The Return Of The Queen: Part Two

Aliyah was standing near the balcony, looking at the sheep silently grazing the green grass of Mount Tysogame. She took out a cigarette from her pocket and lit it. Maester Jovelinus saw her smoking and walked towards her with a concerned look. He said grimly, "You won't find your peace by damaging your lungs, my child." Aliyah looked at him and said grimly, "I am already dead. What more damage can a small cigarette do to me what the war hasn't?" Jovelinus patted her shoulder and said, "War is subjective damage. Some learn and some teach. I have been a teacher here for a long time and I see thousands of young children like you talking about their grief like it is the biggest of all. To be honest, everyone thinks their pain is bigger than the person's pain sitting next to him. You are also suffering from that illusion." Aliyah coughed a little, "Ignoring my pain as an illusion would have been very easy for me, only if it wasn't real. I saw many horrors and I know that even much more horror is waiting for us in the future. You don't see this because you live a life of peace and spend your time with good people like you. But, I see the dark clouds emerging from the horizon. You see the white, innocent sheep grazing silently and I see the hungry, grey wolf hiding in the bush waiting for a perfect opportunity to hunt down the sheep. We see the world from very different perspectives." Jovelinus sighed, "When will you grow up, my dear child? Your mother also saw the wolf and sent her husband, brothers, uncles, and eventually her children to fight the wolf. I am not denying the existence of the wolf, but there will always be a wolf looking for a sheep. That's his moral and natural duty to survive." Aliyah smiled, "Do you want to let the wolf kill the sheep?" Jovelinus smiled, "The wolf killed the sheep long ago. Even the carcass was rotten and turned into dust and the wolf left the forest long ago. You are just roaming around, searching for an enemy who doesn't even exist." Aliyah grunted, "THE WOLF EXISTS!!! AND THE WOLF IS XAO CHANG! DON'T YOU SEE THAT?" Jovelinus said politely, "Please, don't scream, my child. The other patients are resting." Aliyah threw the cigarette on the grass and said, "Deny it all you want, Maester. But, he is coming and he is going to destroy all of us like he did earlier." She walked away furiously. Elgin walked towards Maester Jovelinus and asked, "What happened with her? Why was she screaming?" Jovelinus smiled, "The same words her mother told me years ago. She inherited all her mother's traits physically, mentally, and emotionally. It is a waste of time to argue with her." Elgin asked, "When will Alice wake up?" Jovelinus said grimly, "I hope she wakes up soon. Aliyah is becoming even more paranoid day by day and I know only Alice can calm her down now." Elgin said, "My son…." Jovelinus said, "I know, my son. I heard the conversation. Raya and Halidesus are immoral people but that doesn't mean we have to fulfill their demands?" Elgin asked, "But, they have my son? What will I do if they hurt him?" Jovelinus patted his shoulder and said, "I heard Aliyah saying to Vexana that she replaced Diego with another child. Diego is safe. Aliyah perfectly knew that Raya and Halidesus would do such a hideous thing and therefore she took Diego to a safe place," Elgin asked, "Where is Diego?" Jovelinus said, "I don't know, my son. But, I trust Aliyah on that. She may be reckless sometimes, but she has a kind heart, unlike her mother." Jovelinus patted his head and walked away.

Elgin walked towards Aliyah's room and said, "I know that you have taken my son. Where is he?" Aliyah looked at him and said, "He is somewhere safe. Far from the chaos and violence of his elders. He is living his life as you wanted." Elgin said, "You have no right to decide about his future. He is my son and don't forget you killed his mother." Aliyah said grimly, "I killed his mother? I did what would have been a very wise decision and would have saved Cindy's life. But, your insane love and affection towards her killed her." Elgin asked, "Where is my son, Aliyah?" Aliyah said grimly, "He is with a family who have no child. The family is affluent and Diego will be happy to live there. They were looking for a child and I gave them one." Elgin said, "That was not your decision to make. You should have told me first." Aliyah said grimly, "There is no need to ask you. You are an expert of bad decisions and I didn't want poor Diego to suffer." She walked outside the room.

