The Darkest Faerie Returns: Part Seven

      Altador sighed and did what he did when words were inadequate. He sang. His song had words. They told a story of a misguided Faerie who became the darkest of them all. He spoke of her rise and fall. He sang of her empty heart and full mind. He recounted tales of pain and suffering. He told of her love of misery and pain. Last but not least, he sang about her potential as a Faerie, and that who she was inside had forever been trying to destroy the wall that she had put around her heart.

      When the song ended on a note filled with every emotion that the Darkest Faerie had ever felt, the others noticed their surroundings change. They were no longer in her lair, as it had ceased to exist along with the Darkest Faerie. Instead, they were standing in front of the stadium, where Altador had somehow taken them without moving an inch.

      Siyana flung open the doors and the pets who had been content living in their homes were now leaving, carrying all of their possessions with them.

      When they entered, Altador sang them in, but with their exit, they sang for their own benefit. Tor ran inside and searched for Grimmig in the large mass of pets that were ready to leave and re-enter their home.

      Grimmig laughed with joy when he saw Tor, and Tor ran up and smacked him on the head as a sign of friendship. “Grimmig! I’ve missed you so! I have so much to tell you!”

      Grimmig laughed. “I have missed you too dear friend. I suppose that it is good that we have time to listen.”

      Tor frowned in confusion. “You are much more pleasant, my dear friend. Do not take this the wrong way, but what has happened?”

      Grimmig smiled. “I found my father. I thought that he had abandoned me, but he didn’t! He was a Taladorian that returned to Neopia, but he was called back. I always thought that he left me, but he never did. When I met him, we both had our eyes opened. My eyes opened up to his love, his to my existence. I wish to stay here, in Altador. I will miss you so, but it is a decision that I have just now made. I will return with you for some time to gather my things and bid farewell to my friends, but I belong here, with my father.”

      Tor smiled. “I will miss you, but that’s okay. You’re right; you belong here. I think that ever since we’ve entered I knew it, I just didn’t want to face it.”

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

      Fyora whispered something to Siyana and she agreed. Together, they walked through the portal that led to Fyora’s bedchamber. They walked in and were surprised to see that Fyora’s room was filled with reporters! It seemed that during that whole fiasco with the Darkest Faerie, some pets had entered through the portal in Fyora’s room. They returned telling stories of a deserted city and a floating stadium. None of the reporters dared to step through the portal itself, but they had all-day coverage of its existence and whatever it did.

      Fyora and Siyana were bombarded with questions until Fyora put up her hand, asking them to be quiet so that she could speak.

      Fyora’s voice boomed through the room and through the open door and hallway. “I bring important news! This portal leads to a world long gone, yet restored. It was once called Talador, but it is now Altador. But more importantly, the Darkest Faerie has been defeated! She is gone; she will no longer bother us. With Siyana’s help, we were able to defeat her. She took my place, and I hers. I was turned into her, but only to the extent of appearance. Luckily, she returned to Altador before she tried to attack all of you. Then, Siyana defeated her, the Faerie queen, at just the right time so that it would attack her, and immediately thereafter I switched places so that once she was being destroyed, we were switching places. It worked as I hoped. As proof that I am the true Fyora, I will reveal something that I have never before told anybody. Siyana is my sister. I don’t know why we kept it a secret, but we did. And now we tell you all! She is serving as the secretary to King Altador, who rules Altador, and who Altador is named after. He is a wise king and will serve as the king very well. You are all welcome to visit Altador. Until a safe route is found, I will use a different bedchamber and this will be open to all who wish to visit Altador!”

      Fyora ended and took a breath, only to once again be bombarded with questions.

     She held up her hand again. “Please let us be for a moment. I am tired and must rest. I have no doubt that Siyana feels the same way. After we rest, we will call you all to Neopia and we will give a formal speech as to the details of the Darkest Faerie’s defeat.”

      Fyora ushered everybody out of the room and collapsed onto her bed. Siyana yawned and feel asleep on Fyora’s nova chair.

      Fyora yawned as she woke up. She looked at the sun and realized that it was about noon. She had to set up for her speech in a hurry. She woke up Siyana and together they prepared a place for Fyora to speak.

      Once again, all pets, Faeries, and humans were called to Faerieland for an announcement about the Darkest Faerie.

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

      Fyora spoke to the crowds, “I bring wonderful news! We have found a new land, but more importantly, we have defeated the Darkest Faerie forever! She will never return to do anything to us. She was destroyed. She felt no pain other than that of her change. To make a long story short for the time being, she switched places with me, and I was able to switch us back. I know from experience that turning from the Faerie queen into the Darkest Faerie is a very painful thing. I understand the pain that she felt. I am glad to say that being destroyed caused no pain. She simply vanished bit by bit. Her lair is also gone forever. Altador is now open to those who wish to visit, and we welcome you to do so. For now, I simply wish to tell you that she has been forever defeated!”

      Fyora stopped until the cheering from the audience subsided. “I have a feeling that a dark faerie is missing. Would one of the water faeries please retrieve the statue at the bottom of Maraqua?”

      The Fountain Faerie’s assistant yelled out, “Sure, your majesty. I’ve been going crazy at that little pool of where I work. I’d be happy to do that for you.”

      The Fountain Faerie chuckled. “Stay in Maraqua if you like - I can run my own pool - and have fun!”

      Fyora chuckled. “This is all working out fine. Now, would Zelena please come forth?”

      A Draik flew up to the stage and bowed before Fyora. “I am here, your majesty.”

      Fyora lifted up her head. “Grimmig is staying in Altador. He has found his father, your husband. Go to them.”

      The Draik’s eyes lit up as they had never been lit before. “Yes, your majesty, right away!”

      A short time later, a statue was placed upon the stage, it was the statue that had once housed the Darkest Faerie, but that now housed a rather frightened normal dark faerie.

     Fyora freed the faerie and couldn’t help commenting, “It’s okay. She’s gone now.”

      The dark faerie flew off to the pharmacy, no doubt suffering from a mild case of hypothermia.

      Fyora smiled. “That should be everything; is there anything else?”

      Siyana tapped Fyora’s shoulder. “There is a matter of Tor. He has saved us again. It is time to honor him.”

      Fyora nodded. “Tor, come up to the stage!”

      Tor walked up to the stage and bowed before Fyora. “I am here, dear queen.”

      Fyora smiled. “You also deserve a family reunion. Altador is your father, and I’m sure that he would love it if you went and lived at his palace.”

      Tor smiled. “I couldn’t be much happier... But what about security around the palace?”

      Fyora continued smiling. “I’ll be fine. Go; you have served us all well many times.”

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

      Altador called all of the Altadorians together and spoke to them. “We will soon be getting visitors from Neopia. The stadium is now open for all! It is time that you all know what happened so long ago, and also not so long ago.”

      Altador proceeded to tell them about what had happened to them before the Darkest Faerie had been defeated, and also what had happened while they were away and she returned.

      The people understood and were eager to accept the changes in their life. They were also eager to welcome Prince Tor, who now lived in the palace and helped train the future knights.

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

      Altador, Siyana, Tor, and Fyora all met together once the hype about the Darkest Faerie had finally ended.

      Siyana muttered, “I suppose it’s finally over.”

      Altador responded, “It’s as if it’s always been over.”

      Fyora spoke up. “I suppose it does feel a bit like that.”

      Tor spoke last. “All that matters is that it’s over now.”

      The group murmured simultaneously, “That it is.”

The End