Bone, Vol. 8: Treasure Hunters

By Jeff Smith

The tinsmith and an older man discuss another fella talking to "the bug", Ted again. The man admits the bugs are the only ones who can view the ghost circles. The younger man talks of breaking into provisions, but he older reminds they don't know what they'd find at Atheia. The young man believes in Lucius' foresight of usually being right.

The old man counters with the soldiers not trusting Lucius, but the villagers do, and also happens to be a buddy of the young man, but the old man tells of how Lucius had betrayed them 50 yrs ago, and he'd seen it happen. Lucius takes them directly into a rat creature trap and someone had tipped them off. The old man then states of Jonathan Oaks providing the proof to his accusations. Lucius had stood by only a week ago as the Hooded One attacked troops with rat creatures, and the Hooded One being Briar.

Also, finding the rat creature tracks is quite helpful, since they could avoid the ghost circles by following them. Despite this not being a popular choice to make so many risk their lives, Lucius doesn't give them much choice to refuse, due to releasing the bug. Fone and Thorn are in a small, cramped market, Gran'ma Ben working on getting them smuggled into the city. They look for disguises for Smiley and Phoney when Thorn sees a prayer stone reminding her of how GB looks in her dreams, the girl sitting by it asking if she cared to make an offering.

The girl explains the other stones she carved being of Mim's light and dark aspects, and how the prayer stone seeks balance between the 2. Before getting spooked by how many qs the kid starts asking about them, she gifts Thorn a prayer stone. Thorn then spots Smiley and Phoney on a hay cart when they are supposed to wait out of town for them. GB walks up on them as Phoney tells of finding the wagon abandoned, and isn't budging on going back out, despite GB deducing he'd hidden baby Bartleby inside it.

A boy approaches them regarding GB's inquiry to get into the city and when he sees Thorn's stone, notes it's one of his sis', Taneal, so helps them. Immediately they're escorted through the gate as Phoney babbles of the streets paved with gold and the king gets his head carved on gold coins. They can plainly see this isn't the case, and it is more likely human waste on the sides of the pavement. GB asks to see Thorn's prayer stone and sees "secret" writing on it, she planning to have it translated.

At night, the group walks on rooftops, and see a hooded figure inviting them for a meal. Soon they note he's a bit sketchy as he explains he wouldn't be able to read their doom otherwise. The hooded man predicts fate telling they'd experience torture in these end of days, Phoney poo-pooing this. GB steps in to vouch for the man as her master, she asking his advice regarding the ghost pockets.

The teacher states of everything pointing to the coming of the locust. The man continues with how the inner council'd been disbanded and replaced with disciples of Venu, who'd learned from dragons, but her followers looking down upon them as lesser. The man deciphers the stone's writing as saying, "Moonwort". GB clarifies this is reference to Thorn's ma when Briar shows up, warning the locust is calling for Thorn.

Thorn blindly walks toward the cold spot Fone had walked through to bring the stone over. The group tries to keep Thorn from walking forward as she states of looking for the crown of horns. As she repeats this, Briar replies she'd be sorry, then leaves, Thorn falling back. GB requests the man collect any member left of the inner council still loyal to them, and they'd return to their room for now.

The teacher notes his interest in how Fone had seen a shadow whilst the rest besides Thorn saw nothing. Meanwhile, Briar is calling to King of Locusts, and when they respond, she notes they'll soon be stronger than needing to use Thorn to help free them. She tells of Thorn's ma providing of name, but not where the crown of horns is, so Briar is tasked of keeping it this way. Back with the Pawan marching soldiers, they meet with the stick-eater with rat creatures.

The Stick-Eater relates the Pawan soldiers the leader had lent him in the Old Man's Cave were lost because he was done with them. When the men act like they'd assault him, Stick-Eater cuts their swords with his magic, his hood going back and looking like Gollum. He tells of having another plan should the Red Dragon turn up: A huge rat creature is squashing around a cave...

Fone wakes and notices Smiley is gone, so he has Phone dress and help look for him. Turns out their guess is right, since Smiley is shown giving Bartleby his meal. Meanwhile, the hay cart owner complains at the gate of wanting to search the city for his cart. The guards turn him away and deduce who had come through with the cart.

The same guard has Phoney and Fone run right into him before going toward the marketplace instead, since Phoney can't help, but want to know what type of money is used. Phoney has built it up to being a rich city only to be let down with the usual egg barter system being seen. Then, when a drone bee mistakenly is smitten with Fone and a fight breaks out until the bee is led away, the 2 are rewarded with gold coins, Phoney's dream currently accurate, finally. The 1 downside is the market people are discriminating against the bee for getting stuck there by the ghost circles and being mad about it, so hire Phoney to drive him off daily, Fone immediately seeing the problem.

