The Silent Citadel

The Silent Citadelchapter 6

Julius followed after Kalrick and Arden hoping that they would not have to ride for their lives as they left the valley. He knew the limits of his horse riding skills and was struggling even now, he doubted he would stay in the saddle long if the horse was running. The valley was deathly silent as they rode towards the crumbling city and the citadel that dominated the valley floor. When Arden had announced they would be entering the city Julius had been scared at the prospect, as they approached the outlaying buildings he was now terrified.

"Is this such a good idea? what do you hope to learn from getting closer." He finally asked glad that his voice didn't shake as much as his hands were.

Kendrick who had rode in front pulled up his horse and turned around to face the other two.

"We should leave the horses here and advance on foot, how close to the citadel do you need to get?"

Arden shrugged. "Ideally I would like to be stood on the walls but if we can find one of there outer lookouts that hide out in the city we could get the information we need."

"You mean to capture one of the beasts!" gasped Julius aghast.

Both men looked at the young Mage seeing the fear in his eyes, after a moment Arden dismounted from his horse and indicated that Julius should do the same. Arden stepped close to the Mage.

"We need you to concentrate and use your skills to aid us, if the vampyres are planning something we need to know what. Both Kalrick and myself have faced them before and the first time is terrifying but you will do what needs to be done."

With that he turned and nodded to Kalrick who had hobbled the horses and was ready to lead the way.

"We have maybe three hours then we leave, I don't want to risk a race for the wards after watching Julius try to ride." Said Kalrick with a grin at the Mage.

This got a smile from Julius as he relaxed a little, both these men were trusting him and he vowed to himself he wouldn't let them down as they began to move into the city.

They had been moving through the ruined city for about an hour when they came to what must have been a plaza, in the centre was an overgrown fountain with a life size statue of a woman with her arms raised to the sky. The fountain was choked with weeds and the stone plaza cracked as trees and bushes grew up between broken flags. As they walked to the centre of the plaza Arden paused to look around then raising his hand to cover his mouth as if he was coughing he whispered to the others.

"We are being watched."

Suddenly they all felt the ground beneath their feet begin to move, then it collapsed and they fell into a giant hole, dust and earth filling the air. Arden managed to land nimbly and quickly looked around, the swirling dust made visibility difficult but he made out the shape of Kalrick getting to his feet and next to him Julius. They had fallen about ten feet into what must have been the old sewers, a large gaping hole about twenty feet across showed the sky above their heads, then he realised that they were not alone. All around in the darkened shadows vampyres waited.