The Darkest Faerie Returns: Part Two

     “What are you two doing in there?! Don’t you know that only Siyana and King Altador are allowed in there? Get out before somebody sees you!”

      Tor looked up, surprised. Up on the roof was a very worried looking Faerie Usul.

      Tor's curiosity was consuming him, so he asked the Usul, “What are you talking about? Why is nobody allowed in here?”

      The Usul just stared at Tor for a moment before replying, “Because this is where we honor everybody who died serving Talador and trying to defeat the Darkest Faerie. Out of our respect we don’t enter. Only Siyana and King Altador can because they survived, so it’s only their right, it’s not ours.”

      Tor beckoned the Usul to come, but the Usul refused.

     In desperation, Tor tried to arouse the Usul’s curiosity. “But my name is listed here. I have lived in Neopia for as long as I remembered, but I would bet your name is listed here too. Those of you that live here also lived in Talador, but you were defeated by the Darkest Faerie. You were sent to Neopia and your memories left you. But before you started to really live in Neopia, Altador was created on the same land as Talador. King Altador and Siyana brought you all here to live in peace. You lost that battle yourself; we all did. Your Altadorian weapons were created by me. King Altador also brought me back, but I wanted to stay in Neopia. He allowed me to, but on one condition. My memory would be temporarily erased until I returned. Though a thousand years have passed, that still lasted. It took me some time to remember, but seeing King Altador as a young king brought my memories rushing back. We are all Taladorians in our hearts. We all are here because we belong here.”

      Grimmig said nothing while this was happening, but when he read a name, it showed him a picture too. When he looked closely at Tor’s name, a picture of Tor appeared from when he visited Altador the first time.

      The Usul said nothing while this was occurring, but instead responded with a sort of test, “If my name is truly listed there, then I will go in and see what you have to say.”

      Tor asked the Usul, “Very well, what is your name?”

      “My name is Hrabenka; now see if my name is there.”

      It took a few minutes, but Tor and Grimmig found Hrabenka’s name on a plaque.

      “Hrabenka,” started Tor, “your name is here. You were a Taladorian. That is why you belong here. That is why I have always belonged here, though I never really knew it.”

      The Usul flew down lightly and looked at the plaque. To her surprise, her name WAS among the names of those who died.

     To be sure, she asked Tor again, “So your name is here, you say?”

      Tor nodded as he approached the plaque under the large picture of King Altador.

     “Yes, here it is.”

      The Usul took one look and flew away.

     “I don’t believe you! Why would you trick me into entering this sacred place? Go away, leave Altador, and never return!”

      Tor was speechless, but Grimmig stated what was on both of their minds.

     “What was that all about?”

      Tor noticed something different about his plaque that he had not noticed before. His plaque was made out of the finest gemstones he had ever seen. Rubies, emeralds, diamonds, and so many more shone more radiantly than he had thought possible. The plaque was outlined with a thick layer of gold, and embedded in the plaque was a sun that seemed as though someone had caught the sun, removed a slice of it, then put it into the plaque. He didn’t know why he had not noticed it, but he hadn’t.

      Tor was filled with wonder.

     “Was I truly as great as King Altador himself? I thought my memory was restored, but is there still more that I don’t know?”

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

      King Altador spoke up, his voice grim. “Queen Fyora, I am sorry but I must leave. Tor has entered Altador; I can feel it. Siyana will help you, but I must go and be sure that he is well taken care of.”

      He left Siyana and Fyora with a nod and swept away across the marble palace floor.

      Fyora asked Siyana, “Won’t he get lost?”

      Siyana chuckled lightly. “Altador is a part of him. He will always know his way there.”

      Fyora shrugged. “Very well. We must find a way to stop the Darkest Faerie before she has a chance to return. Do you have any ideas?”

      Siyana looked at the ground. “If I did, I would have told you by now. I hate to say it, but even set in stone, the Darkest Faerie has a better plan.”

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

      Altador looked at the portal as he stepped through it, a light returning to his empty eyes and his face a little less stern.

      He walked to the arena and entered it. He knew that Tor was there. It was a feeling he could never describe, but he knew it as much as he knew that he was the King of Altador.

      He entered and saw Tor as he had always known him, an energetic yellow Lupe. With him was a Draik that seemed full of wisdom and discerning.

      Without saying a word, King Altador lay down and sang a heartwrenching song full of sorrow and pain. He felt the sorrow and pain as he spoke, but he didn’t care. Tor had returned and that was the only way that he could welcome his dear friend.

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

      Tor heard a song and spun around quickly. Before his eyes was his dear friend Altador. Tor slowly and lightly walked up to Altador and also lay down. He stared into Altador’s eyes and put a paw lightly over Altador’s mouth to signal that the song didn’t need to end on the last note, but to end by his friend’s bidding.

      King Altador greeted Tor warmly and said nothing as the two looked at Tor’s plaque. After a few moments of silence, Tor asked Altador the question that had been consuming him since he had seen his plaque in the stadium, “Why is my plaque so different from all the rest?”

      Altador sighed and responded, “Without you, we would have lost. I remember you helped Siyana attack the Darkest Faerie. You were ferocious and fought her up until the last moment. You wouldn’t back down for anything. After you lost, Siyana and I had no hope left but to escape. The Darkest Faerie destroyed Talador and everything it meant. The Darkest Faerie went to Neopia to challenge Fyora, and was defeated. But you, Tor, were the one who allowed us to escape. You distracted the Darkest Faerie long enough for Siyana to come up with an escape plan. I knew that all Taladorians were sent to Neopia and would have no memory of their time there, but we were able to turn Talador into Altador and restore the land. We sent for our people and they came willingly, though they would have no memory of ever being in Neopia. But you wanted to return to the rest of Neopia. I don’t know why, but you wanted to stay there. We made a deal. You would supply us with amazing weaponry and we would return you to Neopia and temporarily erase your memory of your time in Altador. I have not seen you since. But in answer to your question, that is why your plaque is so special. I knew that there was a chance I would never see you again, but I would never allow myself to forget you.”

      Tor nodded in understanding, but had another question. “Why is it that the people here aren’t allowed into this arena?”

      The King almost seemed to expect that question as he responded, “They don’t want to think that anything happened. They live happy lives and they like it here, but they don’t want to think about Talador, or Neopia, or anything bad happening. They treasure their lives and don’t want them to change. Though we both know that their lives will be very drastically changed soon.”

     ~*~*~*~*~*~

      In the depths of Maraqua, a stone statue started to move despite the fact that there was no current or anything else to move the statue. At first it shook lightly, but then more violently as rays of crimson and dark purple shot out through the forming cracks as the Faerie inside of it struggled to emerge from her stone shell. Soon a figure emerged from what had once been a statue. Cold, pure hatred was emitted from the empty, heartless eyes. Staring out at the surrounding water, the Faerie didn’t even notice that she was breathing underwater. With a cackle that was deeper than thunder, the dark Faerie fully emerged from the dust that had once been a statue. The Faerie glared out at the water, as if hating it for merely existing. She shot out of the water and was covered in swirling smoke that was dark purple and black. She glared out at everything and smiled an evil smile.

      With a dark whisper, the Faerie spoke for the first time in one thousand years, “The Darkest Faerie has returned.”

To be continued...