Behind the Destroyer by tdyans |  |
The door to the humble cottage swung open and a young
blue Wocky stormed out. “Fine then!” he shouted back into the house. “I don’t
need any of you! I’m running away!” With that, he slammed the door behind him
so that the whole cottage shook and stomped off through the pumpkin patch.
Inside the tiny home, the Wocky’s mother, grandfather,
and little sister stood in shock at the outburst for a moment before his mother
finally spoke pleadingly to his grandfather. “Oh, shouldn’t we go after him?
What if he gets lost in the Haunted Woods?”
But the grandfather just sighed and shook his
head. “Xavier can take care of himself. And he’s threatened to run away plenty
of times before and always come back. He just needs to learn his place, dear.”
He turned away and went back to his work, trying to hide his own apprehension
for his daughter’s sake.
While the young Wocky’s mother continued to
wring her apron nervously over her son’s anger, the door of the cottage swung
open and closed again, this time quietly. Xavier stopped his angry stomping
for a moment to look back and see his little sister Annie running to catch up
with him. He turned back around and continued on, pretending not to have noticed
her. “Xavier, wait!” the little female Wocky called out, panting, as she followed
at his heels.
“Leave me alone, Annie!” Xavier snapped. “Why
do you always have to tagalong everywhere?”
“Xavier,” Annie persisted, “You’re not really
going to run away, are you?”
“And why shouldn’t I?” Xavier demanded, spinning
around so suddenly that Annie ran into him and fell back onto the ground. “Grandfather
expects me to spend the rest of my life in the Haunted Woods farming pumpkins!”
In his outrage, he aimed a hind paw at a large pumpkin beside him, kicking it
with all his might but ending up hurting himself more than the pumpkin. This
only served to increase the frustrated anger in his voice. “I’m not going to
get stuck here for the rest of my life, Annie! I want to be famous and powerful
someday, not some stupid pumpkin farmer in the middle of nowhere like Grandfather!
And I guess running away is the only way to do that...”
“But Xavier, you can’t run away,” Annie whined,
her lower lip beginning to quiver. “You’re my best friend. Grandfather and Mama
just need more help since Papa...” her voice trailed off as tears clogged her
throat, but she sniffed them back and continued, “Maybe if you just talk to
Grandfather, you could work with him for a few more years, and then he’ll let
you go...”
But Xavier just shook his head and spun around
again to continue his journey. “It won’t work Annie, and anyway, it’s too late.
I’ve made up my mind, and I’m leaving!” He was almost a full-grown Wocky by
now, after all, and he could make his own decisions, but Grandfather didn’t
see that. He just continued to treat Xavier like a little cub, but Xavier would
show him.
Annie continued to follow after him, but Xavier
just ignored her, waiting for her to get tired and head back home. Suddenly,
he ran into something that stood in his path and stumbled back a little, looking
up to see what it was. Before him stood a tall blue Chia with slick black hair
and a thin black moustache, glowing red eyes, and gleaming fangs, all wrapped
in a black cape. Xavier heard Annie shriek behind him and go running through
the pumpkin patch back toward the cottage. He, on the other hand, found himself
fixed to the spot with his mouth hanging open at the sight of this strange Chia.
“Hello there, my young fellow,” the Chia spoke
in an oily voice, an evil smirk spread across his face. “I couldn’t help but
overhear you, and I believe that I--the great and powerful Hubrid Nox--may
be just the answer to your troubles.”
Xavier eyed the Chia suspiciously. “I’ve never
heard of any Hubrid Nox,” he said, drawing up some courage, or perhaps just
foolishness, in the face of the frightening-looking stranger. “What can you
do for me?”
“Never heard of Hubrid Nox?” the Chia asked,
his red eyes glittering menacingly. “You will, my boy, you will. As for what
I can do for you...” he trailed off, considering, and then grinned, snapping
his fingers at the young Wocky
Xavier gave him a sceptical look, but suddenly,
something felt very strange. Xavier looked down at his feet to see that they
were no longer standing firmly on the ground--he was floating in mid-air! He
leaned forward a little and tumbled through the air, leaned to his right and
went zooming by, and then kicked off and went shooting up to the sky. “I’m flying!”
Xavier cried excitedly as he dove back down to float in front of Hubrid Nox.
“Yes, yes,” Hubrid said, waving his paw dismissively.
“That, my boy, is only a small sampling of my power. Imagine what I can do for
you! Someday I will be the most powerful and revered creature in all of the
Haunted Woods--in all of Neopia--my young Wocky!” He paused and put a cold
paw on Xavier’s shoulder. “And you, my promising young fellow, may be my right
hand Neopet and share in all of my fame and glory--if only you so choose.”
Xavier looked up at this powerful wizard in
awe, hearing the promises of the fulfilment of all of his dreams ringing in
his ears, but still he hesitated. “What do I have to do?” he asked.
