A Most Vexing Mystery

     With the rays of the sun filtering through the sparse canopy and lighting the way ahead, the trio picked their way through the fallen trees and upturned stumps towards the Glade that Illusen the Earth Faerie and her many followers called their home. Though neither Lord Darigan nor Master Vex had set foot in the Lightwater Forest before, both had imagined the wonders that the woodland might contain. An eerie silence broken only by the crunching of branches under paws was not something they had anticipated. It was as if the place was devoid of life. Approaching the clearing itself, they found the treetop village that had sprung up around the brunette's abode to be equally quiet bar the bubbling of the nearby brook.

     An undignified climb up a rickety wooden ladder led to the thatched treehouse that precious few pets had been invited into. Though Illusen felt most at ease amongst the varied greenery and abundance of nature that the many woodlands of Meridell had to offer, even she needed somewhere tangible to call home. Somewhere she felt safe. And somewhere she could take shelter from heavy downpours. Guiding her visitors to the simple wooden table and accompanying chairs in her kitchen area, the Purple Mynci couldn't help but stare in awe at the array of futuristic devices that lay scattered on and around her cupboards. He watched as she picked up what looked like a jug... that had steam coming out of the top. Actual steam. Now that was Faeriecraft.

     Handing out cups of tea to her guests in dainty green and brown patterned porcelain alongside a platter of small cupcakes decorated with delicate baby-blue petals, the brunette's usually cheery demeanour was as faded as the colour of her wings. Taking a warming sip herself, she sat down at the table opposite her visitors before fixing her emerald eyes squarely on her drink. "Two evenings ago," Illusen began, softly, "I... felt a wave of dark energy wash over the Lightwater Forest." Vex almost gasped. Darigan was unmoved. Slowly stirring her tea with a green spoon, she wrinkled her freckled nose. "A kind I haven't sensed in some time."

     "Since your... Faerieland days, correct?" the Korbat queried, taking a sip himself.

     The Earth Faerie's eyes wandered to the floorboards below. "Hard to say."

     Furrowing his brow once more, the Purple Mynci was not impressed. As much as he understood the delicate position she was in when it came to not being seen to influence the internal affairs of a realm lest Queen Fyora might give her something a little worse than a telling-off, this was serious. The peace treaty that underpinned both of their lands' very future was potentially at stake. "Why didn't you report this occurrence to King Skarl?" Vex questioned, painfully aware of his tone and trying his best not to sound too severe, "He has his men scouring the western borders with Brightvale on a wild bandit chase!"

     Illusen put down her spoon. "...A wild bandit chase? To what end?"

     "Wait..." the Emissary trailed off as he and his master looked at each other, "...you don't know?"

     "Don't know what?" she responded, concerned.

     Darigan chose to be blunt. "Sir Jeran of Borodere is missing."

     "W-what?!" The brunette leapt to her feet, sending her chair clattering to the floor.

     "Skarl suspects, at best, bandits or at worst..." the Ruler pointedly trailed off.

     She slammed her gloved hands to the table. "Why was I not informed of this?!"

     Vex was taken aback. Not by her reaction, however. Everypet in this and the neighbouring kingdoms knew that the Earth Faerie and the dark blue Lupe were close allies regardless of her supposed neutrality. "I'm surprised none of your Questers told you," he remarked, confused. Though it would explain why they had found her wandering the tattered edges of the Lightwater Forest rather than joining Skarl's battalions with their searches. Or doing something a little more... drastic. The Purple Mynci was all too aware of what a potent combination of anger and magic could be. Hence his tone.

     Picking up her wooden chair, Illusen sat back down. "No pet seeking a Quest has been to the Glade since that evening." Before burying her face in her hands. "The dark energy... it did something to the plants. To the trees. They weren't... themselves." That's why the brunette thought they were there. Because the woods had looked more like the Citadel's gardens than anywhere else she had been to in Neopia. "I spent yesterday gathering up the resources I had stored here before trying to come up with some sort of remedy. Which I cast this morn. It was how I was able to get out of the Forest and head to the source of my troubles."

     The Earth Faerie placed her hands on the table in front of her before clenching her fists. Her Forest. Her scarred Forest. That she could fix when she had her strength back. And her neighbours would return when they had replenished their own supplies. But. "I assumed that was the sum of the damage she had caused... but I was clearly mistaken." A flash of green shimmered across her faded wings before dissipating as quickly as it had appeared. "She has gone too far this time."

