Chapter Nine-The Hour of Judgement
Rishid met his brother and sister on the third staircase in the attic. "They are safe from here now." He told them, referring to Mai, Serenity and the two older children.
"That's wonderful." Marik said with a slight smile. "Now if we can just get Kassandra out, we will have completed our mission."
Ishizu nodded, cradling Kassandra close to her. "Yes. I just hope Shadi has found a way to dispose of that woman."
The three Ishtars descended the rest of the stairs, and found themselves in the front hall. Marik led the way to the door and opened it. "This is almost too easy. You'd think she'd have the place spelled or something, being a witch." He no sooner said that than the door slammed, and the locks turned themselves. "I think I spoke to soon.." The Egyptian boy's eyes widened.
"There is more than one exit in this house. Come." Rishid said with determination. He led them into the kitchen.
************************************************************************************
Joey, Tristan and Duke were standing in the kitchen when the Ishtars walked in. "Boy are we glad to you three!" The Brooklyn boy exclaimed. He pointed in the broom closet. "That girl Claudia is in there, but she won't come out."
"The girl who lost her soul…." Ishizu trailed off. She walked over to the broom closet, and opened the door. "Won't you come out?" She asked the girl quietly.
"No! No, I can't! Miss Amelia will know it's returned!" Claudia exclaimed, trying to close the door again.
"What has returned?" Rishid asked, narrowing his eyes.
"My soul….some spirit returned it to me from the land of the dead." Claudia looked up at them. "Please, allow me to stay here, where it is safe!"
The Ishtars looked at each other, then Marik spoke up quietly. "It was our friend, Rakura who returned it to you. He can do special things with his Millennium Ring. "We will not anything more happen to you."
The young girl stood up from her crouched position in the cupboard, and walked out. "I do not deserve such kindness, after the things I have done."
"It was not your doing." Ishizu said firmly. She looked at the three boys now. "Have you seen Shadi?"
"I think he went upstairs again. We came down here looking for Claudia." Duke told her.
"Nah, we came down here because Tristan said he was hungry." Joey corrected.
"What?! Don't you try to blame this on me, Mr. my-stomach-wants-refuelin'!" Tristan gave him a Look.
"Enough!" Rishid exclaimed. "We must find Shadi and the others."
"It is possible….." Claudia began.
"Yes?" Marik looked at the girl now.
"Miss Amelia could've lured them into her secret gardens. They are locked by enchantment. Only she can open them again."
"Oh no! That's not good." Marik exclaimed.
"No, it's not, but there is a second way into the gardens." Claudia was looking at Kassandra now. "She will have to do it."
"How do you expect a child her size to do somethin' like that?" Joey wanted to know.
"If they are truly descendants of this Shadi's family, then it is very much possible." Claudia informed him. "Follow me." With that, the group left through the back door,following Claudia.
******************************************************************************************
Serenity was pacing inside the bus stop. "I'm so worried. Do you think they're really okay?" She looked over at Mai.
"Trust me on this, Serenity. They're just fine. Your brother may be the biggest moron sometimes, but in a situation like this, he always comes through in the end." Mai was holding Alexandra in her lap, petting her hair as the girl slept. She was thinking about the offer she'd made to Shadi to adopt one of the girls. I wonder which of them I will end up with. I rather like Arianna. She's quiet, and sensible, like me. But Alexandra isn't too bad either. She's still young enough where I could teach her things.
"Hey Mai! Look at that!!" Serenity's fearful voice brought Mai out her daydreaming.
"What the heck?" Mai stood up, and stared at the mist coming from somewhere near the large house.
"Shadi! Oh, he's in trouble! We should go to him, Mai!" Alexandra exclaimed, having been awakened by Serenity's shriek as well.
"No, we have to stay here. Shadi was very explicit." Arianna told her young cousin.
"But Arianna!" Alexandra wailed. "Shadi could be hurt!"
"I'll go." Serenity said suddenly. "Mai, stay here with the girls."
"What?! Are you crazy, Serenity? You don't even know what's happening."
"That doesn't matter. Joey could be in danger too. I won't leave him alone!" Before Mai could protest further, the Brooklyn girl was gone.
**************************************************************************************
"You will not fulfill your devious plot!" Shadi informed Amelia. He and Yami had met up with Rakura and Yugi and then followed Amelia's putrid essence into her gardens.
"We shall soon find out. First though, I must take of some intruders." The gates behind them opened to reveal little Kassandra. "Kassandra, Sweetie, what are you doing out here alone?"
"She is not alone, you horrible woman!" Duke spoke up now. The mist lifted to reveal the Ishtars, Duke, Tristan, Joey, and Claudia. Duke picked Kassandra up. "We've come to help stop you."
"Aw how sweet. The rest of the reinforcements have arrived." Amelia stepped towards Duke to take Kassandra. "Hand her over now!"
"I do not think so!" Marik told her. "You will bring no more harm to anyone."
"That's right! You're goin' down!" Joey agreed. "No one has a right to mistreat children the way you have!"
"You tell her, Big Brother!" Serenity called, as she ran to join them. "I couldn't stand around." She told the shocked Brooklyn boy.
