Forty-five days later. In Babilim.
Inside the throne room.
The throne room was a sizeable round place, with the king's throne in the middle against the wall. The room's walls had large glass windows reinforced with steel rods.
The throne itself was not a chair; it was a carpet.
A carpet filled with colorful flowers and vibrant green color in the background. On both sides of the rug were two statues of the Mesopotamian lion, and they stood proudly with their mouths open as If they were roaring.
In the middle of the room were two carpets facing each other, colored red.
The king of Mesopotamia was an old man whose long thick beard was riddled with gray. He was wearing his white garments and turban. Yet his broad figure never faded over time.
He entered the room accompanied by A'saal.
As A'saal's involvement was surprising. She's a royal family member and was the great Aunt of king Kurigalzu. Her presence within the royal court was essential as she had the most significant knowledge about the ancient law of the kingdom.
They sat down on the green carpet, the king was in the middle, and A'saal sat to his right.
"Did Talal say why he started the war?" A'saal said.
"He told the royal army that he would only share his reasons with me in person," Kurigalzu said.
"Can you summon him before the trial begins?" A'saal asked.
"He is already here," Kurigalzu said.
Moments later, the prince entered the room.
Like his father, he had a broad figure. He was young and in his prime, wearing dark garments and a turban.
He approached the king, kissed the back of his hand and the top of his head and sat beside him to his left.
"You're late, young man," A'saal said.
"Apologies, Aunt. It is easy to get lost in the palace," The prince said.
Talal entered the room in shackles with a hunter walking beside him.
The king signaled the hunter to leave the room and let go of Talal's shackle chain.
"Your father isn't pleased with what you did, Talal," Kurigalzu said.
"My king, you entrusted me to preserve the peace, which I did," Talal said.
"You started a tribal war, Talal," A'saal said.
"A tribal war is nothing compared to a holy war," Talal replied.
"Can you explain?" The prince asked.
"The seed of one of the great Jinn kings' lives. Sateeh prophesied it, and the Jinn I killed told me directly," Talal said.
Kurigalzu stroked his gray beard and sighed in concern.
The prince looked at Kurigalzu, leaned closer and whispered, "I thought our ancestors killed the great Jinn kings."
"They did, but it seems one of their heirs survived," Kurigalzu replied.
The prince looked at Talal and asked, "Who else knows of this prophecy?"
"Only me and Roheen," Talal replied.
"I know it's a heavy burden, Talal. But it would be wise to keep that knowledge hidden," The prince said.
Talal nodded in agreement and said, "I will take it to the grave."
"Let us start the trial and hear what both sides have to say," Kurigalzu said.
The king called the Jinn under his command and uttered words that brought shivers to those who heard.
The windows opened violently, and a warm wind rushed through the room.
Talal looked around as the gust blew his hair, he knew the Jinn caused the drag, but the intensity and the heat were more potent than the last time he experienced them.
The royal trio stared at a Jinn unseen to the average eye as it stood beside Talal.
Talal felt the ominous presence beside him. He began sweating, not in fear, but Jinn's intense heat felt like he was standing next to a great fire.
"Bring them to me in the king's name," Kurigalzu ordered.
"It will be done, my king," the Jinn said growlingly.
The Jinn flew out the window, creating another gust of wind that made Talal retreat from its intensity.
Soon after, the first person appeared on the left side of the room.
He was an old man who wore battle gear and carried a sword. Both he and his equipment were bloodied and ashen.
He looked around, confused and said, "Huh, Shame, I was close to killing that Jinn."
The prince stood up and said, "Welcome, Na'zaal. We have summoned you to end this war."
Na'zaal sheathed his sword and said, "War? Only fifteen of us died. I wouldn't call that war."
The second person appeared next.
He was a young man with long black hair and carried a bloodied sword.
He looked around with widened eyes and said in confusion, "Where am I?"
Na'zaal looked at him and said, "Can you believe it, Muhieb? The prince says we were fighting a war."
