Avatar Goldmine

     He heard something fly past without warning, not far from where he was. After adjusting to the dim lighting of the torches in the cave, he managed to identify a couple of arrows as they flew by. One had shot just above his feet, in line with his ankles and the other just below his chin. Thankfully, both were fired from a distance, so Rysony had time to think of a strategy. He decided to walk down the narrow alley, to see whenever more arrows came shooting by. Rysony bent his knees and started heading to where the arrows had been shot. Ry quietly lifted his legs above around the arrow at the bottom, then ducked his head below the one on the top, a little ahead of the previous one. As he crept, Rysony felt something very cold slide past the middle of his neck. Alarmed, he carefully turned his eyes to the right to see what he had felt, and he’d narrowly dodged the latest arrow, with the second firing just missing the corner of his feet. Ry was started to feel a great sense of fear, he’d already dodged a couple of arrows. ‘What more is yet to come?!’ He muttered to himself.

     As Rysony turned his head slowly to face forward, he could hear the arrows being fired rapidly behind him. Ry almost screamed as he ran forward as fast as he could, hearing the stone walls crumble and begin to fall behind him. Rysony slid under a final stone door as it came down. Rysony sat in front of the stone door on the other side, gasping in relief with his eyes closed.

     When Rysony opened his eyes he had to squint at the sight of the gold treasure, which shimmered brightly. He leapt to his feet to grab the treasure when suddenly a giant ghostly Hissi emerged from the darkness roaring loudly.

     *RAWR* ME HUNGRY!*

     Rysony shuddered, crawling as far as he could back to the door. ‘Uh. Uhh... I’ve been sent by the Mystic to look for avatars’ He chuckled nervously.

     *ME SMELL TIN OF OLIVES* She roared again

     Olives? Ry pondered until it hit him. ‘Um, yes, of course, I won them earlier you see. But you can have them. Please, take them!’ He smiled, trying to hide his trembling. Rysony threw the Tin of olives to the Ghost Hissi, who stood about 5 meters away, for her to skillfully catch it in mid-air with a single hand.

     *VERY WELL YOU MAY PROCEED* She roared quietly with a slow smile.

     The Ghost Hissi vanished into thin air, as Rysony continued to breathe shakily laying on the stone door. After 20 seconds, he decided to make the run for the gold treasure box and flee. At first, Rysony grunted to open the treasure box, but the box opened freely with the square icon he had been after. As the treasure box opened it triggered another stone door to open, which Rysony hadn’t even realised was there in the first place. He could see daylight, and the light burnt as his eyes as they adjusted to this sudden illumination. Rysony sighed in great relief as he sprinted out, hearing the exit door slam loudly behind him.

     Clutching onto the new avatar he had obtained, Rysony smiled to himself knowing it was the 2nd avatar he’d managed to obtain on the adventure. However, Rysony knew he still had several avatars to go until he was able to proceed with his adventure.

     Ry walked past Quartz and Effs with a friendly smile on his face. Effervesces screeched to Quartz ‘Mum, Mum, MUM! It’s that Usul who helped with your colour coordination’s earlier!’ ‘Quiet, I’m trying to trade here!’ Quartz shushed, trying to keep Effs quiet. A few seconds later, Quartz came out of the Trading Post having successfully traded her item, counting the NPs she made from the trade. As Ry decided to approach Quartz and Effervesces, clutching the ‘Deserted Tomb’ avatar in his hands. ‘Wow!!’ The Cybunny exclaimed as she saw the avatar, ‘Did you really just come out of the Deserted Tomb’ She looked at the avatar then back up to Rysony, clearly impressived. ‘Yes, and I would like you to have it.’ Rysony said smiling kindly.’ Effervesces gleamed at Rysony, as he bent down to the young cybunny and handed over the Deserted Tomb avatar. Effervesces, without any hesitation, grabbed the avatar and hugged it tightly with both of her arms. After a moment she looked up to say thank you and she hugged Ry hard as she could.

     Quartz was still in shock ‘Oh my, I don’t know what to say! We got this earlier, but we have no use for it. See it as a token of thanks.’ She handed over a voucher for the Krawk Island Nippers in Krawk Island. ‘There’s a lovely lady called Kerry who works in the PetPet shop there, hand over the voucher and she will get you a bird that can transport you around Neopia to help you with your adventure! In the meantime, please borrow my bird to get yourself to Krawk island to meet Kerry!’

