Time itself seemed to have frozen still as Tari stood before the immense animal-headed gods. How they were able to find her, and that she was so close to finding the boy, she didn't know, but she couldn't just stand by here and let these monsters destroy her and the orphanage, the only home those children had ever known. Anger flowed through her then...anger at being so careless in leading them here, and the fact that they were so determined to destroy one innocent boy, whether or not he was a reborn god.
"You guys just made a BIG mistake coming here!" shouted out Tari, narrowing her eyes as she took off her backpack once more. "You know I'll just stop...."
"The only mistake is you involving yourself in this!" Sebau growled deeply in his furred throat and swung down his massive sword. Tari barely had time to scream in surprise and jump out of the way, missing the sharp edge of the blade by inches.
The Brooklyn girl dropped and rolled away safely, but she barely recovered before Nak next stepped up and thrust his sword forward, intending to run her through. Tari quickly ducked down, and when she straightened back up, back flipped away just in time to avoid getting her head sliced off. With an annoyed growl, Tari turned and ran full speed away from Set's cronies, trying to find a safe place to change.
But to her surprise, she had forgotten that besides heading for the orphanage building itself, there was no other place she could hide behind. The two gods were blocking the only other way out of the yard. She stopped, and then turned to face them. There was no other choice; she would have to take the chance of someone seeing her change if she wanted to protect herself and the children.
"Alright then, you want a fight? It's on!" Nak and Sebau seemed to ignore her as they ran on, their teeth gleaming in the afternoon light. With a smirk, Tari crossed her arms to form an "X" and shouted out "Powers of the ancient, I summon thee!"
But she had barely said those words before Nak threw forth a hand and shot out an intense beam of white energy. The energy hit the spot where Tari was just as she finished transforming, and for long moments, it seemed as though the whole area was filled with black smoke.
When the wind finally blew away some of the smoke, there was nothing but a deep blackened hole where Tari was standing, along with an eerie silence. Nak and Sabau stopped in front of it and smiled, then began to laugh loudly. It was done; the only obstacle to their master's plan was finally destroyed! Then turned to leave, but stopped dead in their tracks when a loud voice filled the air.
"Hey, morons, up here!"
The two god monsters looked up in complete surprise as a slim figure seemed to fly into the air as it leapt off the edge of the orphanage's roof and did a double twist flip on its way down. Just before she landed on the ground, Tari kicked a leg out and smashed her foot into the side of Nak's baboon-like head. The purple-furred god went down in a screech of rage and pain.
Then right after she landed on one knee, Tari straightened and kicked out her leg once more, knocking a surprised Sebau's legs from under him. He went down with an audible thud.
Quickly Tari concentrated, and her golden bracelet flashed brightly. Not even a second later, her sword appeared, bright and ready to fight. She stood bravely in a fighting stance before them, her eyes narrowed. "You zoo rejects have no business here! Go back to your slimy master before you get your tails whooped again!" Tari said, her eyes darting from one to the other.
But the gods only looked scornfully at her as they rose to their feet, their eyes starting to glow a dangerous red. "Foolish girl, you are in no position to make any demands of us!" growled out Nak, the taller of the two. "You will die a slow and agonizing death!" With that, they both shot out a massive ball made of flames.
Tari gasped in surprise before she put her arm over her head in defense. Like a miracle from heaven, her bracelet flashed brightly again, and a red crystal-like energy shield appeared before her. The balls of fire smashed into the shield heavily, causing her to stagger back slightly. The fires seemed like they were going to burn forever before it finally began to dissipate.
When the fire was gone and her shield disappeared, Tari dared to open her eyes and looked around. Her mouth dropped open when she looked down and saw that the ground all around her was scorched except for where she stood. Oh boy, these guys mean business! Tari thought with a gulp.
Just then, Tari heard the sound of a young voice shouting "Look, she's alright!" She turned in surprise to see a small boy...one of the children she met in the yard playing basketball, looking out the window and clapping, a big grin on his face. He was joined by another of the boys, then a girl, then more and more children's faces appeared on nearly every window of the orphanage building, clapping and yelling with happiness and relief that she was okay. "We believe in your, you can beat those monsters!" shouted another girl with a thick Arabian accent.
"What the...?" Before she could help herself, Tari smiled shyly and waved, her eyes almost filling with tears. Now more than even in her heart, she vowed she would not let harm come to any of these children. There was no way she could live with herself if she failed in her mission and the bright future they deserved snuffed out before their time.
But her thoughts were cut off then as Nak screamed out once more in rage and rushed forward, his sword swinging back and forth dangerously. Tari gasped and did an expert split on the ground, the sword slashing over her just where her head was a second ago.
Tari went up on one knee and blocked Nak's sword just in time as he swung down. Still straining against him, she slowly made her way up to stand, determination to win flashing in her eyes. "Give it up, mortal wench!" sneered out the baboon-headed Nak, "This is a losing battle, and Set will be victorious!"
"I will never give up! Not while they believe in me..." Tari turned her head slightly to see the children still watching, their eyes wide with apprehension and hope.
"If you care for those brats so much, then be our guest...and die with them!" Tari watched helplessly as Sebau dashed forward towards the orphanage, a sadistic grin on his face.