Muhieb sheathed his sword and said, "War? Only fifteen of us died. I wouldn't call that war, father."
The third person appeared.
It was Ahmad. He was wearing his usual fancy clothing and turban.
He looked around and noticed who was in the room with him.
"Why did I get summoned, my king?" He asked.
"Patience, son," Kurigalzu replied.
Muhieb looked at Ahmad and said, "Son? Are you Ahmad, the prince of Hayja?"
"The Hayja tribe is dead," Ahmad replied.
"The aegis still considers you a prince whether your tribe is alive or not," Muhieb replied.
"Then consider me the prince of the dead, prince Muhieb," Ahmad replied.
Muhieb chuckled, then said, "Fair enough."
The fourth person appeared.
It was Taz, and she was placed next to Talal.
She looked around, confused, then noticed the people in the room.
"Who's the girl?" Na'zaal asked.
"That's my niece," Ahmad replied.
"She doesn't look like one of us," Na'zaal said.
"Her mother was a slave," Ahmad said.
Talal looked at Taz as all the points in his head linked together and said, "Now everything makes sense."
Na'zaal looked at Talal and said, "Do you know her, Talal?"
"She's a part of my team," Talal replied.
The royal trio looked at the right side of the room.
A'saal's eyes changed to that of an owl.
Kurigalzu looked at the Jinn, pointed at them with his wooden cane and said, "Show yourselves to the aegis, and don't try to intimidate them."
The three Jinn on the right side of the room manifested into cloaked people. Their eyes were red, and their faces were pale and torn.
With all of them in attendance before the king, the trial began.
The king looked at Na'zaal and told him to introduce himself and his party.
Na'zaal stepped forward and said, "My name is Na'zaal, and I am the leader of the aegis tribe. Behind me is my heir, Muhieb, and standing next to him is the prince of Hayja, Ahmad," Then he stepped back.
It was the Jinns' turn, although the Jinn had an exception regarding names. When a Jinn reveals its actual name, humans gain control over them.
The ancient royal law allowed the Jinns to use a pseudonym for a fair trial.
The first Jinn stepped forward and said, "My name is Ku, and I am the leader of the southern Jinn tribe. Behind me is my heir, Su, and standing next to him is the victim's father, Wah." Then it stepped back.
Although both parties politely presented themselves, the tension between them can be felt and observed.
The Aegis leader and heir glared at the Jinn, with their dominant hands resting on the hilt of their swords.
On the other hand, Ahmad crossed his arm behind his back and kept his usual nobleman posture.
The Jinn stared down at the aegis party with hatred.
A'saal stood up and said, "Everyone, please sit."
Both parties sat down.
"Do the leaders of both parties know why this war started?" A'saal asked.
"They killed one of us," Ku replied.
"From our perspective, you attacked us first, Ku," Na'zaal replied.
"So, none of you knew about the imprisoned Jinn?" A'saal asked.
"No," Na'zaal replied.
"What do you mean an imprisoned Jinn, A'saal?" Ku replied.
A'saal pointed at Talal with an open palm and said, "The man who stands before you killed a Jinn that belonged to your tribe…."
"We demand to have him surrendered to us!" Ku shouted.
Kurigalzu glared at Ku and threatened, "You dare to raise your voice at the royals," then uttered the Jinn's actual name.
Everyone apart from the royals shivered upon hearing its name.
Though they couldn't comprehend the name's letters, they felt its evil and vile nature.
"I…. I am sorry, my king. But the blood of a Jinn can only be repaid with the same," Ku replied in fear.
Kurigalzu stood up, slammed his cane on the floor and said, "The blood you demand is one you will never have. The war you waged against the aegis is for the honor of a criminal!"
Wah stood up and said, "My son is not a criminal!"
Kurigalzu approached Wah menacingly and swung his cane on his head.
Wah fell on his side as he groaned and spat blood.
Kurigalzu stared at Wah and said, "It seems the southern Jinn tribe forgot who's the king of these lands."
"Forgive his rudeness, my king. He is still mourning the loss of his son," Ku said.
