Her father was the first to wish her when she arrived at the kitchen. "Good morning, Belinda, and happy seventh birthday!"

"Thank you papa!" she squealed excitedly. Her brother and mother came into the kitchen shortly after, both wishing her as well.

"I've got you a present!" Belinda's brother announced, producing a box with a fancy gift wrap and handing it to her. "Open it!"

"Yay! Thank you so much, Tyler!" The Jubjub exclaimed as she unwrapped it. "I wonder what it could be."

When Belinda lifted the lid, a bright flash of light emanated from the box and engulfed the room in white ...

...When the light faded, Belinda was sitting in a field. Her house and her family were nowhere to be seen. Indeed, there wasn't much to be seen, aside from a forest in the distance. Otherwise, it was just acres of grass.

"He-hello? Mom? Dad? Tyler? Guys, this isn't funny!" Belinda said, getting progressively angrier. "ENOUGH!"

Her shriek echoed throughout the emptiness. The only response she got was a few winged Petpets taking off from their perches on the treeline to flee the sudden sound.

At first Belinda thought the sounds she could hear from the forest were just typical nature, until she heard snatches of voices and could feel the ground shaking with heavy footfalls. The young Jubjub ducked down in the tall grass to stay hidden, as the footfalls grew closer and closer...

A blue Grarrl asked, "Is this really where the map leads? This looks like an empty field for crying out loud."

"Well, this is where all the clues lead to. Except we still haven't figured out that last one..." a portly Skeith sighed in reply.

"'Two becomes three, and the last illuminates the path before you...'" the Grarrl read from a tattered piece of paper.

"Sounds like we need to find someone else. Though I don't see any living Neopets out in the middle of nowhere here," the Skeith said.

Just then, a rustle came from behind Belinda, and she gave a small yelp as she jumped forward out of the grass, coming into plain view of the much larger Neopets before her.

She gulped as the two swung around and stared at her...

The Grarrl turned to him and giddily chuckled, a noise that contrasted with his menacing size. “Wouldn’t you know it, Simon, this quest Ilere sent us on may be the real thing after all.”

“Excuse me?” Belinda stammered. “W-where am I? Who are you t-two?"

The Grarrl gave a toothy smile and replied, “Well, I’m Roger and this is Simon.” He gestured toward the Skeith who responded with a friendly grin. “As for where we are, we’re in the outskirts of the Haunted Woods! How do you not…?” Simon trailed off mid-sentence as something caught his eye. Behind the Jubjub, in the tall grasses she jumped out of, was a white, dazzling necklace clinging to the foliage. The Skeith and Grarrl looked dumbfounded.

Belinda looked between the two, confused. “Well, my name is Belinda, but I am completely at a loss for how I-”

Roger grabbed the necklace off the tall hedge of grass and examined it while Simon questioned, “Is this yours? Where did you get this?"

“I d-don’t know, I was just in my home in Neopia Central and opened a p-present my brother got me for my birthday. There was a burst of light, I g-guess from the necklace and now, I’m here. What are you two doing here?”

“We both were summoned by Ilere the Faerie to complete a quest. She handed us these directions torn from an old spell book,” Roger answered while handing Belinda the tattered paper, “and asked us follow them.” Belinda examined the paper that read:

In edge of the forest, hidden is the key To finding the ingredients you must pursue. Two set off, then two becomes three And the last illuminates the path before you. You have one full day to uncover The charm that transports, the book that sings, The berry that is yet discovered And return them to make this spell complete.

All three of the Neopets looked at the white necklace gleaming in Roger’s hands. “This must be the charm that transports,” Roger said before continuing, “and it looks like you are the one who makes us three. This may be completely unanticipated, but it seems like you were summoned by fate to help us complete this quest. Will you help us?”

Belinda gulped. She was overwhelmed by all that was happening, but without any other option to return home, she nodded her head. As Roger and Simon cheered, the trees began to rustle and suddenly the path before them...

Roger blinked. “Huh, I guess the illuminating path was more literal than we thought it would be.”

“Well,” Simon grinned toothily. “Wait are we waiting for?”

Belinda sighed. She very much wanted to get back to her family and her birthday presents, but she had already said she would help. Plus, she didn’t see any way to return home without completing the quest first.

