CHAPTER 7 - The rescue
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Her trek through the dark realm was tedious and draining she stooped over at a stall and took a breath, a hideous frog creature shot out a hand

"BUY! My wears!" he croaked holding a mutated stuff toy that resembled a Gonk.

She shoved off in haste to keep her identity concealed, but looked back at the creature that was watching her intently. She continued to head for Eleka's castle and slipped inside the servants living quarters unnoticed.

"He's making no sense!" she screeched as she looked down at the slumbering pet. "What does he mean?"

The dark Gonk that was by her side shook his head and shrugged not understanding what Dantillias muttered either.

Dan moaned again. "The King will prevail, even in death"

Eleka was angry how could King Baspinar help... the dotty old stumpy fool was dead she had him butchered and tossed his pieces into the lake. What confused her is how a dead king could do anything.

"My Queen! My Queen!" one scared and dark looking Maradan scampered into the room wringing his hands and looking quite upset.

"WHAT!" she screamed and slammed her staff off the floor ringing up sparks of green.

"T-they whisper of c-crowning a new king!" he stammered cowering by her feet.

She screamed and turned to her crystal ball. She tuned into the castle and it's walls, using her mini pets and glitches eyes to hear the scuttlebutt that was emanating from the local dwellers voices and minds. She heard whispers of war and decided to act fast.

"I am declaring war now!" we shall prevail, NO one will get in or out from the light side, no one is to sell wears to any creature who affiliates with those do-gooders! she had a proclamation made and sent to the ones caring for the castle at that moment.

the proclamation read as this:

I, Queen Eleka, have returned and thus proclaim myself the only and supreme ruler of all Maradan Lands South of the River, including Minipet Island and Jenoa. These lands, which have been rightfully mine since time began were falsely claimed by the tyrant Baspinar, I who despicably placed me under a spell of banishment so he could steal my realm and my property!

I am disgusted to see what has become of my formerly proud realm, and shall shortly be bringing the |Dark Side of Marada back to its former glory. Too long has it been forgotten about and reviled! This must change!

Dark Marapets are to prepare to report to my castle in order to serve their Queen. Together we will build an empire that will outdo any that has come before. We will bring Marada into a new age! So powerful and great that our enemies will quake before us like the snivelling worms that they are! Prepare, Marada, for our glorious future!

The news spread through Marada quickly and papers had this to say:

As all Maradans are aware, the search for our King, Baspinar XII continues. Maradan police report that they are following up all leads but as yet have no definite information as to his whereabouts. A statement was issued this afternoon that they are looking into rumours of a diamond trade that
occurred yesterday. It is alleged that several distinctive diamonds which may have been the famed 'Baspinar Diamonds' (originally imported from faraway lands and set into the royal crown 400 years ago by the late King Baspinar IX) were noticed passing through the trades.

We would also advise that everyone be particularly watchful of their Marapets at this worrying time. Reports are coming in of many strange disappearances in the area south of Dukka Caves. Finally we must ask that all Maradans now help us in a vitally important task - we need YOUR help in searching for the King. Search your Marahomes, look around you as you travel... The King must be found, and with every Maradan working together we cannot fail to succeed!

Eleka seen what was being said and laughed venomously
"Stupid fools, you'll never find him!"

Eleka walked over to Dan and hovered over the Snookle who was awakened and probed for more information.

"I know your a seer boy..."
she said into his face her hot breath wreaked and turned his stomach.

"I will not be of any help to you" he said wriggling in anger and frustration "I don't understand how to use my gift" he said
"and even if I did I'd never help you anyway!"

"Oh boy but you have helped!" she said as she trailed her dirty claw across his furry face.

"Right now my minions are patrolling this vast land and I have control over your owner who has mutated your lovely girlfriend!"

"YOU LIE!" he shouted...

"Oh but I don't ..." she showed the last hideous image she had of Ragdonly to him, and watched his eyes widen in surprise.

"It doesn't matter!" he spat back, "I love her no matter what!"

