The Escape

In the mean time, Gul-Carlo and all of the soldiers which they had would retreat deeper into the desert in three teams to a place called Irreantus, which in Andronian meant 'sea of fire'. It is there that the heat of the sun is most grievous and it is there that the small Andronian band would confront the Maikins. There were further discussions of the details of the army's implementation of defensive and offensive strategies.

"Are you ready for this?" I asked Haig when the meeting had finished.

Haig laughed loudly at me and said, with a wide smile: "A long trek across the desert, a short trek through a forest, and a climb through the mountains! What is there to be ready for."

I smiled and tried to share in his casual air of the situation. I looked over at Gul-Carlo and Amelia. She was obviously very upset at his idea of their separating. She spoke in harsh, rasping whispers and pointed savagely at him as she spoke. He stood calmly listening to her, and, from time to time trying to give her some reassurance. They continued in that manner for no less than ten minutes before she, seeing that she wasn't going to change her mind, stomped out of the cavern, slamming the door hard behind her.

Gul-Carlo looked at me looking at him, and then turned away to one of his councilors.

"She's feisty." Haig said to me with a grin.