Disclaimer: I don't own Neopets the Darkest Faerie.

Chapter 14:

"Angus!" Tor called out as he entered the shop. The stench of the potion brewing in the large cauldron assaulted his nose and he waved smoke away from his eyes. The red grarrl didn't appear to be anywhere in sight and Tor was about to leave when he suddenly popped up from behind the counter. There was a bright smile on his face at seeing the young knight.

"Tor! I've just gotten back from my meeting with King Skarl! So the potion worked, did it?"

Tor grinned and hopped up to sit on the edge of the counter. "It did. I can't thank you enough for what you've done."

Angus waved him off, settling down into his chair behind the counter. "Ah, after how much you've done for me this past year, it was the least I could do."

Tor shook his head. "You paid me very generously for all of those things. You still have my gratitude Angus."

The grarrl smiled, showing off his razor sharp teeth. "Enough of this. Tell me about your little adventure."

"It was more than a little adventure, Angus," the knight said with a small smile. Tor didn't feel the same weariness he normally did when having to tell a story multiple times. Angus was a good friend of his after all. He just settled himself more comfortably, leaning back against the wall. He began his tale and Angus listened with rapt attention, showing great interest when he heard about Alcasar. The apothecary was good at listening, never interrupting a story, just taking it all in. When Tor spoke of the ways he and Roberta killed the werelupes, there was horror etched across his face, but also understanding. There hadn't been much choice, and really, it would help the other knights in the upcoming battles.

"And the Assassin wasn't there?" Angus asked when Tor had finished his story.

The lupe shook his head. "Not that I know of. And it was probably a good thing. There's no way I would have been able to hold my own, let alone beat him. Roberta thinks the same way. He is too skilled with magic for any simple spells to make any effect. We'll have to train."

Angus tilted his head thoughtfully. "And why do you think that the Assassin will come after the two of you specifically?"

"Because I nearly beat him once, "Tor said simply. "He's got a grudge against me for that."

Angus nodded slowly, squinting at something out the window. The sky was growing dark and Tor wondered how long he'd been away from the castle. "And what is Roberta doing?" The apothecary asked suddenly causing Tor's eyes to snap back to him. "Is she going back to Brightvale?" Angus clarified.

Tor frowned. Had Roberta ever said anything about that? He didn't remember her doing so. "I don't know. We haven't spoken about it all that much. I know that she'll be here for a few days. We're bringing Lucy back to the farm the day after tomorrow. After that, I'm not quite sure." Tor looked back out the window. "I should be getting back to the castle." He reached out and shook Angus's hand. "I'll probably see you tomorrow."

"Of course."

Tor walked back to the castle slowly, enjoying the night air. He hoped that Lucy was still asleep and that she hadn't wandered around the castle. It might take hours to find her if that were to happen. As Tor walked into the town center just by the castle entrance, he saw another figure walking through the darkness and tensed. He kept walking forward, reaching the fountain at the same time as the figure. It was just Roberta.

"Oh, hey," he said. "I thought you'd have been back by now."

The acara shook her head, leaning against the side of the fountain. "I probably would have stayed longer, but Ebard looked to be getting a little too drunk and I didn't want to run into those problems."

Tor frowned. Ebard shouldn't be wasting time getting drunk with the threat hanging over them. Tor had been informed that Cogham had been attacked twice in the time he was gone. "I don't blame you. Come on." He nodded in the direction of the bridge. They waited for the guards to open the gates before walking in. The torches and candles were lit, giving off a faint light as they would throughout the night. Tor walked with Roberta to her room up on the third floor where the nobles of the castle stayed. Apparently Lord Edric and Lady Caitriona were in another one of their quarrels and Tor could hear them in another hallway arguing loudly. He rolled his eyes. Nobles.

He caught Roberta shoot a quick glare in the direction of the voices. "I swear, if this goes on all night I'm going to shut them both up. It's a very easy spell actually. And then I'm going to tie them up and lock them in the sewers."

