Chapter Two: Lilynris and Ashayie
Shiryami listened intently. Are these the adventurers? She groaned slightly when Uncle Hyhinmor's voice floated up through the crack.
"Hello, Meryisi, Kyerind, Brithinell. Good afternoon. Where's Shiryami?"
"Reading in her room," Aunt Brithinell said. "She insists on isolating herself from us. I don't know why."
Look who's lying now! Shiryami thought.
"Anyway, when I was at the village, I met these two young ladies. They were wondering where they could stay for the time that they will be in this part of the Two Rings, so I invited them to stay with us."
Shiryami leaned even closer to the crack, listening.
"Hello," a high, melodious voice said. "I am Lilynris, and this is my partner Ashayie. Thank you for allowing us to stay here."
"Thank you very much," a faster, lower voice said.
"Kyerind," Aunt Brithinell's all-too familiar voice said, "take these two up to Shiryami's room. She can sleep outside."
"Yes, Mother. Follow me, ladies." Kyerind's wings flapped, and Shiryami heard two sets of footsteps before she took her ear away from the crack and tried to look as if she had not been eavesdropping. A few minutes later, she heard Kyerind knock on the door.
"Come in!" Shiryami said, trying to restrain her excitement at meeting outsiders. The door opened to reveal the strange Aisha and Poogle, exactly as the letter had described them.
"Shiryami," Kyerind said, "the Aisha is Lilynris, and the Poogle is Ashayie. Lilynris, Ashayie, this is Shiryami."
Shiryami smiled brightly. "Hi. It's wonderful to meet you!"
"I'm glad to meet you, too," Lilynris said. She obviously owned the high voice. "You sleep here?"
"Yes, and I spend a lot of other time here, too. Usually in exile from the rest of the family. Come on in!"
Lilynris and Ashayie settled on the bed; Kyerind occupied a small chair next to the bookshelf; and Shiryami closed the door and sat on the floor. " 'In exile from the rest of the family.' What does that mean?" Lilynris asked.
"I'm sure you noticed I'm different from the others, if you pay so much attention to a few simple words," Shiryami said, enchanted. These people are everyone I wanted to meet and more! she thought. "I'm not really a member of this family. Kyerind is my cousin. My parents tried to escape from here and were killed, so Uncle Hyhinmor took me in because he couldn't abandon one of his own family. Aunt Brithinell and Meryisi hate me, as you may have noticed when Aunt said I could sleep outside." Shiryami stopped.
"You were listening?" Ashayie said bluntly.
"Yes. I had to know what the letter from the Master was all about."
"The Master?" Ashayie arched an eyebrow. "Of course. You live in the Two Rings, among all these monsters. Logically, you have to serve Jahbal or you'd be dead by now."
"Please," Kyerind said. "Don't mention him. We don't want him to know you're here."
"Yes," Lilynris said, smiling serenely, "that might be a good idea."
"Where do you come from, Lilynris?" Shiryami asked.
"Well," Lilynris said, "I am from a place called Neopia City, where I learned how to use magic and a few simple weapons. About a year ago, maybe, I met the governor. He was very impressed by my skills and asked me to go on a journey. 'I can make a better weapon for you,' he said. 'You have a glowing stone already, which I will save for you. Go to the Dank Cave and bring me a tiny lapis, a pewter rod, and one other item…the Ring of Xantan. With these items, I can create a steel wand for you.'
"I think that Eleus Batrin, the governor, was testing me when he said this. It seemed that he had issued this challenge to others before and they had failed. But that challenge started my quest." Lilynris took an old, decrepit stone ring out of her pack. "This is the ring that Eleus Batrin wanted. He seemed very impressed that I had passed this test and issued another: to go to a ruined school in the jungle and see what I could find. There, I found the three members of a previous expedition and defeated three other creatures. Those ruins were where I got the first three keys."
