I felt an enormous shudder, as the centurions' started to wake, their bodies washing over with flesh before my very eyes'. In a fit of panic, I gathered myself up onto the cracking surface, still finding it difficult to get my balance on the shaking ground, I had to take a calculated risk. I started to jump the gigantic cracks' in the earth's surface, in hope that I would make it to the other side before the centurions' returned to full life.

I could see Fledgling in the distance, trying to reach me, but it was no use, I was just too far behind on the path and he knew it. He stopped at a massive crack in the earth's surface, there was no way that he was going to get across it, the earth had opened too wide.

There I was, standing in the middle of the path, caught between one side of the path and the other with the centurions on either side, with gigantic cracks', preventing me from moving forward.

I looked across at the towering centurions, knowing I was about to face sure death, as the horses' steam rose from their nostrils', I looked up at the face of one of the giant figure's. Looking direct into his huge eyes', as he slowly opened his deep dark lashes'. I looked around at the other centurions' that were lining the last connecting routes', as the stone of earth's ground was moving further away from them .

73.

The ground was still shaking with tremors', making it more difficult for me to cross the cracking terrain. Corcoran and Fledgling appeared to be in the far distance, nearly reaching the other side, not realising that they had left me behind. They continued to press on.


I was crawling at that point, along the shaking floor, grabbing the ledge of the cracks' and stretching out across them. I couldn't stand up, the shaking of the earth was just too fierce for me to obtain a good balance. Getting across the path from one crack to the next, stretching my body across, I was slowly catching up with them.


Corcoran and Fledgling had just entered the city, excited about getting across they hugged each other with joy. Corcoran tapping Fledgling on the shoulder with smiles', relieved at their success. Corcoran lent his hands' down on his knees, puffed out, shaking his head and said, " I am so glad that's over ". As he pulled himself back up into a standing position, Corcoran realised that I hadn't made it across with them. Still struggling on the path, one of them knew that they would have to go back for me. Fledgling looked across at Corcoran " I'll go ". He said, leaving Corcoran standing there, as he made his way back onto the path's entrance.

72.

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.

No time for stretching, Corcoran grabbed my hand. We walked slowly around the corner of the wall, we stopped, standing at the entrance of the city, in fall view of the Centurions'.My heart was pounding fast upon my chest, I thought it was going to jump out and land before me. Eyes' staring in front, I knew I had to gather all of my courage together, to cross the Centurions. With anticipation, Fledgling eased his foot forward, nervously placing it down onto the sandy surface that lined the frontier of the city.

As he took his first step onto the fluttering sands', blowing strong towards us. With force, it blow into my eyes', hard and dry. I had to shield my face from the burning wind, with Corcoran and Fledgling following suit.

Coughing and choking as the fierce winds' pushed us back onto the smooth surface of rock. Again we found ourselves' outside the fold of the Centurions'. Pushing forward, we walked , this time, without stopping, pushing harder and faster, we entered upon the path once again.

The Centurions' stood above us, with stone features' showering down threats' of death upon us. No time for breathing, I pulled up my dress a little, clasping it around my mouth and tying it at the back of my neck to protect me from swallowing the sand.

70.

Corcoran came up against the nearest edge of the city walls', looking on, towards the centurions', he dipped his head down to see if he could see any signs' of movement. The air was freezing, blowing out of the city hard. The horses' nostrils', opening with steamed filled breath. The horses' towered above us, would they even notice if we crept past them.

Cocoran had reservations' about passing the centurions' and hushed us back against the hard stone wall. " Keep your head in ." He whispered, waving us back with his hand. " When I give you the word, we will make a run for it, straight down the middle, in fall view. We have to stay close together and run as fast as we can. No holding back, we all go together." He said, as he crouched down on the corner of the gigantic wall, ushering us down, again with his hand.

I cant remember how long we remained at the corner of the wall, but the time Corcoran gave the word, I had almost fallen to sleep.

Corcoran turned his head towards us, " It's time. " He said. I had to shake myself, to wake myself up again. Corcoran was on his toes', ready for the run. I had to find my strength, not as quick as Corcoran, I got up.

69.

I lent back on my hands' and pushed myself up in a standing position, I offered my hand to Fledgling. Grabbing it with both hands', he pulled himself up, tipping me over onto the tips' of my toes'.

As he stood above my head, he steadied me with both hands', as I got my balance back again. He turned towards the path that Corocran was leading and started to follow in pace. I straightened my clothes' and began to walk on behind him.

Treading carefully along the smooth floor, staying close into the walls', we walked, what seemed to be miles', before reaching the front wall that was closing the city off from the cave surroundings'. The surroundings' that we nearly drowned in, from the cracking of the weak formation, almost coal like, cold and damping.

I remember thinking that it would be good to get back into a city again, but I wasn't sure about what lay on the other side of the wall.

Only one way to find out, I remember thinking to myself, no time for delaying.

68.

Chapter 3 : THE ENTRANCE

" I had a good look at the city, when I came through the first time round. Every now and again they appear to turn to stone, paving the way through. I cant' see another way to get inside, so it has to be done from the front. "

I pushed my breath out, through my pouting lips', as I realised that we wasn't in such a good position after all. " Look at their spears', if they return to life as we are passing, they will surly rein them down on us. I mean, we are quite far and their spear's seem to tower above the city, like the peaks' of the highest mountains'. How many do you count ? I count at least ten on either side. So perfect in stature, it's hard to tell if they're even alive. "

" Well, we cant sit here all day, we will have to make a move soon. " Corcoran said, as he reached over to take his bag from my grip.

He reached inside to pull out his dry clothes', standing up, shaking the remaining water down from his body, as he began to dress. Flicking his hair back, drying the water from his face, with his hands'. Jumping up and down a little to squeeze the water from his boots'. He started to walk close against the wall, heading down along the inside of it, lining the outskirts' of the city.

67.