Abeke screamed as the axe came down closer and closer to her head. She threw her arms in front of herself as she had nowhere to run. One step forward, and the talisman around her neck might make her bound up too high and she'd have the axe lodged in her head faster than she would like.
A roar suddenly shook the ground as the crackling of the splitting of a century-old tree could be heard as it tumbled to the ground and had its leaves brush against other trees' leaves. A massive crocodile appeared in front of Abeke and before this vile man could bring his axe down all the way against Abeke, the crocodile swung its nuzzle against the man, sending him flying backwards as his axe flew towards Abeke freely.
"And I'm still going to get butchered," thought Abeke glumly as the axe flew towards her.
Abruptly, the mega-sized crocodile suddenly caught the axe in the midst of its flight with its jaws, and swallowed the weapon whole!
"That looks pretty yummy," snickered Essix sarcastically as she swooped overhead Rollan and his pretty girl, named Meilin.
Conor suddenly came into view and attempted to stab the scaly, swamp beast in the eye with the hilt of his own axe. He yelled frantically while Briggan was snarling at a jackal, "Go, Abeke! I'll buy you some time, and don't worry about me!"
Abeke stood up after a near-death experience and stumbled over the rocky terrain that was covered in moist, dead leaves. Suddenly, the blond-haired boy who she had apologized to earlier seized her by the wrist and took her on a perilous sprint.
This new boy shouted, "General Gar is here! The Devourer…"
"Wait," said Abeke as she finally got her trembling legs to work and break into a run with him, "Who's General Gar? That man back there who tried to behead me earlier?"
"No," he responded, "That was Zerif, and I'm so sorry that he tried to do that. He's my uncle and he can treacherous when he's angry."
Abeke replied, "No need to be sorry for something that someone else did."
"Thanks," said the blond-haired boy, half-smiling, "Anyway, if that croc is here, than the Devourer is too. We have to get out of here or it'll be the worse for you."
Abeke looked back and gulped. The crocodile was wreaking havoc back there with its impenetrable scales and foot-long teeth. Conor gave a yell before he was buried beneath a mound of falling rocks. "Conor!" yelled Abeke in terror as he disappeared from view. She yanked at this boy's grasp and gasped, "We need to help him!"
"He told you to get away," replied his worried voice firmly, "Don't let it be in vain."
Abeke could feel a few, worried tears coming, but she held them back. This boy was right, and they would die if they went back for Conor. She quickened her pace with a boost from Uraza, her leopard as she put the Granite Ram away. She could dash away faster and leave this new guy in the dust, but he did help her. He did not wear a green cloak, but not all bad guys could be all bad, right? He had pulled her out of there just before the crocodile could swallow her whole, just like that axe that had almost claimed her life.
Abeke decided to keep her pace besides him as she saw Meilin zoom by through a clearing with another dark-haired boy besides her. Then, she learned the blond-haired boy's name just as the crocodile roared in what sounded like pain from behind them. The boy's name was Shane.