Alone Together

     "Those purple clouds are moving fast,* Roberta adds.

     One day has passed already for the duo, leaving them with only two left before the Darkest Faerie's clouds overtook the eastern Kingdom of Brightvale. Many of the neighbouring towns have already fallen, Tor and Roberta's only safe refuge being Brightvale.

     They have done their research in the library, finding out some more information. All they know at this point was that they absolutely needed Fyora's Rod that was buried deep under Meridell.

     But how could they possibly get there? The bridge to Meridell is out, and there is no other way to get there. Everyone in Meridell is under the strange effect of the clouds, and there seems to be absolutely no hope.

     Roberta plays with the necklace she keeps around her neck. This special amulet they had both received and were tasked with to never take off, she assumes it has to do with the clouds. She was lucky enough to have fallen right into the twin amulet, making her journey at least that much easier.

     But that was as easy as it would get.

     Tormund's family is gone, taken by the evil darkness. Tormund's kingdom he had just begun fighting for is gone, consumed by darkness. The King, his friends, his neighbours--all taken over by her powers.

     Roberta lost her teacher and trusted advisor, Seradar. He was like family to her, and even his magic was useless compared to hers. Her mind could not erase the image of him in such a crazed state--it was as if he didn't know her. And all she had left was her uncle in Brightvale.

     Together, they sit on the beach where their fates had aligned.

     "This really is it. It’s up to us, isn't it?" Tormund asks.

     "I wish we would have gotten a bit more instruction," she sighs, placing her hands in her lap, tracing her training wand.

     "All I did was save some beggar from some bandits, and now I'm supposed to save Neopia?"

     He throws a rock out to the ocean, watching it disappear into the waves. Another one, another one, another one. Roberta brings her legs in, watching him throw the rocks.

     "We're wasting time," she sighs.

     "Well maybe if I waste enough time, the beggar will show up again and give us a tip."

     Roberta tilts her head, "Tor, do you want to talk about something? You don't seem to be okay."

     "I mean, are you okay right now?" Tor asks. "Because I was a knight who planned on protecting Meridell, but now I'm here with you saving the world." He clenches his paws, frustrated. "I can't go home, I only have you, who I've known only for a single day, and I just want to see my family."

     He was homesick. The knight has been fighting and protecting Meridell even before all this had happened, and he never even got a proper goodbye to his mother, father, or sister. And now the fear of not seeing them again…

     "I'm tired, and I don't want to do this anymore!" His hands grasp the chain tightly and begin lifting the necklace off of his neck. He raises his hands higher, bringing the necklace above his snout until he is stopped.

     "No!!" Roberta clasps her hands over his paws. They freeze, as if realizing the gravity of the situation Tor put them in. Removing this necklace would mean Tor would be controlled by the Darkest Faerie. It means Sir Tor, in a way, would be giving up and denounce his knighthood. It means Roberta would be alone.

     She would not push down on his paws, giving him the opportunity to overpower her and remove the amulet if he truly would want to.

     "You know we have to keep them on. You know we were chosen to do this!" She protests. "Look at me! I fell from Faerieland! I probably shouldn't even be alive right now, but there is a reason I am. And there is a reason we are wearing these necklaces."

     He lowers the necklace back onto him, her hands moving to his shoulders. He fixes his eyes away from her, ashamed.

     "I'm scared too! We're both just random kids, all alone out here. Who knows when the purple clouds will get my uncle. Seradar is already taken--"

     She sniffed, Tor looking at her again.

     She was crying. There is nothing wrong with crying, she has a point--they were just two random kids tossed into this. Tor just wanted to be a knight for Meridell. Roberta just wanted to learn sorcery.

     Neither had expected the weight of the world on their shoulders.

     "I never asked for my amulet either, you know. I just saved a Harris for a nice lady."

     Roberta removes her arm and rubs her eyes, choking a bit on her tears. "Are you going to say something you dummy, or just watch me cry? You could join me, at least."

     He shakes his head, "I don't have much left in me. My trip from the sewers to the bay drained enough of me." He places a hand on her shoulder, trying to think of a better thing to say, like an apology. "Hey, Roberta, sorry for trying to take off the amulet. It would be awful of me to leave you alone like that."

     "No kidding," she snorts.

     "That was really selfish of me."

     She lets out a brighter chuckle, "Very uncharacteristic of a knight, if you'd ask me."

     "I just miss my family. I miss a lot of people," he sighs. "I let how I feel get ahead of me--"

     Suddenly, Roberta wraps her arms around him. He wasn't sure if it was because she craves something too, or if she was being friendly towards him or feels bad. He doesn't mind either way.

     "I miss people, too. I'm lonely, too. The least we could do is be alone together."

     She has a point. They are both stuck in this situation, gifted the amulets that protect them from the twisted faerie's magic. There is a reason both of them had one, and it is to save Neopia.

     "Thanks, Roberta." Tor let himself smile, releasing from the hug. "I'm sorry you don't have your family with you right now too."

     She shrugs, "It's been my uncle, King Hagan, and Seradar my whole life. I feel like they both have held me back from my magic though, so in a way, I have some freedom now. Maybe this will make me miss the restraint. I will miss the protection of them when I get hurt."

     "Hey, I told your uncle I wouldn't let anything hurt you, and I will be keeping my promise." He teases, waving a finger.

     Tormund stands up, brushing off his knees. He offers his hand to Roberta, and she holds on, pulling herself up with his help.

     Their hands stay together, a slight reassurance that they are not both alone, but just lonely together. These two Neopets would face the world, but face it together.

     Roberta picks up her wand from the ground, fastening it onto her belt around her hip.

     "Hold on...I met a builder once, and he said his home was in Bogshot Swamp. Isn't that just down the road from Brightvale?"

     Roberta gasped, "Tor, you're a genius! Do you think if we can free the places from the clouds, the people will turn to normal? And then we can get the bridge fixed, right?"

     "I don't see why it would hurt to try. Let's go!"

     But the clouds are moving fast.

     There are only two days left until they reach Brightvale.

     The End.