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In a lofty antechamber, daylight streamed through a stained-glass window, splashing colorful patterns across the floor. Briggan explored the area, sniffing the corners and the furniture. When the wolf passed through the tinted light, dappled hues glossed his gray-white coat. Conor had lost track of how long they had waited. It frustrated him that even though he was no longer a servant to Devin, he was still stuck inside a castle all the time. He could tell that Briggan didn't love being cooped up either. The door opened and Rollan emerged with Essix on his shoulder. Conor and Briggan looked up expectantly. Apparently Lenori and Rollan were finally done "Your turn," Rollan said. "How was it?" Conor asked. Rollan shrugged. "She wanted to know about my dreams. If it was a test, I don't think I passed. Have fun."
"How bad did he do?" Conor asked "I'm not sharing that" Lenori said "He just wasn't the one I was looking for, it was you."
Conor entered the room where Lenori waited in a large, padded chair that dwarfed her petite frame. Her green cloak rested on a nearby table. Feathers were braided into her long hair and several beaded necklaces and bracelets hung from her neck and wrists. Her bare feet rested on a low ottoman, her soles callused and brown. Beside her chair, a peculiar bird roosted on a tall, portable perch. The bird had a slender neck, a downcurved bill, and vibrant plumage of every shade. Lenori indicated a nearby chair to Conor. He sat down, Briggan on the floor near him. She looked at him with eyes as unfathomable as the ocean. He wondered if she could read his mind. "How are you, Conor?" The question was posed mildly, and seemed sincere. "Me? Honestly? I keep wondering whether Briggan came to the right person."
"I asked how you were." Lenori said "I didn't ask if you were the right person for Briggan"
Lenori smiled. "No beast would bond with the wrong person, least of all a Great Beast. Where does this worry come from?" Conor regretted having expressed the concern. Her posture was relaxed, but there was no escaping those watchful eyes. "All of this is just so far beyond anything I ever expected." "I think I understand." Her voice was gentle and melodious. "Don't pressure yourself to evolve overnight. You'll grow into this role. Tell me about your dreams since Briggan arrived." Conor considered the question. "Once, in real life, I had to fight off a pack of wolves from the sheep I protected. I've had to relive that night in my dreams a lot lately." He glanced over at Briggan, who had his mouth open with his tongue hanging out. It was the closest a wolf could get to smiling. "Have any other animals visited your dreams?" Lenori asked. "I don't know," Conor said. "I saw a ram not long ago.
"I don't know" Rollan mimicked "I saw a ram not long ago. You don't say I don't know. You saw a ram, so you say yes."
The kind with big curly horns." Lenori leaned forward. "Where was it? What was it doing?" The circumstances returned to him vividly. It had been the rare sort of dream that felt exactly like real life, even in memory. He had been climbing a high, rugged mountain, the rough stone as cold as ice beneath his palms. Scaling a sheer face, he had reached a point where he could progress no farther, nor could he descend the way he had come. As the wind kicked up, he had clung to the mountainside miserably, knowing he could continue or retreat, and either way he would fall. His muscles burning, the air too thin to satisfy his lungs, he had held on as tight as he could, knowing that eventually his strength would fail and he would plummet to the base of the cliff.
"Tell me you plummeted to your death!" Rollan said
Why had he climbed so high? Since holding still meant certain death, he'd decided that he had to keep going, no matter how scant the handholds. Stretching, he hooked his fingertips over a tiny wrinkle in the rock overhead. As he searched for his next handhold, the sun crested the mountaintop, blinding him. Squinting, grimacing, arms burning, toes slipping, he fumbled for anything to grab with his right hand. Then a shadow had fallen across him, and he peered up at the huge silhouette of a ram, staring down at him from higher still up the cliff. The sight of the beast had made him forget his peril. He had stared for a long moment before his hands failed him. He gave an agonized scream and then he fell, his stomach lurching to his throat as he hurtled toward the ground.
"So you did fall to your death." Rollan said "You could have admitted that instead of ignoring me" "Ok yes, Rollan" Conor said "I did plummet to my death. There I said it happy?"
Just as he was about to hit, he woke up, slick with sweat. "I was in the mountains," Conor said. "I saw it right before I woke up. The sun was in my eyes. The ram was big, but it was hard to see details." "Have you ever worked with bighorn sheep?" Lenori asked. "No. But I've seen pictures of Arax. My parents have one. The ram in my dreams was like him." "Was it like him, or was it him?"
