(20/03/12)
(First Chapter of 2012~ I know, in March. So long too... o.o Well. Better than nothing. x'D)
Author's Note:
-bows- I am terribly sorry for taking four whole months (Maybe even more? I lost count. :/) to update Past Repeating. School was a killer for me because it drowned me in itself. I really wanted to write but... Unfortunately, grade 11 is a drag and I really need to study hard for harder exams and to get the merit for a university admission. I'm also beginning to drive and I need to find a job. I didn't mean to take so long (It's the longest time I've ever taken to update) but I'm trying my best. I very much appreciate your patience and support. Thank you so much.
Anyways... How's it goin'? Is it just me, or is it getting colder and colder outside? o.O Bleh. I despise the cold. -wraps a long scarf around her neck and face- Mmphm. Oh, I mean... ahahaha... Here's the next chapter. ^^
I know it's been so long since I've written out a chapter again. -anime fall- I'm terribly sorry. Grade eleven is consuming more of my time each day. :/ Anyways, I still hope you like this next chapter. I had a lot of fun writing it out. ^^'
Half the reason why it took me so long to write out this chapter was because of what chapter it is. The memory in this chapter had to be written carefully. And it took me so long. I'm really sorry. But I wanted to to make sense and actually go the way that I want it to.
Again, thank you very much for all your continuing support and patience. I greatly appreciate it. Thank you.
Are dreams and nightmares the only source for memories? Can Sarah reach Ishizu in time? Will the second day of the tournament be more dangerous than the first? How will the Pharaoh and Sarah bear against Marik? Questions are piling up on top of each other. If you want to know what happens, you'll have to read. Even more Rare Hunters have recruited...
Disclaimer!: Fanfiction, and I do NOT get any money out of it either. Thanks. ^^
Battle City-New Evil Emerges, Old Friends Reunite Chapter 29
Ancient Egypt was beautiful.
Anyone who looked upon the country would realize just how true it was. Its landscape was a major contributing factor; of sand that could reach the horizon, the cheerful markets always packed with people, the many homes busy with activity, the giant pyramids towering above everything else, the luminous sun, and the enormous palace — high and mighty.
If someone were notice the pyramids, which weren't very hard to see, they would be caught in their spell of mystery and awe. If it was the Pharaoh's palace, it would be a spell of power and elegance. Ancient Egyptians have established quite a bit of architectural techniques that are said to be so complex the people of the future wouldn't be able to comprehend. Ancient Egypt was a place of magical mystery.
The most exquisite feature is the world's longest river; the River Nile. It stretched for days of travel, running clean and refreshing water from who knows where.
Ancient Egypt was indeed very beautiful, even based on all the tiny little details that were too many to list off. It was a peaceful kingdom ruled by fairness and delved in prosperity.
But then came one day when everything changed.
An evil like no other appeared from out of virtually nowhere, and it had only one thing in mind: To destroy the Pharaoh and his kingdom.
"Archers! Prepare yourselves for the next round! We must strike the enemy down before he reaches the palace gates!"
Our brave soldiers, though frightened terribly, resisted the urge to run away. The threat they were being faced with was soul-trembling, a test of ultimate courage and accountability. We were counting on their help and involvement to defeat the enemy. So with determined breaths they raised their bows, an arrow on the string at the ready. They would not abandon their posts. It was why they were in our army in the first place; they should be willing to put their life on the line for their king, And that's just what they're doing.
Priest Seto, clad in his blue and white robes, regarded their readiness with a steady gaze. Then he looked at the monster attacking the city.
He was a horrible beast, roaring loudly and shooting metres of powerful fire from his dragon mouth. He was huge and dark, towering at hundreds of feet and metres above the ground. It was as if two monsters were put into one — even though it's one being. When we merely hear of its presence we can feel this ultimate feeling of darkness creeping into our souls. As we watched him approach, a sickeningly feeling settled into our stomachs, warning us to run away while we still had the chance. He was a being darker than the night itself. He's the embodiment of pure evil, and he's terrorizing the kingdom.
Just by looking at him we can feel our bones shaking and minds spinning out of control. Who is this monster? Why is he here? What does he want? But more importantly, will he kill us to get whatever it is?
His name: Zork. His purpose: To destroy the kingdom and consume the world. The person who summoned him: The bastard, Bakura.
Anything that happened before eluded me. What mattered now was the safety of all our friends, family, and the kingdom's civilians. Horror drenched us like a foreign flood in the Nile, a horribly cold feeling that had the possibility of freezing even the warmest of hearts. He was a demon who wanted nothing but darkness to cloud the light and all he did was bring chaos to the world.
Zork has already covered the sun with the moon, blanketing the desert with a never ending darkness. The only light to see by was the enormous billows and waves of fire consuming everything in sight.
It was Hell on Earth.
But nevertheless, we stood our ground. We weren't going to let him get away with anything without a fight. We stood outside the Palace walls like another wall, ready to take a hit when necessary, but even walls grow tired and begin to limp. We've been fighting this gigantic beast for hours now and we hadn't had the chance to sit down for at least a minute's worth of breath. It was aching and hard, but we troubled ourselves to stand up and forced our minds and bodies to fight. We didn't have a choice at this point. Zork would kill us all if we didn't take a stand.
Screams echoed into the night, the last of the villagers escaping from their burning homes and into the safety of the palace courtyard. They held their children close to them as they slipped past the gates, husbands and wives in hand. Soldiers assisted the injured and old. All we can do is pray we didn't miss anyone.
Homes burned to the ground, fire half as tall as the palace gates replacing them for structures of hazy heat and burning flames. The dusty roads could be barely seen through all the smoke and fire. The houses looked just the same; flattened into mounds of dirt or destroyed into rubble. Heat from the fire was not enticing. The flames were beginning to grow near our current position. With some concentration, I sent the flames back into the direction of Zork from a mental push from my mind.
The people battling with us were the kingdom's army and whoever was left of the Pharaoh's Court. The Pharaoh and I were already there, of course.
A painful memory returned to my mind igniting more of my anger. Whoever that was left of the Pharaoh's Court... everyone except for Seto was gone. It was all Zork's fault. That monster battered them so much they couldn't handle the force. Even Isis has passed...
I couldn't grieve... not yet when we haven't lost. I refuse to let their sacrifice be in vain. I'll avenge all the innocent — even if it costs me my life.
But, right now, I need to Guard the Pharaoh. It's my first priority.
Before the Palace gates stood the soldiers, standing tall and strong, keeping form grips on their bows and arrows. Right behind them stood a handful of wooden structures. They were at least six metres high, catapults that can swing heavy rocks high and far, an effective weapon — against enemies that aren't the embodiment of evil, but they're still worth a shot. For now. In front of the attack line stood Priest Seto, clenching his Millennium Rod. Beside him stood the Pharaoh and me, trying to comprehend a strategy that will take this beast down.
