The Book of Magic by T. A. Barron Page A

more than Ilyakk. And no other eagleman, except perhaps Scree , ever flew more courageously. As a young fledgling in Rahnawyn , Ilyakk decided to soar to the top of the highest volcano he could find. When that proved too easy, he rode the swells even higher, sailing over the Burnt Hills of the fire dragons. Finally, when he was too exhausted to fly any longer, he settled down for a rest—not on land, but on the scaly snout of an airborne fire dragon. The dragon, amused by this intrepid youngster, carried Ilyakk higher still, until at last they glimpsed the rumpled ridges of the Great Tree 's trunk rising upward. This experience merely whetted the eagleboy's appetite. As he grew older, he constantly pushed himself to fly higher and higher, rising to the Swaying Sea and beyond. No creature from the root-realms of Avalon—save only the great dragon Basilgarrad , who once carried Merlin to the stars —has ever flown so high as Ilyakk.
    Imbolca
    This Drumadian priestess, known for her perpetual scowl, is an ally of Llynia . She believes that the Society of the Whole must regain its original purity. As such, she is deeply offended by Coerria 's decision to admit Elli into the order, even as an apprentice third class. Imbolca's normally nasty mood always brightens a bit when her maryth, the ginger cat Mebd, scratches someone annoying.
    Kerwin
    Even as a young eagleman, Kerwin proved himself a warrior of great ability in many battles to defend the Tierrnawyn clan of upper Olanabram . Like his fellow eagleman Scree , Kerwin fought with supreme ferocity, but always within the bounds of honor. So it was no surprise that he was chosen to represent the allies of Avalon at the parley before the great Battle of Isenwy. Like the rest of his clan, Kerwin had skin as brown as the muddy plains, flashing eyes, and eaglefeathers marked with black stripes—as well as fierce devotion to his people's way of life.
    Kree-ella
    Kree-ella, an eaglewoman of the Bram Kaie clan in Fireroot , was bold enough to resist the murderous ways of the clan's leader Quenaykha . For this action, Quenaykha ordered her caught, tortured, and killed, then hung to a post as an example to other potential traitors. Such is the gentle temperament of the leader of the Bram Kaie—someone Scree must confront.
    Krystallus Eopia
    … All that seemed certain was that somewhere on his journey to the stars, this great explorer had perished.
    The boy who would become Avalon 's greatest explorer was born to the wizard Merlin and the deer woman Hallia in the Year of Avalon 27. Although he was almost crushed as an infant when the giant Shim tried to kiss him, Krystallus survived. Lacking his father's magical powers, as well as his mother's ability to run with the grace of a deer, he suffered from grave self-doubts. But from an early age, he demonstrated a strong passion for exploring. Blessed with an exceptionally long life, thanks to his wizard ancestry, he became the first person to explore many remote parts of Avalon, including the Great Hall of the Heartwood deep within the trunk of the Great Tree. Like his rival, the elf queen Serella , he developed considerable expertise in the dangerous art of portal seeking. He founded the Eopia College of Mapmakers in Waterroot , and chose for its emblem the star within a circle, the symbol for magically Leaping between places and times.
    In the Year of Darkness, Krystallus journeyed to Fireroot . He was attacked by flamelons, but was subsequently rescued by the flamelon princess Halona . Despite the danger of the Dark Prophecy, they married and conceived a child. But soon after Halona gave birth, the family suffered a brutal attack. While Krystallus managed to escape, he concluded that both his wife and their son, Tamwyn , had been killed.
    Beset with grief, Krystallus embarked on his most ambitious journey ever—to find the secret pathway to the stars . Neither he nor any members of his expedition ever returned. By the time Tamwyn