Kurigalzu turned to Ku and threatened, "One more outburst, and I'll hand your tribe to Kemet."
"I understand, my king," Ku replied.
Kurigalzu sat down in his place and ordered, "Continue, A'saal."
"As I was saying. Talal killed a Jinn charged with crimes against humans while imprisoned in Al Faw village," A'saal said.
"Al Faw village was shielded against the Jinn. For a Jinn to step into it is impossible, Lady A'saal," Su replied.
"His presence can't be denied since his crimes included murder, molestation, rape and breeding with the living," A'saal replied.
Ahmad's eyes widened after realizing why he was summoned, yet he kept silent.
A'saal slowly pointed at Taz and said, "And his last victim stands before you, Tanaz, daughter of Radhi Al Hayja."
Ahmad tried his best to keep his composure, yet he couldn't help but stand up and rush toward the Jinn with his silver dagger.
Before he crossed a couple of steps, he was stopped and frozen in place. The Jinn that served the king held him and prevented him from moving a muscle.
Ahmad growled and threatened, "I will kill all of you!"
Muhieb looked at Kurigalzu and said in frustration, "My king, if what she says is true, then this crime is unforgivable."
"The Jinn laid his hands on one of our women. You can't expect us to forgive that, my king," Na'zaal said.
Taz walked to Ahmad, placed her hand on his shoulder and said, "It's fine, uncle. I got my revenge on them."
Ahmad looked at Taz as guilt pained him and said, "I'm sorry, Tanaz. If I knew this would happen, I would have never agreed to send you to that village."
Muhieb looked at Taz and said, "What do you mean by revenge?"
Taz walked past Ahmad and said, "After Talal killed that Jinn, he ordered us to flee to Al Basra. But during our escape, the Jinn sent an army after us, and the team knew our camels wouldn't be able to outrun them, so I took it upon myself to stop them."
"So you were the one who slew our warriors?" Ku asked.
Taz turned to Ku and said, "Your warriors are weak! The forms of lions, bulls, and elephants didn't help them. Swarming me like snakes and biting the skin off my flesh didn't kill me. Breaking my bones and teeth didn't stop me,"
Taz then pointed at Wah and said, "All because your son made the grave mistake of laying his rotten fingers on me, and I swore to exact my vengeance upon the Jinn, no matter how many I have to face."
Na'zaal laughed, then said, "You may not look like us, but without a doubt, you act like one of us."
Taz walked back to where she stood and said, "I did what had to be done,"
Ahmad was released from the hold, then sat in his place.
"I assume both parties now understand what made this war start," Kurigalzu said.
"Yes, my king," Na'zaal replied.
"Yes," Ku replied.
"Then I order you both to stop this war at once, is that understood?" Kurigalzu said.
"The aegis held their grounds and never marched against the Jinn, So it's on Ku to order his men to retreat," Na'zaal said.
"I will order my warriors to retreat, my king," Ku said.
Kurigalzu stood, slammed his cane on the floor and said, "This trial is over,"
The Jinns turned into dark mist, then vanished.
The aegis party stood up.
Na'zaal approached Taz and said, "How did you survive that battle?"
Taz looked at Na'zaal and said, "I survived with unrelenting wrath."
Na'zaal raised his eyebrows, chuckled and said, "Impressive."
"Why did you refer to me as one of you even though we belong to different tribes?" Taz asked.
Na'zaal turned to Ahmad, looked at him contemptuously and said, "You never told her about us?"
"I wanted her to live as her own, away from the tribal life," Ahmad replied.
Na'zaal turned to Taz and said, "The aegis tribe is the largest across multiple lands in and out of Mesopotamia. Under our banner are numerous branches and subbranches, like the sub-branch you belong to, Al Hayja."
"What is my main branch?" Taz asked.
"To you and your uncle. They're called an elder tribe, and their name is Al Shamil. Their land is to the southeast of Sky city," Na'zaal replied.
"I never knew I had a large family all this time," Taz replied.
