my name is Lee and I'm on a quest with
my two friends jasmine and Barda we're
searching for the missing gems of the
belt of Deltora we've only got two more
left to find but now the evil Shadow
Lord knows of our quest he's after a man
a boy and a wild girl with a black bird
why do they always say wild girl just
cuz I'm independent doesn't make me wild
all I know is our quest just got more
dangerous right now we're heading
towards the maze of the Beast where the
sixth gem is hidden
it's been five days since we left dread
Mountain we should be getting pretty
close to the river by now
I wonder if the Carn squad has picked up
our trail again what do you think
they're probably not the only ones
looking
I'm sure the Shadow Lord has ordered
everyone to keep their eyes open for the
three of us by this time I know you want
to fly high your Cree but it's just too
dangerous
what do you see something what's wrong
with me
it was just a couple of wood mice they
really scared me though hmm
I'm starting to hate this forest the
trees know we're here but they won't say
a word to us I don't like it either the
woods seem full of eyes for days now I
felt as if we're being watched
Shh
over there Lee you get the kid closest
to the bank
I'm here to help hold on to be okay my
sister tried to help me a bit she fell
in and I grabbed the fog where's Marie
don't worry about this one I'll take
care of her go and help Barda hmm hi I'm
jasmine so what's your name Ida
my sister's name's Marie please you have
to take me as far away as possible from
this River it's so evil
I understand let's get you dry first
look at her the two of them were twins
they're so young what were they doing
playing in the river alone anyway
she's just a kid and now she's lost her
sister
wait
it's me I was just trying to save your
life
couldn't you tell they weren't real
they're old I know you your days
I don't get it what through the heart
listen through me stab it through the
heart Bardot doesn't have much time I've
already it's hard but it's still
attacking him you okay Jasmine Natalie
here's its right side and all's heart is
on its right not on the left
good thing you stopped it when you did
if we taken any longer he might not have
made it I know you you're that friend of
Doom's aren't you what are you doing
following us you should just worry about
keeping him warm right now trust me
an OLE attack kills you to the bone and
your friend there was already wet from
the river
I'm sorry I wounded you and you still
saved us huh it's true if it weren't for
you I don't know if it'd be better if
you don't try to talk right now
here you should add a little of this
honey tea or tea it'll take away some of
your pain and give you strength they
don't make much of it so just a bit okay
hmm
quality brand homemade organic nurturing
energizing yummy
that's a pretty long name for some honey
you think it'll help yeah
you
so what sort of monsters are these holes
they're shapeshifters from the
Shadowlands who can take on the form of
any animal or person I'm not surprised
you haven't heard of them before most
people haven't
The Shadow Lord created them and loves
to use them for all sorts of evil
purposes there's a lot of owls around
nowadays they go in and out of western
Deltora all the time it wasn't always
like this you know so you guys are from
the east aren't you
well anyway you never did answer my
question about what you're doing here
although I have to admit I think I trust
you a bit more now that's alright I
wasn't following you if that's what
you're wondering I was returning to the
resistances Western stronghold when I
saw those two
I followed them waiting for my chance
and then just when I was about to fire
you appeared and the oils ran off after
you their plan was to separate you and
to take you out one at a time if that
had happened I don't think you would
have stood a chance
hmm I'm impressed you're pretty clever
aren't you well I have to admit I
learned a lot from do he's the one who
trained me Dane you saved my life and
for that I am in your debt please
forgive our suspicions as I'm sure you
know when you're on the run trusting
strangers is not a luxury you can afford
since we last met we've had more than
our fair share of run-ins with other
servants of the Shadow Lord
I understand best to be cautious
well then I'd better get going
hmm and now that you know about them
watch out for holes Dean wait huh it's
dangerous around here and you can't
defend yourself with your arm like that
besides it's late and you should get
some rest thanks but I'll be fine the
stronghold I'm going to isn't far from
here
why don't you just stay with us tonight
tomorrow we can travel with you as far
as you want us to he's right it's the
least we can do to repay you for helping
us out uh that's very kind of you you
know it's that kindness that all's take
advantage of them nobody asked me if I'm
okay with this and if you did I'd say
I'm against it
jazzmin I agree but at the same time I'm
the one who heard him I can't just let
him go off alone when he's unable to
defend himself if you were me I know
you'd feel the same way it just wouldn't
be right that's true but I still don't
know if I trust this guy or not she's
right you shouldn't huh like you said
before you can't trust anyone the type
of wolves we fought today are crude and
can't hold their shape for long but some
are far more advanced and you'd never be
able to tell please sit down you're in
pain after what you did we're not just
gonna send you out into the forest
mm-hmm thank you
in that case I think I will stay the
night my arm is still hurting and if
it's alright with you tomorrow we can
all go to the stronghold together but oh
it's south east of here it's not that
far do you think that'll be a problem
for you I don't want to mess up your
plans
seeing as it's out of your way wait a
minute how do you know it'll be out of
our way if I'm not mistaken we haven't
said a word to you about where we're
going I don't know I was just honestly I
was just guessing I figured you were
going to tora tora dells sister city the
biggest city in the West doesn't matter
it's fine if we're they are too late
tell us more about these old
