inside, moving as far to the back as he could. The voices never got closer. They soon disappeared among the sound of the waves.
As darkness fell, the temperature dropped. Senda's clothing had gotten wet and he shivered uncontrollably in his dank, dark hole. His stomach rumbled. Time to leave .
He crept carefully from his cave, terrified he would find Anali waiting for him. There was no one nearby. Senda felt safer under cover of darkness than he had running from the soldiers in broad daylight.
He could see the amber glow of the fires burning all over the island. The faint shouts of anger and shrill screams of terror drifted on the night air. Senda kept to the shoreline, unwilling to move any closer to the horror that was descending on the town. I wish I had a weapon of some kind .
His feet protested every step, but he forced himself to keep going, to get to a boat and row to safety. The thought of there not being a way off the island except to swim was too much for Senda to bear.
A large boulder pile forced him to move inland. If he was twenty years younger and had shoes, he might try to climb over the rocks, but his tender feet and aching bones screamed for an easier route. He passed near the outer wall of a Lord's manse. When his stomach gave a rumble, Senda decided to brave encountering the soldiers to find some food and maybe even some shoes.
The smell of smoke lay thick and heavy in the air. Senda coughed, trying to quiet the noise against his sleeve. The manse still stood, though it looked to have sustained some damage. He gingerly stepped into the courtyard, testing the temperature of the ground, hoping the stones were not hot.
The home was empty as a tomb. Senda sent up a prayer to the good Spirits and moved quickly to the kitchens. The larder was full and had not been touched by the fire. Senda grabbed some bread, cheese, and beef, throwing together a quick sandwich. He ate so fast he nearly choked. A swig of ale washed it all down.
Senda made his way through the house in search of some clean clothes and shoes. His footsteps echoed in the empty house. He was afraid the noise would draw a
Suddenly, the weight on Senda's back disappeared and he cried out as he yanked with all his might. The hinges opened with a loud creak. Senda threw himself through the door just as a soldier grabbed his foot. He kicked as hard as he could, smiling as he felt his foot connect with the man's face and laughing when he heard the grunt of pain.
“One of ‘em's gettin’ away!”
Senda ran for the nearest alley, panic and instinct driving his feet. He pushed over barrels and crates, hoping to slow pursuers just enough to allow him to escape. Senda bolted through people's homes, closing the doors as he passed through them. He slowly but surely made his way for the coast. As he ran, the sound of pursuit grew quieter.
He never looked back, just kept running for his life. His adrenaline began to give out as he got closer to the coast. The sound of the waves crashing on the rocky shore drowned out his heavy breathing.
Senda knew he couldn't stop to rest. He had to find a boat and get off the island quickly. He climbed over rocks and boulders, wincing as they cut into the soles of his feet. As he caught sight of the docks, his heart sank. Someone had set fire to all of the boats, leaving behind charred bits of wood. There is no way off the island!
The children of the island spent a lot of time playing on the shore, exploring the multitude of natural caves and enclosures formed by the rocks. Senda hoped he could escape detection long enough to begin searching the other side. A few of the Lords had estates close to shore. It was possible they had some kind of craft that could make it across the Sea of Solace. Senda heard shouting in the distance and clambered over the rocks, ignoring the pain in his feet. He found an opening and climbed inside, moving as far to the back as he could. The voices never got closer. They soon disappeared among the sound of the waves.
As darkness fell, the temperature dropped. Senda's clothing had gotten wet and he shivered uncontrollably in his dank, dark hole. His stomach rumbled. Time to leave .
He crept carefully from his cave, terrified he would find Anali waiting for him. There was no one nearby. Senda felt safer under cover of darkness than he had running from the soldiers in broad daylight.
He could see the amber glow of the fires burning all over the island. The faint shouts of anger and shrill screams of terror drifted on the night air. Senda kept to the shoreline, unwilling to move any closer to the horror that was descending on the town. I wish I had a weapon of some kind .
His feet protested every step, but he forced himself to keep going, to get to a boat and row to safety. The thought of there not being a way off the island except to swim was too much for Senda to bear.
A large boulder pile forced him to move inland. If he was twenty years younger and had shoes, he might try to climb over the rocks, but his tender feet and aching bones screamed for an easier route. He passed near the outer wall of a Lord's manse. When his stomach gave a rumble, Senda decided to brave encountering the soldiers to find some food and maybe even some shoes.
The smell of smoke lay thick and heavy in the air. Senda coughed, trying to quiet the noise against his sleeve. The manse still stood, though it looked to have sustained some damage. He gingerly stepped into the courtyard, testing the temperature of the ground, hoping the stones were not hot.
The home was empty as a tomb. Senda sent up a prayer to the good Spirits and moved quickly to the kitchens. The larder was full and had not been touched by the fire. Senda grabbed some bread, cheese, and beef, throwing together a quick sandwich. He ate so fast he nearly choked. A swig of ale washed it all down.
Senda made his way through the house in search of some clean clothes and shoes. His footsteps echoed in the empty house. He was afraid the noise would draw a
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