"It was him" Conor said
Conor was very conscious of her heightened interest. Didn't she ever blink? He knew the answer, but felt awkward. He worried it would come across like he was trying to sound important. He glanced away, then back. "It was just a dream. But, yeah, I think it was Arax." Conor was very conscious of her heightened interest. Didn't she ever blink? He knew the answer, but felt awkward.
"Do I blink? Yes I do, Conor" Lenori said, leaning her head forward and blinking several times.
He worried it would come across like he was trying to sound important.
"This was serious." Meilin said "And you're just sitting there wondering if Lenori blinks? Dumb."
He glanced away, then back. "It was just a dream. But, yeah, I think it was Arax." "Have you dreamed about any of the other Great Beasts? Rumfuss? Tellun? Do you know all of them?" Conor chuckled uncomfortably.
"I think you were pressuring him too much" Olvan said
"I know there are fifteen, the Four Fallen plus the other eleven. I'm no expert. I can name some of them — Cabaro the Lion, Mulop the Octopus. Arax, of course. Shepherds pay extra attention to him. With enough time I could maybe remember them all."
"Now I know them all" Conor said
"The Great Beasts have protected Erdas since time out of mind. We would all do better to be more familiar with them. Besides the four obvious ones and those you named, we have Tellun the Elk, Ninani the Swan, Halawir the Eagle, Dinesh the Elephant, Rumfuss the Boar, Suka the Polar Bear, Kovo the Ape, and Gerathon the Serpent." Conor noticed Briggan's ears pricked up. "I haven't dreamed about the others. Just that ram. Do you mind me asking why you're so interested?" "I doubt it was an ordinary dream."
"Conor," Rollan said "you are having prophetic dreams."
Briggan stood up, watching her intently. "The wolf seems to agree," Lenori said. Briggan barked, making Conor jump. "Dreams can range from the meaningless to the prophetic," Lenori said. "It usually takes experience to discern one from the other. The dreams Rollan and Meilin shared with me were of little consequence.
"Yeah they were horrible" Rollan said "Definitely failed"
I hoped for more from Meilin, but she needs to grow closer to Jhi first. I suspected your dreams might be weightier, and you haven't disappointed me." Conor shifted in his chair. "Why'd you suspect me? "Briggan was among the more visionary of the Great Beasts.
"Then why did you start with Meilin and I?" Rollan asked "You had us totally embarrass ourselves."
He is known by the titles Packleader, Moonrunner, and, significantly, Pathfinder." Conor reached out and rubbed the coarse mane on the back of Briggan's neck. "Are you really all of those things?" Briggan turned his head, his tongue lolling out in another wolfish grin. "I too have seen Arax the Ram lately," Lenori said. "That is why we gathered at the Sunset Tower in Amaya, the nearest Greencloak tower to his current domain." "You know where to find him?" Conor asked."I don't know his exact location," Lenori said. "But I hope we may be able to find him together. Aside from the recent return of Briggan and the Fallen, none have encountered the Great Beasts for many years. Arax is among the most solitary. He prefers the mountaintops, exercising his influence over the winds and terrain in the highest places of the world. We can't trust luck or woodcraft to find him. The wilds of western Amaya are untamed. Unguided, we could search for years and never get close." Lenori paused for a moment, then spoke in a softer voice. "Would you mind trying for a waking vision?" "Me?" Conor asked. He was no prophet.
"Well now's a good time to start" Rollan said
"What do you mean?" "Briggan may be able to use your connection to share information glimpsed from afar." Conor rubbed his hands over his eyes. "I wouldn't know how to begin." Lenori crossed to Conor and knelt before him. She took both of his hands in hers. He tried not to go completely rigid. "Unbeknownst to some Greencloaks," Lenori explained, "spirit animals do not only exist to let us swing a sword harder. There can be aspects to the connection more valuable than running fast or jumping high. If you relax, I believe I can show you." "I'll try if you want,"
"I don't believe you have a choice" Rollan said
Conor said. He certainly couldn't relax with her holding his hands. Perhaps sensing this, Lenori backed away. "Don't try to force it," she instructed. "Relax and gaze upon Myriam, my rainbow ibis. Watch her as you would a campfire on a lonely night." The bird on the perch spread her multicolored wings. She bobbed gently, causing cascades of color to ripple through her vivid feathers. Trying to follow Lenori's instructions, Conor thought about how he watched campfires. He tried not to stare hard at a fixed point. Without searching for anything specific, he let the rainbow ibis serve as his center of attention. Lenori was speaking but Conor got lost in the cadence of her words. Her voice was rhythmic, a melodic pulse that steadied and calmed him. Dimly he noticed Briggan turning in a circle, first one way, then the other. He began to feel very drowsy. He blinked his eyes, but it didn't seem to help. In fact, with every blink, the room became more of a blur. Conor stared down a misty tunnel.
