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

Chapter 37

Keppar

AURORA RAN UP THE LAST FEW STEPS. Whoever that was yelling in a pure rage, she didn't want to meet them. She burst out the top and blundered straight into an Erif patrol guard. He was knocked back. He saw Aurora and went to draw his sword.

Aurora thrust her bow forward, ramming him in the stomach. He doubled over and Aurora swung at his head with her bow. It smashed into his helmet. He was thrown backwards. He began to groggily crawl to his feet. Aurora lashed out and her foot hit him right in the face. He crashed to the ground unconscious, his nose spurting blood.

Jaydar stood there in shock. It was all over in a matter of seconds.

"Come on!" Aurora said. "Or are you going to wait for him to wake up?"

Jaydar hastily followed Aurora. They ran down the corridor.

"Move!" someone barked.

Jaydar stopped at the next corner as he heard the harsh command. He carefully peered around the corner and saw a defeated looking Gage being marched towards the dungeons by two soldiers. Aurora hissed in frustration beside him.

"Gage! He's alive!" Jaydar said. If Gage was alive then maybe Jeb was too, he thought.

"You know him?" Aurora said, in surprise. 

"Yeah. We have to help him!" Jaydar said.

Aurora drew an arrow from her quiver.

Jaydar watched as Aurora put it to her bow. "What are you doing?" 

"You want to help him, don't you?"

Before Jaydar could answer Aurora had moved around the corner. She released the arrow and it buried itself into the guard to the right. Her hand shot over her shoulder, grasping the next one. She brought it around and up to her bow.

Gage kicked out at the remaining guard and his heel smashed into the back of the Erif's leg. He crashed to the ground. The Erif grabbed Gage's leg pulling it out from under him. Gage hit the ground hard, unable to break his fall with his arms bound behind his back.

Jaydar raced forward. Before the guard could make a move, Jaydar kicked away the guard's spear. The Erif reached for his knife. Jaydar grabbed his wrist trying to wrestle the knife from him but the Erif was too strong and dragged him to the floor. Jaydar found himself pinned to the ground, the tip of the knife inches from his throat. He gripped the Erif's wrist with both of his hands, straining desperately to force the knife away. Jaydar's eyes widened as he realized the Erif's strength would overcome his own. Then suddenly the Erif collapsed right on top of Jaydar. Jaydar scrambled out to see Aurora standing over him with her bow.    

She had swung her bow at the guard's head, knocking him unconscious. Aurora lowered her bow and approached Gage. 

"Jaydar! How did you get out?" Gage said, as he twisted around and pushed himself to his feet with his legs.

She pulled her knife from her belt and went to cut away Gage's bonds but stopped. She frowned at the sight of the shackles.

"Who are you?" Gage asked. 

Aurora turned back to the unconscious guard. She snatched the keys from his belt and quickly freed Gage. 

"You're pretty handy with that thing," Jaydar commented.

Aurora ignored him and instead pointed at Gage. "Put on his armour. Quick before someone comes around the corner and sees us!"

"Who are you?" Gage asked, again as he started pulling the armour off the guard.