Rise of the Erifs (The Fire Song Chronicles Book 1)

Chapter 6

Keppar

HEMING WAS THROWN BACKWARDS, CRYING OUT IN PAIN AND SURPRISE. Jaydar grabbed him under the arms, dragging him back towards the Pathway, as pandemonium exploded around them. Latainian soldiers fell into formation encircling them, slamming their shield into place just in time to meet the first wave of Erifs. Swords crashed upon shields in a hail of metal on metal amidst the chaotic chorus of battle cries. Torrents of fire split the air, blasting out in all directions.    

Blood covered Jaydar's shaking hands as he tried to stop the bleeding from Heming's shoulder. He had never felt such fear in all his life. I should never have come here. I should have listened to Torin. Torin! If only he were here! Jaydar thought. He fought the fear furiously as it threatened to take over.

Heming grunted in pain, pushing Jaydar's hand away. "What are you doing? Run for the Pathway! One of us has to make it home!"

"But Commander..."

"GO!" Heming shouted, with every last shred of strength he had.

Jaydar gave his hand a final squeeze.  

"Prince...don't let them win..." Heming whispered, letting his head fall back and his eyes close.

Jaydar drew his sword, gripping it tightly. His training kicked in as the first Erif broke through the ranks, scattering the Latainian's soldiers with a sweep of his sword. Erifs poured through the gap. The muscular seven foot Erif locked eyes with Jaydar and barrelled straight towards him. Jaydar glanced to either side but there was nowhere to run with Latainians battling everywhere.  

The Erif raised his sword and roared. Jaydar brought his own sword up and blocked the Erif's blow, the force reverberating all the way up his arm. Jaydar thrust forward but the Erif easily sidestepped, striking out with his own sword. The Erif's strong deft strokes drove Jaydar further and further back. The Erif's reach was much longer than Jaydar's, keeping him from striking even close. But Jaydar was light on his feet, dancing just out of reach of the Erif's weapon. Jaydar jumped back, the Erif's sword skimming mere inches from his nose. The Erif grinned, revelling in his advantage and took a mighty swing at Jaydar's head. With lightning speed Jaydar ducked under his arm and leapt forward. The Erif pitched to the side from his over exerted blow, off balance and stumbled right into Jaydar's waiting sword. Jaydar drove his sword's tip straight between the armoured plates and the Erif spluttered in shock, sinking to his knees.

Jaydar yanked his sword out, turned and ran for the Pathway, ducking and weaving his way around warriors battling ferociously.

Crimson, still astride her horse, watched the battle calmly. There was no need for her to intervene personally, her warriors were overrunning the Latainians with all the force of a raging storm. Her eyes followed Jaydar as he raced towards the Pathway.

Crimson turned to her son, who was beside her. "Bring me the Latainian Prince."

"Consider it done," Prince Laykin replied, digging his heels into the horse's sides and it sprang forward.

  Laykin ploughed through the battle towards Jaydar, his purple eyes burning with fire and rage.

Jaydar was almost to the Pathway doors, charging forth with everything he had, when something crashed into his shoulder. He was sent sprawling through the red dirt. He jumped to his feet, whirling around but the sword was knocked from his grasp. He fumbled for his knife, seizing the hilt when the butt of a spear smashed into the side of his head, sending him crashing to the ground. Blood dripped down the side of his face from a cut just above his hairline. His vision swarmed in and out of focus.   

Jaydar pushed himself to his knees to see an Erif standing over him with a spear. He vaguely wondered why he wasn't dead yet when his eyes fell on his knife lying in the dust, the blade glinting in the sun. He dived for it. His fingers were inches from it when the Erif kicked him in the stomach so hard Jaydar was sent sprawling away from the knife.

Jaydar gasped for breath, his whole body aching in protest.

Laykin calmly walked towards Jaydar, a mocking laugh escaping his lips as Jaydar tried to scramble away through the dirt.

"There is no escape, Latainian," Laykin said.

Jaydar pushed himself to his feet. He looked up into Laykin's furious violet eyes.

"It doesn't have to be this way," he said. "We could have peace. Keppar and Latainia can–"

"Look around you, Latainian," Laykin cut him off and gestured with his spear. "Why would we want peace, when we have power like ours? The power to rule."

That's when Jaydar realized the sounds of battle were no more. He looked around to see it was over. Every Latainian lay unmoving in the dust, their armour cracked and broken. Their blood staining the ground an even deeper red than it already was. Somehow the deathly silence hanging thick in the air was louder than the battle itself. Jaydar swallowed hard.

All the Erifs had returned to their formations, awaiting orders.   

"It's over," Laykin hissed. He grasped Jaydar by the collar and dragged him back through the battlefield. He forced Jaydar to his knees at Crimson's feet and stepped back.

Crimson dismounted from her horse. "Well done Laykin, my son."

"Thank you." Laykin looked at Crimson questioningly. "What should we do with him?"

Crimson bent down and wrenched Jaydar's helmet right off his head. Jaydar clenched his fists, willing his hands to stop shaking.

Crimson tossed the helmet to Laykin. "Parade that through the city." 

"And him?"

Crimson crouched beside Jaydar. She brushed his hair from his face, studying him intently. Jaydar hissed between his teeth as her fingers pulled at the hair around his open wound. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the Erif soldiers relaxing, believing they had won.

"You look nothing like Xenon," Crimson commented.

*   *   *

Daye spread a large map out on the table. She studied it intently, taking in every small detail. The map showed the Six Kingdoms. There were only six known inhabited worlds; Latainia, Klemenite, Trigarna, Timedelle, Earth and Keppar; and these were known as the Six Kingdoms. Daye was trying to work out where her father would have gone. Which one of these would Balsard have chosen as a refuge? She chewed absentmindedly on the end of her pencil.

She reached for a book she had borrowed from the palace library and flipped through it. She thought it would be best to start with the most likely of worlds and then work to the least likely. She doubted her father would go to Klemenite, a deathly cold planet whose inhabitants she had heard were very withdrawn and private. The same went for Trigarna, made up of deep jungles or maybe it was forests, Daye couldn't exactly remember. Timedelle was a maybe and he definitely wouldn't go anywhere near Keppar so she could certainly cross that one off the list. So that left only one world.

Earth.