Future Hero #1: Race to Fire Mountain by Remi Blackwood

Author:Remi Blackwood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.

Kimisi hurriedly tapped at a few of the symbols. With a soft sigh, the door opened to reveal a compound. “Come,” Kimisi urged. “Before anyone sees us.”

Jarell wished he had his best sketchbook with him. The high walls looked like Ayana’s temple, carved from the same rough blocks of red stone. But somehow the building inside looked like it had grown from the earth rather than been built. The walls flowed and curved around oddly shaped windows and balconies.

“All of Ayana’s attendants live in this compound,” Kimisi said. “Everyone will be hurrying to the temple so no one will think to look for us here. Come this way.”

They headed to the square where a tall black obelisk stood. The dark stone monument stretched high into the sky and was carved with images of battles against strange creatures.

“If anyone comes, hide,” Kimisi warned as she sat down and started fiddling with her gauntlet. “It’ll just take a moment to sort this out. Breaking in should be easy.”

Jarell blinked. “Breaking in?”

A door opened on the other side of the square and Jarell ducked behind the obelisk.

“Kimisi!” someone shouted. Jarell peered around the corner and saw a woman dressed in a long flowing robe patterned with swirling lines that looked like waves. “Have you heard the news, daughter?”

Kimisi kept her head down. “Mbata, auntie. It is terrible. I was just on my way when …” She held up her gauntlet and showed a loose wire.

“Trouble always finds you, Kimisi,” the woman said with a heavy sigh. “Break any more of those things and it won’t matter who your ancestors are.”

“Yes, auntie,” Kimisi replied with a nod. “I will do better.”

With a satisfied hum, the woman hurried off.

“I’m confused, is she your aunt or your mother?” Jarell asked as he came out of hiding.

“Neither,” Kimisi replied. “I mean, we’re distantly related, but it doesn’t matter, we’re still all family … Done!” Kimisi closed a panel on her gauntlet. Standing, she pressed it against the obelisk. As lights danced on the stone surface, Jarell realized it wasn’t stone but a kind of metal.

“How many rules are you breaking right now?” he asked.

“Best not to ask questions you don’t want the answer to,” Kimisi replied with a grin. “It’s worth it. There’s something here that will help us.”

A panel slid away to reveal an entrance. As they went inside the dimly lit obelisk, Jarell’s eyes adjusted and he noticed that the only thing in the room was a pedestal with a bowl on it.

“It’s a seeing bowl,” Kimisi whispered as they got closer.

Jarell reached out to touch the bowl’s delicate surface but Kimisi batted his hand away. “Only a griot can touch the bowl.”

“What’s a griot?” he asked.

“How can a descendant of Kundi not know what a griot is?” Kimisi’s eyes were wide.

“I’ve only just heard about Kundi,” Jarell pointed out. “I’ve got some catching up to do.”

Kimisi pursed her lips. “Griots are storytellers. In the past they served the most powerful leaders and recorded their achievements in song.

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