It has only been one night, and we have already been attacked twice. Manticores and Fieri Crabs awaited us past every corner. We narrowly escaped them, but Ebony had already suffered a deep cut the length of his back . I tended to it as best as I could, but time is crucial. Now, dawn rises and, I counted, we have roughly one and a half more days to find Zerriki.

I sighed and turned toward Ebony. He was sleeping soundly on the sleeping bags that I had packed. The drought that he had taken had restored most of his strength, but he tended to need to rest more often.

I checked my compass. We were steadily heading northeast, but we still hadn't found any sign of the river. I glanced back at Ebony.

My mind constantly conflicted with my heart these days. I slumped back and my eyes misted over as I thought...Every time Ebony needs to rest, I oblige. My mind thinks that the best thing to do would be to keep going, but my heart says otherwise. I know that Ebony is a shade, but he is one of the only people who has made me feel like I belong. I checked my watch. We should get going, I told myself firmly, I'll sort out my feelings later.

I gently nudged Ebony awake and whispered, "C'mon, sleepyhead. We've got to get going."

He only replied groggily, "Five more minutes, mom."

I laughed as he slipped back to sleep. I took the extra time to make sure that everything was packed.

It was all ready. Time for the real fun to begin. I shook Ebony and shouted, "Manticore attack!"

He immediately jumped up, grabbed his sword, and turned to face the nonexistent threat. I stifled a snort as he, looking confused, spun 360 degrees.

I swung my pack over my shoulder and turned northeast. I shouted behind me in a mocking tone, "I think that it went this way!" He merely chortled in turn, then raced off into the forest.

Ebony had a nasty habit of trying to protect me. He always went first, in case any traps had been set. Ebony obviously knew where we were going, yet he didn't know that we were visiting his brother. I jolted back to reality as a shadow passed by the thick clump of trees next to me. I shrieked nervously, "Ebony?"

The shadow did not answer. Laughing despite my nerves, I unsheathed my dagger. A flicker of movement. Behind me.

I spun around, and with one fluid motion, threw my dagger straight at the shadow's head. I watched it streak away into the darkness, then, Thunk! I had made contact!

Delighted, I galloped toward the spot in which the shadow lay. I scrounged the ground, searching for a small, shining light. Something cold and hard reached my grasp. I yanked it, but it was logged into an object. I tried to seize the object, but my hand faltered when I felt what it was. A human body. I had expected my target to be some stray animal or some weird-shaped bush, but never in my life would I have expected a human body. That's practically murder.

Blood oozed out from the joining point my dagger had carved. I stretched my hands, determined to get my knife back. Quick as a rabbit, I froze. The figure was...breathing. Not steady, calming breaths but big gulps of air. I scampered away from the figure, and I saw the figure strain to sit up.

It whispered, "Come, Come." Its voice echoed through the whole forest.

I put a shaking foot forward and stepped closer to my impending doom. Instead of obliterating me, the figure muttered what seemed to be a long spell and the trees glowed with inner light.

I could finally see it--err--I mean, him better. The man had gleaming, viscous teeth that were carved into sharp points. His eyes were obscured with a ratty rag. The rag seemed to be oozing black goo that trickled down his face. His fingers were long and curved, with talon-like nails that clenched and unclenched. His hair was a dusty color and was poised so that it resembled a bird's nest. His clothes were mangled and ripped. He wore a shimmering black velvet cloak over his worn clothes. The cloak looked brand new, and it still contained a price tag that read: ¶euri. Curiouser and curiouser. The man cleared his throat impatiently and I gazed back at his mouth.

"Nefiri sanke onf lonai," hissed the man.

I could barely hear him, but the words echoed through the woods once more. The man laughed maniacally and I cowered in fear. This was not a man to cross.

I quickly blurted out, "What's your name?"

I had learned that knowing your friends --or enemies-- by name is useful. I strained my ears to hear his answer.

He shrieked back, "Ramis."

I nodded, but was actually lost in thought. Ramis...where had I heard that name before?

His chest jerked during each breath. He whispered in a hoarse voice:

"When the last of the Nine no longer thrives,

One of your member must compete to survive,

The answer is there, as plain as can see,

For that is the answer's key.

Heavy is the heart, heavy is the soul,

When you arise, one will be a ghoul."

He paused and started gulping air rapidly. He stared straight at me, cocked his head, and let out an earsplitting screech. I plugged my ears, braced for another. But it never came. I glanced up, only to see leaves merrily falling where Ramis once had been.

I sighed and whipped out my compass.

"Now, where is Ebony?" I said to myself.