Spirit Animals - The Ten Keepers: Fall of the Ten [Book Three]

Chapter Fourteen - Going Back

Ugh, my cat (his name is Griffin btw) just jumped right in front of me. Like seriously? Now his fur is flying everywhere.

Anyways, here's chapter fourteen. Enjoy!

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Eilene's POV

The group was silently walking back to Aspenosa City for the compass was pointing to that direction and they couldn't move on without Zoron and Hope. Eilene was in deep thought as she wondered about the prophecy. It's been so obvious. All it was telling them was to join together, not separate. She glanced back at George who was at the rear of the group. Though they were going back, she knew that he was still angry at her.

She could barely feel that same connection they all once had. She knew that the friendship between them has wavered, maybe even disappeared. Eilene sighed, she really missed the others. She missed all the memories they've made when they were looking for the talismans, even though they fought at times.

Out of everyone in the team, she missed John the most. She missed everything about him. She missed their little fights and arguments, she missed his smile, their little talks, the way that he always knew how to make her smile. Thinking about him made her heart ache even more.

George was right, it was all her fault. She blamed herself. Maybe if she never split the group up, maybe if she was the one who went up the rope last, maybe if they never went underground, maybe if she never came back at all, things might've been different. Maybe if she refused to help the Conquerors, refused to betray her team, maybe if she didn't summon Ursa at all then this wouldn't have happened.

But you would never have met John. You wouldn't have met the others.

She tried to imagine a life if she never summoned Ursa, if she never became part of the Keepers, if she never met the others. She would still be living under her aunt who never cared about her, she would never have felt loved, felt like she mattered.

Eilene shook her thoughts away and she narrowed her eyes in determination. Sticking to the past won't help everyone now, she could only move on. They could only move on. Glancing back once more, she slowed her pace until she was walking beside George. He didn't glance at her once.

Eilene sighed, "I know you're still mad at me."

"Oh you think?" George rolled his eyes, his voice filled with sarcasm.

Her mouth tightened, "But that doesn't mean you have to act this way."

"Why shouldn't I?" George snapped, "I have the right to be angry at you. You failed all of us, you failed my brother."

All her recent guilt vanished only to be replaced by anger, her self-control gone, "So you're saying that it was my fault that parasite entered your brother? I did all I could to help him, okay?"

"You didn't try hard enough," George fired.

"Well how about you?" Eilene snapped and George flinched, "What did you do? Nothing right, because there was nothing you can do. Face it, George, he lost the battle, it was his own battle and there was nothing we could do to save him. I don't have the power to remove that parasite from him just like you. The only way we can save him is to find the compass and meet up with the others so stop blaming me and just help us save your brother!"

Everyone had stopped moving as they looked at them anxiously. George seemed to have been lost for words.

Eilene sighed and went on more softly, "Look, i'm just as sad as you are but blaming each other won't save John."

"I...It's just..." George hanged his head low, his voice filled with grief and sadness, "I'm scared...scared to lose everyone else. Our father betrayed us, half of our team is missing and now John...I just felt like I needed to blame someone. I'm sorry I took all my anger out on you..."

"I'm sorry too, for snapping at you like that," Eilene gave him a small smile, "We'll get him back and that's a promise."

Just then, George had unexpectedly hugged her, catching her by surprise. After a couple of seconds, she hugged him back. He really did felt like a brother to her.

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Hope's POV

Hope grabbed Zoron's hand as he pulled her up. They finally made it to the top of the steep path, both trying to catch their breaths.

"That...was hard," Hope panted.

"Nothing we do is easy," Zoron replied.

"That's true," Hope said.

Just then, Hope heard feet shuffling and both their eyes widened. They knew that sound all too well but Hope felt confused. It only sounded as if it was only one person. They both turned to where the sound was and the shuffling stopped.

"Who's there?" Zoron called out, "Show yourself."

Silence greeted him for a few moments before a figure stepped out from behind a rock. Hope stifled a gasp. She had pale skin and white hair that she almost mistook her for one of the Many but the only difference was, she didn't have the twisting spiral on her forehead.

"Please don't hurt me," the mysterious girl whispered, fear in her voice.

Zoron and Hope exchanged a suspicious glance. "Who are you?" Hope asked.

The girl hesitated for a moment before replying, "My name is Xanthe."

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Riley's POV

Riley was in her cabin, laying down on her bed as she stared up at the ceiling. She sighed sadly as she got lost in her thoughts.

Why did he gave up? That question was stuck on her mind.

She still couldn't make sense of it. She didn't get why Ivan gave up, why he gave himself up to the Wyrm. Did he want to do it? Did he have no choice?

There was a knock on the door as she heard Irene's voice, "Riley, you need to come quick."

Riley sighed before going out the door to find Irene, "What is it?"

"Get ready to pack," Irene informed her, "We've reached Stetriol."

Riley stiffened as she heard that name. They were back in Stetriol. The place where the war ended and the place they thought Eilene died.

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And they meet Xanthe. Please vote and leave a comment on what you guys think. Stay tuned for the next chapter!

(Random question, what do you guys think about Shane? To me, I don't think he's that bad at all)