Fierce Fox and I had landed inside a dark, underground tunnel. There were layers of floor made of stone and covered in dirt. Cracked stone pillars held them up. There were thieves in black garments roaming around. We did not want to get caught.
"Follow me," I whispered. I jumped off of a stone layer and landed on a wooden layer. Fierce Fox followed me. There was a thief nearby us, but somehow he didn't see us. Fierce Fox continued following me as I headed downwards, our feet brushing the sand. Either the guards were all blind or just plain stupid, I don't know. But they didn't see us. Fierce Fox and I leaped down a hole, coming to the next area.
Fierce Fox and I landed on a wooden platform. It was above a stone floor that had a stone pillar, where a scene was happening. On that stone pillar was a variety of lamps. Four thieves were there: one seemed to be a sacrifice.
"It's easy," a lady thief wearing a red turban said. She has a very confusing name, so I'm just going to call her… Sasha. She's the leader of the thieves - and an important character. I told this information to Fierce Fox. "Just pick one lamp and place it on the altar. If it's the right one, you'll be set free!"
The sacrifice thief whimpered, "But the… the curse!"
"Yes," Sasha agreed. "The altar will destroy anyone who places the wrong lamp on it." She looked angry. "Then you'd better pick the right one!" This large, muscular, intimidating thief stomped his foot. The sacrifice yelped and grabbed a golden lamp with a light blue gem in the center. He walked over to the altar, which was a statue of a griffon-like creature with an angry-looking human head. Golden was plated on it. It was holding out a paw. Wings were on its back.
The sacrifice placed the lamp on the outstretched paw. Nothing happened for a few moments. The sacrifice looked relieved. Suddenly, the altar started glowing red. The sacrifice was disintegrated into red powder. Only his clothes were left behind. Fierce Fox tensed.
"Not again!" Sasha complained. "We'll run out of prisoners before we ever run out of lamps." Suddenly, the floor beneath our feet cracked and opened. However, Fierce Fox pushed me backwards, saving me. She fell down herself.
"Uh… just dropping in to say hi." she told the thieves as they approached her. I watched from above, my lips dry.
"Take this interloper to a cell!" Sasha demanded. The big thief forcibly led Fierce Fox away. "We'll deal with you later," Sasha called after her. "Back to work, everyone." With that, a thief that looked like a pirate headed off, and a thief that was obsessed with money began counting the piles and piles of gold that were stored there. Sasha herself walked off, ready to do some work.
I held my breath. Fierce Fox had saved me. I had a feeling she was perplexed about what was happening. I clenched my fists. She was in a cage. Of course I wanted to save her, but I wondered if it was a better idea to do other things first. No, I thought. I should save her first. I'll need the help. So, with that, I stealthily crawled along the wooden platform. I waited for the gold-counting guy to move, then I jumped down. I landed nearby the altar. I grabbed the sacrifice's clothes, eyeing the majestic statue. I went past it. On the wall, there was a ledge. On the ledge was a skeleton with a turban. It was holding a jar of quicksilver.
I decided to change my plans just a little. I'd grab a few items before saving Fierce Fox. I climbed onto the altar and jumped over to the skeleton. I grabbed the quicksilver, then jumped into the murky water below. I headed right, coming to another area. I walked across a wooden bridge. It was connected to a stone layer loaded with weapons, pictures and more. Oh, and Sasha was there, too. I did not want her to see me.
I crouched at the edge of the stone layer, waiting until Sasha wasn't looking. There was a large vase full of oil nearby me. I dipped the clothes into the oil, turning them black. Now I didn't have to sneak around so much. I put them on; the clothing made my skin itch. Especially since I wasn't used to clothing near my face. However, I looked like a thief, which was what I wanted.
I headed back left and passed the altar and gold-obsessed guy. I came to another area, which was full of prisons. They were made of old stone with little space inside. They were squeezed together like a large square. I ran around the perimeter, searching for Fierce Fox. I used ladders and platforms. Near the top, I found some viper skin inside of a cell. I grabbed it and descended. Fierce Fox was inside a cell at the bottom along with another guy.
I stood on the ladder on Fierce Fox's left side. I tapped the cell bars; she gazed at me with a vexed expression.
"Hey!" I whispered. "It's me, Alice! I'm gonna get you and that other guy out!" Fierce Fox's expression shifted. She nodded at me. "But I'll need your help. Above your head is some loose rubble. Hit it; it'll crumble down. Jump up there and push that wrecking ball. It'll break a wall that you want broken." Fierce Fox nodded and did such things. The cell above her head had an open door, so she was free. I raced over to the guy's side - the right side. She jumped down and joined me.
"Okay," I told her. "You'll want to stay near me." I faced the guy. "Don't worry, I'm on your side. I'm Fierce Fox's friend. We're here for the same reason: get the sultan's lamp back. I've already got some ingredients for the smoke bomb. Can you give me the recipe?"
"That I can do," the guy handed me the recipe. "Good luck." He looked like he wanted to ask something else, but Fierce Fox and I were already heading off. We came back to the altar room. The gold-obsessed guy was still there.
"I don't mean to be rude, but if he sees you…" I laughed nervously. Fierce Fox sighed.
"Go," she said. "I'll wait here."
"Don't get caught." I told her. I left her behind in the murky water, heading upwards. I passed the place where we were hiding and came to the first room. If you didn't think this room could get any easier, you're wrong. I casually climbed up the platforms, approaching a group of thieves. Nearby them was a bag full of borax. I took the whole bag and they didn't even flinch. Oh well. The chase scene at the end makes up for it.
I returned to the altar room. Fierce Fox was still at the bottom.
