Realistic Fantasy
Ch 1
"No matter what it takes, I won't allow you to release Dammar!" Shaheen said as his eyes blazed with determination. "He will stay imprisoned within the lamp for another two thousand-five hundred years! I swear it as one of the few immortals that are left in this world!"
His opponent threw his head back and laughed. "Shaheen, if you honestly believe that you'll be able to keep Dammar imprisoned within the lamp, then you're making a fatal mistake."
"Oh, and how do you plan to stop me from doing so Fahd? You know I'm much more skilled than you when it comes to swords." Shaheen boasted with a cocky smirk.
"Come now boy, what makes you think I'm not playing around with you?" Fahd asked as he smirked back.
Shaheen scoffed, "Yeah right old man. What makes you think I'm not doing the same?" As the two continued to fight, a dust storm suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Shaheen quickly glanced around, he started to panic a bit, the lamp that was put in his charge is now gone.
"What's the matter boy? You look like you're upset. Did you perhaps lose something? Oh I don't know, something like a magical lamp?" Fahd asked with a tinge of gloating tone in his voice.
"It doesn't matter, when I'm done fighting you, and when this dust storm is over, I'll find the lamp, count on it!" Shaheen replied as they finally crossed blades, while holding each other at bay. They stayed locked together, using each for balance against the strong winds. Both knew that neither of them were going to budge. So they finally pushed off each other, waiting for one of them to make the next move. In a blink of an eye, Shaheen and Fahd charged, swords high, and then when they were close enough; both of them took a swipe at each other. They dropped their swords as they covered their faces in pain.
"How dare you slash my face, boy!" Fahd seethed as he slowly lowered his bloody hands away from the extremely long gash across his left eye.
"How dare I? What about you slashing me!" Shaheen replied as he did the same as Fahd, except that it was Shaheen's right eye that was slashed. Just as Shaheen was about to go after Fahd, a sand twister came along and blocked his path.
"Damn!" Shaheen swore angrily as he fought hard not to be drawn in. As soon as the storm was gone, so was Fahd.
Two thousand-five hundred years later...
"Ah no!" Shaheen yelled angrily as he sat up in bed. 'Same nightmare for the past month, ever since I found that accursed lamp! What is it suppose to mean? Is Fahd still alive after all this time, or is it getting close for Dammar to try and break out of the lamp?' Shaheen mused as he frowned over at it. He was tuning everything out, not noticing that his phone was ringing. He finally snapped out of it and answered the phone.
"Professor Shaheen, are you alright?" a voice on the other end of the phone asked.
"Yes, I'm alright, I guess it was just the jet lag that I was still feeling from the trip." Shaheen replied as he quickly thought of an excuse.
"Professor, you do remember that you're giving your presentation today, don't you?" the voice asked in concern.
"Of course I remember, I was about to get ready for it, thank you for reminding me." Shaheen replied as he hung up the phone. 'It has been exactly five thousand years since Dammar has been imprisoned in the magical lamp. I fear that the worse will happen this day.' Shaheen thought as he got ready to for his presentation. As he was about to go out the door, he remembered that he almost left the lamp behind. He grabbed it, shoved the lamp into his bag, and then left. Not too far away someone was watching Shaheen and the lamp during the entire time.
A few hours later...
"Thanks for coming with me to the lecture." Rowen said as he glanced over towards Kaye as he was reading over the advertisement.
Kaye smiled, "no problem Rowen, besides, by the way you were talking about it, you seemed pretty excited, so I just decided to come along to see what it's all about."
As the two were walking, a stranger quickly rushed by them. "Hey, watch where you're going!" Rowen called over to the stranger. He glanced back, scoffed, and then he left without a word.
"Baka." Kaye swore quietly. "You alright Rowen?"
"Yeah fine, come on, I'm not going to let some jerk ruin my day." Rowen replied with a smirk.
"That's good to know, because if we don't get going, we're going to be late." Kaye said with a small laugh as she showed him the time.
"No we're not!" Rowen replied as he quickly pulled her into the direction of the building that was having the presentation. As they ran by, the stranger watched, keeping his eyes closely on his target, and then vanished.
Inside...
