Diamond Wings

Chapter 13 Resistance and Revolution

   "Amir is arriving back at the castle today," Scarlet reports, as she rolls out a blueprint of the surrounding sewers and castle. Everyone involved huddles around the table and briefing. After hiding out in the murky and dreary sewer depths for a few days, the time had finally come to deal with the ruthless and oppressive tyrant.
   "According to our sources, there are guards in for disciplining. However we cannot risk the mission by trying to save them. We must wait for the deep cover of darkness, when he dreams.  
   "We'll get into position, and when our men up top get word that he sleeps, they'll open the manhole and let us in. Sarena and I will move in, while the rest cover our escape, and suppress any nosy and loyal guards.
   "We'll sneak into his room, and I will do what needs to be done. If he wakes before I can make it to him, Sarena might be our best shot at taking him down.
   "Everyone is to convene tonight at midnight, when we will carry out our mission, and free the people from our oppressor's rule!" 
   Scarlet finishes her speech with a raised fist and cheers all around.
   Max turns to one of the dagger wielding agents from the alley, standing next to him.
   "Ya know, your pretty good with those knives, but we both know, one on one, no one else around, I win that fight everytime," he says, cocky and grinning, as a raised eyebrow and stare look back at him. "And for the record, neither one of those things is a knife," he claims, as he pulls his large eight inch combat knife. "That's a knife."
   A small girl approaches Glik and tugs at his cloak, until he turns to look down at her.
   "Are you a gobwin?" she asks.
   Glik lets out a deep sigh, before responding.
   "I don't know for sure, but I'm starting to think I might be."
   The little girl's eyes pop open wide along with her mouth, as she scurries off, frightened.
   Another deep sigh from Glik, as he shakes his head.
   "Sarena, you still up for this?" Scarlet asks.
   "Ya, I'll be ready," she replies, with a sad demeanor about what needs to be done.
   "I am sorry about all of this, asking you to help kill your own brother has to be hard."
   "Like you said, he's not my brother anymore. I was hoping to talk with him, try to reason with him, and get some answers, but there is too much at stake.  
   "I just hope if you cannot take him out quietly, I'll be able to take him out quickly. I always used to be able to defeat the Amir I know, but this new one might be much more formidable. I have been imprisoned for a long time, I imagine he has only gotten stronger."
   "What were you imprisoned for Sarena?"
   "My mad and power-hungry brother, Ba lin, locked me away. We were protectors of our world, until Ba lin killed my true love, and then our father. I tried to stand against him, but failed. And now because of my failure, I fear for my world and others. I fear that my once virtuous siblings have been twisted by Ba lin's will, and turned evil.
   "I don't even know how long I have been imprisoned for. It was only a blink of an eye for me, frozen in time through some sort of stasis-like artifact. I only know I was away for at least hundreds of years because of Amir's reign. I know he could not of come to this world before Ba lin's coup, but I fear I might of been locked away for much longer."
   "I'm sorry Sarena, I understand how awful the pain of loss and regret can be, but don't blame yourself. Somethings are beyond your control."
   "Thank you Scarlet, I appreciate that. I will always unfortunately feel some kind of guilt and regret, but will do what I can, to right the wrongs that I can."
   "I understand that all too well also. I like to wish and hope for the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
   "That's beautiful and well said Scarlet. Thank you, I will remember that."
   Midnight quickly comes, as six agents come together to execute the dangerous but necessary assassination plan. They head to the rendezvous point through the dark sewer tunnels. Reaching the bottom of a ladder leading up, they watch for the manhole cover to move, so they can commence the mission at hand.
   It's not long before the cover moves, revealing the rogue guards helping them. Scarlet, Sarena, Max and finally Glik head up the ladder, leaving their two dagger wielding cohorts at the bottom.
   They exit the manhole, entering the castle's courtyard, and quietly greeting two guards.
   Max and Glik take their positions, hidden amongst the bushes, with one of the guards beginning a tight patrol in the courtyard, and around their escape route.
   The second guard leads Scarlet and Sarena into the castle. They stick to the shadows as they quietly sneak about, occasionally hugging corners or pillars, waiting for a guard patrol to pass. Taking their time, heading up three staircases, down multiple balcony hallways and wrapping around a grand circular room, they finally make it to Amir's bedchamber.
