Keys to the Demon Prison (Fablehaven, #5)

by Brandon Mull

“The vault at Obsidian Waste gave the preserve its name—an immense monolith of obsidian overshadowing the surrounding plain.

Trask now held an egg-shaped iron object roughly the size of a pineapple, with irregular protuberances jutting from the top half.

“He should have a name,” Mara said. “Goliath,” Elise suggested. “I like it,” Vincent said. “What should we call the other statue?” Tanu asked. “Nancy,” Seth said quickly.

Goliath was not quite as tall as Nancy, who had a long jaw and a high forehead, but his shoulders were just as high and somewhat broader.

Seth cupped his hands around his mouth and cheered. Without looking over, the enemy statue flung the remaining length of his club toward Seth.

Warren held up four fingers. “How many fingers am I holding up?” he asked. “Four,” Bubda answered. “Not you, Bubda,” Warren complained. “I already know you can see in the dark.

“I’m fine. Tanu left me with enough medicine that I healed up before too long. I’m a little malnourished. I’ve been rationing. I was getting close to trying the rancid goop Bubda lives on.” “My goop better than granola,” the troll said, making a disgusted face.

“You cheat,” Bubda said. “Too much luck.” “What about that time you got five Yahtzees?” Warren reminded him. “That skill,” Bubda said smugly.

Seth, I’m not trying to boast or to intimidate you. I am telling you that I am so confident of victory, and so certain that you will leave here only at my whim, that we can actually have an honest, open conversation. Ask me anything.” “Okay, for the third time, where are we?”

“Good thinking. I will live as long as I can. But if a full week ever passes without a sip from the Font, I turn to dust. No matter what precautions I take, given infinite time, that will eventually happen. Which is why I must set up a system, a kingdom, a new order, that can persist long after I am gone. It is all part of my plan.”

Does he have this system already planned out though? He can't actually think it would be smart to wait until the prison is open to plan how his kingdom will be organized can he?

Seth picked up the brick of meat, the closest thing he had to a weapon. The intruder froze in the doorway, a hand held up defensively. “Please, don’t assault me with that meat amalgam,” the stranger said. “It would surely cause an infection.”

Bracken and Maddox exchanged a glance. “What do you think?” Maddox asked. Bracken sighed. “All right. Since the world is about to end, why not give an impossible jailbreak one last try?”

“Hello, cell. How are you? Still dank and horrible? Sorry to hear it. Me? I’ve decided to take up a new hobby. Talking to my room. It’s a lot like talking to myself, but slightly more pathetic.”

Kendra walked over to the table and sat down on a mat. “Maybe I’ll have some water.” The Sphinx joined her at the table. “Try the pear juice. It is very light.”

It is unsettling how kind and welcoming he is acting it puts me on edge

The Sphinx grinned. “One of the benefits of a long life. Mr. Lich and I are perhaps the only living men who have visited Shoreless Isle. The Translocator will take me directly there, along with the Chronometer and the Sands of Sanctity.”

I thpught he jst said that it cant transport objects am i missing something?

“Feeling better?” Seth asked. Graulas pounced at him, seized a shoulder with a hairy hand, and hoisted Seth off the ground effortlessly. Before Seth could react, the demon quickly tore the Translocator from his pocket, then dropped him on a pile of rubble.

I'm Not even surprised seth has always been the one to not listen to his grandparents and other people whon knowmore bout this world than he does and hes always maainv yhr dumbest choices i saw this comingbfrom aamile away ad it makes m mad becsuehe literally had thr one thinbheneeded to save his fridns andfsily fron ghe dungeons andnow its gonr

Why didn’t he see this coming? Grandpa had consistently warned him to stay away from Graulas! Seth had assumed his grandparents didn’t understand the unique relationship he had with the demon.

What dis k just sau

“Don’t underestimate your brother. He was careful. He didn’t trust me right

No i think we maybe should keep estimting him exatlybas we afe

“Making mistakes is part of learning to choose well. No way around it. Choices are thrust upon us, and we don’t always get things right. Even postponing or avoiding a decision can become a choice that carries heavy consequences. Mistakes can be painful—sometimes they cause irrevocable harm—but welcome to Earth. Poor choices are part of growing up, and part of life. You will make bad choices, and you will be affected by the poor choices of others. We must rise above such things.

Please do not obsess over choices you cannot change. Mistakes happen. Learn from the past, but concentrate on the present and the future.

“I gave my first horn as a gift years ago.

I wonder if it was the one Seth stole from the centaurs in order to get into the dragon preserve.

Seth found the stingbulb version of Kendra in Vanessa’s cell listening to a love song.

I know she basically doesn’t have a mind of her own but in some weird way I feel bad for the stingbulb. I mean no one really cares about it and they just use her and even though she knows that’s her purpose it just feels odd to me

“We just want fuel in the tank before we risk our necks,” Newel complained. “You want nutrition?” Seth asked. “Remind me to teach you guys about the food pyramid.” “A pyramid made of food?” Doren said reverently. “We are your humble pupils,” Newel pledged.

