Episode 149: The Final Keeper

The heroes finally make it to the Dwarf Mining Camp, only to learn that the final Keeper is on her way to the Frost Caves with a protector. Could the last keeper be someone the princesses have been traveling with all along, or someone completely different?

Transcript

The Final Keeper

Once upon a time in the land of Atheria, there was a princess Nea and a princess Lulu and they went on the most amazing adventures. They had just rescued the elf grotto from becoming a frozen wasteland. In the process they rescued a bunch of friends, a messenger and one of the temple protectors who all needed to make their way back to the dwarf mining camp.

On the journey over to the camp Nea and Lulu were traveling with their usual company - Coryn & Phinn, but had also run into a bunch of other heroes along the way. 

Darius, for starters, who was eager to find the Keeper of the other Devorian Crystal. They had run into him while helping Ellery salvage a wedding. They had also rescued O’Lah, Paul and Wahl who needed to get the explosive choalagtrite to the dwarf troops to help them make explosives. 

Oh yeah, and there was Bekah, a very important dwarf who needed to share an important message about an impending attack with Ruby, the dwarf chief. She also found herself traveling with one of the fairy protectors who also needed to make her way to the Tranquil Ruins.

It wasn’t long before they all made it to the outskirts of the camp. As soon as they got close, they could hear the rumbling of hundreds of soldiers who were talking and preparing for battle. All around the dwarf mining camp dwarfs and soldiers were preparing for battle. 

“It looks like they’re already getting ready for an attack.” Darius noticed.

As they all stood on a small bluff above the mining camp, they could see that all around that new tents had sprung up with more soldiers. 

“Yeah,” Agreed O’Lah. “We better hurry and get this choalagtrite to the right people.”

The party walked down to the main camp and made their way to the dwarf chief’s tent. Inside they saw the Shadow Man, Prince William, Prince Clef and a few other warriors that had shown up in some of their other travels.

When they walked in, the discussion came to a halt as everyone looked over at the heroes who had just entered. Princess Nea and Lulu of Sparland, along with O’Lah of Ubbin and Prince Paul of Cedar Landing had all made quite the names for themselves - not to mention Coryn of Evermore, Phin of Niverstone Deep and Darius, son of Simon. To have seven of the ten keepers enter a planning session at one time was cause for any strategy meeting to take notice.

They quickly explained why and how they all found themselves gathered at the Dwarf Mining Camp. As each one told their story it became clear that both Ryla and Tuck had been orchestrating each of the Keepers there - to the Dwarf Mining Camp - for different reasons but all at the same time.  

O’Lah, Paul and Wahl quickly headed off with a handful of dwarfs and soldiers to figure out how they could use the choalagtrite from under the Elf Grotto to create explosives to help protect against the attack. 

As soon as the dwarf chief Ruby heard that there was a special message from Bekah she called her forward and the dwarf handed her a sealed scroll. 

“This message is for you, from Tuck.” Said the dwarf, “To read in confidence. I have another from Ryla for the giant named Drathos.”

Bekah also had an invisible fairy named Talia that also needed to find Drathos so the two of them could protect the Tranquil Temple. 

“Of course, Bekah of Darmeda.” The chief said. “Thank you. I will be sure to read this safely. But Drathos is not here. He has traveled to the frost caves with the inventor Hickory and a very curious elf, Hazel. The giants are preparing as well.”

“Thank you, Ruby of Wolfmound. I think it best for me to head out immediately to the frost caves and give him this message.” She said then excused herself. 

Nea and Lulu had both been paying attention to what Tuck had told Phin and Coryn. The last keeper they were looking for was traveling to the dwarf mines with a protector. Because of this they suspected that the Bekah might just be the last crystal keeper they were looking for since she was traveling with a special fairy. And if Hazel was back at the frost caves, then they could finally bring the last keeper to the last crystal.   

“Excuse me, Bekah.” Nea said walking over to the dwarf. “Would you mind if we accompanied you?”

“Why of course not,” Bekah replied. 

“That sounds wise.” Agreed the Shadow Man. “Coryn of Evermore and Phinn of Niverstone Deep, might you both stay in case we have need of some help?” 

The Shadow Man was referring the the fact that their powerful crystals could provide protection against the ogres if needed. 

Coryn and Phin both nodded eagerly. They had both grown confident with their crystals and their ability to use them together, if needed. Knowing that the two Aquarian Crystal keepers, O’Lah and Paul, were there as well also excited them. 

So Bekah, Talia, Nea, Lulu, and Darius agreed to travel together. 

It was a short trip over to the Frost Caves. The princesses had come a long way since their first visit to the caves so long ago. It felt like years since they saw the unforgettable rainbow shatter in the sky. So long ago since they agreed to help Tuck find that very first blue crystal deep within the caves. 

As they made their way into the cave, using the old map they got from the dwarfs to navigate, they came across the oasis and decided to take a break. To their surprise, moments after they sat down they heard footsteps and arguing coming from an adjacent cave. The  voices came closer and they quickly recognized them.