"It's alright, Sis. "Joey told her, putting an arm around her, before turning to look at Amelia. "You're outnumbered!"
"Fools! Do you really think your mere strength of number will be enough to stop me?!"
"If it is not, I know of one thing that will be." Shadi replied, fire in his eyes.
"Oh really, and what pray tell is that?" Amelia smirked, her confidence unshaken.
"The power of the Millennium Scale." Shadi replied, revealing his second Item. "If the Ankh terrified you, this will be far worse."
"What the heck will a scale do for us?" Joey asked no one in particular.
"It is a very power Item, Joseph. With it, Shadi can judge a person's true nature. All she has to do answer three questions. If she is not truthful, a monster will emerge, and devour her." Rishid explained.
"Wow. Remind me to never make him mad." Joey muttered to Tristan.
"Ditto." Tristan replied.
"Now. Your hour of judgment is at hand! Let us play a game." Shadi set the scale on Amelia's altar.
"A game? I have no time for games!"
"You do not have a choice in the matter. " Shadi said in a low tone. "Now I will ask you several questions." He placed a feather on one side of the scale. "On this side of the scale, I have placed the feather of Ma'at. As you can see, the sides are now balanced. As you answer my questions, the scale will either stay the same,or the empty side will tip, with the weight of your lies. If the side of the scale touches the top of the altar, the penalty is death. Let us begin."
"This is ridiculous!" Amelia huffed, but she folded her arms, and glowered at the guardian. "I'm ready."
"Very well. Your first question is, did you have bad intentions for these children?" Shadi watched the woman intently.
"Of course not! It was only a joke….a prank!" Amelia exclaimed. She watched in horror, as the empty side of the scale tipped slightly.
"Next question. Are you the true aunt of these children?"
"Yes!" Amelia exclaimed, panic rising. The scale tipped even more. "H-how is this happening?! There is nothing in the plate!"
"Final question. A homeless woman has four children, and has asked you for shelter from a heavy snow. What do you say?" Shadi studied his prey intently, waiting for her reply.
"I say yes, of course!" Amelia answered.
"That is not your true answer, for the scale does not lie. You have lost!" Shadi told her as the plate touched the top of the altar. A brilliant red light emitted, then a hideous roar sounded. "The judgment has been made!" He declared as a black monster devoured Amelia whole.
"Oh!" Serenity buried her face in Duke's shoulder. "How horrible!"
"Nah, she earned it, Serenity." Duke said, putting his free arm around her. He sneaked a look at Tristan, and smiled. The other boy just shot him a dirty look, and turned away.
"That was quite entertaining." Rakura remarked, before returning to his host's item.
"Come, the danger has passed, and now we must see to getting the little girls properly placed." Shadi told everyone, as he walked past everyone out of the gardens.
******************************************************************************************
"Hey, Shadi. I would be more than happy to take Kassandra home with me." Duke spoke up, surprising himself, and his friends.
"That is very kind of you, Mr. Devlin. I'm sure Kassandra wouldn't mind it at all." Shadi replied, as they reached the bust stop once more.
"Shadi! You're okay!" Alexandra tore out of Mai's lap, and over to Shadi, burying her face in his robes.
The Egyptian tomb guardian chuckled softly, and picked her up. "Of course I am all right." He hugged her tightly. "Are you all right, Little One?"
"Yes. I was very brave, just like you said. I had to climb down out of the window then the ladder broke and I had to let go of Mai and jump!" Alexandra recounted her small escape adventure to her friend.
"That was very brave indeed." Shadi agreed, still hugging her. He looked around for Arianna. He walked over to where the oldest of the girls was sitting. "Are you okay, Arianna?"
"My leg is still hurting, but I will be okay, thanks to you and your friends." Arianna told him. She was sitting beside Mai. "Shadi?"
"Yes?"
"Can I live with Miss Valentine?" She looked up at him hopefully.
"I suppose, as long as it is all right with Mai." Shadi looked at Mai now.
"It's fine with me, Shadi. I was actually going to ask the same question." Mai stood up, as the bus pulled into the stop again. She took Arianna's hand now, and led her on to the bus.
****************************************************************************************
The others followed, and Shadi boarded last, with Alexandra still in his arms. "And where would you like to live, Alex?"
"I want to live with you, Shadi." Alexandra replied sadly. "But Arianna said it would be impossible."
"Oh? And does Arianna think she knows me so well already?" He asked quietly, smiling down at her. "Do you know what a Guardian is?"
"They protect special things. You protect the Millennium Items." Alex replied.
"Yes. That is correct." Shadi replied. "It is time you learned to do so as well."
The girl's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"You are my family, Alexandra. Distant family, but family all the same. You were meant to have to come to me in Cairo a year ago. There must have been interference. But I will take you back with me now. You are to be the next in line for keeping the Items in line."
"Really? I can live with you?" Alex snuggled up to Shadi lovingly.
Shadi smiled, wrapping both arms around her gently. "Yes, Child. You are coming home with me." He looked down to see that his new charge had fallen asleep in his lap. He smiled, then looked out the window. The next day would begin a whole new adventure for them both, and he was most anxious to begin it.