Episode IX: Touch of Darkness
Meanwhile, back in Tokyo, things were getting stranger. NeoPets were appearing
more, and reports were on the news about strange creatures being seen on elctronic
visual devices. Many phone calls were being made, but of course the news anchors
had no idea what a Neopet was. But among these events was something more important.
"Thanks!" a boy said as he walked out of the store with some new computer
parts. "Thanks for nothing... what a rip off." He didn't seem too happy with
the price of the new equipment. He then looked at his watch, letting a look
of shock spread over his face.
"AH! Oh no, I'm late! I gotta get home!" He started running home at a frantic
pace, and decided to take a short cut through an alley. Big mistake. He was
stopped dead in his tracks when a black claw slipped over his face.
"In a hurry, aren't we, little boy Alamin?" the creature said. The creature
let him go, and he stumbled to his feet.
"How did you know my name?" Alamin said, gasping for air. The creature kept
himself in the shadows, not being able to be seen.
"I know all about you, and FlamingDragon." Alamin's face went completly white.
He recognized what that name meant immediately.
"You have to be joking... my Neopet?!? Just what are you!?" Alamin was ranting
commands at the creature without halt.
"I'm a messenger from Neopia. I travelled long and hard to meet you here.
The Ethereal Plains were not welcoming." The creature seemed completly calm
about the discussion they were having.
"Messenger from Neopia... what kind of joke are you trying to pull? You really
need a life pal. Neopia is a game, jeez." Alamin wasn't believing a word of
it. He just thought it was just some freak trying to freak him out.
"Oh, but that's where you're wrong," the creature said to Alamin. "I can show
you the real Neopia, all in exchange for one thing." Alamin was now intrigued.
"And just what would that be?" Alamin saw this as an opportunity to prove
the... thing... wrong. But he had no idea what he was getting involved in.
"Work for Malum, the conquerer of Neopia! Help him take over Neopia and you
will be treated like a king! And I will show you all of Neopia! But... if you
betray him, you will pay. So, what do you say?"
"I... guess. It sounds like it's... worth it." Alamin nodded in compliance,
and the creature held out his hand. In it was a NeoP0rt, the same model as Malum's.
"Follow the signal on that... you'll find a NeoP0rtal that will bring you
to Apocaly Pandemonium, where Malum will be awaiting your arrival. Show him
your NeoP0rt and he will know why you're there."
Alamin examined the device. "So this must be a NeoP0rt, huh?" But there was
no reply, for the creature had now vanished without a trace. Alamin looked down
at his NeoP0rt, it was signalling north-west, into a deep forest. Without a
second thought, Alamin ran off in the direction of the signal, dropping all
the computer parts right on the sidewalk.
"This... can't... be... real!" Alamin panted out as he ran towards the woods.
But if he really thought that, why was he going to the woods? He did because
it was all so overwhelming to him. With the thing obviously NOT human, and the
NeoP0rt he was using, it was all too much. So he had to keep going, to satisfy
his thoughts.
I might as well prove him wrong, just to put my thoughts to rest, Alamin thought
as he kept running. But he started losing faith in himself as he saw a light
emerging from the woods as he drew ever closer.
"Maybe... maybe he wasn't lying," Alamin said as he started to lose confidence
in what he had said. As he walked closer to the orb of light, he started feeling
really strange. He looked at himself to see that he was turning semi-transparent,
like a ghost. Just then, a long black claw came out of the NeoP0rtal and grabbed
Alamin's arm.
"YOU ARE TAKING TOO LONG! You must come NOW!" the creature that the claw belonged
to roared. Alamin fought back, but realized he was no match. He just watched
in horror as he was sucked in by a demon.
Episode X: Legend of The Horror Shell
"Who's there?!?" Ryo yelled. Whoever was in the bush knew they had been discovered.
And out of the bushes came something so terrifying, so dangerous, so... a girl?
Okay, so it's not the horrible image I had been expecting.
"Well," she said, "Long time since I'd seen anyone 'round these parts." She
then jumped out at me, and put her hand out. "'Tis a pleasure to meet you."
I complied and and shook her hand. "Same."
"Umm..." Sakari muttered, "Just who are you?"
"Ha. I thought everyone knew of the Grand User?" she said, nearly mocking
us.
"Grand... User?" Willie muttered to himself as he leaned against a tree. "You
lost me."
"Well, I'm gonna go out on a guess here, but I'd say I've been here longer
than any of you."
"Oh really?" Kage said. "Well, I've been here for about two years total!"
"That's it?" She simply laughed it off. "I've been here seven years." We all
gasped. Seven whole years!? Amazing!
"And I thought I was the first human to come to Neopia," Sakari said as she
hung her head. She seemed quite disappointed. She then shot her head back up.
