December 11, 2014

Fourth Meeting Season 2

Participants:
Yusismi murni
Putri asiska R
Ulva khairani
Desri wahyuni
Siti zurriyati djafar

Adviser: Ms. Leni Marlina

Reading Sources: Beast Quest: The Golden Armour
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Hello All.
We are the new members of Reading Circle Community (RCC) from English Department, Faculty of Languages and Arts, State University of Padang.

Now, we'd like to tell you about our activity in the fourth meeting.
In this fourth meeting, we discussed a novel, Beast Quest: The Golden Armour

Here are the summary of the novel that we discussed:

Tom as he pushed past a branch and found himself gazing out over open countryside.  Tom took one final glance back into the sinister jungle, thinking about his battle with Claw, the giant monkey, and remembering how he had just managed to snatch the golden chainmail from the evil Beast.
Silver, Elenna’s faithful wolf, and Storm, Tom’s noble stallion, emerged from the jungle, too. Silver bounded and barked joyfully, and Storm neighed and pranced.
The Dark Wizard had kidnapped their friend and protector, the good Wizard Aduro. Malvel had appeared to them in a vision after Tom’s defeat of Clow, showing them torn strips of Aduro’s red cloak. Was the good Wizard even still alive? But whatever fate had befallen Aduro, Tom knew that he still had to fulfil his Quest and unite the six parts of the golden armour that Malvel had stolen and scattered across the kingdom. Aduro had told them it was the only way they could rescue him. Unless they succeeded, Avantia would never be safe from the six evil Beasts set loose by Malvel.
Tom unrolled the magical map of Avantia that Aduro had given him when his adventures first began. A tiny point of golden light was glowing on the map. As Tom and Elenna peered, it pulsed and grew larger until they could make out the shape of a golden breastplate. He had to get to Errinel quickly- but what kind of Beast would be waiting there for them?  And what harm had it already done to his home and his family?
Tom and Elenna sat astride Storm’s broad back as he centered along, with Silver loping at his side. Despite the perils that lay ahead, Tom was glad to be heading home. A thrill of excitement shot through him at the thought of seeing his uncle and aunt again. But this would be no ordinary homecoming.  The image of a golden breastplate had brought him here, and that could only mean one of Malvel’s evil Beasts was lurking near the village.
 There was something wrong, there was too quiet. Tom peered at the birds as they approached. He expected them to take fright and flap away over the fields. But they didn’t move. Tom slid down from the saddle and walked up to the birds, then let out a breath as he realised they were just statues. Only a few moments later Tom saw something strange ahead of them in a nearby field. He pointed a shaking finger over the fence.  Three grey figures stood unmoving in the newly ploughed field : a team of oxen and a man. All had been turned to stone.
Tom stood on the bottom bar of the fence and stared out across the desolate field. The beast could still be nearby he said worriedly.” And it could turn us into stone! He strode back towards storm. “ I have to be prepared for anything. He slipped on the heavy chainmail and pulled on the golden helmet. Now he would feel no fear and be able to see the beast if it was still lurking. He climbed back into the saddle, slipping his shield over his left arm and loosening his sword in its scabbard.
Elenna scrambled up behind him, her bow ready on her shoulder, her quiver of arrows to hand. “go boy, tom said to storm, nudging with his heels. The stallion backed away from the fence. Then, with a surge of power, he leapt forward and took the fence in one long, smooth jump.
Fearlessly, strom centered towards the frozen ston figures, the ever loyal silver by his side. Tom could feel elenna’s fingers slipping on the polished chainmail as they rode, but he had no fear of her falling- she was too good a rider for that. He expected an attrack from the beast, but they crossed the field without harm. The two animals were uneeasy, however, as if they sensed that danger was close at hand.
Everything was eerily silent as they came to a stop near the stone figures. Tom and elenna slide down from the saddle. Strom neighed nervously and backed away. Silver circled the man and his oxen, sniffing the air, his ears down and the hair along his back as stiff as wire.
