Fablehaven2-Rise of the Evening Star

by Brandon Mull

  I'm sick of waiting; what's the story? Seth sounded

  exasperated.

  Olloch the Glutton is a demon enchanted by a peculiar

  spell, Grandpa explained. He remains in a petrified state,

  inert, until somebody feeds him. He bites the hand that

  feeds him and, after that, gradually awakens, driven by an

  insatiable hunger. He eats, and as he eats, he grows. As his

  size increases, so does his power, and he does not stop eating

  until he consumes the person who initially awakened him.

  He's going to eat me? Seth cried.

  He's going to try, Grandpa said.

  Can he get into Fablehaven?

  I don't think so, Grandpa said. But the day will soon

  come when he will prowl our borders, searching for an

  opportunity to strike, gaining more power every day as he

  continues to gorge himself. He will be inexorably drawn to

  you. The only places to hide are those he cannot access.

  There has to be something we can do! Seth said.

  That is why I want to bring you to the Sphinx,

  Grandpa said. His wisdom has proven equal to situations

  more challenging than this. Don't worry, we won't let

  Olloch devour you.

  Seth put his face in his hands. Why does everything I

  do go wrong? He looked up. I thought I was being helpful.

  This was not your fault, Grandma said. You were

  being very brave, and trying to do the right thing. Sadly,

  Errol was taking advantage of you.

  Do you know anything about Errol? Kendra asked.

  Nothing, Grandpa said.

  How did he find out about the fairies?

  Grandpa sighed. We have a theory. Last week, we found

  an imp, one of the big kind, passing information to a caped

  figure through the border fence. We could not catch the person

  he was informing-the stranger made a hasty retreat.

  But we managed to apprehend the imp.

  The rogue would have gotten away if not for your

  grandpa, Grandma said.

  Choosing between me and Tanu, the imp tried to get

  past me, Grandpa said. I tackled him, but he was amazingly

  strong. He hurled me into a gully. I felt my arm snap

  beneath me, and fractured my tibia. But I managed to slow

  the brute long enough for Tanu to use a concoction that paralyzed

  him.

  Where is he now? Seth asked.

  In the dungeon, Grandpa said.

  The basement, Grandma clarified.

  So that's what's down there! Seth cried.

  Among other things, Grandpa said. Unaccompanied,

  the dungeon is absolutely off-limits to you two.

  Big surprise, Seth mumbled.

  Anyhow, Grandpa said, the point is, we believe that

  the imp, and perhaps others, must have leaked the experience

  Kendra had with the fairies to the Society. Imps are

  crafty spies.

  Are we going to have to hide here for the rest of our

  lives? Kendra asked.

  Grandpa slapped his hand down on the arm of the

  wheelchair. Who said anything about hiding? We'll be taking

  action. Finding and moving the artifact. Investigating

  why the Society is interested in you. Consulting with the

  Sphinx.

  And offering you two world-class training from some of

  the most skilled adventurers anywhere, Grandma said. You

  need to learn about the world you are being drawn into, and

  you could find no better teachers than Tanu, Vanessa, and

  Coulter.

  They're going to teach us? Seth asked, eyes shining.

  They will be your mentors, Grandpa said. At this

  point, sitting still would be a mistake. You two will have

  opportunities to accompany them on some of their outings

  as they search for the artifact.

  Not when they do anything truly dangerous, Grandma

  amended.

  No, Grandpa said. But you'll get to see a new side of

  Fablehaven. And learn a trick or two that may help you in

  the future. Ignorance is no longer a protection for either of

  you.

  Coulter may be tough to work with, particularly for

  Kendra, Grandma said with a trace of bitterness. He has a

  prehistoric outlook on certain issues, and a difficult personality.

  But he also has a lot to offer. If all else fails, Vanessa

  has agreed to take up the slack.

  They do not know the extent of what we have told

  you, Grandpa said. They think we informed you that they

  are hunting for a hidden relic, and they understand that you

  are to accompany them when prudence will allow it. They

  have no idea that we revealed the true nature of the artifact

  or the fact that Fablehaven is a secret preserve. You must

  keep those details to yourselves. I don't want anyone learning

  how much you know.

  No problem, Seth said.

  What do they think we believe the artifact is? Kendra

  said.

  A magical relic that will help us in our fight against the

  Society, Grandma said. An unknown talisman rumored to

  be hidden on the property. We told them we would keep it

  vague, and that they should do the same.

  If we find it, Seth said, why don't we use it against

  Errol and his friends?

  The artifacts have remained in our possession for millennia

  precisely because we have not sought to use them,

  Grandpa said. Those watching over them have not even

  known where they are hidden. If we use them, it will be only

  a matter of time before we misuse them, and they fall into

  the wrong hands.

  That makes sense, Kendra said. When will we see the

  Sphinx?

  He should let me know shortly, Grandpa said, dabbing

  the corner of his mouth with his napkin. You now know all

  we know about the new threat we are facing. We have

  treated you as adults, and expect you to behave accordingly.

