City of the Beasts

Near the city, they encounter the Beast up close and discover that it looks like a giant sloth, down to its very slow movements. They also speculate that it might use its scent glands like a skunk to stun enemies. Walimai speaks with the Beast, and Alex and Nadia are surprised to learn that it speaks roughly the same language as the People of the Mist. Walimai translates that the Beast is one of many gods residing in the city and tells Alex and Nadia that these gods will hold a council. They discover that several more Beasts live in the false city of gold and that their society is very primitive, not even using fire. 

The next day, Alex and Nadia witness the Beasts’ council. Walimai brings them news of the village and conducts a long conversation during which Alex and Nadia learn that the Beasts and the People of the Mist live in a kind of symbiosis; the People of the Mist “[protect] the gods from the outside world, while in turn those extraordinary beings had served as the storehouse of every word of the tribe’s history” (271). Because of their extremely long lifespans, the Beasts remember the complete history of the tribe and seem to the People of the Mist to be gods. When, they learn, the nahab began to threaten the People of the Mist, some of the Beasts left the tepui to try and kill the nahab, not understanding that there are an infinite number of them. These Beasts outside the tepui are the ones that attacked humans and prompted the International Geographic expedition. 

Alex, acting as directed by Iyomi as the chief for negotiating with the nahab, attempts to explain that the Beasts’ recent actions have put both them and the People of the Mist in danger. He tries to convince them that some nahab can be helpful and that they need to work together to start conservation efforts to protect the Eye of World. That night, everyone—including the Beasts—drinks a magical brew that causes them to share the same dream. The images in the dream show them that Jaguar and Eagle are destined to do battle with the Rahakanariwa—which is shown as a bird breaking out of its cage—to protect the tribe and the Beasts. In exchange for completing this task, Nadia asks for the crystal eggs she saw in her vision and Alex asks for the water of health. At first the Beasts are offended by their requests, but then Alex play his flute to calm them and Nadia joins him by dancing. Impressed by their gifts of song and dance, the Beasts agree that Nadia and Alex can take the eggs and the water.

Walimai informs Alex and Nadia that they must undertake perilous journeys to retrieve their respective prizes. Alex must travel deep into the earth and Nadia must climb to the top of the tepui, and if either fails to complete the quest in a single day, they will be trapped in the valley forever. 

The next day, Nadia begins her journey. This chapter is one of few sections of the book in which the narration strays from Alex’s perspective. Though Nadia is still afraid of heights, she tells herself that she will “think about solutions, not problems. She would confront the obstacles one by one” (289). Remembering her eagle totem and proceeding slowly, Nadia makes her way up the wall of the crater to reach the highest point of the tepui. Exhilarated by her experience, Nadia feels herself move out of her body into the spirit realm and finally “the void, empty of desire, of memory” (294).  

At last Nadia returns to her body and finds the nest that holds the three crystal eggs. At first, she is unable to move the eggs and grows frustrated, but then she remembers Walimai’s lesson: “For everything you take, you have to give something in return” (297). She realizes that all she has to give is Walimai’s amulet around her neck and though she hesitates, she remembers that the eggs are necessary to save the People of the Mist and trades the amulet for them. The eggs immediately become light and Nadia sets out to carry them back down to the valley.

While Nadia makes the climb detailed in the previous chapter, Alex crawls through a narrow tunnel that leads deep into the earth. Early in his journey, he becomes panicked and exhausted, fearing that he will suffocate. After a period of despair, Alex reminds himself of his father’s mountain climbing advice and calms himself using a breathing exercise. 

After continuing through the passage for some time, Alex discovers a lake and river of “white water that reminded him of skim milk” (304). Alex wonders if he has found the water of health and sees a vision across the lake of a girl who looks just like Cecilia Burns, a girl back in California who he has a crush on. He is tempted to swim over to her but decides to follow a path away from the lake instead. In the next cavern he discovers walls covered in precious gems and considers filling his empty gourd with jewels to take home, dreaming of becoming rich enough to solve all his family’s problems and protect the People of the Mist. But then he remembers Walimai’s promise that the water of health can work magic and instead continues on to find it. The path leads to a dead end at a giant pile of rocks, which Alex moves gradually to enter a final chamber. Within the chamber is a giant white bat with long fangs, guarding “the fountain of eternal youth” (313). Alex plays his flute and the music frightens the blind bat, who retreats and lets Alex access the water, but the water dries up as he reaches it. In order to make it flow again, Alex is forced to leave behind his flute, but reflects that the gaining the water is worth losing even “his most valuable possession” (315). 

When Alex returns to the valley he finds Nadia there with the crystal eggs. The two learn that while they were gone, the Beasts decided to accept their advice to stay safe inside their mountain rather than attempting to kill the nahab. Walimai indicates that it is time to leave the valley and so Alex and Nadia say goodbye to the Beasts. They proceed, with Walimai and Borobá, back through the labyrinth that leads out of the tepui. Before they exit, Walimai makes them smoke a mysterious leaf that causes them to forget the way through the labyrinth so that they can never return.