A Vacation Cut Short

Anitilak, a beautiful Halloween Peophin from the Haunted Woods, decided to take a vacation at Terror Mountain. Upon arriving at Terror Mountain she decided to visit the Ice Caves.

While Anitilak was pondering whether to go to the Ice Arena or The Neggery she saw some Chias and Bruces running out of a cave carrying some very nice items.

�Excuse me,� Anitilak said stopping the last Bruce that ran by. �What�s in that cave where you got that item you have?�

The Bruce looked at Anitilak and laughed. �The Snowager lives in that cave. He has a pile of treasures that he loves to give away!� the Bruce said and then ran off before Anitilak asked anymore questions.

Anitilak decided that the first place she was going to go was the cave at the back of the Ice Caves to visit The Snowager. She headed off towards the cave when a Baby Ixi came crawling out of the cave crying.

Anitilak ran over to the Baby Ixi. �Are you alright?� she asked worried about him.

�My� my� my mommy sent me to visit The Snowager,� the Baby Ixi said sobbing.

�What�s your name, dear?� Anitilak asked.

�My� my name? It�s Epul,� the Baby Ixi said.

�Well Epul, my name is Anitilak. I was just heading to visit The Snowager before I visit a few other places here in the Ice Caves. Where�s your mommy at?� Anitilak asked.

�She went to the Haunted Woods to meet someone named Lord Darigan. Mommy says he can help us,� Epul said trying to smile. Anitilak looked at Epul a bit shocked, �Lord Darigan? In the Haunted Woods? How can he help your family?�

�Mommy says that they work together and are good friends,� Epul said.

�Interesting, very interesting. I am going to go visit The Snowager. I�d like a little company if you would be willing to go with me,� Anitilak spoke softly.

�I�d rather not go back in there. Once is bad enough,� Epul said starting to shake somewhat.

�It�s alright. I won�t let you get hurt. I promise,� Anitilak said smiling.

Epul stared up at Anitilak for a few seconds before nodding slightly and walking behind her into the cave where The Snowager lives.

�Why are you so frightened of The Snowager? He�s a nice person,� Anitilak said.

�He�s far from nice. He enjoys blasting people!� Epul said as Anitilak walked into The Snowager. The Snowager looked at Anitilak and Epul and then went back to sleep.

�We should go before he wakes back up,� Epul said trying to rush Anitilak out of the cave.

�It�ll be okay Epul. He�s just tired. Excuse me Mr. Snowager. I was told that you like giving away your treasure and I was wondering if I could get something,� Anitilak said hopeful.

�You really shouldn�t have asked that. You really shouldn�t have. That was a very bad idea,� Epul said backing slowly out of the cave.

�Why would it be�� Anitilak started before she was cut off by something moving behind her that didn�t sound to good. She turned around and before she had a chance to protect herself The Snowager blasted her. Shivering and in pain Anitilak walked out of the cave and sat down on an ice block and put her head in her hands.

�Told you that you shouldn�t have said that. That�s a bad place to go. Mommy has me take his treasure for Lord Darigan,� Epul said. Anitilak looked up at Epul, �Are you saying that you mommy and Lord Darigan use items stolen from The Snowager for something?� Epul�s cheeks started to turn slightly red as he nodded. �It�s secret though. She won�t tell me what they need it for, just that they need it.�

Anitilak thought to herself, �I wonder what they are up to. This could put all of Neopia in great peril.� �Do you know where at in the Haunted Woods your mommy and Lord Darigan are?�

�No, I just know that she was going there to meet him. She didn�t say where. I heard mommy talking about some witch though, but I highly doubt that it has anything to do with where they are,� Epul said as he sighed.

�Edna,� Anitilak mumbled to herself.

�What?� Epul asked.

�Nothing. Do you have a baby sitter of some sort?� Anitilak asked.

�Tarla baby sits me sometimes. She�s really nice,� Epul said smiling.

�Does she live somewhere close by?� Anitilak asked.

�She runs the Shop of Mystery at the Top of the mountain,� Epul replied.

�Well then, let�s take you up there. I need to go home. My vacation has been cut short,� Anitilak said.

�Okay, I�m getting a bit cold anyways and I�m tired,� Epul said.