“Princess Blu!?” yelled Nea.

“Nea!” replied the undersea princess. “What are you guys doing here?”

“We have to bring a message to the giants.”

And she introduced Bekah and Talia to Blu and the dwarf triplets. 

“What are you doing here?” she asked Blu.

“We’ve been trying to meet back up with O’Lah and Wahl to find the last temple, but keep getting side tracked. This time we had to travel down to Mr. Boulderhorn to retrieve this amber shaped heart for the Giants.”

She pulled out of her pocket a heart-shaped piece of amber stone. 

“It’s said to unlock the final temple.” Jacob added.

“No surprise here,” Nea said. It seemed like everyone was finding themselves on adventures and winding their way back together again. 

Before she could say more, the earth began to quake and rumble - shaking the whole cave.

“Oh no! An earth quake!” Lulu exclaimed. 

They all scrambled to stay standing as the walls shook and the cave ceiling started to give way. Without missing a beat, Blu and the three dwarfs pulled out their crystals. The two Terranian Crystals began to float in the air and spin around each other. They then cast a bright green and brown light over the cave, calming the earth quake. 

Unfortunately it wasn’t able to stop the rock slide from blocking the cave to the Frost Giant’s quarters. Now the adventurers had no way of using that cave to get there. 

“How are we going to get to the Frost Giant’s cave now?” Lulu said, a little defeated. 

“Do you still have the map?” asked Elifonia. “There’s another way, but we’ll need to be clever. It’s across a large frigid river. Maybe Blu can use her scale to swim across.”

Blu glared at the dwarfs and Bekah laughed at the joke. The adventurers had no other real choice. They began hiking down the other cave until they came across a large underground river which was, in fact frigid. On the other side of it there was a lever holding up bridge. They would just need to get to the other side and pull the lever to release the bridge. The problem was that the river was not only frigid, but rushed downstream and over a large waterfall and then into a fully submerged cave. Anyone who stepped foot in it would be dragged down, over the waterfall and then sucked into the cave, never to be seen again. 

“I’m not sure that’s going to work.” Blu said mildly. 

“Yeah, not so much.” Bekah agreed.

“Oh, come on! What’s a little stream going to do.” Replied Jacob. 

“Swallow you up into harsh and torturous death.” Bekah replied. 

Jacob took notice. This dwarf was quick. 

“Maybe me and the fairies could fly over?” Nea offered. 

“Yeah, that’s a pretty big lever.” Talia agreed. There was no way she could move it alone. 

Nea pulled out her Skyrabian Feather and held it close to her chest. Her wings slowly grew then the three of them flew over the raging river and to the other side. Nea then walked over to the lever and pulled it down, releasing the bridge. 

The group walked over safely to the great hall on the other side of Nibor’s cave. When they got there, they found themselves walking in on another important gathering - this one of the giants. In the room with the giants were Hickory, the inventor, and Hazel the tricky elf. They were still waiting for one more giant to arrive, Rakta, from the Sky Kingdom.

“Good day, giants.” Bekah said, she clearly had some familiarity with the giants. “I bear a message from Ryla for Drathos and have brought Talia of Cottondale.”

Talia, hearing what Bekah was saying, translated for the giants. For the giants spoke a special tongue and only fairies could translate. That was most giants. A few giants like Carmine could speak the common tongue. 

“Snaggle fargus magda rock mo. Quabba snapple flap zerp.” Talia said. 

The giants then made room for Bekah as she slowly walked towards Drathos and Hazel with Talia. As she did, Nea and Lulu paid special attention. They wanted to see if Bekah was a keeper and would make the last crystal, the black Devorian crystal glow.

“Do you have the crystal?” They asked Hazel.

Hazel nodded. 

But as the dwarf got closer, nothing happened with the black crystal. At least not that they could tell. It didn’t glow, it didn’t get brighter. Maybe Bekah wasn’t the keeper. 

“I could’ve sworn.” Said Nea. 

“Yeah me too,” agreed Lulu. 

Just as they were about to lose hope, the lights in the cave went out and the cave grew dark. 

“What’s going on?” asked Lulu.

“I’ll relight the candles with some fire!” Nea offered. 

“Wait!” said Darius. “Look!”

Slowly the black crystal began to grow brighter and brighter as two figures emerged from another cave entrance in the back.

It was Rakta, the wingiant, and Princess Aria of New Halowisp. 

“It’s Aria!” yelled Nea. 

Before Aria knew what was happening, Nea ran up to her. 

“Aria! You’re the last crystal keeper!”

“I am?” she said a little confused. “How can you be sure?” 

“Well, let’s make sure. Hazel, will you bring it closer to Aria.”

Hazel walked over to Aria and the closer she got to Aria the stronger the black crystal glowed, until it had almost engulfed the room in a deep dark shadow. 

And that’s how they stumbled upon the last and final Crystal Keeper.

The end.