“it’s farmer gretlin! Tom cried, as he and elenna drew closer. Cautiously, he reached out and touched the stone man’s chest. It was cold.
Elenna frowned. “ he looks happy,” she said, as she gazed into the farmer’s face. “I don’t understand.
Why would someone who is about to be turned to stone be so happy?”
Malvel’s beast are usually terrifying,” tom said. He felt confused. “This must have been done by something that looks harmless, but isn’t.”
 Something beautiful ,even,” added Elenna.
Tom gazed sadly into the farmer’s face. Suddenly Elenna said urgently. Tom rapped his knuckles against the statue’s arm. Suddenly he noticed a hairline crack in the stone chest- just above the man’s hearth. “There he said. He lifted his sword and carefully placed the lethal tip against the crack. Elenna said it is dangerous, if you slip- if you make one wrong move – the blade will go into his heart”.  Tom also said “ we can’t leave him like this , and we need him to tell us what the beast lokks like.”
He struck the hilt a second time. The stone rang but the crack held. This was no time to give up. Tom hit a third time. He saw the crack widen. Then the stone shell shattered into fragments and trumbled to the ground. Farmer Gretlin’s chest gave a great heave as he sucked air into his lungs and fell forward onto his hands and knees, gasping and coughing. He was alive.
Tom took a water bottle from storm’s saddlebag and bent down to give it to the gasping farmer. As he drank, Elenna stood over him, an arrow at the ready, her keen eyes scanning the empaty field. “Who are you?” Farmer Gretline asked, still breathing heavily. Tom took off his helmet and grinned. “Tom” exclaimed the farmer. “you’ve saved my life”! help me up.” He put a hand on tom’s shoulder and got shakily to his feet. “What did this to you?” Elenna asked. The farmer gave her a curious look. “ and who are you?”
“ She is my friend, Elenna, Tom said. “ can you tell me us what happened?. The farmer’s eyes narrow. “There was fog over the marsh, he said. And a tall lady dressed in black.” A shudder went through him. “ She had no face, just a huge green eye. It was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. An then I couldn’t move.” He smiled gratefully at them.” Until you come to my aid.” His hearth began to race as a familiar cruel voice whispered in his ear. “Would you like to meet Soltra the stone charmer face to face?”
“Malvel! Tom spun round, but saw nothing. “ I’m not afraid of you, or any of your evil Beasts.”
The dark wizard let out a laugh like the hissing of snakes. Tom gripped his sword, wishing he could put the cold steel into Malvel’s wicked hearth. “the beast is called Soltra.” Said to Elenna, as she came back.
Tom and Elenna helped the farmer across the ploughed field, storm and silver on either side, then walked along the winding road that led to the village. Tom gazed around, memories flooding back, as the familiar rooftops and chimneys of errinel came into sight above the hedgerows and trees.
Soon they came to a dell filled with a tangel of ivy and briars. There was no sign of silver. A few moments later, a sharp bark roke the silence. Tom struggled to his feet as Aunt Maria emerged from the cover of the trees, her face filled with joy and concern. And right behind her was Uncle Henry. They were save!
Tom has just met his uncle and aunt who survive from Soltra, the stone charmer. Some of the villagers who managed to runaway are survive. Tom tells to all of people who survive that he and Elenna are there to kill the stone Charmer and the evil Beast. Afterwards, Tom and the villagers return to the blacksmith’s house to arrange a plan to beat Soltra.
One of the villager tells Tom that the stone charmer came when the sun set. Tom then sounds out his plan to lead the villagers to the shores of the lake for safety. His uncle did not agree at first but Tom told him that the water has the healing power, even though he does not really believe in that myth.
Soon, people are gathering up in the lake and make tent and camp fire. Tom and Elenna sat around Uncle Henry and Aunt Maria. Uncle Henry asked Tom to stay after he has defeated the Beast, but in fact, Tom cannot because has to find the rest of the golden armour.
