Lumos the Hero

One beautiful and calm morning, Lumos the Lupe was woken up by the cheerful barking of his Doglefox, Diamond. As he lay in bed he wondered what he would do that day. Finally he decided he wanted to go to watch the Turdle Races and maybe even bet on Turdle 1 if his mother let him. Lumos had always watched Turdle Races and enjoyed them greatly. He had even made a chart, keeping tally when each Turdle won a race. He had noticed that on average of all the Turdle Races he watched, Turdle 1 had usually won. Lumos decided that during breakfast, he’d ask his mother about betting in the Turdle race. She was usually calm and agreeable at that time of the morning.

     During breakfast, Lumos’s mother asked, “What do you kids plan to do this morning?”

     “Probably go to Terror Mountain and play Snow Wars with Borty and Lonny,” muttered Blaze while eating Hot Buttered Toast.

     Blaze was Lumos’s older brother. He was always grumpy in the morning since he hated waking up. Borty and Lonny were his best friends.

     “Why don’t you do something else today?” asked Mother.

     “I like Snow Wars,” insisted Blaze with a yawn.

     Mother gave up; she knew it was no use arguing with Blaze.

     “How about you, Lumie? How do you plan to spend the day?” she questioned.

     “I just want to watch the Turdle Race.”

     There was a pause and then Lumos continued, “Mom, do you think I could bet on Turdle 1? Please?” he added desperately, slowly chewing his Neocrunch Cereal.

     “No, Lumie. We talked about this before. I’m sorry but you can’t bet on a Turdle yet. You’re not old enough,” said Mother.

     “Even though I may not be the right age, I am still responsible. I take really good care of Diamond. Right, Diamond?” asked Lumos.

     “Woof,” barked the Doglefox hearing his name.

     “This is not about being responsible. I still say no, you can’t bet. Maybe when you’re older. But you can still watch the race,” Mother answered in a stern voice.

     Lumos knew that it was the end of the topic. He was very upset. But he decided to go to the Turdle races anyway.

     At 10:00am, Lumos walked up the columns of seats trying to find the one with the best view of the Turdle race. He went and got a good seat, which was beside a yellow Kyrii. There were two minutes left before the race started.

     Lumos loved looking in the Rainbow Pool at how he would look if he had been painted with a Starry Paint Brush or a Cloud Paint Brush, since they were his favourite. When he sat down, Lumos put his feet under the bench. He felt something and bent down to pick it up. When he saw what it was, Lumos stared at it with wide eyes and an open mouth. As he held it, his hands trembled and his heart leapt into his throat. It was a Cloud Paint Brush! This was the luckiest find in his life! Lumos almost asked the Kyrii beside him if it was his Paint Brush. Then he remembered what a bully did to him once when he had found Lumos’ lucky pencil.

     The bully had said, “Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers!” and walked away.

     Lumos considered just taking the Paint Brush and going home, but then he suddenly remembered what he had done after the bully had left with his pencil. He had cried and run home. So Lumos made his decision and turned toward the Kyrii. He said, “Excuse me, but did you lose a Paint Brush?”

     “Why? Did you find one?” asked the Kyrii.

     He had a greedy look in his eye.

     Lumos said, “Well... er... yes, I did.”

     Immediately, the Kyrii replied, “Oh, yes, of course I lost it. Now can I please have it back?”

     Lumos looked suspiciously at the Kyrii.

     “What kind of Paint Brush is it?” he asked.

     The Kyrii stammered for a second and then finally answered, “A Striped one.”

     “Then I’m sorry, but this does not belong to you,” Lumos replied. He stood up and walked away quickly.

     The Kyrii called after him, “Hey, come back! You have my, uh... Fire Paint Brush with you!”

     Lumos ignored him and found another empty seat and sat down, making sure that the Kyrii didn’t follow him. He wondered how depressed the owner of the Paint Brush must be. Lumos quickly stuffed the Cloud Paint Brush in his Hasee Backpack because the Turdle Race was starting.

     It was so exciting! Lumos screamed and cheered on Turdle 1 until his voice was hoarse. The crowd roared as the Turdles passed the final stretch. Turdle 4 won and Turdle 2 and Turdle 5 came second and third place. Lumos made a mental note to write down that Turdle 4 had won on his chart at home. He started to walk home.

     When Lumos got home, he remembered the Cloud Paint Brush. He didn’t know what to do with it and he knew he couldn’t go to the Rainbow Pool and use it since his mother would obviously notice. So he kept the Paint Brush in the drawer of his table. He spent the rest of the day reading a very exciting book and soon forgot about the Paint Brush.

