"You have made the wrong decision. I warn you, King Irwyn, your kingdom shall fall. I'd watch my back."

-Meilin-

Meilin gripped her staff tighter as they all ran after the thief. They turned a corner and immediately stopped at the scene in front of them. Soldiers, that Meilin had recognized as Conquerors, were attacking a huge polar bear, a young girl fighting nearby. She then realized that the girl seemed to be pushing Conquerors with such speed and strength, even when they were meters apart.

Apparently, the thief is right, Meilin thought, glancing at him who was looking at the girl in surprised.

"How is she doing that?" Roll asked, "How is she able to fight them even when she's meters away from them? It's as if she has magical powers of some sorts."

"It must be the talisman," Tarik replied, a bit of awe in his voice. His voice then became firm, "Quick, we must help Suka and her summoner."

There was a bright flash and Uraza the Leopard leaped out of passive state. Lishay's Spirit Animal, a white muscular tiger, joined the leopard who was already jumping onto the nearest Conqueror. This was the first time Meilin had seen Lishay's Spirit Animal. Tarik called out his Spirit Animal, Lumeo the otter.

Meilin hesitated before giving Jhi a chance and called her out of passive state. The Great Panda seemed startled as she looked around.

Meilin warned her, "Stay close to me."

They started running and she found herself running beside the thief. One of the Conquerors came at them but Roll flashed his dagger at him, making the Conqueror fall back.

He then gave Meilin a quick glance, "I don't suppose any tutors taught the great General Teng's daughter some kung fu."

Meilin then swiped her staff at him which he managed to duck in time, hitting another Conqueror right on the head that was about to hit the thief. She then smirked at his startled face, "I don't suppose anyone taught the famous Amayan thief to look behind his back since all he does is run forward."

The thief only gave her a quick grin, a spark of respect for her entering his eyes. They began to fight side-by-side as they moved closer to Suka and her summoner.

Once they reached her, the Ardu girl spotted them and prepared to attack, that was until Roll quickly raised his hands, "No wait, we're on your side."

"How would I know that?" The Ardu girl snapped.

"Because we're on the Greencloak's side," Meilin replied.

Before she could reply, Meilin's eyes flared with alarm as she saw two Conquerors running right at the Ardu girl behind her. Before she could warn her though, two arrows zipped by and both Conquerors fell to the ground in pain. Meilin turned to find Abeke nearby, reloading her arrows.

"See? We just saved you," the thief told her, "If you want to escape, you need to come with us."

"Why? Because you want to steal my necklace?" The Ardu girl questioned suspiciously.

"I don't need your talisman," Roll snapped, clearly losing his patience, "I already have my own. You're one of us so if you want your questions answered, then come with us!"

The girl hesitated before finally nodding, calling out to Suka.

"There's too many of them," Meilin heard Tarik yell, "We need to run!"

Someone else yelled, "Split up!" and Meilin spotted the others running in different directions. She rolled out the way of a Conqueror axe then drove the point of the staff to his abdomen. She glanced around and realized that her, the Ardu girl, Roll, and their Spirit Animals were trapped in the middle.

"We're trapped," the thief muttered.

Just then, the Ardu girl nodded to Suka, yelling, "Suka, now!"

The Great Polar Bear stood up on her hind legs, opened her mouth then growled, slamming the ground with her front feet. The roar and the impact sent Meilin tumbling down, falling off balance.

"Quick, get up," the Ardu girl hissed at them urgently.

Meilin pushed herself up and looked around for Jhi who was calmly ambling her way towards her. She flashed out her hand and she immediately became a tattoo on her hand as Roll got up. They started running after the Ardu girl through the village. Meilin didn't need to look back to know the Conquerors were chasing them for she could hear their loud voices barking behind them.

Suddenly, they immediately stopped as a hideous-looking creature stepped out the corner of a building. Roll almost tripped as his gaze looked horrified.

"What on Erdas is that thing?" The thief exclaimed, not leaving his gaze on the 'thing.'

"That is a walrus," Meilin answered flatly as more Conquerors followed after the walrus, trapping them on both sides.

Meilin readied her staff, the Ardu girl clenched her fist and Roll shook his head, twirling his daggers as they prepared to defend themselves on the advancing enemies.

"Any last words?" The Ardu girl muttered, narrowing her eyes on the enemy.

"Yes," Roll replied flatly, "I have decided that I hate walruses."

"And I have decided that these our not going to be my last words," Meilin vowed determinedly and charged towards a Conqueror, making the first move.

She blocked the Conqueror's attacks and swept her staff underneath him, making him fall heavily. She spun around just in time to raise her staff and block a Conqueror who had sneaked up behind her. But the impact of the attack made her falling back, the Conqueror pushing the blade of the axe towards her head as she strained to push back. The blade was coming closer and closer to her neck, her strength failing to push it back.

Just then, the weight disappeared and much to her surprise, she saw Roll kicking the Conqueror away, bumping into some with a red cloak. She noticed that more of the Redcloaks were coming and attacking the Conquerors.

"Are you okay?" The thief asked, looking at her and Meilin thought she saw concern in his eyes. Or was that just her imagination?

"I'm fine," Meilin replied.

"Uh here," he said, offering his hand to pull her up.

She hesitated before slowly taking his hand. He then pulled her up and as Meilin looked up, she immediately froze as she realized that their faces were only inches apart. Neither dared move as they stared at each other, forgetting about the battle that's currently happening around them.

But of course, it had to be ruined by the Ardu girl which name they still don't know, "Hate to ruin this moment but we're in a middle of a battle."

They immediately broke eye contact, the thief rubbing his neck while Meilin looking away. They both then put some distance between each other.

"King- I mean- Shane and your friends are waiting for you with a ship," one of the Redcloaks who had approached spoke. For some reason, Meilin thought that she had remembered that voice but she didn't have time to think when she hissed at them urgently, "Hurry."

They started following the female Redcloak and turned a corner until they saw the ship with the rest already on board. They immediately spotted them and yelled for them to run. Together, they all ran as fast as they could towards the ship and had quickly climbed on board.

"You're safe," Tarik's voice was filled with relief and a twinge of guilt, "We're ready to sail."

"I have to stay here," Shane suddenly announced, nodding to his team as he started getting off the ship, "I have to help my team."

"What?" Abeke exclaimed, "but how are we supposed to find the next talisman?"

"You'll meet another one of my Redcloaks when you reach Amaya," Shane reassured them, giving out a small smile, "I'll meet you guys once more."

Before anyone else could speak, Lishay suddenly said, "I'll stay as well."

"What?" Tarik exclaimed, "Why would you do that?"

"I need to get back to Zhong and help the people there," Lishay told him, sounding slightly sad, "I'll stop by Greenhaven and pass on the news of the Great Beasts."

"I..." Tarik's voice trailed off but he quickly straightened himself, "If that is your wish..."

Lishay gave him a sad smile, "This won't be the last time. Erdas will not fall to the hands of the Conquerors."

With one last nod, she followed Shane out the boat and walked towards the battle, giving them one last glance. The ship then moved and they all watched in silence until the Arctic had disappeared from view.

- - -

Finally, some more Reilin happening and some Tarishay at the end there.

The continuation of my series, "The Ten Keepers," is finally out! "Rise of the Wyrm" is finally out and the Prologue and Chapter One has been published.

Please check out the Spirit Animals joint account, SpiritAnimalsErdas!