Tor burst out laughing at the seriousness of her tone. "I think that the dungeons themselves will suffice."

Roberta put on a mock concerned expression. "But then poor Valrigard will have to suffer through it."

Tor coughed and grinned. "I'd say it would be better him than you. I'm the one who you'll take your lack of sleep out on."

Roberta pushed him gently before reaching behind her and opening the door. "Good night Tor," she said, backing into her room.

"Good night Roberta."

Tor walked back to his room, for once really appreciating that he didn't have to sleep in the Knights' Quarters, being a knight of first class. He looked at Lucy, still curled up in his bed. He took off his armor quietly, placing each piece on a stand close to his bed. Deciding not to bother his sister, Tor pulled out extra blankets and a pillow from a trunk at the side of the room and made a makeshift bed on the floor. It wasn't exactly comfortable, but after sleeping in a tent for over a week it was like sleeping on a cloud.

…

"To equip a mote to your sword, shield or armor, you must first ask for its permission," Tor explained to the two squires. The three of them stood in the training area, Zachariah and Dawson listening intently. Normally when training squires they would not learn the use of motes so early, but with the threat of war, Master Torak had ordered Tor to teach them for most of the morning. Roberta was currently touring Lucy around Meridell, which Tor wished he was doing. "If it agrees, then there will be a small pulse of magic."

"And if it doesn't agree?" Zachariah asked curiously. Tor looked at the techno whom he had battled in the arena. He hadn't been too surprised to find that he was now a squire.

"If the mote doesn't agree then apparently you are not using a mote," Tor answered. He kneeled down next to an ordinary looking crate and opened the lid. Inside there were six compartments each labeled with a symbol that showed the element of the motes it contained. He held his hand over the fire compartment and through a small hole, about the size of a neopoint, there was a small streak of orange light and a fire mote appeared, hovering over his hand. He pushed his hand through the air and the mote floated over to Dawson. "Try it."

The gelert looked confused. "How?"

"Just think it through your head. You're currently in contact with the mote, so it will hear you."

Dawson stared at the mote, a look of concentration on his face as though this was going to be the most important task of his life. A few seconds later Tor saw the mote glow bright for a moment and he knew that the mote had agreed. Dawson grinned. "Ok, now what?"

"Once it agrees to work with you, all you have to do is touch it to what you want to equip it to and it will bond. Do that with your shield. Zachariah, watch closely." Both squires nodded and Dawson picked up his shield from the ground, holding it with his free hand. He pushed the mote toward the shield where it seemed to melt into the metal, giving it an orange glow. Tor nodded in satisfaction. "Now, get ready."

"Huh?"

Tor looked up towards the walls where an archer was waiting with flaming arrows. He held up his fist as a sign to shoot and stepped to the side. Dawson still looked confused before he noticed the arrow flying toward him. His eyes widened and he quickly raised his shield. The arrow his, rebounding off and flying at a great speed back at the archer. Zachariah gasped and Tor nodded again. "Good. Now if you want to take the mote back, all you have to do is ask it and it will return. You might as well keep that one Dawson." Tor crossed his arms behind his back and addressed both squires. "Do either of you know why I might show you the use of a fire mote first?"

Blank faces were all Tor needed to know the answer.

"We are on the brink of war. Ixies and Werelupes are both fire elemental neopets. By equipping fire motes to your shield and armor will at the very least reduce damage from both. But by using a water mote on your sword, you will increase the damage given to your opponent. Right now there are others collecting water motes, bubble motes, fire motes, and lava motes, buying them or searching for them."

"Sir Tormund, what are nova motes exactly?" Zachariah asked.

Tor looked at the squire with a small frown of thought. "Nova motes, or Supernova Motes which are more potent, are created when all six motes meet in nature and bond together. As you can imagine, they're incredibly rare. You cannot create them yourself by taking all six and putting them together. They are, simply put, the ultimate mote. But they are also very rare and very expensive. Now there is one more thing I have for you today." Tor reached into the crate and extracted a light mote. He unsheathed his sword and equipped the mote to it. "This is hard, so don't worry if you don't get it right away."

