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

Chapter 30

Latainia

DAYE LED THE WAY FROM THE COUNCIL meeting, down the corridor towards the technological department. Alex and Aurora trailed behind her, still in awe at the council meeting's events.

Alex whistled. "Well that's one thing we've learnt about you Latainians. Nothing's ever boring."

Daye laughed. "I have to admit things have been a little more exciting than usual." She glanced up the corridor. "Um. Do you know where we're going?"

"No," Aurora said.

"They need a map," Alex said and then added, "Like at the zoo."

"Maybe we should ask someone," Daye suggested.

"Good idea, Einstein!" Alex said.

Daye stared at him in puzzlement. "Who's Einstein?"

Alex opened his mouth to explain but Aurora knew they would be here all day and jumped in first.

"Just some really smart guy from our world," she said, dismissing the matter. 

Daye nodded as if that explained everything.

At that moment a man walked past them. Daye stopped him and asked for directions and he pointed them down the right path. They reached their destination and found themselves looking at a huge steel door.

Alex reached up and knocked sharply on the door with his knuckle. When no one came he glanced at Daye and Aurora. Aurora shrugged and nodded indicating that he should knock again. Alex did so. A few minutes passed and Alex was about to knock a third time when the door was pulled open.

Alex found himself looking at a short man with fuzzy blonde hair. The man stared up at Alex blinking. He took off his large thick rimmed perfectly round glasses.

"What?! Don't you know that we are extremely busy?! Especially since we happen to be in the middle of a war!" he snapped.

Alex was a little taken aback.

"We're here to get armed?" he said, finally.

The man looked at him for a moment. "So are the other five hundred or so soldiers down here! Be more specific! What squadron, battalion or combat team are you in?"

"Prince Torin's?" Alex said, still not sure that what he was saying was right.

Aurora rolled her eyes. At this rate it was going to take them years to get anywhere. She pushed Alex out of the way and addressed the man.

"Look mister, we've been ordered by Prince Torin to come down here, you are the tech department aren't you?"

"I resent that nickname, but yes we are the technological department of this Resistance." He squinted at them. "Yes. I do recall Prince Torin mentioning you. The Earth children."

Aurora rolled her eyes. "We are not children."  

The man simply grunted and opened the door wide enough to let them in.

Alex didn't even hear the argument that followed between Aurora and the little man. Behind the door was a huge room and everywhere was technical equipment. He didn't know where to look first. Alex was in heaven.

"Pretty impressive, isn't it?" the man said, smiling at Alex's gobsmacked expression. 

"Yeah," Alex said. "Where did all of this stuff come from?"

"Mostly from our black marketeer friends and from Timedelle, they've unofficially donated some things to us. Plus we already had a whole team of innovative thinkers," the man explained.