Though we were all different, though we had different posts, there was a similarity no one could oversee. We all fought a long battle and helped one another. We stood tall together. We were also fighting against Zork on the same side. We fought a long and hard battle, and it seemed as though both sides were at a standstill. But we were exhausted. Everyone kept fighting with all their strength but each time we hit a break we're back to square one. We're wounded, bruised, scratched, dusty, sweaty, and tired. Zork, on the other hand, had proven himself to be quite indestructible. Every one's breathing was fast, our stance only slightly limp, but still weakened. Our bodies must ache all over, but somehow the pain had become numb. Our minds were in a whirl trying to think of ideas and strategies to defeat Zork. We kept hitting dead ends. Nonetheless, we were still standing — and breathing. We hadn't died like the others, and we weren't counting on that to happen.
I had volunteered to heal everyone, and give them more strength, but Priest Seto was against the idea. He said it was best if I didn't use up my strength for them. I was confused as to why and he said that I should conserve my energy to help the Pharaoh. Of course, the King was always on my mind and I was conscious as to know that he would need strength as well, but if there was a way to help my fellow comrades as well, then I was willing to do what was necessary. Priest Seto said not to worry about them. My shoulders suddenly felt heavy, as if more weight was put on them. Priest Seto and the rest of the Royal Army were counting on me to help the Pharaoh as much as I can before I can help them. I had agreed, a bit reluctantly, but if it was their wish, then I would have to follow.
I felt drained already and there was a hundred-storey-high devil on the loose; massive, dark, and evil. Not to mention how much awful fire Zork's dragon mouth is spewing onto the ruined city. His actual face wasn't pretty either; teeth gritted together like grinders and eyes as red as lava. He was intimidating. If someone looked this scary, how were we still standing with so much confidence? It's because this monster was threatening our city and destroying our home. We have to defend ourselves instead of cowering in his presence. We must not show fear.
We needed a huge strategy to bring this beast down, though. But what? What could we do to at least make him weaker?
Even though Zork was quite a ways away, for now, we could still feel his dark presence from all the way here. Our skin prickled with anticipation, my grip on Asima tightened.
He was coming closer and closer.
"Priest Seto," I called over my shoulder while my gaze was still on our enemy. "You know how useless arrows are against Zork. We need a new plan!"
But he stayed stubborn, determined to make his answers to our evil equation work. "We'll use all the attack power we can get. Catapults, at the ready!"
A few soldiers heaved a boulder into the cup of the catapult and tied the neck back with rope. They kept their swords ready to cut the bondage at the signal. I still went against the idea because it was useless attacking Zork with only sticks and stones. Unless they were powered up by something to make them seem more intimidating, then I would have loved to help knock and few arrows.
Gods above, I pleaded in my mind desperately. It didn't hurt to ask for help even in the middle of the battle. The assistance of the Divine Beings watching over us could be just what we needed to win. Please help us defeat this wicked beast. He has terrorized the kingdom to the point of its destruction. He has gone too far. Please, hear our combined prayers! Give us a way to defeat Zork! At least lend us a hint!
I didn't know if the Gods will answer, and even if they did, when their answer will help us. All I could do was hope for the best—and wish help arrived soon. For now, we had to continue fighting as long as we could.
I turned to the Pharaoh. "Your Highness, do you have an alternative?"
We were all secretly terrified. Why, our lives were on the line in this battle. We could die today if Zork acts faster than us.
The Pharaoh was always calm and collective, but right now, his striking crimson eyes held a mix of emotions. Along with being quite exhausted from the fighting, I could spot small hints of confusion and fright. It wasn't from being intimidated by Zork's malignant looks, but from being anxious on how to to defeat the beast. He seemed indestructible, and when things weren't going right, even leaders in the battles begin to doubt the enemy has a weakness. Many might even run away or surrender rather than face their problems head on with pride. Our current Pharaoh was doing the latter. He was strong and brave. He held his honour and stood by us, willing to keep fighting until there truly was nothing else we could do to win.
Even though our exhaustion was weighing us down, we let our determination shine through. We weren't going to surrender any time soon; it's the last thing we're willing to do. We won't surrender while we're still alive and able to protect our city and friends.
My grip on Asima tightened even more. The leather handle felt like warm metal beneath my fingertips.
"Until we can find his weakness we have to use any and all force to at least keep him behind the city and gain more time." The Pharaoh nodded in Seto's direction. "Let's start with our artillery."
With a confirmed nod, Priest Seto raised his arm, pointing his Millennium Rod at the towering Zork still trudging through the kingdom as if it were dust in his way. "Archers, take aim and fire! Catapults, the same goes for you! Let us break Zork with every step we take!"
Arrows sailed, boulders flew. Each munition was launched into the air at ripping speed with force enough to kill three human beings at once. The immense attack power that was just strategically played could have wiped out half of an army We thought there would now be at least a dent in Zork.
But as the ammunition hit its target, we can feel our breaths die in our throats. The arrows and rocks did look like pinheads against Zork's massive body. Instead of even poking him like needles, it seemed like Zork simply absorbed the attack. All the bullets had been sucked into the bullet-proof jacket that was his skin, rather than bouncing off and leaving only bruises.
We were doomed.
A loud rumbling filed our ears and shook the earth. We looked up to find Zork's cold, emotionless, blood red eyes staring down at us in an annoyed yet amused manner. And when he talked, his mouth never moved. Not even when he chuckles just now. The work of a demon.
"You fools," he bellowed deeply. His voice was deep and mechanical, full of lies and so much evil that it felt as though the darkness itself was speaking to us. In a way it was, because Zork was the embodiment of pure evil. His cold voice sent shivers up our spines.
"All your pitiful attacks are simply irritating me even further." Zork's manic red eyes glared at us scathingly, forcing us to give in to the darkness. We kept strong — though his stare felt somehow inviting. The spreading darkness was luring us into its embrace.
"Cease your poor offense and release your heart for the darkness to consume."
"Never!" we shouted in unison with such vigor and determination that the invisible darkness surrounding us retreated into the safety of Zork's shadows. He didn't stir, a brick wall convicted to stand tall and unmovable, but thanks to our refused antics he looked even more annoyed than before.
"Then prepare to die."
Spewing fire at every square foot of the city, he continued his rampage. Houses burned, the heat roaring in our ears and the smoke burning our senses. The dark sky, filled with shadowy clouds, grew even darker — if possible. Thunder boomed and lightning flashed, the effects of Zork's irritated rage. The earth vibrated beneath our feet.
I muttered a quiet spell and made the sword in my hand disappear. Then, with a grand wave of my arms, I forced the flames of fire back as if a gust of wind blew them over. They moved farther away from us and the gates, back into the direction of Zork. With another mental push from my mind, I exerted the flames over Zork, engulfing him with hot pain. He merely brushed my attempt aside as if it was nothing more than parchment in his way of painting a new world.
"My King," I called over the stress. It was a lot of mental effort to concentrate on keeping the flames away. I felt my energy gradually begin to decrease with every moment I spent using the fire Elemental Spell.
The Pharaoh tore his gaze from the army and looked my way. Priest Seto was instructing them to be ready for the next round of fire. He met my eyes; crimson to scarlet. Alert and focused, and yet we still didn't have a proper plan to follow. Zork wasn't like anything we've fought against before.
This wasn't like an enemy we're ever fought against. Zork was as strong as all our battles combined — maybe even stronger. He refused to resist and surged forward. We must do the same if we wanted to win.
