Megan and I are at still the Training Ground, watching Tigeron and a human rhino battling each other. It seems more like a friendly type of battle. No weapons or any supplies that would harm either one of them. The human rhino is wearing dark blue Greek armor. Tigeron is not wearing anything.

I’ve just learned that the women left Azent long ago. Way before I was born. Veeule told me that the book that he gave to me is supposed to be mine. I don’t seem to recall the book being mine. I don’t even remember anything about this world. Maybe they’ve got the wrong kid, or they’re mistaken. Either way, I don’t seem to recall being in this world before at all. But if Megan and I are going to find our way home or find the old man, we better learn more about this new world.

I open the book to search for information about Humanimals.

“Humanimals,” I say to the book.

A page in the book begins to glow brightly. It is the same light that I saw when I called out Artemis’s name. I turn to the page that glows and find the Humanimal page.

“Humanimals are very brave fighters. They create iron and steel into incredible armor and weapons. They are vegetarians, except for the wild ones that act more beastly than man. They have great animal-like abilities, can sense at least two miles away, and make very good guides on quests. They train themselves to be great warriors in the Training Ground with their beast-like abilities. Some like to show off their furry muscle bodies, in fact, some look at their reflections and smile very proudly. Humanimals barely wear any clothes because of their animal-like forms that sometimes make them wildly free and mammal-like,” I read.

I close the book and think for a moment. Megan turns to me.

“Does it say why Humanimals have inner beasts?” she asks.

“Megan, when I say inner beasts, I mean anger or emotion. It’s just an expression. Humanimals are part animals. But they are part human as well,” I answer.

Megan nods.

We both turn to watch the battle in the middle of the stadium. Tigeron laughs annoyingly as he jumps around the human rhino. The Human rhino looks very frustrated as Tigeron leaps around like a skipping little schoolboy.

“This is so much fun!” laughs Tigeron.

Tigeron is now mocking the human rhino. “Wee! You can’t hold me!” says Tigeron.

The human rhino stands on both of his strong legs. He breathes in and out slowly waiting for the moment to grab Tigeron, even though Tigeron does not know what the human rhino is going to do. Tigeron continues mocking the human rhino.

“You can’t catch me!” laughs Tigeron.

The human rhino folds his arms and shakes his head in humiliation. Tigeron continues leaping around the human rhino.

“This tiger’s too fast for yo…” before Tigeron could finish, the human rhino grabs both of Tigeron’s arms with his right arm.

He holds both of Tigeron’s wrists. Tigeron grunts as he kneels on his legs. The human rhino pulls out a sharp knife and places it on Tigeron’s abs. Megan seems very worried as the knife is shown. Megan gets up and begins to walk down the stairs. I grab Megan’s right arm and pull her back to my seat.

“It’s just training. No one will get hurt,” I say.

Megan nods and sits back down by me. The human rhino stares at his knife as it barely touches Tigeron’s abs.

“If this wasn’t a battle, you’d already be dead. And another thing, if you’re not carefully battling the Screaming Meanie’s they will stab a sharp knife in your abs! And it will sting you for the rest of your life! The Screaming Meanies cause their prisoners lots and lots of pain. Trust me! I know! I’ve felt it!” shouts the human rhino.

The human rhino releases Tigeron and puts his knife in his knife pocket. Tigeron grunts as he feels a bit of pain where the sharp knife was on his abs.

“What happened to you, Rormen? You used to be the bravest warrior in Azent Kingdom. What changed you? Why are you wearing armor all the time? Why are you afraid to take it off? Do you even take it off when you bathe?” asks Tigeron.

Rormen rolls his eyes. “I don’t want to talk about it,” he says.

“Come on. You can tell me,” says Tigeron.

“I said, I don’t want to talk about it! The memories are too scary and painful!” shouts Rormen.

“You are here to teach me. Please, tell me what happened long ago,” says Tigeron.

Rormen sighs and lowers his knife. “I was once captured by the Screaming Meanies. I thought I would be strong enough to fight the Screaming Meanies, but I was wrong. I did not watch my back and I got captured. They tortured me while I was wearing nothing, not even my armor. I was stabbed and it felt so painful that I wanted to die from the pain. Eventually, I was rescued by Bullatron. He had armor with him. I have been wearing this armor ever since Bullatron rescued me. And yes, I do take it off when I take a bath, but I take my bath quickly. I am afraid to go without my armor, even for a few minutes. I wear my armor all the time to protect myself. I will wear it every day,” answers Rormen.

“Oh, well, lots of Humanimals can survive battles without armor. Like me,” says Tigeron.

“You are not ready for battle! You are self-obsessed with yourself!” shouts Rormen.

