Telltale the Darigan Dancer: Part Four

      Master Vex frowned. "Chantel, stop. You'll only get yourself hurt. Those bars are very strong; even Galgarrath couldn't pry them apart."

      "I DON'T CARE, VEX!" she shouted, and continued banging against the bars. "I want revenge. Soon I'll make Kass pay for what he's done, and then for stealing our Orb, I'll slay all of Meridell."

      Vex and Galgarrath were aghast. "Surely?" Vex questioned. "You never cared about Meridell that much."

      "Once I've destroyed Meridell, I'll take over Neopia, putting them in their places," she continued, her eyes burning. "I'll make everyone pay, Lisha, Jeran, Kass, even Morguss. I don't care of ANY of them! They'll be vanquished! Soon I WILL RULE NEOPIA!"

      Suddenly her eyes widened as the Orb continued working with her. She thought what was hurting, and the Orb angrily attacked her for not cooperating. Her head ached again as she doubled over, moaning. Galgarrath and Master Vex watched in horror.

      "Stop it, stop it!" she tried to cry, but her throat was sore. She felt the circlet around her head, and stared at a shard of mirror. The circlet was glowing. "Heathen object!" she cursed, and flung the circlet at the bars of the dungeon with all her might.

      It banged and didn't even dent as it began to float in mid-air. "That's what you get when a Spellcaster gives you a strange thing," the Mynci master explained as Chantel gently fondled the object. It was beautiful; she wanted it. With it she would have power, ultimate power...

      Suddenly she saw the images she had seen as a very young Aisha when she glimpsed the Orb that Lord Darigan would not let her touch. She saw her as the gypsy, Lord Kass, then she saw Morguss cackling.

      And then she saw the gold weaving patterns of the sun and moon. It stopped levitating and clattered to the ground.

      "So what is that?" Galgarrath questioned. Chantel was breathing heavily.

      "See the patterns, you two," she snarled, and held the object for Vex and Galgarrath to admire. They were slightly bickering about who would see it first until Chantel slapped them both across the faces and explained what it was.

      "The Orb, or at least a piece of it," she exclaimed. "We couldn't be able to break the full spell of the full Orb. This is just a fragment." She stared at it, waiting for a hint of greed. Nothing happened. She slumped on the ground in a confused state. "I don't get it. It was working fine when I wore the Orb."

      "Maybe you're special," Master Vex soothingly told her. "And why not? You be the daughter of Morguss, one of the great Magi Spellcasters there is in this medieval land. Come now, enough pondering."

      Chantel got up and extended her arms. Like a clock her right hand turned forward counter clockwise. It seemed to cut the air. A bracket of bright blue light appeared. Chantel pulled back her right hand. A stick of blue light. She turned her left hand so the objects were faced flat. It was a magical crossbow. She fired.

      The blue arrow sliced right through the bars and exploded in a series of sparkles. "Obviously I congratulate you of not making the bars magic resistant, Master Vex," she grinned to the baffled Mynci. She hurried out and stared upon the ground, watching as sword struck sword, and arrow struck arrow. One by one soldiers and knights crumpled to the ground or fell off their Unis.

      Suddenly she looked up to find Kass and Morguss. Morguss grinned and Chantel began deciphering the spell that formed on the hag's lips. The Nova Incantation. A Rod of Nova appeared from nowhere. She fondled it and began waving the rod. To Chantel's horror Nova stars fell from the sky, one by one, Super Nova and even Dark Nova. Chantel shot another magical arrow at a Dark Nova that was about to hit Galgarrath, who raised his blade in protection.

      "An army of great swordsmen and heroes is good enough, but you will need a touch of magic to counter anything in your path." The Court Dancer turned to see Zephyrne the Zafara Double Agent staring down at the sight.

      It was time that Zafara knew her place, Chantel thought. "And that's just what we'll do," she responded, and advanced a step forward as the spy turned.

      Zephyrne was stern. "If you must," she said. Suddenly Chantel found herself in a headlock with the swift Zafara's grasp. Quickly Chantel slipped the Orb from her long silky sleeves in front of the blank eyes.

      As she suspected Zephyrne grabbed it in a frenzy of greed. "It's mine, all mine..." she hissed. Chantel saw Master Vex stop Galgarrath from advancing. "Calm down, my friend," the Mynci exclaimed. "Look!"

      Zephyrne dropped the Orb, which performed it's levitating spinning tricks again, a ball of light forming in the middle. Master Vex let his rod rest and curiously peered at the circle of light as the Zafara Double Agent began to stammer.

      "It's Zephyrne!" the cellblock expert whispered to the Grarrl swordsman. "Great Borovan, the Spellcaster mage was right!"

      Chantel decided to use some tactics she had learned from her mother AND her pesky little rival. "Surprised, Zephyrne?" she sneered. "That's you. Now let the good magic of the Orb seep into your mind!"

      She glared at the Orb. "Now! Double Agent, your time is up!" she cried, and the Orb stopped spinning, green flames engulfing Zephyrne helplessly. Grinning the Aisha pointed at Zephyrne began to spellcast, silently and reluctantly thanking Lisha, and altered the words a bit.

      "That which is hidden cannot hide," she chanted. Like before the green glow slightly flared up. "Where there is truth, lies cannot abide. You from Lord Kass, I must wean. Double Agent Zephyrne," she paused, "LET IT BE SEEN!"

      Instead of the green flames rising and surrounding a brilliant white light began to surround Zephyrne. Through the battle cries the Zephyrne in the circlet spoke, and the Zafara was staring in space, her mouth open and her eyes wide.

      Meanwhile Chantel, Master Vex and Galgarrath were spotted by some Eyrie soldiers. "Stop right there!" one of them said, and soon the trio were attacked by a dozen of Darigan soldiers.

