Once there was Darkness

Sandstorm

Part 1

As they were eating dinner, Beth appeared at the door. “Everyone should come outside.”

They all went outside. Beth pointed toward the Forest of Shadows, a storm was brewing. As they watched, the storm grew.

“A sand storm,” Kessa gasped. She walked over to a strange board that was standing chest high to her and angled down toward the city. It looked like a mirror and she lit a candle. She watched the city. Kol saw a similar light below.  She took another board and blocked out the light in patterns.

“What are you doing?”

“Alerting the garrison that a sandstorm has started in the deep desert.”

They in turn started sending back a message. In the distance, they heard one ring from the temple bell.

“I thought this system was in place long before both our lives.”

“That’s the beauty of it. It works that well.”

They sent her a message back. “What are they saying?”

“Can’t see.”

“I am sending back, growing. Watch for explosions.”

He was stunned, “what explosions?”

“You know those poles that we passed on the way to Garrard?” He nodded. “They are connected to explosives. When the wind rips them out of the ground, they will set off an explosion. There are five. They are placed to give us distance and width.” Beth brought out a board of some kind, an hour glass, and what looked like scribe tools.

“What are those for?” He sounded exasperated.

Frego was watching with great interest.

“Measure speed.” Kessa answered.

Beth pulled up a chair and sat down. The hour glass looked different than any hour glass he had ever seen. It had markings on it in intervals. “Beth we may not need that.” An explosion pulled their attention back in the direction of the storm. “Three days on a horse.” Beth turned the hourglass as Kessa sent a message. The bell sounded again. She paid no attention to Beth, who was writing on the board.

Kol was in shock. He glanced at his mother, who was watching the storm. He was thinking to himself; what else had Kessa done that he had no idea about? He stopped himself. Her mission was to protect him, look at the job she was doing. Not only did this work to protect him but his people. His home. Though he had done it many times before, in that moment, he thanked God that she was in his life.