"I don't need rescuing."

"Yeah, cause we both do but only one of us is going to get out of here."

-Rollan-

"So, uh, where are you taking us?" Rollan asked one of the hunters.

Their hands were tied with a rope around their back as the hunters took them prisoners to who-knows-where.

"To our leader," the hunter replied curtly.

"We didn't do anything wrong," Abeke spoke, "Those mountain lions-"

"You have interfered with our hunt," the hunter pointed out.

"How were we supposed to know when we were trying not to get hunted ourselves?" Rollan exclaimed indignantly.

Suddenly, the hunter turned around and pointed the sharp spear to Rollan's neck who had abruptly stopped in time. The hunter glared at him but Rollan held his gaze, feeling the anger burning stronger.

"Need I remind you, boy," the hunter growled, "Your life is literally on our hands so if you don't want any of your precious friends to get their throat slit open, I suggest you bite your tongue."

Rollan wanted to say that they weren't his friends but something held him back. He didn't know what they were to him. His acquaintances? His enemy? His team?

He didn't say anything as the group kept on walking until they emerged from a clearing and into what looked like a camp. Huts that looked like they were newly built, stood around as the clearing bustled with activity. But as soon as they had entered, people noticed them and had grown silent.

Some looked at them with curiosity, suspicion, a bit of fear and aggression.

"Thanks for the warm welcome," Rollan muttered quietly while Meilin shot him a glare that said, 'Shut up before you get us killed.'

Just then, people parted to make way for a man that was walking towards them. He had a few gray specks in his hair but he still looked lean and muscular. Something told Rollan that he was not a guy you want to fight in battle.

"Linus, who are these people?" The man asked.

The hunter who had pointed a spear to Rollan's throat kneeled, keeping his head down as he replied, "Intruders who interfered with our hunt, sir."

"Actually, we've been hunted by mountain lions," Rollan decided to speak up before Meilin kicked him in the shin.

That's when Rollan realized his mistake. The people were filled with tension when he spoke and they all watched their leader as he looked at Rollan coldly. He knew that speaking to the leader without being asked to was considered impolite but then again, when was Rollan ever polite. He was a thief for crying out loud!

"You do not speak out of turn, boy," the man told him coldly.

Rollan was just about to snap back about people calling him 'boy' when Meilin nudged him much harder. The murderous glare she sent him made him shut his mouth for once.

"Now...you Greencloak, speak," the man ordered, pointing at Tarik.

"We didn't mean to interfere with your hunting, sir," Tarik explained, his expression calm and collected, "We were just...passing through."

The Redcloak then leaned towards Tarik, whispered something to him and Tarik's expression became grim.

"Actually, we're looking for someone," Tarik added, "We're looking for a child who summoned...an elk."

Muttering filled the clearing but once the man gave them a swift glance, the muttering immediately died down.

When he spoke, his voice was heavily guarded that Rollan could already detect the lie, "We know nothing of this elk you speak. Now, you must leave our lands and if any of my men catch you, they'll be given orders to kill you in sight."

"As much as i'd love to leave this place," Rollan spoke up, "I could already tell that these people have much respect for someone who had just flat-out lied to us."

The man and his hunters bristled, "Are you calling me a liar, you disrespectful and impolite boy?"

"Call me disrespectful or impolite all you want," Rollan shrugged, "I'm just pointing out your lie."

"Sir, if I may add," Meilin then said, casting a warning glance at Rollan, "We really must speak to this child. You may not know this but he is in great danger."

"Blah! You dare call my tribe weak?" The man bellowed, "I've kept him and his elk safe for all these years!"

"So you just admitted that you do know of a child that summoned the elk," Rollan pointed out, "And that he's in this same tribe."

"No wait," Conor then spoke, "We do not mean to call your tribe weak. You do not know how important this boy had summoned Tellun and because of this, he is in great danger."

The man's gaze suddenly snapped at him, "How do you know that the elk's name is Tellun?"

Conor met his gaze evenly that Rollan thought he was seeing a different person, "No one had summoned an elk until now. The same things are happening now all over Erdas. These three had summoned Great Beasts, beasts that had died many many centuries ago. They hold great power that a powerful army is out to get them."

The man snorted, "You think i'm going to believe this piece of rubbish?"

"I'm sure you have heard of the war happening in Zhong," this time, Abeke spoke, "I'm sure you have heard of the army who had assassinated the General Teng and had been rumored to kidnap his daughter, Meilin."

At that, Abeke nodded to Meilin.

This time, the hunter spoke, "What? And I suppose you're going to say that this girl is apparently the Mistress Meilin, daughter of General Teng."

There was a flash and immediately, the Great Panda, Jhi, stood at Meilin's side. She then nodded, "Yes. I am, in fact, Meilin, daughter of General Teng."

Rollan noticed how she didn't call herself Mistress Meilin but just Meilin. He then started having second thoughts if the Meilin he thought he knew was really just a spoiled, rich girl.

"T-That's a panda," the hunter stammered, looking at her in shock, "O-Only M-Meilin- I mean- you, were told to summon a panda. Only you."

"Just like Tellun, Jhi is a Great Beast," Meilin said.

"I don't believe any of this," the leader exclaimed angrily but his eyes betrayed the doubt.

"Well, I do," a new voice spoke up and they saw a boy walking towards them with a huge elk walking right behind him.

Rollan's vision grew sharper just like it always had but for some reason, he somehow knew that it was coming from the talisman. The Copper Falcon to be exact. How he knew that, he had no idea.

He sensed another talisman, one that radiated great power. It took him a moment to pinpoint the talisman around the boy's neck which was slightly hidden in his clothes.

The boy then offered them a small smile, "Tellun has told me that you would come. My name is Anda."

- - -

Hey Anda!

Anyways, a guaranteed book two of this is in the making. There's a possibility of a book three, depending on how long the second one will be.

Check out "Rise of the Wyrm" the continuation of The Ten Keepers series.