"I most definitely want to hear this." Lenori said
Where had that come from? He soared down the hazy passage without any sensation of movement. At its end, he saw a grizzly bear and a raccoon hurrying across a wide brown prairie.
"Scrubber and Jools" Conor said
With an effort of will, he sped up until he glided alongside them. There was no wind in his face, no physical evidence of his speed. But the shaggy grizzly bear ran hard, as did the raccoon. Both kept their eyes fixed on the horizon. Looking ahead, Conor saw a spectacular mountain range. Atop a distant ridge, the great ram was outlined in sunlight. As soon as his eyes locked on the ram, Conor found himself pulled from behind. Against his will, he withdrew back into the misty tunnel until the animals became specks in the distance. The tunnel collapsed and dissolved. Conor realized that Lenori, Briggan, and the rainbow ibis were all staring at him.
"Her name is Miriam" Lenori said
He felt clammy. His mouth tasted weird and oddly fuzzy, like after a long sleep. "What did you see?" Lenori inquired serenely. "Huh?" He felt unsteady. "I... I Saw a raccoon and a big, shaggy bear. They were running toward some mountains. I could see Arax beyond them, up high on the rocks. They were heading straight at him." "A bear and a raccoon,"
"As in Monte with Scrubber and Bartlow with Jools" Rollan said
Lenori repeated. "Anything else?" "I didn't notice much else. I was mostly focused on the bear and the raccoon. I had to go through a long tunnel." Lenori gave a triumphant smile. She took his hand, squeezing it gently. "You did it, Conor. I think you found our path."
"Weird sign again" Meilin said
In less than an hour, Conor was escorted past a dozen armed guards and through multiple sets of double doors to a high room with the curtains drawn. He found Olvan, Lenori, Tarik, Rollan, and Meilin waiting, along with all of their spirit animals. Tarik's otter darted around the room in bursts of motion, clambering across furniture and bookcases. Tarik's pairing with Lumeo seemed odd,
"Odd?" Rollan said "Says the shepherd who paired with a wolf"
since the tall Greencloak was so serious. Olvan's moose stood near the fireplace, its massive form out of place indoors. The dignified room had a feel similar to the Earl of Trunswick's study, but it was even bigger. Olvan stood up, rubbed his big hands together, and swept the room with his keen, knowing gaze. In spite of the white in his hair and beard, he had thick, powerful limbs and a broad chest. Age had not yet robbed him of strength or vigor. Conor could easily imagine him astride his moose, leading an army into battle. The commander of the Greencloaks noisily cleared his throat. "I know we have kept you in suspense regarding the roles we hope you will play. You can blame me for the delay — I prefer to know the whole story before I share it. Joining the Greencloaks is merely the first step toward the vital purpose we hope you'll serve. Given recent developments" — he nodded toward Conor — "the time to act is upon us." Olvan strolled over to the mantel. When he turned to face the others, his expression was grave. "Centuries and centuries ago,
"Great storytime" Rollan said "Story time?" Meilin said "What do you think we are doing right now?"
in the last worldwide war, the four nations of Erdas battled the Devourer and his army of Conquerors. Two Great Beasts aided the Devourer — Kovo the Ape and Gerathon the Serpent. Four of the Great Beasts sided with us. Three of them are here today." Olvan paused to let that sink in. Feeling unworthy, Conor considered Briggan. The wolf sat listening attentively. "Before the original Essix, Briggan, Jhi, and Uraza joined the fight, we were losing the war. None of the continents went unscathed. Most of Nilo and Zhong had fallen. The Zhongese and Niloans who escaped fled to Eura and Amaya, only to find those nations besieged as well. Cities were razed. Food was in short supply. It was only a matter of time before the Devourer declared victory.