Na'zaal looked at Ahmad and said, "I'm disappointed in you, Ahmad. After she's done, make sure she visits her elder tribe."
"I can't take her there; the land is too far away," Ahmad replied.
A'saal approached them and said, "Don't worry about it. I'll take her there myself."
Na'zaal walked away and mocked, "Good. It seems the women here are more useful than the men."
Na'zaal and Muhieb stood before the open window, disappearing as the Jinn took them away.
A'saal wrapped her arm around Taz's shoulder and said, "It's good to see you again, Tanaz."
"Before you exchange pleasantries, she needs to know what happened," Ahmad said.
A'saal looked at Ahmad and said sternly, "It can wait, Ahmad."
Taz looked worriedly at Ahmad and said, "What happened, uncle?"
"You don't need to know, Tanaz," A'saal said.
"Ra'ina passed away while you were gone," Ahmad said.
The room went silent after hearing those words, although they all knew about it. The loss of a family member still pains the royals, and Taz again lost a woman she loved and cared about; she considered Ra'ina as a mother to her.
Taz gasped in sadness and uttered, "The pain stays the same every time."
Kurigalzu took it upon himself to take Taz to Ra'ina's grave; Ra'ina was his granddaughter and the kin of his daughter.
Ahmad, Kurigalzu and A'saal went with her to the royal cemetery. They were escorted by members of the royal guard and the beast hunter who found Taz in the cave.
They traveled through tunnels under the palace, which connected to multiple essential locations.
The tunnel they traveled through was broad and tall, with stone columns in its paths, and the walls were clay.
It had drawings on the wall that recorded the history of Mesopotamia and the previous rulers. It was lit by magical stones that gave off a warm yellow light.
Kurigalzu was in the group's lead as he and A'saal were the only two who memorized the tunnel's paths.
They reached the royal cemetery, and its entrance was sizeable.
It had writing on top that said, "Lion's peace."
On the sides of the door were two drawings.
To the left was Ishtar. She stood proudly and spread her wings as she pointed out the grave's entrance with an open palm.
To the right was Anu. He pointed to the grave's entrance in the same manner as Ishtar while holding his rude staff.
The royal guards stood beside the entrance and watched over it as they went inside.
The beast hunter followed them and kept his distance.
The cemetery contained gold and jewelry placed upon the graves, and the smell of the place had the pungent smell of flowers.
They reached Ra'ina's grave.
It was placed in the corner of the room, and upon it was her jewelry and a book.
Taz stepped closer and inspected the book. It was the same book she liked reading as a child, and she spent much time rereading it when she had the time.
The warrior princess and the battle for love was the book's name.
Taz chuckled, cried silently and muttered, "You called me a child for reading that book, yet you decided to take it to the afterlife."
She stood there and grieved, and A'saal grabbed her shoulder and comforted her.
Meanwhile, in the royal holding cells.
Fadi sat on the floor, leaned against the wall and wore cloth rags. In front of him were Hilal and Numair.
Hilal looked at Fadi and said, "Do you think we'll get executed?"
"How many times are you going to ask me that question?" Fadi replied.
"We've been here too long, and they won't tell us why," Numair said.
"If they wanted to kill us, then that owl-eyed man would've done it," Fadi said.
"That beast hunter was the nicest of them. The rest were all pricks," Hilal said.
Numair chuckled and said, "That's the problem with the royal army. They think they're better than the military because they're magic users."
The cell door opened, and behind it was Talal.
He looked at them and said, "It's over; we're free to go."
"Do they need us to return to the military base?" Fadi asked.
"No. We were ordered to stay in Babilim until the aftermath of the war settles," Talal replied.
"For how long, leader?" Numair asked.
"I'm not sure, but it will take a long time before we resume our duties. Use this opportunity to relax and visit your families," Talal replied.
They all stood up and left the cell.
Fadi collected his belongings, Taz's short sword, then left the building.
The first thought that came to his mind was going back home. If anything, he longed to see his wife and daughter again.
