Princess of Prophecy: Part Four

      We had spent two days in this cave. I was starving, and I missed Calissa.

      How would we get out?

      I knew we couldn’t stay in here forever. Not when it had all come clear to me: Alilire was pretending to be Psellia, and the real Psellia was time bound in the Perfectly Flat Rock Quarry! No doubt it was she who had shifted the constellations just to pin it all on an innocent. Perhaps, though unlikely, she hadn’t doubted that I would think Nyvenne a plotter and wind up in a spot where I would be easily caught, like a shore.

      Just when I thought we were trapped her for good, I heard a familiar noise.

      “Chee! Chee! Chee!”

      “Calissa!” I said.

      My poor Petpet was covered in snow. Her wings were all bent and out of shape, and she was breathing heavily. It must’ve taken all her strength to get here.

      Before I could cradle her in my arms she flew as fast as those crumpled wings could carry her, which wasn’t fast at all, and bit a clump of the ropes that bound my mother.

      It wasn’t easy, but she managed to chew through them all. My mother was free!

      Now we could get out of here, at last!

      I looked at Nyvenne sadly. How could we leave her trapped like that?

      “Saeryennan,” my mother said, “there’s nothing we can do for her right now. We’d best hurry home and tell your father everything. One of his council might be able to help her.

      “Now come on, I think I’ve found a way out of here.”

      At last, my prophecy had come true.

      It was not an easy hike down those mountains. I had to hold Calissa close to me at all times since she was colder than my mother and I, having already endured these snowy slopes once.

      It took three days to get just halfway. Boy, it was at times like these I wished I had wings.

      Exhausted and freezing, I sat down in the cold, wet snow. I could not see Altador anywhere. I was sure we must be lost.

***

      “Your Majesty! Your Highness!”

      I thought I had seen a light in the distance, but now it was closer. It had come closer and closer until at last I could plainly see the figure of Siyana the Light Faerie hovering just above the ground.

      “Siyana!” my mother said. “Thank Fyora you’re here!”

      “I’ve been searching for you two!” the Faerie exclaimed. “Here, take my hand and I’ll fly you home.”

      I looked up at her with immense gratitude.

      “Saeryennan,” she said, “it took a lot of courage to manage such a hike, and I hear you would try to protect your kingdom no matter what! You remind me of—”

      She stopped. I knew I would get no information out of her, but there was definite sadness in her eyes.

      “Never mind,” she said. “Your Majesty, take my hand.”

      My mother grabbed onto Siyana’s hand. I took her free paw and with my other arm held Calissa. We were going back to Altador.

      “Thank you, Siyana,” my mother said after we landed.

      She then turned to me.

     “Let’s find your father.”

     We began to walk toward the palace.

     “Whoa, not so fast!” said the Light Faerie. “We don’t know where he is. Your Majesty, why don’t you see if he’s in the palace, and your daughter and I will check the Hall of Heroes.”

     My mother gave me a hug.

     “Be safe,” she said.

***

     “Psellia, why in Neopia are you acting this way? You haven’t said a thing, and you certainly haven’t done anything to try to find my wife or daughter!”

     My father’s voice. It was coming from the council chamber.

     “Well? Say something!”

     I couldn’t take it anymore. I burst into the room.

     “NO! That’s not Psellia! The real one is in some sort of time prison down at the Perfectly Flat Rock Quarry!”

     My father turned to me.

     “Ha! Now that’s just crazy ta—”

     I saw his eyes widen as he looked at me more closely.

     “S-Saeryennan?”

     “Yes,” I said. “It’s me.”

     He ran up to me. Tears were in his eyes.

     “What are you doing here?”

     “I wasn’t petnapped, Father. I ran away. I didn’t like not being able to go out into the gardens, my absolute favorite place in Neopia. Anyway, I dreamt of Nyvenne. You know, the Prophecy Faerie? She told me there was another traitor among your council. The constellations shifting was a clue that pointed to Psellia. I wouldn’t believe it at first, and then I wouldn’t believe Nyvenne, so I left Altador.

     “That was a mistake. Nyvenne’s sister Alilire took her away. I went back to Altador and found Psellia in the quarry. I was on my way to tell you about it when Alilire took me too. I was trapped in some creepy cave with Mother, and if it hadn’t been for Calissa we would still be there. Then Siyana came and took us back to Altador. Mother’s safe, she’s in the palace.”

