Leaving the Fire

     His curiosity was what led him too spot an exotic faerie fluttering through the daisies down the hill. The Yurble reached out a paw to try to catch it, but soon realized that the faerie was too far away to touch. The golden shimmery wings of the faerie sparkled like a star and soon the Yurble was hopping up and down trying to reach it. But he quickly fell unbalanced and as soon as he plopped back down on the ground he began rolling down the hill. The Yurble squeaked with excitement as he came tumbling down. He was rolling so fast that his little red body seemed to look like fire racing down the hill.

     At the foot of the hill was a blue Eyrie who seemed young himself, but his eyes told that he was wise beyond his years. Maybe it was just that he missed that whole part of his childhood where he could tumble down hills of flowers and spend hours watching the clouds. He never knew what it felt like to skip stones across the lake or make chains out of flowers. Maybe it was because he had such a big responsibility... a responsibility that most young Neopets don't usually have to worry about- taking care of his little brother all by himself.

     "Elian, there you are! I've been looking all over for you! Don't run away from me again." The Eyrie picked up his little Yurble brother and shook the grass off from him. Elian made a soft squeaking noise and looked innocently into his brother's eyes.

     "But Aurelius, don't you ever like to have fun?"

     "Not when I have to be looking after you. Come on, let's go home now."

     The entire time the two Neopets were walking home, Aurelius's mind seemed to race with a flood of thoughts and worries. The Meridell war was fast approaching. He could tell by looking up at the sky and seeing the flocks of black and purple Crokabeks- the spies of Darigan. In the distance, the Darigan citadel seemed more alive than ever. It brought tingling shivers of fear through Aurelius's back.

     But what worried him the most was the risk of being called to war. He was the proper age after all, as his 15th birthday would come in the summer, which was only months away. Young Neopets were being called to battle left and right. It could be any day now that Aurelius would receive his letter. It wasn't that Aurelius wasn't brave enough to fight, it was his fear for what would happen to his little brother.

     "Elian is only 3 years old. What would happen if I got called to fight? He would be all alone. Who would be there to take care of him? No one. I can't leave him by himself...not after what happened to him--what happened to us."

     Suddenly a small shiver overcame Aurelius as he remembered that deadly night almost 3 years ago. The night that changed his, and Elian's life forever.

Aurelius's worst fear came alive as they rounded the corner to their tiny tree shack. Sitting by the door was a letter wrapped with a red and gold ribbon. The Eyrie spotted it immediately, and stopped dead in his tracks. A sudden cold tingle overcame his body and he couldn't take another step. Elian realized his brother's distress and stared at the letter with large, gleaming eyes. What was in the letter, and what it meant the little Yurble did not know.

     "Aurey, what's wrong?" Elian asked gently. His Eyrie brother never answered. Only a small glistening tear fled from his eyes.

     "Elian sit down," Aurelius said with a weak voice. The little Yurble did as his brother said and sat down with a confused and unknowing expression in his eyes. "There's something I need to talk to you about." Aurelius then unfolded the letter and read it out loud.

     King Skarl and his royal cabinet has hear by selected you, Aurelius Star, to be called to battle in protection of Meridell, on this 22nd day of the month of Hunting.

     "Do you know what that means, Elian?" Not to his surprise, Elian just blinked innocently. "Well, it means that I'm going to have to fight in the war. Do you know what a war is?"

     "Isn't that like when everyone dies?" the Yurble muttered.

     "Well yeah, that's what usually happens."

     "Y-y-you mean t-that your g-going to die?" Elian began crying as he thought of what would happen to his big brother. Aurelius placed his wing over Elian's shoulders. "B-but you c-can't go, Aurey, you j-just can't."

     "I know, Elian. I would never leave you. We're a family. Family's are always there for each other. I promise you. We're going to have to leave."

     "But when?"

     "Tomorrow."

That night was thick with uncertainty. The clouds drifted over the moon as if to whisper secrets in the dead of the night. There were no stars in the sky, and the absence of glittering light seemed deathly. Yet as Elian and Aurelius slept, everything seemed peaceful and not a single noise stirred. That was until the faintest creak was heard outside the window. Aurelius shifted slightly in his sleep. His mind told him that it was only a breeze, but his heart knew it was more.

     Aurelius fluttered his eyes open and checked to see that his little brother was sleeping peacefully besides him. The Eyrie was just about to go back to sleep when he heard the rustling and creaking sound again. He crossed the room and drew the curtains, releasing a shocking gasp as to what he saw.

     Masses of Darigan Neopets were huddled in the dark ready to attack the village at any time. They carried loads of weapons on their backs- knives, swords, and pitchforks. They waited by every door, watching for Kass's signal to begin destruction. Aurelius stumbled backward at their hideous sight. Within a brief second, a large horn was blasted, indicating the signal to begin the attack on Meridell.

     In one blurry flash of a second, a shot of fire crashed through the window, shattering glass throughout the floor. Almost instantly the fire burned hungrily, feeding on everything in it's way. Its teeth tore apart curtains and chairs and rose higher and higher like a bloodthirsty menace.