the olds are everywhere all of them can
take the shape of any living thing but
level one holes like the two today
don't eat or drink level tools are far
more advanced they can actually pretend
to eat and drink they're also capable of
emitting body heat in its natural state
every owl has the mark of the Shadow
Lord at its core that's because he
created them whatever shape it takes the
mark will be somewhere on its body in
some form the twins I mean the tools we
took out today had a mark on their left
cheekbone
was that theirs yeah but it's not always
so easy level twos are sneakier they'd
never have it in plain sight like that
but there is one sure way of telling an
oil you see none of them can hold their
shape for more than three days so you
got to be patient and never let it out
of your sight at some point it'll lose
control and its shape will change or at
least waver we call this the tremor once
you've seen this you know what you're
dealing with
seriously three days that's right you're
hurting is there anything I can do yeah
I think we should call it a night you
better get some rest
don't worry about me I'm fine are you
all right hey what's wrong we should
stop for a bit I think he really needs a
break yeah no it's fine I can go on I'll
be able to get plenty of rest at the
stronghold and we're almost there
look just below the top of this cliff
there's a crack in the rock see it right
after that there's a row of thick bushes
the entrance has just passed them sealed
with a large stone there is a password
Dane what's the password give him some
of that honey this is the last spoonful
it's not working at least he told us how
to get there before he passed out come
on
I'll carry him on my back crack in the
rock is easy enough to find
there are the bushes which would make
that the entrance
that's one big stone hello we're friends
please open up we obtained with us he
saved our lives and now he's hurt please
hurry he needs food and rest what's the
password
let us talk to doom please there's
nobody named doom here what's the
password
answer are you in big trouble we're not
enemies doom knows who we are and if you
could see us you'd know that we have
your friend with us I can't see you we
all can as we speak there are a dozen
arrows aimed at you so don't even think
of making a move this trust me it'd be
your last what did you just you got wax
in your ears
alright fine our Narita and Glock with
you they're friends of yours too aren't
they
we fought together in the Rif Mir games
they'll recognize us so what if they do
appearances don't mean nothing around
here that's why we have a password do
you know it or not
passwords are usually changed every day
to be safe and if that's the case Dane
wouldn't have known it anyway
he'd have to look for it when he got
here wait a minute he said there is a
password I bet he was gonna tell us
where to find it it's gotta be somewhere
close by
that's a terrible place to hide they'll
set fire to the bushes they stopped one
side of in here
I bet the password is somewhere in these
bushes found it when enemies at pass
orders normal it's gotta be it
I'm getting tired of this you're the
kind of kid to reply one to right wait
I've got it
what are you doing
I just remembered something it's weapon
right
huh
huh so the little one had an adventure
came home with a few cuts and scrapes
huh
well well well I never would have
expected this from him he's usually such
a cautious little boy algis Petro it's
safe get down here look after Dave would
you
why if it isn't part of the bear after
all these years anything you care to
tell us Barda
I thought for sure you were finished off
that night beocca Baba's attacked the
palace I bet you don't even remember who
I am
you're jinx of course I know who you are
but I didn't expect to see you here huh
well don't just stand there like lumps
you're letting in the cold honestly some
people have no manners
hmm
all right listen up everyone let me
introduce our guests these three of
brought young Dane seems to been wounded
at AG surprise a little scaredy-cat went
out of the cave at all if it wasn't for
him a pair of holes would have gotten us
yeah he was really brave what do you
know about bravery birdie and twig from
bush town huh good to see you two
o'clock hmm I think the last time I saw
you you were being carried out of the
riskier arena sleeping like a baby work
you sounds like someone else is out
there
let's hit password weapon
Jynx who threw the note on the ground
hello doom Narita well I see three faces
that don't belong in this stronghold do
it's not what you think
mmm Dane he finally decided to join us
hmm
long time no see how are you I'm fine I
think you've got some explaining to do
you were expected back days ago so tell
us what have you been up to
I saw some oils in the woods level once
so I decided to chase them by yourself
he's telling the truth he also saved us
I wasn't talking to you was I hmm you
disobeyed my explicit orders and then
you showed these three people who have
not been tested at all the way to our
stronghold by doing this you put us all
in danger
did you also let them know the secret of
our password system he didn't hmm it
wasn't all that difficult I worked it
out on my own what you heard me I
figured it out myself I remembered that
Danes honey had a long name which at the
time I thought was odd but that's what
you're supposed to think I worked out
pretty quickly that the first letter of
each word spelled out QB honey as in
queen bee honey so when I found that
note in the bushes I just did the same
thing the first letters spell out the
password Dane told us nothing I can't
believe it yeah
figured out the password sir wait hey
doom stop this if you've got a problem
with us let's just talk about it I think
you should just keep your mouth shut you
discovered something that we consider to
be classified information also what
proof do we have that the three of you
aren't olds huh come on we're not old
take them to the testing room yes sir
in three days I'll interrogate them
myself yes sir as you wish
don't do this come on move it mister
don't do this
really there's nothing to be afraid of
stop that
wait listen to me we're not what you
think we're not old