Chapter 17
I sighed and looked out at the setting sun, hoping to whatever deities were up there that I would find a way out of this mess. I was now suspended in the air in the room above the hourglass room that I remembered only too well. To tell you the truth, I was afraid. I knew what was about to happen. If I didn't find a way out of this thing soon, then all the events in the game would come to pass right in front of me and I would be helpless to do anything about it.
"So you're the little bird that keeps trying to get in the way!" an all too familiar voice spoke out. I turned to see that dress wearing old fart standing there, grinning smugly. I lost it.
"WHAT IS YOUR MALFUNCTION, YOU GREASY, SNAKE-IN-THE-GRASS OLD GEEZER?" I screamed, "YOU GOT ONE FOOT IN THE GRAVE AS IT IS, SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST DIE OFF AND LEAVE THE REST OF THE WORLD ALONE ALREADY?"
"My, such a tongue!" He chuckled like he does, which only succeeded in pissing me off even more. "Well, since you're here, I have a small proposition for you." I snorted. Like I didn't already know what he wanted. "If you will go and retrieve the dagger for me, then I will give you power." Oh, he is just so predictable. "Think about it. Eternal life can be yours!" I only looked at him, my eyes narrowed in disgust.
"Yeah, um, in case you ain't noticed, Gooberts, I'm a freaking angel! I've already got all the power I'll ever need or want! Besides, even if I wasn't, you're asking me to betray my companions! The only two whom I would trust with my life!" I got onto my knees the best I could. "I may not be the strongest person in the world, or the smartest, or the bravest, but at least I know where my loyalties lay! They lay with the Prince of Persia and the Princess of India, and I wouldn't betray them for anything!
"Unlike you. You're just a stupid, backstabbing old fart whose about to die off anyway, and is making one last ditch attempt to cling to what feeble life you have left, and you're so desperate to get it that you don't care who you hurt in the process! All this pain and suffering just because you want to live forever! Do you even know how much pain you've inflicted on innocent people? Do you even care? No, I didn't think so. That's cruel you know that? It's cruel and inhuman!"
"You don't understand!" he snapped, "Power is everything! And with the eternal life I will receive from that dagger, I will be able to reshape the world!"
"Reshape it into what, exactly? If there is nothing left of it and no one alive to enjoy it, what do you expect to do with it? Turn it into a hat?"
"You stupid girl!" he exclaimed, raising his staff threateningly. Yeah, oh, I'm so scared! Yeah right!
"The entire world has gone to ruin because of you! Everyone has all become a mindless, bloodthirsty zombie! And you don't even care! All you care about is your precious immortality! Well, let me ask you something! If you're going to live forever, just what the hell to you expect to do when the earth itself dies? Everything with a beginning has an end! Why can't you seem to understand that? You're not just corrupt, Zervan! You're stupid!" That did it. He growled furiously through his teeth, clutching his staff with one hand. For a moment I thought he would cast a spell that would kill me. But no, instead, he just looked away, then back and the smug grin was back.
"Very well. If that is how you see it… you can just stay here for the rest of your miserable life!" he declared, sounding oh-so-proud of himself. I folded my arms stubbornly.
"Fine with me! I'd rather hang here and starve to death that agree to anything from your mouth!" He didn't reply this time, but just left, flashing me one last smirk before leaving me alone.
I wasn't kept waiting much longer before Farah appeared on the scene. But of course, with her arrival came Sand Monsters. Not small ones, either. All big ones with big ass swords.
"Farah, look out!" I warned, staring helplessly out over the battle as she struggled to defend herself. She was doing a really bad job of it, though. I was helpless. I couldn't even get my swords out because the net was too tight. All I could do was watch and shout warnings, with one small sliver of hope that I would be able to keep her from what awaited her…
She quickly locked swords with one of the monsters and used all the strength she had to push against him, but to no avail. The thing shoved her back, where she landed hard on the ground. I was almost certain she was done for, when…
"Farah!" the Prince shouted, alarmed, and leapt into the room. He immediately took down two of them with a quick slash and a stab, but he was only seconds too later. She'd just gotten to her feet, when another one took a swipe at her. He missed, but it was enough to startle her and knock her back again. Only this time she lost balance and fell… right through a 'conveniently' placed hole in the floor. She yelled out, just barely catching the edge with the tip of the dagger and held onto it for dear life.
"Farah!" both me and the Prince yelled at once. He hurried to her, and just made it as the dagger slipped and she started to fall. He hand gripped the blade of the dagger tightly, and he held on to it, even though it was cutting into his hand. All I could do was watch, waiting… hoping…
The Prince was shaking by now, trying so hard to keep a hold of the dagger, even though he was in pain. I wanted to yell "PULL HER UP! PULL HER UP!" but my voice had decided to go on a coffee break. Time seemed to slow down. My body went numb. It was here. That one moment I had been dreading. That one thing I'd hoped to prevent. Farah looked up at he prince sadly and spoke her final word: "Kakolukiam."