     They shook hands gratefully. Ry chuckled to himself as he heard Effervesces exclaim to Quartz ‘See, told you I could get you the avatar!!’ As they went their separate ways.

     A few moments later, a small Screal came fluttering by to stand opposite Rysony. Ry looked down at the Screal, puzzled as it spoke ‘Hello there Rysony, my owner Quartz said you wanted a lift to Krawk Island?!’ ‘Um yes?’ Rysony replied, still as puzzled, thinking how the little creature was going to manage to transport Rysony. ‘Very well, the Screal spoke confidently. Oh and, by the way, my name is Sean’ Sean crutched down, inviting Rysony to sit on his upper back. Rysony could only just fit on his back, which left Rysony wondering whenever he would be able to make the trip. However, as Sean flapped his wings he increased in size, giving Rysony peace of mind.

     After 20 or so minutes, they’d travelled 80 miles south to a small Island called Krawk Island. Rysony gulped as he saw a ripped black sign with crossbones on it that read ‘KEEP OUT’. Sean landed outside a shop displaying a large sign that read ‘Krawk Island Nippers.’ Sean dropped off Rysony and flew off happily.

      ‘Oh hello! I’ve been expecting you, I’ve just gotten a Neomail from Quartz to say you were coming!’ A tall young lady with brown hair and glasses smiled gently while stroking a snowbunny. ‘Sorry about the Snowbunny’ She apologised, as it hummed quietly. ‘This snowbunny is recovering from Sneezles, you see but it is doing much better now.’ Kerry smiled again. ‘How may I help you today?’

     ‘Umm yes, I’ve been given this token for a bird that can transport me around Neopia. Ry handed over the token to Kerry. She placed the Snowbunny delicately on the floor, allowing it to scurry away to join the other petpets. ‘Very well, come with me through to the next room.’ Kerry gestured Rysony to follow her. Various Petpets wandered around her shop like a quadrapus who stared at Rysony drooling, a Pirakeet who glaring evilly, and mirgles who stomped about on the ground.

     As Kerry stood in front of the Pirakeet, ‘Yes you’ll be having this one. I’d been saving it for someone special, but I want you to have him.’ As she looked back to Ry, to release the Piraket from the cage. ‘This is Harry, he is only 2 years old but can fly very well. Perfect for your little mission’ Kerry explained. Rysony stroked the Piraket’s bright red fur as it had yellow and blue dipped wings, with sly looking eyes and cute little feet. Harry suddenly flew up, thudding his head on the ceiling and falling dramatically back to the ground. Kerry chuckled ‘He’s little excited I think’. Kerry then whistled and Harry stood back up again.

     Kerry explained to Rysony that Harry might fly off with its friends, but would respond to a whistle. Rysony was to whistle three times in case of emergency.

     After Rysony shook hands with Kerry, thanking her profusely, he walked out of the shop. Harry immediately flew off, to join his other Piraket friends. Rysony watched Harry fly away, thinking how grateful he was for his friends.

     Rysony decided to give his friends a visit at The Academy, who he used to pass the time with while he waited for his sister Meg to finish her training (before she moved onto the Techo master).

     Rysony entered an old creaking house that looked like it could fall apart any moment. ‘It’s been a while my friend!’ A white Eyrie exclaimed excitedly, waving his wooden arm. It was the ever known Cap'n Threelegs, who ran the place. ‘How have you been?! Where is my little superstar, Meggily’ he peeked around Rysony’s sides, expecting Ry to have brought Meg with him.

     Rysony mournfully explained to Cap’n Threelegs what had happened to Meggily. Upon hearing the news, Cap’n insisted on giving Rysony a free training session to help him with his mission ahead. Rysony politely accepted. As Rysony followed Cap’n Threelegs, they went into a small room and agreed to work on strength. After a gruelling hour (and several bruises later), Rysony had gained a strength point. Despite being worn, he was delighted that he had completed the course.

     As Rysony walked out of the Academy, he decided to give his new bird a try and whistled. He spontaneously decided to go Merdiell, as it was where Ellen and Meggily had regularly holidayed when they were younger.

     Harry swiftly flew to stand next to Rysony and told Rysony to hop on his back. Harry took off and together they began the flight to Merdiell.

To be continued…