Yes, I know, readers of my other stories can't believe it - I'm writing about neopets! Not exactly a case of normality for me, seeing as I hardly even look at the game anymore, but I liked the Faerie's Ruin plotline and I thought chapter 16 would be the perfect time to integrate a twist of my own.
Disclaimer: I do not own neopets.
Written as a one-shot cliffhanger. Reviews will determine whether or not there will be a sequal.
...
Stone.
The spell had been reversed when the Hanso had destroyed the second artifact. Shattered in pieces, it gave testament to a great evil that had almost destroyed Neopia. The faeries had returned, and even King Hagan grudgingly admitted that Hanso was indeed a hero. But it is easy to say someone is a hero when they are dead.
And what is a hero when all that remains is a cold monument?
Brynn remembered. She remembered his cheeky grin just before the end, when he grabbed the artifact as it swooped through the air, shouting "Gotcha!" like it was just another game. She saw in her mind's eye his pretended ruse to gain Xandra's trust so he could destroy the artifact and keep her from taking over Neopia. Even when the fiend was threatening his very life, Hanso still had that same goofy smile on his face.
Now it was gone.
A tear rolled down Brynn's cheek as she ran her hand down Hanso's face. Cold and smooth, hard as ice. Stone. Her Hanso had been turned to stone, his face grimacing as he forever waited for the blow of Xandra's attack. He had sacrificed his life for Neopia, destroying the artifact and turning both himself and Xandra into stone. And now here he stood, cold and unmoving. Lifeless.
More tears tracked down Brynn's face as memories bombarded her from all directions. The first time she caught Hanso stealing when she a young girl. Then again when they were older... and older... and older. Then the more recent memories; Hanso ganging up with them after the faeries' were turned to stone (if only to save his own skin, that is), him helping to steal the artifacts (for his own profit), returning them to King Hagan (by force), going willingly with Brynn to the dungeons (before he escaped five minutes later), then rescuing her, surprisingly with no strings attached. And then... then Xandra showed her true colors, and for a moment Brynn thought Hanso would truly join in the destruction of Neopia. But instead...
Brynn sobbed as she fell against Hanso's upraised arm. Instead he had sacrificed everything to save her. Now he was dead, for truly the stone could not continue living. A statue does not breath, nor does it have a beating heart. Her Hanso was gone, forever captured in his last living moment. Saving her. Rescuing Neopia.
But what did it matter? For sure, Hanso would be remembered. His statue would be placed somewhere, perhaps in the hall of heroes if he were lucky, though likely King Hagan would consider it no place for a thief. Centuries from now people would look upon his face and perhaps tell their children that this was the ixi that saved Neopia.
But it would only remain a story and a name.
Who would remember Hanso as he truly was? Who would speak of him to the children as the prankful youngster who Brynn always chased down in the streets after yet another of his unsuccessful thieving attempts? Who would tell of his cheekiness, his unfailing wit and sarcasm?
"Who will ever tell how much I love you?" Brynn said in a soft, hitched voice. She let her hand slide off Hanso's upraised arm. The arm still guarding against a blow that would never reach him.
"Goodbye, Hanso," Brynn whispered. "I hope that wherever you are... it's a happier place." She sniffed and wiped her eyes, then slowly walked away. A prickly feeling overtook her, and she looked behind, expecting something to happen.
But nothing had changed. Only a cold statue stood in the courtyard. Brynn wiped another tear away and left. She wondered if she would ever have the courage to return again.
...
"Don't go." He watched through the tiny slit his half opened left eye allowed him. She was walking away, not looking back. "Brynn."
Then she stopped, slowly looking back at him.
"Brynn it's me! Can't you see it! Brynn!"
But her face fell as though she had been hoping for something that the world could not give her. She wiped away a stray tear and left.
"No! Brynn, wait!" He watched hopelessly as she disapeared from his sight. His heart fell. "I love you too, Brynn."
Didn't she see his pleading? Didn't she realize he was watching her? Couldn't they see how trapped he was, how every fiber in his being begged to be set free from this prison?
But now he realized it. He understood. All they saw was a statue. No one noticed the half-slit eye and wondered if the spirit inside could be watching. No one considered that every nerve inside the cold stiff being itched to move.
Hanso was alone. According to the rest of Neopia, he no longer existed. All that remained was a statue.
...
Brynn sighed and tried concentrating on the report in front of her. The words swam in front of her eyes though as her mind wandered to Hanso. She couldn't believe he was gone. All her life it seemed she had been dealing with him; apologizing to shopkeepers, cleaning up the mess he left behind, ordering him around, yelling at him...
It all seemed so long ago now, even though it had just happened.
Brynn put her face in her hands and cried.
...
