Looking to the end of the tunnel, Mraan saw a stone stair in the dim grey light. At the top of the stair was a small chamber, closed off by a tall gate of metal bars. At his father’s gesture, he handed over the keys. Haloch then selected one, reached through the gate, inserted the key with some difficulty, turned . . .
‘I need your strength,’ Haloch told him. ‘The mechanism should work anticlockwise.’
Mraan reached through the cold iron bars, found the key, and twisted. Nothing happened, but he thought he could feel the mechanism give a little. Resting his body against the gate for leverage, he gained a better purchase on the key, and turned with all his might.
There was a thundering crash from down the tunnel as part of the Library caved in, followed by a gust of hot air tinged with fire and brimstone. The air was beginning to smell of smoke. Determined, Mraan gripped the key once more and turned, adding his fear, frustration and anger to the limit of his strength-
Bang! The door opened with a groan, vibrating from the sympathetic concussion generated by forcing its long-disused locking mechanism.
They found themselves standing in front of a treed knoll in the forest to the north of the city of Nith, which was obscured by a veil of haze or smoke. A great city and its people were ended. Haloch, however, turned his back on the scene. Leading his son with steps which grew ever more certain, he said, ‘Come now. We are leaving.’