1 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:21,320 Speaker 1: Hello, friends, and welcome to sleep tight Stories. The Chicalores 2 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:25,560 Speaker 1: have come looking for Esther, and now she needs to leave. 3 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:29,760 Speaker 1: Gimbal was hoping they would have more time to talk, 4 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: but there are too many Chicalores to keep her safe. Tentin, 5 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:39,880 Speaker 1: her new guide, seems to already know her, and as 6 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 1: they head away from the settlement to meet Riah, Esther 7 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,760 Speaker 1: is wondering how could he know about her already when 8 00:00:47,800 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: she has just arrived there only a few days earlier. 9 00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: The Magical Book of Dreams, Part nineteen. The Chickalore didn't 10 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: look happy, its eyes angry and glowing red. Esther was 11 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:17,759 Speaker 1: frozen in place as it slowly walked inside the tent, 12 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:23,960 Speaker 1: its focus entirely on her. If it wasn't for its 13 00:01:24,040 --> 00:01:28,880 Speaker 1: eyes and an almost inaudible growl, Esther might have thought 14 00:01:28,920 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: it wanted to play, like how a puppy your cat 15 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:38,960 Speaker 1: might walk toward you. Time seemed to stand still as 16 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 1: Esther noticed its back wagging back and forth, its breathing slowing, 17 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: and its muscles tensing as if it was about to pounce. 18 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: Then to her right, she heard a loud zap as 19 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: a bright blue flash of light filled the tent with 20 00:01:58,280 --> 00:02:03,920 Speaker 1: a dazzling glow. The redness in the chickalare's eyes disappeared 21 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: and startled and afraid of the brilliant light, it ran 22 00:02:08,240 --> 00:02:12,359 Speaker 1: away as fast as its legs could carry it, leaving 23 00:02:12,600 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: Esther dumbfounded and Gimbal standing there with the stick with 24 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: the glowing blue tip. What just happened? Esther asked, grateful 25 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: that Gimbal was able to help her, but confused as 26 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: to how it's a simple walking stick with a spell 27 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 1: of good magic that particular chickalare will no longer be 28 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:42,079 Speaker 1: a menace. But there are still many more, and I'm 29 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: afraid you must be off far sooner than I had 30 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:49,400 Speaker 1: planned or hoped. They will keep coming, and I don't 31 00:02:49,400 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: want you or anyone else to get hurt. Before Esther 32 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: could ask more questions about the stick and its magic 33 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:00,720 Speaker 1: and the problem with the chickalaors, a large, large young 34 00:03:00,919 --> 00:03:08,520 Speaker 1: boy easily twice Esther's size, hurriedly came into the tent. Gimbal, 35 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:12,040 Speaker 1: you called for me. Are you all right? Yes? Yes, 36 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 1: no Chickalore is going to hurt me. Tentin meet Esther. 37 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: Esther meet Tentin. I'm sorry I can't make any proper introductions, 38 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,320 Speaker 1: but I must go and help chase these chickaloors away 39 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,400 Speaker 1: before they damage all our living spaces or do serious 40 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: harm to our people and you. Esther must be off 41 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:39,640 Speaker 1: before they find you again. I'm very familiar with Esther, Gimble. 42 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 1: No introductions are necessary, Tentin. You are to take Esther 43 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: to the waypoint near the old monoliths by what was 44 00:03:49,320 --> 00:03:55,320 Speaker 1: used to be called the whispering wetlands of Whirr. Esther's 45 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: earlier desire to take action and go off on her 46 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:02,000 Speaker 1: own started to diminish now that the time had come 47 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:07,960 Speaker 1: for her to leave. Was she brave enough? But gimbal 48 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,600 Speaker 1: Esther hesitated. I thought we had much to talk about. 49 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:17,839 Speaker 1: Don't worry. I'm sure we will meet again. Tenton will 50 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: stay with you and protect you until Riah comes with 51 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:25,680 Speaker 1: her capabilities. She might be waiting for you when you arrive. 52 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:33,920 Speaker 1: Sensing her hesitation, Gimbal added, I know you can be brave. 