"But he never won" Rollan said
"The Greencloaks were a fledgling organization then, but when four of the Great Beasts showed their support, the Marked flocked to join us. The Greencloaks did what nobody else had done — they mounted a major offensive, taking the fight to the Devourer. The four Great Beasts gave their lives in the fight, which is why they are known as the Four Fallen. But the Devourer fell as well, and Kovo and Gerathon were captured. The cost was great, but the four nations emerged victorious and began to rebuild." "What about the rest of the beasts?" Rollan asked. "The other nine?" Olvan shrugged. "Seeing the damage that two of their own had caused, a few of the Great Beasts offered their aid at the very end. Tellun the Elk, the most powerful of them all, imprisoned Kovo and Gerathon for their crimes, and Ninani the Swan gifted the Greencloaks with the secret to creating Nectar. The rest... well, the Great Beasts are a strange group. They are seldom unanimous on any issue, and their purposes are almost inscrutable. They tend to remain aloof, only getting involved during times of the direst peril."
"Which means their lazy," Rollan said "Like Cabaro" "Whoo" Conor said "Now, Cabaro was HARD"
"The Devourer didn't count as serious trouble?" Rollan scoffed. Olvan sighed. "One can only speculate. Perhaps some of the Great Beasts felt it best to protect their own territory, or their talismans. Conor looked at Lenori, a question in his eyes. "Each of the Great Beasts protects a unique talisman," Lenori inserted. "A totem that houses great power." "Except for Kovo, Gerathon, and the Fallen Beasts," Meilin said. "Their talismans vanished after the war. Some suspect that Tellun asked Halawir the Eagle to hide them." "Very good," Olvan said. "You've studied your history. The events surrounding the Great Beasts are often dismissed as legend. I am glad that some in Zhong have considered those deeds worth remembering outside of children's tales." Meilin reddened slightly. "I heard about that from my nanny, not my instructors."
"Nanny?" Rollan said chuckling "You had a babysitter?" "No" Meilin snapped "Just someone to watch over me"
Olvan frowned. "The Great Beasts have been out of sight for a long time. We honor the Fallen on our flags, we paint pictures, we build statues, we tell stories, but for most people, the Great Beasts belong to a time long past. Some doubt whether they ever even existed."
"Doubted that they existed?" Conor said "This is not enough proof?" Conor said petting Briggan
"I was one of those," Rollan said. "Until Essix came along." Olvan nodded. "You're not to be blamed. It's a prevalent opinion, shared in varying measures by the Prime Minister of Amaya, the Queen of Eura, the Emperor of Zhong, and the High Chieftain of Nilo. And yet, during the most critical crossroads in history, the Great Beasts have always played a major role. We are now rushing toward a crisis where the Great Beasts may prove more important than ever." "You think the Devourer is back?" Meilin asked,
"THINK?" Conor shouted "I KNOW! Abeke is hanging out with him!"
her whole body quivering with agitation. "You think that is who attacked Zhong? Why weren't we warned?" "We had only our suspicions," Olvan said sadly. "My voice has been raised in warning to the leaders of all the nations. But I cannot force them to heed me." "And we still don't know the whole story," Lenori explained. Olvan nodded. "We get new information every day. Whether we're up against the same Devourer who leveled much of Erdas long ago, or some inheritor of his legacy, we're still not sure.
"Sure if Shane died hundreds of years ago and was suddenly revived," Rollan said "Then yes we are against the same Devourer from the first war."
What is sure is this — the Devourer can raise vast, powerful armies in a short time. He can be patient and subtle, or ruthless and brash, depending on the need. He inspires manic devotion in his followers. And he would gladly destroy the civilized world to rule over its ashes." "What do we need to do?" Conor asked. Olvan glanced at Conor, Meilin, and Rollan in turn. "Our spies have learned that the Devourer has once again made collecting the talismans a top priority. Each talisman has different powers that can be used by one of the Marked. Our enemy wishes to employ those powers against us.
"Or use it to free Kovo and re-create the Staff of Cycles" Rollan said
So we're going to recover the talismans before he can." "Wait," Rollan said as the color drained from his face. "You want us to go after the talismans of the Great Beasts?" "You won't go alone," Olvan said. "The Greencloaks have no finer warrior than Tarik. He will serve as your guide and protector. I lament that you're all so young, but your connections to the Fallen will be critical in finding and retrieving the talismans. These talismans could change the course of the war. All of Erdas needs you." As the full enormity of the task hit him, Conor felt light-headed. How was he supposed to go up against a Great Beast? This was beyond dangerous.
"Dangerous like a suicide mission?" Rollan asked
Olvan had basically handed them a death sentence. He reached out a hand to Briggan. The wolf nuzzled his palm. Without Briggan, they wouldn't know where to find Arax.
