Tales of the Lorekeepers 01 - Rise of the Red Dragon

inside, the smoke will blind us,” Samuel said.
    “We’ll go around the back and cut a hole through the fabric of the tent,” said Malloy. “We can drag him out from there.”
    Samuel considered the idea and then remembered movies he had seen, where unsuspecting heroes made the mistake of opening a door or a window to get inside a flaming building.
    “No!” he yelled. “We can’t do that. If we make another hole in the tent, it will only provide oxygen to the fire.”
    “What? What are you talking about?”
    “Trust me, Malloy. If you open a hole in the tent, the fire will immediately intensify.”
    “Then what do you suggest?”
    “I don’t know,” was the only answer Samuel had to offer.
    He looked at the stumbling shadow of Clive inside the tent and felt utterly powerless. Some hero he was!

    “Dear God! You can’t be serious,” Morghan said to the dark man.
    “Do I look like to joking type to you, advisor?”
    “There has to be another way! I am willing to do anything to protect my people, but this is too much to ask. What you are suggesting is akin to demonic heresy.”
    “Either you execute the plan I just laid out for you or your army will get massacred by the Saxons. Tell me, advisor Morghan, how do you plan to announce to your men that you have failed them? How do you expect them to react, when you tell them you have to leave this place and wander through the forest aimlessly for days, until the Saxons find you and slaughter what remains of your pathetic army?”
    “You knew this would happen, did you not?”
    “What I know and don’t know is irrelevant, old man. If you don’t want to see the Saxons squash your ridiculous army and seize your precious island, you will do as I say and stop questioning my motives.”
    Morghan knew the dark man was right. There was no other way; he had to do as he was told. This stranger had manipulated him into doing precisely what he wanted.
    “Fine,” said the advisor. “I will explain your plan to the king. However, I highly doubt the boy you speak of will come to us willingly.”
    “Trust me advisor, he will.”

    “Listen to your heart.”
    It was Angeline’s voice. Just as she had the previous night, she whispered in his ears. Suddenly, he knew exactly what to do. It was so simple he could not believe he had not thought about it before.
    Without wasting any more precious seconds, he dropped the spear. Looking around, he rapidly found what he was looking for: a metal shield, probably dropped in the confusion by a horrified warrior. As soon as he had the shield on his left forearm, he ran toward the burning entrance of the tent. He lowered his head, hid behind the shield and unsheathed his sword. Behind him, he heard Malloy shout something, but he didn’t stop. He pushed through the entrance, using his sword to move the burning fabric out of the way.
    Once inside the tent, the first thing that hit him was the scorching smoke. Fortunately, Samuel had held his breath before entering, because he knew one inhalation was all it would take to doom himself. In front of him, he saw the shadow of Clive, bent over a chair and struggling to breathe. In a matter of seconds now, he would collapse to the ground and pass out. Samuel knew he would not be able to move the heavy man by himself. He had to get him out while Clive could still walk by himself.
    He wanted to call out to the officer, but again, that would mean smoke would gain access to his lungs.
    Moving swiftly, Samuel pushed aside a small burning table and reached the heavy man. He grabbed his arm and placed it around his neck, foolishly hoping to support his weight. He would have preferred to keep the shield, but if he wanted to have a chance of succeeding, he had to let go of it, in order to keep Clive on his feet.
    Moving slower than he had wished, Samuel carried the officer’s body toward the entrance. Any second now, he would not be unable to hold his breath anymore. Already, the lack of oxygen to his brain was beginning to cloud his vision and rendered every step difficult. Just as he was thinking that this might not have been a smart idea, that he might not make it back, a shadow appeared in front of them. Malloy had also found a shield and, following Samuel’s lead, had burst into the tent. The older boy grabbed both Samuel and the officer and brutally pulled them both out of the tent. For a young warrior, he was surprisingly strong.
    All three men stumbled out of the tent as it came