I could just about hear Corcoran from the sound of the swirling winds'. He was shouting from under his arm. " Run for it, NOW !! ".

I heard, his voice sounding faint across the wind. Without hesitation, I pushed all my fear to the back of my mind and started to run, along the wind swept path.

The path shook from under us, as we was running faster down, towards the city. Cracking with violent force, I stopped and crouched down to peer into it. Seeing the sand escaping down into the depths' of the earth, I could see only darkness and the echoing of silence. Corcoran and Fledgling was furthering on. With another shudder and tremendous shake, the gape widened. I found myself separated from the others'. The gape was growing larger and I had to act fast. I backed up on myself, to get a good jumping distance, I embraced the fierce air and started for the jump. As I reached the large slit in the earth, I felt my entire body lift from the foot of the ledge as I lept. I managed to get across, nearly loosing my balance, as I landed both feet down onto the other side. Arms' stretched out, I felt my body sway back and forth on the edge of the earths' crack, as I leaned forward to prevent myself falling down into the ongoing darkness of a cold fall.

The centurions' were still grounded in sleep while the earth was cracking from under us. The cracks' in the earth stopped at the hooves' of the horses' , not effecting their stature in the least. Leaving them in perfect condition for an attack, if they were to wake before we were could get to other side.

71.