Long before they were spirit animals, the four were still legends - Great Beasts, the most powerful beings to roam the wilds of Erdas. Aided by a brave resistance of humans and animals, they gave their lives to protect the world from a threat more dangerous than any it had seen before: their own kind. Wise and cunning, gentle and ruthless, these are tales of the true heroes and villains in the war that started it all.

In the world of Erdas, four children are about to discover if they have a spirit animal bond, a rare link between human and beast that gives great powers to both. Separated by vast distances, Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan each see a flash of light . . . and then the animals emerge. Wolf, leopard, panda, falcon. Each of the children has summoned a beast from legend. Now their fate is set. The four heroes and their animals must band together on a dangerous quest. A dark force from the past is rising, and only they have the power to stop it.

In the world of Erdas, only a rare few are able to summon a spirit animal in the way Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan have. The bond they share with their animals is a partnership that allows them to access more-than-human abilities. But what if there was another way to create a spirit animal--to force the bond, giving the human partner total control? And what if someone with selfish intensions was offered this gift . . . with a catch?

Erdas is a land of balance. A rare link, the spirit animal bond, bridges the human and animal worlds. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan each have this gift-and the grave responsibility that comes with it. But the Conquerors are trying to destroy this balance. They're swallowing whole cities in their rush for power-including Meilin's home. Fed up with waiting and ready to fight, Meilin has set off into enemy territory with her spirit animal, a panda named Jhi. Her friends aren't far behind . . . but they're not the only ones.The enemy is everywhere.

Strange things are happening at the frozen edge of the world. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan have crisscrossed Erdas in their quest to stop the ruthless Conquerors. Only the four of them, supported by the gifts of their legendary spirit animals, have the power to defeat an evil takeover.

The sun is shining in the Hundred Isles, and yet the path forward seems crowded with shadows. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan have traveled across the world, seeking a set of powerful talismans in order to keep them from enemy hands. Throughout their journey the young heroes have been hounded by pursuers, who always seem to know just where to find them. Now they know why. One of them is a traitor.

Deep in the desert there sits a beautiful oasis, ruled by a monarch unlike any other in Erdas. His name is Cabaro, the Great Lion, and he reigns over a kingdom of animals, jealously guarding his golden talisman. No human has ever set foot in the Great Beast's territory. The journey to his oasis is impossible.

The world of Erdas will be changed forever. Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan were once ordinary kids. Then they discovered that they had spirit animals - wise and powerful partners who granted them with amazing gifts...and a legendary responsibility. Together the team has journeyed across Erdas, racing to stop a merciless foe. They have laughed and fought together. They've won challenges and lost friends. Some have even lost themselves.

Save the spirit animals in this gripping second special edition in the New York Times bestselling series, tied to the brand-new Fall of the Beasts arc.

Friend and traitor. Conqueror and king. Hero and villain. Shane is just a boy, but in order to free his people, he's resolved to do whatever--to become whomever--his mission requires. Throughout their journey to save the world, Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan have faced this dangerous foe again and again. But none have learned the truth of the boy who nearly changed the course of history forever.