“Only forget all of this--this family of yours,
this puny farm--and make me your one, true master,” Hubrid said, holding out
his paw to shake. “So what’LL it be, my boy? Stay here and rot as a hopeless
pumpkin farmer... or come with me and receive all the things that you know you
deserve from life?”
Xavier turned and looked back at the humble
cottage one last time and then looked Hubrid straight in the eye and took his
paw, shaking it firmly.
***
Years went by and Xavier watched Hubrid Nox grow from a little-known Chia
to the well-feared wizard he deserved to be. Hubrid went from living in a small,
dank cave, to building an elaborate mansion on the outskirts of the Haunted
Woods. The mansion was dark and foreboding, with tall turrets and glaring gargoyles--all of the things that Hubrid loved and that Xavier had learned to love along
with him. Hubrid Nox had many evil followers now that he had risen to power
and fame and his evil influence continued to grow, but through it all, Xavier
remained his most loyal follower, and he reaped the benefits of Hubrid’s evil
doings along with his dark master.
Under Hubrid Nox’s guidance, Xavier had grown
into a powerful warrior who delighted in the feeling of strength and superiority
that he got from destroying, from watching others’ helplessness in the face
of the power that Hubrid had given him. As Hubrid reminded him every day, they
were both rich, powerful, and famously feared--no creature in the Haunted Woods
would dare to cross their path--and someday they would rule all of Neopia together,
as two such great pets rightly deserved. So, with everything that he had ever
dreamed of in his paws, Xavier reveled in fulfilling his master’s orders, whether
it was causing havoc in the villages of the Haunted Woods, terrorising and even
destroying anyone Hubrid had a grudge against, or secretly delivering Hubrid’s
deadly inventions to the Hidden Tower.
Xavier had almost completely forgotten about
his past, his family, and everything else that Hubrid had demanded him to give
up in order to follow the evil Chia He couldn’t have even recalled the way back
to the tiny farm if he’d tried. But sometimes at night he had strange dreams
about thatched, straw walls; and the smell of pumpkins; and a little female
Wocky who followed him everywhere. On the mornings after he had these dreams,
however, Xavier did his best to quickly banish them from his mind and return
to Hubrid’s business. Using Xavier’s hopes and desires, Hubrid had created a
Neopet after his own heart--one who loved nothing more than evil and the destruction
of others.
This particular day seemed the same as any other
to Xavier as he headed to Hubrid’s private throne room according to his master’s
summons. As he strode into the cavernous room, he spotted Hubrid leisurely reclining
on his throne at the far end of the room with a familiar evil grin displaying
his ivory fangs. Xavier mirrored the Chia’s grin, his paw involuntarily gripping
the handle of his favourite weapon--the Noxious Ax that Hubrid had created
just for him--in anticipation of whatever delightfully vile task Hubrid had
chosen out for him today.
“Ah, Xavier, my good Wocky,” Hubrid said, as
Xavier finally managed to cross the room to stand before him obediently, “I
have a special task for us both today.”
Xavier nodded and bowed slightly. “I am here
to do your every bidding, Hubrid--as always.”
“Good, good,” Hubrid said thoughtfully, displaying
some emotion that Xavier couldn’t quite label despite following the Chia for
so many years. “You see, Xavier, the mansion that you and I have worked so hard
to earn is nearly complete... but I have decided that I do not like where it
is built. Hardly anyone can see us here and there’s not much room to expand,
as we surely will. Now, using my magical powers, I can easily move the mansion
to the perfect spot in the centre of the Haunted Woods that I’ve got picked
out... but we will have to remove a few--nuisances--first.”
Xavier nodded and followed Hubrid as the Chia
got up from his throne and marched out of the room. Using their shared ability
to fly, the two left the mansion and soared through the dark sky that always
rested over the Haunted Woods toward the place that Hubrid had designated as
his new home. “Ah, here it is!” Hubrid shouted over the wind, pointing down
at a small village that consisted only of a few humble cottages. Xavier zoomed
down behind him to land on a soft piece of ground that was covered in pumpkins.
Hubrid Nox wasted no time in beginning to use
his powers to send lightning-bolt-like zaps flying toward the tiny cottages
that stood all around them, reducing them one by one to mere piles of cinder
and ash. But Xavier hesitated, looking around as a strange feeling crept over
him in this place. There was something strangely familiar to him about it, almost
as if he had been here before, long ago. Suddenly, as he followed the aim of
Hubrid’s paw to the next house that he was planning to strike, he realise--that was his home, where his family lived!
“Hubrid, no!” Xavier cried out. The Wocky opened
his mouth to explain, but Hubrid turned to him, eyes shining excitedly and the
most sinister grin that Xavier had ever seen painted across his blue face, and
Xavier realised that Hubrid knew exactly whose home he was about to destroy.