53 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: Just think of your father. Finding him is your guiding light, 54 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:44,239 Speaker 1: and then all will become clearer to you. Now, please quickly, 55 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 1: Gimbal ushered them out of his tent. As he went 56 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:54,480 Speaker 1: to where the largest commotion was. Esther looked up at 57 00:04:54,520 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 1: Tenton and said shouldn't we help quickly? Esther whispered Tenton, 58 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:02,680 Speaker 1: grabbing her hand. We must be off. They can take 59 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:06,159 Speaker 1: care of the chickaloors, but we can't risk one hurting you. 60 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 1: We must move quickly. The whispering wetlands of whirr is 61 00:05:11,600 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: the safest place for you now. As they left the 62 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:20,359 Speaker 1: tent behind, the grayness of the glades stretched out in 63 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 1: front of them. The sky was heavy, dull, darkening by 64 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:31,839 Speaker 1: the moment, the glow from the morning fading. Just outside 65 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:36,120 Speaker 1: the settlement were tall, slender sticks standing out of the ground. 66 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: Esther didn't know what they could be until they got 67 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:44,720 Speaker 1: closer and she could see what were once bare branches 68 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:50,320 Speaker 1: reaching for the overcast sky, casting eerie elongated shadows on 69 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 1: the ground. These were once trees during a different time. 70 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:59,240 Speaker 1: The air was thick with fog and there was a 71 00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 1: heavy mud rusty smell in the air. Esther's small feet 72 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 1: padded softly on the dry ground, her wide eyes taking 73 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:15,279 Speaker 1: in her surroundings. Tenton kept a vigilant eye out for 74 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:19,320 Speaker 1: any chickalores that might be following them, urging her to 75 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 1: do the same. There were none. She followed him closely, 76 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 1: mimicking his every move They followed a zigzag pattern across 77 00:06:30,960 --> 00:06:35,479 Speaker 1: the open areas, finding large rocks to hide their travels 78 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: from view and to enable them to more easily notice 79 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:45,200 Speaker 1: anything that might be following them. At least that's what 80 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 1: Esther thought the purpose was. Her life in Shirewood didn't 81 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: include any training on how to evade chickalores or other 82 00:06:54,960 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: nasty creatures. The glades may look gluedom, but they're full 83 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:05,039 Speaker 1: of secrets, Tenton said, trying to distract Esther from the 84 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: difficulty of their travel. They were moving quickly. See that 85 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: large dead tree over there, the one with the twisty trunk. 86 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:19,240 Speaker 1: Legend says, it's the guardian of this part of the glades. 87 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:26,640 Speaker 1: Esther appreciated the attempt at distraction. Her legs hurt, and 88 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: she didn't want to think about it. As they ventured 89 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: deeper into the glade and farther away from the settlement, 90 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: the noise from the chickalores began to fade, replaced by 91 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: the sounds of Ester's heavy breathing and the wind blowing 92 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 1: dried bushes across their path. Both sounded the same to her. 93 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,840 Speaker 1: Esther took a moment to look back in the distance. 94 00:07:56,160 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: She could see flashes of blue Gimbal's work. She didn't 95 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,200 Speaker 1: want to leave, but if the chickalores were there looking 96 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:10,400 Speaker 1: for her, it was best she left, otherwise she might 97 00:08:10,440 --> 00:08:16,760 Speaker 1: put everyone in danger. Then she felt a heavy hand 98 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: on her shoulder, sh Tenton said, and then he pointed 99 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:25,960 Speaker 1: to the distance. A small troop of some kind of 100 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 1: animals were walking just at the edge of her sight, searching. 101 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:35,760 Speaker 1: That is a group of scaleks, Tenton whispered. They were 102 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 1: never that friendly before the artifact. They are even less 103 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: so now. Esther was sure they could hear her heart beating. 