Chapter One: Two Rings Farm

Disclaimer: I do not own Neopets, of course. Adam Powell, Donna Williams, and the other, absolutely brilliant members of the Neopets Team own this wonderful website. They also own the game Neoquest, part of the website. The setting (the Two Rings, and the Two Rings Palace) are part of Neoquest, as are the characters mentioned when Lilynris tells her story.

However, I did create the Two Rings Farm. Lilynris, Ashayie, Shiryami, Kyerind, Meryisi, Aunt Brithinell, Uncle Hyhinmor, the Crusader Major, and the Head Librarian are my own characters, and I also include a few plot twists that aren't part of the Neoquest storyline.

Please do not sue me.

A/n: This may contain some Neoquest spoilers, so read ahead at your own risk if you're playing the game. Other than that, though, I hope you like the story. It's my first fanfic, so please R&R!

"Shiryami!" Aunt Brithinell called from the kitchen. "Shiryami, where are you?"

The yellow Acara flashed down the stairs, instantly recognizing the tone in her aunt's voice. "Yes, Aunt Brithinell?"

"Go check the mail," Aunt Brithinell snapped.

"Yes, Aunt Brithinell." Shiryami zipped out the door of the farmhouse where she lived with her aunt, uncle, and two older cousins. She went so fast that she didn't even hear her aunt yell, "And while you're at it, go find your uncle!"

In a matter of seconds, Shiryami had reached the mailbox, which she slid open in the special hand motion her uncle Hyhinmor had taught her. "Well, well, well. Looks like there's a letter today."

"Mail! Here, give it to me." Shiryami's cousin Meryisi flew down and snatched the letter from the mailbox. "I wonder who could be sending something to us? After all, almost no one lives here." She stopped talking as she flipped the envelope over and saw the seal: a winged J in intricate detail. "Well, well, well. If it's mail from the Master, I had better take it in to Mother right now. You shouldn't touch it, Shiryami. After all, you are the daughter of rebels." Meryisi flew lazily back to the house.

Shiryami sat next to the mailbox forlornly and rolled her eyes. Meryisi did something like this at least once a week. It was always different, but whatever Meryisi did was always calculated to make Shiryami cry. There were plenty of topics to make her cry about, foremost of which was usually the demise of Shiryami's parents.

They say that my parents tried to leave, to investigate the world beyond these mountains. That is impossible, though. There is no way into the Two Rings, and no one can ever leave. We are trapped here. The secretary thought Mom and Dad were rebelling…and that's how it happened, Shiryami thought. The Crusader Major just chased them into an ambush.

Why was I born to this life? Why was I destined to be who I am in a family where I have no worth? I am protected from the monsters, so long as I remain under the Master's shadow. Don't forget Aunt's shadow. She's convinced that I'm a witch of some sort. I wish that I was a shock witch so that I could stun them all forever and make them go away. Well, maybe I wouldn't stun Kyerind. He's kind of nice.

"Shiryami!" Aunt Brithinell screeched, which did not sound good with her low Shoyru voice. All the family were Shoyrus except Shiryami. "What are you doing out there?"

Shiryami zipped back into the house. "Yes, Aunt Brithinell?"

"Where's the mail, and where's your uncle?"

"Uncle Hyhinmor went to the village to trade supplies, Aunt Brithinell." Someone has a bad memory. "And Meryisi has the mail."

"You lie, Shiryami. Why would Meryisi get the mail?"

"To make me look bad, of course. Why else?" Shiryami bit her tongue immediately. I'm going to get in trouble for this one. My horrid big Acara mouth, so much bigger than all these little tiny Shoyru mouths. If only I was a Shoyru like them, they might like me more…

"Shiryami, one more mistake out of your mouth and you are going to your room without dinner." Shiryami didn't think she imagined the smirk on Aunt Brithinell's face. Aunt Brithinell and Meryisi both knew how painful it was for Shiryami if she even ate a meal half an hour later than usual or didn't eat just the right amount of food, much less deprived of a meal. "Now, tell me the truth."

"Meryisi did take the mail. And she'll be showing up here eventually with it. It was from the Master."

"The Master, eh? You were always a good liar, Shiryami. One more chance."

"That's because when you think I'm lying, I'm actually telling the truth."

"Well, well, well. Three seconds after I warn you to shut your mouth, another flippant remark pops out of it. Up to your room, Shiryami."

Shiryami opened her mouth. "But…"

"You are not a fish, Shiryami, even though you look like one. And you do not say 'But' to me, remember? I thought you would. To your room, or do I need to go over to the village, borrow the book of spells, and stun you?"

"We have mail, Mom," Meryisi said imperiously, dropping the letter on the kitchen counter. She glowered when she saw Shiryami, who suppressed a giggle. Someone didn't get her timing right. Serves her right.

"Oh? Really? I told Shiryami to get the mail, not you." Aunt Brithinell whispered to Shiryami, "Shoo!"

Shiryami did so, running into Kyerind on the way. "What's up?" her cousin asked.

"Oh, same old. Your mom just sent me to that musty loft space she calls a bedroom for the rest of the day because I talked back to her about Meryisi's torture. Today she stole the mail from me. By the way, it was a letter from the Master. I think that you'll want to read it together." Shiryami stomped upstairs and wished she could fly.

Kyerind shook his head. "Mom and Meryisi got her already? No wonder she's in such a bad mood, if she'll be confined to her room for the rest of the day." He headed into the kitchen.

Upstairs, Shiryami leaned down to a crack in the floor and listened to the conversation.

"So, we have mail," Kyerind said.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were in the village with your father."

"He sent me back here for a few things. I just thought I'd see the letter."

"Shiryami told you about the letter."

She took her ear away from the hole. "Great," she grumbled, "one more thing to get in trouble about."

Then Meryisi's voice drifted through the crack. "Listen to the letter, Kyerind:

'Dear Two Rings Farmers:

Once again, I would like to thank you for your support, and I have a favor to ask of you. There are two adventurers who have recently entered the Two Rings. One is a desert Aisha, about 45 centimeters high, who carries a large backpack of unidentifiable objects. She is armed with a staff and energy shield and has various magic powers. The second is a purple Poogle with a Kal Panning accent, slightly shorter than the Aisha. She looks like a trail guide of some sort who knows this area. How this is possible, I wish I knew. I would be very pleased if you could ask them to stay at your farm and find out some information about them. If necessary, exterminate them.'"

"There's no signature," Kyerind said.

"Well of course not. The Master doesn't need a signature," Meryisi retorted.

"This is impossible," Aunt Brithinell stated. "No one can enter or leave the Two Rings."

The words echoed in Shiryami's mind. I may not be as alone as I think. Two people who have just entered here. And the Aisha is a witch! Maybe I can escape with them. Before Aunt Brithinell kills them, of course. I wish I could be one of them, go on their adventures. Maybe they'll find our farm. There is hope. And I can try to save them, maybe. Glimmers from the books she had read flashed in front of Shiryami's eyes and fascinated her.

And then, the doorbell rang.