Chapter 433

"Boss' Gambit"

Sasha and Sonya sat on the back of Frahma. The massive dragon was not flying at it's typical subsonic speed. This flight would be a brisk and casual cruise over the barren Atlantian landscape.

"I appreciate you not having us walk the entire way." Sonya smiled.

Sasha curtly rolled her eyes, "Do you really think a Boss is going to walk to all of these towers?" She hissed, "Puh-leaze."

Sonya smiled, "Hopefully Mandy has the same luck."

Sasha, knowing Prince too well, covered her mouth to stifle a giggle. "Well, there's no way they'll beat us back to the camp knowing Prince."

Sonya blinked her eyes against the wind resistance, "You mean they're going to walk the entire way?"

"Unless Mandy has a pokemon that can get them there, Prince is probably going to soldier it the entire way there and back." Sasha predicted. "Him and Ash should both get back at around the same time. Neither wants to gamble their pokemon's energy before a battle."

"But you do?" Sonya wondered, "Why?"

Sasha smiled, "I'm in a different place than both of them. My memories," tapping her forehead, "are awakened. I know Atlantis. I know what's in the towers."

Sonya gawked, "You do?" She searched her own mind, "Wait. Then why did you ask me to come with you."

Sasha gazed at the tower in the distance, gradually drifting closer-and-closer to them, "I have an opportunity for you."

"Like what?"

Sasha then asked, "I want you to be one of my Medjai."

Sonya gawked, "Really?"

Sasha nodded, "Later tonight, you'll be bled into the order, if you accept."

For a moment, Sonya said nothing. Her mind was racing in firing in a dozen directions. If she recalled, no female had ever been invited to become a Medjai. So why would Sasha choose her? What was the reason that Sasha wasn't telling her?

"Take your time and think about it." Sasha added, "I expect your answer by the time we return to the camp."

"Okay." Sonya replied. (Sasha knows Atlantis.) Sonya thought. "That's right," Sonya gawked, "In Ezra's absence you stepped in at one point and were the leader of the Atlantians."

"Each queen was at one point." Sasha nodded, "Prince doesn't have his ancient memories yet. I have mine though. I remember everything about Atlantis. Everything."

Sonya paused, "That means, with Ash and all, you know?"

Sasha nodded, "I know Ezra controlled the people of Atlantis with the magic of The Fiend. I know all about the spell of The Fiend. And without a doubt, Ash, Roman, Alexa, Misty, Brock, all of them are already under it's spell."

Sonya extended her hand, examining the lime-green veins beneath her skin, "I don't think I'm under it's spell."

"You're not." Sasha shook her head, "The Fiend returned with the water supply after we took Peridot Tower. He didn't have the chance to get to you and Mandy but he will come for you."

Sonya gawked, "But if I'm bled in, it'll make it harder for him to put me under his spell."

"Maybe." Sasha turned away from the tower and looked at Sonya, "He might come for me. In time, he might want vengeance for how things played out between Ezra and I. But," Sasha sighed, "I'll just have to make a deal with him."

"A deal?" Sonya questioned.

"The Fiend right now is a necessary evil," Sasha explained, "Sithis has his army in the Americas. The Fiend will cast his spell over Africa and Europe. Sithis won't be able to breach the minds of those under The Fiend's spell."

"Ohhh," Sonya nodded, "So you're using The Fiend to counter Sithis' mind control? Hold on, you're risking a civil war between the entire world?"

"That's always been a risk." Sasha mulled, "I ask for your loyalty in all of this Sonya. Really think about becoming my Medjai."

"I am thinking about it." Sonya admitted, "What I don't understand is, why did you challenge Prince to a race if you knew he was going to walk but you're going to fly?"

"Prince needs a bit of extra motivation to show his strength to Atlantis." Sasha explained, "Whoever he battles is going to get massacred, the other towers will sense his power, they'll also sense mine. I don't expect Prince and I to take all the towers unless it's absolutely necessary," Sasha continued, "The others need more experience battling for what's to come. They need it. Prince and I, we're more than powerful enough to battle Sithis if we needed to. I don't know if we'd win but we'd give him a fight. It's going to take more than just me and Prince to beat Sithis. Especially now that he has an army behind him. We need the others to get stronger. The Captains and Vice-Captains need to know that regardless of who they battle, there's no merit in beating a Sword. The best thing for them is respectfully lose and join us. Save us all the time or deal with Prince or myself."

"You want the towers to fear The Swords?" Sonya probed.

"Of course. Prince, believing it to be a race, is going to destroy whoever is in that tower." Sasha smiled, "He'll send a message in the west, I'll send a message in the east. The Fiend will send a message to the South. The northern towers will be the only ones that's hardest to convince."

"Because Northern Atlantis automatically hates you because of what you did to Ezra?" Sonya asked.

"Well," Sasha innocently shrugged, "It was never proven what happened. There were no witnesses."

"But the people always suspected there was foul play."

"They aren't totally clueless." Sasha stated flatly, "The North will be taken by force from all of us but we'll build our numbers with the East, West, South and islands by then."

"What about Sithis? You think he's just going to let us retake Atlantis?" Sonya mused.

"Once he knows The Fiend is here, he'll scramble to Africa and Europe as fast as possible. It's truly a race for minds and souls between the both of them." Sasha continued, "All I have to do is see if The Fiend will agree to my proposal. If he does, all is well. The Spiritomb provide more than enough security, for now. The Fiend's power will soon grow strong enough to take over the security of the island until the systems are back online."

Sonya was in awe of the detail of Sasha's plan, "There's just one more thing I'm curious about. What about the Nephillim?"

Sasha turned away from Sonya, "We'll be landing soon."

"What are you going to do about the Nephillim?" Sonya asked.

Sasha had no answer but she didn't tell that to Sonya. Staring at the now clear tower a few miles from their position, all Sasha could think of was her crown. They would not have it. No human, Nephillim or being would ever take her crown was all that she told herself as they approached the tower.