Blood Rider [Alonia's Queenslayer #1]

5

As much as Eli cursed his skill, she was now glad that the elf was so skilled. It gave them a higher chance of survival.

"No dragon will be joining us, right?" the elf asked coldly.

"Of course not."

"Typical." He sneered. Eli felt her face flush in anger, but she contained a smart retort.

"Say, when we defeat them, you'll let me go?" she asked and got ready to face the first three harpies of the row.

"Yes. Leap to the side and attack on my sign," he said urgently. Eli nodded, although he couldn't see. They both tensed with their swords ready as the tortured shrieks nearly deafened them. The first three harpies would arrive within seconds.

For a second, Eli thought that there would be no signal. But just as she thought the harpy would crash into her face, the elf yelled "Now!".

Eli threw herself to the side and felt the first harpies whiz past her. The second row was too close to stop and so it followed after the first instantly.

Following the elf's orders, Eli struck her sword out at the third row. The harpies were flying too fast and didn't realise what was going on until one of them had a sword through its stomach. Eli felt like she was cutting through paper, and she quickly pulled her sword out as she tried to block out the harpy's dying screeches.

She managed to glance at the elf and see that he had killed the two others in one blow before more harpies attacked at once.

Since they realised their mistake, the remaining thee rows decided to regroup. The two rows which had missed them had grouped up with the one who remained and decided to split up with four of them going for Eli and five lunging for the elf.

Eli was afraid – could she face so many at once?

Their shrieks filled her ears. The harpies had a very specific way of attacking. They would fly around in the air and then suddenly drop down for a quick attack. That was what they had attempted to do previously, but failed. Now, they were grouped correctly and all of them were diving at Eli at once.

"Wait until they're close and roll," the elf's voice rang over the shrieks. Since Eli had no better plan on her own, she decided to follow his.

She felt like puking while watching the decaying naked bodies plunge towards her with claws outstretched, but she waited. When they were a second away from all four bringing her down, Eli dropped into a roll. She emerged with a blind cut of her sword, and she felt her sword pass through skin as a loud shriek filled the air.

The harpies rose into the air before Eli could attack more, but one remained. It was dead, and its body was crumpled on the ground and grey blood was oozing from a large slash on its stomach. Those who remained wasted no time and were already a few seconds away from Eli, this time flying slightly angled so that they would get her even if she rolled.

Their eyes were mad with hunger and their shrieks were full of excitement and rage. The elf told her nothing, so Eli had to use her own brain for once. Since they were flying at angle, they would be within her reach long before she was within theirs, and would be much easier to cut down.

Eli waited as the trio got close, and quickly lunged and slashed above her. She acted too quickly, however, and two out of three harpies dodged to the side. Her sword beheaded the one who was in the middle, but Eli knew she had made a mistake.

She couldn't retract her sword in time as she felt claws strike her sides from both sides, nearly ripping through her chainmail. She let the momentum from the beheading carry her sword to the harpy on the right. It manged to dodge the blade, and it only slightly nicked its stomach. The other was already on Eli's back in an attempt to make her stumble. But harpies were light, and Eli barely felt her weight. If their claws only nicked her skin, she would be poisoned. If the cut was deeper, she'd need immediate help from a healer.