     "Rest assured, Lady Illusen," the Korbat stated, narrowing his eyes as he gently placed his cup of tea down onto the surface below, "that I will... handle this."

     "I do not require charity, Lord Darigan," the brunette retorted, indignant.

     "No, you do not," he agreed, much to her surprise. The Ruler rose from his seat, causing Vex to do the same out of courtesy, before continuing, "However, you said it yourself that you have exhausted your supplies to counter the dark magic that attacked your home." The Earth Faerie frowned before glancing at her wings. They both knew that wasn't the only thing she had exhausted. "You have done your part. I shall do mine."

     -----

     Lengthening shadows crept like tendrils from the bases of the scattered mauve masonry that lay embedded into the cliffside all around, chasing away the fading light as the evening sun slowly began to set over the land of the Faeries. Jhudora's Bluff was not the most welcoming of places even during the daytime but under the power of a single Darigan Uni it had taken Lord Darigan and Master Vex the best part of the afternoon to arrive at their destination. Slumping to the ground in a pile of navy fur, the stallion took the opportunity to rest while his superiors plotted their next move. If things went as badly as he thought it would, the trio would need to make a pretty sharp exit.

     Sitting down on the protruding root of a twisted old tree, the Purple Mynci crossed his arms tightly over his battle-hardened armour as he thanked his lucky stars that he was wearing it after all. Though the temper of their previous host was something of an unknown and therefore a factor to be wary of, it went without saying that Jhudora the Dark Faerie was very much a quantifiable threat. Even high up in the Citadel you could hear... whispers of what she was capable of. And her past misdeeds. "So, my Lord..." The cautious Emissary prided himself on knowing what to do in every eventuality. But this time? "...what is the plan, exactly?"

     The Korbat frowned.

     Until his ears pricked up.

     "Follow my lead," the Ruler whispered, to his ally's surprise.

     Past the twisted old tree and behind a collection of jagged stone remnants, Darigan spotted the Faerie he was looking for in the dappled half-light of eventide. With a wicker basket slung from her wrist and a simple watering can by her feet, Jhudora was busy tending to and harvesting her latest crop of pink and purple Gnome Shrooms unaware she was being watched. Though she would never dare admit it, the Sorceress much preferred her Bluff to her previous aerial accommodation. The permanent shadows and damp conditions around the fractured ruins of her fortress made excellent growing conditions for her beloved Shrooms. She almost looked... happy.

     Her basket full of speckled Shrooms and watering can in her other hand, the Dark Faerie turned around to find her visitors. "Lord Darigan! Master Vex!" she laughed, covering the anger she felt towards herself for being too distracted with her gardening to sense their presence, "What are you doing so far from the Citadel? I hope nothing too awful has happened to warrant a trip to... Faerieland." She couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at that word.

     "Do not fret on my behalf, Lady Jhudora," the Ruler reassured his counterpart, opting to choose his words carefully, "Master Vex and I were merely called away on some official business." Attempting to strike a more festive tone and catching his Emissary off guard, the Korbat kept his Round Table Poker face, "With us being in the vicinity, I thought it best that we stop by for a visit." He paused. "Though I do not wish to impose, of course."

     "Nonsense!" the Sorceress cackled with glee, "I shall put the cauldron on straight away!"

     Ushering the two nobles through the maze of mauve masonry and into the intact inner Keep of her fractured fortress, the trio passed the imposing crimson and silver throne the Dark Faerie sat atop whilst dispensing with her pitiful Questers before entering a large room that Jhudora referred to as her kitchen. Many a chest of drawers and shelving unit lined its gloomy interior, full of ingredients and potions that she had concocted over the years. By a central table and on a carefully constructed groove in the stone-clad floor, a large cauldron sat on a pile of firewood. Precisely launching a green flame at its base, the Sorceress caused the wood to catch light and caused the pot to boil.

     It was this action that caught the attention of Sarah and Daisy.

     Bounding out of a side door, the Green and Purple Gruslens headed straight for Vex.

     "Oh, look!" Jhudora smirked, "They must've missed... playing with you."

     The Purple Mynci had not missed them.

     Glowing red eyes fixed on their target, the duo leapt in unison towards the Emissary only for him to duck out of the way at the last moment. Skidding to a stop just in front of the blazing cauldron, their spiked metal collars glistened in the light cast by the green flames they had just avoided being sung by. Vex took a step backwards as the Petpets let out an angry roar. Turning on a Neopoint, they ran at their foe and chased him through the side door to the living area that they had emerged from. Growls and crashes followed out of sight much to the concern of Darigan but the Korbat had to maintain his composure. There were bigger issues at stake.

