Disclaimer: Yadda, yadda, yadda.
Warnings: None.
A/N: Another chapter. Behold the very first paragraph. It is big. It is very big. Isn't it beautiful? 179 words. I bet I can do better. *grins and sticks her tongue out at Bailey-chan*
Thoughts are in italics.
~*~ means a change in POV
Chapter Seven: In Which Sekhmet Gets a Lot of Attention
Sekhmet was incredibly bored. Incredibly, because he was well-known for being able to amuse himself with anything. Bored, because he had first watch in the middle of a new graveyard that was as silent and peaceful as…well, a tomb. He began his guard-duty by walking up and down the rows of and wondering about the people buried there. By the time he was enclosed in darkness so deep he couldn't read the names anymore, he had concluded that the Warrior Village had consisted of…warriors. He didn't have much to go on anyway, was the thought he consoled himself with. Now, he still had at least another hour to go, before he woke Naaza for his turn. He could barely make out the quiet forms of his friends sleeping in a semi-circle in the cemetery's small clearing. He did have a vague guess of which one was Cale, since he had accidentally stepped on him, and was kicked and yelled at in return. Sekhmet sighed. At least if he was asleep his dreams would have been more interesting than this.
Suddenly, like a light being turned on, a wind came. It was not the eerie, noisy wind that one normally found in a cemetery (at least the ones that he knew of), but a calming, silent wind that made Sekhmet feel strangely surround by an aura of power. He could feel it flowing through him, strengthening him, giving him courage and hope. Just as suddenly as it came, it was gone.
In a daze, Sekhmet looked around. No one had moved. He heard Amanda sigh softly, but other that that only the slow breathing of his friends broke the night's silence.
He shook his head. I must have fallen asleep or something as that weird wind came, he decided. A glance at the moon's positions in the sky told him it was time for Naaza to take over. With one last look around that he expected to show him nothing out of the ordinary, his eyes caught sight of an unfamiliar shape on one of the crosses. Unconsciously with hands on his katanas, he stepped forward. As he drew closer, he realized it was a necklace of some sort. A dark, blood-red jewel, that could barely be seen in the darkness, hung from a chain.
Cautiously, he grasped the jewel in his hand. The fleeting thought that he was desecrating the dead was dismissed as he remembered that the jewel had appeared with the wind.
He still stood undecided until, with a shrug, he lifted the jewel off the cross and placed it under his armor.
He felt tired now, so tired. After shaking Naaza awake, he lied down with a content smile on his face. His last thought before sleep took him was: A gift….
Sekhmet woke the next morning before first light to Dais' shout. He cracked his eyes open enough to see what was going on, but not enough to seem awake. He could see Denice's dark form contrasted to Amanda's bright one. They all stood talking. No one was looking at him, so he decided to go back to sleep. The night before's memory hovered on the edge of his mind and then disappeared. The jewel's secret slept with him.
~*~
"So we'll be able to get them out and escape before he gets back?" Kayura asked for a second time.
Denice glared at her. "Yes. If I didn't think we had a chance, why would I be telling you?"
Kayura glared aback at her. "I'm just making sure. How can you be sure that Tobraea didn't just let you overhear his "secret" plans? If he is really alone, like you say, why can't we try to rescue them now?"
Frustration forced Denice to close her eyes and clench her fists to continue. "You're not listening to me. I overheard Tobraea looking in a crystal sphere and talking to his other warriors. He said that tomorrow night he would leave to perform "the rites" as he called them. He would leave me in charge of their hideout and wouldn't be back until the next morning."
Rajura frowned. "He trusts you now?"
"Yes. My peace offering appeased him. Today he will tell me that I am in charge until he returns. If not, then he was lying last night and knew I was listening."
Amanda spoke up, "So we'll come tonight to release them. When should he be gone?"
Shrugging, Denice said, "After moonrise. If it comforts you any, he still doesn't know where you all are. He's probably going to try to find you after he gets back. We're running out of time either way, and we probably won't get another chance like this."
She looked around at all of them for agreement. It was then that she noticed Sekhmet's absence. He was peacefully snoring a few feet away, a drop of drool hanging from his mouth, going in and out with his breaths.(1)
What a fool. She frowned in disgust.
Cale cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.
"We'll meet Denice at Tobraea's hideout-fort-thingie…uh…" he paused "…after moonrise, and we will rescue the Ronins and Troopers. Once we do that, we can move onto Plan Number Two to defeat Tobraea."
"Well, let's not think that far ahead," muttered Kayura.
"Amanda?" Denice looked at her twin.
She nodded in return. "I'll be there."
"Good." With that, Denice spread her wings and soared into the sky back towards Tobraea's dark castle.
"Tell Strata we'll see him soon!" called Naaza just before she disappeared from sight.
~*~
As if mocking the first time she walked the castle's halls, the torches lit up before her as her footsteps echoed around her. Only now she strode forward with confidence. Entering Tobraea's decorative parlor-room, she found her way to the seat directly across from him.
He looked up with a twisted smile.
"So you told them?"
At her nod, the silent room filled with laughter.
A/N: Muahahahaha? Yes, only one footnote here. Aren't you happy?
(1) Nice image, huh? ^^;
Thanks to:
Nell- No. I'm not. And me sorry, chibi werewolf remie cub, I can't believe I forgot to say something to you! *huggles* Forgive me? I'm happy you like it. ^-^
WildfireDreams- Well, we'll see, won't we? We might've already finished writing this, but that doesn't mean I remember anything from it. ^^; QS have baaaad memory. And Bailey-chan don't use computer, so she can't tell me. *pouts*
Harry2- Did we? I don't even remember which chapter it was. ^^; It's not like I read it before I put this up or anything. Oh, and don't worry about the announcer. *mumbling and groaning is heard from behind QS* I think he'll be staying where he is for a loooooong while. *the announcer mumbles louder, trying to talk through his gag* (to the announcer) Hey, dude, do you want the water torture? *silence* ^_______________^ Poor Bailey-chan, though. I just ruined her job.