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"I wonder what is left of my old home," sighed Dalan, looking over the sea. The light
of the moon reflected off the water as he bobbed up a down with the waves. The whirlpool had finally stopped, but many
still feared to go down into the depths to see what remained of the watery world. Frustrated, Dalan flicked his tail and
dove under the water. The Peophin was determined to see if anything was left of the place where he had once made his home.
Tomorrow with the sunrise, he swore to himself he would make the journey down to the ruins of Maraqua.
The next morning, Dalan headed far out to sea. He swam and swam for hours until finally, he spotted the slow churning of
what was left of the once massive whirlpool. Reaching the center, he dived deep into the darkness. Thank goodness I
brought my water-proof flashlight he thought to himself as he plunged even deeper. Very little light filtered from the
surface this deep in the sea. Suddenly, something large loomed before him. Dalan gasped. "Maraqua!"
It was as he feared. Almost nothing remained. The Transparishield Pods that once protected it were cracked and broken.
The entire place was flooded and covered with algae. Thankful for the ability to breathe underwater, Dalan began to
explore. Suddenly, something caught his eye...
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Author: The Great Chiazilla
Date: 12 August
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...a small circular medallion lying in the sand. It shimmered like new in the semi-darkness, despite the rust that
surrounded it. Curiously, Dalan picked it up. The surface had a Peophin and a crown engraved
on it. Dalan stared at the medallion, thinking hard. Where had he seen this before? He couldn't remember.
Still clutching the treasure, Dalan continued to explore the ruins. He sighed, wishing there was more of his old home left.
Brushing some algae off of a rock he made an important discovery. An imprint of the medallion had been carved into the rock!
Slowly, Dalan placed the medallion into the imprint. Instantly, there was a blinding flash of light. Dalan covered his eyes. When
he looked up he saw...
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Author: alicialk
Date: 12 August
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...that he was in a huge marble room with gigantic columns. All around him were statues of Peophins. In the
very center of the room was a huge lit platform.
Dalan walked over to the platform and was transfixed by the biggest statue. It was a winged Peophin with a flaming mane
and golden hooves. The statue wore a crown upon his head, a breastplate on his chest, and seemed to look
benevolently down at him.
"Raxanor, the Great Peophin Guardian!" Dalan hushed in awe. He shook his head furiously a couple of times and blinked
hard.
"I must be in the legendary Temple of the Guardians! It must lie right below Maraqua and was unearthed in its destruction!"
Dalan whispered to himself, afraid of making any loud noise. "But anyone who is brought here either gains the greatest
of fortunes or suffers the most horrible of tragedies!"
"You are right young Neopet. Welcome to the Temple of the Guardians. You were not brought here by accident." A voice from
behind called out to him. It was...
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Author: rastamasta
Date: 13 August
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...a very old Peophin. Dalan guessed it had been hidden in a shadow when he arrived here, but looking around,
he hadn't recalled seeing any shadows. Puzzled yet hopeful, Dalan looked towards the elderly figure at the back of the room.
As he cautiously approched the mysterious stranger, he was quite sure that he was not looking at a fellow Peophin.
Where a fin should have been, there were quarters that looked like a Kougra's. There were also wings, now tucked
close to the being's body, that resembled a Korbat's. However, Dalan doubted that they were useful for flying.
Now thoroughly confused, Dalan could only stutter out, "W-w-what a-are you?"
Chuckling, the creature simply shook his head and said, "Perhaps another time young one. Through that door lies your fortune."
Dalan looked over his shoulder to where a glittering door now stood ajar. Starting to ask what he needed to do, Dalan turned
back around, only to find that he was now alone.
He made up his mind and slowly swam to the door, then cautiously peeked inside...
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Author: blackavar_
Date: 13 August
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...Dalan let out a gasp at what he saw next. Everywhere he looked, his eyes encountered the glint of gold.
''Maybe THAT is why the pirates detroyed Maraqua- to find this treasure' he thought.
Out of the blue, he felt something on his shoulder, and jumped three feet into the air.
He heard the whispering sound of the elder's cracking voice. "You know what they say, 'greed imprisons us all.'
Many innocent lives have been lost because of this." He
waved his hand in a signifying gesture. "It would pain my heart to see more blood shed needlessly. Come, this cold
metal will bring you no happiness."
Gripping Dalan's shoulder with surprising strength, the elder brought him back into the main temple.
"Now," he said, "It was your destiny to find this temple, because YOU are the one to..."
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Author: marrtian
Date: 14 August
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"...deliver this evil treasure to the Faerie Queen. It is imperative that she gets it, else the pirates come
back to finish what they started."