"What are your orders?" I asked.
The Pharaoh thought quickly. "We must secure the safety of all civilians," he said, although we have done that already. He must feel we still have villagers trapped within the rubble. "It is our top priority. After all is set, we must attack with everything we have."
Everything... Indirectly, he's telling me I need to use as much of my Elemental Magic as I can. It's quite a big risk, but if it his wish, then so be it.
I nodded confidently. "Right."
He sent a few more of our soldiers into the blazing mayhem to locate anymore civilians who might have yet to escape or might need assistance. Holding up their arms to cover their eyes from the heat and smoke, the soldiers darted into the blaze, keeping their senses on alert for any signs of more civilians.
Priest Seto ordered another round of attack. In order to power up the attack I summoned more power from within me to control the air around us while still maintaining focus on the oncoming fire. With the new Elemental control I forced the air to become still. There was no wind. Now, there wouldn't be any turbulence for the soldiers' attack.
I nodded Priest Seto's way, just the notion he was waiting for. Nobody needed any words to communicate. We could practically read each other's mind. Reason being is because we have become quite close in the field of battle through sharing battle strategies and tactics, and attending the meetings. Being so closely related, our jobs let us examine how each of us think and how we would react to certain situations. It wasn't with just Priest Seto and me. In fact it was the same for all the Priests and Priestesses, including myself. When we're out in battle together, there isn't much time for an exchange of words most of the time. So we practiced examining and predicting what the other needed from us and then provide the necessary help to assist them with those needs. It came naturally now.
As right now: All Priest Seto needed was a nod from me and he will know that the battlefield's air is ready for his convenience — we had practiced this move once before and it became quite attainable. Since the sign has been given from me, immediately he ordered the next round of arrows to fly. They shot through the air at incredible speed — a swiftness that wouldn't have been achieved with wind battering against them. Priest Seto even ordered the catapults to go.
Thanks to my Air control from my Elemental Spells, I was able to still the air in which the arrows and boulders used as a road to Zork. If there had been wind, and if I hadn't been holding the air, then the wind would have slowed the ammunition down. They wouldn't have been hurtling towards Zork at the speed they were at right now. Because of this tactic, our attack became much stronger.
Each individual arrow and boulder flew straight at Zork, cleanly and strongly — never losing any energy but maybe gaining more. Just then, as I watched them go, I thought of another tactic we could use to make our attack even more strong.
I manipulated the control I had over the fire and focused gradually on moving bits of it onto the arrows and boulders. The heat of the flames will start to burn him from the inside once the volley penetrates his deep and purple flesh; armour-like skin. The small bits of fire I had taken from the larger one billowing about in the city burst to life on their new home.
We held our breath, hoping the dozens of arrows and boulders would finally cause some sort of damage to Zork this time. We needed this attack to work in order to at least get us started on finding a weakness for the beast.
From the distance we were standing away from Zork, we could see the arrows pierce his skin. Each poke reminded me of the hot blade used to carve into my skin to create the Seal. That was only one blade tip and it cased so much blade. I couldn't imagine what a few dozen tips boring into my skin would feel like. But I didn't have to imagine because I knew it was painful. Everyone did. We suddenly knew, watching the arrows sink into his chest, that he will feel weaker, if at all, slightly weaker. Sure, it looked almost like the scene of Master Mahad carving the Oath's Seal into my skin, but this time, no one was bounding a spell to Zork. We were trying to destroy him.
The giant roared with frustration as the arrows hit, even more so as the boulders flew into his face. But before he could get the chance to rip the arrows off his body or tip the boulders away, I released my strained hold on the larger fire and air. Instead, I began focusing on the fire I placed on each munition. With a mental push I sparked the flames and made them explode. Tiny little explosions of fire burned and bruised Zork, his chest was almost half lit with the fire. My released hold on the air fuelled the fire on his chest even more.
From all the way here, though the attack may look small, it definitely caught Zork off guard and we could see that. He staggered back. We finally made a dent. And we finally have another strategy we can use.
Maybe arrows aren't as useless as I had thought. By combining more than one strategy together, we managed to harm Zork. We were finally getting something out of this battle that's in our favour.
"Excellent work." The Pharaoh nodded our way. "We have found a weakness and an attack tactic. All we need to do now is continue to break him down — "
Suddenly, a loud and very deep chuckle rang in our ears. We watched in horror as Zork used his massive claws to brush aside the flames as if they were nothing more than a mere sheet of linen. Alright, so he was indeed hurt, but of course he was going to fight back. He wasn't going to allow himself to stay down for long. He continued his rampage over the city with only a fraction of less energy than before our successful attack. Well, half successful now because Zork wasn't completely gone yet. We made some difference but it was neither much help nor any good. We were falling behind more and more.
"You ignorant pests," bellowed Zork. His voice felt like ice; a cool malevolence that only wants to sink you lower into the ground once you've cracked through it, and leave you deep in the dark with no sense of where you are at all. "Your attacks mean nothing to me. And it seems that it is all you are able to do in the first place. Throwing pitiful sticks and stones will do you nothing but bring you one step closer to certain death. If that is not your wish, to die with the weak, then join my side. I shall reign over this world with a new era of darkness. Join me now and perhaps I will spare your lives."
The soldiers hesitated for the slightest moment. Indeed the darkness was spreading once more, trying to allure us into its embrace, but we must keep our chins held high. We could never surrender. This monster will destroy the world just as he has destroyed our city. Possibly, our lives will be spared. But is it better to be enslaved by cowardice, or die defending our city? The latter is more reasonable. We have honour and loyalty to stand for. We could not just stand back and let Zork brainwash us into following him.
The brave Pharaoh stepped forth. His kingly tunic, although dirty from the fight, was still on his back. As long as it's there, he knows that he is still in charge. He can not let his people down, especially his fellow government members and army soldiers. He also couldn't waste a perfectly good working Guardian and just give everything up. Everyone was counting on him to lead us into victory.
With a striking glare directed to Zork, he said, loud and clear, "No matter how hard he walks, no matter how loud he yells, and no matter how promising his victory seems to you... Do not give in. We shall keep fighting. We will not allow him to win! The civilians of this kingdom depend on our victory alone. Think of your family, think of your friends, and think of those whom you most care for. Let their love help keep you strong!"
Many of the soldiers had taken a moment to realize the truth while the others merely shouted in agreement already having their loved ones on mind. They raised their bows in unison and cheered, hope shining in their eyes like the once known sun. Although hidden behind dark clouds for now, we knew in our hearts that the light will never be truly gone. We just had to continue the fight even though it seemed so utterly hopeless. We were certainly on the verge of a breakthrough with our last attack. Perhaps soon Zork will finally fall.