On his way home, he greeted the people he knew. He passed a small stand, bought meat and fruits, then hurried home.
He reached his house. It was a small house in the eastern district.
The house's front had a tall window and a brown door to the left.
He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.
A large man opened the door. He had broad shoulders and a short thick beard. His hair was at shoulder's length, and it was silky.
He hugged Fadi and said, "I thought you were dead, brother."
Fadi laughed and said, "I won't go down easily, Rashed."
Rashed let go of Fadi and said, "My sister is worried about you, Fadi. You should go and see her."
Fadi handed the food to Rashed and said, "Where is she?"
"She's inside with my niece," Rashed said.
Fadi went inside the house and walked through the hallway. He turned right to the living room.
Inside were Raghad and Tanaz, their daughter.
Raghad had a sandy-brown skin tone. She had a slim figure and short black curly hair and wore a homey beige dress.
Raghad noticed Fadi, rushed into his arms, and expressed how much she missed him.
Fadi comforted and hugged her tightly.
Little Tanaz squeezed between her parents, also wanting her father's attention. Fadi chuckled and stroked his daughter's hair.
They sat down, and little Tanaz jumped onto her father's lap and leaned against his chest.
"I heard you were involved in the tribal war," Raghad asked worriedly.
"Who told you that?" Fadi asked back.
"I asked your friends," Raghad replied.
"The tribal war is over. The generals ordered us to stay in Babilim until things calm down," Fadi replied.
"What happened?" Raghad asked.
Fadi sat his daughter beside him, leaned forward, sighed heavily and said, "Rashed should hear what I have to tell you."
A few minutes later.
Fadi placed Taz's sword on the table and leaned back.
Rashed looked at Fadi and asked, "Who's sword is this?"
"The sword belongs to Taz," Fadi said.
Rashed and Raghad were shocked to hear their childhood friend was still alive. They doubted Fadi's words and questioned him repeatedly.
Fadi grew a sad expression and said, "You both know I never lie about these subjects."
Raghad began to cry, and Rashed bit his lower lip and wept.
"Where is she!?" Raghad asked.
"She is alive, but the royal army won't let her go alone since she was involved heavily in the war," Fadi replied.
Rashed and Raghad began questioning Fadi more, asking him about everything, and he told them what he was allowed to say.
Meanwhile, with Talal and Roheen.
They walked through a long hallway. The wall contained drawings of multiple religious figures that had statues within the wall's square holes.
The floor had a red carpet with golden lines knitted on the sides.
"Your father is furious," Roheen said.
"He can be furious all he wants. While he's busy stealing from the poor and the rich, I risked my life to make the kingdom safe," Talal replied.
"And risked the team's lives as well," Roheen said.
"They knew the dangers of the life they chose," Talal replied.
"We could've captured the Jinn!" Roheen said.
Talal stopped, grabbed Roheen's shoulder and said, "That Jinn could've started a holy war. That Jinn killed and raped humans. If that wasn't enough, it admitted to molesting Tanaz and slipped into her dreams."
"You can't blame an animal for acting to its nature. We could've avoided both wars if we captured it alive," Roheen replied.
Talal walked away and said, "This isn't a hero's tale, Roheen. Nothing goes as planned."
He went inside his father's office without knocking.
The office room was square-shaped and had a stone desk in the middle. The back of the room had a balcony overseeing the temple's courtyard with a dark-brown wooden guard fence.
His father was an old man with a light-brown skin tone and a thick white beard reaching past his neck. He wore a purple robe with white edges and a vest with twelve gemstones organized in a grid pattern.
His father turned to him and said, "Here is my biggest disappointment, barging into my office like a peasant."
Talal slammed the door shut, turned to his father and said, "You called for me, Hamed. I didn't come here to relive my childhood."
"Still ungrateful after I gave you everything this world offered," Hamed replied.
"Because I saw through your lies," Talal said.
Roheen stepped into the room.
She looked at Hamed and said, "Greetings, high priest Hamed."
Hamed looked at Roheen and said, "I told you to keep your eyes on him, Roheen!"