  Get to know our new arrivals, Grandma said.

  Learning from them will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

  When do we start? Seth asked.

  Immediately, Grandpa answered.

  Tanu

  When Kendra and Seth exited the study, Dale was

  waiting on the other side of the door. Ready to start

  summer school? he asked.

  If it means we get to see cool monsters, absolutely,

  Seth replied.

  Follow me, Dale said. He led them into the parlor,

  where Tanu sat reading a leather-bound book. Your pupils

  have arrived, Dale announced.

  Tanu stood up. Dale was tall, but Tanu was half a head

  taller. And much thicker. He wore a rugged, long-sleeved

  shirt and jeans. Please have a seat, he said in his deep, mild

  voice. Kendra and Seth sat down on a sofa, and Dale

  departed. Your grandparents told you about the relic we are

  hunting? he asked.

  They weren't very specific, Kendra said. What exactly

  is it? She figured that if she didn't sound curious, it would

  look suspicious.

  We don't know many of the details, Tanu said, his dark

  eyes flicking back and forth between the two of them. Only

  that it is rumored to be quite powerful, and could help us

  keep the preserves safe from the Society. You two will be

  helping in th
e pursuit of this hidden treasure. But first we

  need to get acquainted.

  Tanu asked them several standard questions. He found

  out that Seth was going into seventh grade, that he liked to

  ride his bike and play practical jokes, and that he had once

  captured a fairy using a jar and a mirror. He learned that

  Kendra was heading into ninth grade, that her favorite subjects

  were history and English, and that she played halfback

  on the school soccer team. He did not ask Kendra about the

  fairy army.

  It's only fair that I now tell you about myself, Tanu

  said. Do you have any questions?

  Are you from Hawaii? Seth asked.

  I grew up in Pasadena, Tanu said. But my ancestors

  are from Anaheim. He flashed a broad smile, showing big

  white teeth. I'm Samoan. I've only been there as a visitor,

  though.

  Have you traveled a lot? Kendra asked.

  More than my fair share, he admitted. I've been

  around the world many times, seen many strange sights. My

  father made potions, and his father before him, going back

  many generations. My dad taught me what I know. He

  retired a few years back. He lives in Arizona in the winter,

  Idaho in the summer.

  Do you have a family? Kendra asked.

  I have my folks, some brothers and sisters, and a bunch

  of nieces and nephews and cousins. No wife, no kids. Drives

  my folks crazy. Everybody wants me to settle down. Dad

  once tried to slip me a love potion to make me fall for some

  neighbor girl that he liked. He already has seventeen grandkids,

  but he says he wants some from his eldest. I'll throw

  down roots someday. Not yet.

  You know how to make love potions? Seth asked.

  And avoid them, Tanu grinned.

  What else can you make? Seth asked.

  Potions to cure illnesses, potions to induce sleep,

  potions that awaken lost memories, Tanu said. It all

  depends on what I have to work with. The toughest part of

  being a potion master is collecting ingredients. Only magical

  ingredients yield magical results. I study cause and effect,

  and I benefit from the studies of many who came before me.

  I try to figure out how to combine different materials to

  achieve a desired outcome.

  Where do you get ingredients? Kendra asked.

  The most powerful ingredients are usually by-products

  of magical creatures, Tanu explained. Viola, the milch

  cow, is a potion master's dream. Her milk, her blood, her

  dung, her sweat, her tears, her saliva-they all have different

  magical properties. At an icy preserve in Greenland, on

  the coast, they get their milk from a gigantic walrus, nearly a

  thousand years old, one of the eldest animals on the planet.

  The derivatives of the walrus have different properties from

  the cow's. Along with certain similarities.

  Cool, Seth said.

  It is fascinating, Tanu admitted. You never know

  what skills you'll need. I've climbed mountains, picked

  locks, ventured deep underwater, and learned foreign languages.

  Sometimes you can trade for ingredients, or purchase

  them. But you have to be careful. Some potion makers are

  unscrupulous. They get their ingredients in horrible ways.

  Dragon tears, for example. A very potent ingredient, but

  hard to come by. Dragons cry only when they are in the

  deepest mourning or when they have committed a terrible

  betrayal. They cannot fake the tears. There are bad people

  out there who would capture a young dragon and then murder

  its dear ones just to collect the tears. You don't want to

  support that kind of barbarity, so you have to be careful who

  you trade with, and who you buy from. Most of the best

  potion makers prefer to find their own ingredients. Which

  is why some of the best potion makers don't live very long.

  Do you collect your own ingredients? Seth asked.

  Most of the time, Tanu said. Every now and again I

  barter with reputable dealers. I can find much of what I need

  on preserves. Other items I locate in the wild. My grandfather

  lived to retirement and died in his sleep. My dad lived

  to retirement and is still with us. They taught me some good

  tricks that help keep me safe. Hopefully I can pass some of

  that knowledge along to you.

