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

Chapter 10

Earth

"NO, HOLD IT LIKE THIS." DAYE HELD THE KNIFE UP FOR AURORA TO SEE.

Aurora shifted her own hold and showed Daye.

"Much better."

Daye had painted a target on a tree some four metres away. She was teaching Aurora how to throw a knife. She first demonstrated. She breathed deep and pulled her right hand back. She felt the perfectly balanced knife in her hand. She felt it like it was an extension of her arm. She whipped her arm forward with lightning speed and released the knife. The knife cut through the air and less than a second later it was embedded in the tree.

In the bullseye of the target.

Aurora was impressed.

"Now it's your turn and don't worry if you miss or throw it wrong. It's not as easy as it looks. I've been practicing for years," Daye said.

Aurora checked her hold and saw she had it right. She breathed deep and focused. She drew her arm back and threw the knife forward. It soared through the air and...

Hit the tree hilt first.

Aurora frowned angrily. "No fair. I did everything like you did."

Daye shrugged. "Like I said it takes practice. You just keep throwing it until you get it right. It's the only way."

"I will get it right," Aurora said, determinedly. She retrieved her knife and prepared to try again.

Daye glanced up to where Alex stood on the veranda watching them, the Pathguard's journal in his hand.

"Why don't you come have a go?" she suggested.

"No thank you. I prefer to stick to the more civilized activities of life." Alex held up the journal. "Like finding out what all this means."

Daye sat down on the steps. "What do you want to know?" 

"What these weird looking maps are?" Alex handed the journal to Daye.

Alex knew it was definitely a map of some kind, but of nowhere he had ever seen. There were strange names and pictures of creatures that looked almost prehistoric. 

"It's a map of Klemenite," Daye said, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"What?"

Daye pointed to the map. "Klemenite is one of the Six Kingdoms and this is a map of it. I wonder if there are others."

"There are." Alex took the journal back and started flicking through the pages. "There are about four or five others." He passed the journal back to Daye.

Daye studied the other maps. There was one for each of the other Kingdoms. Her hand hovered over the map of Latainia. She felt a slight pang of emotion as she thought of who she had left behind.

"These are definitely maps of the other Kingdoms," Daye confirmed.

"Then what are all these dots?" Alex pointed at a few faded black dots scattered across the map.

Daye frowned. "I'm not sure. You?"

Alex took the map back and stared at it thoughtfully. "I've got no idea. It could be anything."

"Strange though, isn't it?" Daye said.

Alex nodded.  "Although..." he trailed off thinking.

"Although what?" Aurora asked, sitting down next to him.