104 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:50,959 Speaker 1: As the sound flooded her ears, drowning out everything else. 105 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:57,640 Speaker 1: The scaleis stopped with one walking towards them, sniffing the air. 106 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 1: Esther put her her hand over her mouth, thinking that 107 00:09:02,840 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: that might dampen the sound of her beating heart. But 108 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:10,680 Speaker 1: she also felt like letting out a scream. She used 109 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:13,280 Speaker 1: to do that when she was young, whenever she was 110 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 1: under stress. It worked, wonders, but now certainly wasn't the time. 111 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 1: The sniffing scalics seemed satisfied that nothing of interest could 112 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: be found in the air and continued with the group. 113 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:33,840 Speaker 1: They are moving on. Let's just wait a while. To 114 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:37,679 Speaker 1: make sure they don't sense us, Tenton whispered, they have 115 00:09:37,920 --> 00:09:45,120 Speaker 1: very keen senses, continuing in silence. They walked for what 116 00:09:45,320 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 1: felt like days until they arrived at a huge rock 117 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 1: until most of the landscape was similar to the large 118 00:09:53,679 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: meadows near Shirewood, but without all the color and life. 119 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,400 Speaker 1: Let's have a rest, Tenton said, We don't have much 120 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: further to go, but you should have something to eat 121 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:12,760 Speaker 1: and drink. Taking another hard biscuit from him, Esther hadn't 122 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:17,720 Speaker 1: realized how hungry she was. The biscuit actually tasted edible. 123 00:10:20,559 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 1: Thank you, she said, taking a drink of the water 124 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:26,880 Speaker 1: he was carrying for them. Back when we were in 125 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:30,440 Speaker 1: Gimbal's tent, you said, you already knew all about me. 126 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: How is that possible? Since I arrived a short time ago. 127 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:40,160 Speaker 1: News travels fast throughout the glade. No one has been 128 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,680 Speaker 1: able to come through a portal from your realm in 129 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: all my years, so it's a big deal. Many think 130 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:50,400 Speaker 1: you will be the one who can help us, the 131 00:10:50,400 --> 00:10:52,760 Speaker 1: one who can bring about the wave of good to 132 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:58,960 Speaker 1: this realm. This is our hope. Oh, no pressure or anything. 133 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: Esther said that as she rubbed her painful leg muscles 134 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: I don't understand how anyone could think I am the 135 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:10,960 Speaker 1: one to help. I came here to find my father, 136 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,120 Speaker 1: and if I had known how hard it would be, 137 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: I might not have had the courage to come. For 138 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,760 Speaker 1: someone so new to our realm, you have already had 139 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:26,960 Speaker 1: a huge impact. Have faith in yourself. We must go. 140 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:33,320 Speaker 1: We don't want to be walking at night. Esther walked 141 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:37,319 Speaker 1: behind him, mimicking how he walked across the dried glade. 142 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:42,240 Speaker 1: He walked quickly, but was careful with his movements, watching 143 00:11:42,280 --> 00:11:46,240 Speaker 1: where his feet fell, and occasionally stopping to scan for 144 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 1: other chickalores or scaliks that might be looking for her. 145 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:56,040 Speaker 1: Looking up at him as they walked, Esther thought she 146 00:11:56,160 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: had never seen a boy as large as Tentton. If 147 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 1: he was in Shirewood, he would have all the kids 148 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:10,719 Speaker 1: from school following him around. Despite his obvious strength, Esther 149 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:18,439 Speaker 1: thought he was a gentle and kind giant. Eventually their 150 00:12:18,559 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 1: surroundings changed. The dryness gave way to damp, squishy ground, 151 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 1: making it a bit harder to walk. It might be 152 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 1: equivalent to a marsh in Shirewood, except it didn't have 153 00:12:32,120 --> 00:12:37,680 Speaker 1: any color and no fresh smell. The waypoint is just 154 00:12:37,760 --> 00:12:42,680 Speaker 1: ahead Tenton said quietly, like every word might reveal their position. 