"He wouldn't listen, high priest," Roheen said.
Talal crossed his arms and said, "I am the leader for a reason. You're sorely mistaken if you thought I would allow a priest and a sorceress to plan my battle tactics."
Hamed stepped closer and shouted, "Your tactics started a tribal war!"
"My tactics stopped a supernatural criminal from throwing the world into chaos!" Talal shouted back.
"You always were impatient. Roheen told me you could've captured the Jinn, yet you decided to kill it," Hamed said.
"I killed it because it committed an unforgivable crime!" Talal said.
"You did it because it laid its hands on some nameless peasant girl," Hamed said.
"That girl is my responsibility, and she carries the blood of aegis!" Talal said.
"And what if she carries our blood!? Her flesh is worthless compared to our family's reputation," Hamed said.
Talal sighed in frustration and said, "This is why I decided to leave the temple."
"You left the temple because those peasants infected your mind with their ways. I hoped you would see reason with time, but it seems you're beyond help at this point," Hamed said.
"What's your point, Hamed?" Talal said.
"From this day forward, you're no longer my son. Never dare to step into the temple again," Hamed said.
Meanwhile, with Hilal and Numair.
They sat side by side in a tavern.
It was lightly crowded, and the furniture was brown. The place was dimly-lit, and it reeked of alcohol and salty food.
Hilal looked at Numair and said, "Do you think she works today?"
Numair ate a piece of grapefruit and said, "She works daily; the day she stops working is the day she dies."
They chuckled softly.
A man sat beside Hilal to the left and greeted them. He was the same man who fought Hilal at the military outpost.
Hilal looked at him and said, "How the fuck did you leave the outpost?"
He chuckled and said, "Thanks to your foolishness at your last mission, the lieutenant made us guard the city in shifts."
Hilal giggled and said, "Then you should buy us drinks to express your gratitude, Maimun."
Maimun laughed, then said, "You should buy me a drink for beating you in our fight."
Hilal shoved him and said, "Fuck off, I won."
"Neither of you won, it was a draw, and I had to drag you both into the quarters," Numair said.
Maimun and Hilal stared at Numair in disbelief. In their defense, the last thing they both remember was the final punch; after that, everything went dark.
Numair chuckled and said, "The funniest part is Tanaz tried to lift Hilal."
Maimun chuckled and said, "I remember her. She's that small woman Hilal brought along."
"She managed to lift Hilal for a couple of seconds, then dropped him like a sack of rice," Numair said.
They all laughed.
"I'm impressed. She's stronger than she looks," Maimun said.
"In Al Basra, I picked up her swords and tried swinging them. I knew they were made of silver, but I never expected them to be heavy," Hilal said.
"I guess the rumors about the generals' fighters are correct. They only recruit unusual warriors," Maimun said.
A woman came to them from behind the counter.
She had a brown skin tone and wore a long yellow dress and a white head scarf.
She smiled at them and jokingly said, "Talking about girls, as usual?"
They greeted her cheerfully.
"We were waiting for you all day long. I thought you were absent today, Layla," Hilal said.
Layla laughed and said, "Did you miss me, little brother?"
"No, but I missed your food and alcohol," Hilal joked.
Layla threw a towel at Hilal's face and said, "Then you're not getting any, you ungrateful little shit."
Numair chuckled and chirped, "Come on, Layla. You know he is joking!"
Layla crossed her arm, stood haughtily and said flatly, "No."
Hilal took the towel off his face, sighed and said, "I'm sorry, Layla."
Layla pouted at him and said, "You know what you have to say, little brother."
"Not a chance," Hilal replied.
"Then you won't get any food," Layla said arrogantly.
"Come on, Hilal. We don't have any money to afford food," Numair lied.
Hilal looked away in embarrassment and muttered, "I'm sorry, and I love you very much, big sister,"
Numair and Maimun laughed at him.
Layla smiled, leaned closer to Hilal, stroked his bald head and said, "I love you too, little brother. I'll go make food to fill your bellies."