The word love made Eleka balk in disgust.

"Foolish creature," she waved as she walked away...

"Your so called love will be your undoing you'll see her and turn away just like everyone does when they see something they don't understand."

Dantillias had no control over what was to come as the fates on the other end of the merged dark village started their part of making the future of Marada remain intact. All of a sudden he was hit with a premonition and he blurted out the information without any means to hold it back. his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he stood stiff, out of his mouth these words spilled forth,

"A war is lost, the casualties fall, One hundred thousand times two and seventy-five more abound will be the death call. They fall to the ground at the hands of the light your strength doesn't match those of will and might, the angels touch and you shall fall, hide now before she calls!"

Dan passed out from the vision and Eleka ran over to his shaking him yelling "Tell me more!""Angel angles...Damn angels she mutters...wondering what he meant.

She gives the word to her minions to remove any and all angel or light pets from her realm and to destroy them if necessary, especially Murfins as they are tiny and usually go missed she didn't need anyone ruining her mission.

In the mean time Ragdonly was getting closer and closer to her goal.

She waited as it got darker, she was so tired and this cloak made her feel like her breath was being cut off and it really restricted her movements, she wished she could reach him he was within flying distance she could literally feel him inside of her and a unseen force was guiding her but she had to bide her time
and wait. She remained hidden in the abandoned servants quarters, it suited her needs fairly well. for the time being. She watched out the window from hooded eyes and then looked down at the amulet the fates had given her and watched the room where Dan was to see what was going on. If only she could fly. She needed time to think, she held on to the amulet and slept trying to get some of the sapped energy back. "Oh Dan my love, please be OK. "she mumbled as she drifted off into a fitful slumber.

Lila woke to the Maradan news and was dismayed to not see the return of Ragdonly or Dantillias

The paper had the news the following morning:

We regret to inform you that our beloved King, the renowned Baspinar XII has perished. The castle was in mourning last night after genetic testing was completed by the Enpiah DNA laboratory proving that the remains that people have been fishing out of the Maradan river did in fact belong to our missing King Baspinar XII and not his great, great multi-great grandfather Baspinar I as was formerly believed. On her end, Lila was studded.

Meanwhile Ragdonly's reaction was that of fear, determination and hate
for the one being who ruined her families happiness. Eleka, she screeched as she threw the paper, but all around her others read on and she was filled in
on the information:

News has reached us that the new King, Baspinar XIII was immediately crowned during the night in an emergency ceremony at the castle. Not wanting to delay in these worrying times the normal public ceremonies and celebrations were set aside in order that Marada should once again have a King to
protect us. As I'm sure every Maradan is aware, Baspinar XIII is the identical twin brother of our former king the late Baspinar XII. Born just nineteen seconds later than his brother, he was naturally next in line for the throne.

A proclamation has been issued this morning from our new King:
"My fellow Maradans, I bring to you this morning the sad news of my brother's death. He is believed to have met his end at the hands of evil minions of the false Queen Eleka. This dreadful which is sure to bring nothing but harm to our peaceful kingdom, and we do not recognise any claim by her to the
Southern lands!"

"The question now remains as to what shall be done about this threat to Marada. As I believe in modern methods, and fairness for all our subjects, I have decided that the question of action against this traitorous interloper should be handled by the Maradan parliament rather than by myself. All Maradans are therefore called immediately to vote at the castle in a special referendum on the subject of war!"

"WITCH!?" she screamed, "I'm no mere witch I am the greatest sorceress here!" she was mightily ticked now and plotted her next course of action.

Ragdonly also thought of her next steps to fulfil the fates planned destiny for her and hopefully save Dantillias in the mean time. She took the night shade flower that Nettogrof had given her and got ready to move, she tightly wrapped herself in the darkening cloak and headed off to the top turret of the massive castle, with a wish and a prayer on her side she was on her way. The trek was tiresome but no one bothered her in her journey, most others were shrouded as well and her accent to the chambers she knew Dan was in was done with little trouble, minus one inquisitive devil Murfin which was stifled fairly quickly with one whiff of the flower she had him subdued and leaning against the wall sleeping soundly.