"So, just what is your name, anyway?"
"Oh, did I not mention? I'm Valens, the Grand User. I'm a legend in this part
of Neopia, and I'll be willing to help you if you need it." My my, wasn't she
full of herself? But we needed all the help we could get right now.
"Okay," I cautiously agreed. "But... where's your NeoPet?"
"Hehe... I knew you wouldn't find her. Infeladis, come out!" Appearing out
of thin air, the Uni Infeladis stood in front of me. But it wasn't what I thought
a Uni would look like (this was my first time seeing a real one). It wasn't
like the stubby ones I had seen on the site, it was as massive as a horse, with
angel wings. Magnificent is an understatement to such a creature.
"Hello," it said. "I am quite pleased to meet you." We all just stared at
it.
"Impressive, ain't she?" Valens said as she rubbed her hand on Infeladis'
head. "We've slain many an evil... but alas, all our thoughts are now solely
based on the legends around these parts."
"What legends?" Willie asked. I could hardly believe it, Willie being helpful
to the conversation!
"The main one is about this tree. This... is the Tree of Desolation. Many
myths say that this tree is the source of all evil, or at least contains it.
Something about the great fortress of evil, I can't clearly remember. Although
that would explain why the bad guys are shackin' up in there. Anyway, it's told
that to prevent the release of the evil, they locked the gate to the inside
with three magical gems, and hid them away. However, Atrox seems to be able
to control the seal with his black magic. So, there's your legend."
"So..." Willie interrupted, "We have to track down the three gems and get
them to unlock the gate for us. Sounds easy enough..."
"Ha. You're joking, right?" Valens merely mocked him. "They could be anywhere.
If you're going to try and track them down, you should try visiting the Prophet
in the village west of here. Don't expect finding an old man or anything, it's
just a talking, floating, seven foot tall crystal. Strange, I know, but what
isn't strange in this world?"
I said, "Good point, but a talking, floating, giant crystal? That's kinda
pushing it. Umm, so, I was wondering... will you... come with us?"
Valens sorrowly replied, "I'm sorry, but I can't. Aside from the fact that
I don't have a device like the ones you have, the Prophet said I would befall
a horrible fate if I went on a journey. Everything else the Prophet has said
to me has come true..."
"Wait, there's one thing you didn't explain," said Ryo. "What's with the giant
sword?"
"Oh!" she yelped. "I'm sorry, I forgot about that! It's all about a battle
that took place one-hundred years ago. A battle between the light beast, Touei
and the dark beast, Apokari. Touei used his magical sword on Apokari, and temporarily
defeated him. However, Apokari slowly formed a shell around himself, restoring
his body. Eventually, it turned into this tree. To this day, Touei's sword remains
in the shell. This entire forest is called The Horror Shell." Man, she talked
more than Sakari!
"Hey, I have a question!" Orichalkon yelled, obnoxiously as ever. "What's
with this whole dimension gate thingy?"
"I'm not too sure, but people say that the battle between the two beasts created
a massive force of energy that warped time and space itself! Yep, time too.
Things that occur here take up so little time out there, it's barely noticable
that any time passed. A day here would be a minute out there. Amazing, isn't
it? Perfect location for the bad guys' hide out, gives them all the time they
need." She was STILL talking! Jeez! Well, at least it was all useful, unlike
Willie's thoughts...
"This is all too much," Ritsuzen said, being the wisest of all the Neopets
there. "But... I guess we must do this."
"Right!" yelled Kyoutan. "Onto the Prophet!"
"Kyoutan, you're much too vibrant," Sakari mumbled.
"Aw, come on! You're not vibrant enough!"
Sakari countered back at him, "You under-react in the worst of situations!"
"You over-react!" We all had grins on our faces, rather enjoying the argument.
But Valens cleared her throat, and we all turned back to her.
"Although I cannot join you on your journey, I will help you in any way possible.
I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you come visit me again. My campsite
is just to the left from here in the rough."
"We will come to see you again," I said. We then turned our backs and headed
towards the time and space distortion. As we approached the gate, I heard Valens
yell out to us. She ran up to me, riding her Uni.
"Here, since you seem to be the leader, I'll give this to you." She tossed
me an amulet. "This has always protected me from danger. At this point, you
need it more than I do. May it bring you blessing." She glared at us slyly,
and vanished in a bang of smoke.
"Psh... show off," Sakari muttered under her breath.
"Oh, I get it," Ryo said. "You're jealous of her!" That cost Ryo an elbow
in the chest.
"I'm not jealous of anybody."
And so we continued on our way, with new knowledge and spirit in hand and
in heart. We all had the same thing on our minds: What would the Prophet tell
us?
To be continued... | 