"Farah! No!" the prince cried, making a grab for her, but he was too late. She fell. She hit the ground below. She died. It was awful.
I didn't even notice the tears that rolled down my cheeks. I just stared in horror, not believing, not wanting to believe what I had just seen. How could this happen? I was so careful!
More Sand Creatures appeared. The Prince only sat there a moment longer before he looked at the dagger in his hand. He quickly hit the button, probably hoping to rewind time and save her, except it was empty. His eyes widened when he realized this, then his grip tightened, and he looked up at the approaching beasts. He was pissed. There was a fire in his eyes that I had never seen before. Every inch of him was trembling in rage, every ounce of his being screaming for revenge.
I think I saw a side of him that I'd never seen before during that battle. He was so enraged, so hurt… He showed them no mercy. No compassion. He just kept cutting them down, one by one, his emotion overriding his brain, until they were gone. Every last one brutally brought down and destroyed.
For what could've easily been an eternity, he stood there, gripping his sword tightly in one hand, the other balled into a tight fist by his chest. For a moment, I was almost afraid to say anything…
"Prince, get me down from here!" He didn't move, but I know he heard me. Slowly, he turned around and went for the rope that kept me suspended in the air. The net fell and I hit the ground with an "Oof!" While I recovered from that small drop, the Prince cut the ropes open and untangled me from it. Once I was free, I immediately lunged forward and embraced him around the neck. Who knows why I did that… I suppose I wanted to comfort him in some way, or maybe because I wanted comfort. After all, our Terrific Trio was now cut back down to Dynamic Duo. We clung to each other tightly.
"Prince," I whispered, trying to choke back the tears that were burning painfully in my eyes, "if you tell me that didn't just happen, I'll believe you." For a long while, he didn't answer, but from his heavy breathing, I could tell he was also on the verge of tears.
"Sorry, Nay…" he whispered back, his voice shaking. The minute he said that, I snapped.
"FARAH!" I shrieked as I shot out of his grasp and down through the hole she'd fallen through. Her body was there, still warm, a slight smile on her lips, her face frozen in a look of peaceful serenity. I snatched her hand and checked for a pulse. Nothing. "No..." I wanted to scream until my lungs exploded. I wanted to kill something. I wanted to cry until my eyes popped out of my head and floated away. But I couldn't make a sound. Moments later, the Prince came down. He limped over to Farah's body and collapsed, looking ready to implode. He kept mumbling "No…" the whole time and pressed his forehead against hers. But wouldn't you know, this heart-felt scene was interrupted by the creep himself.
I didn't quite hear what he said, but the Prince and I were so raging pissed off at this point, we didn't care. We got to our feet, every millimeter of our bodies trembling in blind rage and together, we leapt and tacked the old man, ready to strangle him until his eyes popped out. But somehow, his stupid staff got in the way.
"Give me the dagger," he growled, somehow fighting against our combined strengths. Really, this guy was starting to sound like a broken record. "And I will give you power. Eternal life will be yours!" the Prince and I let off, and stumbled back.
"Don't you ever shut up?" I exclaimed.
"Live forever? And those I loved are dead and I to blame?" the Prince demanded angrily, holding the dagger in a stabbing motion, pure hate consuming his eyes. He leaned forward a little. "I choose death." With that, he did some quick acrobatics and flipped up to a ledge on the wall. It took a moment but when the Vizier and I registered what he was about to do, I just smirked evilly. He leapt onto the hourglass and raised the dagger. The vizier started shrieking.
"DO IT!" I bellowed, just as the Prince yelled out in anguish and slammed the dagger into the dome. "WE…DID…IT!"
I'm not quite sure what happened at that point as time rewound itself to the very beginning before this whole mess even started. I just kept my eyes shut the whole time, not wanting to look at what was going on around me. There's no telling how long I stayed like that. But when I finally opened them again, I was standing out in the jungle, alone.
It was night. The very night before the Maharaja's palace was attacked. A thousand thoughts went through my mind. The Prince, Farah, the Vizier…I had to find them. Now. Not wasting time, I took to the skies and flew up as high as I dared. I didn't want any one to see me and gawk. I had to fly around in circles for a while, while meaning about two hours, since I had no idea where the Prince's campsite was. It took me forever, but I found it.
