The Marked Ones: Part Two

     "Hey, Dad," she said, "Do you have any left over giant potato sacks?"

     "Yeah, here." He handed her one. "Why do you need it?"

     She paused. "I need it to collect firewood."

     "Okay, but be careful while you collect it," he said, giving her a long hard look.

     "I will. Thank you," she said, walking away. "Oh and Dad, I love you!" she said as she ran back and gave him a hug.

     Later, while the rest of the family was outside, she went into her parents' room to see if she could find any useful weapons. To her surprise she found a small stash of weapons hidden under the bed, which were most likely her mother's. She took three things which she thought would be useful: a Sturdy Blue Sword, a Camouflage Potion, and a Meridell Shield. She then went into the kitchen and took a small amount of food and put it in her sack along with the weapons. In her room she found one Healing Potion III and her wallet, which didn't have much money in it, and placed them the bag also. She hid the bag under her bed and waited for the night.

     "Good night Eric! I love you!" Ally said that night.

     "I love you too!" he said and gave her a big hug.

     She paused next to Jason's bed and did something she didn't usually do. She gave Jason a hug and crawled under her own covers.

     Ally lay in bed for hours, pretending to sleep. She was beginning to doubt her plan, but she was still determined. When she thought that it was safe for her to sneak out, she quietly got out of bed. She tried to pull the bag out from under her bed, but it made a noise. She froze as she heard someone move in bed. She stayed frozen for a few more minutes and then tried again to get the bag out and it came out smoothly.

     Ally tip-toed to the wooden door, carrying the bag in her arms. She slowly opened the door and the cold air chilled her. She dropped the bag and it made a loud clunking noise. Ally froze again, but luckily it didn't seem like anyone heard it. She raced back inside and grabbed her biggest coat and closed the door quietly. Then she began her journey.

     She walked behind bushes and trees so that if someone did wake up they wouldn't see her. There were two places she could go to begin her journey, and neither of them were close. She could either go to Illusen, or to the Darigan Citadel. She chose the Darigan Citadel.

     Suddenly she heard something rustle behind her. She stopped and turned around. She didn't see anyone or anything except trees, bushes, and in the distance, her village. She reached inside the bag, which was quite heavy, found the sword and held it tight. If any danger came near she would pull it out and scare them away with it. At least that was all she hoped she would have to do. She continued walking; after about ten minutes she heard it again. Something was rustling behind her.

     "Who's there?" Ally whispered fiercely. A figure emerged from behind a tree and Ally pulled out her sword. "Stay back!" she called, her heart pounding.

     "Stop it," the figure said, "It's just me, Jason. What do you think you're doing out here at night!" he yelled in a whisper.

     Ally caught her breath. "Thank you for being you!" she said and ran up to him, "I was so scared!" She gave him a hug, but he pushed her away.

     "We're going home," he said and turned around.

     "No, we're not. You can go, but I'm not!" Ally said, angrily. She stuffed the sword back into her sack and began to run from her brother.

     "Come back!" he yelled, as he ran after her. After they covered a long distance, he finally caught her. "What was that all about?" he asked.

     "I'm not going home yet," Ally said, and sat down on a log, out of breath.

     Jason saw the determination in her face. "Would you like to tell me what's going on?"

     Ally shook her head no, but after some persuasion she told Jason the whole story. Jason was actually interested in the story. "Let me see your wrist," he told her. He could see the mark glowing faintly. After looking at it for a while he said, "So you actually think you can do something about this?" Ally nodded her head yes.

     To Ally's surprise, Jason smiled and sat down on the log with her. "You know you can't do this alone," he said. "I'll help you." He stood up and looked around. "So where are we headed?"

     "Wait a minute," Ally said, confused. "Why do you want to help me? I thought you'd be angry and want to take me home."

     "I'm sick and tired of home! The attacks are just going to keep happening because nobody is doing anything. If we can stop the attacks everyone will be happy and we will be heroes!" Jason said.

     "Okay, then! Let's go!" Ally said, leading the way. She never would have expected her brother to have such a positive reaction! "So we are going to the Darigan Citadel. If Darigan's followers are planning a plan, that would be the perfect place to do it! How did you find me in the first place?"

     "Well," Jason said, "I heard a small noise, but I knew it was probably you so I didn't bother to get up. But then later I heard a loud clunk, so I got out of bed and saw you making your way toward the nearest tree, so I decided to follow you."

      They continued talking for a long time. They hadn't talked this much in three years!

     Ally couldn't stop yawning. "Can we sleep soon?" she asked Jason.

     "Sure," he said. "Once we reach that big tree over there, we can rest for the night."

     Soon they reached the tree and, after hugging good night, went to sleep. Ally was lying under a large leaf and Jason was sleeping on the other side of the tree.

     Ally awoke to a yell. "Get your hands off of me!" she heard Jason yell. She quickly took out the camouflage potion and swallowed a few drops. She crept out from under the leaf, invisible, and watched two Eyries dragging her brother away, while he tried to bite them and claw them. The Eyries were very strong, though, and her brother couldn't do much to stop them.

     She decided to follow the Eyries and see where they would lead her. That seemed like the smartest thing to do. She grabbed her sack and followed them, invisible. They were holding Jason so his head was in back of them. Ally walked right up next to him and whispered in his ear, so he knew she was there, keeping an eye on him.

     The Eyries walked for hours, but Ally kept up. She was very tired and the bag felt so heavy!

     Finally the Eyries stopped, and entered a hidden lair not far away from the Darigan Citadel.

     "What have you got there?" a thundering voice asked.

     "A prisoner," said one of the Eyries. "I believe that he is related to one of the marked ones."