   The guard gives them a nod and stands as a lookout on the hallway balcony. Carefully and silently, they crack open the door and slip in. Sarena stays by the inside of the door while Scarlet creeps to Amir's bed, as he sleeps. The one window, letting the only little bit of light in, coming from the clear starry night and a half moon. The dim light shimmers off of Amir's long and regal purple hair, and his majestic amethyst wings as they crest around his shoulders.
   Scarlet slowly and silently pulls her curved dagger, as she slinks up to and over Amir. Sarena rests a hand onto the hilt of her blade in nervous anticipation.
   She brings the curved dagger up high over the sleeping ruler, like a cobra ready to strike.
   Amir suddenly and instinctively opens his eyes. Watching as the assassin's blade comes down, he grabs the assassin's wrist. She drops the dagger, catching it with her other hand, trying to drive it down quickly. Amir manages to rapidly catch and stop her other wrist, as Sarena pulls her sword and charges in.
   He leans up and foward, shoving Scarlet hard, sending her flying against the stone wall and down to the floor.
   Sarena lunges at him with a piercing strike as he leans back, grabbing her as she stabs over him. Already stronger than she remembers him to be.
   "Sarena? I knew you would come, but never took you for a coward," Amir says, as he pulls her over the bed, launching her to the other side of the room, crashing into the hard wall and then down to the floor.
   He rolls out of bed and onto his feet, facing Scarlet, still in a pile on the ground. A crossbow bolt flies out from her dark and shadowy pile. It almost finds it's mark, before Amir instinctively leans out of it's trajectory, with lightning fast reflexes.
   Turning back to look at her, he tightens his gaze and grits his teeth, angered by the numerous and cowardly assassination attempts.
   Scarlet rises to greet him with a curved dagger, as he stomps towards her. He easily dodges slashes and stabs before grabbing her wrist and neck, lifting up and slamming her into the wall.
   "I know you, your the leader of the insurgency." His grip tightens around her neck, as she struggles to breath, face turning red with bloodshot eyes. "The snake finally rears it's ugly head just to be cut off, or I guess I should say snapped off."
   Amir's anger grows along with his deadly grip, as a small blue buckler flies into his back like a hard frisbee. He looks over his shoulder to see Sarena vaulting the bed towards him, one hand planted onto the bed and another wielding her sword.
   Scarlet capitalizes on the distraction, pulling a second dagger, attempting to thrust it into his side.
   Amir astonishingly releases her neck, in time to stop the assassin's blade from impaling him completely, as just the tip makes it in, drawing a small amount of blood.
   Enraged, he swings her around by both wrists, swatting away Sarena, before making another full revolution and releasing Scarlet, sending her crashing through the bedchamber's double doors, and out into the hall.
   Sarena stands after being knocked back from the spinning attack.
   "Amir," she formally greets him.
   "Sarena, it's been a long time. How in earth did you free yourself?"
   "With a little help from my friends. Amir, what are you doing? I knew
Ba lin had turned evil, but I could not of ever imagined you would."
   "Ba lin taught me that, good, evil, it all depends on where you are standing. Sometimes there is a necessary evil for the greater good. Many of us were resistant at first, but one by one, everyone fell in line, either through fear or reason.
   "Ba lin brought us to heights that most of us never dreamed of. He taught us about the hidden powers and strengths inside all of us, lying dormant and hidden by the Allfather. Once we brought absolute order to our world, we began to look at others. We can not only save one world, but all worlds.
   "You have been away for a long time Sarena, much has changed, but I know that if you swear loyalty and denounce your treacherous ways, Ba lin will welcome you back with open arms. We can be together again."
   "How long Amir?"
   "How long what, Sarena?"
   "How long have I been away?"
   "Sarena . . . You have been away for over a thousand years."
   Shock and disbelief come over her. Tears well up and fists clench in a mixture of sadness and anger, emotions running wild.
   Sounds of indistinguishable yelling from the hall begin to make their way into the bedchamber, accompanied by the ringing of steel against steel.
   "I am sorry Sarena, I cannot begin to imagine what your lengthy imprisonment was like."
   "It wasn't like anything, it was a blink of an eye for me. What I cannot forgive, is Ba lin murdering our father and my true love, Arthur. I don't know how you can forgive and work with him."
   "I understand, I was upset at first. But then I realized the truth. The Allfather caged us Sarena, and Ba lin set us free. It was an evil act, but a necessary one."
   "He has you brainwashed."
   "No Sarena, I was blind but now I see. Do not let your stubbornness and pride blind you from the harsh truth. And . . . he did not murder Arthur."