Chapter 11 - Chapter 9

Diablo prepared to leave the tower in pursuit of the two sisters. He wanted to kill them before they killed him. He was going to use an element of surprise to attack and kill the sisters. He got ready for his great journey to find the sisters. Harunah walked into his chambers as he was he busy preparing for his mission. "Are you going somewhere Diablo?", she asked him. He smiled and walked to her, held her hands and replied, "I am going hunting my love. I have missed that blood rush that I get when I go hunting." She forced a smile and looked at him with suspicion. She knew he had just lied to her the only thing he was going to hunt was her daughters. Diablo took twelve of his finest warriors and among them was Shekah. As he headed to the gates Amandla and Arub walked to him geared up for the journey. "Where do you think the two of you are going?", he asked them. Amandla walked to her griffin and she replied, "Did you think I would let you go and face that witch alone. I am coming with you father!" Diablo was impressed by his daughter. If there was anything that he had loved more than his power and Harunah it was Amandla. He had raised her to be his and she had turned out to be just like he wanted. They left Agasah in search of the two sisters. Harunah watched from her window and as soon as they had left she knew she this was the only chance she had to sneak out and get one of her warriors to go help her daughters. She wore simple clothes and removed all of her jewellery trying to disguise herself. Harunah covered her face with a blue cloak and she wore torn out shoes she found in the tower. She took pieces of gold and packed a few stuff to go and give out to the warriors that would go and assist her daughters in killing Diablo. She used the back stairs that connected from her chambers to the dungeons to the gardens behind the tower. She walked out of the gates of the tower and walked as if she was one of the valoyees. Back in the tower no one had noticed she had left and everyone thought she had locked herself in her chambers. She headed towards the Agasian camp which was at the fa rend of the city. She got through the guards easily since they assumed she was a valoyee servant girl sent to the camp. She walked deep into the camp looking for the warriors. She saw her people wearing rags and worn out shoes. Her heart broke as she saw them scramble for food thrown at them by the valoyee warriors. She kept going until she got to a tent where her warriors and elders stayed. There was a guard posted outside their tent and when she got there he stopped her. "No one is allowed to enter this tent, they were orders left by Amandla not to let them out or to let anyone in.", he told the empress. Harunah stood there still and quietly took a blade from the bag and stabbed him twice in his abdomen. He fell on her and she looked if there was no one seeing her and when it was clear she pushed him into the tent. He fell to the ground and she stabbed him once more to the heart, killing him. The elders and the few warriors of Agasah in the tent were shocked at how one of the valoyees would kill one of her own people because they hadn't seen the face of the girl who stabbed the guard. They kept sitting there silently as the woman stood up and walked away from the corpse of the guard. She slowly pulled away the blue cloak that covered her face and she her face was revealed to her people. The elders and the warriors bowed down to their empress but she fell to the ground and embraced some of them in her arms. "We don't have time my people, the war has begun and I need to set free some of our warriors.", she told them. The elders looked at her and one of them asked, "How do we get the warriors out of this camp? Diablo has placed guards everywhere in this camp and we have no weapons." She took the bag she was holding and took out the blades she had placed in the bag and took out the gold pieces she took from her chamber." We only need these to cut out the guards and we need to just let them leave when it's nightfall. Diablo is not in the tower so is Arub and Amandla. They set out to go and kill the queens and we have to be quick about this.", she warned them. The elders and the head warriors agreed to the plan and the warriors took the blades and prepared to kill the valoyee guards. Twenty great warriors were born to the people of Agasah. They were the defenders of Agasahand only one had left with the queens. The nineteen were going to set off and join the queens at nightfall. "How do they get to the queens? I heard they are in the far east travelling to rally armies.", one elder asked the empress. Harunah turned to her people and she replied, "I will make sure they get dragons to travel with to the east." The people looked upon themselves and mumbled upon themselves. "If you release the dragons they will know you helped the warriors escape your highness, we cant risk your life like that.", her elders protested. She smiled at her people, even in dark times they put her life first. "I have to risk it for my people. You have been slaves for twenty years now all to protect me and now its my turn to protect my people.", she told them. They didn't like this plan for it would expose her to the valoyee and would even kill her for that. However the elders didn't have a choice but to agree with her plan. She went back to the towers.