Anitilak and Epul decided to go through Happy Valley and then to the Top of the Mountain. Once they reached the top Epul lead the way to the Shop of Mystery.

�I have been worried sick about you Epul! Your mother said that you would be here a long time ago,� Tarla said as he walked into the shop.

�It�s my fault. He came running out of the cave, that The Snowager lives in, crying and I was worried about him. But he�s safe and I must go now. I really need to get home because some urgent matters have came up,� Anitilak said quickly.

�Well thank you for bringing him here. And good luck on those urgent matters that have came up,� Tarla said.

�Thank you,� Anitilak said as she ran out of the shop and headed home, to the Haunted Woods.

Once Anitilak reached the Haunted Woods she headed to pay a little visit to Edna. When she reached Edna�s Tower there was a note on the door saying that she was out to lunch. Anitilak sighed and knocked on the door anyways. When no one answered she slowly opened the door and stepped inside. The door slapped shut behind Anitilak once she was inside. �Hello,� she called out. There was no answer. She slowly walked down a long corridor until she reached a set of stairs that lead both upstairs and downstairs. She decided to go upstairs when she head a scream come from somewhere below her.

Anitilak ran down the stairs all the way to the bottom. When she reached the last step she tripped and fell flat on her face. �Why I can�t ever seem to go down a set of stairs without falling I�ll never understand,� she mumbled to herself.

�It�s a curse that has been placed upon you my dear,� came a voice from the shadows.

Anitilak looked around the room and didn�t see anyone. �Who�s there?� she asked trying to stay calm.

�I am the future bride of Lord Darigan,� the voice said as a beautiful Royal Ixi came out of a dark corner.

�You must be Epul�s mother,� Anitilak said smiling.

�I am. How do you know my son?� Gloria, the Royal Ixi, asked.

�I have met him on my recent vacation to Terror Mountain. It seems that The Snowager doesn�t like your son. I plan to stop whatever you and Lord Darigan are up to!� Anitilak said sternly.

�How do you, one person, plan to stop us? There�s no way that you could!� Gloria said cackling.

�See�Gloria� that�s where you are wrong. I am not just one person! I am many! Well, I�m at least three people! On the way back here from Terror Mountain I made a little stop at Meridell where I found two faeries that were willing to help me stop you and Lord Darigan from taking over Neopia. Lord Darigan has tried once so it isn�t surprising that he would try again. May I introduce to you Illusen and Psellia,� Anitilak said smiling.

Gloria looked from Illusen to Psellia as they came into view and started to slowly walk backwards never taking her eyes off of them or Anitilak. �You will pay for this. Be aware of that,� Gloria said as she disappeared in a puff of blue spoke.

�She�s still here in the tower somewhere. I sense her presence close by,� Psellia said.

�She�s afraid and doesn�t know what to�� Illusen started but was quickly cut off by a sharp whistling noise.

Anitilak looked around and saw a funnel of air heading towards them and started walking towards it against her will.

�Are you crazy? Get away from that funnel. It�s dangerous. It�s the work of Dark Magic. It will swallow you whole!� Illusen said as she realized that Anitilak wasn�t listening.

Psellia ran over to Anitilak and grabbed her and jumped out of the way barley missing getting swallowed by the funnel.

�So you manage to escape my funnel!� Edna said as she walked into the room followed by Lord Darigan and Gloria.

Psellia used what came natural to her, air, and trapped Edna, Gloria, and Lord Darigan in a box making it impossible for them to get out. �This is the end of you three! I will take you to King Skarl where he will decide your fate,� Illusen said starting to look a bit flustered.

�What�s wrong Illusen?� asked Anitilak.

�Something is going to happen, I just don�t know what,� Illusen said.

�I�m sure it�s nothing,� Anitilak said smiling. �We�ve caught the bad guys and they will finally get whatever they deserve. The World of Neopia is at ease once again.�

There was a loud crack and as Psellia, Illusen, and Anitilak turned around they saw Lord Darigan, Gloria, and Edna vanish in a puff of purple smoke.

�It�s over� They have freed the bonds that held them. May the hero�s that have protected the World of Neopia protect it once more!� Anitilak said as she stared at the empty box that was once filled with evil souls.