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Conor stayed at the rear of the group as Monte led them through a back room and up a flight of stairs. To think the man behind the counter had been one of the pair they were looking for! He had done a smooth job bluffing Tarik.
"But was no match for me" Rollan said "I am a lie detector"
Meilin and Tarik had caught up to them behind the store. One of Tarik's eyes had already started to swell, and he had a cut beside his mouth. When asked, Meilin quietly assured Conor that Tarik had dealt out many more injuries than he received. Under pressure, Monte had promised to bring them to Barlow using a back door. He warned them that his partner might not be happy to see them. Tarik assured him that it was necessary. As Monte reluctantly led the group down a hall on the second floor of the trading post, Conor noticed a flicker of movement behind him, low to the ground. After they rounded the next corner, he waited, letting the others stroll ahead. A moment later, a furry masked face peered around the corner, ducking back immediately. "Come on out," Conor offered.
"He thinks you stink too much" Rollan said
When the raccoon didn't comply, Conor looked around the corner, but didn't spot it anywhere. The little guy was fast. Conor caught up to the others as Monte knocked on a heavy door toward the rear of the building. It was answered by a brawny man with massive sloping shoulders and thick whiskers that came up nearly to his eyes. He stood almost half a head taller than Tarik, and Conor doubted whether he had ever seen a better human match for a bear. The huge man glowered at Monte. "Greencloaks! At my door? Really?" "They... uh... insisted," Monte explained. "No surprise there," the big man said, sizing up the visitors. His eyes lingered on Conor. "I see we have some seasoned veterans of... what? A week?" Conor tried to stand up straight and look older than he felt. Monte gave a nervous chuckle. "They want to have a word with us." Barlow locked eyes with Tarik. "You looking for trouble?
"Nope" Conor said "We're simply just looking for Arax"
You can't own people. We haven't done anything wrong." "We're looking for Arax," Tarik said. Barlow's explosive laugh made Conor jump. "Arax?" Monte exclaimed. "Is this a prank? Who put you up to this?" Barlow's barking laugh subsided, but his heavy shoulders kept heaving. He wiped a tear from one eye. "It's no prank," Tarik said. "The Devourer is back and he's after the talismans. We need to get to Arax first." Barlow straightened abruptly and he took a shuddering breath. "The Devourer? What kind of talk is this? "He's returned," Tarik said. "As promised. Or at least somebody very much like him.
"Well," Conor said "There's someone posing as the Devourer"
Zhong is under attack. The Wall has been breached. Southern Nilo is at war as well." "This is rich," Monte said. "This deserves an audience. Some lies are too big to swallow, especially on a full stomach." "I saw the attack on Zhong with my own eyes," Meilin said. "A huge host bearing down on Jano Rion. I left my father behind to defend the city." Scowling, Barlow turned to her. "Left your father? Let me guess, the Greencloaks took you away." She nodded. "When will you people learn to leave kids alone?" Barlow said. "Who first decided to dress them up and equip them like adults? Who keeps the tradition alive?"
"It's only because you guys summoned the Four Fallen" Olvan said
"This is a big issue of his," Monte said with a smirk. "Don't engage him. It won't end well. Listen, we're sorry to hear about a war overseas, but we don't know the first thing about where to find a Great Beast, including Arax, so why don't we call this conversation over?" "You're not bad actors," Rollan said. "The laugh was a little much, Barlow. And you explained too much at the end, Monte." Barlow considered him soberly. "What's with the gyrfalcon?" "Take a guess," Rollan said evenly. With a flash, Meilin's panda appeared, and Essix shrieked from Rollan's shoulder. "Are we showing off?" Barlow asked, hands closing into fists. "My bear's bigger." "She's not threatening you," Tarik explained calmly. "Think." "That's a panda," Monte said, his smirk vanishing. "A silver-eyed panda." He looked at Essix warily, then over at his partner. "I get the joke," Barlow said gruffly.
"He finally gets it" Abeke said
"It's in poor taste. What is this? Who are you?"
"The Four Fallen," Meilin said "Duh"
"I left Briggan outside," Conor said, aware that the animals had made an impact on the two explorers. "But he helped me have a vision. I saw a bear and a raccoon leading us to Arax. Olvan and Lenori thought it had to mean you two. "They've seen the ram," Rollan said. "I can tell." Barlow was frowning, but looked less hostile. "Let's see the wolf. "You aren't taking this —" Monte began. Barlow held up a hand. "Let's see Briggan."
"Weird sign" Lenori said
Barlow took his time examining Briggan, Jhi, and Essix after Conor returned. Monte inspected all three as well, but kept his distance from Briggan. "If this is a ruse," Barlow finally declared, "it's excellent work." The big man ran his hands through Briggan's pelt with reluctant wonder. "Are you sure you aren't hiding Uraza?" Monte asked Tarik. "I showed you my mark," Tarik said. "My spirit animal is an otter. We haven't found the girl who called the leopard. Our enemy got to her first." Conor watched as Monte's raccoon hesitantly approached Briggan, backing away as the wolf sniffed him. Barlow sat back on his heels. "You want us to believe the big showdown has begun?" Tarik inclined his head. "The Fallen Beasts have returned, the Devourer is back and on the move — all the things the Greencloaks have worried about for hundreds of years." Monte shivered. "I'd hoped to be long gone before this day came. Part of me doubted it would ever happen, but it's hard to argue with three of the Four Fallen." "We need to work swiftly," Tarik said. "We must collect the talismans. Our enemies have the same goal." Barlow snorted. "This isn't just a race against your enemies. Do you expect Arax to hand over his Granite Ram?