“Noooooo!” Xavier screamed, running to grab the Chia’s arm and restrain him
from what he was about to do, but he was too late. With an evil cackle, Hubrid
Nox turned back to the little cottage and released a mighty bolt of energy from
his paws, leveling it to the ground in seconds.
Still screaming, Xavier launched himself at
the laughing wizard, tackling him to the ground and pummeling him with his paws
as tears streamed down his face. In the midst of his shock and grief, he remembered
nothing of the powers or weapons that Hubrid had given him over the years, simply
relying on the strength of his anger.
The Chia reached down to his belt and pulled
out a Noxious Blade, swinging it up to slash the Wocky’s right eye in defence.
Xavier fell back, clutching his eye with both paws as Hubrid pulled himself
up off of the ground. “Insolent Wocky!” he spat. “How dare you!”
Xavier looked up at him, panting and searching
for words amidst the emotions that swirled through his mind. “My family!” he
finally cried.
“You have no family, remember?” Hubrid snarled.
“Only me--I am your master!”
Xavier pulled himself up off of the ground and
growled, “No, you’re not--not any more!”
He turned and ran off toward the smoking piece
of ground where the cottage he’d grown up in had once stood, as Hubrid called
out after him, “Suit yourself, Wocky! I don’t need you, and you’ve shown me
now that you never deserved the power I gave you.” With that, the Chia turned
back to his work, delightedly destroying the cottages and their unlucky inhabitants.
As he drew near to the charred remains of his
old home, Xavier fell to his knees and began to sob. His family was gone and
he had no one left in the world--not even Hubrid. Worst of all, with the pain
that he felt welling in his heart, he realised the hurt that he had caused to
so many others in the pursuit of his master’s wishes and his own selfish goals.
He could never pay for the damage he’d done.
“Xavier?” a female voice asked quietly. Xavier
looked up to see a female Wocky slowly approaching him. “Xavier, is that you?”
Xavier wrinkled his brow, wondering why this
female Wocky, only an adult by a few years, seemed somehow familiar to him,
just as this place had. Then his mouth fell open in shock. “Annie?!” She nodded
at the name, and Xavier sprang to his feet to run and embrace his sister. “Oh
Annie, Annie, I was so afraid that you were gone, but you’re safe! Mother and
Grandfather--?”
But Annie shook her head at his implied question,
and Xavier felt his heart breaking again as he sunk back to his knees before
her. “Oh, Annie, I’ve made a terrible mistake--so many terrible mistakes.”
Annie didn’t quite seem to know what to say
to him as tears ran down her own face at the sudden loss of her mother and grandfather,
joined with the sudden reappearance of her lost brother, who was so very changed.
Noticing his eye, she reached out to touch his face. “Xavier, you’re hurt.”
But Xavier shied away from her comforting paw. “Xavier,” she tried again, “it’s
all right. You can put everything behind you and come and live with me now.”
Xavier’s tears stopped as he shook his head
resolutely. “No, Annie, I can never go back, not after everything I’ve seen
and done.”
Annie gasped. “You’re going to go back to Hubrid
Nox!?” she cried in shock.
“No,” Xavier nearly shouted in his rage at hearing
the name of his former master. “I’LL never go back to him. But I’ve done so
many horrible things. I know I can never set things right--but I have to try.”
With that, he got to his feet, dusted himself off, and turned to walk away from
his sister.
“No, Xavier, please!” Annie pleaded. “Please
don’t leave again!” But Xavier steeled himself against her cries. He was unworthy
to go back and live the normal, peaceful life that his sister deserved. He had
too things to make up for, not the least of which was the destruction of his
own family. As Annie watched, tears streaming from her eyes, Xavier, now sworn
to revenge against Hubrid Nox and every other evil-doer in Neopia, disappeared
into the darkness of the Haunted Woods.
***
Epilogue
So, after realising his mistake in leaving his family the first time, Xavier
left the only family he had remaining once again. Perhaps it was for the right
reasons this time, but it still stung deeply for his sister, who was now just
as alone in the world as he.
A few weeks after Xavier had disappeared into the woods, Annie went out to
the secluded spot that she had chosen for the grave site of her mother and grandfather
and found something new there. A stake had been driven into the ground between
the two simple graves, and a letter sat on the ground before it. Annie picked
up the letter and read Xavier’s confession of all of the horrible things that
he had done under Hubrid Nox--the things that he now felt he must atone for.
Teary-eyed by the time she finished reading, Annie bent down to look at the
stake, which had carved into it these words:
I have spent my life destroying for my own sake. Now, I vow that I shall forever
remain a Destroyer, but a destroyer of evil, for you:
Mother, Annie, and Grandfather.
Always,
Xavier
And so, when Annie heard of the dark and mysterious protector of good, MAGAX:
Destroyer, she knew exactly who he was. And she knew that she needed
to tell his story so that all of Neopia would know. She tells it also in the
hopes that he will read it and will know from it that she understands and that
she still loves him.
The End |
