Damis woke with a start, his dark hair sticking to his damp brow. Looking about he could only guess the time, but knew that he had been asleep for too long. Quickly he nudged Xerxes, who opened his eyes and looked up at him groggily.
"Wake up! We have to find Princess Amira!" Xerxes sat up suddenly, wide awake. Quickly Xerxes gathered his things, mumbling to himself about having to take orders from a lowly servant.
Damis looked about for Sahar, and noticed her sleeping pallet a few paces away, hidden slightly behind a tree. He walked over quickly, but stopped short at the sight of the empty pallet. He looked about, thinking that Sahar had already woken. Only there was no one but Xerxes and himself. He fell to his knees, unable to believe that in so short of a time, two women had been stolen from him, one right under his nose. Xerxes came up behind him, holding their bags, which he dropped with a loud thumping noise.
"Look!" Xerxes pointed to the diamond leaves which lay on Sahar's pallet. Damis reached for them and held them in his hand for a few moments before standing up, his face set with determination.
"We don't stop." he said, glaring at Xerxes, who cringed slightly. Damis gathered Sahar's things and strapped them to his back, but not before removing Laheeb's lamp from Sahar's bag and pocketing the diamond leaves.
As they walked, Damis rubbed the side of the lamp, summoning Laheeb. A trail of bright blue smoke came out of the end, following by the blue skinned Laheeb.
"Sahar has been taken." Damis told the djiin grimly. Laheeb stared at him astonished before dropping to the ground and walking besides the two men.
"Do you wish for me to find her?" Laheeb asked, swelling with pride and self importance. Damis shook his head and Laheeb nodded and looked down at the ground.
"No, I think I know where she went. We just need to hurry." Laheeb nodded sulkily, still looking at the ground. Then he looked up and marveled at the forest they were walking through.
"Lovely leaves." he commented and looked back down at the ground. "Oh, look!" Laheeb cried out, causing Xerxes and Damis to stop within inches of the stone passageway.
Laheeb bent down and picked up several gold leaves from the walkway. "They are made of gold!" he exclaimed happily. Damis reached out and grabbed them from Laheeb's hand and turned to Xerxes.
"You don't think that Sahar had these, before being taken?" Damis asked Xerxes. Xerxes shrugged his shoulders and Damis rolled his eyes. Muttering he placed the golden leaves in his pocket alongside the diamond ones. Perhaps they could be useful later.
As they walked Damis thought, his mouth set in grim resolution. He looked up at Laheeb, a wondering look upon his face.
"Can you sense other magic being used?" he asked. Laheeb looked surprise at the question but nodded with affirmation. Damis looked away, his eyes creasing in puzzlement. "Is their magic being used nearby?"
Laheeb was silent for a few moments before nodding again. "Yes, there is an outline of a building say. Protected by magic. But I can't see what is happening inside. My power seems to be blocked." Laheeb was thoughtful. "It takes powerful magic to block a djiin, even and inexperienced one." he added the last part quickly, his blue face flushing slightly purple.
Damis looked over at Xerxes, who did not appear to be paying any attention. Damis looked up and saw another door ahead of them. Sighing he pulled off his ring and pressed it into the indent, opening the great door. The three men walked through silently and entered a forest that shimmered silver. Damis thought about the other leaves in his pocket and snapped a few leaves off a nearby branch.
The men continued to walk down the dim stone passageway, their footsteps echoing slightly in the huge underground cavern they appeared to be in. Damis looked up and could not see the ceiling, higher than 8 feet being shrouded in complete darkness. Laheeb slid back into his lamp after a while and remained there, leaving Damis and Xerxes alone. After going several meters into the silver forest Xerxes stopped.
"I need some privacy." Xerxes muttered his voice strangely flat and toneless. Damis shook his head.
"No, we need to keep going. Something could happen to Amira or Sahar!" Damis exclaimed. He continued walking. Suddenly he was pushed to the ground. Fumbling he managed to turn over and looked up into Xerxes's eyes, the pupil very dilated and the face twisted in a snarl. Xerxes pulled out a dagger and held it against Damis's neck.
"Alright! Go!" Damis managed to stutter. Xerxes jerked back and stood, his eyes glazed over and Damis stood too, rubbing his neck rigorously. Damis watched as Xerxes strode out of sight. He debating following him, sensing something was not right, yet he felt this pull to find the next door. He needed to find Amira. He needed to tell her how he felt, the truth. Prince Xerxes was just a prince, one who Amira had been promised to, therefore making him competition. Frightened by his own thoughts Damis tried to stop, but his thoughts continued, forcing him to walk away from Xerxes.
He finally reached the door, and there waiting for him, was a pale woman cloaked in black.
--------------------------------------
Fassad watched as Xerxes stumbled through the silver forest. The enchantment had worn off, and Fassad watched Xerxes's stricken expression as he tried to find his way back to the path. Fassad stepped from the shadows, somewhat enjoying Xerxes's shocked reaction.
"Yo-you!" he sputtered in anger and advanced on Fassad, his dagger drawn and glistening. Fassad help up a hand in defense, and with his other quickly reached out and grabbed Xerxes's by the collar, quieting him.
"Quiet!" he hissed in Xerxes's ear. "I know the way in." he finished. He let go and Xerxes jerked away, rubbing his neck where Fassad had grabbed him. He stared hard at Fassad, who kept his face void of any emotion, knowing the prince would trust him. It was in his nature.
"You know the way in? And you are going to help me?" Xerxes's voice was full of suspicion and a hidden hope. Fassad nodded his face grim.
"But you have to stay quiet!" Fassad hissed. Xerxes nodded and Fassad began walking quickly towards where he knew the hidden exit was. Xerxes followed, stumbling occasionally as he tried to keep up with Fassad's long strides. Luckily it was not far to the entrance.
"Stand back." Fassad warned Xerxes. Xerxes nodded and complied, back away from where Fassad stood. Fassad watched out of the corner of his eye, waiting to see if Xerxes would make a run for it. He did not. Smiling to himself Fassad turned back to the blank wall. He leaned forward and felt the wall, searching for the handprint that he knew was imprinted on the wall. He found it and placed his hand in it, a perfect fit. Only natural since it was his hand. Fassad closed his eyes and took a deep breath, settling himself. Slowly he exhaled, murmuring the secret words as he did so, words in a language only the darkest people know. He breathed in again and opened his eyes.
Quickly he backed away as a faint humming was heard from behind the door that had appeared. Xerxes leaned forward but Fassad put an arm out to keep him back. Without warning the door exploded off, the bits of rock and rubble flying past Fassad, some within inches of his face. Fassad smiled, knowing how Dameer liked to be dramatic. The explosion was silent and with a heavy silence on the air Fassad led Xerxes through the opening. A sucking noise was heard and Xerxes turned around to watch as the rubble and debris was sucked back into the opening, once more creating the door. The door faded and was soon replaced by just a black marble wall. Xerxes turned back around and hurried along the carpeted hallway to catch up with Fassad.
My Reviewers:
Metaphorical: Its okay, I understand. glad u liked the chappie and hopes this relieves your pining for a little while.
Glitterpoison: you will soon find out what Dameer is doing and how the girls figure into how she plans on doing it. for now you have to wait!
Lumiere's Lover: its okay, I forgive you, i know the feeling. yeah you were right. any more lucky guesses?