Although my loved ones might not be in the same world as me anymore... I can still fight for them. As well as the people whom I am fighting for who are with me right now. Like our soldiers, Priest Seto, and the Pharaoh. They are my partners in battle and turning my back on them just because I give up would not be noble. We may not look like we stand a chance, what with dirt smudged on our faces, dust settled into our clothes, and burns and scratches tattooed onto every square inch of our visible skin. Our clothes had also been torn and dirtied from fighting. We may as well look like we've been battling in a sand storm. Nonetheless, when we hold up our swords, threatening to fend off our enemy, the blades glinted underneath the light of the bright flames. They were still sharp, and that sharpness reminded us that we still have something to slash them through. Presumably, we would like to thrust our swords into Zork, again and again, but because he is such a giant, we are reduced to using bows and arrows and catapults. Who said we were out of strength, though? Because of my mastering of the Elemental Spells, I could use my magic against the beast as well. Combining our armed forces with the elements should raise our chances of winning.
From simply hearing the encouraging words of our leader, we realized so many different things. Our hearts nearly swelled with hope, we stood taller than before. My loose grip on Asima tightened and the handle began to grow warm once more.
Although we felt weak and insignificant... tortured from battling Zork for as long as we did and still being able to hold up... we know in our hearts that we are still considered. Everyone fighting against Zork today is part of a great shield defending the people we love and cherish. We're protecting the children of today and tomorrow. Giving up is not an option we can consider.
The expanse of influencing darkness Zork had sent in our direction quickly diminished after sensing our growing willpower. The light in our hearts overpowered everything else, visibly discouraging Zork even further. With such a strong shield in his way, he will not be able to go past and continue his destruction.
"Batter us all you desire, Zork!" cried Priest Seto after calling for another round of fire to be at the ready. "We will not surrender to the likes of you!"
"Those are challenging words," said Zork. The pursuing darkness subsided. He had gotten even closer to us. We braced ourselves for his upcoming and noticeable wrath. "It is quite unfortunate to see such strong spirits be crushed. Especially since they are on the opposite side of true power. But you have made your decision and have become my enemy. Now I must extinguish you from existence. As soon as you are gone, your family and friends will soon join you."
"You are not going to lay a talon on our people!" shouted the Pharaoh, his elegant brows creasing forward with conviction. "Not while we are still standing!"
There was a roar. It was a deafening sound, deep and loud, vibrating in our eardrums with so much force we had to cover our ears to keep them from shattering. The roar turned into a loud rumbling. The ground beneath us began to vibrate under our feet. Everything shook.
Suddenly, we saw it. The dragon mouth on Zork's torso gradually opened, a blazing red ball of fire at the tip of its tongue, ready to burst into our stands. Power and fire intertwined. Heat washed over us like a storm's wind. The dragon-like mouth roared deep within its long throat and then launched the fireball, a hurling armament of boiling heat and burning flames flying our direction.
It's a direct hit.
Nothing stands between the attack and us.
We'll be history.
Was it all over already?
We had such high hopes... Zork couldn't possibly win!
...could he?
I threw down my sword. It evaporated into thin air. Raising my hands up at the ball of fire speeding towards us, I concentrated as much as I could. I focused so hard on this one thing that I felt my finger tips grow hot and my blood began to rush to my head. Everything grew quiet around me. The cries of shock the soldiers emitted faded away into the background fuzz, a noise that was there but I couldn't hear. I felt nothing but the strain of my muscles and the beating of my fast heart against my rib cage. I tasted nothing but the metallic tang of my own blood from biting my lip in concentration. I felt the heat from the fire attack rush through my linen dress and wash over my skin, prickling pins probing me, trying to break me.
My senses ran wild.
This was how I always felt whenever I tried controlling the elements. Especially in such dangerous circumstances. And with as much concentration as I am forced to use against such a powerful attack.
"We will all be killed!" cried a soldier.
Priest Seto noticed my focused stance and raised an arm for order before a panic could arise. "Hold your ground!" he shouted over the roaring of the flames. "We have nothing to fear. Especially the beast of all evil."
Although the soldiers were still frightened by the sight of the attack, they watched helplessly as it grew closer. The Pharaoh blinked my way, unsure of what I was going to do.
Yes, at these critical moments, everything seems to slow down. We become more aware at the last moment—when our lives are finally being counted for the stakes.
I was vaguely aware of Zork chuckling darkly at our pitiful defense.
I locked my feet in place and let the gigantic ball of fire hit my hands like a thousand coals of fire.
It stopped moving.
Everything grew silent, say for the flickering flames surrounding our force.
What I held against my palms was a massive ball of flame that would have blown us away had I not been able to control the elements.
I felt my energy draining instantly, and it continued to drop, but it was worth it.
For the attack was stopped.
Zork stared at us in complete and utter shock. "This can't be..." he said deniably. "The Guardian has stopped my attack? But you are a mere person. You couldn't possibly have stopped such a powerful charge!"
He was right. It was very powerful. It was taking me everything I had just to stop the impact of the attack. And it took even more of my energy just to keep it up. Fire attacks like this one have a lot of energy in them. They're made to explode on impact for maximum damage and the tension between each flame is extremely high. It took a lot of my strength to contain all that tension. I felt my body begin to shake, just as it happens when someone carries a lot more weight than they can handle. Sweat began to bead on my forehead. I strained against my collapsing muscles to hold the attack in place for more time.
"Amira..." The Pharaoh blinked at me from both shock and concern. Never had I tried to control this much fire at once before. I had personally thought that I would have a limit. But I realized now that as long as I know what I'm fighting for, I can exceed my standards and best.
"Stay... back..." I managed to say. I almost felt the mass of fire slip from my mental grasp. Quickly, I held it back in place.
The Pharaoh nodded, sensing that the strain was fierce. He looked back up Zork and glared mercilessly. "You say that my Guardian wouldn't have been able to handle such a difficult attack, but as you can see now... she has done even more. She is literally holding your attack and is now ready to use it against you!"
Reading his mind, I summoned more of my energy and poured it into the fire in my palms. All of a sudden, every flame in my hold shot into the night sky zooming through the air like long arrows made purely from fire. In the middle of their path, they spiraled into each other creating a massive arrow with the thickness of five Palace columns put together. It darted at Zork, blasting straight into his chest on impact. The recoil sent him staggering back a few paces which would have been twenty or more of our own. He groaned and stomped heavily to regain his balance. His movements became much slower than before, so when he was stepping out to maintain position, he couldn't move fast enough. His colossal weight brought him down, crumbling the earth under his collapse. The ground vibrated underneath our feet. Dust blew up around his fallen figure. Another wild groan was heard but he made no move to stand back up.
The fire enveloping our city roared in our ears. Its heat singeing dust into charcoal powder. Rubble was higher than Zork now.
Everyone stood in immediate silence, troubled by what had happened. We were on the defensive. How was it that Zork had finally fallen down?
…
Had we... Had we defeated the embodiment of evil?
Was his falling the end of all terror?
Were we saved?
The intense release of all that energy left me light headed. It was a miracle that I was still standing. Was I still standing in the first place? I didn't even know. My mind was in such a whirl that I couldn't tell up from down.
All I could see was Zork lying flat on his back. His monstrous body a deep purple shadow against the glowing city of fire. The dragon neck and head on his abdomen was unresponsive.
My breath came and went deeply yet quickly. My hands felt numb from so much heat. Lips dry, I licked them, finding my tongue moving slowly.
I couldn't believe it.
We brought Zork down.
The soldiers around us broke into loud cheers.