It was nightfall. Silently she entered the courtyard, her bare feet soundless on the cobblestones. Her waist length hair, the color of sunshine, brushed against her face and fell back against her orange dress.
She could sense him watching her, see the haunted gleam in his eye that was so often missed if one did not know how to look for it.
Her body was weightless, her feet gliding along the ground. She had forgotten what it was like, to be a faerie. So long ago... so very, very long ago.
Hanso's half open eye regarded her with a hunger close to starvation, a longing she had seen in many a creature who had fallen into a similar situation. The nearly indiscernable pleading look as they begged for someone to notice them.
"Hush, Little One," she whispered softly as she knelt down and ran a hand down Hanso's cold cheek. "I'm here."
Relief. Inexplicable joy and sorrow were expressed in his gaze as he looked at her.
She knew he could only see within the boundaries his stone body allowed, so she made sure to stay in front of him. He might panic if he thought he were being left alone once more.
Her brows furrowed together as she tried to remember her spells of old. Memories filled her as a sphere of yellow energy and warmth filled her hands.
Running, laughing with the other faeries as they raced each other across the clouds, dragon wings billowing behind her.
Christmas ages past, festive days of helping fill stockings and wrap presents.
Song and dance, instruments of every shape and kind playing in the background.
Giving her first faerie paintbrush to a little bori, barely older than ten years old. Laughing as he ran and sold it for only ten thousand neopoints.
Talking with Jhudora as they prepared for the Halloween celebration.
Hiding in The Hidden Tower with Illusen when they were young(er).
Snowball fights with friends.
Teasing a grarrl into playing destruct-o-match, and then helping him win.
Opening her own shop, selling autumn books, toys, and wearables. She liked autumn.
Listening to Sophia tell her own harsh story, then visiting often as they became fast friends.
Helping a wockie who twisted his foot.
A smile from a peophin as she bandaged his bruised tail.
Laughter as she was accused of taking away the job of the healing springs.
Exile from Neopia.
Horror at the accusations thrown against her.
All she wanted was to help Jhoni. She never knew the kyrii was Kass' apprentice.
A diamond trickled down her cheek, landing on the floor with a musical ping. For faeries weep diamonds, and she was no exception.
She heaved a sigh of loss and removed the thoughts from her mind. Carefully she lifted the sphere of light to Hanso's forehead.
"This will come at a price, Little One," she warned. "I cannot do this magic without some penalty. Are you sure you wish to take the chance?"
"Please, I'll do anything," she could read the unspoken words his gaze told her. "Just get me out of here!"
She sighed. "It may be more than you are willing to pay." She touched her sphere of magic to his forehead. Slowly she let her magic swirl into the stonework, closing her eyes to help her concentration. A stiff and umoving heart began to beat, a puff of air found its way into frozen lungs. Suddenly the transformation was complete, and Hanso fell to the ground as his body no longer supported him.
She caught him before he hit the ground, whispering soft words of comfort as she held him close. He trembled in her arms, shock beginning to set in as the previous ordeal caught up with him.
"Hush, Little One," she whispered. "You are free now."
"Wh-who are you?" Hanso asked, shaking with cold and terror at memories of the past several days' events.
"I am Anya," she said softly, stroking his fur as she tried to quell his shivering.
Hanso tried to say something else, but his head fell back limply as he lost consciousness.
Anya looked towards the brightening sky. The spell had taken longer than she thought, and dawn was fast approaching.
"Forgive me, Hanso," she said softly as she scooped him up in her arms. "But there is a price to be paid still."
She knew he couldn't hear her, but she continued speaking as though he were listening intently to every word. "Your payment shall be small, as little as I am able to grant. For even I must abide by rules when I fight the darker magic."
Anya gazed at the sky, watching as the stars began to fade one by one. She looked down again at the sleeping bundle in her arms. "I must take you to my world for a time. They will not always look kindly upon you, but if you listen to my guidance I promise I will return you safely. You will return soon."
She looked towards the castle windows, where Brynn had fallen asleep on her desk. Smiling softly, Anya put out her hand and blew a cloud of tiny sparkling golden stars towards the kougra. Brynn's face, troubled even in her dreams, relaxed slightly.
"Wait for him, Brynn. Wait for him. He will return to you."
Dawn was approaching fast. Soon Neopia would wake, and if she did not leave now she would be caught. She could not allow that to happen.
Anya lifted her hand again, letting a shower of stars swirl around her, surrounding her in golden light. Slowly the stars began falling to the ground as she disapeared.
When Brynn awoke some hours later, she knew immediately that something was wrong. Running out to the courtyard, she collapsed with a scream and burst into tears. Hanso's statue was gone. All that was left was a puddle of gold dust and a small note etched into the flagstone.
"I will bring him back to you."
It was signed, "Anya."