Because of Jhudora's Book: Part One

      "What is it?" she asked, "Why are you going over there?"

      "Look at this!" Athelda called, picking the item up. It was a book called EVIL SPELLS. "I wonder why it was in the gutter…"

      Kasm strolled over. "Open it."

      Athelda slowly lifted the cover. The greenish glow darkened. "Look here," she said, pointing to some small writing, "property of… Jhudora!"

      "Let me see!" Kasm said, grabbing the book.

      Athelda snatched it away before her fist was fully around it. "No," she said, pulling it out of reach, "I found it."

      Kasm sighed. "Please? I just want to take a look at it!"

      Athelda lowered it. "See it?" She quickly raised it. "There you go."

      "Maybe we should return it to Jhudora," Kasm said, smiling. "You were just saying yesterday that you always wanted to meet her."

      "I do!" Athelda said. "And you too. Let's go."

      Luckily, Kasm had connections with an Eyrie named Joseph, who more than willingly flew them over the Faerieland in less than an hour.

     They approached Jhudora's house. It was tall and made of dark, dark cloud. Athelda knocked.

     "Who is it?" a mysterious voice said through the door.

     Athelda gulped. "My name's Athelda. I- uh, found your book."

     The door opened instantly and there stood Jhudora, dark faerie.

     Her deep eyes twinkled maliciously. "Why, hello there… Agatha, did you say?"

     "Athelda."

     "And I'm Kasm!"

     "Yes, hello to you too." Jhudora said, smiling at Kasm, "Won't you, ah, step in?"

     Athelda and Kasm glanced at each other and grinned. They were going into Jhudora's house!

     "Come on in…"

     The inside of Jhudora's house was quite chilling. Everything was extremely dark and mysterious. Athelda was just walking, but when she put her foot down on seemingly clear air, it hit something hard, which started to growl and bark menacingly.

     "Fatch," Jhudora said, calmly.

     "Excuse me?" Athelda said, trying not to sound rude.

     "You just stood on Fatch," she said, and in response to their quizzical looks, "he's an invisible Doglefox. He's Kamper's, I believe."

     "Kamper?" Kasm asked curiously. "Who's that?"

     "You will find out soon enough," Jhudora said, creepily, and led them into a low-ceilinged room. She sat herself on a sofa, leaving Athelda and Kasm to stand facing her.

     "So," she said, smiling at the two, "what do you two small ones know about power?"

     Athelda didn't quite know how to respond to that. "Well," she said, "when someone's powerful, they're… in charge?" she guessed.

      "In a way," Jhudora said, smile widening, "power means the skill, ability, or capacity to do something," she paused, "or even better… the ability to influence others' judgment… emotions…"

      Athelda frowned. "What?"

      Jhudora put a long-nailed finger to her lip and observed the two pets. "Athelda," she said after a few moments' time, "I placed my copy of the book EVIL SPELLS in the gutter of Neopia Central for a reason. No, I didn't drop it. But before I left it there, I put a sort of… enchantment on it."

      "Enchantment?" Athelda asked tentatively. Was she cursed or something?

      "The spell was simple: a pet with enough skill for my plan would find it, and they would have enough courage to bring it to me. That pet, my dear, was you, Athelda."

      Athelda raised her eyebrows but said nothing.

      "And Kasm, here," Jhudora went on, "was brave enough to accompany you. That is very good, young ones, very good. You two are just what I need. Are you ready to hear what I have to say?"

      They nodded. Jhudora began.

      "From the very beginning, I have been looked on by other faeries in disgust and hate. All, that is, except for a few other dark faeries. But after a while, I could no longer take it. I was much more powerful than any of them, and much more… well, how shall I put this? Ah! Determined. Yes, determined. To beat everyone in my way."

      She paused, soaking up Athelda and Kasm's expressions.

      "So, I have been scheming lately. For quite a while now, actually. I have been discreet with the rest of Neopia… planning all the time. Perhaps you wondered why I closed my quest cloud? This is why. I am too busy with this plan. I have currently four others helping me, and now I have six… that is," she flashed a smile at the two, "if you are willing to help me."

      Kasm nodded at once. Athelda hesitated, but nodded. She was curious, and this… this darkness was summoning her.

      "Excellent, my young ones! Athelda," she said, "you found the book before any other powerful one. You are the leader of my crew. I shall introduce you to them now."