As they flew the skies Diablo was dying to find the two queens. He had so much excitement about killing the two people who made his life miserable. He didn't know that he travelled with snakes and he had been invited into a trap. It was nearly dusk and they landed in the forest of the great smiths near the east. Amandla wasn't going to let him find Sharay because she knew they would all die at her hand for she was stronger. She wanted to kill Diablo herself and take his head back to Agasah. She sat on the other side of the fire starring at him with an evil smile. Arub saw her thoughts and he walked towards her. He sat next to her and warned her, "If you keep looking at him like that everyone will know you are driving him to his death. We both know he can't kill Sharay nor can any of these warriors." She smiled, took Arub's hand and replied, "Oh Arub my friend why do you keep underestimating me like this? It breaks my heart when you of all the people do not know what I am capable of." She smiled and looked at Diablo who sat there laughing with his warriors. How gullible and naïve Diablo was in Amandla's eyes. She felt sick now everytime she saw him, he was weak and too trusting. He had no ambition and he was just a mere emperor who wanted Agasah so he could get a woman who still didn't love her. She was going to take Agasah, the heavens and the earth so she could show him from his grave how it was supposed to be done. He stood up and headed to the bushes to relieve himself and when he turned his back Amandla gave a signal to the warriors who had been on her side and yet disguised to be on Diablo's side to slaughter the ones who were truly on Diablo's side. They drew their swords and slit the throats of the warriors on Diablo's side. The other six had been on her side and she had plotted this with Shekah. Arub shocked at the turn of event then realized he had been excluded from a major plan. "Shekah go and get Daiblo for me would you please.", Amandla commanded Shekah. Shekah obeyed and he left with another warrior. Arub stood there surprised and he asked her, "You were not taking him to the queens? You wanted to kill him yourself?" He looked confused and deeper part of him was hurt that his old friend was going to be killed by the child he so adored. Arub knew he had made a wrong choice in arousing Amandla's ambitions and he would have to pay the price for it. Shekah grabbed Diablo and pushed him to the ground at Amandla's feet. He raised his head and saw Amandla and Arub standing next to each other. He laughed with so much sarcasm and pain in his voice. Arub's hand shook in pain and Amandla smiled with great pleasure. "My two most trusted friends are betraying me like this? Arub my friend you still wanted more so you betrsy me with her?", he asked with so much pain in his voice. You could hear his voice shake and that broke Arub's heart. Amandla slapped Diablo hard in the face and she laughed. "You were a fool Diablo! I hate how pathetic you are and now I will take over from you father. I will builda better Agasah and I will take down the gods.", she mocked him. Diablo laughed with pity. He felt so much pity for both Arub and Amandla. "Arub wanted more and he got more than he asked for. She is from Agasah and she will rule over you and not with you. Amandla my dear you are so desperate for attention and belonging that you have come to this. You both won't have what you looking for. You wont rule Arub and you won't belong Amandla.", he warned them. This angered Amandla she drew Shekah's sword and drew it straight into Diablo's heart. She cried out loud as hse drew the sword into his heart and blood came out of his mouth. She held him as he was about to fall and he fell on her. "I am sorry father, I really am sorry.", she quietly wept as she held him in her arms. Arub stood there in pain and fear. Amandla had just killed the one person she had loved all her life and this scared him to death. She would do anything for power and it was quite obvious there was nothing that could get in the way of her getting what she wanted not even here dearest father. She pulled the sword out and dried her tears up. 'We have to make it as if the white head witch attacked us so stab me Shekah and stab everyone else around you.", she ordered. Arub stood there still looking at how his friend had been killed like a dog by his own daughter. She stood in front of him as clapped her hands. "Get to work Arub! We need to get back to Agasah by dawn looking like we were attacked by the witches of Agasah. The valoyee people will accept me as their queen now.", she bragged. Arub turned and looked at her warriors stabbing and tearing their clothes and he asked, "What are we going to do with Diablo's body?' Amandla clicked her tongue at his stupidity and she replied, 'We take it back with us to Agasah and let the people see what Sharay has done to my father." She laughed out so loud with so much pleasure. They all got to work and prepared to set off for Agasah where another surprise would await them.