     The next morning Lumos picked up the Neopian Times to read the comic section as he chewed on his Neocrunch Cereal. But as he flipped through the pages, something caught his eye. It was an article titled “LOST CLOUD PAINT BRUSH, REWARD FOR RETURN.” Lumos read the article and found out that Illusen, the Earth Faerie, had lost her Cloud Paint Brush. She had just bought it for her collection and then had decided to stop to watch a Turdle Race and lost it somewhere there. Illusen had promised a reward better than the Cloud Paint Brush itself to the Neopian who had found it. She had said that the Cloud Paint Brush was very precious to her and that she would be very grateful to the person who returned it. Illusen had also mentioned that she had carved her special leaf, her symbol, on the handle of the Paint Brush after she bought it. Everyone knew that Illusen was the only one who could carve the leaf with her magic. Lumos walked over to his drawer, where he had kept the Paint Brush, and opened it. He took the Paint Brush out and studied the handle. Lumos gasped aloud in surprise as he found a tiny, very real-looking leaf carved onto it. Then he quickly packed the Paint Brush in his Hasee Backpack and left for Meridell.

     When he reached Meridell, he walked toward Illusen’s cottage. When he passed the Turdle Races, he forced himself to ignore the cheers as the race started and continued to the cottage. As he walked down the street towards Illusen’s cottage, he noticed that he was the only one headed there even though there were many Neopians in Meridell that day. Usually, whenever Lumos had come to Meridell to watch the Turdle races, there had been many Neopians lined up in front of Illusen’s cottage, waiting for her to give them a quest. Then, as he got closer to the cottage, he noticed a sign beside the cottage that said: No quests today, Sorry! Lumos was very surprised; he wondered why Illusen had put up that sign since he knew that she loved giving quests.

     Suddenly, Lumos heard a twig crack in the bushes beside him. He jumped.

     “So sorry to scare you,” an icy voice commented.

     Lumos turned and saw a neopet in a big, bellowing black cloak that covered his whole body, with a hood that covered his face. The neopet came out of the bushes.

     “Why are you heading toward the Illusen’s cottage?” it asked in its cold voice.

     Lumos noted that the neopet said the word “Illusen” in a disgusted voice.

     “She’s closed today. But of course, if you have her Cloud Paint Brush then you must give it to her. She was so depressed!” the neopet sneered.

     “Well... yes, I do have the Paint Brush,” Lumos answered, carefully choosing his words.

     “Then go on, don’t let me stop you,” the neopet said.

     Lumos continued down the path and felt the neopet’s eyes following him. He still had a long way to go till he reached Illusen’s cottage. After a few seconds, Lumos turned and noticed that the neopet had disappeared. As he continued down the path, Lumos wondered who the neopet was.

     “He must have been one of the Neopians wanting to do Illusen’s quests,” Lumos muttered to himself.

     Suddenly, from behind him, Lumos felt a furry paw clamp tightly around his mouth and nose. He gasped for air, as he couldn’t breathe. Then he heard a bang and something hit hard against his head. He crumpled to the ground and blacked out.

     Some time later, Lumos opened his eyes and turned his head.

     “Oww!” He winced in pain as his head throbbed when he turned it.

     He looked around him and wondered where he was. And then all his thoughts came rushing back to him, causing his head to ache even more. He suddenly remembered the Cloud Paint Brush and looked around for his backpack. Lumos then observed his surroundings. He was in a small room. It was covered in green, all different shades. He had never seen so much green in his whole life! The room had green walls, green furniture, green curtains... The room was also full of green leaves. In the flower pot, on the walls, on the floor...

     Then he heard a knock on the door and a pure, kind voice he had never heard before said, “May I come in?”

     Lumos stared at the door but did not reply. He had so many questions! Who was at the door? Where was he? Why was there so much green? Where was his backpack? How did he get here? What was going on?! Lumos sat up on the soft bed he was sitting on and moaned again when his head hurt. The door opened slowly and a beautiful earth faerie walked in. She had a few freckles; her hair was brown with green streaks. She had a gentle smile on her face. She was dressed in green and blended perfectly in the room. Her eyes looked curious as she observed him.

     She then said, still smiling, “Hello, I’m Illusen. I don’t think I know you, so welcome to my home...” Her voice trailed off.

     She paused as if waiting for Lumos to say something but he was still staring in awe at her. He had never done one of Illusen’s quests before so he had never met her personally, although he had seen pictures of her and some of his friends had done her quests and told him about them.

     Since he didn’t say anything, she continued, “I found you fainted on the path to my house. I’m sorry, but didn’t you see the sign? I’m not doing quests today.”

     “But I have your Cloud Paint Brush!” Lumos announced.

     Illusen’s eyes went wide and she broke into an even bigger smile.