      "I see," said the voice, which belonged to a large Darigan Lupe. A long scroll was taken off the table and handed to the Eyries. "Tell me who he is related to." The Eyries found the description of Alana and handed it back to the Lupe.

     "Take him to Lord Kass!" roared the Lupe. "I will send a ransom letter to this Alana that says that if she doesn't come, her son will be killed! Although, when she comes, she will be killed!" The Darigan Lupe laughed, and the Eyries joined in.

     Ally jumped on her brother's back with her sack so she could see where they were taking him.

     "Geeze, this guy is heavier than I thought," one of the Eyries said as he lifted off into the air and flew toward the Darigan Citadel.

     Jason and Ally were brought to a large chamber where Lord Kass and Morguss were talking.

     "Take this Jason to the dungeons!" Lord Kass called. Ally decided to wait in the chamber, so she could hear what Lord Kass and Morguss were talking about.

     "So Morguss," Lord Kass said, "How are the world domination plans coming along?"

     "Great, my lord," she said, "I am already brewing some more powerful potions which will confuse kings and bewitch soldiers. We have tracked down at least half of the marked ones; they will not be a big problem, this time."

     Morguss talked of more plans and Ally listened well. When Morguss left the chamber, Ally slipped out too! She knew her brother would not be killed until her mother came, so Ally ran as fast as she could back to Meridell; it took her two days. When she reached her house, everybody was in a panic. By now the camouflage potion had worn off, so Ally wasn't invisible any more.

     "Mom!" she called.

     Alana rushed over to the door and saw Ally standing there. "Ally!" she called, "Where were you? Are you okay?"

     Ally told her mother the whole story.

     "So Jason is safe?" Alana asked.

     "Yes," Ally said reassuringly, "Don't respond to the note! It's a trap!"

     Out of nowhere Petunia the Pteri chimed in, "Oh, look, the little snoop is back! What a little rascal! You shouldn't just snoop off like that, you had your folks worried sick! And what about me? I was worried sick about you too! You little naughty girl! Alana, I think you need to teach her some more manners!"

     "Hello Petunia," Alana said with fake cheerfulness, "Do you think you could leave my daughter and me alone for a moment? We are having a private discussion."

     "Me? Leave? You want me to not be part of this conversation?" Alana and Ally both nodded. "Well okay then, I'll be back to check up on you in a bit. You'd better knock some sense into that girl, Alana!" Petunia said as she walked away, knocking on her head.

     After a little more talk, it was decided that Ally and Alana were going to find Illusen and tell her the news. Surely she could help!

     "Would you like to do a quest?" Illusen asked as Alana and Ally approached her clearing.

     "No," Ally said, and explained the story again. "Do you think you could help us?"

     "Of course," Illusen said, "Let me gather all of my faerie friends. We'll rescue your brother and overthrow Lord Kass and Morguss tomorrow! They are such nasty neopets." Illusen raced off.

     The next day they all met at Illusen's Glade.

     "Hello," Illusen said, "Look at everyone who is willing to help!" Illusen brought about a dozen Earth faeries, the battle faerie, and the soup faerie!

     "We found some neopets who are willing to help too," Alana said. About two dozen neopets were standing with Ally and Alana. Some of them were marked and some were not.

     "This is great! I devised a plan," said Illusen. "Look at this," Illusen continued as she unrolled an organized green scroll. They studied the plan and were off!

     They began the attack on Lord Kass and his minions! After a couple weeks, Lord Kass was defeated. He had no chance against faerie power and determined neopets, although Morguss had some good tricks up her sleeve.

     The earth faeries found the cave where the Darigan Lupe and Eyries were hiding with some other followers and made a very strong wall out of vines that surrounded all the cave entrances. Then the faeries held a surprise attack at the Darigan Citadel and captured Lord Kass, Morguss, and the other neopets that were important to Lord Kass.

     Meanwhile, Lord Kass's minions that were not captured by the faeries were fighting Alana and the neopets which were helping her. The good neopets won that battle!

     Once the faeries had Lord Kass, Morguss, and a few other neopets of importance captured, they lowered them into the giant lava pit outside of Darigan Citadel. Massive iron bars, which were bewitched to be melt resistant, were placed above the pit to form a dungeon.

     Lord Kass's followers were checked for potions that would have made them join Lord Kass, and the ones that were found guilty of being a true follower were placed in jail.

     Morguss was the only real challenge! She had some pretty advanced potions that made some faeries confused, and other potions that were like a thick fog which the faeries couldn't easily see through.

     Illusen rewarded Alana, Ally, Jason, and all the other neopets who helped in the war against Kass with a gift from her glade.

     Alana was able to give back all the stolen items which protected Meridell and there was no more poverty!

     Back at home, Ally found Eric sitting all alone peering our the window.

     "Eric!" she called.

     Eric gasped. "Ally, you're all right! I missed you so much!"

     "I missed you too," she said, giving him a big hug! "Is Dad alright?" she continued.

     "Yeah," Eric said.

     "Lead the way to him!" Ally said, following Eric through the house.

     "Look Daddy, Ally's back!" Eric called.

     The family had a big, long talk about what happened and luckily, Ally didn't get in trouble for running away.

     Their family became the village heroes, just like Jason wanted! A big celebration was held. At the beginning Ally, Alana, and Jason explained what happened and the villagers were in awe. Alana also gave a few safety tips. The villagers finally had a fun, care free day. But more important than that, Ally's family became closer than they ever were before. Jason changed from a stiff, hard hearted Lupe, to a friendly, outgoing Lupe and he spent more time with his siblings. Ally's parents could spend more time with her and her brothers because they didn't have to work as hard for money as before. They also fixed up their cottage and replaced all the burned furniture. Ally and her brothers even got their own room!

The End