Epos the Winged Flame Read Online Free Page B

He raised his sword and angrily flung himself at the hooded figure. With a laugh of triumph, Malvel disappeared.

C HAPTER E IGHT

T HE W ILL TO S URVIVE
    T OM STOOD ON THE LIP OF THE VOLCANO feeling lost and powerless. Had Malvel really used his father? The thought seemed too terrible to even consider. For a brief moment, Tom forgot about everything he had been through. He had come so close to finishing his Quest, but now he was not sure he could. If his father couldn’t succeed, how could he?
    Before Tom had a chance to feel any worse, he caught a glimpse of Epos out of the corner of his eye. The Winged Flame was coming to finish him off!
    No!
thought Tom fiercely.
I won’t let my Quest end this way.
He hadn’t set free the first five Beasts only to be beaten by the last! He thought of the way Malvel had tricked and almost killed him — and an angry determination built up inside him. He would fight Malvel and his evil plans to his last breath. Tom was still clutching his sword, and now he gripped it more tightly than ever.
    “I’ll never stop fighting,” he gasped.
    With a burst of energy, Tom jumped for the golden band around Epos’s neck as the Winged Flame swooped by. But he couldn’t quite reach it. He stretched and strained, but it was no use.
    Epos circled back, gaining more speed as she dove through the smoky sky. Once more Tom reached up to cut the golden band — just as Epos changed direction. The sword slipped from his grip and tumbled down into the volcano.
    “No!” yelled Tom. He felt numb. He had losthis shield and his sword. How could he ever win now?
    I’ve still got my wits,
he thought bravely. “I’m not giving up!” he yelled at Epos.
    As if Epos had understood him, she circled back toward Tom, swooping low. This was his chance! Before the Beast could knock him into the fiery crater, Tom twisted around and grabbed hold of her leg. It was like holding a burning log. Tom shouted in pain but he couldn’t stop now.
    Epos gave a bellow of rage and tried to shake Tom free. The lava bubbled greedily below them. “I won’t let go!” Tom shouted. But now Epos was flying toward the volcano’s rim. Tom realized she was planning to break his grip by smashing him against the face of the rock! It loomed closer and closer.
    At the last moment, Tom let go of Epos and twisted through the air. He seemed to fall forages — but at last he landed on a narrow ledge, the impact jarring his whole body as he scrambled for a handhold. The rock was burning hot and scorched his skin. But, with the last of his strength, he managed to cling on.

    Epos was still circling above him, screeching in fury, and Tom knew he didn’t have a hope of climbing over the edge of the rim.
I’m trapped,
he thought.
An easy target.
But then he saw a crack in the rock — a long, smoldering split. Was it wide enough for him to fit through? His arms and legs ached, and his skin felt so raw that every movement was agony. But somehow, Tom started to squeeze through the gap. If he was fast enough, Epos might think he had simply fallen to his death, and give up on him.
    All I need is a chance to get my strength back,
he told himself,
to work out a plan.
…
    With a last, exhausting effort, Tom wriggledthrough the split in the stone and fell a short way onto another, cooler ledge — outside the volcano and out of the great flame bird’s reach.
    Tom lay on the shuddering, smoking ground, gasping for breath. He was overlooking a small, rocky plain close to the volcano’s summit. He had no weapons and nowhere to take cover. A dark, steep slope towered above him, leading back up to the mouth of the volcano.
    Tom realized then that the crack he had squeezed through was part of a thick black split running horizontally across the slope.
    A desperate hope flared up inside him. Above that split were balanced thousands of tons of rock — which seemed to be leaning back into the volcano. If only there was some way of bringing it crashing down,