Child of the Mind

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Fifteen

The Scent of a Memory

Tai burst out of the jungle. He found he was standing in the center of a ring of trees. Zhan and the remaining eight guards entered the ring.

"Where is he?" Tai shouted.

Zhan looked at the ground. "He went to that tree."

Zhan walked to the tree, he saw huge cut marks in the trunk. The offensive scent coming out of it was similar to a rotting beast. Suddenly, he felt a vibration in the ground.

"What is that?" Tai asked.

"I do not know, my Lord," Zhan said. Pulling his sword out, he slowly walked to the center of the trees.

Yong's eyes grew wide. "Perfect," he whispered. "Daniel, hold on." Daniel wrapped his arms tightly around the trunk of the tree. He hugged the trunk and watched below.

The vibrations was now followed with a bellowing. Something large broke out of the jungle. Yong knew that the scent of the tree would attract the creature. Thinking it was going to find something dead, the creature saw something better. Its attention was now on getting a live meal. It was a large and sleek animal. Its fur was dark green, perfect camouflage for living in the jungle. Its tail lashed out, it whipped back and forth. Large yellow eyes glared at them as it hungrily licked its lips.

"Stand together," Zhan shouted. The men pulled out their swords and stood in a line. They pointed their weapons at the creature. Two men had a bow, they aimed their arrows at the beast. They would have been able to hold off one creature, but unfortunately for them, two more smelled the scent of the tree. They emerged from the jungle. They were hungry and eager to eat the soft creatures in front of them.

One of the guards released an arrow. Its sharp tip was deflected by the heavy coat of the creature.

"Zhan," Tai shouted. "I do not want to leave this body."

Zhan knew that Tai had a chance to survive, if the Goa'uld left his body and entered one of the animals. But he could end up dying here. All his life, he wanted to be a Jaffa. Tai Kang was his only chance. Pulling out a small ball, he lit it. "Run, my Lord," Zhan shouted, as he lit the ball and threw it at one of the creatures. Once it exploded the creatures jumped back. This gave Tai an opening to flee. Zhan was right behind him. Five men managed to follow them, but three did not make it.

Yong looked down from the tree. He watched three of the guards dragged into the jungle. "Five more."

Climbing down the other side of the tree, Yong helped Daniel get down. He realized they were standing away from the village. They needed to go around the ring of trees to go back. Taking Daniel's hand, Yong led him around the trees. Reaching the far end, Daniel gasped in pain. An arrow was stuck in his arm. Yong turned around, he saw Tai and Zhan running to them. One of the guards held his bow.

Tai held his sword in his hands. "If we didn't need you, that would have been your heart."

"No more games," Zhan hissed. Liang took his sword back from Yong.

Daniel grasped his arm. Yong knew this was dangerous. Daniel's blood would draw predators. Grasping the arrow, he quickly pulled it out. He held his hand over the wound, as he tried to mask its scent. He frantically searched in the jungle for a certain plant.

"I need a blue flower," Yong said. "Quickly, we need to mask the smell of blood." Looking at them he shouted, "Do it, or we will all die!"

"Help him," Zhan said.

Liang managed to find several flowers. Crushing it between his palms, Yong applied the plant to Daniels arm. Daniel made a face, "Yong, it stinks."

"You need to keep it on, Daniel," he told him. "Or you will end up like the guards."

With the blood scent masked, Yong decided to stop this farce. "You can take the mask off, I know you are Tai Kang."

Tai pulled the mask off. "Did Daniel Jackson tell you?"

Yong nodded his head. "The girl lied!" Tai angrily roared.

Yong worriedly looked at Daniel. "I promise, no more tricks. I will take you safely to the rings. But you must promise not to take Daniel with you. If you do not agree, then we will all die here. I know Daniel Jackson would want to die than go with you."

Yong counted on Tai wanting to live. He was right, Tai immediately said, "I agree. Take us there, quickly. Before I lose more men."

Yong took Daniel's hand. "Nearly there, Daniel. Come."

Daniel's eyes were knit in pain. "My arm hurts, Yong."

"Do not worry, I will fix it when we reach the rings."

This time Yong didn't take his time. He would lead them directly to the rings. It was two hours later that Yong was walking on a hillside. White flowers grew at the top of the hill.

"Pretty," Daniel said. He stooped down to pick some flowers. Yong pulled him up. "No, Daniel. We're almost there."

Daniel stopped, he looked at the jungle. He began pulling on Yong. "No," Daniel said. He shook his head, his eyes were wide with fear. "I was here, it was here." He remembered something happened here. Yong tugged Daniel's hand. "We have to go, we cannot stay here, the walkers like coming here."