“Sorry, Rormen. It’s just that I love my body so much,” says Tigeron.

Rormen aims his knife at Tigeron’s chest. Tigeron raises his hands in front of the knife.

“Hey! Watch the chest!” Shouts Tigeron.

Rormen stares at Tigeron with a serious face.

“If you continue to be obsessed about your body, it will be the last thing that you will feel before you get killed! I was once like you. I used to love showing off my rhino body, but that nearly got me killed! It could happen to you!” shouts Rormen.

Tigeron smiles as he chuckles puts his hands on his hips and sticks out his chest feeling very bold and proud.

“Your right, it will be the last thing that I will see. At least I’ll go down good-looking,” chuckles Tigeron.

Rormen puts his knife back in his pocket and stomps away from Tigeron.

“You’re hopeless!” shouts Rormen.

After Tigeron hears those hurtful words, his smile slowly turns to a frown. He kneels in the middle of the stadium, looking depressed as if a bully had called him names and hurt his feelings. I know the feeling of being bullied.

“That is kind of sad. Maybe Humanimals get distracted by their awesome-looking body. It gets them killed and they lose sight of their good-looking forms,” I say.

“They think that they have inner beasts?” asks Megan.

“I’m not so sure anymore. I mean, their women left them. Most of them think too much about their awesome bodies,” I answer.

Megan looks back at Tigeron down on the training field. “Let’s ask Tigeron about being a guide for our quest,” says Megan.

I close the book and turn to Megan. “What is it you have in mind about Tigeron?” I ask.

Megan winks her right eye. “I have a plan that will help him. Trust me,” I say.

Megan gets off her seat and walks down the stairs, I follow her. Tigeron is kneeling and sighs in sadness. Megan and I approach Tigeron.

“Tigeron, are you all right?” Megan puts her right hand on Tigeron’s left shoulder to comfort him.

“Maybe he’s right.” Tigeron sniffs. “I could get killed by the distraction of my fantastic body,” says Tigeron.

I pat Tigeron’s back. “It’s all right,” I say.

“Just because that human rhino almost died in a terrible battle, doesn’t mean you will. You just need to know what other talents you have besides being obsessed with your body,” says Megan.

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Tigeron sniffs and wipes his pink nose then clears his throat. “Your right kids,” says Tigeron.

I smile at Megan and she smiles back. “She’s always right which is kind of annoying sometimes,” I say.

Megan gives me an offended look. “Thanks,” says Megan sarcastically.

Tigeron turns to me and then turns to Megan. Tigeron notices the book and the map under my left arm.

“Is that the book that Veeule kept for years?” asks Tigeron.

I reveal the book and the map to Tigeron. “I got this map from Feeon and this book from Veeule,” I say.

I hand him the map and the book. Tigeron stares at the book and opens it. He flips the pages to look for something.

“What are you looking for?” I ask.

He does not answer me. He continues flipping the pages. Then he stops and sees a picture of himself. Tigeron gasps with surprise. He turns the book to show me a picture of himself. I stare at the picture. “I knew it. It is you,” I chuckle.

Tigeron points at the picture. “Is that me?” asks Tigeron desperately.

“Yes, it is,” I answer.

“Did you draw it?” asks Tigeron.

“Yes.” I nod.

“When did you draw it?” asks Tigeron.

“I drew it in my world, about three days ago,” I answer.

Tigeron looks back at the picture and stares at it. “I look good. I mean, look at the details and the eyes, it is so…so…” Tigeron’s voice starts to break.

A tear comes down his face. “Beautiful,” he sniffs.

Megan looks at Tigeron’s picture. “I think it looks cute,” says Megan.

Tigeron turns to Megan. He hands me my book and hugs Megan.

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.” cries Tigeron very softly.

Tigeron and Megan finish hugging each other. I take a deep breath and tap his left leg. Tigeron notices me taping him. I look up at him.

“Can you lead us to toy town?” I ask.

Tigeron rubs his head. “Why?” asks Tigeron.

“Well you see, we need to get home and we don’t know how,” I answer.

“Why do you need to go to toy town?” asks Tigeron.

“Feeon told me that there is an old man there who knows about the world we came from,” I answer.

Tigeron puts his right hand on his chin to think for a moment. “I guess that you are not the only ones from the Earthling world,” says Tigeron.

I gasp with surprise. “You mean the old man is from our world?” I ask.

“Well, at least that’s what I hear,” answers Tigeron.

“So will you take us?” I ask desperately.

Tigeron looks down at me and smiles proudly. “I would be honored.” Tigeron bows down to me and pounds his chest.

He looks back up as he bends. “But why me?” asks Tigeron.

