Struck by Darkness

     He had been walking for nearly half an hour now, from his Neohome on the outskirts of Neopia Central to the main shops, guided by his own light. The stars were blinking in the night sky and the streetlights were lit, but Keiro's shining aura rendered them redundant. Keiro was used to going out after dark, because he knew these streets, and he never got lost.

     Keiro was heading for the Food Shop to buy himself a hearty dinner. His legs were getting tired by now, but a good meal would surely bring back his energy. Having bought a plate of Spicy Wings with potato wedges and Beefy Broccoli, he sat down at a table outside the shop and ate eagerly. As he finished the last of his Potato Wedges, still casting his light over the whole street, a creeping shadow passed over the wall of the nearby General Store. Intent on his food, Keiro did not notice.

     The Bruce picked up a Chocolate Milkshake as he passed the Food Shop again, now ready to begin his journey home. He loved to tour Neopia Central at night, watching the wild Spyders busily spinning their webs in the alleyways, listening to the Urchulls' loud cries as they scurried up and down the tree branches. While he was sometimes followed by Flightning Bugs on his evening strolls, as they swarmed around his glowing body, attracted by the light, Keiro didn't mind in the slightest. He was perfectly safe, as long as his bright green light kept shining.

     But that was all about to change.

     Keiro turned as he passed the Book Shop. Despite his dazzling glow, there was a dark shadow on the wall. Nothing was there to cast the shadow, and it seemed to be shifting slightly like mist in a light breeze. Keiro was curious. Was it a Dark Faerie? But Dark Faeries rarely left the Faerieland Underclouds. Puzzled, Keiro shrugged and walked on.

     As he turned away, the shadow suddenly moved. Keiro saw it out of the corner of his eye and turned back, but the shadow was gone. As the Bruce made to keep walking, he saw the shadow right in front of him, suspended in the air, much larger than it had been before - a pool of blackness that deadened the light of the streetlamps, the lit windows, even Keiro's own bright green glow.

     Keiro was suddenly frightened. He backed away, but the shadow approached nearer, growing larger still. The Bruce stumbled back and collided with a low tree branch, falling forwards and landing right in the heart of the dark shadow. It fell over his eyes like a veil, blinding him completely as he hit the ground. He tried to yell, but he couldn't hear his own voice.

     As he landed face down in the grass, gasping and spluttering, a low and menacing female voice rang in his ears: 'Did you really think you were safe? You have come to the Neopian Shops at night for months, where you knew I was waiting. You knew this was my home, my territory! Did you really think you were safe from me?'

     Keiro tried to struggle to his feet, but he was shaking too badly to take his own weight. He knew who the speaker was. It was the Shadow Usul, who wandered the same streets of Neopia Central, at the same time as Keiro did. And Keiro understood - he could hear it in that dark, deadly voice - that his nighttime journeys to Neopia Central were over.

     Keiro stopped trying to get to his feet and lay there with his eyes tight shut, waiting for the blow to fall. He heard the Shadow Usul let out a terrible laugh, then a chill wind picked up his downy feathers and blew them about as the Shadow Usul rushed away. He could hear her cackles fading into the distance and opened his eyes.

     Everything was dark. Keiro tried to get up, still shaking, but he couldn't see where he was putting his feet. He tripped over and crashed to the ground again. At first he thought the Shadow Usul was still right beside him, casting her shadow over his eyes - but then he realised that he could see the stars and the streetlights. He had not lost his vision. He had lost his light.

     Terrified, Keiro raised his arm and passed it in front of his eyes. It obscured the streetlights and the shop windows, covering them with a trembling silhouette. He was no longer casting a bright green glow over his surroundings. He had changed colour. Slipping and stumbling to the nearest streetlight, he saw by its soft amber glow that he had turned Green.

     The Bruce collapsed onto the ground again, this time from shock. Without his light to guide him, how was he going to find his way back home? He had no lamp, and many of the streets he had to travel through had no streetlights to help him find his way.

     In desperation, Keiro headed to the Rainbow Pool. He hoped there would be somebody else there to help him, a Neopet or a Petpet whose bright green aura had not been extinguished by the Shadow Usul. But the Rainbow Pool was completely deserted. Keiro buried his face in his arms, bitterly disappointed. He knew the Neolodge was closed now, and in any case he had only brought enough Neopoints to buy his dinner. He was completely helpless.

     Keiro realised that his only hope was to spend the night in one of the shops, then set off at dawn to return home. He stumbled blindly back to the Food Shop, which was open twenty-four hours a day, and was almost there when he saw a light bobbing towards him through the street.

     As Keiro stared, the little light came nearer. A small white paw loomed out of the darkness, holding a lamp. Keiro's fear ebbed away as a young Cybunny walked up to him, dressed in fluffy orange nightclothes, with a Friendly Glowing Lantern in one hand. 'My name is Quinnie,' said the Cybunny. 'Who are you?'

     'K-K-Keiro,' stammered the Bruce, stunned. Help had come just when he needed it, and he could hardly believe his luck.

     'What happened?' asked Quinnie. 'There was a Glowing Bruce at the shops before, I saw him through my window, but then I heard someone laughing and the light went out. Was that you?'

     Keiro felt faint. 'It - it was the Shadow Usul,' he said, 'She turned me Green... I found my way here by my own light. How am I supposed to get home again?'

     Quinnie looked sympathetic. 'How far away is your home?'

     'About half an hour's walk,' said Keiro.

     The Cybunny sighed. Then she gestured over her shoulder and said, 'You could always stay in my place for the night. It's just around the corner, in the street behind the shops. The Neolodge is closed, so my house is probably the best option.'

     Keiro gazed at Quinnie in astonishment. He really couldn't believe his good fortune. He usually felt uncomfortable about receiving gifts and favours, but he felt it would be rude of him to refuse, so he said, 'Thank you so much, I'd really appreciate that,' and permitted Quinnie to lead him into the next street, where she had a small two-storey stone house.

     Despite his ordeal, Keiro felt happy as he curled up on the sofa in Quinnie's tiny lounge room. He was safe now, and in the morning he would be able to find his way home again. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep, secure in the knowledge that although there are some nasty villains in Neopia, the kindness of good citizens makes it all worthwhile.

The End