Harunah still disguised as a servant went to the deep chamber were they locked up the dragons of Agasah. She took the keys from Daiblo's chambers and she opened the doors that led into the chambers. She walked into the dark chamber were the dragons had laid for the past twenty years. They were given to the warriors by the god of war and only ancient warrior language could have them wake up. Harunah stood in the middle of the dragons and she began to chant in the ancient Agasian warrior language. She knelt down and continued chanting. The dragons awoken and she commanded the dragons in her ancient language to leave the chambers and wait for the warriors in the forest. The twenty dragons left the chambers and this was a signal the great warriors of Agasah were waiting for. They begun slitting the throats of the guards one by one and with the help of the elders they escaped. The tower guards saw the dragons flying away from the tower into the forest. They sent word for the bell ringer to send out and alarm to inform all the warriors that the dragons had been let out but Harunah slit his throat to give time to her warriors. As the warriors escaped the camp the elders advised them to light a fire so they could know they had safely reached the dragons and left. The warriors ran down to the camp and found all their guards dead on the ground. They had been killed and by the time they realized the bell ringer was dead it was too late because the warriors had already escaped. Harunah retired back to her chambers and waited for the fire that would be lit by the warriors in the forest. The valoyee warriors ran around Agasah in search of the warriors that had escaped. They knew Diablo was not going to accept this incompetence and they had to find the warriors. The great warriors of Agasah got to the dragons and they lit the fire to show the empress and the elders they had reached the dragons. The nineteen warriors had never left their empress alone but they had to leave her alone to join one of their own to protect the queens. They set off with the twenty dragons heading to the east to join the queens. Harunah knew she was going to be killed by Diablo for this kind of betrayal and she sat there ready to die by his sword as long as her daughters would come and rescue her people. She prayed to the gods for the protection of her warriors and her people.

As the warriors flew off for the east the sisters and Tafuh reached the first village of the people of the east. This village was a place of trading and it's people were a very peaceful people. It was called Mount city because of the great mountain that was behind it. Its gates were made of two big iron bars that stood tall on each side. This was a sign of wealth to the people of Mount city. They were the greatest traders known in this realm and they didn't care much about the wars that happened outside their world. However they were quite familiar of the people of Agasah and how they were touched by the gods and they had great respect for them. They loathed the valoyees for disturbing balance in the realm since they had been going around other villages taking away from other people and this had affected their trading patterns but however they had done nothing for the valoyees were stronger than them. The sisters walked into the city gates heading towards the center of the town. They walked up to a group of women and men trading cloth for gold earrings. The sisters asked if they could be shown to the king's place and the women gladly directed them. The sisters had walked for days covering their bodies fearing Diablo might have placed his spies in the forests and they wouldn't be able to identify them without the seeing their tattoos. As they walked towards the king's place they noticed markings on the walls of the Mount city city that honored their mother and how her presence in this realm had brought many blessings to them. To Sharay it was still weird on how people would honor her, she had never met her mother and to her Harunah was the woman who put her people first over her own children. They got to the palace guards who immediately stopped them from entering the palace. Tafuh went up to one of the guards and whispered in his ear and they let them through. "What did you say to him Tafuh?", Sharay asked. She smiled at her and replied, "I told her that you were great traders he has been waiting for." Tafuh laughed and Sharay didn't understand how a guard could just let them in over such a statement. They walked into the palace grounds heading towards the great hall. The doors were opened and the king stood there, he was a tall and handsome man whose hair was black and his eyes were deep brown. He had a smile of an angel and he took Wanday's heart. She had never seen such a man with so much beauty and in that moment she felt that Muney wasn't the only man who could steal her heart. Sharay looked at her sister with so much surprise in her eyes, she couldn't understand what it was about this man that had Wanday mesmerized that much. The king of Mount city came down from his throne sit and he greeted the sisters and Tafuh. He was under the impression it was the traders he had been waiting for and he was pleased to sse them. "My fellow traders I am glad to see you. We have been waiting for you all this time.", he said to them. In that moment Sharay realized that Tafuh wasn't lying when she had told her that she told the guard they were traders. They bowed down and the king laughed with the most beautiful voice and his teeth showed. He had the most beautiful teeth and they were white and sheaped his mouth nicely. Wanday smiled when she this and Sharay rolled her eyes. Tafuh took of the cloth that covered her body and she replied, "We are nottraders your highness, I am Tafuh great warrior of Agasah and I bring the queens of Agasah, the daughters of the empress Harunah to you." The girls removed their cloth and the king stood there in awe. His father had told him stories about the people of Agasah all his life and now he stood face to face with them. However it wasn't only that which made him stand in awe, he had never seen such beauty all his life. He looked at Sharay with his eyes wide open and his jaw dropped. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid his eyes on and he was in love with her. Wanday looked at the king and she laughed at how he was starring at her sister who looked at him in disapproval. "Please you do not bow to me my queens, I bow to you. My name is king Andrew.", he told the sisters as he helped them up. He held Sharay's hand and smiled at him but she winced and walked away from him. When he held Wanday's hand she stood there still and a vision came to her. She saw blood, lots of Diablo's blood and she also saw Mount city burning down with it's women and children killed. She fell to the ground and she shivered as if she was cold. Sharay ran to her and held her in her arms. The young king looked confused at what was happening. "What did you see Wanday?", Sharay asked her. She looked at her sister and replied in a shaky voice, "Diablo is dead, Amandla killed him. The fate has shifted and she will be crowned queen tomorrow. She will come for Mount city next after she becomes queen." The young king trembled in fear and he looked at the young queens who looked as surprised as her. Amandla was ruthless and word had spread throughout the realm of how Diablo had raised her to become like that. Sharay was nervous and she asked, "How has fate has changed? I thought killing Diablo meant that we could go home and be with our people." Wanday sat there and she quietly replied, "Our fates were switched when Nadine took us and she was taken by our mother. We have to rise and get our home back or it will be lost forever." Sharay was furious at the gods for toying with her emotions like that. She clicked her tongue and walked away from the trio. The king ordered his guards to let her go and he took the other two to rest.

