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

Chapter Twenty One - Riddles

Sorry for not updating recently. I've been busy with school and stuff. Expect that same reason every time. (I accidentally published this when it was still a draft)

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Irene's POV

Everyone had already left the ship and had started making their way to the huge Evertree looming above them. Irene gasped as she noticed that the Evertree didn't show that same shine, instead it looked so...dull. Vhon had volunteered to stay behind and keep a lookout if he saw any of Zerif's slaves or any of the Redcloaks who they left behind.

As they entered the clearing, she immediately spotted Lenori with a couple more of the Greencloak survivors. Irene gasped as she recognized one of the Greencloaks.

"Eric!" Jef exclaimed.

Eric gave them a weak smile, "Keepers, i'm glad to see that you're still in one piece..." His voice trailed off as his face turned confused, "Where are the rest of you?"

Irene took a deep breath and spoke, "Half of the Keepers went underground to find the other half of the talisman while we stayed here to find the talisman here. Ivan...he got infected...and so did John. We don't know how the others are doing."

Eric's eyes filled with sadness and grief, "I see..."

Riley then spoke, her voice shaking a bit, "W-Where's Ella?"

His eyes seemed to fill with more sadness and guilt, "Ella? She...she didn't..."

Irene felt a stab of grief. Ella, there other guardian, was now infected.

"I'm so sorry," Zoey whispered sadly, "We're so sorry."

"There's nothing we can do right now," Eric told her gently, but his voice shook.

"No," Jef spoke up, his voice filled with determination, "There's something we can do and that's to solve this riddle or something."

"Riddle?" Lenori repeated, confused, "What riddle?"

Gerald, who had been standing back, stepped up and handed him the scroll, the mysterious raven still on his shoulder. A look of surprise entered Eric's expression but he didn't ask as he took the scroll and read out loud.

"Just how the group had broken apart, so does the compass.
Just when the group reunites, does the compass be together.
Just when everyone becomes One, does the talisman be fix.
The final battle ends where all life begins.
And where life begins, where a new life forms.

Your journey is about to end."

"Interesting," Lenori murmured.

"We think that all the Keepers have to be reunited again," Irene spoke, "And then these compass might lead us to where the talisman is."

"Lead us to where the talisman is?" Riley exclaimed, "We don't have anymore time to find the talisman!"

"It does say, 'the final battle ends where all life begins'." Zoey spoke, "Didn't all life begin here at the Evertree,"

"That is correct," Lenori replied.

"So the talisman must be nearby, right?" Jef asked.

Just then, there was rustling and Irene turned to see Vhon burst through the clearing, his eyes filled with panic. Irene already knew what he was going to say before he did.

"Zerif," he gasped, "He's coming!"

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Zoron's POV

Zoron, George, and Eilene all held their breaths as they heard footsteps gradually fading. Once the footsteps faded, they stayed their for a moment before Zoron finally looked up from where they were. They were hiding behind a group of rocks and took the chance to hide when the Many were still stunned from the bright light. Zoron saw that none of the pale, ghastly creatures were nearby and he motioned for the others to stand up as well.

"Coast is clear," he whispered.

"Well then, we better get back to the others," George replied urgently, a worried look entering in his eyes.

Zoron was worried himself. Well, to be honest he was mostly worried about Hope.

Eilene looked at the two and sighed, "Have faith will you? If we're fine, they'll be doing just as great. Right now, let's find them."

Eilene started leading the way back to where the compass was pointing. Eilene carried one of the compasses while Zoron had another clutched in his hand. The rest of the compasses were with the others. Zoron glanced at Eilene and saw that she was looking at the compass, turning it over as if trying to find something, or trying to solve something.

"So, any ideas?" Zoron spoke up, "I mean, we haven't found Ursala's talisman yet."

Eilene flinched when he said 'Ursala's talisman' and he wondered why. He decided to ask her about it, "There's something you're not telling us, is there?"

"No," Eilene replied quietly, "Believe me when I say this but i'm trying to figure it all out. There's something...something that we need to do to find this talisman. There's something but I don't know what."

"Hey, don't push yourself too hard," George told her, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "This is a team effort. We're supposed to do things together so don't act like you're responsible over us or something."

"But it's my fault you got stuck here in the first place," she muttered, "And it's my fault that John got infected."

"It's not your fault," George told her firmly, "It's the Wyrm's fault for being here in the first place."

"No...it's not the Wyrm's fault," a look of confusion entered her eyes as she tried to find the right words, "It's just...the Wyrm existed for a reason-"

"And it's too destroy us all," Zoron interrupted.

"No," he didn't know why Eilene was suddenly defending the threat they were trying to kill, "It's more than just that-"

Just then, a dark chuckle made both of them froze. They were too concentrated on their conversation that they forgot to keep an eye out. A shadowy figure stepped out from behind the rocks, a tattered green cloak around his back. Another figure, this time a wolf, came beside him, the twisting spiral on its forehead.

"Greetings Keepers," Conor spoke, "How is my dear friend, Meilin?"

He spotted Eilene quickly taking out her staff but 'Conor' held up his hand for her to stop, "I believe that won't happen."

Immediately, the Many stepped out the shadows and had quickly surrounded them that it made it impossible for them to escape.

Conor grinned darkly, "You're trapped now, Keepers."

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The thing when writing a book or story, you want to finish it yet at the same time, you don't want to finish it. Sadly, this book is nearing the end and uh...i'll just leave it at that.

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