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

Chapter 38

Keppar

AURORA HURRIEDLY CLIMBED ACROSS THE ROOF HEADING FOR A SMALL sunshade that poked out. She gripped it, using it to swing down. She dropped the last few feet down. Gage thudded down beside her. She turned and saw Jaydar lying on his side in the street. He was groaning and slowly pushing himself to his feet. Aurora grabbed him by the arm and helped him up.

"Anything broken?" she asked, glancing up the alley. The soldiers would be there any minute.

"I don't think so," Jaydar groaned, as he touched his shoulder. "But I've got some bad bruising."

"Good, let's go," Aurora said, seeing Jaydar could still stand and ran down the street.

One more corner and they would be in the alley. She looked over her shoulder and felt her stomach sink. The Eye was standing at the end of the street. He pointed his sword at them and shouted. The soldiers charged down the alley heading straight for them, their armour and weapons clanging as they ran, their heavy boots thudding loudly as they hit the pavement.

Aurora rounded the corner. She did a mental check, one last turn and the tunnel would be down there. That was if she had remembered correctly. Aurora bolted the last few metres until the next corner. She flew around it.

"Is that it?" Jaydar said.

Aurora nearly cried out for joy when the tunnel entrance came into view. She sprinted as fast as she could towards it.

Jaydar was right behind her. He could hear the thundering footsteps of the soldiers and the clanking of their armour. He suddenly heard a familiar whooshing sound. He threw himself to the side just as a fireball smashed into the ground where he had been seconds before. He looked over his shoulder to see an Erif taking aim but Jaydar knew at once that it wasn't at him.

"Aurora!" he shouted, his eyes wide with horror.

Aurora glanced over her shoulder and saw the Erif aiming at her. The yellow red fireball encased with searing hot flames shot out of the catapult. It soared through the air aiming straight for her, leaving streaks of fire in its wake. She waited for the heat to crash into her, to encase her and finally to burn the last breath out of her. At the last moment something crashed into Aurora throwing her to the side. She hit the pavement hard and rolled.

"Jaydar, no!" she shouted.

Jaydar threw his hand up in front of his face, closing his eyes waiting for the missile to rip right through him. The fireball flew towards him and he felt it collide with his hand. He instinctively closed his fingers around it, straining to stop it as the force behind it pushed forward. He opened his eyes slowly. 

"What-?" Aurora uttered in shock.

"How?" Gage stared at Jaydar in amazement. 

Jaydar looked at the fireball in his hand. He felt the object but the heat did not harm him. He smiled and looked up. He saw the soldiers staring at him in shock. He held it up and laughed. 

"Catch!" Jaydar shouted. He pulled his arm back and threw the fireball back at the soldiers. He didn't even wait for their reaction. He pulled Aurora to her feet and they ran for the tunnel. Fireballs and arrows pelted the ground around them.

Aurora jumped down first. She hit the ground running and darted into the blackness. Jaydar was right behind her and Gage hit the ground right after him. They followed her into the darkness. She suddenly stopped and Jaydar nearly bowled right into her. Aurora crouched down, feeling around for the rope. She looked up as the soldiers' shouting echoed down the tunnel. They were close.