Free The Fabled Beast of Elddon by David Barber Page A

saw the creature with my own eyes. I know it exists,
but there’s no evidence of it here. Perhaps the kerram have it enslaved and are
hiding it in some hall we’ve not yet seen.”
    “It
may have been the kerram,” Ander said, “as woke the beast in the first place--”
    “We
have to get her out of here,” Tristan said.
    “We
can’t go,” Ryia said. “I was on my way to find help and here you are. We have
to free those people--”
    “Were
there children among them?” Loth said, taking the girl by the shoulders. “Were
there three boys, strong young farm boys with golden hair?”
    “There
were children, yes, and women as well, but there are more people in the mines
than what I saw, I am certain of it.”
      “If Sir Egan realizes we are here, he
might put the prisoners to the sword.” Loth said. “I have sworn an oath, and I
will not leave until I find the boys I seek.”
    “Shouldn’t
we at least fall back to a safer place?” Tristan suggested. “Come up with a
plan?”
    “We
planned for a day and night before our ill-fated rescue attempt,” Ander gave
Ryia a weak smile. “For all the good it did. We don’t know enough about what’s
going on. We don’t know how many kerram there are, and we don’t know where the
beast is hiding. We don’t have enough men, and where would we find them even if
we had the time?” He put a hand on the youth’s shoulder. “I’m afraid, Tris,
that it comes down to us again. We’re here now and if we don’t do something, no
one will.”

Chapter 8

 
    The
group huddled together in the shadows at the entrance to the mine. Loth looked
out across the vast cavern in front of them. The landscape had an alien feel,
like another world, a bleak, cheerless scene without joy or comfort, like some demented
painter’s interpretation of Tironed-dum, the land of the dead.
    “This
is bad,” Ander said. He gave Loth an appraising look. “Surely you know some
spell that could help in this situation.”
    “I
know a great deal about magic,” Loth said, “mostly theoretical. I’m not a
wizard. And I know no enchantments that will open locks or spirit prisoners to
safety.”
    “We
have to do something,” Ryia said.
    “We
will,” Loth assured her. “We will win their freedom, but we will have to rely
on courage, speed, and cold steel to do it.”
    “We
can’t just go charging in there,” Tristan said. “There’s too many of them.”
    “We
don’t have to overcome every last kerram,” Loth said, “just enough to free some
of the captives. They will join the fight and there are more of them than there
are guards.”
    “There
doesn’t seem to be a lot of fight left in them,” Ander observed.
    “Be
that as it may--“
    The
scrape of sandals on stone alerted Loth to the presence of others. He turned in
time to see two kerram coming down the tunnel. There was a moment’s hesitation
as the confused kerram eyed the strangers, their muzzles twitching, then the
kerram on the left brought up his staff. Loth raised his bow in the same
instant and put an arrow through the kerram’s eye. The creature made a low
gurgling sound as it fell. The second kerram barked a warning and brought up
his sword, but Ander was already in motion. The big Northman blocked the
kerram’s steel with his shield and brought his own heavy blade down on the
creature’s shoulder, nearly cleaving him in two. The kerram collapsed and lay
twitching in a widening pool of blood.
    Answering
shouts came to them from deeper in the cavern.
    “So
much for having the element of surprise,” Ander snarled, turning back.
    Tristan
was reaching for Ryia, his eyes searching back the way they had come. He might
have been thinking of running, but the girl was already in motion, moving into
the cavern. A kerram guard appeared in front of her, brandishing a sword. Ryia
raised her staff, twisting the end of it. A ball of yellow fire struck the
kerram on the shoulder, spinning him around and throwing him to the