Delivering Urgency

Xao Chang was mediating in his room when Assayah and Kenchi came inside and stood near him silently. Xao Chang opened his eyes and asked, "Do you two have something to say?" Assayah said, "Yes, master. I was thinking of returning to the mortal world. It's been quite a while and neglecting the mortals is not good." Xao Chang smiled, "You are making your own decisions, I see. Good. I do want my pupils to be confident with their decisions. Fine. Return to the mortal world and do what you were doing earlier. But, what will you do there? I don't care about those mortals anymore. We have identified the bearer of the Blood Spear and she is not amongst the mortals right now. So, I don't see any benefit in sending one of my able pupils to waste his time amongst the petty mortals." Assayah said, "But, isn't the corruption of mortal minds a necessity for our mission?" Xao Chang smiled, "I thought that too. But, after so many decades of mediation, I realized that the mortal mind is more susceptible to evil than good. So, when we destroy the Blood Spear and release Xao Lin, controlling the mortal minds won't be hard." Kenchi smiled, "That's what I was saying to explain to this idiot. Even Master Chang believes in my ideologies." Xao Chang smiled, "I don't believe in your ideologies, my boy. We are beyond any ideologies or principles. We are demons and whatever benefits us is our philosophy." Kenchi asked, "I didn't understand what you said. Can you explain it?" Xao Chang smiled, "Greed and arrogance are the enemies of success. That's what all believe and follow. But, we believe in the opposite. Greed and arrogance are the steps of success. We are more likely to achieve success if we are more greedy than the next person. So, what difference do we have with mortals or elves?" Kenchi said, "That we do the opposite of them." Xao Chang smiled, "Nah. Assayah you tell." Assayah said, "We are not like mortals and we make our own rules." Xao Chang sighed, "Close enough but still not right. The appropriate answer is that we have evolved and we are not bound to follow the rules of the mortals. We have to change them as we want. We have to be more than them. Like angels or God." Kenchi said, "Superiority." Xao Chang smiled, "We were born superior to them and therefore we don't have to prove anything at all. But, our dominance will only prevail if we have the Blood Spear with us. So, where is it?" Assayah and Kenchi looked at each other and sighed. Xao Chang said grimly, "I don't want to repeat my words every time, Assayah and Kenchi. But, if we don't do enough this time we may not be enough the next time. So, go with Nakamura and bring back that girl along with the Blood Spear." Xao Chang signaled them to go away.

Aliyah came inside the room and looked at Elgin who was wiping blood off the floor. Aliyah looked at him and asked, "Whose blood is this?" Elgin looked at her nervously and said in a weak voice, "Actually last night a mouse came into my room and a cat killed him and left the carcass here. I threw away the body and now I am cleaning the blood." Aliyah said, "Don't you lie to me, Elgin. There are neither mice nor cats in the palace and even if there were the blood would have been dried till now. The blood you are cleaning is fresh blood." 

