One Last Chance:
Chapter Three
The Prince opened his eyes slowly, his head throbbing viciously. He tried to focus his eyes, rubbing them with his fingers.
"I see you've awoken."
The Prince stole a quick glance at Hesam before sighing and looking over his surroundings. They were riding in a somewhat large wagon, being pulled by a small unit of soldiers.
"Strange, isn't it? In such speed a great city was torn into shambles; a barren wasteland with the life draining away."
The Prince scowled. "How could you betray us? My father never did anything against you; why this malice?"
Hesam grinned. "I suppose I supported this assault because I never really did care that much for your father. He was arrogant and foolhardy; our new king should surely bring our country to a new age of prosperity."
The Prince gritted his teeth. "Destroying and killing is what you call bringing in a new age of prosperity; madness!"
Hesam merely smiled as the small caravan approached the palace. Once they arrived, the Prince and Kaileena were escorted off and into the great building.
The Prince could not bear to study any of the interior. The shame within him was much too great to bear. He knew he was the one responsible; in every way he knew it was his fault.
Hesam lead the four soldiers and their captives up to the fifth floor, which housed the throne room. They continued; magnificent carpentry and furniture decorated the great hall. Warm memories returned to the Prince; memories of being shown every part of the palace. He had been told that he would one day rule all of Persia, but that thought was a distant one as they arrived at the throne room.
Kaileena was in awe of the building. Never once in all of her life had she experienced anything similar to it. In the back of her mind though, she wished for the palace to have had life, not an empty castle of sadness. It reminded her of her confinement; the likes of which she hoped never to live through again.
Hesam cleared his throat and knocked on the large wooden doors, awaiting a response. The doors nudged and opened, revealing a vast chamber.
Intricately designed concrete pillars lined the room, holding a circular stone slab high up. The carpet lead up to the throne; a golden chair shaped like a lion with red cushioned seating.
The figure seated wore a black cloak and hood, which draped around him. Two guards stood at opposite sides beside him.
"Hesam, well done. The last in the royal lineage has come to face judgment."
The Prince vaguely recognized the voice. It was familiar, yet far off. It was empty though, as if the person was crying out from a deep abyss; emotionless and cold.
"What have you done with my father; my brothers!" the Prince stammered, his voice shaky. The figure proceeded to remove his hood. "Your family has been disposed of. They were unfit to rule Persia, as are you."
Kaileena and the Prince gasped in surprise at the face of the person. "Impossible… How can this be!"
The person was the Prince, but his skin was pale, however, the most astonishing feature was his eyes; they were pure white.
He smiled. "There were two other princes involved with you. You are the present, the future was the Sand Wraith, and the past was the previous. Both of these were consumed by the Dahaka, you allowed them to be."
"What do you mean?" The Prince asked, his voice becoming more and more fragile. "The Dahaka has no past or present. It is one entity, throughout all of time. Thus, it consumed both the Wraith and the past prince. It was perfect, but you destroyed the Dahaka, and you freed them. However, the Wraith and the past Prince were different entities, yet the same person. They had the knowledge of the future and past. You see, normally only one prince could be taken, but there was the Sand Wraith. It was a malfunction in time, and I am the offspring of that error."
"What!" the Prince exclaimed. "I am both the Wraith and the past prince. You sold me to the Dahaka, sold me to a darkness that would drive a man insane. Fortunately, you freed me, and I have come to take what you stole."
"No!" the Prince shouted as he quickly knocked the guard holding him aside and stealing his sword. He then dashed at the abomination, preparing to slash at him vertically. The abomination merely unsheathed his own sword and blocked the attack.
He chuckled before stating, "You cannot kill me, nor I you, but I do not wish for you to die. However, if you may, please call me Kamal."
He then kicked the Prince to the floor and sheathed his weapon. "Lock both him and his lady friend in the dungeons until I come across a fitting judgment."
The soldiers nodded and took the two from the room, leaving only Hesam and Kamal, along with the two guards.
"To think, time could be damaged," Hesam thought aloud. Kamal smiled. "Perhaps, but we must hurry if we are to find the sword. We have the first piece; we now need only the other."
(Hello, my readers. Just to confirm it, Farah will be in the story, and will probably appear in the next chapter or so.) Thanks for reading, and remember to review!)