     Suppressing a laugh as best as she could in the presence of the dignitary, Jhudora turned her attention away from the rambunctious exploits of her precious Petpets and instead towards the purple and green concoction that was bubbling away in her cauldron. Which, for once, was mostly benign. Discarding her gardening equipment before taking a tall glass and ladle from the nearby table, she filled the vessel with a serving of swirling liquid before proudly handing it over for her guest to try. "My own special blend," she smiled, somewhat smugly, "approved by Fyora herself."

     Darigan raised an eyebrow. But drank it nonetheless. It would have been rude not to. "Mmm," he muttered, pleasantly surprised by both the beverage's taste and texture, "it has a pleasant 'kick' to it." Placing his glass back down on the table, the Korbat noticed a large jar at the opposite end which had been lit up by the glow emanating from the green flames. Squinting in the half-light, he could see what appeared to be a Petpetpet crawling along a small twig therein. A thought crossed his mind. One he could not ignore. Interrupting the Dark Faerie's ongoing description of the ingredients used in her concoction, he asked plainly, "Is that a Blechy?"

     "Hm?" Jhudora paused, bemused, before looking down at the large jar sat atop her table. "Ah!" A coldness crept over her face. "Yes it is," she responded in a tone that managed to send a chill down even Darigan's spine, "I have been working on my Blechy enchantment for some time and after some... trial and error... have managed to stabilise the curse. It is not quite there yet but Daisy in particular has always wanted one... and I am not made of Neopoints. So I suppose I will just have to keep going." The Dark Faerie narrowed her purple eyes as she crouched next to her trapped creation, studying the creature's finer details. She already had ideas on how to improve it.

     The Korbat froze to the spot.

     "It's blue."

     The Sorceress looked up. "And your point?"

     "Aren't Blechy's supposed to be red?"

     "A leftover from the test subject." She shrugged. "I prefer the colour, myself."

     That thought returned. Louder than ever. "Speaking as somepet who has ruled over the Citadel for far longer than they would care to admit," Darigan cautioned his host, "ruling by fear will never get you as far as the alternative." Jhudora bolted up, indignant at being lectured to within the confines of her own fortress. Seeing this, he realised that she had misinterpreted what he was advising so clarified carefully, "If news gets out amongst your Questers that you are experimenting on the fellows who have failed your assignments, you may find that you quickly run out of pets willing to help with your endeavours. Regardless of the rewards on offer."

     Her expression softened. "Not to worry, my Lord." Into a smirk. "He wasn't one of mine."

     He was speechless.

     "You're welcome," the Dark Faerie laughed, coldly.

     It was the laugh that snapped the Ruler back to his senses.

     "I do not believe you grasp the gravity of your actions, Jhudora," Darigan growled in response.

     She was taken aback. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

     Something roused deep within the Korbat. He could not believe the audacity of his counterpart to even suggest that she had done this in his name. He had never spoken ill of the Lupe and certainly not in the company of the Dark Faerie. (And don't even get him started on curses that affect a pet's appearance.) The Ruler would not stand for it. "You have jeopardised the peace that exists between my realm and that of the Kingdom of Meridell," he retorted, barely concealing his anger, "King Skarl suspects that I or somepet close to me is responsible for the disappearance of Sir Jeran." Darigan narrowed his yellow eyes. "I will not let you plunge my Citadel into a third round of conflict just because you are so clearly blinded by your hatred of Lady Illusen."

     The Sorceress was unmoved. "I am not breaking the enchantment."

     "I am afraid I have to insist."

     "And I'm afraid you will have to make me."

     Pulling out her winged wand from up her tattered sleeve, Jhudora launched a pulse of green magical energy at her ungrateful guest. Darigan dove to the floor. Looking up, he could see that she had just missed the top of his right-wing with the crackling jolt. And that she was readying another. Scrambling backwards then to his feet, the Korbat dodged the blast. The Dark Faerie scowled. Sending another his way, it was her turn to leap out of the way as he sent it right back at her. She was confused. Peering through the legs of her table, she could see him wielding a three-pronged dagger. Figures. He did love Kass Basher after all.

     Undeterred and using the table as cover, the Sorceress sent out three bursts in quick succession. Just about dodging the first and then the second, the Ruler deflected the third back at its source. Jhudora ducked. The pulse missed her. But hit the large jar. Causing it to brightly glow a pale green colour that momentarily dazzled the two rivals before quickly fading.

