Paladii's Quest

by Paladin00

Paladii leapt across the small chasm after his friend Lexor, his strong hind legs propelling him swiftly towards his friend.

"You will never catch me!!!" Lexor yelled. The two Lupes bounded over the rocky terrain, laughing and teasing each other. Lexor came to a halt all of a sudden. Paladii was about to yell in victory when he saw what had halted his friend so abruptly. A beautiful Air Faerie was hovering above them, her radiance filling the sky with a bright light. Her hair blew gently in the wind as she descended towards the two. They were awe struck, never in their life had they seen such a magnificent creature!!! Her voice thundered toward them, "Where is my wand ?" She had a frown on her face and looked somewhat irritated though it made her no less beautiful.

Paladii stammered "What?"

The faerie looked more annoyed. "I said where is my wand ?"

Lexor said, "We don't know, ummmm... "

"Well that's a lot of help," she snapped.

Then suddenly she blushed and said, "I am sorry, I didn't mean to...." Her head lowered.

"That's OK, how can we help you?" Paladii said with a sudden enthusiasm.

"Well, I lost my wand you see, I think it might have been stolen."

"How can we help?" Lexor chimed in.

"Hmmmm, I suppose you could try and find it for me, if you did I could reward you," she smiled.

"Although I haven't had much luck with many other people."

Paladii asked, "Will there be danger? Would it be an adventure?"

She smiled, knowing his kind loved an adventure.

"Why yes, of course."

Paladii and Lexor jumped in glee, "When can we start ?"

The faerie said, "Right now if you wan... " But before she could finish Paladii and Lexor were off, their love for adventure overpowering their awe of her presence.

{ two days later - night time }

His eyes scanned the horizon, searching for any possible threats, using his magical night vision. "I don't see anything," Paladii yelled back to Lexor.

"That Chia in the market said a Grarrl passed through the town only hours ago with some kind of wand."

"He can't be far," Paladii thought, "I have an idea!!!" said Paladii. "We can split up, you go follow the road and I will follow the tracks. After all, the tracks could just be here to fool us, he might have taken the road."

Lexor didn't say anything although he did not like the idea of leaving his friend to wander off in the woods, alone. The two nodded in agreement and went along their separate ways. Paladii followed the tracks into the woods. He followed them through the morning and into noon time the next day, until finally he came to a cave. The cave was dark and foreboding. He heard voices inside. Being as dark as it was, he decided to use his magical abilities. The torch appeared at his will and lit the cave entrance quite nicely. He went inside the cave, prepared for any attack. The voices got abruptly louder and startled him. He paused and held still, using the tactics he had learned from childhood. Two Korbats flew by him, not seeing him. Then another pair, then another. A viscous Grarrl thundered through the cave, echoing off every wall. Paladii was frozen with fear, not for himself, but for his friend who's voice he had just heard Grarrl in anger. Lexor rarely got angry, he was reserved and well tempered. If he is angry, Paladii thought, someone is going to get it !!! Paladii didn't even consider how his friend was captured, or even who captured him as he rushed into the stone hall built in the cave. He soared across the ground with lighting speed towards his opponent. The Grarrl turned around and was just about to pummel him when Paladii leapt up into the air and flashed his powerful lighting spell at the creature. The Grarrl went flying back into the wall of the cave, stunned by the skillful attack.

"Come on!!!" Paladii cried. Lexor ran with him as they flew down the hall. Once at the entrance, Paladii pulled out his magical trumpet and blew as hard as he could. The trumpet blasted it's powerful sound through the cave, collapsing it without mercy. Then they raced off towards home.

{ three days later - on the mountain again }

"Oh well, Lexor said. Even if we didn't get the wand, at least we had adventure." They both grinned from ear to ear as they realized the danger they had just faced.

"I never thought of that," said Paladii.

Just as they were about to rejoice in their adventure, the heavens filled with light and the Air Faerie descended toward them again, wand in hand. They both stared in wonder at her again, the sight being no less magnificent after having already seen it.

"Your wand !!! Paladii yelled, but how..."

She laughed and smiled. "I found it in my garden."

Paladii and Lexor sat there staring at her with wonder in their eyes. "You mean you had it all along?"

"Yes," she giggled, "sorry about that." She turned, but as she flew away she waved her wand and yelled, "This is for being brave and valiant in the face of danger, and for your kindness toward me."

The air around them crackled and shimmered emanating a low humming sound. A huge feast appeared before them, multitudes of chocolate Chias and milkshakes and other delicious foods surrounded them. They ate for hours until they could eat no more. After that they went to sleep, content. The value of the gift the faerie gave was not known to them, for the feast that had appeared before them, would appear again the next day. It would reappear every day, such was the power of the faerie's magic.

Though Paladii and Lexor were awe struck at the faerie's beauty and grace, so was the faerie by their show of courage and friendship. She was with them the whole journey, watching them silently, invisible to all but her own kin's eyes. She had seen their prowess and might in battle. But most importantly, she saw the love that existed between them. The bond of friendship and kinsmanship that had defined the Lupe race for millennias.

And so I will end the story now as my mother did for me. I read this story to you so that my mothers respect for these two will not be lost. Their story will be told for many generations in our family, for that faerie in the story my children, is my mother.

"WOW" the little faerie's said.

"Good night, my children. Good night."

"Good night."

The End