The Adventures of Draikin and the Light Faerie

      Haskol led Draikin back through the citadel dungeon to the Mynci warden’s office once again. The Royal Ixi could see that now a table and two chairs had been set up by a roaring fire. Master Vex sat in one of the chairs, and he grinned his nasty grin as he saw Draikin emerge from the tunnels. He pulled the Scrawnyfish bone from his teeth and waved it at the young prince.

     “My boy, my boy! Come sit by the fire, won’t you?” he practically cooed, and Draikin stepped grimly forward and sat opposite him. “Would you like a beverage? Perhaps a raspberry and burdock drink would suit a young Ixi’s fancy?”

     “No thank you, Sir.” Draikin answered, wondering how he had known his favorite beverage.

     “I trust you’ve had an enlightening afternoon with our good Prisoner Number Three?”

     “Yes, sir.”

     So pleased to hear it. He’s just a little fool, but Squire Meekel is a decent teacher when he’s not terrified. Haha. Now remember, if you lose today, you’re welcome to continue learning tomorrow, and perhaps you’ll have a better chance of beating me in the long run.”

     “Thank you for the consideration,” Draikin nodded. “But I don’t plan to lose.”

     “Oh my, aren’t we the precocious fellow!” The Mynci grinned evilly. “You know, such daring deserves some kind of a reward. How about this? I’ll even let you go first!” Hed gestured to the board between them.

     “Thank you.”

     Draikin looked down at the board before him. He took a deep breath and made his first move.

     “Hmmm…” Master Vex smiled. “Very predictable opening. Oh well.”

     Draikin did not answer as the Mynci warden made his first move. Draikin made another move and Master Vex sighed.

     “Too bad. It certainly doesn’t seem that this game is going anywhere,” he said sadly, shaking his head and setting down his next piece. Draikin placed his piece and Master Vex yawned and placed his own. Without looking up, Draikin placed his next piece and suddenly, Master Vex sat up in his chair.

     “Oh! Look at this! So, you think you’re going to use the Yellow Knight’s heroic antic move against me? Now that is interesting. Very interesting.” He grinned at Draikin as he placed his next piece. “I’m terribly sorry my boy, but that won’t work on me.”

     Draikin placed his next piece and Master Vex frowned at the board. “Aha, yes, the Jelly-World-Jelly-Roll defense. A nice try. Very nice. Nice try indeed. But it too can be stopped.”

     The time passed slowly and as the game went on, Master Vex’s face grew more and more serious. Now, they played in silence, with the evil Mynci warden and the ixi prince both studying the board for ages before making their moves. Draikin could feel his heart beating faster and faster and he felt as though his hand was shaking as he placed each piece.

     All he could think of was that he had to win. It was the only way he could earn his freedom and the only way he could rescue his friend! But what in Neopia had he been thinking trying to win Cellblock? There was no way that he could beat the Mynci who had invented the game! His heart filled with despair and just as he was about to give up—he spotted the opening.

     Could it be? Yes. It was. Master Vex had made a mistake. Slowly, Draikin reached out and placed his piece.

     The Mynci warden leaped to his feet. “Who taught you the Diagonal Kiko Uppercut??” he shrieked. “Galgarrath?”

     The brutish Darigan Grarrl looked across the room from where he still sat doing paperwork. “No way, boss.” He shook his heavy head.

     “Haskel?” The Mynci glared at the snaggle-toothed Darigan skeith, who also growled in the negative.

     “It’s your move, Master Vex,” said Draikin, smiling.

     The Mynci warden howled in rage and swiped his arm across the board, scattering the purple, red and black pieces across the stone floor. He glared at Draikin, but his shoulders slumped and the scrawnyfish bone fell out of his mouth.

     “You’ve won,” he said.

     *

     The torches were sputtering when Haskol and Galgarrath finally escorted Draikin back to Lord Darigan’s chamber. The imposing lord was seated before the fire in a vast chair made of some deep purple stone. He turned back from the flames to look at the royal ixi, and it seemed to Draikin that his glowing yellow eyes were full of deep sadness.

