Neopian Central
“Why not go to Meadow Hill?” I suggested. They all looked at me in shock, and
then confusion. I explained. “Meadow Hills is a quiet place where nobody goes
but Light Faeries. It’s well hidden though. Nobody really knows its exact location.
Come on, we should go there.”
“How do we go there if we don’t know where to-” Mairey broke off. She saw a
forest, and hidden behind a bunch of brush and leaves was a secret path, completely
hidden, leading to…. “I know where it is! Next to Shadow Wood.”
We all looked at her in complete shock, and she shrugged. “Look, please don’t
ask how I know. I just do, OK? So please, let’s just leave it at that.” We followed
her through to an uneventful trip to Shadow Wood. We met no horrible monsters
or lustful Dark Faeries. Mairey seemed a bit disappointed. “Why would they put
a plain trip on The Neopian Times? There has to be some adventure.”
Shadow Wood was large and dark. I could never truly guess why the Light Faeries
would choose to live so close. But we made it to the edge, and I peered inside.
“So, here we are.” We didn’t move an inch. I shivered and finally, after a few
minutes of complete and total silence, save for the rustling of the leaves,
we stepped inside.
It was night already, and we had covered over half of the distance. We were
growing tired and soon stopped for a small break, where we ate what food we
have. We were careful not to have all of it, however. We knew that we would
need it sometime or other.
We then resumed our search for the Light Faeries, hoping they could bless us
if we were lucky. Finally, Mairey stopped us. “What is it? We haven’t left the
woods!”
Mairey just shook her head. “No, we’re here. It’s around here somewhere, I
just know it.” We searched for about an hour, parting bushes and looking everywhere.
There was still no sign of the Meadow Hills. We stood, there. “OK,” Santannaa
snapped. “We went all this way for some stupid legend we don’t even know is
real, and what happens? It’s-” My pets began to bicker and yell at each other,
and were soon fighting. Then, their gaze went to Mairey. The young Chia was
pressing her paws against every tree and every trunk. She shook her head and
moved on to the next one. “Mairey, what-”
Mairey cut them off and gestured for silence. We obeyed and she tiptoed over
to a tree. She put her paw against it, and her paw disappeared in the trunk.
Beckoning to us, we followed her and disappeared.
We reappeared on the other side of the same tree. But we were no longer in
Shadow Wood. We gazed out at flat, mountain-sized hills. Flowers blossomed everywhere;
its beauty was breath taking. Birds flew overhead, singing their songs. There
was the sound of giggling and laughter.
I looked around, and saw balls of light dancing everywhere. The balls of light
formed a small Light Faerie, and they all circled us with a sweet presence.
One faerie drew my attention. She had a stubborn face, and she stood at another
faerie’s side. But that faerie was sweet like all the others. This one seemed
a darker colour than a yellow. She stared at us curiously.
A faerie floated forward. She wore a crown braided from light itself. Her dress
flowed about her in wisps, her hair sweeping across her shoulders. Her long
sleeves touched her feet. She smiled at us. “I am Serenity, Princess of the
Light.”
Serenity gestured for us to follow. “You must tell me your names and how you
found us. Come, I will feed you.”
We ate and explained everything. She fell silent. “I believe you,” she said
at last.
Just then, a faerie stormed in. “We’re under attack. Dark Faeries came from
Shadow Wood, although I don’t know for certain how. They have never been able
to locate us before. I tried reasoning with them, but, well, you know how they
are.”
The Light Faerie smiled. “Thank you, Dracumb. I appreciate it.”
Dracumb shrugged. “Well, why would I help them?” She turned and walked out
without another wood.
Serenity rose slowly. “Well, they will be expecting me.” She sighed. “I wonder
who is leading the attack?”
She walked away and we followed. We were informed as soon as we stepped outside
the castle that it was a Dark Faerie named Drakk.
Serenity stood in thoughtful silence. She began to issue orders. She could
see Dracumb, watching the battle with a faint smile on her lips. A Dark Faerie
was with her.
“But you’re the one attacking us!”
“I am.”
“Then why would I help you?”
The Dark Faerie sighed and shook her head. “Because you are not like the others.
You, too, have a dark side to you.”
Dracumb frowned darkly at this, and, grabbing the Dark Faerie, she shoved her
into the sunlight. The faerie twisted away, and threw a blast at Dracumb's heart.
Serenity leaped in front of it, and she whispered a word. A bright light burst
around her, enveloping Dracumb. The Dark Faerie screamed.
Soon, both sides were fighting. But the darkness was driven away as they stepped
into the threshold of light. My NeoPets were helping any Light Faerie they saw
in trouble. DorthyAnne slipped away and she walked over to a Dark Faerie.
She gazed at DorthyAnne and their eyes met. Just then, she laughed. “Well,
if it isn’t Shoyru of the Fallen Star.” DorthyAnne looked at her in puzzlement,
and the Dark Faerie continued. “Tell you what, we’ll meet again, my Dear, and
when we do, then I’ll show you my true power.”
DorthyAnne frowned. “Shoyru of the Fallen Star?” she insisted.
The Dark Faerie nodded. “Yes, my dear. You’ll figure out the reason for that
title sooner or later, but for now, I’ll hold the attacks.”
“Why?” DorthyAnne screamed.
She smiled mischievously. “Oh, just because now that I know you, I can spent
my time forming another even better plan to get rid of you and your family.
Because when this is over, the journey has just begun. And you could pose as
a threat. Rather than fighting the Light Faeries and sending them out all over
the place, we’re going to keep them trapped in here, guard the opening so that
they can never leave and never be a threat…like you. Because if we’re to attack
we would undoubtedly send them all over Neopia in fear, and then where would
that bring us with Light Faeries all around us?” She added with a shrug, “And
besides, we can’t step in the light, I realised. I need that darn spell.”
DorthyAnne stood, speechless, as she left.
Apparently, she was the leader, because as soon as she left, chaos broke out.
The Dark Faeries didn’t know what they were to do, so they cast the Light Faeries
one last, venomous glance, and left. DorthyAnne looked back and could see the
Dark Faerie she had met smiling at her.
***
Dracumb put a hand on Serenity’s arm. “Thank you,” she murmured. Before Serenity
could reply, she slipped away to her room. The faerie princess looked at us.
“Come, I imagine that the Dark Faeries will not be too pleased to see you travel
through Shadow Wood. Would you like me to send a group of Light Faeries to light
a path?”
Santannaa shook her head, and suddenly a ball of light burst around her. She
turned to Serenity. “I have Light.”
To be continued... | 