“I’ll pole you over to the island. There is one condition.” “What?” “You must never tell anyone what you did in here to gain permission.” “I hardly did anything, except eat a sandwich and explain my problem.” “Exactly. I don’t want word getting out, or I’ll have to change my approach.”

What came was the memory of Coulter. He saw his friend pinned under a beam, heard him gasping his last breaths. Coulter, who had saved him in the grove with the revenant, when magical fear had frozen them. Suddenly Seth no longer felt alone. There was no way he was going to let Coulter down. He had promised.

“Did you hit any speed traps?” Kendra asked. “Twice,” Newel said. “We pulled over politely. Both times the officer looked shocked to find a goat at the wheel without a human in sight.”

“You’re all nuts,” Trask chuckled. “This beats letting it gnaw at us,” Warren said. “I bet I’ll be the last one standing.” “You wish,” Seth said. “That will be Bracken. I bet he takes some demons with him.” “And I won’t?” Warren exclaimed. “Maybe a little one,” Seth laughed.

And, for the record, if you want to place bets on the last of us standing, my money goes on Hugo.” “No,” the golem rumbled. “Not last. Hugo save Seth. Hugo save Kendra.” Tears stung Kendra’s eyes. Newel raised a hand. “How do I get added to that list?” This time everyone laughed, even the golem, stony shoulders shaking.

“Think they remember?” Newel asked Doren, eyeing the astrids. “Remember what?” Kendra inquired. Doren placed a hand beside his mouth and whispered, “Newel used to sling rocks at the astrids for sport.” “Hush,” Newel hissed urgently, clamping a hand over Doren’s mouth. “Doren and his stories.”

Kendra had chills. She had no idea Bracken possessed such dramatic flair for leadership.

“At least we each have a guardian astrid,” Newel said optimistically. “I think my astrid could take yours,” Doren muttered to Newel. “Keep dreaming,” Newel chuckled. “Mine looks like he could break yours in half with his bare hands.” “He’d have to catch him first,” Doren countered. “Mine looks quick and wiry.” “Neither of us should get too cocky,” Newel replied. “I’ll wager Kendra has the best ones.” “No doubt,” Doren huffed. “She has connections.”

Rostimus drew a pair of long knives, handing one to each satyr. “Use them well,” he admonished. “For endless television!” Newel cried, charging into battle. “Frito-Lay!” Doren yelled, waving his knife overhead.

“Away,” the Fairy Queen cried, flying skyward, the corpse still in her arms.

Must be the corpse of her husband

“I thought dragons didn’t allow riders!” he said. Camarat spread his wings and returned to the sky. “We make exceptions on occasion,” Raxtus said. “Camarat and Agad are brothers.”

“Agad promised to make Celebrant caretaker of Wyrmroost after all of this is over. The dragons of Wyrmroost have dreamed of governing themselves for centuries. Plus, I told my father how Navarog had vowed that the demon horde would slay him. I think that helped. He let me fly to battle with him for the first time!”

I love how innocent and excitable Raxtus is he’s just sos cute.

Some imagine the difference between heaven and hell to be a matter of geography. Not so. The difference is much more evident in the individuals who dwell there.”

“What if Stan prohibits the deal?” Doren asked. “What if he tries to change the terms? What if he gives us a certificate?” “We stand up for ourselves,” Newel replied. “The terms were set. We followed Seth to the ends of the earth and confronted some incredibly ugly demons.” “They were unsightly,” Doren agreed with a wince. “And tough. Without our astrids we would have been goners.” “Nonsense,” Newel spat. “Those astrids barely survived thanks to our heroics. Don’t you forget it.”

Seth put his hands on his hips. “Of course Kendra gets all the attention because you thought she was dead. I had a bunch of near misses, you know. Probably more than her!”

“I hear you were quite the hero,” his dad said. “I’m sure things got exaggerated,” Seth said. “I did manage to kill two of the most powerful demons who ever lived. I pretty much got revenge for all humanity on the villains who opened Zzyzx. I wish you could have been there with the video camera.”

Vanessa rose. “I have known the Sphinx for a long time. I have worked for him. As Agad mentioned at the outset, he is a deceiver, a master manipulator. Making him an Eternal seems appropriate, but he’s an expert at making his interests make sense. He may not be here to speak, but Agad is delivering his rhetoric. The Sphinx has a sinister history of working mischief while wearing a friendly face. The only way to be safe from the Sphinx is if he ceases to exist.” Doren leapt to his feet. “Vanessa is a beautiful woman, and should be taken very seriously. For her mind. And her charming personality. Thank you.”

Bracken had been surprised to discover that the unicorn horn the centaurs prized actually belonged to him.

I knew it. As soon as he said he had given his first horn away I immediately knew that he had given it to Patton who had given it to the centaurs which Seth then stole.