"Hehe" she chuckled "that'll teach you to be nosey"

She continued on her trek, she showed at the room where Dan was but there was no one around and she was confused on why that was so, she hid and waited not wanting to rush, she soon learned from two passing dark minions that the war had started and Eleka was rounding up many for battle, Ragdonly though to herself

"I got to move, mom will need Dan and I for our part and King Baspinar"
with that she slipped into the room, She went to Dan he was out cold and hardly breathing. She looked down at him and touched his face, He was so cold.

She was crying when she kissed him, her tears falling on his nose,

"Oh Dan I can't bear to lose you, I love you too much! Please come back to me!"
The door flew open Eleka walked in seeing the dark figure hovering over her prized Seerer.

"BACK off!" she yelled charging towards the intruder not knowing what was going on.

Little did Eleka know that Ragdonly was holding Dantillias hand and the tears of love she had spilled on Dan was what brought him around to help protect them both.

The light was blinding, when Eleka struck out at the figure. It bounced off of the darkly shrouded body like she was rubber. Screeching from the pain of the bright light, she aimed a fire spell blindly.

Ragdonly looked down and realized what Clotho had said,
"Hold him tight and feel the power, and you shall succeed" Together they were stronger!

The wild spell bounced off them harmlessly. She knew now that united together she could save Dantillias and get him home away from this monster so long as they held on together. He came to smiling at the dark creature before him, and said

"I knew you were here I could feel you"
He sat up and then stood beside her still clinging to her hand.

Her knowledge, her love, and skills all combined was what made their inner strength and aura become 10 times greater than Eleka's ever would be. With Dan at her side she knew they could accomplish anything.

Eleka's rage is what was ultimately was her undoing without her Seerer she had no control over what was about to happen. She blindly tried to attack the couple only to end up writing in agony as the light emanating from them got brighter and more luminescent covering the whole chamber and then seeping
through cracks and crevices, it caused all dark beings to skitter away in fear, Ragdonly reveled herself to the soon to be conquered queen and uttered these words.

"It is the demons such as yourself who do not think before reacting, Those who wish to tear things down that The'logIAN and Lia'MAY have worked so hard on building up when doing so would mean own demise as well, Stupidity isn't a privilege but you seem to think it is and abuse it!" "I wish you could feel love in your life but till you understand that even dark creatures can be loved enough to be swayed to join on the side of those who are good, that the
balance in this world is for your own good as well as mine. I do not think you will ever be contented and to contain those deemed of a vicious nature like yourself we're declaring this war for the light side,
you WILL LOOSE!"

With that Ragdonly and Dantillias wrapped their tails around each other and their strength manifested itself to be that over 100 times of Eleka's and they both lifted from the floor. Hovering out of reach over the cowering dark Ecrew they called Eleka, they glided out the turret window and showered the whole dark city in light, much of it reaching many pets and owners who were on the cusp of dark and light, the light shower opened many pets eyes who then proceeded to choose to fight for that which was good and just.

Ragdonly looked at Dantillias as she flapped her wings being over joyed to feel the freedom to fly once again, "I am so happy to see you!" she said they made it home with record speed, Lila over joyed to see her beloved pets again.

"Oh my your ok!" she said hugging each in turn, "yes we're ok but I heard of what happened, what will we do?" the both said to Lila.

"We fight, we fight for the good, the just and help those who are blinded by the false hopes of Eleka to our side" Lila said looking around,

"Besides we already have one who has joined us" with that Nettogrof who had been dumped at the pound by Eleka to be conveniently picked up by Lila was there with the three of them.

"I will do my best to help" Nettogrof said "I hear there's a shortage of certain items from the dark side that the king needs, if you think they will help I have Many stashed away, I figured they might come in handy some day, might as well use them now." he said with a smile knowing he was now
accepted in the fold he would soon consider his family.