Less Whining, More Action

Another picture from my artist friend, Elmer Damaso, has just arrived with the kids making a hurried escape into cold ocean waters. As with every rescue mission, the kids have to free the captured animals by putting keystones into a certain spot. This time the mythical creature is quite a bit bigger than previous ones and they realize pretty quickly it’s best to get out of the way as soon as possible!

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"Found it!" said Sophie. She stood in front of a rounded rock with a small hole in the middle, perfect for a keystone.

"Slam it in!" Bree was tugging furiously at the seaweed clinging to her ankles. "Do it before this stuff drags us back into the water!"

Sophie took the glowing orb in her hand and put it in place. The seaweed immediately stopped, dropping harmlessly to the ground. Water Lily Jaguar still eyed the plants suspiciously, claws ready to strike at a moments notice. Sophie turned to Bree. "Okay, where’s the Zaratan? Usually something happens by now."

Bree was running to the jaguar and quickly hopped onto his back. "Oh, it’s gonna happen!"

"What do you mean?" asked Shiloh. He stood behind Farasi Bahari with Ercinee flying overhead to provide light. He pulled some stray seaweed off of his backpack and threw it to the ground.

"It’s about to get way crazy here so you might want to..." She gave Water Lily Jaguar a playful slap on the side. "Run!"

"Wait! Seriously? What’s–" The sudden rumbling on the island made Shiloh pause. "Again? Why does every mission have to end with rocks falling all over us?"

"At least she warned us this time," said Sophie. She was already on top of Farasi Bahari and gave Shiloh her arm. With both of them on the emerald horse, they made a break for the water.

"Less whining, more action!" Bree and Water Lily Jaguar were already leaping into the air, right into the open water. "That’s how animals get rescued!"

Save the Mishypishy

Finding the keystones is just the first half of any mission for Bree, Sophie and Shiloh. Once they do get their hands on it, a spell is activated which summons the rogue Shepherd himself, Faelan, in an elemental form. After a cryptic message to the humans attempting to free the captured creatures, the fake Faelan makes a final effort to stop the rescue. In this scene, Sophie and the Farasi Bahari run into a stone Faelan as they try to release the Mishipeshu.

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"You sure you don’t need help?" asked Sophie. She held the keystone tightly in her hands as she watched her brother and best friend hold on to the thrashing lake creatures.

"Nem Rola! We have this! Save the Mishypishy!" shouted Bree. She had a tight grasp on the aquatic animal’s back as it tried to buck her off.

"It’s the Mishipeshu!" screamed a panicking Shiloh. "Just hurry up, Sophie!"

"Alright. Let’s go, Farasi." With a light kick of her feet, Sophie nudged the emerald horse forward, but he didn’t budge. Instead, Farasi reared back in surprise as the ground underneath their feet began to tremble. "Steady, boy!"

From the rocky lake bottom, a human-like form emerged, quickly taking the familiar shape of Faelan. In a gravelly voice, the stone figure said, "Well done, humans. You have taken the keystone. But understand this." The fake Faelan turned around and kneeled to the ground. "Some creatures won’t be so happy to see humans." In a flash, two palms struck the ground and a burst of magical energy surged forward, forcing a huge, algae covered rock to quickly appear.

"The Mishipeshu! We found it, Farasi!" Sophie’s joy was short-lived, though, as she took a good look at the stone. The algae was growing at an alarming rate, covering the entire surface. There was no telling now where the keystone would fit.

Farasi Bahari and Haetae

Fantastic animals are a key element of Mythic Summer and there are plenty to talk about. Callum has spent a lot of time traveling the world of Meurum in search of mythical creatures willing to help the kids on their quest. Two of the first to appear are the Farasi Bahari and the Haetae.

Said to have roamed the Indian Ocean, the Farasi Bahari could best be described as an aquatic horse. They have emerald green skin and since they have no need for lungs to breathe, they have incredible endurance. Living underwater, these horses are just as capable and graceful in water as they are on land. In Mythic Summer, the Farasi Bahari the kids work with is a very proud horse and loves to show off, especially for Sophie. He does tend to get jealous, but he can usually be appeased with some seaweed, his favorite treat.

From many Korean legends, the Haetae is a sturdy creature with incredibly thick skin. These creatures had the uncanny ability to devour flames and served as protectors against this dangerous element. Even though the Haetae was considered a dog, they had a somewhat lion-like look to them. Sophie, Bree and Shiloh realize pretty quickly how much work it is keeping this playful creature in check, especially when she forgets just how heavy she is. She likes to follow Arrow the Dragon around just in case the firebreather has one of his outbursts.

Horses Don't Do That

This scene is the girls’ first confusing encounter with the animals Callum has them watching. After hearing some strange noises late at night, they go down to the pool to investigate. What they discovered was beyond what they could have expected to find.

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"I’m telling you, it’s Farasi," said Bree, racing towards the gate to the pool.

"No way. I put him to stable myself." Sophie was close behind her friend.

"You heard the splash, didn’t you, So-So? That horse loves the water." She stopped at the gate and faced her friend. "That’s what Callum said."

"Maybe it’s–" She looked past Bree towards the pool and stared openly. "It’s the...horse!"

"Ha! Told you." The two girls walked closer to the pool and peered into the water.

"What’s he doing?" Sophie was leaning over, hands resting on her knees.

"Hmmm...let’s see." Bree crouched down to the edge and dunked her head into the water. The horse raised his head and looked up at Bree before laying back down. She noticed a strange, shimmery gleam to his coat. "Heebss bleeebinng!"

"What?"

Bree pulled her head out of the water. "I said he’s sleeping!"

"In the water?" asked Sophie, a worried look on her face.

"Looks like it."

"But...but..." Sophie struggled to get the words out. "Horses don’t do that!"

Bree stood next to her friend and looked down at Farasi. "Not normal horses, anyway."