The Greenies engaged the enemy in close combat, and the humans continued to shoot arrows on the enemy. The Greenies seemed to be untiring, fighting all the time, roaring in excitement.
But just when they thought that they had got the war on their side, a blast occurred.
There were shrieks from behind.
Thomas looked to see what had happened.
The humans were running away from the war. Thomas gripped one and asked, “What is happening?”
“The prisons have broken!” he said. “And there are demons all around. We will be cornered from both sides!”
Thomas let him go.
Thomas, Pyros and Staler rushed towards the prisons from where heavy smoke was dissipating. Demons on hounds were all around the prison complex.
“Where did they come from?” Staler asked.
His question was answered at once, as he saw a hole in the ground ahead. Demons were pouring out of it.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, suddenly two recognizable figures emerged out of the smoke.
They were Flor and Cayden.
Pyros cursed. “Staler, you and Thomas close the hole while I handle these two.”
Thomas and Staler called for the Greenies and rushed towards the hole, while Pyros brought out two swords.
Flor grinned. “Don’t I recognize you?”
Pyros twirled the swords. “Don’t underestimate me, Flor. You won’t escape.”
Cayden laughed. “One of us is enough to defeat ten versions of you. You think you are fit to fight us?”
Both Flor and Cayden attacked Pyros. Pyros dodged the attacks, but he was not a warrior. He was no match for Flor and Cayden. His armour was also crushed by the hounds.
“Let’s finish this quickly,” Cayden said to Flor. “We need to escape.”
Flor nodded and the two leapt at Pyros with their swords. Pyros backed away further, knowing that he couldn’t possibly fight them.
“Coward,” Flor said. He leapt ahead again, but Pyros dodged. Cayden threw a dagger at him. Pyros dodged it but lost his balance. As he fell to the ground, Cayden kicked him hard, sending the sword flying from Pyros’s hand.
Flor and Cayden laughed.
Pyros had no strength left to rise up and run. Flor brought his sword down on him. There was no armour to defend Pyros.
Pyros closed his eyes and awaited death.
But nothing happened.
Pyros opened his eyes to see Flor flying away due to the impact of a powerful kick. The very next moment, he saw Cayden flying off. The attack on Flor and Cayden was so intense that both of them fell unconscious on the ground, spreading dust around.
As the dust settled, Pyros could see who saved him.
It was Skazen.
19
An hour had passed since the war had started and things were not going well. The Scavenger and the children were fighting with their last reserves, refraining from drinking the energy serum. There were only three bottles left, and the war had just begun. The children were almost spent as they had to use their Elemental Powers more and more.
The Scavenger was cursing himself for miscalculating the arrival time of the allies led by the Unicorn King. They had lost the initial surprise advantage by now. Osay’s armies had gathered in large numbers and were ready to run over the Scavenger and the children.
We are surrounded from all sides. The enemy will slay us like sitting ducks, the Scavenger thought.
“RETREAT! Let’s rush to the bandit’s lair!” the Scavenger shouted.
“NO! We can’t,” Archer cried in desperation, throwing waves of fire towards the enemy. “I am sure the allies can come anytime now. We have been fighting for so long! Let’s hold on!”
“Don’t be foolish!” the Scavenger shouted. “You all need to live for our mission! Just do what I say!” the Scavenger said, leaving the children no choice.
As the Scavenger started to move, he spotted a group of warriors on hounds moving fast towards them.
The Scavenger threw a box of bombs ahead with all his strength. There were huge blasts.
Smoke billowed all over, and suddenly the war was at a standstill, with no attack from either side.
“We are surrounded,” James whispered. “We can’t even move to the bandit’s lair.”
Meanwhile, the allies were nowhere to be seen.
“This is it,” the Scavenger said to the children. “Going to the bandit’s lair is not an option. Attack the Library. Let’s consume the energy serums and bomb the enemy. Leave it to fate.”
The Scavenger hung a belt of grenades from his shoulder and whispered, “This is the last we have. I’ll throw it, and, taking advantage of the smoke, we need to escape the cordon towards the Library. Ready your FLICKs.”
The children nodded bravely, knowing they had no choice. They pressed a few buttons, and the FLICKs expanded over them.
The group drank one whole bottle of the energy serum. Energy flooded in such a large amount that their knees grew weak for a second. But soon they regained their balance, ready to take on the world.
“Let’s go!” the Scavenger roared and threw grenades on the enemy cordon. He leapt outside the forest cover through the cloud of smoke.
The children used the FLICK’s power to catch up with the Scavenger. As the FLICKs lifted them up, they saw enemy soldiers everywhere. The Scavenger picked up a few grenades from the belt and threw them down on the enemy.
Within moments, they swooped down the gates of the Library compound.
A very frightening sight awaited them. There was a massive deployment of Osay’s soldiers who spotted them.
The Scavenger and the children threw grenades on the gate. The gate blasted to pieces, and they rushed inside.
The Scavenger knew in his heart that this was a lousy plan. They had left a lot to fate.
A massive bomb exploded near them. The Scavenger threw himself backwards, crashing against the children. All of them fell to the ground. It was a narrow escape for them.
The soldiers on hounds closed in to surround the children and the Scavenger.
“USE YOUR ELEMENTAL POWERS! IT’S NOW OR NEVER!” the Scavenger yelled as he