Priest Seto came up behind me. "Well done, Amira. I hadn't had the slightest idea you could withstand such a brutal offensive attack. Looks like you proved me wrong. But I wouldn't hold it over my head if I were you."
His last comment would have made me laugh, but I felt that my chest hurt.
The Pharaoh was at my shoulder now, holding it with a hand and giving me a slight smile. Relief flooded his crimson eyes. I found my own scarlet orbs trailing from Zork to him. My vision was blurred.
"Amira, that was simply amazing," he said. "Your Fire Elemental Spell saved us all."
I wanted to tell him that we defeated Zork together, as a team, with the help of Priest Seto and the soldiers of our army. But I found my voice nowhere. The loss of strength finally caught up to me and I staggered in his grip which tightened at the sight of me leaning forward. I fell to one knee anyway, losing my breath in the process. Vaguely, I began to feel my heart beat again, as well. It was racing against my rib cage.
"Amira!" The Pharaoh looked at a nearby soldier who had stopped cheering for Zork's defeat when he saw my weakened form. "Bring me a Healing Elixir from the Palace at once. They are in the right hall after you enter the front doors. Hurry!"
The soldier nodded and quickly did as he was told. He ran into the direction of the Palace, taking another curious soldier with him for back up.
"Amira, stay conscious. The Elixir is on its way."
My vision continued to blur. The Pharaoh's voice grew farther and farther away. My heart was beating restlessly, struggling to contain the oxygen I was quickly breathing in. I felt no difference in my lowered strength, except for it dissipating a bit more, maybe. The Pharaoh's hands were on both my shoulders now, as he kneeled in front of me, trying to keep me on one knee rather than allowing me to collide with the floor. We waited for the soldiers to come back with the Healing Elixir.
I would have been celebrating the end of Zork with everyone else, but when my strength left me after attacking, I couldn't even properly register the fact that the beast lying in a pool if his own fire was Zork himself. He was a hundred times stronger than we were. Our attacks were practically useless and we were at the brink of despair. All hope was nearly lost, but when Zork attacked us, hope was all gone. Every bit of it, from each of our hearts. But I saw the potential for there being a way to counter. So I used Zork's attack against him. And I suppose all that was needed to bring him down was his own attack.
I was in the moment, feeling a sensation of utter disregard to my state when I was holding Zork's fire attack within my own palms. Without caring for what could have happened to me if I continued, I even threw his attack back at him. Having my energy draining while controlling fire was like having my soul ripped in half. Controlling the elements is no easy task. That is why they are the most hardest spells to master. They require the utmost concentration to handle, hold, move, and completely control. It is also why I chose to master them in the first place. They are the strongest spells, and the stronger the magic I have in my possession, the more I can properly protect the Pharaoh.
Leaning on one knee, I could still see the attack hitting Zork in my mind, unable to forget what I had done. What had caused my decreased strength. The tension in the giant ball of fire was released when I mentally forced it to shoot from my hands. I remembered the giant wave of burning flames surging to Zork's chest, exploding on impact. The fire bloomed into his face and neck, burning the flesh on his chest and abdomen. It even scarred the serpent-headed appendage on his stomach, blinding it with fierce heat. Their roars collided with one another, creating a bellow so blaring and raucous it was the Gods' wish that we could still hear. The explosion caused enough force to push Zork down. And now, he lay on the ground, hopefully motionless.
What was needed for his downfall was his own attack.
It was still very hard to believe that such an evil entity is defeated with simply one of his own offensive manouvers. In the back of my mind, I had this instinctive feeling that perhaps it was sheer luck he fell. Maybe soon, he'll come back to life and begin his rampage all over again.
Of course I couldn't be sure, because at the moment, I couldn't even register the fact that the Pharaoh was pressing a clay bottle to my lips. Who knows what else might happen?
"Amira, drink the Elixir," he ordered. The cold rim of the small cruet lay gently at the edge of my mouth. He urged me to open my mouth with another press and my dry lips parted on their own without permission from my brain. The Pharaoh held the back of my head with one hand while he used the other to tip the colouress liquid down my throat. It was cool against my burning insides, washing away stress and pain. In no time, I felt my heart slow down to regular speed, and my lungs began to inhale and exhale air with more normality. The blood in my body began to cool. My hands weren't numb anymore, but the numbness was replaced with a slight throbbing.
Suddenly, the blurriness in my vision disappeared. My senses cleared up, and once I blinked, I could see the Pharaoh's vivid crimson eyes staring with concern into my own. A clay bottle sat momentarily forgotten next to my knee and two soldiers looked over with slight worry as well. For a moment, I wondered if I had even attacked back.
"Pharaoh...?" I managed to say. I blinked in his direction.
The king of Egypt looked relieved. "Stay put for a moment," he stated simply. "Let your strength regain itself."
I nodded as he stood up. He told the two soldiers to stay by my side and then turned to the rest of the army, who was listening to Priest Seto's warning.
"We can not celebrate further," he was telling the soldiers. "The other men have not returned with more villagers. We shall have to wait for them."
A soldier stepped forward. "How do we even know that there are more villagers still in the broken city to look for?" he asked. "This question should have been answered before any of our men had left in the first place."
"What you say is reasonable, but a few villagers had asked us to help their loved ones who were caught in the fire before they entered the safety of the Palace yard," said the Pharaoh. The soldier nodded.
Suddenly, as if on cue, shouts could be heard from within the billowing flames to the left. Everyone turned to its direction and spotted dark figures emerging from behind the walls of broken homes, the flames burning beside them. The handful of soldiers who had gone in a while ago now came forth helping parts of lost families, family members the other half would love to be with once again. There were scratches and burns every few inches on their uncovered skin, but it was merely painful and not life threatening. A mother held her baby close to her chest in her arms, shielding him from the fires but without so much pressure so as not to hurt him. One of the soldiers held a young girl close to protect her from the fire as well. An adult son helped his aging father through the flames, making sure he stepped carefully over rubble.
"Look!" cried the soldier next to me. "They have returned with more villagers!"
"Quickly, now," ordered the Pharaoh briskly. He was concerned and wanted the wounded to be treated instantly. "Take them to the other villagers. The rest of you, open the doors."
Without wasting another second, a few of other men from out army put down their weapons to go help. The soldiers who had come out of the fire were visibly exhausted and sweating fiercely, able to still bring the innocent civilians to safety. They helped the frightened villagers towards the Palace doors.
I returned to my feet, feeling better already. The Elixir I was given was a potion that could heal the person taking it in less than a handful of minutes. It also takes a year to create. It is why we keep the Elixirs in the Palace, safely guarded, rather than in the separate building for the magicians. We keep them in the Palace because they are very rare and because they may be needed in emergencies. Such as right now.
With my strength regaining, my thoughts became more clear. I remembered Zork falling. Now, as I watched the other soldiers take the found civilians into the safety of the Palace courtyard, I thought about what Zork's defeat meant to us. Not only will the world be spared from an evil entity who threatened to destroy each life on our world, but we will also defeat every evil possibly imagined. Because Zork was an evil entity, the source of all evil and its carrying shadows. If he is gone... so is everything else that is cruel.