"Hey. Briggan is not the most important of the Four Fallen." Rollan said "I meant my prophetic dreams" Conor said
Conor tried to steel himself. Olvan was right: If the Devourer wanted these talismans, the Greencloaks had to get to them first. Conor wasn't sure how they would, but they needed to try. "We'll do our part," Conor pledged, though his voice broke on the words. "Speak for yourself," Rollan said. "I meant me and Briggan," Conor explained, flushing. "Oh, right," Rollan replied. He faced Olvan. "Well, I see why you need us. My question is what do we get out of it? Besides risking our lives to do something we're not ready for."
"Rollan, Rollan, Rollan." Meilin said, shaking her head and sighing. "You really didn't get it did you."
"As a Greencloak, this is your duty," Lenori said calmly. "Your reward would be the same as ours — the satisfaction of defending what is right, defending Erdas." "I'm not a Greencloak," Rollan said. "I may never join." "We'll do it," Meilin said, giving Rollan a disgusted glance.
"Embarrassing" Abeke said/sang.
"Jhi and I. This is what I hoped for — a chance to make a difference. I've seen what's coming. Zhong has the best armies in the world, and these new Conquerors are tearing us apart. We mustn't let them get more power. They must be stopped. It would be my honor to join your ranks and defend Zhong as you describe." Conor studied Meilin with admiration and a little bit of fear.
"Fear" Meilin said "you did say you were scared of me when we read Sunset Tower, Conor?"
He could scarcely imagine what hardships awaited, but at least he and Briggan wouldn't face them alone. Who did Rollan think he was? What reward did he expect? Rollan sighed. "And if I don't want to become a Greencloak?" "How selfish can you be?"
"Very selfish indeed" Meilin said "You just wanted to fight for a reward"
Meilin seethed. "Zhong is under attack. The rest of Erdas will be soon. What other big offers do you expect the world to give a coward during wartime?" "I never had any offers until Essix showed up," Rollan snapped. "The Greencloaks only cared about me once I got my bird. There's a city full of orphans just like me who Olvan was all too happy to pass by until he found Essix. Maybe I wonder why the Greencloaks only include Marked people. Maybe I wonder who put them in charge of the Great Beasts and the talismans. And maybe, unlike you, I don't love getting pushed into situations I don't understand! I want to know exactly who I'm working for and why."
"You're working for the Greencloaks to save the world!" Meilin shouted "I thought you liked the attention. You'll get a lot of that if you save the world."
Olvan glanced at Tarik and Lenori. Slowly he stood and walked to where Rollan was seated, until he stood right before him, staring down. Conor wondered if he was trying to intimidate Rollan, but when the large man spoke, his voice was controlled.
"I really did want to yell at you." Olvan said "I really did"
"I can understand wanting to take your time with a decision this big. I believe that time spent among the Greencloaks will relieve your doubts as to our sincerity. We don't believe we're in charge of the Great Beasts. We do our jobs because we know that, along with the Great Beasts, we're the last line of defense."
"True" Lenori said
"What about the governments?" Rollan asked. "The prime minister and all of them." Olvan made a skeptical face. "They do what they do. They administer. They make and enforce laws. They squabble about commerce and they occasionally fight with each other. It's just squabbling, human squabbling. But we were gifted to see something beyond the concerns of man. We were each gifted with a spirit animal. And so we will protect Erdas — all of Erdas — with everything we have. Rollan compressed his lips. "I'm not crazy. I don't want Erdas to become a wasteland." He considered. "What — what if I'm not ready to join the Greencloaks, but I'm willing to help?"
"We'll take it." Meilin said "If that's the best you could offer. You were still being selfish though."
"May I suggest another option for you?" Olvan said. "We frequently work with Marked individuals who don't accept our vows. We don't normally give them access to our weightiest secrets, but these circumstances are extraordinary." Let me sleep on it,"
"Didn't Olvan ask for you to join the Greencloaks?" Abeke said "And you said I'll sleep on it. And you haven't joined until like six books later?" "How do you know six books later?" Conor asked "Well I figured out that each book contains one of our missions to retrieve a talisman."
Rollan said. Conor turned away and closed his eyes. Regardless of who else came along, tomorrow he would venture into the wilderness to chase a legend. Leaning close to his wolf, he whispered, "What have we gotten ourselves into?"
"Here" Meilin said giving the book to Rollan "You read"
"Ok, Fine" he groaned
Chapter 10. Dream.