"I know there's not a lot to do, but I don't have another thief costume," I told her. She shrugged like she didn't care. Who are you and what have you done with Fierce Fox? I jokingly thought. "So, you're okay with…"
"Go." Fierce Fox repeated, shooing me away. I sighed and walked off, heading right to Sasha's area. I went right past her at her desk; she didn't even flinch. I came to a store room which was full of barrels and explosives. Not very safe. Suddenly, I remembered what was going to happen in a short amount of time. I took a fearful breath. I jumped up to a shelf and grabbed some gunpowder. Now I had everything I needed to make a smoke bomb.
Also in this room was a crafting table - and not the Minecraft kind. It was a simple, wooden table. I put everything I had gathered onto it. I followed the recipe, using the borax, viper skin, quicksilver and gunpowder. When it was done, I had a magic sand bomb. Basically, you could throw it on hard sand and it would become quicksand. Not particularly useful in an urban area like where I live, but for an Arabian desert? It's practically a necessity.
I threw a bomb onto a patch of hard sand near me; it turned into quicksand. I knew this move would consequence me, but I wanted to follow the story.
"What was that noise?" Sasha asked. "Who's there?" She walked over with a golden lamp. Flames were coming out of the spout. "I'll teach you to sneak around!" She threw the lamp inside the room, which, as I mentioned before, contains gunpowder. Then she slammed the door shut. Sasha was slightly crazy. I threw a sand bomb in desperation at the hard sand, but it was too late. The fire burned away my thief disguise.
"Fantastic." I muttered under my breath. "I really should've thought ahead." I threw another bomb at the sand and jumped through. I swam through the murky water. I reached the altar room and found Fierce Fox. She looked up when she saw me.
"What happened to your costume?" she asked halfheartedly.
"Sasha locked me in a room and set it on fire," I explained. "It was burned away. The good news is I have these." I held out a magic sand bomb. "They turn hard sand into quicksand. Now let's go and free that other guy."
Fierce Fox and I headed over to her cell. With my instruction, she used a sand bomb to create quicksand underneath the wrecking ball from before. It landed on a guard's head; he was knocked out clean. Meanwhile, I spoke to the guy (our ally). He told us to free him. I agreed and scooted around the edges of the cells, coming to the top cells. With the magic sand bombs, I made a few wrecking balls drop to different cells. One wrecking ball fell on a jailer's head; he dropped a key. I took it from him and freed our ally.
"Freedom at last!" he exclaimed. Fierce Fox stood behind me. "Let's get out of here." Both of them followed me to the altar room.
"Follow me, quietly." the guy said, taking the lead. Fierce Fox and I stayed behind him. He led us underneath the main platform and ducked. Naturally, we copied him. We eyed the gold-obsessed guy.
"We need to somehow distract him to get to the lamps." our new ally told us. Now it was time to be slightly cruel. I got slightly closer to the gold-obsessed guy. Some of his gold was on hard sand. I threw a magic sand bomb onto the sand; it turned into quicksand. The gold fell down and landed in the water. The gold-obsessed guy leaped down after it.
"I've lost count!" he exclaimed. "I've lost count!" He scanned the water, eventually leaving the room.
"Fine work!" our ally told me. "Let's get to the lamps."
"Right!" I said. I gave Fierce Fox a look. "Come on. I know which one it is." She nodded and followed me over to the lamp table. "Yet I know we're going to get caught."
"Why don't you stop it, then?" Fierce Fox asked, but not aggressively.
"Changing the story can be a bit daunting." I replied. We faced the lamp table. I skimmed over all of the lamps, eyeing the correct one. It was the oldest-looking lamp; its gold colour was rough. However, it was a one of its kind.
"Let's get out of here before the thieves find us!" our ally said when I showed him the lamp.
"Not so fast," Sasha and the big thief showed up. "The magical lamp is mine. Show it to me!"
"Of course, of course," our ally said calmly. "No cause for alarm." He picked up a lamp. The wrong lamp. On purpose. "I will, indeed, show you the correct lamp."
"Wait!" Fierce Fox protested. I grabbed her arm.
"Come on." I told her. I felt her muscles tense, but she ran with me. Soon, the big thief was chasing after us. We returned to the first room. This time, it wasn't so easy. Fierce Fox and I raced along the layers, the thief right behind us. He nearly grabbed me. If it wasn't for Fierce Fox, that is. She kicked him away, which really only made him flinch. I continued running, adrenaline making my heart thunder.
The thieves were rolling barrels at us, as if we were playing Donkey Kong. I leaped over them. I tripped over others. But Fierce Fox kept saving me. I didn't understand her behaviour. Why was she being so strange? She ended up getting caught by Brutus - the big guy.
"Run!" she squeaked as he dragged her away. I reached the exit. I did want to go back and save her, but sometimes things have to be sacrificed. Besides, I knew she'd be okay. I pushed a button which would bring down the exit. It did do that. However, it also brought an ambush. I was surrounded.
"I'm amazed you got past Brutus," Sasha appeared. "Looks like I have to do everything myself." She threw a bomb at me. Everything turned black.
"Well well well… isn't this a familiar scene?" Sasha asked. I was standing before the altar, holding the right lamp. Brutus, the gold-obsessed guy and the pirate thief were there too. Fierce Fox was in the background. Brutus was holding her fiercely (name pun?).
"I know what you really want, S…" I nearly said 'Sasha', which obviously isn't her real name. But I can't say or write her real name. It's that annoying. "I think it's time you got your happy ending." Sasha eyed me strangely. I placed the lamp onto the altar, fear racing through my system. The altar glowed white. Blue smoke puffed up from the lamp. Then everything darkened.