As soon as all of the people gone to bed, Tom and Elenna take turn to wake up. Then Elenna asked him whether Soltra would come or not. Tom certainly hopes so, and he told her how much he wants to beat the Beast which has attacked his home village.
As soon as they woke up in the next day, Tom was told that the day is his birthday. So many things happened lately that made him forget about days. Aunt Maria was sad to know that they could not celebrate her nephew’s birthday. However, there was something more crucial that they have to concern about.
The sun has risen, and villagers return to the village to discuss about the next plan. Elenna shows her fear that there is nothing the villagers can do to stop Soltra. Tom agrees that and told Elenna about his plan to slip away at the time the villagers gather up, so that they can beat the Beast by themselves.
The next day, when Tom and Elenna were starting their plan to slip away, Uncle Henry found it out. He understood Tom’s intention to do that, so before Tom left the village, he intended to show something to him, a gift from his father which was left in the forge. Tom and Elenna followed him to the forge. Soon, after trying hard to dig the earth, finally they found a square wooden box.
Tom got a compass from his father who had long gone. His father believed that compass would help him in danger and also would lead him into his destiny. Tom brought that compass to his quest in seeking Soltra, the beast, to the marsh. Tom with his friends, Ellena  and Silver, and his horse, Storm came into the fog. The fog was really thick and the ground is wet. Storm felt anxious and didn’t want to continue the journey. Tom asked Ellena to stay and keep Silver and Stone. Tom went alone to the fog. Suddenly he heard a very lovely voice that asked him to keep walking and come to the voice. However, Tom was trapped into the oozing mud. He struggled to get out. But the more he moved the deeper he got into the mud. He felt anger and despair. but suddenly there was an arrow that was tight in a rope got into the mud, Ellena must helped him.
He reached the rope, and Silver pulled him out.  He could got out from the mud, but he did not allow Ellena to come to him because the danger. Suddenly Tom remembered Arcta, a good beast that gave him an eagle’s feather. As he held that feather, Arcta appeared from the Fog. However, Tom saw another shape. He heard a lovely song asked him to come closer. Arcta roared to warn him, but Tom ignored it. Tom moved forward to Soltra and gaze into her great lovely eyes.
The weather was foggy. Tom needed to use sunlight in order to defeat Soltra. He saw the needle of the compass showed danger sign. Soon after that, Soltra came and attacked him with her whip. He needed to get closer to Soltra if he wanted to kill her. While trying to do that, suddenly Soltra appeared again and hit him in his back. Tom couldn’t do anything.
Fortunately, Arcta, a giant lived in the mountain, came and helped Tom. He covered Tom’s body and cleaned up the fog around Tom’s body. Now Tom could see Soltra, but he made a mistake. He saw Soltra eyes directly. As the result, Soltra’s power hypnotized him; he felt cold and numb.
Luckily he could force his mind to go away from Soltra’s magic. He still tried to kill Soltra; he needed the sunlight, but the afternoon sunlight would come soon. Tom got an idea. He angled his sword to get the sunlight reflection, and suddenly reflected it to Soltra’s eyes.
Soltra shouted angrily, feeling pain all over her body. Even in that condition, she could still catch and chock him in his throat. Arcta came and hit her with his big arm. Tom tried to catch more light and finally he could. He angled it straight to Soltra’s eyes that made her explode. Her body broke into dust.
Tom said thank you to Arcta and came back to his friends, Ellena, Storm, and Silver. They went back to Errinel. People of Errinel greeted him as soon as he arrived in the village, but Tom could not stay there. His friends and he had to continue the journey to defeat The Dark Wizard, Malvel, and to find their missing friend who was being kidnapped by Malvel, Aduro. They were to welcome new journey.


We'd like to invite you to give some comments, opinions, critics, or suggestions for us.
And, for you who want to share what you think about the story, feel free to comment in our post.
And, RCC always kindly invites you who are interested to join.


Thanks (^o^)/

“Achieving Better Future by Having Fun Reading”

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