The civilians were brought into the safety of the Palace while the rest of the army, Priest Seto, the Pharaoh, and I stayed back. We watched the flickering wall of flames surrounding our once known city, swallowing everything in site. The flames licked Zork's body, ready to swallow him whole.
A sense of utter relief filled me. It almost made me lose my balance but I caught myself in time. This was the war to end all wars... We were so grateful that is was now over.
The Pharaoh looked on, a hazy orange from the flames reflecting in his crimson eyes. He turned his gaze to me and returned my solemn glance with a stern nod. "Finally..." he said, and for once, he sounded exhausted.
I nodded. "It was very difficult, indeed," I said. Walking over to his highness, I instinctively brushed away the golden bangs that were covering his striking eyes. Up close, he looked visibly exhausted and dirtied from fighting. I bet I looked no different. "I am glad you have not been hurt though."
"Oh, please, Amira..." the Pharaoh smirked lightly, despite his clouding fatigue. "I know what I am doing. You do not need to baby me."
"I am not babying you... " I said, blinking at his informality. Though it has been getting easier to be with each other, the Pharaoh and I were only getting used to the idea of that being okay, even though we have been friends for a long while now. Subconsciously, I brushed his shoulders free of dirt as well.
The Pharaoh's smirk fell into a soft smile. He petted my hand with his own and then moved it away from his shoulder, cradling it in his fingers. I found myself blushing.
"Says the one who is trying to clean me up as much as they could," he said smoothly.
Once again, the slight blush appeared on my face. I tried to look unfazed. "Well... You had some dust on your clothes. It was irritating me."
The Pharaoh's face held a brief smile, comfortable with my concern. "Says you," he said, poking me lightly on the nose. I found my face burning again, as if the fire was getting to me. Our city was in the midst of Hell and all we could was wonder if the other was all right. Our citizens were hidden safely behind the grand doors of the Palace, but some still perished. As if we didn't want the other to die... we couldn't help but stay in our little moment with just each other.
"You're just as dirty as I am."
I wanted to laugh.
I wanted to see his smile.
I wanted the city to stop burning.
I wanted the rumbling below my feet to stop.
But it wouldn't.
Nothing happened.
The flames surrounding Zork's fallen body exploded into an enormous cloud, flying into the air and falling in pieces everywhere.
Happy soldiers looked on grimly.
Priest Seto's face darkened.
I felt my heart stop and my eyes widen.
Zork... was back on his feet.
And he looked very angry.
"The beast didn't die!" exclaimed a nearby soldier. "He must have been knocked unconscious with Amira's attack. But it didn't kill him!"
His words rang in my ears as I continued to stare in utter shock and disbelief at the embodiment of evil now regaining his footing. Hyperventilating wasn't an option, I've learned to deal with it, but I did feel my breath shorten in horror.
I couldn't believe it... the beast who we were trying to kill and thought we did kill... was back.
Zork began his wild rampage all over again.
The never ending rumbling under my feet was the echoing sound of his laughter; his horrid, tormenting laughter. He mocked us. He degraded us. He wouldn't give up until he killed us.
This monster was unstoppable.
Not even his own attack reflected back at him worked...
What else in Ra's name did we have left?
"You simple fools..." he bellowed with ease. "Your dull attack has brought you absolutely nowhere. I had given you a choice to be a being of darkness or to surrender and be killed but now... I will make that decision for you.
"Perish with every other citizen of your damned country."
The serpent appendage reeled its head back, opening its fang-filled mouth as wide as it can go. A burst of hot flames bloomed uncontrollably from within its throat. That sudden spark of energy suddenly seemed far more superior than the fire engulfing our city.
Priest Seto noticed Zork readying his attack. We had absolutely no time to think about how he could have survived and what he might be willing to do now. Zork was far angrier now than before. We had to be prepared for everything.
"Hold your ground, men!" shouted Priest Seto over the roaring of the flames. The soldiers grabbed their weapons and stood in battle stance. No longer did frightened expressions show on their faces like at the beginning of this war. They now held courage within their hearts after finally realizing just how important their army is to the Pharaoh and Court. I could always use some back up at times as well. They were fighting for their country and kingdom. We were fighting for our country and kingdom. We had to stand together or this fight would be meaningless whether we lost or won.
The new fireball grew to the size of a boulder - and it was still expanding. It was a whirling mass of fire and heat, fast-moving particles capable of spontaneous combustion. Zork seemed lighter and more agile than the force of his own attack.
The fire attack now looked even stronger than the one he had before. I felt my arms go numb and I nearly dropped Asima to my side. I just couldn't fathom how much bigger that ball of fire was becoming.
We heard a deafening roar and the enormous ball of fire shot out of the serpent's mouth and sped our way, seemingly as fast as the speed of fire igniting on parchment.
"Everyone, prepare yourself!" shouted the Pharaoh. "If this truly is the end, then we will not die without facing this head on!"
We prepared ourselves, but I knew what was being expected. I had to repel this attack back at Zork once more. I stood with my palms out, ready to catch the attack as it came.
The gigantic mass of flame was hurtling with great speed.
It looked as though it was growing larger as it made its progress towards us.
I couldn't let it hit.
But... in the back of my mind, a small and urgent voice was telling me that this attack was different than the last. I wouldn't be able to control it. It was too much power.
I listened to that voice, although I didn't want to. I wanted to keep fighting and hoping that I will be able to catch this attack but sometimes when you realize your limits, and decide to play within them, it's much wiser. You won't end up regretting your decisions later on.
So as I the attack grew closer, I watched it with agonizing horror. If I didn't move away, it would put me on Death's doorstep. However, if I simply stepped to the left, the rest of the kingdom would shatter.
With thoughts like these, I easily came up with a solution.
I dropped my hands, turned around, and pushed the Pharaoh to the floor, creating a powerful shield right behind me.
The Pharaoh had only a moment to realize what had happened. He found my hands and arms cradling his head protectively against neck and my body right on top of his. My sword lay forgotten next to our fallen forms. After that one moment, the Pharaoh realized something more. If my shield were to drop or crumble I would be charred to a crisp while he would lay perfectly fine.
The warriors looked on with shock. Priest Seto had thought I had given up, but he noticed the shield and my protective hold on the Pharaoh.
My act meant one thing and one thing only.
We couldn't survive this attack with just my elemental powers.
We needed the gods' help.
Combining all the power in our hearts, we sent out a single prayer, hoping it would reach the divine beings above in time for them to send us some help, should they choose to help us.
We hoped it would reach them.
We needed their help now more than ever.
Would they even help us?
The shield still up, we braced for the attack.
With a destructive crash, the massive fireball collided with the shield, exploding into a firework display of sparks and heat. For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
The compelling force was barely held back by my shield spell. I was straining not to let it drop. So much energy poured out of the shield, trying to at least match the energy explosion of the fire to counter it. There was barely enough power, but for how much longer?
Zork's attack was furious. It's explosion was hard and long, drowning me in power. While I shielded the Pharaoh, I felt my newly restored energy depleting rapidly. Sweat beaded across my forehead, the linen dress seemed tight against my skin, my breathing was sharp and quick, my vision was blurring, and I could feel my brain beginning to melt inside my head. Not literally... but the mental power and strain was so much my head ache nearly exploded.