     She said, “Really? May I please have it back?”

     “Yes, of course, I bought it to return to you. It is in my Hasee Backpack. Do you have it? May I have it back?” he questioned.

     “A Hasee Backpack?” Illusen’s eyebrows crinkled as she thought. “I don’t think there was one where I found you. I’ll go and check again now.”

     “Okay,” Lumos said.

     Illusen left the room. Lumos hoped the backpack was on the path. He really wanted Illusen to be happy. Then he wondered why he had never done one of Illusen’s quests before. After a few minutes, the door opened again as Illusen returned looking dismayed.

     “Did you find it?” asked Lumos even though he knew the answer by the look on her face.

     “No, I looked everywhere. Even in the bushes at the side of the path.” Illusen looked so sad. Then she said, “Do you think it was stolen?”

     For a second, Lumos didn’t answer because he was surprised that a faerie was actually asking for his advice. Then he suddenly remembered what happened to him before he blacked out. “Yes! I’m sure someone stole it! I was fainted on the path only because someone knocked me out with something. That is why I have this huge bump on my head.”

     Lumos told Illusen all about what he remembered before being knocked out. He told her about everything that had happened from the time he had found the Paint Brush.

     “But why would anyone want to steal the Paint Brush?” Illusen questioned.

     Lumos answered, “I don’t know. You did mention in the Neopian Times article that the reward for the return of the Paint Brush would be more valuable than the Paint Brush itself.”

     “Anyway, think about who could have stolen it. That might be easier. Wait here and I will get us something to eat and drink,” said Illusen, leaving the room.

     “Alright. I’ll probably think better on a full stomach!” Lumos replied.

     Then he pondered about who could have stolen it. He realized that he had only told two Neopians about the Paint Brush: The Yellow Kyrii in the Turdle races and the mysterious neopet he’d seen on his way here. It was probably the neopet because he was just outside. He seemed to know that a neopet who found the Brush would come to return it. Illusen returned to the room holding a tray with Tea and Tea Biscuits. As they feasted on the food, Lumos told Illusen about his suspicions.

     “Oh... so you’re saying you told two Neopians?” Illusen said.

     Lumos nodded in reply, his mouth full.

     Then Illusen said, “Well, Lumos, I guess we have to set a trap to catch the thief.”

     She turned to Lumos and they started hatching a plan together. After spending a half hour at Illusen’s house, Lumos went home with a smile on his face.

     The next day morning he walked to his friend Chinty’s house and told him that Illusen had given Lumos the Hubrids Puzzle Box, which he had kept in his garage, since he completed a really hard quest for her. Chinty loved to spread gossip that he heard. He was sometimes called “Chatterbox Chinty”. Hubrids Puzzle Boxes were special, expensive and rare. By the end of the day most of Meridell knew that Lumos the Lupe had gotten a special Hubrids Puzzle Box from Illusen for completing a hard quest and that he had put it in the garage of his house- which, Chinty also mentioned when asked, was at the corner of Oak Street in Meridell.

     That night, Lumos kept a close watch on his garage. Soon enough, he saw a shadow creeping around in the night. He snuck outside quietly and caught hold of the rope, which he had placed in the morning. As soon as the shadow stepped under the big tree in front of the garage, Lumos pulled at the rope he was holding with all his strength. The shadow let out a cry as a net fell tightly on it. The shadow stumbled and then fell into a deep hole, which Lumos had dug the night before and covered with grass, mud and rocks.

     Lumos immediately neomailed the Defenders of Neopia, who arrived and listened to Lumos’s story before congratulating him and presenting him with an award for his bravery. The thief was revealed to be a Kyrii, whom Lumos recognized as the one he had seen at the Turdle Races. Lumos went to bed with a smile on his face.

     The next day, his photo was on the front page of The Neopian Times and the headlines were: LUMOS THE HERO. Before he could walk out the front door to go to Illusen’s house, his mother stopped him.

     She said, “Lumos, I want you to know that I am very proud of you and I now think you are old enough to bet in Turdle Races.”

     A smile split Lumos’s face.

     “Thanks, Mom!” he said. “But what about Poogle races?”

     “Yes, those too,” she replied with a laugh.

     He left and walked to Illusen’s Glade. She welcomed him and told him that the Defenders had recovered everything the thief had stolen and returned them to the rightful owners, including her Paint Brush.

     “I can’t thank you enough for everything, Lumos,” she said, and presented him with a very rare Rainbow Clockwork Grundo!

     “Thank you, but I don’t really deserve it since the plan was really yours,” Lumos said.

     “It may have been my plan,” said Illusen, “but it was you who put it into action.”

     Lumos laughed happily. Life couldn’t get any better.

The End