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The sun was at its noontime peak when Shard finally reached
the hillock's summit. His body, weak and feeble from the excursion, was pushed
by him the last few steps up the hill. His wings made crawling awkward, but flying
simply wasn't an option But as those steps were passed, the Korbat was finally
able to stare down into Meri Acres Farm. The landscape was dotted with several
farmhouses, each of them adorned with peeling paint and hanging shutters. A patch
of vegetables or a corral of Petpets accompanied each of them, and a rather large
barn stood high at the north end of the farm. Meri Acres teemed with activity;
the bustling farmers moved as if there was a perpetual supply of work.
Shard's attempt to balance on his small
feet wasn't very successful, but he didn't manage to carefully amble down the
hill. The smell of fruit left to ferment too long immediately caught Shard's
snout, and was complimented by the smell of Turmac slops and Whinny droppings.
It shocked him that these pets could handle living here.
"Good day!" greeted a jovial Lupe as she
walked past him while pushing a wheelbarrow of turnips.
"Why are you so cheerful?" Shard muttered
under his breath, but the Lupe evidently heard him and turned.
"There isn't anything more to be thankful
for! The turnips are prosperous, my kin are handling the farm responsibilities
wonderfully, there hasn't been any sign of evil in Meridell since Darigan the
scourge was defeated... and the weather is splendid!" the Lupe replied as she
continued to push her wheelbarrow.
The Korbat flinched as if struck as he
crawled over to the shade a towering Brogle Berry tree. He certainly didn't
need to be reminded of Darigan once more. From the Drackonacks in the Petpet
Shop to the Dari Berries on the tree adjacent to his, everything seemed to remind
him of Lord Darigan. Only hours before had he awoken to find himself in a kind
Ixi's Neohome with his memories obscured. From what he had overheard from Kass,
Shard was Lord Darigan. Shard couldn't entirely say it was a lie -- he had few
clear memories from before he had awoken -- but he refused to believe it.
Shard's thoughts were interrupted as a
huge growl was let forth from his stomach. It suddenly dawned on him that he
hadn't eaten so much as a berry in hours. He doubted it possible for a Korbat
to climb a tree, and he hadn't the Neopoints for Pick Your Own.
Through the din of chattering Meridellians
socializing as they planted and harvested, Shard could catch some anxious murmurs
which soon turned into worried shouts. Turning his head, Shard saw a purple
figure clad in blue garbs and a long cape standing atop the roof of a scrubby
barn. Two other pets, each of them armed with crossbows, flanked the figure.
A throng of pets had gathered around the base of the barn and was listening
to what he had to say.
"Citizens of Meri Acres," the perched
character proclaimed, "From behind the back of my master, the revered Lord Kass,
I've travelled from the Citadel to greet you. Word spreads deftly through the
Citadel, so it was no surprise when I discovered what my master has planned
for today. Lord Kass is searching for a trespasser discovered by the guards
of Meridell's king. Suspicions say that he is Lord Darigan."
To no surprise, shocked whispers travelled
through the flocks. I'd best get out of here lest I'll be discovered, Shard
thought. For some more convincing, he added, It isn't true, but they may not
believe that.
"That is why I, Master Vex of the Darigan
Citadel, have declared siege upon Meri Acres Farm until every inch of this farm
has been searched and the Korbat has been found, providing that he is here."
Shard scrambled to his feet, focused on
making a clean getaway. But the moment the Mynci had finished his proclamation,
a queue of Vex's subordinates had appeared atop the hill Shard has used to gain
entrance to the farm. Darigan Usuls and Shoyrus appeared from the forests to
the north, and east and west were protected by lines of other pets of the same
colour.
Master Vex. That name so clearly rang
through Shard's head. The purple Mynci had been Shard's most faithful ally,
leading his armies through battles and preparing them for the same. Bits and
pieces of conversations he had with him, some lasting for hours, over things
from strategic moves to rations arose in Shard's mind, before fogging again
and leaving him.
"You heard him! All Meridellians are supposed
to report to the turnip patch one the east side of the farm!" a Darigan Lupe
spat at Shard as he passed.
Shard took a step forward to the Lupe.
"I must speak with Master Vex. It's important."
The Lupe snorted. "Certainly not more
important than searching for Darigan, now, is it?"
"But I know where Darigan is!" retorted
so strongly even the Lupe seemed taken aback. "Er... rather, I saw where the
guards were taking him. I could help."
The Lupe paused to consider Shard, no
doubt taking notice to the fact that he was a Korbat, but the Lupe nodded at
last and said, "Follow me."
They cut through the flocks of farmers
they went, and the Lupe showed no hesitance at blasting chastising remarks at
the farmers. Shard watched as Vex's other henchmen shoved the Meridellians into
lines, forcing them into interrogation. Shard and the guard approached the barn
Vex was standing upon. It was easily the biggest structure in Meri Acres, and
probably the biggest in all of Meridell, save for the castle and Citadel.
"Password?" a Pteri asked, eyeing them
up.
"Forsake the Eyrie," the Lupe muttered.
Shard looked at him inquisitively but a harsh glare from the Lupe told him there
would be no explanation.