Lilynris showed Shiryami and Kyerind her jam-packed keyring. "These keys—the wooden one, the silvered horn one, and the jeweled crystal one—came from those creatures. I also found a medallion that I'll show you later."
Ashayie smiled; she knew the secret of the medallion.
"After fixing up the former head scientist with the slightly insane cook—I hope Korabric and Pomanna live happily ever after—I headed back to Neopia City. Eleus Batrin was really impressed now, that I had passed both of his tests and found the medallion. Then, I just followed his instructions to someone who knew about the medallion and continued on, unraveling the story as I went. When I finally found the final key, which let me in here, I met Ashayie."
"I'm a trail guide," Ashayie said, "from the Eastern Glades. I studied a lot of cartography, like ancient maps of this area. I also wanted to get out of my village and make a more current map of the Rings, so I asked if I could come with Lilynris. She agreed."
"I really am the nicest person in the world," Lilynris joked.
"I could find a few people who won't agree with that," Ashayie muttered.
"Such as who? They're all dead."
"Unless you know how to call up undead spirits, Ashayie, I think that Lilynris won this one," Kyerind chimed in.
Ashayie shuddered. "Don't even mention the undead, Kyerind. I've been to Kal Panning. It's the freakiest place I've ever seen."
"If it's possible to get out of here after I do what I came here to do," Lilynris said, "I'd like to go back to Kal Panning. All the undead are gone now, and I'd really like to rebuild it into the place it was before the Circle cursed it."
"I'll go with you," Shiryami said.
Ashayie smiled. "Looking for a way out, huh?"
"Ever since I was three."
"Well, it seems that you'll have to make up a test for Shiryami."
"Don't worry, Ashayie. I'm going to test her in the same way that I tested you."
"What are you talking about?" Shiryami said, apprehensively.
Lilynris took a holder containing five staves from her sack. "These are the five Staves of Brilliance: Firedrop, Iceheart, Thunderstar, Shadowgem, and Moonstone. They correspond to the five spheres of magic. My spheres are ice, spectral, and life, so I can use those weapons. Ashayie has spectral talents. I just want to see if you have the magical talent necessary to use one of these." Lilynris handed Shiryami the first staff.
Shiryami took it, shaking. I hope that I can go with them…she thought. What am I going to do if I can't?
"No," Ashayie said. "That one's for Kyerind. Just look at him and you can tell."
"There is a marked resemblance," Lilynris said, looking at the staff and then at Kyerind. "Give it to him, Shiryami. I'll give you the other one."
Shiryami reluctantly handed the staff to Kyerind and accepted the other one from Lilynris. As soon as she touched it, a spark of electricity zapped through her, and Shiryami struggled to hold on. A bolt of yellow light lanced through the crack in the floorboards.
"Uh oh…" Lilynris said sheepishly. "I hope that didn't hit any members of your family."
"I hope it stunned Meryisi," Shiryami automatically responded. "I always wanted to do that to her."
"Well," Ashayie said after a period of silence, "you rather obviously passed the test, as did Kyerind." She grabbed both staves and placed them back in their holder. "A temporary stun is one thing, Kyerind, but I don't think Shiryami would appreciate it if you burned down her bedroom." Flames had begun to flicker around the staff.
"Dinner!" a shrill voice came up through the crack. "Shiryami, you come down here too. I need to talk to you."
Shiryami groaned. "Aunt Brithinell is so awful…" Then she smiled. "Hey, I guess that means I stunned Meryisi! Cool!"
Lilynris replaced all her items in the sack and made a few signs in the air. "That's a locking spell," she explained to Shiryami and Kyerind. "Come on." The two adventurers left.
Shiryami started after them, but Kyerind pulled her sleeve back. "I need to talk to you."
A/n: Sorry if I bored you with the backstory. Ashayie's story is new, of course, but Lilynris's story is mostly about the Neoquest game. I tried to avoid putting very many spoilers in here. Most of the characterization is over now.
