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Beyond the tranquil town of Meridell, past its blossoming
fields and meadows, lies Terror Mountain.
Pibble the Puppyblew jumps over a fallen branch
and joins his owner Elli_Babes the Elephante, who sleeps quietly under a purplum
tree. Pibble begins to bark rampantly, obviously agitated by something. He begins
to pull on Elli_babes's trouser leg with his teeth. Disturbed by the Puppyblew,
Elli_babes rubs her strained and tired eyes and yawns.
"What is it, Pibble, I was sleeping!"
Pibble begins to run over to the edge of the
field where the trees and bushes begin to get denser and barks frantically.
Elli_babes joins Pibble but as she reaches him, he runs into the woods, his
barks getting fainter.
Elli_babes hesitates, as everyone in Neopia knows
not to enter the haunted woods unless it is an emergency. Thinking this is one,
she hastily runs after him, to find him a few moments later standing by a torn
red cloak. Elli_babes cautiously picks up the cloak, and nervously looks over.
A black raven calls out its haunting evening tune overhead in the dark undergrowth.
"Pibble, I really think we better be heading
back home." As she bends down to pick up the small pet, he runs further on into
the dark woods.
Elli_babes panics and begins to call out his
name, but there is no answer. No bark or anything. Worried he may be lost she
cautiously makes her way deeper into the woods, when out of nowhere a Mynci
jumps from the tree besides her and clings onto her back. She screams, frantically
trying to brush her off. The Mynci falls to the floor and cowers behind the
root of a tree.
"What were… what are you doing jumping out at
people like that!" questions Elli_babes.
"I'm… I'm sorry I didn't know what else to do.
I've been running for so long in these woods, I was beginning to think I would
never find anyone."
"What were you running from?" Elli_babes kneels
down besides her and places a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"She…She who has an icy breathe and a touch as
cold as a glacier." The Mynci begins to weep slightly. "I didn't know what to
do…this was the only place I could hide, being so dark and all, I didn't think
she would find me here."
"What is your name dearest?" smiles Elli_babes.
"Lucile, but don't say the name so loud. She
may hear you," whispers Lucile.
Elli_babes helps Lucile to her feet. Pibble comes
running up behind Elli_babes and jumps up at Lucile in a friendly manner. Elli_babes
offers the red cloak to Lucile.
"Oh thanks, I was looking for that. I caught
it on a branch as I entered the woods."
Elli_babes attaches a leash to Pibble's collar
and both her and Lucile make their way home to Meridell.
Lucile sips at her hot cup of borovan quietly
as Elli_babes puts some stale bread into the dustbin. She begins to wipe down
her desktop counters and put away the crockery when she hears an uproar of voices
coming from outside.
Lucile eyes widen as she looks over to Elli_babes.
"Don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing. I'll just
go out and see, I'll be right back okay?"
Elli_babes unties her apron, hangs it on the
back of the door and heads into the village square.
The town's people are running hysterically around
the square, each heading in different directions. Elli_babes manages to grab
hold of one as he rushes past her.
"Hey, what's going on, where is everyone going?"
questions Elli_babes.
"Haven't you heard? We're evacuating. There's
an ice storm heading our way. The Queen of Faeries has heard from one of her
advisors that they have sensed something wrong with the weather, there is a
cold front heading right our way!" The man breaks free from Elli_babes's grasp
and runs off towards.
"We always have cold spells, what is so different
about this one!" she shouts.
The man turns around for a brief moment. "This
one isn't any normal cold spell… This is the doing of the Snow Queen, Faerie
Taelia!" and with that last word he was gone.
The winds begin to pick up so Elli_babes heads
back into the hut and closes the door.
"It's her isn't it? It's the Snow Queen!" Lucile
runs over to the coat stand and throws on her coat. "I knew she's come looking
for me, I have to get out of here!"
Elli_babes runs over to her and grabs her by
the shoulders.
"What's going on, Lucile? Why is she after you?"
Lucile breaks down in tears. She wraps her tail
closely around her sinks down to the floor.
"I didn't mean to do it, I tried my hardest to
get what she wanted," she weeps.
"What did she want?"
"I accepted her quest. Many people have scaled
the height of Terror Mountain many times but only a few have managed to complete
the Snow Queen's quests. I thought I had it in me to complete one."
Elli_babes shakes her head and helps Lucile to
her feet.
"We have to undo what you've done, Lucile; and
we're going to do it together."
Lucile shakes her head, too frightened to even
think about facing the Snow Queen again. Elli_babes holds out her hand and stares
into Lucile's eyes. Her sheer determination and bravery evident in her eyes
wins Lucile over in moments.
They both gear up in their winter attire and
head out into the now falling snow.
The town is now deserted; only a few snorkels
and Meepits are left wondering the streets. As they look out to the north, they
see the jagged peak of Terror mountain piercing through the storm clouds. With
one last deep breath they head out into the storm.
Hours have past since they left Meridell. The
snow is falling harder then ever before and rumbles of thunder can be heard
overhead.
They stand half way up Terror Mountain when Lucile
stops.
"I can't believe we're doing this…we haven't
even got a plan!" She takes a seat on a rocky outcrop.
