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It just isn't in Faerie nature to be suspicious. As a whole,
they didn't understand the cause for violence and why so many of them were captured.
Even those captured and freed did not become cautious. The few that did worry
usually enlisted in the Faerie Army under the direction of the Battle Faerie.
These were few and far between. It wasn't until recently that faeries were captured
in mass quantities. Before, it was only one here and there, and was usually those
that strayed too far from the safety of the castle walls. A meeting was held to
honor the captured faeries and the brave faeries who fought the Hunters. The Queen
herself called it a "gathering," not a meeting. So the atmosphere wasn't one of
tension and concern, but of laughter and glee, for after all, there was another
party to attend!
This time, held in the racetrack above the city,
partygoers discussed the wonders of the week before and how so-and-so had acted
so bravely. Some knew those that were captured, others did not. One Faerie by
the name of Shevaun called for a rescue team. Too many of her loved ones had
turned up missing in the pass few years.
"Why can't we call out to the Neopians to help
us?" she cried boldly to the dancers and those at the sidelines. "They are many
in number and can't all be like the Hunters. And the humans - they are much
bigger and stronger than the Hunters are! Surely, they will aid our cause?"
"Aww, come now Shevaun. How are they to help
us? Do we ask them to go out to buy and free all of our friends? By doing that,
we are encouraging the Hunters to catch more of us and make a bigger profit.
After all, less unbought, bottled faeries mean less faeries to capture and sell…or
something like that," an Earth Faerie near her responded.
"Or are we to ask the Neopians to fight our
battles for us? We do not condone unnecessary fights, Lady Shevaun. It is not
our way," another one said.
"Besides, humans are BIG! Much bigger than us,
what if they decide to capture us as well? We do not need more enemies!" called
another dancer.
Shevaun turned to the Queen. "Is there truly
nothing we can do? Surely there is something? Faeries already promise gifts
of abilities to those that free them, but that is not enough. Can we not seek
out the help of the Defenders of Neopia? Will the Neopians not battle the Hunters
like they battle in the 'Dome? Won't the humans of our world rush out and free
the captured faeries until there are none left?" A single tear trickled down
the side of her face.
Fyora stared loving down at Shevaun. She turned
her gaze to the other faeries whom all stopped their dancing to listen to Shevaun's
plea. "There is much we can do that hasn't been done since in my mother's time.
It is true what Lianna says that violence isn't the answer. But you are right,
my little one. It is time that we not sit idly by any longer and watch those
we love get washed away from our memories. You have recently lost your little
sister, Steffanie, to these Bounty Hunters. It may not be much, but your message
will be dispatched via the Uber faeries to the world below us. Let us hope they
help and free our companions so that Faerieland can thrive as it once did, before
the reign of Balthazar."
As if on cue, the Hunters rushed onto the racetrack
grounds.
Takayla flew on her own. Through the unknown
terrain, over the nameless river, and into a lost forest. She did not know if
she was headed in the right direction, nor did she know if she would reach her
home in time. She did not even know where this new gathering was to be held,
but on she flew. The moon rose overhead, casting an eerie glow on everything
around her. A shadowed figure emerged out of the darkness.
"A Hunter!" she exclaimed softly. She slowed
her flight to watch the Scorchio push his way through the underbrush.
"Pfffttt. He thinks we can invade the City so
easily? He must be mad. Mad I tell you. Snatching the little things in small
numbers was fine, but to this…this escapade is impossible. She may be able to
hold the Battle Faerie in her clutches, but for how long? How do we even know
that we can trust Her?"
The Scorchio continued to talk to himself as
he stumbled along on the path. Takayla stared at him quizically. The "He" in
the Scorchio's speech was definitely Balthazar, but who was the "She" that has
the Battle Faerie? "It doesn't matter," she thought to herself. "Finding the
Battle Faerie is up to Fuhnah. I know where the Hunters are headed now… Faerieland
city. I just hope this is the right direction."
Takayla flew on till her wings felt that they
would wither and fall off, but at last, Faerieland was in view. She had picked
the right direction after all. When she reached the walls of the city, she saw
Dark Faeries flitting everywhere. Unsure if their presence was a good sign or
not, she made herself invisible and snuck in the city.
In the racetrack above, she saw the festive
lights and music that were the trademarks of Faerie's Gatherings. She barely
made it to the clouds when she spotted the Hunters and their vacuums. They rushed
the field. There were at least 50 of them! Balthazar was at the lead, his own
contraption twice the size of any of the others. Takayla watched in horror as
the enemies reached the center of the racetrack.
And that's all that happened. Balthazar and
his Bounty Hunters seemed to have frozen to the spot. The looked just as shocked
as she did. Angry growls flooded her ears and the Hunters pounded uselessly
on the invisible barrier. Behind them, Dark Faeries floated down, laughing and
poking at the Hunters. The Hunters turned their attention away from the Queen
and her guests in the center of the magical bubble and attacked the brave dark
faeries.
Too weak to do anything more than watch mutely,
Takayla watched as her evil counterparts were sucked into the vacuums one by
one. The crowd in the bubble were reacting however. More and more of them moved
out of the bubble and joined in the fight. Takayla frowned. They were still
outnumbered by size and power. Her people just weren't fighters.
However, the Faeries fought hard and even astonished
themselves. The vacuums still claimed many more inhabitants to their chambers,
but the faeries fought on. Finally regaining strength in her wings, Takayla
took to the air, for another battle against the invaders. She was joined by
hundreds of other faeries, faeries that never left their own lands. They rose
out of the mist and toward the Poogle Racetrack. Snow Faeries, island faeries,
and even the tooth faeries were here! Behind them raged a unified group of Faerie
warriors. And their leader, clad in bright, shiny armor, was the Battle Faerie!
"She made it!" Takayla cried out. "Oh Fuhnah,
you found her!" She gave her cousin the briefest of hugs as they joined in with
the others in the fight. After a few minutes and a few frozen hunters, the enemies
fled the grounds. Balthazar had made a beeline for the exit as soon as he saw
the Battle Faerie approach them.
The frozen hunters were removed from Faerieland
by a massive chain of faeries that carried them off to dank caves of the Tyrannian
jungle where the elders kept them busy tending to the lair of the mysterious
beast. Little was heard of Balthazar for the few months after the Faerie win.
Another party, as usual, was held two months after that historic battle.
To be continued...
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