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Hryre leaned miserably against the wall of the Battle Dome.
She refused to believe that she'd never see Ealdor again. She had only searched
Neopia Central after all. What about Terror Mountain, or Faerie Land? Hryre shook
her head. At that moment to her Neopia seemed an infantine world that she would
be searching forever.
The girl miserably looked at the lists of scheduled
battles. She skimmed down the names trying to distract herself from her misery.
Then she saw something that nearly made her heart stop. She placed a shaking
hand over the name of a battler that was about to fight in five minutes time.
Hryre ran her fingers across the name, wondering
if it was really there. "Ealdor_StormLife," she breathed, tears sliding down
her cheeks. "At last I've found you."
"Hry!" called a familiar voice. Hryre turned
to see Scinan, Maestitia, and Leoht running up to her.
"What are you doing here?" Hryre demanded. "I
thought I told you to stay at Jess's." Leoht grinned smugly at her.
"Do you honestly expect us to do that?" he asked.
Hryre gave and exasperated sigh.
"Well come on then, I found Eal he's gonna battle
in five minutes." She walked toward the entrance to the Battledome.
"Why on Neopia is he in the Battledome?" Maestitia
hissed at Scinan.
The Lupe shook his head. "I guess we shall soon
find out.
~*~
Ealdor walked nervously out into the arena. What had possessed him to say
yes? There was no way he could beat Acole, whose very rich owner had bought
him the best weapons in Neopia. Ealdor on the other hand had no weapons and
only meager stats.
Acole brandished the Sword of Skardsen and shouted.
"Come on let's get this over with!" Ealdor rolled his shoulders back and charged.
He leapt into the air for a jump attack.
Acole didn't even raise the sword. He balled
a fist and slammed it into Ealdor's jaw as the Eyrie leapt toward him. Ealdor
went flying across the arena to land in a heap. Acole set the point of his sword
into the ground and leaned on it. Fully expecting the Eyrie to not get up. He
was sure that he'd already won the battle.
Ealdor's thoughts had turned dark; he could
barely see three feet in front of him. All was lost he knew, and accepted without
a second thought. The Eyrie waited mindlessly for the swish of a sword blade
that would end the battle. But instead a white muzzle shoved under his paw.
"Get up!" Seshil shouted.
"Why?" Ealdor breathed. "There is no hope for
me to win."
"Only because you give up!" the Gallion shrieked.
"Get up, Ealdor_StormLife, there is still a fight in you!"
"But there's not," Ealdor murmured, "my strength
has failed, I cannot rise."
"Eal," Seshil said quietly, "look at the stands."
The Eyrie obediently shifted head and gazed blearily at the audience. There
he saw Hryre, Maestitia, Scinan, and Leoht. His three siblings were jumping
up and down cheering.
"Why are they cheering?" Ealdor asked, confused.
"Isn't it obvious that I can't win?"
"They don't cheer for your victory," Seshil
growled. "They cheer for you. Show them that you are Ealdor_StormLife. Show
them who you are within, strength yet lays beneath your being."
Ealdor didn't reply his eyes had met Hryre's.
His owner was not cheering, but watching silently. Her eyes blazed with faith
and pride, and a deep love. Ealdor drew strength from that bond of friendship
and love. He felt fire arise within him, and the Eyrie rose to his feet. Many
gasps and murmurs were emitted in the crowd.
Eyes glowing with internal fire Ealdor turned
to face his opponent, Seshil at his side. Acole stared in horror at the apparition
before him. It was impossible; there was no way the Eyrie could get up after
a blow like that. They stood staring at each other for a moment then, Ealdor
charged.
Acole leapt forward and swung at him with the
Sword of Skardsen. Ealdor threw out one arm and light pooled in one paw. Then
a silver katana materialized in the Eyrie's grip. The two swords came together
with a clang that shook Acole's bones. Ealdor leapt away then darted in for
a second attack. There were seconds of furious dueling then Acole's sword shattered
scattering hundreds of twisted shards of metal at their feet. Ealdor's katana
was pressed to the Mynci's throat.
