It was almost a year later. Eniad walked silently, the only sound of the crunching
snow beneath her feet. She sniffed the sweet, cold air. She could smell some
Chias nearby, but she wasn't hungry. She just wanted to enjoy the afternoon.
She lay down in the snow. She thought sadly of her siblings, which she had
to leave only a week ago. They were old enough to defend themselves, and Fanger
said they should all split up. Cloud had cried a lot, and poor Sport had just
drooped his head. Eniad knew that Fanger was just saying that because he wanted
to feel brave and strong. She knew he would eventually crack and head back to
them.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar sound. It was a high-pitched buzzing
sound in her mind. Her sister! She quickly opened her mind, and Cloud's holograph
appeared in front of her (along with their magic, they could sent thoughts to
each other as well).
"Cloud! How are you?" asked Eniad.
"I'm fine. How are you?" Her voice sounded like an echo.
"I'm OK. So, why'd you call? Not that I'm unhappy to see you," she quickly
added, sensing Cloud's annoyance.
"I want to get back together again. I know Fanger was being stupid, and I
don't care what he says. Where are you?" Cloud asked.
"I'm by the Southern Pass," responded Eniad.
"Hey! I'm kind of by there! I'll catch you later," said Cloud, and her holograph
disappeared.
Eniad waited for her sister. She remembered her powers.
It was eight months ago she was able to sense danger and warn her family.
A Pant Devil had come, and she saw it long before he arrived. She warned her
family, and her mother put a protective shield around their home. When he came,
he saw the shield, and turned around, disappointed. Another month later, she
was able to stop a Jubjub right in its tracks with her magic. She was able to
freeze things and sense danger and lies.
Cloud had gotten good at conjuring things, and was able to locate anything.
She'd just say the thing she wanted to see, and her vision would change and
the thing would show up in her vision, even if behind a mile-thick iron wall.
It was useful when hunting.
Fanger was able to create a second image of himself, which could help in battle,
and he could levitate. And Sport could move things with his mind and shoot magic
blasts from his scar.
"Eniad!" It was Cloud. She ran toward Eniad and hugged her tightly. "I missed
you so much!"
"I missed you too!" Eniad replied, her eyes shining with tears of happiness.
They broke apart.
"You know, we should find Fanger and Sport," Cloud said. She closed her eyes,
said "Fanger!" and opened them. Her eyes were glowing white light. She looked
around for a minute. Then she said, "He's a mile north of here," her eyes returned
to their normal state, and they set off.
It only took them fifteen minutes to get to where Fanger was. They found him
sleeping under a tree, snoring loudly. Cloud rolled her eyes.
"Alarm clock," she said, and one magically appeared in front of her. The bell
went off. Fanger awoke with a start.
"What? Where's the fire?" he asked, dazed. He saw his sisters. "Hey! Cloud
and Eniad, I can't believe-" he stopped short, embarrassed for acting all happy.
"I mean, what are you guys doing here?"
"We missed you, bro," Eniad said, hugging her brother.
"Hey! Let go!" he said, but he couldn't hide a smile. It was obvious that
he missed them, too.
"Where's Sport?" asked Cloud.
Fanger frowned. "I really don't know. I haven't received any messages from
him, not since we all split up."
"We've got to find him, before he gets into trouble," said Eniad. The Lupes
set off. Cloud tried her vision, but she couldn't find him. Fanger tried to
connect with him telepathically, but that didn't work, either.
"Where is he?" Eniad asked, frustrated. "We can't reach him, and that always
works!"
"You know, Mum said the only time that doesn't work is when some other sorcerer
or sorceress has been messing with the person you're trying to reach. Do you
think Sport's in trouble?" asked Fanger.
"Who knows? Let's go." Cloud said. They traveled for another thirty minutes,
and still no luck.
"I'm about to give up on him!" Fanger said angrily. "Or I'll-"
A loud roar coming from the ravine below them interrupted him. They peered
over the edge of the ravine. A big black Lupe was down there, bending over something.
He had a tattoo shaped like a cross surrounded by fire. A howl erupted from
where the lack Lupe was standing. It sounded like Sport!