      Chantel threw a purple fireball at one, who was immediately knocked down. Galgarrath swung his sword high, and Master Vex swung his rod expertly, knocking down many soldiers at a time. When they were done Chantel cast her magical crossbow and chanted furiously. A Rod of Dark Nova appeared, which she took and used as an arrow instead. Each Nova heading for a Meridellian vanished into thin air as the Nova shot past. The Rod of Dark Nova landed in a forest, and a figure picked it up. Chantel squinted. She gasped.

      There stood a fallen bat-creature, Lord Darigan. Chantel's mouth fell open in shock; it was him! IT WAS ACTUALLY HIM! There was a groan behind her as Zephyrne staggered back to her feet, then smiled. A new expression was decorated on her face. "Thank you," she said with happy tears brimming down her cheeks. "Thank you all."

      "So you finally got up from your deep sleep?" Chantel joked. "It's not only you, Zephyrne. Look who waves the Rod of Dark Nova."

      Everyone turned. They gasped. "Is that... is that Lord Darigan?" Zephyrne asked in disbelief.

      "Aye, so it is! It is!" Galgarrath cheered.

      Zephyrne grinned. "I'll help you guys in battle, as soon as I send Kass, no, COWARD Kass to the battlefield." She opened the door. "Good luck to you all."

      Soon the warrior, the master, and the dancer were on the field. Already Kass' minions and warriors had spotted Lord Darigan standing there, and swords clattered to the ground. "For Lord Darigan!" Chantel screamed, and shot three arrows at a group of Eyries.

      * * * * * * * *

     Soon Meridell found themselves in luck. Some whom had fought with Darigan were fighting against minions of Kass, giving the war cry of their Redeemed Lord. Chantel's magical weapon had been sliced by a crafty Darigan Skeith spearer. She had nearly turned him to dust with a magical blazing spell until another bow had shot the Kass minion. She turned to see a Meridell Blue Wocky with a crossbow. He grinned.

      "Need help?" he asked. Chantel grabbed a crossbow from a fallen Kass archer and soon Meridellian and Darigan expert archers were back to back, shooting. Soon arrows were decorating the battlefield, along with spears, halberds, lances, swords, axes and pikes. The Aisha couldn't help smiling as she saw Zephyrne use her spellcasting to fling a blue fireball at Kass. The Zafara jumped and kicked him. He fell into the battlefield, slightly wounded.

      Now was her time of vengeance. "For my father!" she screamed, and a halberd appeared in her hand. Her father's magical halberd. It flared in purple flames. Chantel yelled angrily and gripped it tightly as she charged for the panic-stricken Warlord, who shrank back in fear.

     Before she could charge, she was hit by a Nova. It gave time for Kass to run with his sword and head for the famed Sir Borodere, Jeran, dangling off the Citadel. Chantel glanced what hit her. Morguss.

     "Are you brave, little one, or just stupid?" the hag sneered. "You'll never get anywhere near Kass. We'll rule Meridell, and soon I'll let you do anything you want!" She cackled evilly just as Lord Darigan stepped from his hiding place.

      "Morguss!" he snapped. The Moehog screamed and backed away, cornered to a tree. Chantel stepped forward, my eyes blazing, gripping the halberd, and held it forward. She shut her eyes in deep meditation, and the purple flames slowly died down to gentle burning.

      "All that you've done wasn't that of your bidding," Chantel spoke softly. "Let him judge."

     The purple flames widened, shaping into the body of a flaming Aisha. Chantel though she heard the flames chuckle, and soon Morguss let out a long sigh, falling to the ground.

     "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she murmured, and fell unconscious. The halberd turned into green flames and began flowing at Morguss. Chantel grinned. That was her victory...and her fathers. She turned to Lord Darigan and bowed.

      "I believe you have something to do, my Lord," she said, and turned just to see in her chagrin Jeran being flung off the Citadel. Anger welled inside her. "Destroy Kass, please, my Lord," she whispered. She watched as an Air Faerie darted past, her hands glowing as Jeran levitated. Chantel's copper-brown hair flowed as Lord Darigan appeared right in front of Lord Kass.

* * * * * * * *

     It was a never-to-forget battle. Kass had vanished, and mysteriously so had The Three. Morguss was a lot more kinder to Chantel and others.

      "Do forgive me, dear Chantel," she said sadly. "I didn't mean to be so harsh. It's just the curse; it spread quickly!"

      Chantel was stunned at the gentleness in Morguss' voice. "That's okay...mother," she replied, throwing her arms around the elderly Moehog, who looked so much younger. Lord Darigan smiled.

      "The truce will continue, we will live at our own stake. The treaty will last forever and ever, and peace will reign on in our land. How does that sound, Lady Chantel?"

      "Be proud, child," Morguss whispered. "It's not everyday that Lord Darigan crowns a child a Lady."

      The Aisha screamed with joy and spun her friends around in a happy dance.

- THE END -

Author's Note: And so ends the tale about the Court Dancer, about the Orb, about the truth. To us Lord Darigan had been evil, but then consider that Darigan and Kass, maybe they think the same about Meridell? That Meridell is evil since they stole the Orb. To our eyes almost anything is evil, some villains like Dr. Sloth we consider, ehh...

Bah! Back to my note. Chantel, Chantel's dad, Zephyrne, Zephyrne's mom and dad are all made up names (and some made-up characters). I hope you enjoyed this story about my view on the Court Dancer, I hope you want to play Whack-a-Morguss (just kidding!) and you can Neomail me with some comments, questions, pat my Droolik Odie on the head or give me cheese. The last two are optional. Thank you for reading!

 ~HTML