a tremendous explosion. It woke everyone. A while
later they saw a great swell coming towards them. It picked
up the boats, and lowered them quickly as it passed under but just a
short distance ahead it began to form a huge wave rolling toward shore.
52 "You wanted to be in closer?" Bold Fox asked the Captain. The man
just looked at him with a blank expression, then stared back at the now
calming water.
53 "Signal all ships," ordered Bold Fox. "Make sail. We're going in!"
54 It was nearly high sun the next day when they entered Epon's harbor.
Everywhere was devastation! The city's lakeward wall was gone, and most
of the city, itself, was rubble in the harbor. As Bold Fox and his men
began to land, a few ragged-looking Epon soldiers approached, then a
War Leader appeared, waving a white flag.
55 When he reached Bold Fox he fell to his knees, weeping. "Please!
Please! Don't fight us! We've had enough! Your magic is too much! We're
finished! Our cities, our villages...everything....they're gone!
There's thousands and thousands of dead." He took out his pistol
and
handed it to Bold Fox. "Our King is dead," he announced, "all of his
family. They were having a party last night. ALL our nobles; they're
gone, simply gone! We can't find any of them...the palace, nothing!
Please," he cried, "Help us! There's women and children buried in the
rubble!" He turned to his men and kept waving his palm down to the
ground. His men understood, and laid down their weapons.
56 "All right," agreed Bold Fox, "all right. We accept your surrender.
My people will land and do all they can."
57 So it was Epon surrendered. They did not even want any terms. "Take
us," they cried, "rule us. Scatter