     “So, you have beaten Master Vex,” Lord Darigan said wearily.

     “I have,” said Draikin. “And I hope that you will keep your promise to free Ciara.”

     Lord Darigan’s yellow eyes flashed, but he answered calmly in his deep voice. “I always keep my promises.” He turned to Galgarrath and Haskol. “Fetch Ciara from her room.”

     Both Grarrl and the Skieth bowed and departed and Lord Darigan looked back into the fire.

     “My lord, I know that Ciara will be happier in Meridell,” said Draikin, stepping towards the throne.

     “Perhaps she will,” Lord Darigan said without looking at him again. “But on the planet below they are still fighting the Lost Desert Duel against the wisps. I fear for her. You cannot know how much Ciara has meant to my people—and to me. She has been a source of joy—a ray of light—”

     The heavy doors creaked open again and Ciara sailed into the room, bringing her beautiful light with her.

     “Oh Draikin, did you really win the game?” she cried, flying around him in a circle. Draikin grinned, nodding at her. Ciara squealed in happiness and with a flick of her gossamer wings, flew up to the ceiling and around the room. Lord Darigan watched her for a moment before looking back to the fire.

     “I guess now you will be leaving us for good,” he said sadly. Draikin looked again at the dark Lord and for the first time, felt sorry for him.

     High above him, Ciara paused in her orbit. She floated down to land gracefully before her guardian.

     “Dear Lord Darigan,” she said, putting a delicate hand on his scaly grey cheek. “Despite what anyone else in Neopia thinks of you, I love you. You have always been so kind to me. Draikin is my dearest friend, and I love him too. And I do adore Meridell. But my Lord, I will always love your citadel too. It will always be my home.”

     Lord Darigan rested his hand on hers. “Thank you, child,” he said.

     “Ciara,” Draikin said, a strange idea popping into his head. “Why don’t we spend half our time in Meridell, and the other half of our time up here at the citadel?”

     Both the light faerie and Lord Darigan looked at him, incredulous.

     It was Lord Darigan who spoke first. “You would do that?”

     Draikin gulped. He couldn’t quite believe he had offered to spend half his time here. The citadel was a foreboding and somewhat frightening place to him, but if Ciara loved it, how bad could it be? Either way, he knew that she was worth it.

     “Yes,” he answered, stepping forward to the pair. “That way, Ciara can still spend time with you and she can help to cheer and to care for the citadel, but we can also still have our fun down in Meridell. And, my lord, when we are here, I will help, too.”

     “Oh Draikin, that would be wonderful,” Ciara clapped her hands.

     Lord Darigan rose slowly to his feet. The imposing figure crossed to Draikin, towering over the little Ixi.

     “I would be honored to have you both here,” Lord Darigan said, and Draikin thought he heard a crack in the deep, rumbling voice. “And you, Prince Blackfawn, have my deepest thanks.”

     “And you have mine, Sir.” Draikin said, shaking his hand. “And, Lord Darigan, I know that you are right about the terrible danger right now across Neopia. Who knows what trouble lies ahead? But it would be my honor to help defend the citadel if it ever comes to that. And when we are in Meridell I promise to help keep Ciara safe.”

     “Um, excuse me? I promise to help keep you safe, Draikin.” Ciara grinned and put her hands on her hips.

     “We’ll keep each other safe then,” Draikin said.

     *

     The next day, Draikin and Ciara returned in triumph to Meridell with a lengthy letter of thanks to his parents from Lord Darigan. King and Queen Blackthorn were genuinely amazed at their son’s bravery and listened eagerly to the tale of his adventures with Mipsy and Illusen and most of all of his adventure at the Citadel. They threw an elaborate party to celebrate their son’s return, inviting all the Pets, Petpets, faeries of Meridell and Brightvale to attend. They also invited King Skarl, King Hagan and even Lord Darigan.

     I should mention that they also welcomed Ciara to the castle, and she was warmly invited to stay with the Ixi royal family whenever she was in Meridell. Now, she and Draikin would take on whatever dangers lay ahead…together.

     The End.