Daniel looked around. "It was here, right here. They attacked me, they hurt me." He pulled his hand from Yong's grip. "The flowers," he said. "I remember, my mother. She liked the flowers. I remember, they died my father, and my mother. They died," Daniel cried. "In front of me, I saw them killed." Sitting on the ground, he closed his eyes. "The flowers, I remember the smell. All I have left of them is the smell." The memory of his parents flooded his mind. The scent of the flowers brought them back. The scent of the flowers brought his memory back.

Opening his eyes, Daniel looked around. He stood up and looked at Tai. "Yong, you never should have agreed to help him."

"There he is," Tai purred. "Daniel Jackson is back."

"Your disguise is gone, as well as your men, Tai," Daniel said. The memory of everything that happened to him when he was the child was there. "Your father may be mad, but he does remember you. What will he do when he finds out you killed your brother? Where are you going to go now?"

Two of the Lord's guards held their bows up. "I can safely get us to the ring from here," Zhan said. "We just need to follow that path," He pointed to a path behind them. "It will lead us to the rings. That means, your services are no longer required," Zhan told Yong.

"No!" Daniel shouted. He stood in front of Yong. "Do not kill him." Yong stood next to Daniel, if they were going to die, he would be standing by his side.

"How are you going to stop me?" Zhan asked Daniel.

Daniel smiled, "Not me, them."

Tai saw him looking behind him. Turning around, he saw Ru and three giants standing behind them.

"Welcome to the party," Daniel said. "It's good to see you made it in one piece."

Cameron waved at him, he shouted, "It was a hard place to find, but we made it."

Tai noticed that one of the giants was a Jaffa. He saw the brand of Apophis on his forehead.

"The Shol'va," Tai said in Goa'uld.

Teal'c held his staff up. Zhan took a step closer to him. He said in Goa'uld, "You were a prime, how could you turn your back to your God?"

"How could I not?" Teal'c countered. "I have worked hard to free the Jaffa from the rule of false gods."

Zhan pulled his sword out. "I know they are not true gods, but they are powerful. I want to be a part of that."

Teal'c moved forward, Daniel told him, "Teal'c, stop." He looked at Yong, "This is his fight."

Yong stared at Zhan. "Time to end this, Zhan."

Cameron, Teal'c, Sam and Ru spread out. They focused on Yong and Zhan.

"End this, Yong," Ru shouted. He threw his sword to Yong. Catching it, Yong slowly circled Zhan.

No one noticed Tai and his remaining guards moving closer to Daniel. Liang's hand covered Daniel's mouth, he held his sword at his neck. The guards stood in front of them.

"Quiet," Tai hissed. "Bring him," he ordered Liang. "The rest of you stay here."

Tia led the way to the Chappa'ai. Liang pulled Daniel away from the fight.

Yong slowly moved in a circle. "Come, Zhan. Or are you afraid?"

Zhan pulled off his heavy armor. He tightly gripped his sword. "I fear nothing."

They slowly circled each other. Zhan slashed out his sword, Yong expertly blocked him. They went back and forth. Finally, Yong was tired of playing Zhan's game. As Zhan swept his sword forward Yong backflipped in the air, as he landed, Yong lunged forward. His sword clashed into Zhan's.

Zhan stumbled back. He growled and charged Yong. Yong deftly countered a fatal blow. He spun around, hitting Zhan in the back with his blade. Zhan roared, "You will die tonight."

Yong taunted him, "You mean morning."

Zhan wind milled his sword in front of him. Yong back peddled, he kept his sword in front of him, sparks flew as their blades clashed.

Cameron trained his gun on four remaining guards. "I'm betting on Yong to win."

"Who do you think will win, Daniel?" Sam said. She looked for him. She became alarmed when she saw that he was gone.

"Cameron," Sam said, "Daniel, he's gone."

Cameron searched for Tai, "That son of a Qi, he took Daniel."

The guards quickly moved to block the path that led to the stargate.

"I'm getting tired of this crap," Cameron said. He lifted his gun and began firing at the guards. Yong immediately stopped fighting, he ran to Cameron and stopped him from firing. He shook his head and pointed to the jungle.

"Cameron Mitchell," Teal'c said. "I believe the noise may draw the attention of the creatures in the jungle."

"Yong," Ru shouted. "Daniel is gone. Tai must have taken him."

"You tricked me," Yong angrily hissed.