Elli_babes stops and takes a breather herself.
"There is no turning back for us now Lucile. Look how far we've come."
"I know, I'm just…I'm just sorry I pulled you
into this whole mess."
"Luc, I offered didn't I? We're in this together."
Lucile smiles and they both begin to head up
the mountain once again.
"Do you think Pibble is going to be okay?" asks
Lucile.
"I've put him safely away in the converted cellar-room.
He loves it down there so he'll be fine."
Terror Mountain, what horrors await them? The
harshest place in Neopia and yet Neopians still venture to its summit.
Lucile and Elli_babes climb the last few metres
towards the top. They pull themselves over and collapse in sheer exhaustion.
"Oh my gosh…."
Elli_babes looks up and sees the Snow Queen's
dwelling. Some Neopians, eons ago, told of a beautiful small igloo-type house.
Small but exquisitely furnished with wonders of ice and sculptures. But now
stands a dark, towering beast of a castle, carved into the walls of the mountain
itself.
"You wanna go first?" Lucile pushes Elli_babes
towards the gate. Elli_babes looks at Lucile angrily but continues ahead. She
hesitates but knocks on the giant gates.
Nothing….
"Knock again," commands Lucile.
"You want to do this?" asks Elli_babes sarcastically.
"Okay, I'll keep quiet."
Elli_babes raises her hand to knock again when
the giant gates begin to open. They both stand back. A loud, deafening voice
startles them both.
"Enter at your own risk and obey the rules of
the ice!"
Elli_babes and Lucile slowly make their way into
the grand entrance hall. Made of pure ice, the chandelier gleams as though it
were real crystal and the floor as white as marble.
As fragile as the whole room looked, it had a
cold harsh unwelcoming feel to it.
Both girls stand in the centre of the room, facing
a large ice-crystal mounted on a throne.
"What is your business here?" booms the loud
harsh voice.
"Erm-erm... I am Elli_babes of Meridell, and
this is Lucile. We have come to ask if you would stop this Icestorm… p-p-please
Snow Queen?"
A deafening silence.
Both girls look around, expecting something to
happen.
"And WHY SHOULD I DO THAT!" screams the Snow
Queen. Both girls run towards the entrance but the door seals shut with ice.
They are trapped!
"Have you NO idea what you have DONE Lucile?"
questions the Snow Queen.
"I…I apologise Snow Queen for not getting you
the items you requested on time. I … I couldn't get all of them." Lucile begins
to sob quietly. Elli_babes comforts her.
"That I can understand, many have no been able
to return with the correct items, but WHY did you take something that was not
YOURS?"
Elli_babes looks up confused. She turns to Lucile,
waiting for her to reply. Lucile is also confused and cannot understand what
the Snow Queen is trying to say.
"Elli_babes I didn't take anything," whispers
Lucile. " I know I didn't."
"If that is so, WHAT IS THE AMULET YOU CARRY
IN YOUR POCKET?" shouts the Snow Queen.
Lucile rummages around in her cloak pocket and
retrieves a small piece of what looks like a pink coloured ice-crystal.
"This? I found it near the entrance last time
I came here. I thought it looked pretty!" admits Lucile, rubbing the crystal
between her palms.
"That, Lucile, is a priceless ice-amulet, something
which has belonged in our Snow Faerie family for eons. Your disrespect for my
property forced me to take action and since my emotions are connected with the
atmosphere of Neopia, you unleashed this icestorm."
Lucile looks down at the ground shamefully. She
had accidentally brought this all upon herself, though her actions were not
mean to harm anyone.
The ice-portal begins to dissolve into a bright
white lights and out steps the Snow Queen in all her glory. An angelic figure
gleaming in a white and crystal embroidered gown.
She walks over to the girls, her emerald green
eyes and soft smile portraying a forgiving manner.
"You girls must be more careful, this meant a
lot to me you know," she says softly. Her harshness melting away like early
spring snow. "You must take heed of everything which I have said today. This
has been a test of your strength and courage, and you have made me proud. As
a reward for you honesty and bravery, I have these for you."
The Snow Queen holds out her palms and there
lay two glistening pale blue ice-crystals.
"Take care of these, they bring you luck."
The girls cannot believe their eyes. They take
a crystal each and thank the Snow Queen, promising never to take other people's
things for granted again.
And with one last smile the Snow Queen waves
her hand over the girls and covers them with crystal powder. They are instantly
transported outside of the dark jagged castle, which instantly transforms into
a small exquisite igloo-type house.
The Snow Queen waves from her bedroom balcony
and then raises her arms into the sky. The dark storm clouds part and reveal
a wonderful clear blue sky. The warm sun falls softly upon their faces as they
take one last look at the Queen.
As they begin to walk back down the mountain,
Lucile stops. Elli_babes turns around wondering what the problem was.
"Lucile, what's the matter?"
She smiles and looks at her blue ice-crystal.
"If it wasn't for you, I'd still be up that blasted tree!"
Both girls begin to laugh. Elli_babes puts her
arm around Lucile's shoulder and they head back to the sleepy town of Meridell.
The End
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