Cavern of the Fear

Cavern of The Fear is the first book in the Deltora Shadowlands series written by Emily Rodda. The story follows the adventures of Lief, Jasmine, and Barda.

Plot summary

In Deltora, a land of magic and monsters, the Shadow Lord's evil tyranny has finally ended after three unlikely heroes Lief, Jasmine, and Barda defeated him. He and the creatures of his sorcery have been driven out of Deltora. But thousands of Deltorans are still enslaved in the Shadowlands, the Shadow Lord's terrifying and mysterious domain. To rescue them, Lief, Barda, and Jasmine, heroes of the quest for the Belt of Deltora, must find the Pirran Pipe, the only weapon the Shadow Lord fears. They embark on the dangerous quest and finds the first broken piece of the Pipe. There they encounter The Fear, a giant squid, whom they defeat.

Characters

• Lief: Lief is the main character of the series. Lief was born to parents King Endon and Queen Sharn though he believed them to be Jarred and Anna of the forge. As a child Lief roamed the streets of Del, sharpening his wits and gaining him the skills needed for his future quests. Though he did not know it, he was constantly protected by Barda and he prided himself on his many 'lucky' escapes. On his sixteenth birthday it is revealed to him that he must begin a dangerous quest to find the lost gems of the Belt of Deltora. After he finds the lost gems and restores the Belt of Deltora, the Shadow Lord is defeated and Lief becomes king of Deltora.
• Barda: Barda was enlisted as a friend by the king and queen of Deltora and was trusted to help him find the lost gems of Deltora sixteen years before the initial story took place. For the next sixteen years Barda disguised himself as a beggar so as to discover information vital to the quest. He also became the bodyguard of Endon and Sharn's child Lief, albeit without the semi-arrogant Lief's knowledge thereof. Upon Lief's sixteenth birthday Barda revealed himself to Lief and the quest for the gems of Deltora began. Though Barda was at first annoyed to travel encumbered by a child, he soon saw Lief as more of a help than a hindrance.
• Jasmine: Jasmine is a wild girl, described as having wild black hair (dark green hair in the anime) and emerald green eyes who has grown up in the Forests of Silence, where Lief and Barda meet her shortly after leaving Del. Her parents, Jarred and Anna, were captured by Grey Guards when she was seven years old, and so she has been raised by the forest. She can understand the language of the trees and of many animals, and has incredibly sharp senses, but has trouble understanding some social customs. Jasmine is usually seen with her blackbird, Kree, and a mouse-like creature she calls Filli. Jasmine pulled Lief and Barda to safety and put a potion on both of them. She then thinks that they were Grey Guards. She leaves them until sunset and comes back with a cure. She then helps them escape from the Wenn and shares her food and her shelter while telling her story on how she lived and survived without her parents. Like Lief, she occasionally has a quick temper. After helping Lief and Barda in the forest and with the help of the topaz, she is greeted by her mother's spirit from beyond the grave, who tells her to go with Lief and Barda in their quest. After this encounter, she joins Lief and Barda in the search for the great gems that will complete the Belt.
• The Fear: The Fear is a giant squid-like creature. However, it is defeated by Lief, Barda, and Jasmine, though only to be slain by Glock, the last of his tribe, the Jalis people.