155 00:12:45,200 --> 00:12:51,359 Speaker 1: Ahead of them, tall rugged monoliths jut out, their jagged surfaces, 156 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:55,960 Speaker 1: darkened by shadows and adorned with bits of dried vegetation 157 00:12:56,520 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: clinging to their sides. A narrow passageway bordered by these 158 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:06,160 Speaker 1: mountain like structures showed what once might have been a 159 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:12,280 Speaker 1: well worn path through an expansive miscovered marsh pools of 160 00:13:12,440 --> 00:13:17,720 Speaker 1: still water interspersed with mudflats reflected the hazy light from 161 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:22,240 Speaker 1: the gray skies above. Is that where we are headed, 162 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:29,079 Speaker 1: she asked? Yes, those rock formations are our waypoint. There 163 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:33,840 Speaker 1: is a great hiding place there if needed. Whatever purpose 164 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:38,840 Speaker 1: these stone pillars they were walking towards served before was lost, 165 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:42,360 Speaker 1: as they now seem to have been eroded over time, 166 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:48,480 Speaker 1: bearing the scars and textures of age in the distance. 167 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 1: More of these rocky monoliths stood like the guards in 168 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:57,240 Speaker 1: Gimbal Settlement, their tops lost in the heavy fog that 169 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:03,200 Speaker 1: blankets the horizon. They were easily the tallest things that 170 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:08,080 Speaker 1: Esther had ever seen. The sun, though obscured by the 171 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:13,160 Speaker 1: thick clouded skies, started to cast a gentle golden light 172 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: onto the area, somehow resisting the influence of the artifact. 173 00:14:20,160 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: Something is there, Esther said, I see it, he replied, 174 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 1: slowing his pace as do I. A solitary figure clad 175 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: in a brown cloak, face obscured, stands on the path 176 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:42,120 Speaker 1: in the middle of the watery expanse. Though the character 177 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: appears small and insignificant against the size of the stone pillars, 178 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:52,000 Speaker 1: Ester's heart starts to race again and begins to feel afraid. 179 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: Should we go back? Esther asked, what if it is 180 00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:02,520 Speaker 1: one of the Queen's guards here too, arrest us? The 181 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,320 Speaker 1: Queen's guards would never come out to this part of 182 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:12,000 Speaker 1: the glade alone. No, it's something else. Tentin stopped and 183 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 1: raised his hand in a greeting. The figure in the 184 00:15:15,320 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 1: brown cloak raised their hand in kind. Amazing, Tenton remarked, 185 00:15:22,640 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 1: how did she do it? Who did what? Esther replied. 186 00:15:29,240 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: Tenton started walking again and picked up his pace as 187 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: the solitary figure became clearer. As they got closer, Esther 188 00:15:38,640 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 1: naturally slowed her pace. She trusted Tenton, but still didn't 189 00:15:43,640 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 1: recognize the person up ahead, at least until she removed 190 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: the hood of her cloak off her head. It was 191 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: a riah, you still are slow as ever? My thin 192 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:04,040 Speaker 1: legged prince, says, Ariah said, with a smile. You get 193 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:07,520 Speaker 1: faster each time we meet, Tenton said, as he gave 194 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: her a quick hug. Obviously Gimbal hasn't run out of food, 195 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:17,160 Speaker 1: judging by the size of you. Ariyah replied, we need 196 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:20,240 Speaker 1: to camp here at the shelter inside the rock. On 197 00:16:20,360 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: my way here, I saw a number of chickalore and 198 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:28,320 Speaker 1: scalics roaming about, no doubt looking for you, Esther. They 199 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:35,080 Speaker 1: never worked together in the past. Ariah was guided to 200 00:16:35,160 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: a hidden opening in one of the larger stone pillars. 201 00:16:39,480 --> 00:16:43,440 Speaker 1: The pillar was hollow, with flying creatures sleeping at the 202 00:16:43,560 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: very top. It didn't smell nice, but the ground was 203 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:52,440 Speaker 1: dry and they were hidden from view. Nothing but the 204 00:16:52,480 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 1: best for us, Ariah said jokingly. As they all sat 205 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 1: on the ground, Esther noticed her bag was glowing brightly 206 00:17:02,280 --> 00:17:07,119 Speaker 1: from the inside. The map is glowing again. Esther said, 207 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:12,280 Speaker 1: what does it mean. I can't see it, Ariah said, 208 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:18,080 Speaker 1: but it can mean only one thing. It's time. First 209 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: thing in the morning. I hope it will lead us 210 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:30,199 Speaker 1: directly to where the Queen as your father. And that 211 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 1: is the end of this part. Good night, sleep tight.