Kayuba and Bayu were sitting in the council, waiting for Phantom and Safi to come. Kayuba looked at his watch and said, "We don't need to attack their forces. Nakamura and his army are stronger than us and that fact cannot be denied." Bayu said grimly, "They are trying their best to be useful. I think that they are good warriors and deserve appraisal." Kayuba said grimly, "Doing stupid things doesn't deserve appraisal. They are idiots if they think that they can win just by attacking them. Bacca must be arriving with his men soon." Bayu asked, "So, what do you want?" Kayuba said, "Call Robert. I have a plan." Bayu called Robert and minutes later, Robert arrived and asked, "What happened?" Kayuba said, "Bacca will arrive any time with Xao Chang's elite people and will soon launch a heavy attack on us. Therefore, we have to inform Aliyah and ask her if Alice is ready. Even, if she is not, tell her to bring her here. Her presence will be more important here than lying on some bed in Mount Tysogame." Robert nodded and disappeared. Bayu asked, "Will that prove a good idea?" Kayuba said, "If you cannot defeat the enemy, at least try to evade them." Bayu asked, "What will you do when you face Assayah?" Kayuba asked, "Why didn't you ask about Kenchi?" Bayu laughed, "Because everyone wants to kill that motherfucker." Kayuba smiled, "If Assayah comes before me, I will not attack him because he will also not attack me. We have been friends for so many centuries and know each other perfectly. But, Kenchi is not like that. He is no one's friend. His immense greed and ruthless ambitions have made him a destructive force and he needs to be stopped before he becomes another Xao Chang?" Bayu asked, "Will there be another Xao Chang in the future?" Kayuba smiled, "Xao Chang was also an innocent child once, but later turned into an evil person. Many people are like him and they will one day cross the limits of humanity and become Xao Chang." Bayu said, "I would have become a very good "Xao Chang"." Kayuba laughed, "You fought for love, Bayu. Love never takes you on the wrong path and if it does, then it is not love. Your conscience and love for Elizabeth would have never let you harm an innocent person, unlike Xao Chang who killed thousands of children to fulfill his nefarious motives." Bayu asked, "Why did Xao Chang turn evil?" Kayuba smiled, "Because he saw a dark reality where power and dominance rule the world. A world where he is invincible and he is immune to any opposition." Bayu asked, "Does that reality exist?" Kayuba said, "That reality belongs to only one thing and that thing stayed imaginary till today. That thing is commonly referred to as "God" in many religious texts. People have run after him for centuries, trying desperately to overcome him but no one has been successful in that run." Bayu smiled, "Yet, they keep trying every day." Kayuba smiled, "Some run and some do business of it. Xao Chang happens to be the one doing both." Bayu asked, "What do you mean?" Kayuba smiled, "Xao Chang shows everyone the dream of that reality, and fools like Kenchi fall for such traps." Bayu asked, "Aren't we trying to do the same?" Kayuba smiled, "Maybe." Bayu and Kayuba looked at each other and sighed.