     "Sire!" called out a somewhat worse-for-ware Vex, leaping through the gaping doorway he had been chased through by their host's resident bodyguards. With Sarah and Daisy suitably entertained, the Purple Mynci had managed to escape with his armour mostly intact. Only to be greeted by an unexpected sight. "Jer... Sir Jeran?"

     In a pile on top of the table lay the Champion of Meridell, his armour twinkling in the half-light of the cauldron's green flames and the smouldering scorch marks that were now scattered around the kitchen of Jhudora's fortress. The dark Blue Lupe groaned softly, still clearly dazed from his curse but otherwise relatively intact. (Unlike Vex.) The Dark Faerie sat up before slamming her wand to the stone floor in outrage. It would take months to gather the resources necessary to start a spell like that from scratch again. It wasn't even worth it. She composed herself. No. It hadn't been. Casting a contemptuous glance at the Knight, she snapped, "Get him out of here before I change my mind."

     Darigan almost smiled.

     "Yes, my Lady."

     -----

     As the first rays of light from the morning sun crept over the golden parapets that trimmed the eastern walls of Meridell Castle, the dark Blue Lupe sat at the base of the towering Keep and patiently waited to feel their warmth in his fur. Taking in a large breath of cool air, he softly exhaled it. Sir Jeran was well, all things considered. A good night's sleep had done wonders for the Knight with his only major ailment being an insatiable appetite. Which itself thankfully seemed to be waning. Resting the back of his head on the white stonework, he closed his eyes briefly. Only to be forced to open them again. He did have one more problem. But there wasn't much he could do about it.

     "Look," Lisha remarked pointedly, standing in front of her older brother with her arms crossed tightly atop her white shirt, "I know you say you don't remember anything..." Jeran looked towards her. "...but you have to remember something. Folk don't just magically vanish." She paused. "I mean, they do. You did. Before. But they don't just disappear then reappear again a few days later and not be anywhere in between." She paused again. "Okay, so that does happen too. But still." The Yellow Aisha wrinkled her brow before readjusting her red spectacles. She knew he knew what she had meant.

     If the Knight wasn't still a little winded, he may have risked a laugh. "I am sorry, Lisha," he spoke sincerely, "but that is the truth." Watching his younger sister sigh heavily, he repeated the tale once more. "The last thing I remember is heading towards Lady Illusen's Glade... then waking up in their medical treehouse two days later. That is it." It was his turn to sigh. "Nothing more." All the Earth Faerie had told him was that she had found him in the forest. He had tried to press for further details but his old friend seemed somewhat reticent to say anything else. Jeran knew better than to pry further.

     Much to Lisha's annoyance. "You must've got... tree-napped or something," she groaned unsatisfactorily at both the explanation and the fact she had missed the Lightwater Forest mutating into something a bit more sinister. Shaking her head before rubbing her chin, she muttered mostly to herself, "She did say that everything went all weird for a bit. Wish I'd seen it. The Royal Library has a couple of tomes about cursed forests. I could've compared it to previous outbreaks and tried to..." The Royal Wizard trailed off upon noticing her brother's eyes dropping to the floor.

     He sighed again.

     "I just feel terrible for making everypet worr-"

     Lisha gave Jeran the biggest hug she could muster.

     Now he felt well again.

     Just about getting to his feet, the dark Blue Lupe suddenly found himself patting down his brown tabard and standing to attention as he noticed two dignitaries heading towards them. The Yellow Aisha was equally surprised and cleaned her glasses on the sleeve of her shirt just to make sure that she wasn't seeing things. "Lord Darigan, Master Vex," Jeran addressed as formally as he could manage given the situation, "I had not been made aware that you were meeting with the King. I do hope that all is well on the Citadel." The Champion of Meridell could not hide his concern. This was a most unusual occurrence.

     The Ruler spoke. "Your master was just offering his... regrets for some unfortunate correspondence that had made its way to my desk." The two siblings looked at each other through the corner of their eyes. "Nothing to fret over."

     With the momentary tension passing, Vex couldn't help but to ask, "How are you feeling Sir Jeran? His Majesty mentioned that you were trapped in the Lightwater Forest when the foliage came alive through some... unknown enchantment?"

     "A little sore... but," the Knight smiled, "as you say, nothing to fret over."

     "Good to hear," Darigan remarked.

     The End.