The Zulani Empire: The New Chronicles of Elemental Magic by Andrew Wood Page B

came into view. They were stood atop of the keep roof as they had the previous few days, hoping today would give them the news they sought. The Zulani fleet was proving rather elusive, if it was, as they had been told making a move against Corlan. The reasoning could have been that the enemy had kept themselves far from land to avoid being spotted, if that was the case, then sooner or later they would have to move closer in to make land.
    The bird glided down to their elevated position, landing just a few feet from them. Luca held out his hand, and closed his eyes. Images flashed through his mind. Fields, hedgerows, woodland, rivers and then came the sight of the country's old capital Hamalin, nothing now but a huge area of dusty wasteland. Where once a fine city had been, and beside it was the wide river that had been its lifeline. The visions followed the river out of the estuary, before turning north and west out to sea.
    The pictures in Luca's mind appeared to be nothing but sea, and he was just about to break the link when he thought he spotted something. He hoped the bird had flown nearer to whatever it was so he could see. Fortunately, the gull had been as keen to see it as he now was, and flew further out. Moving below the wispy clouds were a score or more of very slow moving ships. These were like none Luca had ever seen before. They were far bigger than any vessel he knew of, and almost black in colour.
    He opened his eyes and looked straight at Oliver, "I've found them," he said excitedly. The young Darekian smiled, "Let us go tell your uncle, Luca Sir," he replied. Luca nodded, but thought it only fair to the bird to release it from his power. He placed a tender fingertip on the bird's head, before watching it flap its wings and disappear over in the direction of the dock.
    After quickly hurrying back down the narrow steps and into the main corridor of the keep, the pair walked with purpose to the study of the king. The guards outside the door let them know he was present within, and after knocking on the door, they waited to be let in. After a few moments, one of the guards opened the door for them, and they hurried inside.
    Caldar was sat at his desk, reading through a mountain of papers. The king looked up and waved them both in with one hand, whilst holding a letter in the other. "I think I have found them Uncle," Luca said with more than a little self-satisfaction in his voice. "Really? Where are they?" the asked king replied clearly surprised.
    Luca suggested he point on the map where he thought he had seen the fleet. "I think about here," he said indicating an area on the map far off the coast of North-West Corlan. "The ships are truly massive, like none I have ever seen before," he added, describing as best he could the images he had seen. "I think there is about twenty in number, and they are moving very slowly."
    Caldar tapped his finger on the table, trying to judge where this fleet could be heading. "It must be Hamalin," he said coming to the only logical conclusion. "Although if the ships are as large as you say, they will struggle manoeuvring them up river." The three of them worked out that considering the time the bird would have spotted the ships, the speed and target destination they still had a day maybe two before the Zulani could think about landing.
    Caldar immediately started scribbling a letter. Hurriedly writing the words, not caring whether the ink blotted or not. After placing his seal and signing it, he made a duplicate, only changing the addressee. "Luca I need you to do something for me," Caldar said rolling the letters up and placing them inside two tubes. "I hope you can do this," he said before explaining what he needed.
    He told Luca how the old wizard Sandred had used the skill in controlling birds to deliver urgent messages. Luca shrugged, he did not think it would be too difficult commanding a bird to drop off a small cylinder containing a letter. "If you use a couple of birds