Maester Jovelinus walked inside Alice's room and looked at Alice, who was still asleep. But, suddenly he felt a strong wave of energy coming from her body which pushed him away and he fell on a table. The sound of the table breaking attracted Aliyah, Elgin and Vexana to the room. Aliyah looked at Alice whose whole body was red and she was boiling. Aliyah wanted to go near her, but Elgin stopped her and said, "It is dangerous to go near her. We have to wait." Vexana threw water on her body, but the water turned into blood and fell on the ground. Aliyah said grimly, "Her body is turning too warm. She might not be able to take it. Quickly cover her with wet blankets and throw ice on her." Everyone ran to bring wet blankets and ice, but as soon as they threw wet blankets and ice on her, a strong wave of energy threw all of them away and Alice stood up on the bed and three red lightning bolts fell on the ground, making huge fissures. Alice opened her eyes and a huge red light emitted from her body which almost burned the skin of the people standing there. Everyone quickly ran away but Aliyah stayed there. She made a shield but Alice's immense power threw her away. Elgin and Vexana tried to bind her, but she easily threw them on the ground. Jovelinus was searching for something in one of his books, when Alice threw a chair on him. Jovelinus coughed some blood and still continued searching for something. Alice picked him up and threw him on the ground. Aliyah threw a sword towards her, but the sword melted into iron. Elgin and Vexana jumped on her and tried to subdue her, but Alice threw them away. Aliyah said grimly, "She has to be stopped or else she will destroy all the things one by one." Elgin said grimly, "Call Trisha." Jovelinus said weakly, "She is in mediation. Calling her at this time will be lethal to her body." Alice's whole body turned red and a strong red wave pushed Aliyah, Elgin, Vexana and Jovelinus in four directions. Alice disappeared in red mist.

Alice travelled at the speed of light and reached the Elf Kingdom. She landed on the terrace of the palace and looked around. Demons and ogres were standing all around her. Alice pulled out the Blood Spear from her heart and roared. The demons and ogres ran towards her and attacked her. She swung her spear and beheaded the ogres and demons like vegetables. Alice turned and a huge red wave dispersed from her body and a huge shield formed all around the palace. Alice closed her eyes and fell on the floor and became unconscious again.

Aliyah, Elgin and Vexana appeared on the terrace of the palace and Safi and Phantom came running. Kayuba and Bayu also appeared and saw the dead bodies of ogres and demons lying on the ground. Elgin asked, "What was that, Aliyah?" Aliyah said grimly, "She was not Alice. She was Mother Manaca. She appeared to kill the demons and ogres who insulted her birth place." Everyone looked at a small red cloth on the floor.

Aliyah said grimly, "This is the cloth which covered the body of the woman who gave birth to Mother Manaca'a sixth avatar. Demons snatched her clothes and made her naked. But, Mother Manaca gave her this cloth and took birth from the womb of that lady." Jovelinus appeared and said weakly, "Her strength has increased tenfold. The Blood ritual has to be done as soon as possible. I will go and contact Sage Vushataya. He will help us in the Blood ritual." Aliyah looked at the army standing outside of the shield.

She said grimly, "The shield won't stay too long. We have to bring Sage Vushataya here." Jovelinus said grimly, "Impossible! He will never leave Mount Manaca and come here in a place filled with gore and greed." Aliyah said grimly, "He has to come. After what happened today, nothing stayed the same. Only the Blood ritual can save everyone now." Jovelinus said grimly, "I will try. But, the chances of him coming here are next to impossible." Aliyah said grimly, "Tell him that Xao Chang has come here." Jovelinus said grimly, "Don't be a fool, Aliyah. I cannot lie to such a great scholar and guru." Aliyah said grimly, "I am not lying. Xao Chang has come. The black clouds and Alice's sudden fits indicate the arrival of that monster." Elgin said grimly, "In that case, there is no other option but to perform the Blood ritual this week." All looked at him in horror. Kayuba said grimly, "Don't be mad, Elgin. Xao Chang will never let this Blood ritual happen. We have to have enough time to prepare ourselves for him." Elgin said grimly, "The time is almost over. It's a do or die situation. Licha was right. A war is coming and only the wise can survive." Aliyah smiled, "Clearly she wasn't one." Vexana said grimly, "The Blood ritual will need at least three days to happen. Lots of people have to enter and exit the palace during that auspicious period of time. How would that be possible with the enemy standing just outside our door?" Aliyah said grimly, "After the massacre that happened here, only a fool will send his army here. Nakamura is smart and he will never do that." Kayuba said grimly, "But, there is a problem. Nakamura has the treasury. He already bought half of the starving population." Aliyah said grimly, "Then, we have no other option but to shed the blood of the innocent people." She disappeared in purple smoke. Elgin picked up Alice and all walked downstairs inside the palace.....