The Forgotten Hero

It is the point of this article that all means should be explored to acknowledge such heroic peoples as this brave a Lupe, that these heroes should never be allowed to be forgotten. Perhaps a quest is in order, a different sort of quest, one that requires the acquisition of ancient tomes and scrolls, found in obscure and random places, and recordings (cave paintings even!) that unlock the mystery of the name of our forgotten hero, and how the enemy was defeated...after all, should a similar enemy arise, it would be useful to know how to deal with it. And, should it transpire that the foe was overcome through sheer dumb luck, then at least this quest could prove that there is a need for the best of Neopian minds to be brought together to ensure that something as fickle as luck should not be necessary to rely on again, especially in the midst of such devastating peril. For the safety of all Neopians, this is surely an excellent idea (Perhaps this is an opportunity to establish a 'Mensa; style academy for some of our most well-read peoples to belong to, and the rewards of such an academy could be rare or financially beneficial as you move up the ranks of it, so that it will encourage others to read more books to be able to join - after all, knowledge is power in today's economy!).

A suggestion, for where a quest could start, to find out the name of our forgotten hero, and the means by which he or she defeated the monstrous Monoceraptor, is where the epic battle took place. Somewhere near Tyrannia and the ice caves, somewhere in this vast and difficult landscape, is the place where it all began long ago. It first began when a terrible rumbling and a thunderous boom wrenched open the Terror Mountains and the cooling lava created an icy slide to a mysterious new land...except it wasn't new. This land had been there since perhaps the beginning of all time. This hidden land was filled with happy and peaceful creatures never before seen in Neopia (well most of them were happy and peaceful).

After the earthquake, it took a while for anyone to actually discover it, as many early explorers were unable to complete their expeditions due to the difficulties encountered in such barren and inhospitable places. In the end it was in fact a happy little Chomby from the 'other side' who broke through first, so no-one was actually able to lay claim to actually discovering Tyrannia, which of course meant that no other land could lay claim to it, not legitimately anyway, and as previously stated, this 'new' land already had inhabitants (visit Tyrannia memorial for the full story and historical record). The discovery should have been a happy one, and it should have ended there, but while Neopia is full of adventurers and curious folk, there are those among us who seek only power and tyrannical rule, and as the 'new' land was revealed, these power hungry people gathered and plotted. They sought to rule, and to plunder the riches of this newly revealed land. They sought to take what they had no right to, without regard towards those who had happily inhabited the land for centuries. It is here that the true spirit of Neopia was revealed, in the rallying of the ancient Neopian Council - a league of heroes. As the invaders gathered their troops and made shady deals (unlikely to be honored) with wild tribes, the council gathered too, and in turn, they called on all able-bodied Neopians to come and battle the dark forces. Many of the brave who responded will remain nameless, only honored and remembered by the families who lost them as the fierce battle ensued (unless a tribute is established near Tyrannia, or a commemorative wall is placed to honour all war/battle heroes across Neopia, in a central location like Neopia Central, but that is another story). Those who fought against the invaders were fighting for a noble cause, a winning cause...for a while.

The sight of the Monoceraptor entering battle must have been one of the most terrifying ever beheld anywhere. This monstrous (mutated?) 'thing' turned the course of the war into what was almost the most deadly defeat in all of Neopian history. But then, when all seemed lost, our forgotten, nameless hero brought him down. The echo of the crash as he fell caused all of Neopia to freeze for an entire heartbeat.

In the celebrations that followed, somehow the 'Keeper of the Records' failed to record the actual name of the heroic Lupe who took on and single-handedly defeated one of the greatest threats Neopia has ever known, or at least disabled it (rumor has it that it may have been partially robotic and therefore manipulated by someone or something else, although nobody spoken to by this reporter seemed willing to discuss it).

So, as we move through the month of Awakening and head towards the March Chomby celebrations, let us remember that the Chomby are able to celebrate because of our forgotten hero, and let us hope that one day we can name this hero, erect a statue in his (or her!?) honor, and be thankful that brave heroes walk among us, not seeking glory but ensuring good for all of us.