Shiryami listened intently. Are these the adventurers? She groaned slightly when Uncle Hyhinmor's voice floated up through the crack.
"Hello, Meryisi, Kyerind, Brithinell. Good afternoon. Where's Shiryami?"
"Reading in her room," Aunt Brithinell said. "She insists on isolating herself from us. I don't know why."
Look who's lying now! Shiryami thought.
"Anyway, when I was at the village, I met these two young ladies. They were wondering where they could stay for the time that they will be in this part of the Two Rings, so I invited them to stay with us."
Shiryami leaned even closer to the crack, listening.
"Hello," a high, melodious voice said. "I am Lilynris, and this is my partner Ashayie. Thank you for allowing us to stay here."
"Thank you very much," a faster, lower voice said.
"Kyerind," Aunt Brithinell's all-too familiar voice said, "take these two up to Shiryami's room. She can sleep outside."
"Yes, Mother. Follow me, ladies." Kyerind's wings flapped, and Shiryami heard two sets of footsteps before she took her ear away from the crack and tried to look as if she had not been eavesdropping. A few minutes later, she heard Kyerind knock on the door.
"Come in!" Shiryami said, trying to restrain her excitement at meeting outsiders. The door opened to reveal the strange Aisha and Poogle, exactly as the letter had described them.
"Shiryami," Kyerind said, "the Aisha is Lilynris, and the Poogle is Ashayie. Lilynris, Ashayie, this is Shiryami."
Shiryami smiled brightly. "Hi. It's wonderful to meet you!"
"I'm glad to meet you, too," Lilynris said. She obviously owned the high voice. "You sleep here?"
"Yes, and I spend a lot of other time here, too. Usually in exile from the rest of the family. Come on in!"
Lilynris and Ashayie settled on the bed; Kyerind occupied a small chair next to the bookshelf; and Shiryami closed the door and sat on the floor. " 'In exile from the rest of the family.' What does that mean?" Lilynris asked.
"I'm sure you noticed I'm different from the others, if you pay so much attention to a few simple words," Shiryami said, enchanted. These people are everyone I wanted to meet and more! she thought. "I'm not really a member of this family. Kyerind is my cousin. My parents tried to escape from here and were killed, so Uncle Hyhinmor took me in because he couldn't abandon one of his own family. Aunt Brithinell and Meryisi hate me, as you may have noticed when Aunt said I could sleep outside." Shiryami stopped.
"You were listening?" Ashayie said bluntly.
"Yes. I had to know what the letter from the Master was all about."
"The Master?" Ashayie arched an eyebrow. "Of course. You live in the Two Rings, among all these monsters. Logically, you have to serve Jahbal or you'd be dead by now."
"Please," Kyerind said. "Don't mention him. We don't want him to know you're here."
"Yes," Lilynris said, smiling serenely, "that might be a good idea."
"Where do you come from, Lilynris?" Shiryami asked.
"Well," Lilynris said, "I am from a place called Neopia City, where I learned how to use magic and a few simple weapons. About a year ago, maybe, I met the governor. He was very impressed by my skills and asked me to go on a journey. 'I can make a better weapon for you,' he said. 'You have a glowing stone already, which I will save for you. Go to the Dank Cave and bring me a tiny lapis, a pewter rod, and one other item…the Ring of Xantan. With these items, I can create a steel wand for you.'
"I think that Eleus Batrin, the governor, was testing me when he said this. It seemed that he had issued this challenge to others before and they had failed. But that challenge started my quest." Lilynris took an old, decrepit stone ring out of her pack. "This is the ring that Eleus Batrin wanted. He seemed very impressed that I had passed this test and issued another: to go to a ruined school in the jungle and see what I could find. There, I found the three members of a previous expedition and defeated three other creatures. Those ruins were where I got the first three keys."