I point at Megan and Tigeron turns to her. “Well, we trust you. And I think I know how you can be more of a warrior. You come with us and use your abilities to help us. Use your strength to defend us and to go on a quest to find your true nature. It was my idea to pick you to come along on this quest. So you can prove to everyone that you can be a great warrior on this quest and take care of yourself. And not let others think of you as a self-obsessed bodybuilder. And we think that you are stronger than us. I mean look at you.” Megan points at the Tigeron picture in the book.

Megan winks at me and I nod back.

Tigeron looks at his picture and his smile looks very proud. “Your right, I am strong, brave, and proud,” chuckles Tigeron.

A thought comes into my mind. Two Humanimals are better than one. “How about Grizzlyon comes with us too?” I ask Tigeron.

Tigeron sighs and shakes his head. He looks disappointed. “Grizzlyon told me something I need to tell you two,” says Tigeron.

Megan and I wait for Tigeron’s words from Grizzlyon.

Tigeron sighs through his teeth. “He says that he likes you both and he has to leave. He says he has to go back to his forest. I’m sorry but he won’t be able to come with us,” answers Tigeron.

I feel very offended about Grizzlyon’s response to what Tigeron just told us. I mean, he didn’t even say goodbye to Megan or me. Tigeron looks at the clouds and starts sniffing as he feels sorry for Grizzlyon leaving.

I feel depressed, but only a little. I open the book and turn the pages to look for Grizzlyon’s page, I find it. The picture of Grizzlyon looks exactly like him. The markings on his body also look the same. I stare at Grizzlyon’s picture only for a minute.

“Tigeron, do you know what these markings on Grizzlyon mean?” I ask.

Tigeron looks down at the picture of Grizzlyon. “They are a very old language that is at least a hundred years old. But I’m not so sure how old, I’m just guessing. No one knows why Grizzlyon even has them all over his body when he was born,” answers Tigeron.

Megan rolls her eyes. “Are we going on the quest or not?” she asks impatiently.

Tigeron shakes his head and turns to Megan. “Yes, we are.” Tigeron begins to walk out of the stadium.

“Um, Tigeron,” I say.

Tigeron stops walking and turns to me. I show him the map to remind him of where we needed to go. Tigeron chuckles in embarrassment.

“Right.” He walks back to me to get the map.

He takes the map and then smacks his forehead. “I knew that,” says Tigeron.

Megan and I shake our heads at each other, assuming that we knew Tigeron didn’t know about my map before he was going to leave on the journey. We all leave the Training Ground. Megan and I follow Tigeron as he leads the way, he stops, looks at the map, and puts his finger on it.

“Ok, on the way we will have to go around Mount Arborn’s walls, then we have to follow the reversing river, then we pass the river of Azent, then pass by Ivreall falls, then pass between the Maze of Gargoyles and the Cave of Demons, and then we will reach toy town,” says Tigeron.

I look at the map and it seems like a very long walk to Toy Town.

“How many days will it take to get there?” I ask.

At least I hope it’s not ten or twenty-five days. Tigeron thinks of how many days it will take to get to Toy Town.

“Well about, uh… on foot three or four days. By air it will take two days,” answers Tigeron.

Tigeron sighs and rubs his head. “Of course, we can’t get there by air. We will have to go by foot,” says Tigeron.

“But we…no offence…” I did not finish yet.

“What?” asks Tigeron.

“We are not very good in the outdoors, or the woods,” I finish.

Tigeron kneels on his hands and knees. “I will carry you,” says Tigeron.

Megan and I look at each other and then back at Tigeron. “Why are you going to carry us both?” I ask.

“I’m going to leap to Toy Town,” says Tigeron.

Megan and I walk up to Tigeron. I get on his right shoulder and Megan gets on his left shoulder. Tigeron stands up holding both of us. Tigeron starts to run south. I hold on as tight as I can and so does Megan. Tigeron’s speed is almost as fast as a car's. He pants as he runs even faster.

“This is so cool,” says Megan.

Tigeron smiles and winks at Megan. “Oh, you think this is cool? Watch this!” shouts Tigeron.

His legs start to leap in the air. He leaps very high, then higher, and higher. We are flying in the air and I can see everything as Tigeron leaps even higher. I can see mountains, rivers, Azent kingdom, and another mountain with smoke in the middle.

Megan holds onto Tigeron’s right shoulder. “Tigeron, why did a Screaming Meanie in the forest try to kill you?” asks Megan.

“He wanted to know where the Earthlings from the real world were,” growls Tigeron.

I think about what Tigeron just said about Earthlings. “Are we the Earthlings they’re looking for?” I ask nervously.

Tigeron continues leaping. “I think that he meant to say the Earthling from the real world. I think that they were talking about the old man that tells stories about the human world,” answers Tigeron.

