Hearts of Destiny: The Beginning - Part Two

CJ and Acaneno headed out of the house and took the path that lead to Meridell. The forest provided good cover when it began to rain a bit, and it took them about an hour to make it to the area of Meridell Palace and most of the rest of Meridell. "Criosdail is thattaway!" shouted Acaneno, sprinting on all fours towards the northwest. CJ laughed and ran after him. The two ran down the path that forked away form the main part of Meridell and headed deeper into the woods. Acaneno yelped as a form jumped down in front of him. In a flash his bow was out and an arrow was pointed at the figure, but he lowered it when he saw who it was.

Nighthawk Moonshadow, their friend from Meridell, was in front of him. She grinned at him and watched as CJ ran towards her. "Hey," said CJ when she caught up, catching her breath. "What're you doing out here?"

Nighthawk was a knight in Criosdail Castle, a guild located in Meridell. She had known CJ for quite a while and always liked to have them over for a visit. She had short, shoulder length, brown hair and brown eyes. She usually wore black jeans, a red tank top, and a black cloak. She was a fire mage and a talented fighter.

"I was just wandering around and I saw you two coming through here," Nighthawk said, drawing her sword and leaning on it. "You two need to be more conspicuous." CJ nodded to her.

"Well, do you have the chemicals?" she asked.

Nighthawk nodded. "Yep, Sapphire just got them from her friend. Come on, I'm sure the gang will like to see you." The three headed down the path towards Criosdail.

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Keiko and the three thieves headed out of Meridell, heading southwest towards the Haunted Woods. That was where her spies had last spotted the two thieves, and she didn't want to loose them. The four pets stayed close together, all remembered bad experiences in these woods. They checked for signs and soon found a pair of shoyru footmarks. "Those are theirs," said J'thelia. "One of them is missing a toe, just like Aleu is." Keiko nodded to her and they began to follow the footprints.

The prints took them farther into the woods, and farther away from any civilization. The thieves were starting to get anxious, but then they stepped into a clearing.

The two bodies of the shoyrus were lying there, their eyes wide with shock, daggers in their backs. All four thieves gasped in a resounding horror. "Who would do this?" said Darius, but he gave a cry immediately afterwards, and fell, a blackish dagger in his back. The remaining thieves gathered together, back to back. A large, human like figure in a black cloak appeared, its hood covering its face.

"What do you want!" shouted J'thelia, but the dark wizard only stood there. The usul drew a dagger and lunged at it, but she was blasted back by a powerful blast of dark magic. Keiko had been circling the wizard as it happened, and she now charged behind him, and managed to slash his back, drawing a little blood. The wizard howled in pain from the slash, but in an instant had turned and backhanded Keiko, sending her into unconsciousness. Clive was soon knocked out as well, slammed into a tree.

Two fire faeries appeared out of the forest, large, metal, spiked collars around their necks. "Take the Ixi and leave the others," said the wizard. "We have no use for them. They can become our messengers." He dropped a piece of parchment on top of J'thelia's head and then walked off with the faeries, one carrying Keiko's limp body.

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"CJ!"

CJ and Acaneno were in the library of Criosdail, getting a few books to help them in their spells. Suddenly, Calachaneo burst into the room, tears in her eyes, holding a piece of paper. She swooped and tackled CJ. "What's wrong?" asked CJ, startled by Cala. She had never done this before.

"It's Keiko!" she cried, holding out the piece of paper, which now turned out to be parchment. "I had a vision, and now this! Three thieves came to our house from her guild, badly injured, and bearing this note!"

CJ took the note with trembling hands and read what it said.

Dearest Celina Jane, Moonlighthawk, Acaneno, and Calachaneo

I have taken your pet and sister, Keikonoa, into my possession. She will be released to you if you do the following things. One, empty your bank account and bring it with you. Two leave all your weapons at home. Three, do not bring anyone else. If you do not do all of this, Keikonoa will be executed tomorrow morning at dawn. Come to Faerieland and wait on the east edge of the cloud, near where the transportation docks are. If you do not comply and Keikonoa dies, I will come after more of you. Do not contact the authorities or she will be executed earlier.

Dearest in Horror,

The Black Wizard

CJ's face was frozen in horror. The paper fell from her hands, but she still stood there, shocked. Acaneno picked it up slowly and read it over, his face this time setting into a daze. Cala was still in CJ's arms, crying. The shoyru was never like this. "I Saw it," she sobbed. "I Saw it, and I didn't say anything. I didn't think it would happen, or even if it did, would happen so soon…"

CJ finally unfroze and looked at Cala. "What did you see?"

"Keiko, with two other thieves. Then a robed man came out and took her with two faeries. That was all. It was so sudden of a vision that I couldn't interpret it…"

CJ put Cala down and left the room for a moment. She returned with Nighthawk, the two were talking in hushed voices. "I can't help you CJ," said Nighthawk. "I know a lot about visions and things like this. It's best to follow them, to an extent. But remember, you are the one that decides her fate, all of your family's fate. No matter what happens, trust your heart, not a vision."

CJ picked up her pets, one in each arm, and walked out of the library, Nighthawk watching them as they left. "Don't lose your heart CJ. It's one of the most powerful things in this world, and it's a terrible thing to waste." CJ looked back at Nighthawk, nodded, and then the three departed.

They were all quiet on the way back to Neopian Central, each thinking about different things. What troubled Acaneno the most was that he knew that his dream vision had something to do with it. It was just too weird to not have something to do with Keiko's kidnapping. He just hoped everything would turn out alright.…

The group reached the Battledome; the two pets had not noticed that their owner had not gone home. "Wait here," said CJ, putting them down. She went inside and in a few minutes was back out, Moonlighthawk at her side. The group walked back home, the feelings still grim.

CJ entered the house and immediately went into her workshop. Moon gathered his sister and brother in the kitchen. "We need to figure out a plan," he said. "I don't like the sound of that note. I think that Wizard guy is trying to get us over there for another reason."

"I agree," said Cala, "but what can we do about it? We have to comply, or he'll… he'll…" she couldn't say it.

The two looked at Acaneno, who was gripping the table with his paws; the knuckles were becoming strained from the pressure on them. "We have to bring some type of weapon," he said. "We'll be defenseless without them."

CJ reentered the kitchen, bearing four Virtublaster 1000s with her. "Conceal it," she said. The three pets hid the guns among their clothing. Acaneno noticed a slight bulge on CJ's back. He looked at her; she nodded to him, and then gave him a sign to be quiet about it. "I want you guys to run if anything happens," she said. "I don't care what you're going to say, you have to do it. I won't have you guys in the same situation as your sister. Go to Nighthawk, she can help. But whatever happens, don't let them get you."

The four wrapped together in a hug. Acaneno felt sort of happy, this was the most peaceful and together the family had been in a while, even without Keiko. He hoped… it might stay as calm as this.

They separated, and the pets got ready. They took off their other weapons and did whatever else they had to do. Moonlighthawk stared in the mirror for a moment. "Darkness against darkness," he said. "But where is the light?"

About ten minutes later, CJ called for them to come to the front of the house. They went and were soon gathered there. CJ had been gone for a few minutes and come back with her pocket bulging. She had refused to answer any questions, and just told them that they'd understand soon. "We'd best get going, it's almost eight, and we need to catch a flight to the cloud." They group trudged off, unsure of what would happen in the next few hours.

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There was a light, and then there was none. A cackle fell upon her ears, and a bright hot pain flashed through her side. She screamed, and the voice came again, laughing louder than before. Make it stop, she thought. Make it all stop…

Not yet my little friend, not yet…

To be continued...