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easier.”
    “Okay, so let’s assume that this book, well, I mean the illustrations, let’s say, at least five hundred years old. Did they learn anything else than we know of?”
    “Well, don’t forget that I have a theory about this event that happened about three hundred years ago,” started Synne, before being halted by Ulric raising his hand.
    “I know, your big event that you keep talking about. I’m sure you’re right, sister, there is plenty of evidence of there being all kinds of things in the past, but now little remains of it. Whether it was just time, or something happened, I doubt we will ever know. Whatever it was, it destroyed most of what was here. For now, I would like to get an idea about the peak of knowledge, tools and fighting skills.”
    “I understand Ulric, you want to know about magic weapons and the perfect techniques!” laughed Synne.
    “Well, I wouldn’t say no, now would I? But seriously, I would like to know if these armours, weapons and training were the peak of their knowledge. We have come across machines that no longer work and even some have weapons that use chemicals to launch projectiles. Have you come across anything that refers to these yet?”
    The two stood and Synne beckoned to the library. They started to move away though both appeared worn out from their sparring.
    “I might have one book of interest to you, it is one of the few I have in colour and is about someone called Nelson.”
    “Nelson? That is an odd name, for a man I assume?” asked Ulric.
    They moved past a workshop where three men were busy working on forging metal parts. The din of tools striking metal reverberated from inside.
    “Well, the book I have is only in fragments but it describes great battles on the oceans between two kingdoms. If the text is accurate they travelled in craft that carried hundreds of men,” she said emphasising the word hundreds.
    “The greatest battle they fought included about eighty of these vessels and thousands of men. Apparently, over ten thousand died in the battle. Even more interesting is, these ships…” she said as Ulric cut her off.
    “Ships?”
    “Oh, the best I can tell is that a ship was a larger version of a boat, designed to travel long distances.”
    Ulric nodded, though his raised eyebrow implied he was less than convinced.
    “Anyway, these ships carried weapons called cannons. I’ve been making sketches of them but they seem very simple. A special powder that flashes is pushed down them, then a large metal ball is jammed down. When the powder is burned, it shoots the metal ball out like a crossbow bolt. Some of these ships had over a hundred of these cannon, as they were bigger than a man.”
    Ulric stopped and placed his hand on Synne’s shoulder.
    “Sister, I know you have done much research but don’t get too confused between adventures and stories and facts. Surely if these things existed we would have found them by now?”
    Synne turned her head in disagreement.
    “How? We cannot travel too far to the North and the Wastelands surround much of the lands of the League. Anybody that has travelled beyond the markers has either disappeared or come back with terrible conditions and illnesses. When have you ever seen a piece of water that could take a vessel with hundreds of men? Believe me, brother, if you travelled past the Wastelands you would find great stretches of water,” she said in an exasperated tone.
    Ulric simply smiled and the two continued their walk to the library. They walked up the short path to the large locked wooden door that led to the library’s valuable collection.
    “I’m looking forward to seeing those armoured fighting manuals,” said Ulric as they walked through the darkened doorway.
    “I bet you are,” replied a grinning Synne.
    As they entered the room they were met by one of Lord Galan’s personal retainers, he bowed slightly at spotting them.
    “I’ve been looking for you both. Lord Galan has called for you