Lilynris showed Shiryami and Kyerind her jam-packed keyring. "These keys—the wooden one, the silvered horn one, and the jeweled crystal one—came from those creatures. I also found a medallion that I'll show you later."
Ashayie smiled; she knew the secret of the medallion.
"After fixing up the former head scientist with the slightly insane cook—I hope Korabric and Pomanna live happily ever after—I headed back to Neopia City. Eleus Batrin was really impressed now, that I had passed both of his tests and found the medallion. Then, I just followed his instructions to someone who knew about the medallion and continued on, unraveling the story as I went. When I finally found the final key, which let me in here, I met Ashayie."
"I'm a trail guide," Ashayie said, "from the Eastern Glades. I studied a lot of cartography, like ancient maps of this area. I also wanted to get out of my village and make a more current map of the Rings, so I asked if I could come with Lilynris. She agreed."
"I really am the nicest person in the world," Lilynris joked.
"I could find a few people who won't agree with that," Ashayie muttered.
"Such as who? They're all dead."
"Unless you know how to call up undead spirits, Ashayie, I think that Lilynris won this one," Kyerind chimed in.
Ashayie shuddered. "Don't even mention the undead, Kyerind. I've been to Kal Panning. It's the freakiest place I've ever seen."
"If it's possible to get out of here after I do what I came here to do," Lilynris said, "I'd like to go back to Kal Panning. All the undead are gone now, and I'd really like to rebuild it into the place it was before the Circle cursed it."
"I'll go with you," Shiryami said.
Ashayie smiled. "Looking for a way out, huh?"
"Ever since I was three."
"Well, it seems that you'll have to make up a test for Shiryami."
"Don't worry, Ashayie. I'm going to test her in the same way that I tested you."
"What are you talking about?" Shiryami said, apprehensively.
Lilynris took a holder containing five staves from her sack. "These are the five Staves of Brilliance: Firedrop, Iceheart, Thunderstar, Shadowgem, and Moonstone. They correspond to the five spheres of magic. My spheres are ice, spectral, and life, so I can use those weapons. Ashayie has spectral talents. I just want to see if you have the magical talent necessary to use one of these." Lilynris handed Shiryami the first staff.
Shiryami took it, shaking. I hope that I can go with them…she thought. What am I going to do if I can't?
"No," Ashayie said. "That one's for Kyerind. Just look at him and you can tell."
"There is a marked resemblance," Lilynris said, looking at the staff and then at Kyerind. "Give it to him, Shiryami. I'll give you the other one."
Shiryami reluctantly handed the staff to Kyerind and accepted the other one from Lilynris. As soon as she touched it, a spark of electricity zapped through her, and Shiryami struggled to hold on. A bolt of yellow light lanced through the crack in the floorboards.
"Uh oh…" Lilynris said sheepishly. "I hope that didn't hit any members of your family."
"I hope it stunned Meryisi," Shiryami automatically responded. "I always wanted to do that to her."
"Well," Ashayie said after a period of silence, "you rather obviously passed the test, as did Kyerind." She grabbed both staves and placed them back in their holder. "A temporary stun is one thing, Kyerind, but I don't think Shiryami would appreciate it if you burned down her bedroom." Flames had begun to flicker around the staff.
"Dinner!" a shrill voice came up through the crack. "Shiryami, you come down here too. I need to talk to you."
Shiryami groaned. "Aunt Brithinell is so awful…" Then she smiled. "Hey, I guess that means I stunned Meryisi! Cool!"
Lilynris replaced all her items in the sack and made a few signs in the air. "That's a locking spell," she explained to Shiryami and Kyerind. "Come on." The two adventurers left.
Shiryami started after them, but Kyerind pulled her sleeve back. "I need to talk to you."
A/n: Sorry if I bored you with the backstory. Ashayie's story is new, of course, but Lilynris's story is mostly about the Neoquest game. I tried to avoid putting very many spoilers in here. Most of the characterization is over now.