Basom, who had been relaxing on his bed, leaped to his feet. "What is
it?"
Anketam told him rapidly. Then he said: "Get moving! You're a fast
runner. Spread the news. Tell everyone to get to the Swamp. We have less
than an hour, so run for all you're worth!"
Basom, like Kevenoe, didn't bother to ask questions. He went outside and
started running toward the south.
"That's right!" Anketam called after him. "Tell Jacovik first! And get
more runners to spread the word!"
And then Anketam headed for his own home. Memi had to be told. On the
way, he pounded on the doors of the houses, shouting the news and
telling the others to get to the Big Swamp.
By the time the Invader troops came, they found the entire Samas barony
empty. Not a single soul opposed their march; there was no voice to
object when they leveled their beam projectors and melted the castle and
the villages into shapeless masses of blackened plastic.