~Chapter 43~
Riley
I was afraid to blink and maybe he would disappear. I did just about all a person could do in this moment of disbelief, which was just stop, stare, and blink a few times. Once I came to terms with the reality of the moment, tears flooded my eyes and I ran to my stepdad with open arms. I collided with him like a freight train and he hugged me tight.
"Riley…" He murmured.
"I'm so glad you're okay!" I wailed not even trying to compose myself.
The relief I felt was a welcome change.
"I can't believe you're here… and with Lucas." He added looking up toward him.
We parted as I glanced back at Lucas with a smile plastered on his face.
"I have so much to tell you, but first are you okay? Who took you away? How did you end up here?" I asked like an assault rifle peppering him with questions.
"I'm fine, Riley, but our questions will have to wait because we need to do something urgently." He said.
Lucas joined us once Cassim gestured toward him giving us our brief reunion alone.
"It's good to see you again." Lucas said.
"Thanks for accompanying her, Lucas." Cassim smiled, "I'm glad she wasn't alone."
"I'd do anything for her, sir." Lucas nodded.
"I know it's been a while, but drop the sir." Cassim smirked.
"So what do we need to do?" I asked curiously.
"My captor released me," Cassim said, "And I found the only place to summon the portal to go home to Seattle was on the Isle of the Djinn. It's why I've been after them."
"But why would you be released just like that by someone who clearly went all the way to Seattle to abduct you?" Lucas asked.
"Their intent was to trap me here, which they almost succeeded until I found out about the djinns." Cassim continued.
"So let's go then." I urged, "Let's go home, but let us say goodbye to…"
"No!" Cassim spat harshly.
I looked at him raising a curious brow. He seemed on edge though I would be too if I'd been in the same situation I'm sure.
"Sorry, it's just your mother is waiting for us, I'm ready to see her." He said.
"Okay then let's go." I urged.
Cassim asked us to join hands and close our eyes. To my surprise, he made a wish himself and I peaked open a single eye and watched Pride Rock disappear and were in a new location in seconds. A large golden gate that closed the way to a garden with a pavillion in the center and there was a staircase down below it.
"What is that, a tomb?" Lucas whispered.
"Shh." I said, "Cassim, where are we?"
"This is where we go home, but first I need your djinns to unlock the gate." He replied.
Lucas and I exchanged looks, both of us feeling hesitant.
"This portal is powered by djinns, so they must go in the gate." Cassim urged.
I went first fishing Nebula's ace of hearts from the backpack and Lucas grabbed Azozel's necklace and we promptly handed them to Cassim. Without a word, he turned and placed them in the gate. A surge of light emanated from the gate as the final djinn was placed and the gate opened quickly all on its own. Cassim turned toward us.
"Wait here...I'll be right back." He urged and quickly turned and ran toward the pavillion descending the stairs and went out of sight.
After a minute, I grabbed Lucas's hand feeling nervous.
"I don't like this." I muttered.
"When we came here, the portal didn't require anything, but you and your sister's power. So all this djinn power doesn't make sense." Lucas said.
"Let's go down there and ask him." I replied.
"I'm with you, Ri." He nodded.
Without further delay we raced toward the pavillion and climbed down the stairs. We found ourselves in a hallway bricked together in stone with torches lining the walls. After rounding a corner, we saw Cassim with his back toward us facing a huge, round stone blocking entry to another doorway. Cassim tried pushing the rock to the side, but he wasn't alone. A red djinn was with him with an all too familiar twisty beard and slick black ponytail.
"Jafar?" I called out.
Cassim looked on at us in terror as Jafar smirked maliciously.
"Ah Riley, I finally meet you face to face, but I can't say it's a pleasure." Jafar sneered.
"It's been you all along?" I muttered.
"Open the door now!" Jafar spat.
"It won't budge." Cassim replied.
Lucas and I glanced around for a key or mechanism of any sort, but whatever was inside Jafar clearly wanted and would probably be bad news for the rest of us. Then I saw a weird symbolic inscription above the blocked doorway, similar to what I saw in the Jabberwocky cave and once again I could read it. The inscription read: The laws of the djinn are finite, but offering the willing blood of the master will open the way to unlocking the ultimate power of the djinn. I didn't know what that meant, but I didn't like what it said about willing blood of the master, which made it sound like a sacrifice.
"Don't open it!" I cried.
"Riley, he has your mom!" Cassim said, "I have to do this."
"Cassim, mom is fine. She's a home!" I said.
Cassim froze trying to take in the information and he glared at Jafar. He quickly whispered something in Cassim's ear that of course was too quiet to hear. As Jafar pulled away mysteriously, Cassim sighed heavily and looked back at me.
"Riley, I have to do this." He muttered.
Jafar conjured up a small jeweled dagger making it seem like an ominous ceremony. Cassim offered his hand to Jafar.
"No!" I shouted.
I tried to run toward him, but Lucas held me back.
"Let me go." I pleaded with tears streaming down my face.
