Spirit Animals: Life Of Tarik - Book 1

Ricko

"Ricko!" screamed Tarik.

Behind him, Tarik heard Dorian wail.

Lynk looked just as surprised, realising that he missed Tarik.

"You fool," Lynk spat. "Serves you right for getting in my way." The man gripped his sword and ripped it out of Ricko's chest.

Ricko gasped and fell to the ground, blood oozing from his mouth. The battle around them had stopped.

Tarik crouched down beside his mentor's body, his heart pounding and his hands shaking.

"You're not going to leave me are you?" Tarik asked quietly.

Ricko slowly blinked. "I'm sorry, Tarik."

Tarik felt himself grow weak. Lumeo sniffed Ricko's head and squeaked sadly.

"You're special, Tarik," Ricko croaked. "You just don't know why yet."

Tarik's breath was quick, the thought of Ricko dying for him made him feel worse.

"W-What do you mean I'm special? Aren't I just like Lishay and Dorian?" a tear dropped onto Ricko's chest, where his wound was.

"No, you are different. The vision... I..." Ricko began to cough up blood.

Hearing footsteps in front of him, Tarik looked up.

It was Olvan.

The Greencloak commander looked down at Ricko, then turned to Lynk with hatred.

When Ricko stopped coughing, Tarik looked back down at his mentor again.

"Vision?"

"I am sorry, I cannot tell you," Ricko finally said.

"No, please!" Tarik begged. "Why can't you?"

Ricko reached up his hand and cupped Tarik's cheek. "I am proud of you. All of you."

Ricko took his final breath and then his body went limp. His black eyes empty.

Tarik grabbed Ricko's body. "No..."

Lishay crouched beside Tarik, placing her hand on his shoulder.

Sniffling, Tarik rested his head on his mentor's chest.

"You are under arrest," said Olvan.

Two Greencloaks took hold of Lynk.

"You can't lock me up!" Lynk hissed.

"I can," Olvan snapped. "You are under arrest for murder and treason. You will spend the rest of your life rotting in the Greencloak jail."

"You can lock me up, but you can't keep me there forever!" Lynk struggled against the Greencloaks holding him.

Lynk's army had stopped fighting, as if they only had acted out of fear than loyalty. Tarik felt someone lift him up.

"Let me go!" Tarik wailed.

"You have to let him go," he heard Lenori say. "We must bury him and the others."

Tarik looked up and locked eyes with Lynk who was smiling wickedly.

"I will kill you," Tarik threatened. "I will!"

Lynk's smile only grew more sinister. He was dragged away by the Greencloaks. Azrael, Ricko's spirit animal was lying beside his partner's body.

"Azrael, come on," Dorian urged as he tried to pull the lynx away.

"Leave him," Lenori said quietly. "It's best to keep them together."

~~~

The three kids watched as their mentor's body was buried into the ground just outside of Caylif. Tarik, Dorian and Lishay grieved together. They had come so far with their training, that Tarik felt it had gone to waste with the sacrifice of their guardian.

He had wished that Lynk had killed him instead of Ricko. Tarik wiped his eyes and sniffed.

"Don't blame yourself for what happened back there," Lishay said.

"It's really hard not to," he turned away.

"No matter what happens, we're all in this together," Dorian put in.

Tarik knew they were right, but he didn't want to admit it. He saw Olvan approaching them, he looked like he was in grief too. After all, Ricko was a loyal Greencloak.

"I am sorry for your loss," Olvan said calmly. "As a Greencloak, it is not uncommon to see your friends fall. This is the start of your journey as a Greencloak, keep your friends close, and enjoy the moments you have with them while you still can." The great leader paused for a moment, before adding, "before it's too late."

As Olvan was about to move away, Tarik stepped forward.

"Olvan?"

"Yes, Tarik?" Olvan turned to face him.

"What vision was Ricko talking about?"

Olvan's eyes seemed to cloud with worry. He didn't speak for a while.

"I will tell you when we return to Greenhaven," the great leader said before turning away.

Finally, Tarik will know what is really going on in Greenhaven with his presence.

At the cost of his mentor's life.