I don't own Deltora Quest, BUT I do own Jeeordina and her crew and
anything else that isn't in the previous book that I cant be bothered
mentioning.
Chapter 9-The message in the rock Leif awoke as a piercing screech filled the air. He looked up to see Kree, flying a little ahead of the boat. The sun's light glared into Leif's sleepy eyes. He leaned over the edge of the boat and ran his fingers through the cool water. He glanced at the horizon, at saw a shape, jagged and black against the bright blue sky. Leif was curious, he wanted the boat to move faster but it still travelled at the same speed. The shape slowly got closer and Leif realised it was merely a rock. But as they got closer, Leif observed that the boat was beginning to slow. So, this isn't just another rock, Leif thought. With that the boat halted right beside the rock and began to sway violently. All Leif's instincts told him to jump to the rock, but what if the boat left and he was stranded. By now the boat was nearly tipping so Leif took a breath and jumped to the flat part of the rock. He glanced back at the boat, but it was completely still. Leif looked at the surface of the rock, it was smooth as marble and black as the night. But as he stood up he saw that there were engravings near the top. Leif tried to read the words but they were too hard to see. He leaned over to the boat, but there was nothing there that could help him. He turned back to the writing when he felt something hit his foot. He bent down to pick up the small container that Jeeordina had left. It was carved from a piece of bamboo, then been polished and given a lid. Leif eased the lid open, expecting it to be filled with poisonous acid or something else that was extremely dangerous. But he sighed with relief when he saw it was filled with white powder. Leif poured some into his hand; it looked like finely powdered chalk. Leif gazed at the engravings; Jasmine's captors obviously want me to follow them. They are not making it difficult to follow them. Then Leif realised, that for a second time, he was being lured into a trap. The Shadowlord had used Jasmine to bring Leif to him before. Now it seems, someone else was doing the same. Leif was sure that this did not have anything to do with the Shadowlord, he was sure someone else was behind it.
He sighed and grabbed some powder. He tried to think what to do with it, when an idea struck him. He smeared the chalk onto the engravings and blew away the excess. The words stood out easily and Leif gasped when he read the words
You are doing well, but you must persist. Jasmine is waiting to be set free. Do not delay, my patience is wearing thin. If you are not here soon, jasmine's life will end. Hurry you must, but be wary as well. For in the waters ahead there is..
Leif's mind was racing. Half of him was worried about Jasmine and what would happen if he didn't get to her in time, the other part of him was burning with curiosity. What was that last word? Leif decided that he would just keep going, the risk was too great to stay and figure out this puzzle. He stood up to leave when something caught his eye. There were tiny marks under certain letters. Then Leif cried out as he saw how simple it was. He began to write on the rock with some powder. The first letter underlined was d, then a, followed by n. Leif wrote out the remaining letters and smiled as he saw the last word. Danger. Leif already knew that this quest would be dangerous, but it was a risk he had to take. He stood up and stepped into the boat, still holding the small jar in his hand. But as he leaned into the boat he saw the rest of the puzzle. Four tiny letters were printed on the lid if the container, "o n t s." Leif swallowed as he remembered a picture he had once seen in a book. It has been a huge sea serpent with gleaming red eyes and teeth like knives. It had sickle-like claws and a huge finned tail. It was called a "dangeront." Leif had read that they lived in the oceans south of Deltora and they were one of most feared creatures in the sea. Jasmine's captors were not only warning him of danger in general, but of one of the most dangerous creatures in this region. Leif hesitated for a moment but gritted his teeth and hopped into the boat. If he had to fight dangeronts, then he would fight them. He had to rescue Jasmine, or die trying.
Chapter 9-The message in the rock Leif awoke as a piercing screech filled the air. He looked up to see Kree, flying a little ahead of the boat. The sun's light glared into Leif's sleepy eyes. He leaned over the edge of the boat and ran his fingers through the cool water. He glanced at the horizon, at saw a shape, jagged and black against the bright blue sky. Leif was curious, he wanted the boat to move faster but it still travelled at the same speed. The shape slowly got closer and Leif realised it was merely a rock. But as they got closer, Leif observed that the boat was beginning to slow. So, this isn't just another rock, Leif thought. With that the boat halted right beside the rock and began to sway violently. All Leif's instincts told him to jump to the rock, but what if the boat left and he was stranded. By now the boat was nearly tipping so Leif took a breath and jumped to the flat part of the rock. He glanced back at the boat, but it was completely still. Leif looked at the surface of the rock, it was smooth as marble and black as the night. But as he stood up he saw that there were engravings near the top. Leif tried to read the words but they were too hard to see. He leaned over to the boat, but there was nothing there that could help him. He turned back to the writing when he felt something hit his foot. He bent down to pick up the small container that Jeeordina had left. It was carved from a piece of bamboo, then been polished and given a lid. Leif eased the lid open, expecting it to be filled with poisonous acid or something else that was extremely dangerous. But he sighed with relief when he saw it was filled with white powder. Leif poured some into his hand; it looked like finely powdered chalk. Leif gazed at the engravings; Jasmine's captors obviously want me to follow them. They are not making it difficult to follow them. Then Leif realised, that for a second time, he was being lured into a trap. The Shadowlord had used Jasmine to bring Leif to him before. Now it seems, someone else was doing the same. Leif was sure that this did not have anything to do with the Shadowlord, he was sure someone else was behind it.
He sighed and grabbed some powder. He tried to think what to do with it, when an idea struck him. He smeared the chalk onto the engravings and blew away the excess. The words stood out easily and Leif gasped when he read the words
You are doing well, but you must persist. Jasmine is waiting to be set free. Do not delay, my patience is wearing thin. If you are not here soon, jasmine's life will end. Hurry you must, but be wary as well. For in the waters ahead there is..
Leif's mind was racing. Half of him was worried about Jasmine and what would happen if he didn't get to her in time, the other part of him was burning with curiosity. What was that last word? Leif decided that he would just keep going, the risk was too great to stay and figure out this puzzle. He stood up to leave when something caught his eye. There were tiny marks under certain letters. Then Leif cried out as he saw how simple it was. He began to write on the rock with some powder. The first letter underlined was d, then a, followed by n. Leif wrote out the remaining letters and smiled as he saw the last word. Danger. Leif already knew that this quest would be dangerous, but it was a risk he had to take. He stood up and stepped into the boat, still holding the small jar in his hand. But as he leaned into the boat he saw the rest of the puzzle. Four tiny letters were printed on the lid if the container, "o n t s." Leif swallowed as he remembered a picture he had once seen in a book. It has been a huge sea serpent with gleaming red eyes and teeth like knives. It had sickle-like claws and a huge finned tail. It was called a "dangeront." Leif had read that they lived in the oceans south of Deltora and they were one of most feared creatures in the sea. Jasmine's captors were not only warning him of danger in general, but of one of the most dangerous creatures in this region. Leif hesitated for a moment but gritted his teeth and hopped into the boat. If he had to fight dangeronts, then he would fight them. He had to rescue Jasmine, or die trying.