In a simple swipe of the dagger, Jafar sliced Cassim's palm deeply as blood oozed out. Cassim took his hand and smeared it across the boulder and seconds later the rock rolled away on its own.
"Perfect." Jafar whispered.
Jafar and Cassim rushed through the opening and Lucas and I tried to follow, but apparently there was a barrier over the opening, so we could only watch from the opening. In the room, there was a stone pathway leading up a few steps to an altar with a scroll sitting on top.
"At last." Jafar said.
"What is that?" I asked though I didn't think he would answer.
"My dear, this is the ancient scroll of the djinn. Reading this unlocks the ultimate powers of the djinn and wipes the rules of the djinn away."
He actually answered my question probably just to rub it in our faces.
"By the rules, you mean…"
"I mean, I can warp the laws of nature bending free will at my command...Messing with mortality. No restrictions." He grinned.
"No, you can't!" I said.
"Riley, you should go wait outside." Cassim urged.
"No, not without you!" I snapped.
"You've fulfilled our terms." Jafar said to Cassim, "You can go too, Cassim. It's true I don't have Corissa, but I wasn't referring to her."
"Who's her?" I asked, "Cassim, what is he talking about?"
Jafar snatched the scroll and eagerly began to read from it. Cassim took several steps back joining us in the entryway. The rest of us could do nothing, but watch. Once Jafar touched the scroll it began to glow and soon more symbols appeared suddenly floating in the air. It was a warning that read: Beware this scroll, while you get full control of cosmic powers, all of it comes at a price. You have been warned. The symbols disappeared and Jafar began to read an incantation. Apparently he wasn't going to heed any warning.
"Powers over earth and sky,
Sun and moon,
Life and death,
Free will and beyond,
I call forth these powers of the djinn…"
A blast of light emanated from the scroll enveloping Jafar and he howled almost as if in pain. Perhaps this was the sacrifice. Immediately the ground began to shake and dust from the cracks in the ceiling began to fall on our heads.
"Let's get out of here!" Lucas urged.
"Cassim?" I said..
"Right behind you both." Cassim replied.
The three of us fled that underground and came up on ground level. The shaking continued to get worse and I ran just ahead of the boys. I didn't know if I could summon the portal without Noella, but I had to try. I maybe hadn't felt confident in the beginning, but after everything, I knew I was capable. With some fierce concentration, I closed my eyes and before I knew it, that all too familiar blue portal appeared before us. When I turned to face the guys, they looked as they were having a serious conversation. Cassim had his hand on Lucas's shoulder and Lucas looked downcast. I slowly approached them and Lucas walked to my side as the two of us faced Cassim.
"Good job on the portal, Ri." Lucas smiled, "I knew you could do it."
"Thanks, but what's going on with you two?"
Seconds later another quake shook us a bit causing a crack in the ground between us and Cassim.
"Okay, well let's get out of here." I urged.
Grabbing Cassim's hand, which he pulled away from my grip gently.
"W-What are you doing?" I asked with a racing heart inside me, I didn't like the look on his face.
"Riley, I-I can't come home." Cassim muttered.
"What do you mean you can't? The portal is right there...Jafar let you go. I don't understand!" I cried out with tears in my eyes, "Mom is counting on me to bring you home. Why are you doing this?"
"There is unfinished business for me here. I have to stay. I'm sorry."
"No Cassim! You have to come with us!" I persisted.
Cassim glanced at Lucas.
"You two need to leave. Get home. Tell your mother I love her." Cassim urged.
He began to turn his back, but I grabbed him in a fierce hug.
"Don't do this! Our family needs you back home!" I cried.
He held me snuggly for a few moments and I felt him kiss the top of my head. Seconds later, he pulled away handing me over to Lucas.
"Get her out of here. Be safe." He urged and turned his back walking back toward the pavillion.
"Cassim!" I screeched, "No, please, come with me."
I couldn't lose another father figure. My heart couldn't take that loss again. Lucas did all he could to pull me through the portal. With the numerous earthquakes and things happening around us, I finally composed myself and went through the portal with Lucas holding my hand.
As we went through, a bright light hit us and seconds later, Lucas and I fell down hitting the familiar carpet of my living room at home. Mom was on our leather sectional resting her eyes on a pillow and Joel and Noella were sitting near her with two babies in each of their arms. Everyone looked up surprised by our sudden abrupt arrival. So many questions flooded my mind in this moment of what had happened here while Lucas and I were away. However, mom stood up and rubbed her eyes in a sleepy stupor and muttered three words that broke my heart.
"Where is he?"
AN: And that is it ladies and gentlemen! Fantasia Forsaken has come to its end, but worry not, the story is not over. Find out what happens next in the sequel: Fantasia Undone.
It will be posted as this chapter goes up, so be sure to follow and show your support. You readers rock and I'll see you on the next adventure. :D
P.S. In addition to my Fantasia series, I've been working hard on a fun sequel to Frozen. A few months ago, the new teaser trailer for Frozen 2 came out and I got inspired by a series of "what ifs", so if there's any interest, I'll be posting another new story titled: The Phoenix. Hope to see you all over there. Stay tuned. :D
