The Ancient Legacy

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Chapter One

Coribar

Halfway up the hill to the Temple of Coribar,Thaddeus Lane, second officer of the Felizian merchantwarrior ship Daedalus, raised his hand, bringing the squadof sailors with him to a halt. The sound of an explosionreached his ears a split second before a blast of hot airroared down the hill.

"Down!" he screamed.

The sailors behind him dove for the ground andducked behind trees and rocks ... anything that wouldgive them cover as the blast rushed toward them. Oneman, slower to react than his companions, was hit in thehead by a piece of masonry traveling at a phenomenal rateand died instantly.

Lane checked to see where his men were and if anyothers were injured, then motioned to his coxswain, aheavily muscled man named Brown.

"We're too easy a target," he said. "Take half of themen and circle around to the back of the temple. I'll leadthe others directly up the -- "

A second series of explosions cut off the lieutenant'swords in mid-sentence. He raised his eyes and stared atthe top of the hill.

"What the devil are they doing up there?"

"No idea, sir," Brown replied, following his lieutenant'sgaze. "It sounds like the whole place is comingdown. One of the balls must have hit something."

Lane considered that for a moment. He was a tall, gan-gly looking young man in his early twenties, with intelligentblue eyes and thick, dark hair that came to the middleof his neck.

Brown was ten years his senior and had seen men comeand go in the Felizian navy. This one was different. Lanehad a confidence about him that inspired trust. Despite hisage and a disturbing tendency to get seasick at the beginningof a voyage, he had proven himself in battle enoughtimes to earn the crew's respect. Ship's navigator for thelast four years, he made the right choices under pressure,and Brown was content to follow where he led.

Lane reached his decision. "I saw the temple from theship. We don't have anything that could produce that kindof damage."

"Coribar folk are a strange lot, Lieutenant," a grizzledseaman spoke up from behind them. "That goes double forthe priests. I was here ten years back. None of 'em are likeregular priests. Like as not, they blew the building upthemselves."

Lane frowned and looked up the hill again. "All right. Isuppose there's only one way to find out. The rest of youmen, look alive. I don't want any more casualties. No prisonersare to be harmed. Do I make myself clear?"

"Aye, sir," Brown replied.

Similar acknowledgments came from the other sailors.Satisfied, Lane rose to a crouch and drew his sword. Keepinglow to the ground, he started up the hill with half themen. Brown and the remaining half angled toward the rearof the building. They numbered thirty in all.

When Lane reached the crest, he straightened andslowly put his sword back in the scabbard. Expressions ofshock and disbelief came from all around him. The templewith its gleaming gold dome was now little more than acolossal wreck. From where he stood, he could see a numberof white-robed figures partially buried amidst the rubble.It was a gruesome sight.

"Mr. Warrenton," he called out.

A red-haired youth of about fourteen years stepped forward."Yes, sir."

"Aye, sir, in the navy, Mr. Warrenton," Lane corrected.

"Aye, sir," the boy stammered. He was staring at aman's leg sticking out from under a block of marble.

"Be so kind as to signal the ship and let them know thatthe temple is taken. Tell the captain there appear to be nosurvivors. We will search the area for anything valuableand return by midday."

"Aye, sir," the boy said. He saluted and began trottingtoward the edge of the hill, carrying a boxlike contraptionthat was suspended around his neck by a leather strap.

"Walk, Mr. Warrenton. You are an officer and the menwill be observing you."

Warrenton immediately slowed. "Aye, sir." He kept hiseyes averted from the bodies.

Brown and his squad rejoined them a few minutes later."Nothing to report, sir. Hell of a mess, isn't it?"

"Any sign of Mr. Fikes and his party yet?" Lane asked.

"No, sir. Shall I send someone to look for them?"

"That won't be necessary. I'm sure they'll be here directly."

Lane turned and looked at the Daedalus, whose tallmasts were moving gently in the waters of the bay. Everythingthere appeared secure. He scanned the plateau forhis first officer.

Elton Fikes was fifty-four and a man who wanted nothingmore than to serve out his remaining few years and retireto a farm in his home province. Like most professionalseamen in Felize's merchant marine, his personal fortuneshad taken a substantial upturn when the Felizian governmenthad rediscovered the cannon. Now, instead of merchanttraders, Felize had a fleet of seagoing pirates.

In truth, Lane was stunned by what had happened. Hisstomach had nearly revolted at the death and destruction,but he kept his face neutral and moved methodically frombody to body, checking for survivors. After making sure that no one was alive, he instructed Brown to take a partyof men and give the priests decent burials. Next, he toldWarrenton, who had returned from sending his heliographmessage to the ship, to take the remainder of the men andbegin combing the wreckage for any signs of treasure. Theprospect of robbing the dead sickened him, but it was arole he had learned to play.

Lane picked his way across a pile of rubble and sat onthe edge of a broken wall. He had signed on with theDaedalus when the ship visited Sennia ...

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Excerpted from Ancient Legacy by Mitchell Graham
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.