  Tanu picked up a pouch that was sitting next to his

  chair. He began removing small bottles with narrow necks

  and arranging them in a single row on the coffee table.

  What are those? Seth asked.

  Tanu glanced up. Part of a demonstration, to prove that

  I know my trade. A family specialty-bottled-up emotions.

  Drinking them will make us feel a certain way? Kendra

  asked.

  Temporarily, yes, Tanu said. In large doses the emotions

  can be overpowering. I want each of you to choose an

  emotion to sample. I'll mix you a small dose. The emotions

  will pass quickly. You can try fear, rage, embarrassment, or

  sorrow. He removed more items from his pouch-jars, vials,

  and a small sandwich bag full of leaves.

  Are they all bad emotions? Kendra asked.

  I can do courage, calm, confidence, and joy, among

  others. But the negative emotions make better demonstrations.

  They are more shocking, and less addictive.

  I want to try fear, Seth said, coming to stand near.

  Good choice, Tanu responded. He unscrewed the lid

  of a jar and used a tool that looked like a small tongue

  depressor to scoop out some beige paste. I'm mixing this so

  the effect will come and go very quickly, just giving you a

  brief sample of the emotion. Removing a small leaf from

  the bag, Tanu scraped the paste onto the leaf. He then

  dripped four drops from one of the bottles onto the leaf,

  added a single drop from a different bottle, and mixed the

  liquid into the paste with the tongue depressor. He handed

  the leaf to Seth.

  Eat the leaf? Seth asked.

  Eat it all, Tanu said. Sit down first. When the emotion

  hits, it will be distressing, much more real than you

  probably expect. Try to remember that it is artificial and that

  it will pass.

  Seth sat down on a brocaded armchair. He sniffed the

  leaf, then popped it into his mouth. He chewed and swallowed

  quickly. Not bad. Tastes a little like peanuts.

  Kendra watched him intently. Is he going to freak out?

  she asked.

  Wait and see, Tanu said, suppressing a grin.

  I feel fine so far, Seth announced.

  It takes a few seconds, Tanu said.

  A few seconds for what? Seth asked, an edge of anxiety

  creeping into his voice.

  See? Tanu said, winking at Kendra. It's starting.

  What's starting? Seth asked, eyes darting. Why'd you

  wink at her? Why are you talking like I'm not in the room?

  I'm sorry, Seth, Tanu said. We mean no harm. The

  effects of the potion are hitting you.

  Seth's breathing was becoming ragged. He was shifting

  in his seat, rubbing his thighs with his palms. What did you

  give me? he said, raising his voice and sounding paran
oid.

  Why'd you have to mix so much stuff? How do I know I can

  trust you?

  It's all right, Kendra said. You're just feeling the

  effects of the potion.

  Seth looked at Kendra, his face contorting, tears brimming

  in his eyes. He raised his voice more, sounding

  hysterical. Just the potion? Just the potion! He chuckled

  bitterly. You don't get it? He poisoned me! He poisoned me,

  and you're next. I'm going to die! We're all going to die! He

  was curling up on the chair, quivering and hugging his

  knees. A single tear leaked from one eye and slid down his

  cheek.

  Kendra looked at Tanu, distressed. Tanu raised a calming

  hand. He's already coming out of it.

  She looked back at her brother. He sat still for a

  moment, then straightened his legs and sat up, wiping the

  remnants of the tear from his cheek. Wow, Seth said. You

  weren't kidding! That felt so real. I couldn't think straight. I

  thought you had tricked me into drinking poison or something.

  Your mind was searching for threats to justify the emotion,

  Tanu said. It helped that you knew beforehand the

  emotion was coming. Had I drugged you by surprise, it would

  have been much more difficult to make sense of the experience

  afterwards. Let alone if I used a higher dosage. Imagine

  if I made that emotion much more intense and longer lasting.

  You have to try it, Seth said to Kendra.

  I'm not sure I want to, Kendra said. Can't I feel something

  happy?

  You should try an emotion you would normally resist if

  you want to appreciate the potency, Tanu said. It's alarming

  in the moment, but you'll feel fine afterwards. In a way,

  it's cleansing. An occasional foray into negative emotions

  makes feeling normal that much sweeter.

  He's right, I feel great now, Seth said. Like the riddle.

  Why do you hit yourself in the head fifty times with a hammer?

  Why? Kendra asked.

  Because it feels so good when you stop!

  Try an emotion other than fear, Tanu said. For the

  sake of variety.

  Pick one for me, Kendra said. Don't tell me what it

  is.

  You sure? Tanu asked.

  Yeah, if I'm going to do it, I want you to surprise me.

  Tanu put another glop of beige paste on a leaf and mixed

  in drops from three bottles. He gave the leaf to Kendra, and

  she popped it into her mouth and chewed it up, sitting down

  on the carpet in the middle of the room. The leaf was a little

  tricky to chew. It did not taste like something you were supposed