Aliyah touched the blood and smelled it. She said, "It is not some rodent blood. It is human blood. Tell me honestly, Elgin. Where is she?" Elgin asked nervously, "She, who?" Aliyah said, "You perfectly know the person whom I am referring to." Elgin said, "I am telling the truth, Aliyah. Believe me. No one is here." Aliyah said, "Fine. Clean the blood and come with me." Elgin asked, "Come to where?" Aliyah said, "I want you to go to Namaria. Your mother is sick and she asked for you. I think her time has come." Elgin said, "Don't say it like that. My mom is a strong lady. Such feeble illness cannot make her weak." Aliyah said, "Go and see your mother, Elgin. Things are not very predictable nowadays and I don't want you to regret it later." Elgin said, "I will go tomorrow. Today, I have some work to do." Aliyah said, "Why? Is your mouse still alive?" Elgin said, "That is none of your business, Aliyah." Aliyah smiled, "Everything in this kingdom is my business. I can't let you guys make rash decisions behind my back. Alice is still not properly healed and I don't want any more severe problems in my life." Elgin said, "We cannot control the problems, we can only find solutions. Did you forget your own words, Aliyah?" Aliyah said, "Words change with time and situation, Elgin. The past was much more lenient than the upcoming future. Alice is not properly connected with the Spear and our enemies are getting stronger everyday." Elgin asked, "Why are you sounding so edgy? Is there something serious?" Aliyah said, "Everything is serious right now. Anyway, you should go to Namaria and meet your mother. I will manage things here, including your mouse." Elgin said, "My mouse is not familiar with you." Aliyah said, "Your mouse is not familiar with anyone." Elgin said, "That's why I don't want her to be alone." Aliyah asked, "How bad is she?" Elgin said, "I can't say anything specifically. But, it looks like the baby will come sooner than expected." Aliyah smiled, "According to the ancient books, birth of a new life is considered good omen. But, what if the whole relationship is murky?" Elgin said angrily, "My relationship is not murky. It is full of love and trust. Our relationship is not answerable to the small minds of archaic elves." Aliyah laughed, "Archaic elves? Well, this archaic elf has more experience than you. Cindy is not going to accept you or anything you resemble. She is never going to be your wife. The sooner you accept this fact, the easier it will be to handle the disappointment." Elgin said, "Why are you so pessimistic, Aliyah? You are so full of negativity that you deliberately ignore all sorts of happiness and pleasure. You don't acknowledge Vexana's love, my friendship, Alice's capability or your own emotions." Aliyah said, "What is there to acknowledge? Emotions that have no outcome are useless. I cannot be blind like you guys and ignore the facts of life. I was destined to be a warrior, not a daughter, a friend, a lover, a teacher or a woman. I have accepted my role in this world and you should accept your role too." Elgin asked, "What exactly is my role, according to you?" Aliyah said, "You were born in a family of elves who were gifted with magic by Mother Manaca. Use your gift and defeat Xao Chang. But, you are roaming around like an idiot. You don't even exist for Cindy and you are dreaming of being her husband. Why would she love you? You are a cheater who impregnated her without her consent. You basically raped her. Would any woman fall in love with a rapist?" Elgin said grimly, "You crossed the line, Aliyah. You crossed the line today." Aliyah said, "I didn't cross the line. I showed you the line. It will be best for all of us that we stay within our lines. Go and meet your mother, Elgin. Fulfill your role." She disappeared in purple smoke. Elgin looked at the purple smoke and smiled, "I just pray to Mother Manaca that she opens your eyes before it gets too late." He disappeared in green mist.

Assayah was sitting in his room, looking at the window when Nakamura came inside and said, "Master Xao Chang has told me to take both of you with me. Pack your bags and take whatever necessary luggage you want to take with you. I, personally don't like the involvement of you two but maybe you will learn something if you stay with me for some time. Master Xao told me to keep an eye on you personally. He told me that you have diverted from your purpose and you need a good reminder of your nature." Assayah asked, "You don't like me. Then, why are you taking me with you?" Nakamura smiled, "You said that I don't like you. I just think you are still quite new and therefore I stay a little worried about you sometimes." Assayah asked, "Worried? Why? I'm totally fine." Nakamura said, "No. You are not. I don't know what exactly happened with you? But, I'm sure that you have changed very much." Assayah said, "Intuitive as always. Yes, a recent misfortune has changed my life drastically." Assayah narrated his whole love story and the sad ending of it. Nakamura laughed, "I can't say that I haven't thought of it earlier. But, my understanding of your cold personality got the better of me. Well, Samantha is gone and no one can do anything about it. Maybe, Master Xao Chang can resurrect her, but he won't. To be honest, the absence of your girlfriend in your life bothers no one except you." Assayah asked, "How is that going to give comfort to me, Nakamura?" Nakamura smiled, "I'm not trying to comfort you, idiot. I'm stating the facts. Now, get up and come with me. We have a very important mission to do together and I cannot do it without the help of one of my most trusted comrades." Assayah smiled, "Comrade?" Nakamura disappeared in thin smoke saying, "Don't make me take back my words."