“Alright,” she stated with one last wistful look behind her. “Let’s go!”

The path twisted and turned beneath the trees. Sometimes it turned so sharply that they stumbled off the pretty stones and into the dry, dead grass of the Haunted Woods. All around them, the trees turned steadily creepier. The bark grew gnarled and twisted. The leaves turned from healthy green to moldy brown. And the very air grew thick and smoky. Simon’s friendly grin slowly left his face.

“Uh guys…” He muttered. “Do you hear that?”

Belinda did. She just hadn’t wanted to admit it out loud in case it became real the instant she did so. Off in the distance, far enough away that it was still difficult to make out, was a lilting, haunting sound. It sounded very much like….

Belinda felt tears in her eyes. "Where is that coming from!?"

Simon and Roger both looked like they were choking up as well, but managed to hide it pretty well. They looked at each other, and then around themselves. The trees that surrounded the path had become so thick that there was no way to cross through them.

The only way was forward.

All three of the neopets huddled together, making their way onward until they finally found themselves face-to-face with a worn, leather book.

They all looked at each other nervously. The singing was stronger than it had been before. It was coming from the book!

"Such a sad song..." Roger sighed.

"There must be something we can do?" Simon inquired, looking at both of his companions.

Belinda stepped forward and flipped open the book. At first, the pages were completely blank.

But then, the ghostly portrait of an Aisha with long, curly hair appeared on the paper before them.

"You must be on a quest!" She cried. "Please, I can tell you where the berry you seek is. All I ask is..."

Belinda, Simon and Roger were stunned with surprise to see that the tear wasn't actually in the book, but on it. Their mouth dropped open for what they saw, was the actual tear of the Aisha, solidifying on the open page. Then the portrait spoke again:

"Please, I have been trapped in here for fifty years. I beg you..."

Belinda was the first one to regain her senses again.

"Of course we will ask the faeries to get you out! I just hope they can find a way. I have never seen someone trapped in a book before." She exclaimed.

"It is the only hope I have." the Aisha aid, holding back more tears. "The tear will guide your way towards the berry. Just go where it glows brightest."

And indeed, as soon as Belinda took the tear in her hand, it started glowing, and when she turned towards the right, the light turned really bright.

"I guess we are going that way" Roger said, barely capable of hiding his excitement to finish this quest. "Can I ask you something?" he asked to the portrait of the Aisha. "What is your name?"....

Sniffling Belinda noticed that the portrait started to fade.

"Follow the tear, where ever it takes you, follow it until its at the brightest." The Aisha's voice echoed as her face disappeared from the page.

Belinda looked down, clutching the tear in the palm of her hand, she knew the real quest was to free the Aisha.

she looked at her new friends.

"Lets continue."

Leading, the Jubjub followed the tears brightness to the right.

Through the dark and scary tress, the three trekked for hat seemed like forever when suddenly the tear shone extremely bright and evaporated into the air.

"We are here." Belinda announced as she scanned the area for clues as to where the fruit could be found.

"Over there!" Roger exclaimed, "I can see an opening between the tress."

The three ran through the bushes and rubble, to find themselves looking at a small pond.

It seemed calm and less frightening than the rest of the woods, dazzling orbs of light danced in the breeze which gave light to a small tree that stood in the middle of the pond.

Belinda smiled as she realized the tree had...

"Alright, we found the last item we need!" Roger cheered.

"Though how're we going to cross this pond? I can't swim. Can either of you?" Simon asked.

Roger shook his head while Belinda nodded in response. Simon patted her back and said, "Good luck! We'll be on the bank for support. Here's a bag for the berry; it'll keep it dry on the way back."

The Jubjub slowly walked to the edge of the pond and looked into the water for a few seconds. It was so clear, she could see all the way to the bottom where aquatic plants waved along with the small ripples that drifted through the water.

Taking a deep breath, she jumped into the water and began swimming her way to the tree in the middle. She could faintly hear Roger and Simon cheering her from behind as she approached the tree.

Climbing up its roots, she carefully plucked the berry from the branch and placed it snugly inside the bag Simon had given her. Jumping back in the water, she started to make her way back to where the other two were waiting.