As dawn approached Harunah had still been sitting by her window looking into the horizon and thinking if the warriors were about to find her daughters. She didn't know freeing the warriors had changed the fate of the queens and as soon as Amandla would find out she would make herself queen of Agasah. She saw the a few people walk in the court yard carrying a body. She stood up in fear because she thought it might be one of her daughters. She stood up and ran down towards the people. And when she got there Amandla stood there smiling at her mother, "You must have been so afraid for your daughters Harunah. Don't worry it's only Diablo who died. She is much stronger than we thought.", she mocked Harunah. Harunah looked at Diablo's lifeless body confused. The prophecy Ammara told had said when the white head queen kills Diablo then the people of Agasah would be fre but it looked like it was far from happening. She looked at Amandla and asked her, "Are you alright child?" Amandla looked at Harunah and she laughed in her face whilst she walked away. She knew then that the fate had been changed, it had taken another path which no one had seen coming. She saw that look of fear in Arub's eyes and she knew that the gods were not going to intervene in this war. They had left the fate of the people of Agasah in the hands of the her daughters. She couldn't breath and she went to Diablo's lifeless body and for the first time in her life she held him in her arms with so much love and regret. She wished she had just looked at him just once and maybe her people wouldn't be suffering this predicament. She cried out so loud in pain as she held him in his arms. Arub watched the empress he had so hated most of his life mourn his old friend he went and held her shoulder. Harunah looked at him and she said, "This is what you wanted Arub. You were too hungry for power that you became blind to everything and now she is out of control." Arub looked away from the empress, stood up and walked away from Harunah. "I will never forgive you for this Arub! I will not let go of what you have done today.", the empress told her in tears. She sat there as many of his loyal guards started to gather around him with sad faces. The valoyees would hate the people of Agasah for killing their leader and Harunah knew her people were in trouble now. She was just going to watch them suffer until her daughters managed to get them out of this mess Amandla had created for them. Harunah walked back to the tower slowly and in despair. She dragged her feet and she couldn't hear a thing about even Amandla's screams in her chambers. She was furious and she kept throwing stuff around when they had told her the great warrirs had escaped. Harunah entered the chambers and Amandla screamed at her, "You did this! You helped them escape, you old witch!", Harunah kept standing there in despair and quiet. "How could you mother! You betrayed me over those two witches! Answer me mother!", she kept screaming at her mother. Harunah just stood there and she quietly asked, "Are you going to kill me too Amandla?" There tears in her eyes but what Amandla saw in her mother was disappointment. She looked away from her mother and she replied,"I will not kill you, you are my most priced possession. Your girls will come for you and I will kill them then but I will make you suffer for betraying me mother." Harunah dragged her feet as she walked towards Amandla, she grabbed her shoulder turning her to face her. "I was never theirs Amandla! I was always your mother! You killed him for loving you, my daughter would have never done it and my daughter would have known her mother was never going to forsake her!", she screamed at Amandla. Full of tears in her eyes she turned away from her mother and she replied, "I was never yours mother. Just like the people of Agasah were never mine and Nadine was never mine. They were all theirs and I had nothing!" She walked out of her chambers and closed the doors so her mother wouldn't see her tears. She heard Harunah cry out so loud in pain that it made her realize she had been wrong all along. She fell to the ground and quietly wept. It was too late to go back now and she wasn't going to stop now. She was going to become queen and she was going to rule all the realms. She stood up dustied herself and walked towards the throne room, there she sat on Diablo's throne and she felt all the power she wanted to feel. She was going to be the greatest anyone had ever seen and she wasn't going to let some futile emotions stop her from getting what she wanted. Arub walked into the throne room and he smiled at her. She smiled back at him and she said, "I will become queen this morning Arub, spread the word to the valoyees, tell them we will reign together today!"Arub followed her commands and he left to prepare for the young queen's coronation.