When the flames rained down on the shield, steaming into air from contact, I finally dropped it.
I was nearly unconscious all over again. But this time, it was much worse.
The Pharaoh quickly grabbed my shoulders so I wouldn't fall onto his chest from utter exhaustion. His usually striking crimson eyes were now dominated with shadows, concern grasping them.
"Amira!"
My vision clouded over from pain, I looked down at him through half-lidded eyes, ready to fall asleep right then and there and never wake up. But the sudden tension I could see in the Pharaoh's face stopped me. With every cell in my body, I forced myself to stay up. The palms of my hands dug into the sand on either side of his neck, straining against my growing fatigue to keep me hovering above him. Every one of my muscles were tight with ache. My bones trembled.
I was the centre of pain today.
The Pharaoh looked up at my face. I returned his gaze.
Reassuringly, I tried to give him a smile, but it was broken like the hope inside my heart. "I'm... fine..." I had somehow managed to say, but we all knew that my reassurance was faillure at this point. Nothing was going right. We were weak while Zork continued to mock our despair. The whole world will be his, just like he wanted. We tried fighting back, but he was too strong.
This... just could be the end.
For everyone.
Zork continued to laugh at our misery, chuckling darkness into the air like a poison gas. "You can not defeat me," he bellowed repulsively. "I am the one to create the Shadow Realm. I am the Shadow Realm. Pure power runs through my veins, and regardless where it came from, I am still unstoppable.
"Your foolish attacks may have seemed to hurt me, but they have only stalled your inevitable destruction. Soon, every one of you will be trapped in the darkness for all eternity!"
We watched with bottomless agony as the serpent appendage attached to Zork began producing another fireball. In the current state I was in, I could barely keep my eyes open. There was no way I would be able to shield everyone again.
What was worse... Everyone already knew that.
I saw the Pharaoh's eyes grow slightly dark. Blinking, I asked him what was wrong, despite the fact that we were going to be killed.
I suppose it was this vague feeling of our death being Destiny. We were meant to die with everyone else, and so in the backs of our mind, even though we were frightened of death like any other human being, we were actually waiting for the attack. Its impact was now very critical. If it was our Destiny to fall and let Zork rise, then we should follow through with it. Destiny... has her reasons.
And so, we were ready to take it.
The Pharaoh slowly blinked up at me, returning from a moment of reverie. I suddenly felt very bad for him. He was Pharaoh for only a short period of time. He was having a bit of a hard time trying to register the fact that we were going to die.
"I let everyone down..."
I was surprised to hear those words. Looking down at the Pharaoh's face, I could see despair deep within his eyes - along with something else. But what caught my attention was the sadness. I held his hand.
"You have not let anyone was not your fault... your Highness..." I tried to explain. "You did your best to lead us into victory and you did everything you could. At times... giving up is an option."
He shook his head, which confused me even more.
"I have indeed tried everything that I could..." he said. "but, I have let everyone down..."
Higher then the storm of smoke and flame, my confusion of his words rose.
"What do you mean..."
"Amira." He held my shoulders tightly. I blinked again. "I know the way to stop him."
I nearly gasped, but my weak state wouldn't let me. "Really? But... but how?"
"Trust me," he said. And I saw fear clouding his eyes. I was suddenly very worried.
Fear of my own clutched my heart. He rose to his feet, picking me up with him. I looked up into his face. He gave me a brave smile, but I know that he knew that I would see right through it. Whatever he had planned... it terrified him. But he claims he has no choice.
Holding me against him for support, he turned around, obscuring the soldiers' vision of the growing fireball in the mouth of the serpent appendage. Priest Seto looked away as well. The fire, the smoke, the destruction... it was already done... But we had to look ahead of that.
"I have merely one thing to say..." said the Pharaoh. His voice nearly fell at the end. By then, all of us knew there was something gravely wrong. The Pharaoh wouldn't tell us what though.
"I am very grateful to have had fought with such brave soldiers. You are the strongest army of all. Thank you."
The soldiers looked amongst themselves, all covered in scars, wounds, and dirt. Then they looked at each other. Although rough times were countless, they had still not given up. Now, they looked at their Pharaoh, listening to his words of end.
"Your courage and bravery were shown tonight. You can do anything if you set your minds to it. Do not give up. I take it you will not, in the future?"
"No, your highness," they said in unison.
He nodded. Then the Pharaoh looked at Priest Seto. "Out of all the other Court members... you have survived, Seto, my cousin."
Priest Seto straightened his back. "I, personally, could not let you fight alone," he said. It was the relative closeness between the two. Seto's father was the brother of the Pharaoh's father. They were cousins. Sometimes, they seemed like brothers.
"Thank you for standing by my side."
Then he looked at me, holding me up by the shoulders, noticing my weak legs which were unable to hold me up anymore. I gazed back at him tiredly, but still able to comprehend what it was he was about to tell me. I was simply preparing myself for the worst.
All he did was smile softly at him, but his eyes were sad. I knew what was coming. I didn't know how but... I figured it out before he could tell me. I found my eyes stinging again. Regardless of his attempt at reassuring me with one last smile, I still felt tears forming.
"Thank you, Amira..." he said. "for being my Guardian and my friend."
I shook my head, words dying on my tongue. I wanted to tell him that he shouldn't be saying that. I wanted to tell him that we will always fight together; it was Destiny. Without another word, he placed me in the arms of a nearby soldier.
"Pharaoh-" I quickly grabbed his hand. A tear fell down my cheek. "Please... whatever you're about to do, don't do it, please..."
I had always been strong for him. For everyone because that was my job. I was supposed to be strong to be able to fight by the Pharaoh's side. No one had seen me tearing up before. All they remember was my confident stature. Only the Pharaoh has seen me cry. Twice now. And this time, he's the one causing it.
With another small smile, trying to reassure me again, he held the side of my face. "I know... you have lost your family before... I know that feeling all too well." I looked down, ashamed to be feeling so weak when he was in the same position but was able to hold it together. He brought my chin into his hand and made me look up into his face.
"Though such pain lives within your heart, you can not allow yourself to break," he said softly.
"But you and I are friends," I said, tightening my grip on his hand. "You can't... I don't know what you're going to do, but you can't do it..."
I felt the pain I saw in his eyes. His fingers grasped mine. "I do not want to lose that friendship either, believe me, Amira..." he said. "But as a Pharaoh, I have responsibilities."
I didn't want to believe it, that he would go. I didn't want to. But... deep within my heart, I knew that he was right. I couldn't keep him from his duty as King of Egypt.
"Let me... let me at least Guard you... please..."
The Pharaoh slowly shook his head, and I grew colder each second, despite the heat coming off from the flames. "Not even my own Guardian can save me from this sacrifice."
My blood ran as cold as ice. He slipped his hand out of mine and soon I was clenching air. I couldn't speak. His words rang in my ears. 'That can't be...' I thought.
Before I could say that I didn't want to lose him, he stepped away from me. I tried to follow after him, but the soldier held me back. I couldn't win because I was already drained.