"But what's so special about THIS gold? Why does the Faerie Queen need it?" Dalan asked nervously.
"Because this gold was enchanted by Jhudora, the Dark Faerie, and can bring the destruction of Neopia. She
had promised the pirates glory, fame, and riches if they would get it for her. The Faerie Queen is the only
one who can safely keep it out of her hands."
"Wow," Dalan sighed. "That sounds like a big deal. Why do I have to do it? I'm not very brave."
"This job was destined for the one who would come down through the whirlpool to see his home. You are that
Neopet."
"Fine, I'll do it. Just tell me how to get it out of here," he said. But before he could finish, the elder
had already disappeared...
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Author: abstract_rox
Date: 15 August
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...into a puff of white smoke.
"This is what I get for my curiosity," sighed Dalan. Slowly he walked back towards the glittery door
that loomed ahead of him. Dalan approached it carefully.
"It would be nice if I had a bag to put this in,"
Dalan said to himself as he walked toward the glittering treasure. As Dalan looked around at the riches, one thing
caught his eye. There was something glittering in the dirt but it didn't look golden like the rest of
the treasure. This seemed odd to him so Dalan approached the object. As he came closer he found it was a small
glass bottle with a lid and a scroll beside it. Dalan picked them both up gently and held them in his hands.
He tried with all his might to open the glass bottle but with no luck. It just wouldn't open. Dalan gave up and unrolled
the scroll.
It read . . .
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Author: angel_4117
Date: 15 August
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..."Greetings, traveler, and beware
of what awaits the sin of greed.
Keep the gold and be wary,
for Neopia's evil is sharp indeed!
If you decide to free my soul, however,
then take heed of my word and return to the door.
Seek my symbol near the bottom,
on the mural lighted on the floor.
Three to the South and two to the West;
tap twice and the seal shall break.
However, do not let the glass break, lest
your soul the glass bottle's master take."
Dalan actually chuckled. This didn't call for brute strength, but for pure logic. Yet still, he trembled
as he headed back for the door. His left fin twitched and he shuddered.
He gasped.
An entire floor mural was emblazoned on the marble, the outlines shining brightly.
The pattern of the medallion lay in the centre of the rainbow of colour. It somehow seemed to glow brighter
still with every movement closer he made. Dalan counted three squares South and two to the West and cautiously
tapped it twice with his right fin.
The previously stubborn bottle cap that refused to open suddenly gleamed purple and freed itself from its base.
Wisps of pink smoke engulfed the scene. As the smoke cleared...
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Author: infernozephyr
Date: 16 August
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...Dalan saw a Peophin, but not just any Peophin. It had large, white-grey wings and shimmering golden hooves.
Its mane of fire glowed with power, mirrored from the crown on his head. A breastplate was placed firmly on his
chest, and a peophin helm protected his face.
Dalan gasped and blinked to make sure he was not dreaming. It was Raxanor, the Great Peophin Guardian!
"Come, young Neopet." His voice was like thunder over mountains. Dalan obeyed the command, coming toward the great
Peophin. "The gold, all of it, can fit inside that bottle," said Raxanor. He then recited this to Dalan:
"If thou take
naught heed, and does have greed, only one gold piece you take, you shall be trapped inside the prison until the One
shall make."
Raxanor stopped, and looked at Dalan. "Do not even take one coin, young neopet. Then your fate, your
great future awaits you." Then Raxanor swam off, and through the silence, Dalan heard a far off voice. "I shall watch
you from above, you have my spirit within you..."
Dalan sat on the marble floor, stumped at what Raxanor had told him. He only understood one thing Raxanor had said: Do
not take any gold, or you will be trapped until the One will come.
Dalan suddenly got up and moved over to the gold. He picked up each gold piece, then dropped them into the bottle.
It did take awhile, but Dalan collected every last gold piece. He gave a relieved sigh, then
swam up to the surface, clutching the bottle protectively.
Soon he arrived at Faerieland, and not once did he stop as he bounded over to the Queen's Hidden Tower. (Luckily he
knew where it was...)
When Dalan knocked on the Queen's door, he said in a voice not his own, "Faerie Queen, I have brought you
the gold."
She smiled happily, glad that the gold was now out of Jhudora's grasp. Dalan told the Queen the whole story, and
she smiled.
"Dalan," She said once he was done, "What Raxanor meant, when he said that you have his spirit within you..." The Queen
smiled again. "Is that you, also, will become a Guardian. I know it shall be."
That is how Dalan became known as "Dalan the Protector", who rid Maraqua of the cursed gold, and finally, let it rest in peace.
THE END
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Author: neosass
Date: 16 August
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