The Right Hand of Light: Part Three

by leslie_83

"Here's a Dream Orb. It induces sleepiness. This Chest Armor will fit you, Dove. This, Meian, is a Basher-simple but effective. And here, Dove, just for you." She drew out-

"A Faerie Paintbrush!" cried Dove and Meian together. "Is it really for me?" asked Dove.

"Yes, it is." And Seiun handed Dove the paintbrush.

"Wait a moment. There is no Faerie Zafara," protested Meian.

"There is now." As Seiun said this, Dove drew the paintbrush over her back and gasped. Her fur stayed its original shade of green, but from her shoulder blades erupted two fluffy, feathery white wings, each larger than she was.

Dove gasped in awe and spread her wings. "These are *mine*?" she asked in wonder.

"Yes. Use them well. You can travel through space now; this way Meian doesn't have to wear out her wings carrying you and these Space Battledome items." Seiun smiled. "And this sack of Faerie Food. Good luck in finding your owner and the Orb of the Fire Faerie."

"How'd you know we were looking for the Orb?" asked Meian in surprise as they walked to the dock of the Space Station. Dove's wings were attracting stares, and she tried in vain to keep them folded as small as possible.

"Lucky guess? Well, off you go. Hurry back!" Seiun waved good-bye as Dove, with Space Battledome items on her back, a sack of food in her paws, and a Dark Faerie flying beside her, soared away towards the Grundo planet.

When she landed on the barren, rocky planet, Meian's spirits fell. Here was a place to be shunned. She didn't know how the Grundos had stood the emptiness and foreboding feeling of the place.

"Where do we start?" whispered Dove. The aura of the planet made you want to whisper. Scratch that-it made you want to hide.

"May I ask what you are looking for?" asked a voice. Dove and Meian jumped and whirled around, but they only saw a young man with large blue eyes and brown hair. He wore a brown cloak and couldn't have been more than twenty-two. "Perhaps I can help."

"What's your name?" demanded Meian suspiciously. "And why are you here?"

"My name is Zalthara. I own a few Grundos who seem to like it here, and I don't mind the atmosphere. People tell me I'm crazy, but that's life." Zalthara shrugged. "My house is that way," he gestured to their left, "so if you'd like to join me for tea?"

"We just had lunch," stammered Dove.

"I don't bite," Zalthara said with a smile.

"Why not?" asked Meian, then whispered to Dove, "We have to start somewhere." Dove spread her wings and began to fly nervously after Zalthara, Meian resting between her wings.

"I don't think I've ever seen a Faerie Zafara before," remarked Zalthara as they walked towards a large tan rock with a hole in it.

"I'm the first," Dove said timidly. They reached the rock and Zalthara led them into the hole, which took the trio down to an underground room. The metal cabinets which lined the room caught the eye first; they had handles of all different colors. In the center of the room was a table, and at the end was a closed wooden door. It was very simple, but very clean.

"Sit down!" Zalthara offered, pulling out a chair. "Those really are beautiful wings, you know."

"You keep this place very clean," remarked Dove as she tried to arrange her new wings comfortably.

"Thank you."

"Remarkably so for an owner of Grundos," added Meian seemingly nonchalantly as she settled onto the table.

"They usually aren't allowed in here. Would you like to come back and see them?" Meian was shocked, but tried to keep a calm front. There was an almost oily quality to Zalthara's voice which frightened her.

"No thank you. I'm not too fond of Grundos," she said with a smile.

"You know that they're messy?"

"That's why I don't like them."

"But they served Dr. Sloth."

"And that's good?" asked Meian suspiciously, narrowing her eyes at Zalthara.

"I don't think so...but you're a Dark Faerie"

"Yes, I know. So what? I don't support Dr. Sloth. Very few Dark Faeries do, and no more dark than air, fire, or any other type."

"I see." Zalthara snapped his fingers and Dove and Meian heard noises coming from behind the door. Both tensed, but relaxed when a woman in an old-fashioned maid outfit came out holding a tray of juice. "This is Fae, my maidservant," the man told them. "Fae, this is...I don't believe you told me your names."

"I'm Meian," Meian said.

"I'm JupiterDove, but you may call me Dove," Dove said.

"Ah. Fae, this is Meian and JupiterDove."

Fae stared uncannily at Dove. "JupiterDove..." she murmured. "Have you been a Faerie long?"

"No, only about half an hour." Dove looked at Fae quizzically. "Do I know you?"

"JupiterDove!" she cried joyfully, springing forward and embracing the Zafara

The light came on. "Sn_rpg_guild?" asked Dove. Fae nodded, and then the two were crying and hugging. "I've been looking everywhere for you!" Dove sobbed.

"What?" demanded Zalthara, and there was a hard edge to his voice now. "Your pet was looking for you? I should have left you-"

He broke off, and Meian angrily shouted, "Left her where?" Zalthara paused, then reached into his cloak and whipped out a glass jar in which he trapped Meian within seconds. He had the skill that only someone with lots of practice has. "Who are you?" demanded Meian from within the jar.

"Silly. You'd think a Faerie would be trained from birth to recognize Balthazar," he laughed.

"You're Balthazar?" cried sn_rpg_guild in shock. "Then these cupboards must hold..." She grabbed a cupboard and yanked it open, revealing a bottled Water Faerie Another cupboard contained a bottled Earth Faerie Sn_rpg_guild tugged open the third cupboard to reveal... something none of them had ever seen before.

To be continued...