I could only watch helplessly as the Pharaoh walked closer to Zork, the embodiment of evil was right on our doorstep. Fatigue was erased from my system. All I could feel was the adrenaline of ultimate despair. And there was nothing I could do to stop him.
Absolutely nothing.
He stopped at a nearby pile of rubble and unhooked the Millennium Ring from a piece of rock. It had fallen there after Zork appeared. What he could possibly need it for, no one knew.
Here we were, on the edge of a fallen war. Which side will win, we didn't know.
All we know is that the end will be dreadful.
Hastily, I looked towards Priest Seto. He looked on, painfully.
"You had told me not to let anything happen to him!"
The powerful priest momentarily looked down before returning my teary gaze with his own solemn one. "Sometimes, you will have to betray your orders for the greater good."
I could no longer feel the warmth of the Pharaoh's hand anymore, which was still lingering on my skin before the moment he turned away. I felt utterly cold. I was going to lose someone else.
I didn't want that to happen... I couldn't just let it...
But... he's made up his mind...
All I could do as a friend now was... was to support his decision.
But was I selfish if a part of me still didn't want him to go through with it?
Wishing that I could have had at least one more day with the Pharaoh, I watched on as our king stood up to Zork. Though he was being very noble and brave, we could sense his fear and sadness from all the way here.
"Well, well. What have we here?" Zork leered at us. "Come to forfeit yourselves? I see how it is. You do not wish to see your city in ruins by my hands!"
"You're wrong, Zork!" shouted the Pharaoh. "We shall never forfeit to the likes of you! We have simply come up with another way to stop you, once and for all!"
"Hmm? Oh then, this should be interesting. Giving up would have been much easier."
"But then we would not have won."
"..."
This was it. Whatever the Pharaoh had planned now, would settle the outcome in this battle.
With silent words, forgetting everything around him, he said it.
"Gods of Egypt!" he cried, raising his arms from his sides. "I am willing to sacrifice myself to imprison Zork! Please, guide me!"
He placed his hands around the Millennium Puzzle, not yet holding it but having it still be within his grasp Suddenly, he spoke words which made me gasp.
ḥtp dỉ nsw wsỉr nb ḏdw, nṯr ˁȝ, nb ȝbḏw
dỉ=f prt-ḫrw t ḥnqt, kȝw ȝpdw, šs mnḥt ḫt nbt nfrt wˁbt ˁnḫt nṯr ỉm
n kȝ n ỉmȝḫy s-n-wsrt, mȝˁ-ḫrw
"An offering given by the king to Osiris, the lord of Busiris, the great god, the lord of Abydos."
"That he may give a voice-offering of life."
"For the ka of the revered all whom we have lost."
Every one's hearts stopped at once.
The Pharaoh was offering himself to the gods so they could banish Zork.
He kept chanting those words. It was a never-ending rhythm. He wasn't going to stop until Zork was gone. Words that I never thought I would hear were ringing in my ears.
My heart clenched.
My eyes widened.
This was no ordinary end...
The Pharaoh was...
I couldn't even think of it.
Zork growled at the Pharaoh. A light suddenly appeared from the Eye of Horus on the Pharaoh's Millennium Puzzle. Each second he continued to chant, the light grew brighter and brighter. Zork began to realize just what was going on. He stepped back once from pure shock.
The Pharaoh didn't even draw a breath and he had already chanted twice. Suddenly, the light of the Millennium Puzzle withdrew from within itself and shot for the Pharaoh's heart. His voice suddenly held pain.
We could tell he was feeling some sort of hurt, but the Oath's Seal wouldn't trigger it to me. I couldn't understand — but then I figured it out. He doesn't want me to feel his pain. So, he's willed it to be turned off.
Then he held up the Millennium Ring. A burst of pure white light blasted from within it as well, but this time, it shot for Zork.
We could feel the darkness within pounding, trying to escape the clutches of the light. The Pharaoh was giving himself up rather than fighting back. It was what he wanted. It must feel horrible though, because he nearly allowed a scream to escape from his moving lips.
Sacrificing... himself so that we could all live...
As he continued to chant, the beam of light continued to grow, both streams glowing as brightly as ever. The Pharaoh was glaring at Zork, ignoring everything else, concentrating intensely on what he was trying to accomplish.
Suddenly, the Pharaoh said the chant one last time — before the light became blinding. We had to cover our eyes.
My eyes were shut tight but the waterfall of tears still rained down.
My last wish. Just escaped.
"PHARAOH!"
We were numb.
Before the light swallowed both beings at once, the Pharaoh screamed one last thing.
"ATEM!"
And all... became silent.
Author's Note (Casual): … What a scary chapter. o.o Never thought I would write something like this. I suppose I'm wrong. ^^; Hope you enjoyed the chapter as much as i enjoyed writing it. It was a lot of fun torturing the characters. xD
… Just kidding. I cried. Q^Q
Reviews are very much appreciated!
Wow... So this was how it all ended... :/
Pretty sad...
I apologize for any grammatical and/or spelling errors. Thank you. :)
Author's Note (Formal): Once again, I truly am very sorry that it took me so long to put up this one chapter. A four month delay? Unacceptable. But I hadn't meant to take so long in updating. Grade 11 is a hard year. I have been going through quite of bit things like any other teen and it's been driving me insane. On top of that I have priorities that... unfortunately... take more of my time. And they're also more important. I'm trying to come up with a plan for my last year in high school, moving out, university. These are life changing things and I want to do them right.
Thank you so much.
Not just for reading this note, but for everything.
You as readers of my fan fictions supported me so much and I greatly, greatly appreciate it. It means the world to me. I really do hope you know that I thank you a lot.
I'm not giving up on this story. No way. One day, I'll finish it. And then become a writer of my own material. But for now, I'm going to go on with life the way it's thrown at me and along the way, I'll continue writing this fan fiction.
Thank you so much.
I hope you enjoy the rest of my fan fiction - when I'm able to upload it.
~*Summary of the chapter*~: In this chapter... I had decided to make Sarah dream. In the last chapter she was talking to Yugi and Yami about Marik and what happened in their duel against Arkana. She fell asleep and this was her dream. She was reminiscing how life was in Ancient Egypt. She remembers her memories in more detail through her dreams at night. I wanted to show you guys what had happened back then. This chapter therefore required lots of detail. That's partially why it took me so long to upload as well. I was trying to get this chapter to make sense and actually work with everything I had planned. I hope you were able to read it with ease, and I really do hope that it makes sense for you. I also hope that the details are good enough for such a large concept. ^^; The rest of her dream will continue in the next chapter.
Revisions: I'm also trying my very best to rewrite some of my earliest chapters in Duelist Kingdom. It's going to take a while then as well...
I hope you enjoyed this chapter~
I apologize for any grammatical and/or spelling errors. Thank you. :)
-gasp!-
GUESS WHAT! GUESS WHAT!
I now have a Facebook page made for my fan fiction! =D It's mainly for my plans on updating my fan fiction. And it's going to have a bunch of other stuff. Check it out if you'd like! And if you'd like to follow it, "like" the page! Thank you. =)
In the Facebook search bar, type in "Yu-Gi-Oh! Past Repeating" and you will find my page with ease. =)
Thanks again! =D