Eniad tried to freeze him, but it didn't work. Fanger leapt down into the
ravine, came up behind the Lupe, and bit him hard in the leg.
The Lupe screamed and turned around to see what had bitten him. Seeing Fanger,
he slashed at him, and Fanger went flying. Sport, who had emerged from under
the beast, sent a bright beam of magic out of his scar. The Lupe howled in agony
as it surrounded him.
"Come on! Let's help!" Eniad told Cloud, and they jumped into battle. Eniad
ran to help Fanger, as her powers were useless. Cloud, still in the air, quickly
exclaimed, "Arrow!" and was about to stab the beast. He turned around quickly
and knocked the arrow away from her and blasted her away with black magic.
"Guys! He's a sorcerer Lupe!" Sport yelled. He picked up a rock with his power
and hurled it at the Lupe. It hit him in the eye and he roared. Fanger leapt
out of nowhere, and his double came out of him. "Come and get me, ugly!" It
yelled. The Lupe swiped at it, but the double jumped out of the way, giving
the real Fanger an advantage to levitate and leap onto the Lupe's back, grabbing
its fur. Eniad, Sport, and Cloud all grabbed onto the Lupe, trying to pull him
down. He slashed at them, and they tumbled away.
Eniad, a scratch on her side, leapt high into the air and was about to tackle
the Lupe. He saw her coming, and disappeared. Eniad fell to the ground, landing
on her leg and feeling it break under her. She cried out in pain. Sport tried
to blast magic out of his scar again, but the Lupe had scratched it, and it
no longer functioned. They could do nothing.
The Lupe reappeared. He spoke, sending a chilling blast of cold air down their
spines.
"You pathetic Lupes are helpless. You will never match up to the power of
the evil sorcerer Lupes. We are faithful to our master, Natsirt. We alone will
conquer you!" he laughed, a laugh that made them want to scream. And in a flash
of black smoke, the black Lupe disappeared.
The Lupes sat there, dumbstruck. Eniad tried to get up, but her leg collapsed
from under her, and she yelped. Cloud got up and went over to her and licked
her wounds. Sport whined. Fanger got up.
"Who and what was that thing?" he asked.
"What do you think it was, dummy?" Eniad snapped. "He was a black sorcerer
Lupe, for cripes sake!"
"He said something about serving Natsirt. Remember that story Grandma used
to tell us?" Sport asked his siblings. They nodded. "Well, that just can't be
possible, on account of Natsirt was destroyed a long time ago. Why do you think
he said that?"
Cloud looked thoughtful. "Hey can't have come back to life, can he? I mean,
I don't think even the most powerful sorcerer Lupe could do that. Not even Riamun,"
"I think we should ask Grandma," said Fanger. He contacted her telepathically,
and she appeared in front of them, looking a little pale.
"What is the matter?" she asked them, looking worried.
"Grandma, we just fought with a black sorcerer Lupe. He said he served Natsirt,
but Natsirt's gone. What did he mean?" Fanger asked, rushed.
She gasped. "Natsirt? Back? It can't be true…"
"What? What's the deal?" Sport asked anxiously.
She sighed. "There was a rumour going around that strange things have been
happening to sorcerer and sorceress Lupes all over Neopia. They have disappeared
without a trace. The rumour is that Natsirt's followers are kidnapping them
all and stealing their powers. Once they have enough power, Natsirt will rise
again, and he will destroy us all! And the worst part is… I think your parents
were taken!"
Cloud gasped. Fanger's eyes grew wide. Sport fell over. Eniad's mouth dropped.
"There is nothing we can do, my children. If the rumours are true…" she gulped.
"All hope is lost."
She suddenly began to wheeze. Eniad knew there was something wrong with her.
"Grandma! Are you OK?" Her grandmother didn't answer. The transmission was
lost, and the image faded. Cloud conjured a splint for Eniad, which bonded her
broken leg.
"We've got to go to Grandma. Something is wrong," Eniad said, and all of them
took off at a run, her at a hobble.
To be continued... | 