They get a bit lost trying to get back and end up at a ruin. Soon they deduce it's the palace the rat creatures destroyed. Thorn is visited by the teacher and an herbalist. At 1st GB and the teacher try to distract Thorn with drinking more tea til the meeting in the evening, but she insists chatting of who had outlawed dragon lore.

Tarsil, Captain of the Queen's guard used his embarrassment for being punished by dragon's for trespass after repeated warning, and so he uses the ghost circles opening as an excuse to attack and blame dragons for their appearance. So Thorn wants to game plan how to end his power, and the teacher tells of how protected he is, and their inner council is made of senior citizens... The other issue according to GB is Tarsil knowing of their hidden royalty, so'd have to keep him guessing as to their current temp. residence. Back with the hiding Bones, the guard bring a 2nd guard, and informs of the 2 in the hay cart most likely being the royals, he having plans of locating them secretly.

The Bones climb down the back of the ruin as the guards topple shrines made by citizens, escaping down the mtn. Phoney isn't taking their danger seriously, too concerned about where the market people get all this gold. Fone agrees to split up, hoping Phoney'd inform Smiley of the news as he did the same for Thorn and GB. Back with Thorn, she's called out to the balcony and reunites with Ted the bug.

Soon, Thorn is hearing stories about her ma from him, then GB learns Lucius is only a couple days shy of joining them. GB gives a message to Ted to relay to Lucius of where to charge, and when they arrive, to call by horn. GB acknowledges to Thorn of how this doesn't deal with their issue inside city walls, Tarsil. Phoney joins Smiley and Bart for dinner in the barn, a blank sammie, nothing between the bread slices...

Phoney then shows his payment. Phoney's big plan is to become King long enough to bank their treasure, then get back to Boneville, which Smiley is happy about til remembering Bart. Meanwhile, a follower of Tarsil is asking about what they should do for the merchants losing money. He responds with how the dragons being destroyed would solve the issue.

Thorn's then updated of the hidden royals and burning Thorn at the stake for her belief in dragons. Meanwhile in the evening, Thorn sees the extra soldiers in the street, GB instructing she put up her hood before they go to the meeting, but Thorn reminds Fone isn't there, yet. GB decides Mermie'd handle Fone whilst they get to the meeting. Upon arriving, GB greets her former Master, then addresses the room, regarding Tarsil's known plan.

Fone finally turns up and informs Thorn of Tarsil's knowledge of them. Everyone quickly disperses and in the run, their group loses Phoney, GB's Master escaping with them. He next lays some blame on the royals aiding in their demise, possibly in the long run, but GB defends Thorn and Fone. Her teacher returns with how serious it is knowing Thorn had kept a piece of the locust within her chest, and the more he speaks, he seems convinced of her impending failure, Fone calling him out.

Fone then calls out GB for being a pushover and blurts out how they'd spoken to the dead in the ghost circles, the master dismissing him as only dragons being able to do this. He still doesn't believe til she relays the message her ma had told her of locating the crown of horns. Phoney overhears some guards chatting of the royals almost being caught and goes to Smiley, who is enacting the coin stamping project, Phoney now anxious. He insists Smiley quickly join him to get the treasure before the guards find them.

The master is currently wondering how this mysterious item would be located, and also the fact Thorn wouldn't be able to touch it, the story being it lay between their world and the veiled, and it could blink them out of existence indefinitely. So, as the humans go off to deal with Tarsil, Fone would "handle" Phoney. Smiley and he are currently considering looking for the treasure in the water supply. When they notice the deserted market, the seller who had hired Phoney runs up chatting of being happy to see them what with the possible invasion by Pawans today.

As the Bones discuss whether taking the gold is worth it, the seller tells the other guys of stalling the Bones, but don't know if the guards would make it in time, the Bones already off checking a well. The guard interrupt them and Smiley points out a swarm of bees being behind them, they not believing him at first and insulting bees, the bees ready to punish. GB thinks the townspeople were maybe warned of assault due to the empty outdoors. They climb to the ledge of the wall, GB feeling her sis, Briar is close, but perhaps hidden.

Then, GB is about to go off and deal with the obv trouble Phoney is in at the marketplace when Thorn sees Taneal creating a dragon shrine right in front of a guard handling the hay cart theft victim. When the guard goes through the gate to handle the shrine and girl, Thorn quietly follows and with bear strength chucks him into rubble onto his head. GB jumps into the fray of bees and seller, the bees leaving when acquiring the jug of water. Thorn and Fone are captured by the guard with Tarsil, when GB returns upon hearing the horns, the guard seeing the Pawans and something large with them. When the guard realize it's rat creatures, they hastily call to close the gate, GB noting how unprepared they are.

Fuck yes! What's the end going to be like?! Picking up on this where I left off a handful of years ago is like nothing. It makes it even sweeter since it tastes more like LotR by this point. On to the FINALE!