He stepped a few feet away from the practice dummy. "Both of you stand clear. You can charge your motes and create a burst of energy that, should you use the correct mote, will damage your opponent greatly. I wouldn't normally do this in battle, but if you have the time, then I would take the chance. First I'll demonstrate, and then I will explain the process."

Tor took a fighting stance, his sword slightly raised as though he were about to swing. He could feel the power of the mote in his sword, sending small vibrations up his arm. Lend me your power. His sword began to glow, and then shake in his hand as the bright magic became visible. Tor swung his sword, pointing it at the dummy. Bright light burst from the tip, swirling toward the dummy and engulfing it. When the light disappeared the dummy had been torn to shreds, straw and cloth covering the ground. The squires were gaping.

"Now, imagine if that had been a water mote against a werelupe," Tor said, regaining their attention. "Now, you saw the stance I took. I learned that from Maser Torak when I was a squire and I found that if you are going to charge the mote, its more effective using that stance. All you have to do is ask the mote to lend you power. I'll leave you to figure the rest out." Tor grinned and walked away. He approached Lawrence and Prunella who had been watching not far away. "Keep an eye on those two. I don't want them destroying anything."

"And where are you going?" The techno asked.

"Roberta is taking Lucy around Meridell. I figured I would go find them before Roberta is overwhelmed."

The two chuckled and Lady Prunella said, "I briefly met your sister in the dining hall with Lady Roberta. She seemed very excited."

"Yeah," Tor nodded. That sounded accurate, though he hadn't been there himself. Lucy hadn't even been awake yet when he had been ordered to help train the squires. He looked over at their lack of results and smirked. "Lawrence, don't give them any tips. I'd like to see how long it takes them to figure it out on their own."

"Sure thing Tor."

….

He met Roberta outside of Inga's armory. She was leaning against the side of the building, watching Lucy run around with Ella and Gram, two young neopets about her age. Tor leaned against the wall next to Roberta and asked, "How long have you been standing here?"

The acara shrugged. "Maybe about fifteen minutes. We were walking and those two came up and asked if she was really your sister. From there those three just hit it off." Tor smiled. It seemed that Lucy could just make friends with anyone, even two werelupes. "She's rather like you actually. She just gets along with everyone. Everyone we've met so far seems to adore her."

"I wonder why. I always thought she was annoying."

Roberta laughed and elbowed him in the side. "Oh you miss her when you're here and she's still at the farm. You miss everyone out there."

Tor smiled. "I know. I was thinking about when we go to drop Lucy off that I might stay for an extra day."

Roberta frowned, unsure of that. "I don't know, Tor. What happens if the Assassin finally decides to bring on a full out attack?"

The Knight looked at his friend with a serious expression. "All the more reason to stay. If I were to die, I'd like to see those I grew up with one last time."

She just nodded in understanding. There was no point in arguing when Tor was right. There was a possibility of dying especially with the Assassin involved, and neither could deny it. "Alright, sure. We'll stay an extra day."

"You don't have to you know."

"I know that I don't have to Tor. But I want to." She shook her head in annoyance. "I have to go back to Brightvale sooner or later you know. My uncle worries worse than my mother."

Tor smirked. "Who's worse: your uncle or the servants?"

Roberta glared at him, though Tor knew it was more with humor than anger. "Don't ask me impossible questions."

Tor shook his head in acceptance and looked over at the three kids. When he was their age he was working his tail off around the farm. And when Lucy became old enough, he did her work as well as his own. Now that he was gone everybody had to pull their own weight to keep things going. The thought of the farm made Tor's ears droop and Roberta looked at him curiously. He caught her eye and sighed. "I'm wondering how my mother is doing."

The sorceress put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure she's fine. And imagine how happy she'll be when we show up with Lucy!" Tor grinned and nodded, turning his attention back to Lucy. Gram's mother Nadia was now standing across the street outside of her house also watching. Tor sat down on the ground, knowing that they might be there a while.