A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed

Assayah was meditating in his room quietly when Kenchi and Kayuba appeared before him and looked at him with smiling faces. Assayah sensed their presence and smiled, "So, what problem have you two created now? Or is that you two have come to kill me?" Kayuba smiled, "That day won't come, Assayah. We need you in every step of our life." Assayah smiled, "Oh, I'm pleased." Kenchi said, "Actually, the thing is that we need a small advice of you for the future plan that we are currently working on." Assayah asked, "May I know what plan are you two cooking?"

Kenchi said, "We have tried everything but to no avail. We have found no success in finding the spear. We have located the girl but taking out the spear from her body will be a hard job. We cannot touch her nor can we harm her in any way. In fact, the situation has worsened to such position that we have to resort to calling Yousuf Hakkun." Assayah asked, "Who?" Kayuba replied, "Remember many years ago, when Bacca was in the meditation to gain power he altered an identity of himself and joined it with the dead body of a random person he found in the ruins of some ancient palace. The meditation immediately turned chaotic and we had to use our whole power to control the destruction.

Even when we managed to control the spirit of the dead body, we awoke a vicious criminal in the process. Bacca initially rejected his wakening but eventually on our persuasion decided to keep his soul alive but trapped in the dark laboratory of the Monastery. We are deciding to release him and appoint him to kill that girl." Assayah asked, "What happened with Phantom and Ralph?" Kayuba replied, "They are where they should be. But, we need to take extra measures if we want to capture the girl before it's too late." Assayah smiled, "I understand your urgency, Kayuba. But, tell me one thing honestly. Do you really think Hakkun is so easy to handle? Last time, he created enough havoc to keep us busy for three months and now you telling me that you want to wake him again." Kenchi said, "If we had any other option, we would have definitely tried to think about it. But, that girl Alice is too powerful right now and only someone like Hakkun can make her submissive." Assayah stood up and said, "You guys really don't know anything about Hakkun. He was a military tyrant in his time and ruled over his people with outmost brutality and atrocities."

Kayuba said, "That's why he is perfect for the job. We need people who are merciless and ready to go to any extent to get their job done." Assayah smiled, "And why would he do that? Don't forget what happened with Gongamtei last time?" Kayuba said, "I know that but Gongamtei was a bad choice. That guy really don't have any planning nor any ideas to initiate good tactics to fight her. Anyway, I have a plan for Hakkun. When he wakes up we would plant a special herb that I have created in my laboratory and then we can make him a servant of our choice." Assayah said annoyed, "It will be very much counterproductive. Hakkun is not going to be any use to us. Bacca was actually right that time that we should have killed Hakkun back then.

He is just a liability we have to bear forever now." Kenchi said, "He will be some use someday. I know that he can be quite counterproductive now but one day he will be some use to us." Assayah smiled, "I would have surely gave it a trial if times were not so bad right now. Mr. Watwell is again beginning to be a pain in my ass and after what happened with his daughter back in Atlanta, my headache has only increased. Again, some bastard has injured one of my friend and sensing the power of the attacker I had no option but to appoint Wolf to find the attacker." Kayuba asked, "You have appointed Wolf to find some mortal? And he agreed?" Assayah said, "Of course, he agreed. The attacker was not normal and I can sense some danger lurking around us. I think you two should spend some time in the library and search some information about the people who we have encountered centuries ago in the battlefield of Manacan empire."

Kayuba asked, "Why should we do that? I don't think we have any enemies from the past. We have defeated them way harder than we have done earlier. The elves, orcs and all fancy creatures have been extinct years ago and I won't waste my time in digging old bones." Assayah said, "Okay. Do whatever you like, but keep an open eye for any danger." Kenchi and Kayuba bowed and slowly disappeared in red mist.

Alice was sitting on the sofa and watching TV when Elena and Trisha came from behind and hugged her. Alice looked at Trisha's hand and asked "How's your hand doing?" Trisha's hand said, "Fine. I'm learning new things like picking spoon and washing Trisha's butt." Elena said, "Eww. You still wash your butt with your hand. Can you use toilet paper, lady? Making such a lovely hand wash your dirty butt." Trisha said, "It's my hand and I used to do that earlier anyway. I don't like using toilet paper because it doesn't clean my butt properly and also it doesn't give the feeling of cleanliness."

Elena and Alice looked at her and sighed. Alice said, "I hope you two are keeping your silence about the trip to the elf kingdom. I don't want Aliyah killing you two with her constant taunting." Elena laughed, "Before us, she will kill you." Aliyah appeared and said, "I'm not that of an angry monster as most of my peers think of me. In fact, I done more mischief than any one of you present here." Alice asked, "Oh, really?" Aliyah smiled, "Of course. I have filled many of my brother's boots with mud and also drenched my elder sister clothes with oil. I have bunked my lessons and attended shady parties way ahead of my age. I drank and smoked. In fact, my people used to say that I had a witch inside me. But, then time changed. Old promises started to entangle me and slowly the once mischievous and prankster Aliyah transformed into a stern and cruel leader. The woman who once used to fill people's minds with happiness and joy, started to taunt and nag people. But, I don't regret that nor do I ever will. I lived my life in my terms and died a hero. The only regret that I could have finished Xao Chang that day if that accident hadn't happened and that bastard Frostbite hadn't had my sister in his control.

My own sister was killed in my hands and that mental trauma was well exploited by those villains." Alice said, "Tell us your story, Aliyah. I think sharing your tale would help you ease your pain." Aliyah smiled, "My pain is not that easy to ease. But, maybe sharing my story will enlighten you in some way."