"You are beaten." Ealdor hissed, "not by strength
or weapons, but by spirit." He withdrew the blade. "Your heart failed you in
the end." With that the Eyrie turned his back on his adversary and started toward
the exit of the arena.
Furious Acole seized a piece of metal and hurled
it at the Eyrie's retreating back. Without turning around, Ealdor caught the
shard in mid-air and dropped it to the floor. "Acole I have beaten you because
I know what battle truly is. Go see now if your owner can buy you that knowledge."
He paused then turned to face the shaking Mynci. "I will be reclaiming my family's
possessions now, as agreed."
~*~
Hryre threw her arms around her Eyrie. "Oh Eal, that was beautiful, you fought
wonderfully."
Ealdor beamed at his owner. "And I got all our
stuff back, sorry I lost it in the first place."
Hryre shook her head through her tears. "Don't
worry about it, I'm just glad to have you home."
Leoht, Maestitia, and Scinan converged on him.
Maestitia hugged him tightly, while Leoht pounded him on the back. And Scinan
clapped heartily.
"Where did you get the sword from?" Maestitia
asked. "I thought you'd lost all your weapons?"
"I did," Ealdor said glancing down at the weapon
he had clutched in his paw.
"Then where'd it come from?" Leoht asked gazing
at the glittering silver blade.
"It came from Ealdor_StormLife," said a soft
voice. The pets jumped and looked up. Hryre whirled around, and her mouth dropped
open. The Battle Faerie was standing next to them; her violet eyes glittered
as she gazed at Ealdor.
"What do you mean?" Hryre asked walking to stand
with her Eyrie.
"That weapon," the faerie said pointing to the
katana, "is known as Heartblade. It is forged within the deepest core of its
wielder's heart. Made from their deepest fears, darkest secrets, and greatest
loves. It is you Ealdor_StormLife." She frowned suddenly. "May I see it for
a moment?"
Ealdor handed her the weapon. She stared hard
at it and looked back at Ealdor her eyes filled with awe. "I have never come
across one that held such a great power as yours. Use it well young Eyrie, it
will be a faithful companion, and no one may use it but you." She handed the
Heartblade back to Ealdor and the Eyrie could see that the metal had scalded
her fingertips.
"But why did it come to me?" Ealdor asked her.
"I mean, not every pet can summon a Heartblade. Why me, of all pets?"
The Battle Faerie shook her head. "I could not
tell you, that is a mystery of your own heart. I wish you luck, and I will keep
in touch, a it's one of my many jobs to monitor those who bear Heartblades."
She began walking away but stopped and turned. "Oh, and you might like one of
these," she said as an after thought and waved a hand.
A black sheath appeared a soared through the
air towards Ealdor who caught it. When he looked back at the faerie to thank
her, she was already gone. Ealdor sheathed the Heartblade and slung it over
his shoulder. The sheath rested comfortably against his back, the hilt in easy
reach.
Hryre had moved away and was poking through
the large pile of junk that Acole's owner had returned to them. "Ah," she said
quietly as she found what she was looking for. "Ealdor," she said walking over
to him. Ealdor turned and looked at her, his owner held up an Airax.
The Eyrie stared at the petpet for a long time.
At last he shook his head and picked up Seshil. "I owe Sesh so much, for he
made me see what I was about to destroy within myself in that last battle."
The Eyrie said placing the Gallion on his shoulder. "I could've destroyed my
ties to you, my family. Without you I would be lost" the Eyrie smiled. "To me
that makes him family, and the least I can do is offer him a home."
Hryre smiled and nodded, she picked up what
she could carry of the pile and said. "Come on you guys let's get home and get
some sleep."
Ealdor grinned. "I'm all for that." He laughed
and led the way toward the harbor.
The End
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