"Thank you, Layla," Hilal replied.
Layla went into the kitchen and started preparing their meal. Meanwhile, Numair and Maimun kept laughing at Hilal, and they mocked and recited his words as they laughed louder.
Hilal kept his head down and sighed. He tried his best not to beat Numair and Maimun for their insults.
Meanwhile, with Taz.
She accompanied her uncle as they returned to the villa. They walked on the sandy road surrounding their home as the evening moon shined its light.
"How's Hajras?" Taz asked.
"He still grieves for his mother, but as the days go by, his pain lessens," Ahmad replied.
"Uncle... how much do you know about magic?" Taz asked.
"Enough to know it's a curse more than a gift," Ahmad said.
"What's the curse that comes with Reinforcement magic? Every time I use it, I can't help but be wrathful," Taz said.
"Reinforcement magic feeds on its user's rage, and in return, it gives them the strength of lions, but its users always forget about humanity's vulnerabilities," Ahmad explained.
"What would that be, uncle?" Taz asked.
"We are prone to corruption," Ahmad said calmly.
"Is that why I enjoy slaughter?" Taz asked.
"Al Hayja were once the most feared warriors in the lands. To be a member of such a tribe and not enjoy taking lives is considered unnatural. In your case, you already have the blood of warriors in your veins and the curse of Magic," Ahmad replied.
Taz chuckled and said, "Is that why you never allowed me to join the army? So I could kill without consequences."
Ahmad smiled, stroked Taz's hair and said, "Of course."
Taz laughed as she wrapped her arm around her uncle, like a child holding onto their parent.
"So, I guess your real motive was revenge. You never thought about protecting your team?" Ahmad asked.
"I only wanted to protect Fadi, but yes, my goal was revenge," Taz replied.
Ahmad smirked, exhaled noticeably and said, "Never do that again. Facing an enemy that outnumbers you is an assured death."
"I know, uncle. I couldn't hold back after what they did to me," Taz replied.
"You could've told the king or me. Bringing the Jinn to face their crimes isn't new to us," Ahmad said.
"I didn't endure Nasya's training just to complain about my problems like a child," Taz replied.
"And I didn't pay her expensive fees just so you can die like an idiot," Ahmad affirmed.
Taz sighed.
"Is that understood, Tanaz?" Ahmad said.
"Yes, uncle," Taz replied.
They reached the villa and went inside, ending her day.
On the following day.
Taz checked on her cousin whenever she could. The rest of her day was spent training her sword skills and physical flexibility.
When she had free time, she would go to the library along with Siraj and read books about the structure and weaknesses of beasts. As she learned from her previous mission, no myth in this world should be taken as such.
If some myths were hard to believe or comprehend, she asked A'saal about them, as she was the most experienced beast hunter she knew. She may be retired, but she had the knowledge and experience worth centuries.
A'saal was happy to tutor Taz again, although she didn't have enough time to bestow all her beast knowledge on Taz as they had to depart to Al Shamil village after five days.
They would sit around the small table in front of A'saal's library desk daily, and they sipped spiced Tea and drew on papers the anatomy of beasts.
They discussed the nature and origins of Jinn. After what Taz did, it was wise to take precautions to prepare better to face the Jinn again.
A'saal explained that the Jinn might resemble humans in their acts, such as feeling emotions, pain and grief. But never mistake them as moral creatures.
Their speed was unmatched. When the first Mesopotamian king wanted to explore, he would've always sent the Jinn first. They would travel to the farthest region in the world and return in the blink of an eye.
Although they may be fast and untouchable in their primary forms, they couldn't harm a human without materializing first; doing so hindered their speed and made them vulnerable to damage.
A'saal wanted to explain more, but she noticed the sun was setting through the window and sent Taz home.
Taz would repeat this routine until the day of departure came.
Taz packed the books A'saal wanted to deliver and carried them to the city's stables outside the walls. She loaded the books on the horses and rode to Al Shamil village as the sun peaked.
The End