     Siyana looked through the doorway and smiled.

     My father turned to her.

     “Come, Siyana. We must head for the quarry and find out if Psellia is there!”

     And with that, they both left.

     I was now alone in the council chamber with the false Psellia.

     “So...” sneered a voice I recognized. “You found me out.”

     “Yes,” I said. “I’ve known what you’re up to ever since you took me to that cave!”

     “Well then, I’ll just have to bring down this disgusting sunny paradise the old-fashioned way!”

     To my horror, “Psellia” began to change shape. Soon Alilire stood before me.

     “Catch me if you can!” she taunted before breaking through a window.

     I watched to see where she was going. The palace!

     I ran as fast as my legs would carry me. I couldn’t let that Faerie harm my mother.

     As I burst into the main hall, I gasped.

     “Queen of Altador!” Alilire cackled. “I see my ropes weren’t tight enough.”

     I quickly grabbed a sword from an unconscious Grarrl guard.

     “You... don’t you dare go near her!” I shouted.

     “Ah, playing hero again, are we?” the Faerie cackled. “Let’s face it dear, your tricks might’ve worked on some foolish bandits, but they won’t work on me! Kalanistrikon!”

     A dark orb appeared out of Alilire’s hand. I looked in awe as it formed into a black sword hilt, then a blade.

     “H-how did you do that?” I gasped.

     “My mother,” she replied. “She was a Dark Faerie.”

     I didn’t care. I lunged at the wicked Faerie with all my might, but she was still quite strong. My grip on the sword was getting slippery when my father appeared with an Air Faerie by his side.

     I couldn’t believe it. It was Psellia! The real Psellia!

     “What?!” Alilire gasped. “How did you—”

     “Siyana,” Psellia said. “Now she’s going to rescue your sister!”

     Psellia grabbed the sword from me and started battling Alilire. I scooped Calissa up and fled into a hall. I heard my mother scream over the clashing.

     Just then, my father came around the corner.

     “Saeryennan,” he said, “you must flee the palace at once.”

     Another prophecy come true. Choices, choices...

     I didn’t know if I could beat Alilire. In fact, it seemed quite impossible, what with what she had done to two Faeries whose power I thought equaled hers.

     But I had to try.

     “No,” I said firmly and filled with a sense of honor. “I must protect my family!”

     I quickly grabbed a sword on the ground, probably a guard’s one, and rushed into the main hall.

     “I’ll handle this,” I told Psellia.

     “Be careful,” she said. “This Faerie is very power—”

     “I know.”

***

     “Hey, guess what? You’re NEVER bringing Altador down!”

     Alilire’s eyes widened in shock as I came at her with all my strength. She had a firm grip on the dark sword, but it just wasn’t firm enough. It clattered to the floor and vanished.

     “NO!”

     Alilire’s eyes were filled with fear. Without that sword, she was powerless. It must’ve been her evil manifested or something. Either way, with it gone, she began to fade away too. Soon there was no trace of her left.

     “Saeryennan,” said my father, “please forgive me for assuming things. You’re not crazy, and I see now that Nyvenne is not a bad Faerie.”

     “I forgive you,” I said. “And I don’t care what you assume. You’re my father, and I love you.”

     We embraced.

     “What happened?” cried Siyana as she flew in.

     “Oh,” I said. “Alilire failed. Altador is safe.”

     “I knew you would be a hero.”

     Nyvenne!

     “You’re okay!” I cried as I ran into Crazy Prophecy Faerie’s arms.

     “I have never met a hero with more honor,” she said.

     “Um... no offense, Nyvenne, but... I really don’t want to be a hero, as I’ve said many times.” I giggled.

     “Your Highness,” Siyana began.

     “Please, call me Saeryennan!”

     “Saeryennan, then... you will always be a hero. After all, you a have a heroic and courageous heart, and I suspect that you will do great things in the years to come. Just remember, even little acts of kindness, like what you just showed... you call her Crazy Prophecy Faerie, don’t you?”

     “I used to.”

     “That’s what it takes to be a hero. Even if you wish to be a proper princess, that is still a heroic path.”

***

     Here I sit in Altador Palace.

     I am in my bedroom. Calissa is sitting next to me.

     And I am looking out the window, waiting for my next adventure.

The End