I quietly landed on the outskirts and carefully checked the vicinity. Everyone seemed to be asleep at this point, so it was safe enough to sneak around. I tiptoes around, stepping over burned out campfires, taking care not to wake anymore. I didn't dare move my wings, since the flapping might wake someone and I couldn't take that chance. I think it's safe to assume that the biggest tent belonged to the head honcho, the King. The only problem was finding the Prince's. I checked the ones nearest to the Kings, but most of them were occupied by generals and solders. Except one. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that it belonged to the Prince. But it was empty. I wasn't surprised. But now I'd have to move double time to find him.
Then Mike showed up.
"Hey now," he positioned himself right in front of me so I had to screech to a halt to avoid crashing into him, "Where's a pretty thing like you going in such a hurry?" I growled.
"Can't you come back later? I'm busy now!"
"Busy trying to save the world. Yes, aren't we all. Look, Angel, I ain't playing this time. Either you come along quietly, or I'll use force. It's your decision, and I'm not letting you get off so easy this time."
"Damn you!" I yelled, "I don't have the time to stay and mess with you, so just bug off!" He winced dramatically.
"So, kitty finally has her claws… but does she know how to use them?" he taunted. I was getting real sick of him, really quick like.
"GABBY!" He seemed to back up a little at the sound of her name. We both waited a moment, but when nothing happened, he got his vigor right back.
"Heh. Were you really expecting her to be here?" he asked boredly, "nice try." He dashed forward, grabbing me around the waste and slammed me into a tree. "You got away last time. But this time you won't be so lucky. But don't worry, you'll like being a renegade." He reached back to put his hand on my back between my wings like last time, overconfidence all over his face. But that wouldn't last long.
The very second his hand touched my skin, a familiar face rammed into him and tackled him to the ground. Gabby had heard me and come to the rescue.
"Not this time, either, Mike!" she declared, standing over him victoriously. Then she looked up at me.
"Thanks, Gabby!" I called.
"No problem! Jusy hurry and get to the palace! The Prince will be needing your help!" With a simple nod, I darted away, hurrying to the palace.
I made good enough time to the palace, which was a mixed blessing, because one I was there, I couldn't freaking find the right room, so I circled around the palace, dodging the night shift guard for about an hour like a idiot before finally finding it. The only bad part about that was that it was starting to get light. I was running out of time.
I landed smoothly on Farah's balcony and folded my wings back. They were tired by now, and they deserved a good rest. I carefully peeked inside. I was just in time. The Prince and Farah were sitting on the ground, and the Prince was just finishing up his story and telling her to arrest the Vizier before he has the chance to screw everything up.
"He signals a flaming arrow shot into the air," he explained, "prevent him, and my father's army will know that the traitor has been unmasked. They will turn back." But the Vizier, that spying jerk, decided to pick that moment to interrupt.
"A wild tale indeed," he spoke up darkly, announcing his presence. The Prince and Farah both jumped up, the Prince holding his arm out in front of Farah protectively. "But I have a better one. A Persian solder, lusting for glory, enters the chambers of the Maharaja's daughter and is slain. By me." He gripped his staff, then gestured towards Farah. "Princess, for your own safety, I suggest you flee." Farah didn't have to be told twice. She ran and ducked behind a large potted plant. "I will handle this intruder." Oh yeah? We'll see about that, you prick!
I yanked out my sword (I only had one now, since my other was back in the Prince's possession) and in one smooth motion, I kicked the balcony gate open and walked inside, smiling.
"LUCY, I'M HOME!" I announced loudly in a Ricky Ricardo accent. The Prince seemed to stop and gape at me for a moment, before a big smile spread over his face.
"Naomi!" he exclaimed happily.
"Sorry I'm late. You know how it is."
"Well, isn't this quite the coincidence," the Vizier interrupted, "now I can get rid of both of you!"
"Oh, we'll see about that, won't we?" I spat back at him. "Ready, Prince?"
"You're awful brave all of the sudden," he observed. I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah, well, it's just that nobody hurts my best friend and lives to brag about it! Let's get him!"
Kiri: wow, sorry, guys. I WAS gonna update yesterday, but I got sidetracked by other crap.
Naomi: (snort)
Kiri: ...what?
Naomi: you and your buddy got into a pointless convorsation about video games. that's why you didn't update! Lazy!
Kiri: ...shut up. Well, sorry guys, but no FAQ today... got homework to catch up on. Summer schol is a bitch. But on a more positive note, I just got Flash yesterday, and I'm gonna start teaching myself how to animate! Yay!
Prince: ...and your buddy is going to draw a chibi version of me...
Kiri: yeah, and that's a bad thing?
Prince: ...I like the way I look now, thank you very much.
Kiri: oh, live with it. So anyways, REVEIW AND YOU SHALL GET THE NEXT CHAPTER FASTER!