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Untitled Document
As darkness enveloped the skies of Faerieland, Takayla the
Earth Faerie, hovered above her counterparts far, far below. She watched with
wide eyes as the Light faeries joined the group below and lit up the fair grounds
with their dazzling lights. You see, the annual spring festivities were underway.
Every Faerie in Neopia was invited, even the Faerie Queen herself. After months
of planning, a secret date and location was decided and passed through the land
by word of mouth. The earth faeries filled the field with wreathes of delicate
flowers as far as the eye can see.
The water Faeries provided a brilliant choir
for the entertainment while the fire faeries provided a fireworks display above
the fairgrounds. The air faeries had the hardest job of them all. They were
the ones responsible for keeping this gathering a secret, keeping it invisible
and hidden from outsiders. The past two years have been tragic. Somehow Balthazar
the Bounty Hunter found the festival and captured hundreds of faeries before
they even knew what was happening. This year was going to be different, the
Battle Faerie promised to show up and help maintain the secrecy and safety of
the event.
And so the evening carried on as if nothing
ever happened in the years before. Hundreds of Faeries filed pass the ever-watchful
eyes of the air faeries. However, not all of the air faeries were watching their
gates. Psellia, dancing to the music of the choir below, paid no heed to her
duties. That's when it happened. A small shadowed whisked through the gates
and into a nearby tent. Takayla, seeing this, flew as fast as the winds could
carry her down towards the tent. She hesitated for only a second before she
flipped the fold that covered the doorway and walked in -- her wand held before
her.
A small whisper of a flame shone from a candle
on the table. It was hard to discern anything from the flickering light. "Who's
there?" she called into the darkness. "You are not welcomed here, intruder."
In her haste to find the trespasser, Takayla bumped into the table in front
of her and toppled the candle from its holder.
In the darkness, a small chuckle answered her.
A flame blossomed in front of her until it lit up the entire tent. There, before
her, sitting on the table was Fuhnah the Fire Faerie cupping the flame in the
palm of her hand. Takayla felt the blood rise into her face in anger and humiliation.
"I got you AGAIN dear cousin. Shouldn't you
be out there flying around looking for Balthazar?" Fuhnah chuckled again. Like
many fire faeries, she loved causing trouble and playing tricks on the other
faeries - especially on Takayla.
"You know it's possible that he comes back,"
Takayla shouted. "We have to be careful. Do you know how many faeries the water
faeries have had to cure because of injuries from their capture? It's hard enough
when even the Queen can't summon up enough power to free them, why have such
large gatherings for more of our numbers to be netted and sold?"
Fuhnah just waved her arm at the Earth Faerie
"You worry too much. The Battle Faerie will be on guard, we have a better invisibility
spell and there are better guards at the gates this year. Come, the Queen arrives."
She smiled brightly and only received a frown in return.
"Yes, better guards… like the one you flew past
coming in here," said Takayla.
"Oh, you. I'm small and could fly past Psellia
without her knowing any day, black cloak or no. Let's see you get a pack of
Lupes or any other pet to do the same. They are like a hundred times bigger
than me! Let's go out there and have some fun! I hear the soup is excellent!"
Takayla agreed resignedly. Fuhnah was right
- there was nothing to worry about. They both stepped out into the night. Music
and laughter filled the air. The Queen was here, it was time to celebrate like
only faeries knew how. Silently to herself, Takayla wondered when the Battle
Faerie would show up and searched the skies for her a glimmer from her mighty
shield.
To be continued...
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