13 The Cage

CHAPTER 13 THE CAGE Tag sat on the floor of the cage and put his head in his wings. "We fell right into The Shadow's trap! Now Skull is bringing The Shadow back to Perodia!" The sound of the army marching toward the portal echoed through the tunnel.

Blaze gave a muffled peep from her cage. "It's not your fault, Blaze," Tag told her. "We just need to find a way out of here and stop Skull. At least I still have my dagger!" He pulled it out and cut at the vines around his cage, and Skyla used her sharp teeth to chew them. But the vines were too strong. "It's no good!" Skyla sighed. "We're stuck if Blaze can't use her magic. Skull will be at the portal soon!"

Tag thought about Bod standing guard outside the tunnel. Has Bod been captured, too? he wondered. A small, shiny tear rolled down Blaze's face. It dripped off the end of her beak. "Don't cry!" a voice whispered. Tag glanced around. At the end of the tunnel, a dim green light swung back and forth, moving closer. "Who's there?" Tag called. "It's me, Bod!" the voice replied. "I've come to rescue you." Tag sighed in relief. Bod emerged from the darkness, holding the lantern. "I've never been so happy to see you!" Skyla called out.

Bod inspected the cages. "The cages are strong," he said. "But not as strong as me." He went to Tag's cage first. He gripped a twisty branch with each wing. Then he pulled as hard as he could. There was a loud CRACK and the wood broke! Tag squeezed out of the cage. Then Bod went to free Skyla and Blaze. He used his sword to cut away the vines around Blaze's beak.

"Let's stop that rat and get my mom back!" Blaze shouted. She flapped her wings, and they blazed with flames, brighter than Tag had ever seen them. The swirling dark cloud around her faded to gold, then disappeared. Then she flew down the tunnel like a fireball, racing toward the portal.