Aliyah sat between them and said, "It was a time of many events occurring simultaneously and to everyone's misfortune none of them were happy. My father was lying on his bed, weak from both age and ailment. My mother was after my life, trying to throw me into a politically beneficial marital connection with some wealthy family of her mother's side. My brothers were busy fighting in wars that were unwinnable and my elder sister, Camilla was pregnant with our enemy's baby. I was in a big jeopardy as all of my friends and family members were in a vulnerable position and I alone was unable to solve everyone's problems and was carrying my own problems on my back too. I prayed to Mother Manaca day and night and atlast a glance of hope appeared in the form of Elgin's elder brother, Sir Elys.

He managed to tilt the stakes in our favour by killing some important enemies and winning back some strategically important areas. I went to him to thank him for his bravery and wise war tactics and to talk about war related topics with him. But, he was not there and this is the time when I met Elgin for the first time as a person. I met him earlier one or two times in royal ball parties and maybe one time when we traded some drinks at Old Jackal's saloon. Though we did met many times, we never talked and maybe it partially due to the fact that we never met as a princess meeting a wizard student, but as two random people meeting randomly. Elgin as usual offered me some drinks and food which he is quite fond of doing anyway and we talked and talked and talked. Elgin was naive but he did had some knowledge about the in war tactics and we discussed some guerrilla tactics too.

The evening went like this and at night, I left for the palace as my mother was fuming with anger as I had eloped from the palace without informing her. I seldomly met Elgin or Elys later and was always busy with my own problems and like this the war came. Most of our allies were victorious at their respective areas and managed to lessen the orcs and demons to a manageable quantity and we were on the verge of winning the war without any heavy causalities when I got the news that Frostbite kidnap my sister from the palace and that she was in labor. I rushed after Frostbite and got caught in his trap. My sister Camilla betrayed me and even with a heavily pregnant body, she overpowered me throughout the duel. The blood spear gave me enough power to defeat both Camilla and Frostbite, but my sister died and Frostbite eloped from the scene.

When I returned towards my kingdom, I was shocked to see that the whole situation has taken a complete turnover. Demons and orcs were dancing on the corpses of my people and Xao Chang has captured my parents and was torturing them to spill out my whereabouts and the Blood Spear. I ran as fast as I could but the soldiers chased me and Kayuba injured me with his venomous fire arrow. I managed to somehow escape from their sight and buried the Blood Spear in a safe place. I deliberately died some kilometres away from the actual place to outsmart my enemies even after my death. But, Mother Manaca had different plans and I got reincarnated as a ghost and a tutor to a slow learner like you. Well it is as it is." Alice, Elena and Trisha smiled and Alice said, "Seems like you are feeling better than before, aren't you? It's better sometimes to lessen your burdens and take a long and relaxing breath. It really rejuvenates and re-energises your mind and body."

Aliyah smiled, "I don't have a mind or a body. But, I like your concern for me." Elena asked, "Where is Elgin? He seems to turn invisible after the...." Aliyah interrupted her and said, "Well, he is in his own world of fantasies. I just hope this bubble of his doesn't throw him too low." Aliyah suddenly disappeared in purple smoke. Alice, Elena and Trisha looked at each other and shrugged.

Aliyah appeared and saw Elgin was walking here and there in some deep thought. Aliyah asked, "What happened, Elgin? Did you get Cindy pregnant?" Elgin said shocked, "How the hell do you know?" Aliyah said shocked, "What the fuck, Elgin? It's not even a month and now you got her pregnant. Don't you have some shame or what? You insolent pervert!" Elgin said angrily, "Shut up and listen to me." Elgin narrated the whole incident and Aliyah laughed, "This is what happens when you indulge yourself with such low quality people. The boy wanted to rape Cindy because she didn't asked him to fuck her and his father was happy when his son forcefully raped his friend's daughter just because he can blackmail his friend later to wed his daughter with his son and make his son the successor of his inheritance. Really? How cheap can someone get?" Elgin asked, "Do you think I would be a good father?"

Aliyah laughed, "You are thinking about being a father. I'm thinking about Cindy. How is she going to explain twelve months of pregnancy and also her ultrasounds would be front page news. Do you still think your relationship with her is moral?" Elgin said angrily, "Of course, it is. Love knows no bounds or restrictions. If your sister can fall in love with a vile and disgusting person like Frostbite, I see no fault in me loving her." Aliyah said grimly, "My sister ruined not only hers but our lives too. I don't entirely put the blame on her illogical decision but yes, I blame her for her betrayal." Elgin said, "What option had you left for her then? You stopped talking with her, you stopped meeting with her, you avoided her whenever she was around, you ridiculed her behind her back and you even tried to kill her once. She once tried to commit suicide by jumping in the Yatsu River. Do you know that?"

Aliyah said grimly, "You think I enjoyed avoiding her or not talking with her? I loved her and would have sacrificed my life for her, but whenever I saw that belly of hers, I remembered the pain I felt that day when I found her lying naked in the deep of the forest. If I hadn't saved her that day, she would have been food of some animal. Frostbite left him in the middle of the forest after having sex with her and you are telling that I shouldn't be angry. That day, I lost the smile on my face and so did Camilla. She had no option? She had all the options but she chose to keep the baby and make a ridicule of our family's name. I'm not saying she had done it deliberately but in the end her body was her own enemy and Frostbite used it as his puppet."

Elgin said, "Learn to be happy now, Aliyah. You have long ago closed that chapter by killing Frostbite. Now, you have nothing to sorrow upon." Aliyah said, "Keep Cindy happy. She may be a headache but in some ways, she also deserves to be happy." Aliyah hugged Elgin and disappeared in purple smoke. Elgin looked at her and smiled, "Only love can heal this poor's wounded heart. Only Mother Manaca knows who is written in her fate.".....