"Exactly five thousand years ago..." Shaheen said as he started his presentation.
"Looks like we've just made it." Kaye replied quietly as she and Rowen finally found their seats and got settled. Rowen nodded, and then they gave their full attention towards the presentation.
"As I was saying, exactly five thousand years ago, a very powerful, and destructive genie named Dammar, was imprisoned inside the contents of this very lamp." Shaheen said as he took it out and showed the crowd. Voices of mixed believers and nonbelievers started to echo throughout the room. "People, people please, if you all would calm down, I'll be more than willing to explain."
"What do you think Rowen, is it possible for genies to actually have existed?" Kaye asked as she glanced over towards him.
Rowen frowned as he thought about it. "I'm not sure, it sounds kind of farfetched to me, but then again, if someone was up there talking about mystical armors and things like that, then there's a chance that what he says might be possible."
"Shaheen, I hope that you're not telling these people bed time stories." someone said from high up.
'I know that voice. It can't be, but I guess it is.' Shaheen mused as he looked around and quickly slid the magical lamp into his pouch. "Show yourself Fahd that is if you're not a coward!"
"After all of this time you're only defense is name calling? Please Shaheen, I sincerely hope that you can do better than that." Fahd replied with a laugh as he jumped down and landed gracefully in front of him.
"It's that same jerk that rushed past us earlier!" Rowen said as he recognized him.
"Shaheen, why don't you hand the lamp over to me? I know of the nightmares that constantly haunt you every night, ever since you've found it." Fahd said with a smirk, as he reached into his cloak.
Shaheen narrowed his eyes, "How do you..?"
"Trust me old friend, I know." Fahd replied with a laugh, as the two kept their eyes on each other. "I can tell just by the look in your eyes that you have no intention of handing it over to me freely. So maybe, a little persuasion will help you change your mind." Before Shaheen could utter a word, Fahd took out his bolas and with a quick flick of his wrist, Fahd whipped them towards the center pillar, knocking it off of its foundation, making the roof to become shaky, and starts falling onto the crowd. People were screaming frantically, as they were trying to push past each other to get out.
"Rowen." Kaye said as she looked towards him.
"I know Kaye, but we can't call upon our armors here, too many people would be asking questions." Rowen replied with a frown.
"We have to do something!" Kaye urged as more of the ceiling was coming down.
"Looks like there's no other alternative, we have to go over there and help him out." Rowen replied as they stood up and headed towards them.
Fahd glanced back at the two that were coming. "Looks like we have some unexpected company, or maybe you were expecting them, well Shaheen? Were you expecting a last minute rescue?"
Shaheen glared at him, "for your information, Fahd, I can take care of myself, I don't need help from anyone!"
"Then fight me, and stop stalling." Fahd replied with a smirk as he pulled out two very large curved swords and pointed them at Shaheen. Shaheen growled as he quickly slung the pouch with the lamp over his shoulder and drew out his swords as well. Finally everyone was out except for the two with the swords poised for battle along with the two Ronins.
'What's this? Magic, from them? But how's that possible? I don't recognize it that means if I can sense is, then Fahd can as well. This could be a problem.' Shaheen mused as the two kept their concentration on one another.
"What's the matter Shaheen, are you getting distracted easer in your old age?" Fahd taunted with a smirk.
"Just shut up and fight Fahd!" Shaheen replied angrily as he struck out towards his adversary first. Fahd parried as Shaheen thrusted again with his swords, each one matching blow for blow. The sounds of clashing swords resonated through out the building causing the glass to vibrate.
"AH! What the heck?" Kaye asked as she and Rowen cupped their ears, and quickly knelt down to the ground from the harsh sounds.
Rowen looked up and saw where it was coming from. "Over there!" Kaye looked to where Rowen nodded, the two clashed swords again and this time the resonating vibes shattered every window, and blew out all the glass all over the place. "Watch it!" Rowen sensed that the light fixtures that were hanging above started to come crashing down on top of them.
"NO!" Shaheen yelled as he caught a glimpse of the danger that they were in.
"What are you going to do Shaheen, fight me, or save them?" Fahd asked in a taunting voice as he waited for his decision.