It sounds like Tigeron doesn’t want Megan and me to worry, but I think that he seems very worried about us.

Tigeron has been leaping for many hours. I am very surprised that Tigeron is still leaping considering it’s been a very long while. Azent Kingdom is now far in the distance. I can barely see it. I begin to feel nauseous like I would on a plane ride. Megan notices that I am feeling weak and dizzy.

Megan taps Tigeron’s left shoulder. “Hey Tigeron, can we stop and rest for a moment?” asks Megan.

Tigeron stops leaping and pants. His breathing is rough. Tigeron seems very tired and his legs are wobbly as he’s trying to stay up.

“Yes, that will be a good idea, Megan.” Tigeron pants “I too-” he pants again, “need to rest.” he wipes his forehead.

Tigeron kneels on his knees. We stop at a hundred-foot stone wall. Tigeron pants over and over again. Megan and I slide off Tigeron’s furry back. Megan lands fine but I stumble onto my knees. I feel the queasiness in my stomach as I bend my back. I feel like vomiting. Megan pats my back to calm me.

“You going to be ok?” asks Megan.

I feel too nauseous to even answer, so I nod.

Tigeron rubs his chest near his heart. “I think we should rest for a moment,” says Tigeron.

Tigeron falls on his back and lies on the ground. My queasy feeling is now gone. Megan sits down and I sit down by her. I look around to see where we are. We are by the wall of Mount Arborn just as Tigeron said when he was looking at the map. I stare at the wall and it is so high that I cannot look any higher. The outside of the wall has no grass, just dirt, and rocks. The land with dirt and rocks seems to go on forever. The wall goes on forever on the right and the left, just like a hedge. Megan is now asleep.

I, however, don’t feel very tired at all. “Tigeron?” I ask.

Tigeron stretches his arms and legs and yawns. “Yes?” asks Tigeron.

“Are you sure that it is safe to sleep by mount Arborn concerning it’s a volcano?” I ask.

Tigeron gasps in horror. He gets up on his feet and stares at the wall. Tigeron begins to pant in fear. His eyes widen with fear too. “Megan!” shouts Tigeron.

Megan wakes up groaning. “What, what is it? What?” complains Megan.

Tigeron kneels. He has a scared look in his eyes. “Get on my back! Both of you, now!” shouts Tigeron.

“Why?” I ask.

Tigeron picks us up and bends his legs. He is prepared to leap.

“It’s not safe here!” shouts Tigeron.

Tigeron leaps far away from Mount Arborn. Tigeron still looks very tired, but he won’t stop leaping away from Mount Arborn. Megan and I are still holding onto Tigeron’s arms. I look back and see Mount Arborn in the distance. It’s now far away from us. We are now leaping to Ivreall Falls. Tigeron lands in front of the waterfall. His feet look worn out and a bit bruised. Tigeron pants and drinks some water from the waterfall. Megan and I also get a drink.

Tigeron takes one more gulp from the waterfall.

He still looks very scared. “We had to get away from Mount Arborn as soon as we could. Who knows when it will blow,” says Tigeron.

Megan’s eyes widen and turn back to look at the far-off smoke from the volcano mountain. “You mean it will erupt someday?” asks Megan.

Tigeron scrunches his shoulders. “We don’t know when or if it ever happened before. Mount Arborn has been in this world for a very long time. No one can say when it will blow, not even Veeule can predict its eruption. Let’s just say that being near Mount Arborn is very dangerous. The volcanic ash and smoke will kill you,” says Tigeron.

I stop drinking from the waterfall. “But we were not even near the volcano and no ash was falling or smoke was covering us. We were just on the other side of the wall. What’s behind the wall of Mount Arborn?” I ask.

Tigeron walks up to me and kneels in front. “Look kid, this world has its dangers and beauties too. It has good creatures and bad. Let’s just say that the wall is there for a reason. Maybe to keep the lava in. Or not let anyone climb the dangerous Volcano. Either way, it’s not safe near Mount Arborn,” says Tigeron.

I nod and feel a bit scared because of what he said. I hand Tigeron the map and he looks at it.

“So how many days do we have left?” I ask.

“Three days, I think,” answers Tigeron.

Tigeron passes the map back to me and I put it in my backpack for safekeeping. Tigeron stares in the distance and he can see a large valley of green grass.

“When we reach that valley, we’ll rest there.” Tigeron points at the grassy valley.

Megan and I nod and agree with Tigeron. Tigeron feels like he wants to leap again. But I still feel very dizzy from all that leaping.

“I think we should walk for a while,” I say.

Tigeron, Megan, and I both start walking away from Iveral Falls and towards the grassy valley.