Sands of Time (Complete)

Chapter 18: The Power of Friendship and Love

"Everyone, move to the Palace!" Aadila yelled as people ran past her. "The soldiers will protect you there!" People continued to scream and Aadila noticed the Seto look-a-like looking worried as well. "You need to return to your world as soon as you can."

"I don't even know how I got here. How am I supposed to leave?"

"Follow the people to the Palace." Aadila said, mounting her horse. "You'll be safe there."

"Whatever." 

"Seto I'm serious! You need to be careful or..." A scream took Aadila away from her train of thought and as she looked towards the city limits, Zork was making his way closer and closer to the palace. Lightning and thunder filled the sky as Zork continued to make his way to the city. Aadila left without finishing her statement and made her way to the high city walls. Peeking out the city gates, Aadila saw that most of the kings soldiers were there, waiting for orders.

Aadila noticed the real Seto standing behind the Pharaoh, who was talking to Shimon, Isis and Shada. When the Pharaoh tried to take a step forward, he collapsed and everyone surrounded him quickly. Aadila wished she could help him but she was to be out of the palace limits, so she just stood there and watch hopelessly as he weakly got to his feet. 

"They're not going to be able to stop him" Aadila quietly said to herself, looking at the men who were surely about to die. Then, in the crowd she saw her older brother Dakarai and she should be able to get his attention. The soldiers got into their positions and Dakarai was placed right in front of the gate. "Pssst! Dakarai!"

"Aadila!" He whispered. "What are you doing here!?"

"This." Aadila hit him over the top of his head with a rock and caught him before he hit the ground. "I'm sorry my brother, but you have to live for our siblings sake." Aadila placed him on her horse and faced it towards the palace, hitting it so it would start to gallop and take her brother to safety. The  soldiers suddenly began to attack and she noticed Zork was a little too close to her for comfort, but she stayed put for her to be able to fulfill her promise. 

Arrows flew into the dark sky and disappeared when contacting Zork, not having any impact on him. The same happened when the catapulted boulders hit him as well. 

"Never give up!" Seto's voice yelled. "Remember he is one beast against a great army!" With a simple flick of his hand, Zork sent a shock wave, sending soldiers flying and destroying weapons.

"Seto we must retreat and re-group our forces!" Aadila heard the Pharaoh say. She couldn't hear his reply, but Aadila assumed he agreed because men started to run back towards the gate. Aadila hid behind the wall so no one would notice her, lifting her the hood of her dirt coloured cloak. Aadila slowly followed the crowd of soldiers back to the palace, hiding among the homes and abandoned vendors in the streets. Zork had just reached the city limits and the guardians had summoned a creature to help defeat Zork.

"You feeble mortals are powerless against me! And too bad the Pharaoh scared off the one person that could have helped you win!" Zork said, the guardians beginning an attack without even thinking.

Wait! What did he just say?! Both the Pharaoh and Aadila thought right after they heard it.  

"Your feeble attempts at combat insults me!" Zork said, coming out of the battle without a scratch. "Now, watch and learn!" Zork attacked everything in his path, easily weakening the guardians and the Pharaoh further. Suddenly, a lightning strike came down and was heading straight for the Pharaoh.

"Pharaoh, look out!" Shada yelled, running to his Pharaoh's aid and pushing him out of the way, protecting him like he swore to do. Aadila sighed in relief but also felt pained by the lose of another guardian. First Mahad, then Karim and now Shada. Aadila saw Zork staring at something when she looked up at the face of evil before her. At first she thought it was the Pharaoh, but she noticed that the angle of his head was too straight for that. Looking all around her, searching for another person she only saw empty streets which meant that he was staring at her!