Belinda came out of the water with a wide grin on her face as her friends congratulated her on a job well done.

"Well, I guess we need to go back to Ilere now?" she asked.

"Yep, and I know a great shortcut to her. Follow me!" Roger replied.

***

After walking for a few minutes, the trio reached the edge of the forest, that looked over a high cliff. Peeking over the edge, Belinda gulped as she glanced down the great height.

Seeing her reaction, Roger assured, "Don't worry. We're just passing through the boundary of the forest here since there's less fog. We'll be out of here soon."

Sighing in relief, Belinda started to walk away from the precipice, when suddenly, a large Batterfly came swooping out from a tree. Before Belinda could react, it bumped into her, its claws dragging the bag off of her. A she turned around, she watched the bag drop from the Batterfly's grasp and start to slide over the edge of the cliff.

"No!" she cried as she dived after the bag before she could even organize her thoughts; she could hear Roger and Simon scrambling behind her to save her.

Suddenly, a bright white light started to shine from the book that Simon had been holding onto...

How will this story end...

When the flash of light dimmed and Belinda regained her senses, she found herself lying on the grassy turf next to the cliff.

“W-w-what happened?” the stunned Jubjub stammered. She looked up and found her two friends, Simon and Roger, speechlessly pointing behind her.

As Belinda whirled around, she saw the ghostly Aisha from the book sitting a couple meters away next to an old oak tree. Tucked behind her back were large feathery wings, and a small golden ring floated above her curly locks. She smiled at the trio as her long tail gracefully shifted from side to side. Belinda was so stunned by the ghostly creature’s beauty that it took her a minute to realize the Aisha was freed from the book’s captivity.

“W-w-wait! How?” the tiny Jubjub asked.

“Only an act of true kindness could free me,” the Aisha reiterated as her gentle grin shifted to Belinda. “You have spent the day helping your fellow Neopians complete a quest without knowing if you’d be included in the reward. And, just now, you instinctively risked your life to help both myself and your new friends. If that is not true kindness, my little Belinda, I’m not sure what is,” the Aisha said as she trotted up to Belinda and put her paw upon her shoulder.

Both Roger and Simon were beaming from ear to ear at this point. “Can you tell us who you are now?” Roger asked.

The ghost shifted her gaze upon the Grarrl, “I am Li-sha, Protectress of Neopia and Guardian of the Aishas. I was locked away in that book 50 years ago by an angry sorcerer who insisted Neopets were inherently evil and did not deserve saving. Only an act of true kindess could free me from his spell, but sadly he hid the book so deeply in that forest that I did not have many interactions with other Neopets," she sighed.

Roger, Simon, and Belinda all sat in humbled silence, stunned to be the presence of such a legend. They had heard stories about Li-sha as children, but had assumed it was just a myth.

“Come now,” Li-sha said, snapping the Neopets out of their trance-like state. “I am sure you would like to claim your quests rewards!” The Aisha picked up the bagged berry and ushered everyone to follow her to Ilere’s home.

***

Ilere grinned. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! And it’s great to see you Li-sha; it’s been years!” The faerie took the charm, berry, and tattered book from Simon. “I suppose you all would like your rewards now…”

Ilere began shuffling through her shelves. “Ah hah!” she exclaimed as she handed Roger and Simon two bags filled with Neopoints. “Those are for you! And let’s see,” she said as she knelt down to Belinda’s level. “What would you like, little Jubjub? I cannot let such a good deed go unrewarded!”

“Well… I just want to be home with my family,” Belinda replied honestly.

Ilere smiled, “I believe that can be arranged!”

Suddenly, there was another bright flash of light.

***

“Belinda? Are you okay?” Tyler asked. Both her brother and her father looked at Belinda inquisitively.

“Yes! Yes! Thank you!” she exclaimed with some confusion.

Her father smiled in relief, “It looks like you were daydreaming there, kiddo! Are you ready to open your next present?”

Belinda wondered if this was all just a daydream afterall. As she went to reach for her next gift though, she noticed two more beautifully wrapped boxes that she hadn’t seen before. She inspected the tags; one from ‘Ilere’ and one from ‘Li-Sha’.

“Go on! Open your presents!” encouraged Tyler. Belinda smiled. This was going to be the best birthday ever.