      The dark faerie stood up and led Athelda and Kasm into the hall and into a very large room. It consisted of a round table and many chairs. It looked like a place to hold meetings. Curious…

      "Oh, my pets!" Jhudora called. "Please come to the Meeting Hall! We have a few new ones who have come to join us…"

      Athelda soon met Danzick, a faerie Buzz, Kamper, a Halloween Blumaroo, Celazia, a fire Uni who seemed to dislike Athelda, and Lulu, a snot Poogle with a dung Meepit on her back.

      "This is Kasm," Jhudora said, "and this is Athelda… your new boss." Celazia looked quite disgusted at this idea. Danzick blinked twice, Kamper raised an eyebrow, and Lulu sneezed.

      "Hi," Athelda said. No one returned the greeting. Athelda frowned and grew angry. This was an unpleasant bunch, this was. She had found Jhudora's book, after all… she was the boss…

      Suddenly, taking herself by surprise, Athelda said, "I'm your new boss, okay? That means, when I say hi, you respond, got it? It's not too hard, really."

      Kasm looked annoyed when Athelda said this. The others seemed too surprised to be angry. However, Jhudora uttered a giggle and patted Athelda on the back.

      "Wonderful, Athelda, dear. You tell them. Now, let me explain about the plan, here…"

      Athelda was filled in. They were going to kidnap different pets with useful abilities, such as battle. Then, they would build an army. However long it took, Jhudora had said, she didn't care. She just wanted an army.

      So the work began for Athelda. More pets with evil ideas joined Jhudora, but Athelda remained to boss of Danzick, Celazia, Kamper, and Lulu, all who were on the "Dark Council", as they called it. Kasm had been quite annoyed when she was not placed on the council.

      Athelda stayed in a room that Jhudora had supplied for her. Everyone had to share, and she got stuck with Celazia, who was still incredibly disgruntled about Athelda becoming captain.

      Once there were about thirty or so pets in on their scheme, Jhudora sent some off to fetch pets with very high Battledome scores. They returned, and much to Athelda's surprise, most of the battling pets hadn't come willingly.

      Braida, a green Flotsam and actually a friend of Athelda's, was brought in, chained up and putting up an excellent fight. Upon spotting Athelda, she cried, "Athelda! Athelda, please stop them! Please!"

      Athelda looked at the Flotsam and blinked. "Take her away," she said to the pets bringing her in.

      Then came Dash, a red Lupe who wasn't really Athelda's friend, but they were in the same class. He looked at Athelda as he was brought in, but didn't say anything.

      Many others came, including a yellow Acara named Kiffee, who Athelda knew slightly.

      "Why'd you get her?" Athelda asked Jhudora when she was brought in. "I know she doesn't battle."

      Jhudora smiled. "Oh no, no, no. We'll be using her for something else." But that's all Athelda got out of her. Until…

      Four of the five members of the Dark Council and Jhudora sat in the Meeting Hall. "Where's that nasty bloke, Kamper?" Jhudora asked.

      Danzick replied in a quiet voice, "He left our room a while ago. Don't know what he was up to…"

      Just then, the Halloween Blumaroo walked in, carrying along with him a batch of Dark Chocolate Acaras. "Sorry I'm late," he said hurriedly, walking over to the table," just thought I'd pick up some chocolates for us."

      Danzick rolled his eyes. "Always thinking about food," he muttered.

      Jhudora, however, clapped her hands. "Acaras!" she exclaimed delightedly.

      Celazia took a bite out of one. "Very good, Kamper," she said thrusting her mane of fire behind her, "to celebrate our capture of that yellow Acara! Kelly, is it?"

      "Kiffee," Athelda corrected, "and what are we doing with her anyway?"

      Celazia looked pleased. "You mean to say that you don't know? The captain doesn't know, yet everyone else does? How very weird…"

      "Oh shut it, Cel," Lulu said. "I'll tell you, Athelda. We're going to morph that Kiffee into a Pea Chia."

      "Are you trying to create an army of vegetables?" Athelda asked, smiling in spite of herself.

      "No," Celazia said, annoyed, "she's going to be a spy."

      "Wonderful spies, Pea Chias are," Danzick said, stroking his Spyder, "fit perfectly in a pocket, and can overhear anything without detection…"

      "Not to mention," Jhudora said, "our excellent morphing machines. They can do it very well indeed… along with all the other pets we kidnapped."

      "We're morphing them, too?"

      "Oh yes. Into more… ferocious battling beasts."

      Athelda sat and thought about seeing someone she had once called friend as a different pet. Come to think of it, it was her fault in the first place.

      That's when the darkness inside Athelda eased up…. ever so slightly.

To be continued...