The Darigan Pteri nodded and stepped aside,
permitted them access to the barn. One step inside let the Korbat know all too
clearly that they had not successfully cleared out the smell in the barn.
"We may be here for days!" Master Vex
barked. "I want no sign Snorkles ever lived here, understood?" The Mynci's subordinates
doubled their speed, shovelling up messes left against the dilapidated walls
and spraying Tobago Potion everywhere. It helped the smell, sure, but not the
infestation of Vernaxes multiplying in size.
The Lupe saluted the Mynci and said, "Sir,
this Korbat says he knows something about the location of Lord Darigan. He claims
he watched the guards lug him away."
Master Vex turned, his elegant cape swishing
with poise as he did. His hazelnut eyes fired a penetrating gaze at Shard. It
felt as if his mind was being bored into by the gaze, and his thoughts being
read as if they were in a book. The Mynci slowly nodded as if satisfied and
said, "He'll just have to follow me."
Vex pushed open the door to a stable where
a scrubby desk adorned with a few pens and scattered pieces of paper had been
placed. He grumbled as he squeezed between the wall and the desk, but he finally
reached his little wooden chair. He fell into it.
"Seat yourself," the Mynci said acridly,
sitting himself properly. Shard quickly sat down in the even smaller chair on
the desk's other side. "So, you say you know about Darigan's whereabouts?" Master
Vex's brow arched, no doubt noticing the fact that Shard was a Korbat. I'll
need a morphing potion as soon as possible, Shard thought to himself. "What's
your name?"
Shard vainly fought back the quaver as
he muttered, "My name is Shard."
Master Vex nodded, casting another intimidating
gaze at him. That gaze... It could send the toughest Neopet into a fit of shivers,
but it hadn't always caused him to be as fearful. There was a time when that
gaze was a pitiful attempt to duplicate his, when not even--
Shard paused when he realized what he
was doing, but cursed at himself in his head for stopping. If he could only
figure out where these broken memories were coming from, he'd be able to say
it had nothing to do with Lord Darigan.
"Korbat! Are you listening?" Shard jumped
as he was being addressed. "I asked you what you knew. You had better not be
wasting my time, because I have weapons that could make you wish you--"
"Right. Sorry... erm... sir. I do know
where Lord Darigan is. He was taken away to Meridell Castle by the guards."
Master Vex's brow was raised again. "Do
you know where, in specifics?"
"Er... no."
The Mynci stood, his eyes burning with
a fierce brown glow. "Then this is a waste of my time! I will not tolerate such
insolence! Galgarrath, take this Korbat to Haskol. He'll be able to teach him
how to--"
"Wait!" Shard burst out as the Grarrl
took a step forward. If there wasn't something he could say to the aid the situation,
Galgarrath would take him to Haskol -- two more vaguely familiar names -- and
that would be disastrous. "I am Darigan."
Master Vex let out a gasp and Galgarrath
began to sputter audibly in disbelief. Master Vex stood up, his face crimson
with outrage, and opened his mouth to say something. He caught himself, though,
and was seated immediately. "Lord Darigan? I suspected it when you came in,
of course, for no reason better than your species. Any Korbat would have more
sense than turning in another indistinguishable Korbat. Though, I will have
to ask you some question before I can make the proclamation."
"But-but I don't even have... I don't--"
"What were my final words to you before
your defeat?"
"I..."
"On which floor of the Citadel is the
prison located?"
"Er..."
"How old were you when Meridell's oh-so-mighty
king was sworn to the thrown?"
"Give me some time to answer these!" Shard
burst out.
Master Vex smirked superiorly. "Take as
much time as you need," he said, waving his hand as if the questions were sitting
on the table waiting to be answered.
Shard exhaled. "I don't know. I don't
have any memory. It was erased when I woke up in the canyon."
Master Vex stood up, his condescending
smirk moving from him the to Grarrl behind him. "Galgarrath. This Korbat is
to be arrested for impersonation of a regal official. The Citadel's dungeon
seem like a fitting place."
If not already white, Shard's face would've
been ashen.
"My Lord," Galgarrath said is his deep,
booming voice, "I cannot send this Korbat to the dungeon without filing a form
for Lord Kass, and he'll surely ask me where the arrest took place. That means
I'll have to explain to him about our unauthorized trip to this farm. He will
not be pleased."
Vex stroked his chin, apparently contemplating
the alternatives. "Clever thinking, Galgarrath. Clever. This is what you'll
do. Disguise yourself as a Meridellian and take him to Meridell Castle. You'll
report him to the guards for speaking impudence about Meridell's artillery.
With the guards' egos, they'd lock him up without mentioning it to a soul."
Galgarrath nodded smugly. Shard's last
memories were of Galgarrath coming up behind him and restraining him, and Vex
approaching with a potion in hand. Galgarrath forced Shard's jaw open with his
hands and tipped the potion back into his throat -- Slumberberry, the label
said. The world around him began to swirl and distort as his eyelids began to
lower. His eyes closed, and his ears twitched once uncontrollably.
"Now he shouldn't give you anymore trouble
on the trip there," Vex's voice said from far away said. As the words faded,
Shard's breathing deepened, and sleep took him.
The End
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