Howl-a-ween
Never receive a gift from Faeries near Halloween.
Yep, you heard that right!
Oh, so you don't believe me?!
And I should know…
After all, I received a present from an unexpected Faerie.
It cost me a lot more than my dignity if you must know…
Sit down… and I'll tell you about what happened -
Shortly before this year's 'chilling' Hallows eve…
- Chaptire 1 -
Near the Town of Neovia…
"Kassiko, where are you going?" I called to my Lenny, who was strutting towards the Neovia village.
The village square was dark and full of deepening shadows, abandoned houses…
Rotting tombstones, which were as cold as the moon that had shortly risen upwards, greeted us. I shivered, was there anyone in these parts of the town that was still alive?
A cloudless mist had pervaded the dim and dusky atmosphere.
My red Lenny was observing the tomb-stones with a macabre interest… Personally, I preferred to leave the town alone, after all we didn't want to disturb the 'inhabitants' there. Bruno, especially…
This monstrous Gelert was cursed with the strength to carry two Owners away.
The other Neovians were transformed into bizarre shapes because of a strange blue Krawk that happened to pass by one day.
This Krawk promised them desires, he promised the villagers anything. So he gave them a couple of potions that granted their innermost ambitions, but the potions had a very ugly twist…
Those very potions transformed and mutated them into ambitious and twisted monsters which now turned them upon one another.
The Spirit of Slumber was supposed to live there, biding his time for another plague…
I did not want to remain in this creepy and otherwise depleted place – with only two of my Neopets for company.
Besides, if any of the inhabitants came back, guess who they would attack in a blind fury?
(Yep, you guessed it – me and my Neopets. And I did not want that to happen to us, which were for sure!)
So, heading north, I turned towards the Woods of Neovia…
Surely the Woods was heaps safer than the actual Neovia village? I dragged Parlrina along as well, though he insisted on staying back with Kassiko...
"Oh really, Parly." I told him jokingly, "Would you want me to be attacked as well this Hallows Eve?" My Rainbow Wocky shook his head. I was relieved, so he was going with me as well?
With that I entered the Woods. It's really strange, yet funny though…
Along the way, I think he scampered back!
"Parlrina?" I desperately called. Now going into the Woods seemed like not such a great idea after all… I really should have watched where I was going.
A long and twisted path ran ahead of me, shattering the darkness like a jagged scar.
Now I felt like those Neopet children in Hansel and Gretel – you know the part where they get lost in the forest because they decided to use Snail Sandwiches as a trail? They got lost of course…
- Chaptire 2 -
It was then that someone approached me from behind...!
I was extremely shocked, just who would approach an Owner from their weakest vantage (otherwise known as behind their view)?
To my relief, it was someone I knew…
It was an Earth faerie that resembled Illusen in a major way… So naturally I thought I should greet her as a sign of respect - or just to say hello. (I'm being really friendly here!)
"Oh, hello Illusen!" I smiled,
"Long time no see… I haven't heard from you for ages! How are your Quests going?"
The Faerie that I had spoken to (and presumed) said nothing, but her glass green eyes were glowing as I continued to speak to her…
A distant shudder ran up my spine.
Maybe I had angered Illusen?
I panicked; it was getting darker as I spoke.
Soon it would be useless to stay here, because I couldn't or wouldn't find my way back to the Neovia village...
Then she started talking in a low and hushed voice... And I was startled by how ethereal and eerie it sounded in the moonlight.
"Sabrina Diamond, I have a gift for you." The Earth faerie that looked like Illusen said lowly, her voice was barely heard above the whispering trees.
I was puzzled.
A gift on Hallows Eve, which seemed especially made or created just for me?
I was also pleased; maybe she could help me out. She was wearing a dark-black cloak with jade embroidery on the seams...
With a click of her long and tapered fingernails, she brought out a stone.
It was shiny and yet peculiar.
When I looked at the strange rock, light seemed to bounce off the edges, just like a cut and precious stone. Yet it had the look of a stone unlike anything ever seen in Neopia Central…
It must be a really special stone and gift… I thanked the Faerie, who smiled briefly.
"My name is Sabrina Diamond. Thank you for the present which is just in time for Halloween."
"I'm glad you liked it, Sabre."
(Was she referring to me as a sword?)
"My name by the way is Ilere."
"Where did you find this stone?" I was extremely curious of the present's origin.
It could have come from an unknown place, who knows…?
"Way on the banks of Altador. It is rumoured that the stone's power can last one Halloween night and then no more,"
"Which of those reasons stands above grounds of immortality..."
"This is why I must pass it on to a trustworthy Owner before the Hallow Eve starts."
"A-a power that can be passed on to Owners?" My eyes nearly popped out at this statement.
"Your very desires will be fulfilled this Hallows Eve… Say, don't you want to try it out this Halloween?" Ilere persisted, her hand grasped mine. I immediately withdrew it, her hands felt icy cold.
"I better… Go now. My Neopets are waiting for me…" For some reason, even my speech had slowed…
"Go now, we will meet again… Fyora knows when or how." It was just then I saw that her eyes…
Ilere's eyes! They had turned the palest colour, I fell back in horror. Resisting my revulsion, I ran away as fast as I could from the Woods, carrying my enchanted gift along.
I really wanted to know whether it would work, well it could. Or it couldn't, I was more certain it wouldn't work anyway… But there was only one way to test it…
And the one way was to actually try it out on Halloween night...!
This situation was risky, I know… But hey, I'm up for a challenge! What can actually happen to me…?
Um… Guess what went wrong first?