Chapter 13: Spirited Away
Beck walked over to the altar cautiously, and glanced at Brandon, who was securely tying Joe with his torn jacket. Brandon straightened and nodded.
"Let's get this over with." Gordo was running his fingers gently over the surface of the altar.
"Strange...usually there is some sort of text on Tsortian artifacts, but this only has images."
"It was only meant to have images." Kata said quietly."So Duman wouldn't suspect our intentions. But he found out. He always ruined everything."
"Kata-"Brandon began angrily, but Kata moved quickly.
She grabbed his wrist and slammed his hand against the altar top, then released it. Brandon tried to move but found himself unable to, and noticed suddenly the stone of the table had surged around his wrist, holding him in place. Gordo tried to move forward but Kata slapped him hard across the face.
"Stay out of this, old man." she snarled. "I know something that will keep you amused." she stalked over to a nearby wall as Brandon squirmed violently, trying to free himself.
She pressed her hand against a stone that looked no different from any of the others. There was a heavy creaking, then a section of the wall slid back slowly, revealing-
"Good gods."Gordo whispered as the gleaming sight filled his vision.
"The treasure!" Joe shouted, and instantly tried to free himself.
Miss Smith remained silent from within her deadly cage. Inside the wall was an enormous room, filled to the brim with gleaming gold coins, jewels, statues - you name it, it was in there.
"Go in there, and take what you please." Kata said quietly, pushing Gordo inside. "But leave me be. This is not your business."
She turned on her heel and approached Brandon once more, ignoring the two kidnappers completely. She smiled lovingly and reached to touch his cheek, but he pulled back.
"Give her back to me!" he said furiously.
"She will not see the light of day again. And neither shall you. I am going to bring my Jalah back to me. You should be proud. Your body will become host to the future ruler of this world."
"You're bloody mad."
Kata reached out, this time towards the altar, and pressed a scarab carving. It glowed gold briefly. Brandon jumped when a golden glow suddenly appeared on his arm, and it withdrew to reveal the armband.
"Please, no."
"Oh yes."
Brandon's eyes closed for a moment, and when they opened, they glowed octarine, and were filled with confusion. Kata released his arm from the tables grip, and Jalah became aware of her presence.
"Kata?" he whispered. She laughed happily and threw her arms around his neck. Jalah quickly returned the pressure, then pulled her back to hold her face."But, how?"
"My spirit was awakened by my descendant, as was yours." he smiled happily and drew her forward, kissing her hungrily before pulling back once more.
"You are still young, as I remembered you. Did you die in childbirth?" Kata shook her head.
"I took my own life shortly after Duman took yours. He was going to kill our baby, and I'd lost you..."she buried her face in the crook of his neck."I couldn't bare it. Forgive me, my love."
"There is nothing to forgive. I should not have let them catch me. Why is this room so dusty?" he asked suddenly. Kata sighed heavily.
"We have been dead for many centuries, my love." Jalah stared at her in shock."But that matters not. Duman is dead. We are free to be together, and take this pathetic world over." she said, octarine eyes glowing. "And in nine months, we will have a family." Jalah rested his hand on her flat belly.
"Your host is pregnant?"
"To yours. It is our child rightly."
"Kata-"
"Come! Now we can have everything we've always wanted." she said happily, and tried to pull him towards the door but he stayed his ground. Kata frowned. "What's wrong?"
"Kata, we don't need to do this anymore." he said quietly. "Don't you see?"
"I don't understand. Do you no longer want to be with me?" she whispered.
"No, that's not what I meant. I love you, you know that. I meant we don't need to go through with this plan anymore. I only went along with it because I thought we could be together. But Duman is dead now. We don't need to hide anymore. We can just be together now, be happy."
"Don't you want the world?" Kata asked, almost angrily. Jalah gently took her face in his hands and kissed her.
"I have everything I need in you, Kata. I don't want the responsibility of the world on my shoulders. All I want is to marry you, and disappear." he saw the fury in her eyes and sighed. "Kata, you are better than this. Don't let your magic consume you again, please. Let's just leave this place. Please."
She stared at him for a long moment, not aware Joe was furiously struggling to free himself. He, however, made the mistake of releasing a triumphant cry when he was finally free, and Kata turned all her confusion and rage on him. Octarine light exploded from her hands, and Joe barely had time to lift his arms protectively before he exploded, leaving only a pair of smoking shoes. Miss Smith cried out in horror from her cage.
"Kata, stop." Jalah said, taking her wrists gently. "Stop."she sighed heavily and buried her face in his chest.
"It's so hard..." she sobbed. Jalah held her tightly, then gently pushed her away.
"Let me get rid of that woman, my love." Miss Smith gasped as Jalah turned and walked without hesitation towards her. He grasped the bars of the cage and lifted it off her, letting it drop on it's side. Miss Smith didn't dare move."Leave this place. If I see you again, you will die, understand?" she nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks, then turned and fled the room.
"You always did have a lot of mercy, Jalah. You shall have to teach me." Kata said. He turned back to her and took her hand.
"Let's get away from these dead memories."
"Ah, this should do nicely." Jalah jerked forward suddenly, staring at the golden blade point sticking out of his chest.
"Jalah!" Kata shrieked. Jalah jerked again as the blade was wrenched from his body, then fell, to reveal the one person they'd forgotten about.