     Outside the town was in chaos. Babies were screaming as their parents were ripped apart from them. Houses were being torn to pieces by the tightening claws of evil Darigans who laughed at the sight of the injustice they had done.

     "Aurey!!!" screamed Elian. The little Yurble erupted in a flood of tears as his sleepy eyes gazed upon the destroyed contents of the room and the wall of fire circling around him. He started to choke on the thick black smoke and ashes while he called desperately for his brother. But he was too young to remember...

     "Elian where are you?!" shouted the crazed Eyrie over the chaotic rumble of terror. After a moment of scanning the fire, Aurelius spotted his brother crumpled up on the floor with the fire edging closer and closer to his tiny body.

     In that moment of time, Aurelius realized that the chances of saving Elian and escaping the fire alive would not be achievable. The wall of red and orange flames created a thick barrier on either side. The sobbing cries and screams of Elian were getting harder to hear. No, I have to do something, thought Aurelius. I made him a promise. I said I would never leave him...because we are a family. I can't let this happen to us again...

     And in that moment Aurelius remembered that night 3 years ago- the night that was almost identical to this one...

      It was just another long lazy summer afternoon, one that was common in Meridell. Aurelius sleepily sprawled himself across the kitchen rug, waiting patiently for his owner to come home. His eyes focused upon the endless gleaming trophies lined up on the wall. They were all recognizing his Battledome achievements. It wasn't something he particularly enjoyed, but if it made his owner happy, then it made him happy. That was all he really wanted anyway- to just be a family.

     Recently however, Aurelius hadn't been scoring the gold in battle competitions like he used to. For weeks, the Eyrie had been bringing home a smaller bronze or silver trophy instead. The competition had been getting harder and Aurelius had found himself slacking during practices. And this made his owner very, very upset.

     Aurelius lazily stretched his legs and went to the window where his baby brother Elian, only a few weeks old, was playing with some toy blocks. Aurelius loved playing with his brother. It made him happy to see the Yurble's eyes light up whenever they were having fun together. That's what family meant to Aurelius- just being together and being happy. He didn't realize that family would have a whole new meaning after that night.

     The door snapped open as the Neopets's owner walked in. He seemed to be slightly angry. Aurelius could tell by the manner he was putting away the groceries. "Aurelius, come here NOW!" he shouted impatiently. "Yes," the Eyrie called obediently. He walked in quietly just as his owner threw together some food for dinner. Outside, it was getting dark and the candles in the kitchen flickered slightly.

     "How did you let that pathetic wimp of a Zafara beat you in the Battledome match today?" Aurelius stumbled for an answer but he couldn't come up with one. He just stood there quietly and gazed into the glowing light of the candle. "The neighbors are all talking and my status is going down with your failure!" the owner sniveled. "Don't just stand there you pathetic creature, say something!" The boy's eyes burned with rage and he through a can of food that knocked over the candles. Suddenly, a large uproar of fire was created that matched the owner's anger. The fire started getting out of control and spread throughout the room rapidly. Aurelius became truly scared as the fire climbed higher and higher like a great wall.

     "I-im s-sorry. I'll t-try harder," cried the Eyrie.

     "No. That was all I wanted you for. Why would I want you now? You are useless."

     "But I thought we were a family!" Aurelius's words were lost to the blazing fire which was destroying their home as the seconds ticked by. The wall of fire was too great, and the only thing Aurelius could do would be to save his baby brother. That was the only thing that rested on his mind after the terrible hurt and betrayal that was lashed out upon him. "I won't have this fire separate me and Elian, for he is my true family and families always stick together...no matter what."

     Now 3 years later, Aurelius knew what he had to do. There was only one thing he could do, and that was to sacrifice himself. Aurelius spread out his long wings and dived through the wall of fire. The sparks of flames caught on to his blue feathers and singed his skin. Despite the cruel pain, Aurelius found Elian lying on the ground and picked him up by using his beak. He glanced around for a way to escape -- courage gleaming in his eyes and hope in his heart. There was no way out but up, and luckily there was a ceiling window above them...

     "CRASH." The shattered remnants of the glass showered to the ground in an image of stars falling from the sky. The pieces reflected the sparks of the flames like comets searing to the ground in a sparkling daze. Aurelius felt the cool touch of night soothe his burning body and the feeling of relief brought him gliding past the moon.

At last Aurelius set Elian down on the grassy hill far away from the violence in the town. The Eyrie's body was shredded and mangled from the disastrous fire. He was hardly recognizable to his little brother who cried silently at his side.

     "Aurey, are you going to be okay?" asked Elian innocently and unknowingly. "As long as you are safe, Elian," Aurelius whispered with a tiny fragment of his weak voice. "We are a family. We stick together no matter what." "No matter what?"

     Aurelius smiled gently and nodded with a tip of his head. Then after a long gaze into each other's eyes, the two brothers headed out and followed the moon until the fire was long behind them.

The End