The Faerie of Ars Arcanium: Part Two

      ”What do you mean she's the key to it?!" Sinisal said in bewilderment. She hadn't expected it to be this easy and truthfully neither did Diakumablo, although he tried to appear like he did.

      "Exactly what I said." Zyerii said. Alyss looked down at her feet uncomfortable with being the centre of attention. "You see, I initially didn't come here because of the problems with magic. That only became my goal when I ran into Alyss here. As you can see, Alyss is a typeless Faerie, but she says she's been having dreams about a place called Ars Arcanium and she explained to me what Ars Arcanium is." Zyerii explained.

      "I think, Ars Arcanium may have something to do with what kind of Faerie I am destined to be." Alyss said.

      "Dreams, huh? I don't suppose these dreams showed you a way to get to Ars Arcanium, did they?" Diakumablo wrote out on a note which he handed to Alyss.

      "Well, if my dreams showed me that I should be able to reopen the portal there in the Faeire Queen's Castle. I need to see Her Majesty, Queen Fyora to tell her. But my mother hasn't been able to take me, the magic crisis is consuming all of her time." Alyss said, seemed not to question why Diakumablo hadn't simply said something instead.

      "Which is my she's with me," Zyerii took over. "I'm taking her there instead."

      Sinisal and Diakumablo looked at each other and a silent agreement passed through them.

      "We'll come with you. Safety in numbers and all. Surely if you can reopen the portal, Alyss that you wouldn't want to go alone." Sinisal said.

      "Well, no. I am really grateful that you are both willing to come with me." Alyss said.

      "I am too, although I had a feeling the two of you would want to come. That's why I got your attention in the first place. I'd feel better with you two around." Zyerii admitted. Diakumablo smiled knowingly if as to say, naturally and the four of them set off towards Faerie City and the Faerie Queen's Castle.

      It was easier than usual getting into the castle with everything going on. All the guards were very flustered and distracted so it was easy to pass them by and not to get stopped by them. But getting an audience with Queen Fyora wasn't quite as easy, the guards at the door scoffed when they heard them state their business.

      "Look here. Her Majesty doesn't have time for a bunch of Neopets and a young Faerie who claim that they can solve the magic crisis just because of one Faerie's dreams." One of the guards stated rather brusquely.

      "Oh really? What if it happens to be the way to solve the magic crisis after all? You'd be the ones who obstructed the solution and the end of all magic would have been all your fault." Zyerii replied in a slightly cheeky manner.

      "Why you little!" The other guard on the door growled at Zyerii.

      "Enough! Please, let them in." A firm voice said. The doors to Her Majesty's throne room were open and there was Her Majesty, Queen Fyora herself, standing at the door way. The guards quickly shuffled out of the way. "Come." Queen Fyora said to the group. She returned to the throne in the room as the group came into the room and the doors closed behind them.

      All four bent to kneel when Queen Fyora stopped them.

      "Never mind that young Neopets and Faerie. Was what you said true?" She said. Diakumablo, Sinisal and Zyerii all turned to look at Alyss and Alyss nodded shyly.

      "I-it is, Your Majesty." Alyss said.

      "We wouldn't have brought her here to you if it wasn't, Your Majesty." Sinisal said. Queen Fyora studied the four of them, especially Alyss for a while before speaking again.

      "Young Faerie, what is your name?" Queen Fyora asked.

      "My name is Alyss, Your Majesty." Alyss replied.

      "I believe that your dreams may be Dreams of Destiny." Queen Fyora stated. Diakumablo flapped his wings in surprise which caught Queen Fyora's attention. Diakumablo, seeing that Queen Fyora's eyes were on him quickly signed to her.

      "Do you mean that Destiny Dreams are real? I always thought they were a myth!"

      "Many do think that Dreams of Destiny or Destiny Dreams are a myth and in a way they are. But not for typeless Faeries. You see, all typeless Faeries have had dreams guiding them to what they were meant to be. Aethia dreamed of the Swords of Fire and Ice like Valeane before her and Mira dreamed of protecting Neopia beyond the boundaries of the sky. If Alyss is dreaming of Ars Arcanium, this may mean that the current Guardian is no longer able to be the Guardian. That must mean that you, Alyss are destined to be the next Guardian Faerie of Ars Arcanium. If that is so, the closed portal to Ars Arcanium should reopen for you." Queen Fyora said.

