MAGISTER WALLY OPENED his eyes and blinked, because of the sunlight bathing
the small, white room where he lay. Spots, again from the light, blurred his
vision. He shut his eyes again to let them rest, then, opened them again. He
looked around. Medicine cabinets lined the white walls, counters went all the
way around room, a sink about every five feet around. Along with that were many
beds, some containing Neopets, all seemingly sick. This was a hospital. Where?
The Lost Desert was the most obvious answer to that. That's because that was
where Coltzan's ghost mauled him. Right?
"I must go see the princess," he said. He tried
to sit up, and was successful, in spite of a sharp pain which immediately ran
through his back.
He walked to a door and exited the room. "This
is the palace," he said, and navigated himself the throne room, where he
saw Vyssa sitting on her jewelled chair. He walked toward her, taking off his
hat as he went.
"I see you are feeling better, Magister," said
Vyssa, in her usual royal tone of voice.
"Yes, princess. How long have I been comatose?"
"Three and a half weeks."
"I see. My lord, I am ready to go back to your
father's shrine."
"No, Magister. You have just woken, you are
not ready yet."
"Give me a good meal and send me on my way to
the shrine." He stared at her in her eyes. "Please, I want to get this done
as soon as possible."
"Why is that?" asked Vyssa, puzzled.
"I want to head up to Tyrannia to see if they
did away with that egg yet."
"I see. Well, then, since it is near noon, I'll
have a lunch prepared for you, then I'll allow you to go to the shrine."
"Thank you, princess."
"Oh, you are quite welcome."
She got up and led him to the dining hall. There,
the two sat down next to each other and waited for one of Vyssa's chefs to come
and wait on them. One soon came.
"I'll have a grackleberry sandwich," the Magister
told the chef.
"And what will you be having, my lord?" asked
the chef of Vyssa.
"Nothing, sir, thank you."
The chef strode away. The pair sat and waited,
the sandwich was made quickly, and was eaten just as quickly. Vyssa saw him
to the door of her palace.
"I shall send two of my soldiers with you, all
right?"
"Yes," said the Magister plainly.
"Fare you well, Magister. Please return after
your deed is done."
"Of course, princess. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Magister."
He walked off into the afternoon sun with the
two soldiers, Fremen and Cancert. Soon enough, they arrived at the shrine, Magister
Wally looked up at the dark circling clouds, then backed away, to see the entire
cloud formation over the shrine. He looked hard at the clouds for a moment,
then he turned to the soldiers and said: "Do you know what kind of clouds these
are?"
"Nooo," said Cancert.
"Why would we know?" asked Fremen.
"These," started Wally, "Are cumulous clouds,
now look and see what they are connected to."
The pair of soldiers looked up, along the cloud
wall, and at the top, saw a continuous bolt of lightning. "They are connected
to a lightning bolt," said Fremen.
"Correct. Now, what is the lightning connected
to?"
The pair looked higher up, and saw a large,
circular formation in the sky, actually in space, but still close to the planet.
"I don't... know," said Cancert, hesitantly.
"What about you, Fremen?" asked the Magister
slyly.
"I don't now either, Magister."
"That, my feeble minded soldiers, is VirtuPets."
Just as the Magister said that, a small bird
came flying threw the thick, artificial clouds and landed on Wally's hand. The
bird had a note attached to it, which Magister Wally removed and read.
Magister Wally:
As the crisis here in Terror Mountain unfolds,
we are beginning to think that we cannot defeat the Lupe's. We have just launched
a surprise attack with all of our men against one of their arenas, where a hanging
was about to be performed. It turns out that Kay and Brian were those to be
hung, yet they safely escaped and came to me. Boy, it was a joyful reunion.
Any how, the pair tell me that the Lupe's have taken the egg and plan to dispose
of it when they send their invasion army to Tyrannia. We all need you here and
hope to the Faerie Queen that you arrive soon and give us council.
Jellybraun
"How the events unfold... Men take me back to
the palace now."
"But, aren't you going to take care of the problem
here?" asked Cancert.
"Yes, but not now. Besides, when I arrive at
Terror Mountain and we take care of business, I may be able to take a ride up
to VirtuPets and get this straightened out."
The threesome set off to the palace. It was
evening when they arrived and the lights of Sakhmet seemed to make it daytime,
at least inside the city. All the busy hustle and bustle had not toned down
just yet, to add to the daylight affect. They came to the palace and were greeted
warmly by Princess Vyssa. Magister Wally explained his situation to her.
"Hmm," she said. "Well then, you may go tomorrow,
but I must first call on Brucey."
"Why is that?" asked Wally.
"I'll send our grand army to Terror Mountain
with you. I won't allow you to journey there alone. Besides, by the state of
things described in he letter, I feel that they may be needing some help. What
better army, besides the Neopia Senate Army, is there to help than ours? We've
overcome the strongest of enemies, so we certainly can take on some Lupe's."
"Excellent! Thank you!"
"Now rest, tomorrow will be a groundbreaking
day for all of Neopia. Tomorrow, is the first time in Neopian history that war
allies will be made, and it seems you and I will be credited for it. As an afterthought,
I may come with you, for diplomatic purposes."
"Yes, my lord. I shall take my leave now, goodnight."
"Goodnight, Magister."
To be continued... | 