"Nope," Rollan said "I wish it was that easy. Arax tried to kill Tarik!" "Actually it was the Conqueror's fault for intruding." Meilin said "He wouldn't have charged if they hadn't come
He didn't during the last war. Do you think you can take it from him? If so, you don't know him, and you don't know those mountains." "You do," Rollan said. "We get it," Monte snapped. "You have a knack. You're onto us. Essix wasn't called Deepseer for nothing." This was the first time Conor had heard this term. Catching Rollan's eye, he mouthed, "Deepseer? Rollan shrugged, his expression perplexed and displeased. Conor could sympathize with the feeling. What other information about their spirit animals were the Greencloaks withholding? Why hadn't they told them all they knew?
"Because you don't need to know everything" Olvan said "You were too young"
"So you've seen Arax?" Tarik asked. Barlow slowly exhaled. "We've seen most of western Amaya, at one time or another. Splendor like you wouldn't believe. Ugliness too. One day high in the mountains, Scrubber showed us some very peculiar tracks." "Scrubber?" Conor asked.
"Why do you always have to act so dumb, Conor?" Rollan asked. "Well I didn't know Monte's racoon was named Scrubber!" Conor said "You probably didn't either."
"My raccoon," Monte supplied. "Like the tracks of a bighorn sheep," Barlow said. "But way out of scale. Much too big." He made a shape with his hands nearly the size of a dinner plate. "We followed the tracks some distance. Crazy as it seemed, they looked authentic. We were in high, lonely country. If it was a trick, it was a good one. We knew we might never get a second chance, so we followed the prints." "He was amazing," Monte said. "Of all the sights we ever saw while crossing unmapped territory, nothing could compare." "I'll second that," Barlow said. "Did you engage him?" Tarik asked. Barlow chuckled. "We were intimidated enough watching from a distance. He knew we were there. He kicked up some wind to remind us who was in charge. When we backed off, he let us go." "Kicked up wind?" Meilin asked. "Arax can influence the weather in high places," Monte said.
"Only in high places though" Rollan said "Good thing Arax was on the ground when we fought him"
"Especially the wind." "You really saw a Great Beast?" Conor asked, his face lit with wonder. Briggan butted his leg. Conor rubbed his wolf. "I meant a full-sized one." Briggan butted him again.
"I'm sorry I hurt your feelings boy" Conor said as he patted Briggan's head
Conor knew he'd made a mistake, and hoped he wouldn't have to pay for it later. Monte glanced at Briggan, then back at the group. "You kids are traveling with legends." Barlow eyed Tarik. "Those mountaintops are no place for children. They're not even a place for skilled mountaineers. Wait a few years. Let the kids grow up, gain some experience.
"Let us grow up in a few years, eh?" Rollan said "I think by that time Kovo would have won and destroyed everything! So I'm not gonna take that advice, thank you very much though." "Yeah we would have all been dead." Olvan agreed "Not the best advice, Bartlow"
With the animals they have, they'll be formidable." Conor couldn't help feeling a little inflated by the praise. He repressed a proud smile. "It's sound advice," Tarik said. "But we can't. We have to take the risk. It would help our odds to have skilled guides along." Barlow huffed and scowled. "I respect your mission. But to my mind, the Greencloaks have always been too willing to prey on the young. We get talked into committing to something before we've figured out who we really are. I felt ready at eleven, and I survived, but I've seen other young ones who haven't. The Greencloaks are too quick to sacrifice too much." We're in an impossible situation," Tarik said. "We will not find these talismans without the Great Beasts. If the Devourer gets them, that will be the end of Erdas as we know it. "Aye, but..." Barlow sighed. He fixed his attention on Conor, Meilin, and Rollan. "You young ones can't understand. You can't imagine what you're up against.
"Once we got the Crystal Polar Bear we got it down" Rollan said "Look for it, obtain it, fight the Conquerors at the end when we have it! Am I right?" "Yes" Conor said "Cuz let's see we fought the Conquerors when we got the Granite Ram, Iron Boar, the Slate Elephant,... Yes, all of them we fought the Conquerors after each one we obtained and maybe lost too."
This mission is beyond me and Monte. I expect Tarik has seen and done a lot, but it's beyond him too. We're talking about one of the fifteen Great Beasts. Older than recorded history. Strong enough to level this town on a whim. As comfortable on a precipice as you are in your beds. Smarter and more experienced than we can imagine." Briggan stepped forward to stand before Barlow, ears pricked forward and head high. Feeling a surge of confidence, Conor stepped forward as well. "You're forgetting who we have on our side. It's three against one." Essix stretched out her wings, flapping them twice. "You've got assets," Barlow admitted. "But they aren't all they once were.
"Is he doubting Briggan, Jhi, and Essix?" Abeke asked. "No" Conor said "He's just trying to talk us out of it"
You kids need time to grow, and so do they. You'd have to see Arax to grasp it." "We'll search for Arax with or without you," Tarik said. "Without you I dislike our chances, but we'll still try. Conor saw you in a vision for a reason." Essix flew to perch on Barlow's shoulder. Jhi rose up on her hind legs with surprising grace. Briggan drew near, bit the leg of Barlow's trousers, and tugged. Barlow sighed, his posture slumping. He spoke slowly, his eyes on the animals. "I always knew that green cloak would come back to haunt me. I spent years in places no living man has visited before or since, but deep down, in my bones, I knew that sooner or later, that cloak would find me." Monte glanced at his friend. "Is that how it is?" "I'm afraid so," Barlow said. "We better dig our gear out of storage."
Lenori put the book down. "Well we're almost done with this book. About six chapters left." "We could probably finish two more before bed okay?" Olvan said "Who's next?"
"I'll go" Abeke said
Chapter fourteen. Ravens