Chapter 11: More Meteors (3)

Chapter 11: More Meteors (3)

Wow, Gandash said.

It must have hit the ground less than a league away, Bel said.

A murmur of conversation filled the camp as the soldiers sat back down around their fires.

Guys, Xerxes said, remember what we were talking about back in the Yellow Forest?

Bel nodded. I remember. Youre wondering whats inside that thing, arent you?

Yeah.

Probably metals, minerals, that kind of thing, Gandash said. There are quite a few spell component ingredients that can only be found in meteorites.

Xerxes rubbed his hands together and then cracked his knuckles. We should go check it out. Think about it, Gandy. You cast two Spawn Duos. How much do you think those doses of blisterscale reduction cost?

A lot.

If that meteor has some rare stuff in it, you could probably recoup what you spent on those spells. Thats not to mention the green belladonna sand Bel used, and my crabnickel powder.

They would get compensation for their time on this mission, but it would hardly suffice to recoup their losses. And though they could submit applications for additional remuneration, there was no guarantee the Mage Parliament would approve of their spellcasting decisions. In other words, they might be completely on the hook for their components.

Xerxes could see Gandash hesitating, and scrambled to think of something further to say that would pique his interest.

Before he could come up with anything good, Bel reached out and put her hand on Gandashs forearm.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

Gan, she said. The blisterscale reduction was a gift, so its not like you need to replace it. But Xerxes and I have to pay for our own components. We didnt get preemptive approval to cast spells on this mission, and who knows if well end up getting compensated. And even if we do, it could take months before we see the actual components.

Gandash shook his head as if he felt embarrassed. Of course. I was just thinking of myself. We should go check it out. Or at least, ask the captain her opinion. He looked over in the direction of Captain Ishkis campfire. While he was looking away, Bel caught Xerxes eye and gave him a look that said, thank me later.

They hiked for about an hour, until the sky began to fill with evening colors.

Look, over there, Private Ap said, pointing.

Beyond a hilltop not too far away, a wisp of smoke rose up, then disappeared. A moment later, another wisp could be seen.

That must be where it fell, Sergeant Tamharu said. No time to waste. We only have about two hours of light left.

The climb up the hill seemed to take forever. Xerxes cursed to himself every time his foot slipped in the dirt, all the while wondering what they would see when they reached the top. About halfway up, his nose twitched as he detected an odd smell. In response, he inhaled deeply, but the smell was gone.

Tamharu reached the crest of the hill first. By the grace of the Pontifarch, he said, stepping to the side to make more room for those behind him.

Bel was next, then Xerxes.

The hill curved both to the left and right, creating something like a horseshoe shape. On the other side was a wide valley that had once contained trees and vegetation. However, the falling rock had destroyed everything around it. They were looking at a smoking crater surrounded by blackened trees and crushed boulders.

The crater was only about five or six cubits in diameter, but was so deep that, from the hilltop, it wasnt possible to see its bottom.

Xerxes nose twitched again.

Did you smell that? Sergeant Tamharu said, his face wrinkling slightly.

No, sir, Private Ap said.

Xerxes had indeed noticed the strange smell. But it passed so quickly, he wasnt sure what it was. It wasnt anything comforting, though. And it caused a seed of unease to form in the back of his mind.

Looks, somethings moving, Bel said.

Xerxes hand dropped to his spell component pouch as he craned his neck looking for any sign of motion.