Elgin walked inside the room where the medics were treating Cindy. Vexana was there and on seeing him came near him and said, "Elgin. She have lost a good amount of blood and if we can't provide blood within the next two hours, saving her and your baby will be impossible."

Elgin said, "Where can I find so much human blood within two hours? Please, do something. Find an alternative plan." Vexana said, "Don't act like an idiot, Elgin. We are trying our best to rectify your mistakes. If she dies here today, it will entirely be your fault." Elgin said, "Try to understand, Vexana. How will I bring human blood within two hours?" One of the nurses said, "We can take blood from Alice. She is a human and I think that she would have sufficient blood to save Cindy's life." Elgin said angrily, "Don't talk bullshit. Alice is in a comatose state and even if we take blood from her body, their blood groups don't match. We need someone who has exactly Cindy's blood type." Vexana said, "What's the point of scolding her? At least, she is suggesting something. Go and bring the blood or else you know what will happen." Elgin sighed, "I have to talk with Aliyah and unfortunately we had a big fight some hours ago and if I tell her about this problem now, she will get more furious." Vexana shook him vigorously and said, "Listen carefully to me, Elsinore Versalis. If you don't bring the blood in time, she will die along with your unborn baby. Understand? Now, stop speaking nonsense and go and do something." Elgin disappeared in green mist. The nurse ran to Vexana and said, "The baby is getting out. We might have to put anaesthesia in her body. We need your permission to proceed." Vexana said, "Do whatever you want but keep the mother and child alive till that moron brings the blood." Vexana looked at her watch and said, "The baby is still 13 weeks early to come in this world. Are you sure we should do the operation?" The doctor said, "Some babies come premature. You were a premature baby too." Vexana smiled, "Oh yes. You delivered me. I thought you were deceased." The doctor said, "If you just stand there and do nothing, the mother and child will be deceased." Vexana said, "Fine. Looks like I have to talk with that bitch now." Vexana disappeared in white mist.

Aliyah was looking at the sky when Vexana and Elgin appeared together. Aliyah smiled, "Are you planning to kill me?" Vexana asked, "Why?" Aliyah smiled, "Leave it. Why are you two here at the same time?" Elgin said, "Vexana, tell her." Vexana said, "You, tell her." Aliyah said, "Tell me. I don't like wasting time." Vexana said, "You remember Cindy? The girl who Elgin impregnated." Aliyah said, "Yes. I vividly remember that girl." Elgin said, "She is in the palace and she is delivering my baby." Aliyah said, "I know. Do you really think that anything in this palace happens without my knowledge?" Vexana said, "Then, you clearly know what I need." Aliyah said, "Yes. I know and I won't do it." Elgin and Vexana asked, "Why?" Aliyah said, "If we are not going to accept it, why should we put effort in saving it?" Elgin said, "Don't start again. Please." Aliyah said, "I'm not starting it. I'm just ending it." Vexana asked angrily, "How can you even say such a thing?" Aliyah asked, "How can you even do such a thing? Clearly, every indicator is pointing to the inevitable." Elgin said, "Fuck you, Aliyah. You are ruining our friendship with your heartless behaviour." Aliyah said, "Fine. But, don't say that I didn't warn you earlier. I need someone to go to the mortal world and contact Jerachi. He might be useful in this case. I cannot leave the kingdom right now and also I can't let anyone leave either." Elgin said, "I can't trust Jerachi. That slob knows no compassion." Aliyah said, "Don't be so nervous. Things aren't going to get better if you lose your mind." Aliyah and Vexana disappeared in green mist. Elgin said, "Should I go to Namaria or stay here with Cindy?" Aliyah appeared and said, "That old hag is not dying soon. Stay with Cindy." Elgin nodded and disappeared in green mist...