"You are a fool," Zhan growled. "Tai Kang will take your Daniel with him. He will rise in the ranks as the one that captured Daniel Jackson. He will use his knowledge to make him more powerful than his grandfather."

"I made a promise," Yong said. He threw his sword at Zhong. He ducked. The blade managed to cut him on his arm.

"That was weak, you did not even try to kill me."

Yong held his head up, "I do not have to, they will."

Ru grabbed Teal'c's arm and urged him to go. "We need to go," Teal'c said. They followed Yong. He never glanced back, he just listened. He knew the blood from Zhan's wound would draw more than one predator in the jungle.

Right now, he had to get to Daniel before Tai left with him. Because he knew the blood and gunfire would attract creatures from the jungle, Yong needed to go a different way. It would take them longer to reach Daniel. He prayed they would catch up to him before they reached the rings.

Liang shoved Daniel in the back. He held up his blade. "Go, you walk to slow."

"Hurry," Tai shouted. "I want to leave this place."

Daniel tried to move as slow as possible. He tried to give his friends a chance to catch up to them. Daniel's head turned, he heard gunfire behind them.

Tai looked back. "Pathetic, Zhan did not last long. Now he is dead." He pointed at Liang, "When I leave this world, I will make you a Jaffa."

Tai quickened his steps, he knew Daniel's friends would not be far behind. Daniel noticed that it was getting lighter. The sun would soon be rising. Down the path he faintly saw the carved dragons. They were near the stargate.

He had to do something to stop Tai. He couldn't let him leave and expose this world to the goa'ulds. Daniel searched around for something to use as a weapon. Then he remembered Zi's gift. Pulling the goat medallion out, he jammed the goat's horns in and dragged it across Liang's arm. Liang howled in pain, he dropped his sword. Daniel quickly picked up the sword and plunged it in Liang's stomach. Gasping, he fell to the ground.

"You fool," Tai hissed. "You will pay for that."

Tai raised his hand, Daniel saw him pull the Kara kesh on. He tried to get the sword back, but Liang fell on his stomach. Daniel struggled to lift his dead weight.

Tai's eyes flashed, "We are gods. With your help, we will be worshiped and revered once again."

Daniel glanced behind Tai. He saw no sign of his friends. He had to keep stalling Tai.

Tai raised his hand, Daniel jumped to the side as a bolt of energy flew out of Tai's palm.

Daniel ran to the stargate. Tai was right behind him. This was where Tai wanted Daniel to go, now all he had to do was subdue him.

Daniel sprinted to the DHD. He pressed several symbols at the same time. He accidently did it one time. The DHD was frozen for nearly an hour. He saw the chevrons on the stargate all light up.

He turned around in time to see Tai running to him. Daniel backed away from the DHD. Tai slammed his hands on the device. "What have you done?" he screamed. "I need to get off this planet."

"You are not going anywhere, Tai. It is over. My friends will be here soon."

Tai turned, he slowly began walking to Daniel. "It is not over. My grandfather groomed me to be his successor. I will hide on this world. Once my father dies, I am his successor. I will burn half this world to the ground, then use the white flowers to make me mightier than my grandfather."

Daniel slowly backed up, "Not if I can help it."

"Why do you care?" Tai said. "This is not your world. Not your people."

"You would not understand," Daniel said.

Tai's eyes glowed, Daniel ducked as a bolt flew towards him. He ran to the stone carvings. He hid behind Yu's statue. He jumped back when a bolt hit the statue. Large pieces of the carved stone flew in the air. Daniel ducked as the carved head fell on top of him, knocking him down. Tai stood over a dazed Daniel.

"I have made a decision," Tai said. "This body is now useless. Tai Kang will not be able to rule this world, you and your friends have seen to that. I will need to use another way to rise in the ranks of the Goa'ulds." Tai slyly smiled. "I have decided to possess your body, Daniel Jackson. I will use your knowledge of the Ancients to gain power."

"I will never allow that to happen," Daniel angrily shouted.

"Oh, but you will, Daniel, you will. And when I access every part of your mind, I will use what you know to conquer your world as well as this planet. Finally, Doctor Daniel Jackson will join the ranks of the Goa'uld."

Tai grabbed Daniel's vest. He pulled him up. Daniel fought to get out of Tai's grip, but he had a death grip on him. Daniel dug his nails in Tai's hands as he saw him open his mouth. Opening it wider, Tai tilted his head. Daniel fought harder when he saw something moving up Tai's throat. Tai slowly pulled Daniel closer, he suddenly stopped when two wildcats jumped him.