      "Wow, it's just like you said you saw in your dream, Alyss." Zyerii said.

      "I-I suppose." Alyss said, her voice quavering a little. Queen Fyora rose from her throne and headed to a door that wasn't the central door.

      "Come this way. This way is where the portal to Ars Arcanium is. If what you say about your dreams is true and you are indeed meant to be the next Guardian, the portal there should open back up to you." She said and went through the door. Alyss hesitated for a bit before following her with the three Neopets following behind her.

      They entered a small room with walls that swirled with many colours that seemed pretty empty and barren.

      "This was where the portal used to be." Queen Fyora explained. "The walls were made to reflect the look of the Ars Arcania."

      "So, the Ars Arcania would basically be an orb swirling with many colours?" Zyerii said tentatively.

      "Yes exactly. That's all the many different colours of magic within it." Queen Fyora replied. "Now, Alyss. Would you please stand here? This was where I would stand if I wanted the portal to open. I have tried many times since all magic started to fail, but it has stayed shut towards me."

      Alyss nodded slowly and shakily made her way over to the spot Queen Fyora indicated. It was obvious that she was very nervous and it was no surprise that she was, Diakumablo thought to himself. Alyss had the Queen's hopes on her shoulders at this very moment. Alyss stood in the right spot and turned to where Queen Fyora pointed, indicating where the portal would appear. Nothing happened for a few moments until suddenly there was a bright flash of light and a round portal spiralled open.

      "So it is true!" Sinisal breathed.

      "This, is the solution to the magic crisis... At last..." Queen Fyora said quietly.

      "I'm one step closer to finding my purpose, my destiny!" Alyss said in delight. Her nervousness was forgotten in favour of her elation at her deepest wishes coming true.

      "Alyss, we must prepare you to take over the role of Guardian Faerie of Ars Arcanium. I will provide you with some of my guards." Queen Fyora said.

      "Oh please, Your Majesty. I would rather if my new Neopet friends would be my guards." Alyss said.

      "What? Why us, Alyss?" Zyerii asked her.

      "Zyerii, I approached you because I saw you in my dreams, you and your two friends. You guys are part of my destiny!" Alyss replied. Diakumablo looked at Sinisal with a knowing grin.

      "Right you are, partner. We always seem to get tangled up in stuff like this. Nothing as big as this is but still." Sinisal said.

      "You said it." Zyerii sighed.

      "This sort of thing has happen to you guys before?" Alyss asked them, sounding awfully confused.

      "Alyss, you wouldn't believe us if we told you the kind of crazy stuff we've been through." Sinisal replied.

      The next day. in a guest room of the castle, the four friends were getting ready to leave. They had taken the rest of yesterday to rest before they headed to Ars Arcanium.

      "What do you reckon will happen when we get there?" Diakumablo signed to the others.

      "I don't know, Diak. One thing is for sure though. There is a reason why the old Guardian could no longer perform her role and I'm pretty sure we'll face why." Sinisal said.

      "Whatever it is, we'll work our way through it. It is destiny." Alyss said.

      "We all have a habit of working through things whether they are destiny or not." Zyerii interjected. Sinisal nodded in agreement.

      "I gotta say though." Sinisal whispered to Diakumablo. "Whatever we do, it's always strangely exciting."

      Diakumablo had to agree to that. Adventures before this one had already proved that. But he had a feeling that despite adventures before this one that this was going to be their hardest yet. He felt it in his wings.

      "Well, are you guys all ready?" Alyss asked them.

      "As we'll ever be, I guess." Sinisal replied.

      "As always." Zyerii added. Diakumablo nodded. Even though he really felt that way about this latest adventure, he knew that it would work out in the end. It almost always did. He just hoped that this wasn't the one exception they couldn't afford to have.

      To be continued…