It was then that Tari realized what they intended to do...one would keep her busy, while the other went after the children. Her eyes widened in horror. "NOO!" she screamed out.
With a grunt, Tari raised her leg and kicked with all her might right between Nak's legs. The servant of Set gave an ear-splitting squeal before sagging down to the ground, his body shaking.
Tari never bothered to look back at him as she rushed forward behind Sebau. With an insane laugh, Sebau let loose a ball of fire that was nearly twice the size he and Nak threw at Tari earlier. The destructive power raced ahead to the building, where the children stood transfixed and frightened.
Tari thrust out her hand with the bracelet while she was still running, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. Please, turn into something...ANYTHING to protect those children! she pleaded with it in her mind. But with a sinking feeling, Tari realized she might be too late as a bright red flash leapt out of the ruby eyes of the golden snake on her bracelet.
A bright, red transparent force-field appeared around the orphanage building barely a second before the fireball hit it. But that still didn't stop the intense shockwave of the impact from nearly shaking it down to its very foundations. Everyone inside screamed and cried as the building shook and the roof began to collapse. Windows started to crack and break, cutting anyone near it.
Gasping from the strain, Tari nearly fell to her knees as she struggled to concentrate and keep the roof from collapsing any further. Another red shield appeared under the roof, preventing more damage. After what seemed like eternity, the shaking stopped and the screaming died down. Tari could only pray that no one was under the partially collapsed roof as she allowed the shield underneath it and around the building dissipate. She fell forward on her hands and knees, sweat pouring down her face and gasping for breath.
"You will regret that!" growled out Nak, rushing up to her. Just as she was about to reach the helpless Tari, a loud and booming voice filled the air.
"NAK, SEBAU, RETURN TO ME!" it screamed out.
"But..Master..." Sebau looked around in confusion.
"DO NOT DISOBEY ME!"
With one final look of hate at Tari, and coyote and baboon-headed gods disappeared in a bright flash, leaving an exhausted Tari behind.
Long moments passed as Tari fought to catch her breath, then stood up on shaky legs. She looked around for a moment, finally noticing she was alone. With a sigh, she turned to leave, but stopped when she once again heard a young voice shout down to her from a busted out window.
"Thank you!!" a young girl said, waving her hand as she was joined by her friends. All the children waved and shouted out "HOORAY!" and "THANKS!" in English and their native language. Some had a few cuts and bruise, but otherwise seemed okay.
Embarrassed, Tari could only wave with a tired smile before dashing away. Panting, she leaned against the side of a building half a block away as she concentrated and reverted back to her normal form. When she leaned forward to make sure no one was looking before running out and heading back to the orphanage.
Then remembering her backpack, she scooped it up as she rushed through the orphanage's yard and into the building, where Fahad was just coming down the stairs, a few cuts on his face.
"Is everyone alright, sir?" asked Tari as she rushed up to him, helping him steady himself.
"Yes...yes, we're okay. Nothing that won't heal." the orphanage worker said, shaking his head. "I just checked the children, and no one was seriously hurt. Thank Allah for that girl who saved us...whoever she was...."
"Oh..errr...right," Tari said, grinning sheepishly. She then looked at him seriously. "Listen, about earlier...the boy that I was looking for? The children said his name might be...umm...Alim, I think. Do you know him? Is he here?"
The man thought for a moment, then his face brighten as he nodded his head. "Ah, little Alim, I remember him! I haven't worked with him much, but I do know he's a sweet child, but often sick." He knitted his brow together as he concentrated. "From what I've been told, he had a particularly bad attack, and was taken to the hospital yesterday for some tests. But alas, I don't remember...or was not told which hospital, or when he's supposed to be back. We have so many children here, it's hard to keep track sometimes...."
"He's in the hospital? Oh man!" Tari groaned with annoyance and smacked her palm against her forehead. Hospitals, how she hated hospitals! Without warning, a memory of the last time she was in the hospital flashed through her mind as she shuddered....her arm covered in blood and doctors doing their best to stitch her slashed wrist...her clothes carefully cut away so the doctors could "examine" her, and questions...all those questions they kept asking her!
Tari shook her head to try and clear the painful memories before turning back to the Fahad. "Are you sure you don't know which hospital? It's really important."
"I could try and ask around and look up his files, but it could take hours, and there are still the other children to look after now..." He looked up at her in an apologetic way.
"No, it's okay, please look after the other children first," Tari said, shaking her head. "I'm sure with the help of my friends I can find him." She nodded, then looked up to see a few of the orphanage's teachers and children coming warily down the stairs. "I should go now, thanks for your help." After giving him the traditional Arabic farewell, Tari turned to leave.
"Try the Hassabo Hospital, it's closest to us." Fahad said as waved goodbye.
Tari nodded as she waved back, and then hurriedly made her way home. But she couldn't stop the worry from entering her mind. From what she remembered, Cairo was known for having quite a few hospitals. The chances of her finding little Alim before Set attacked again was very slim, but she knew she had to try.
Tari sighed as she walked on. Isis was not going to like this disappointing news. None of the other gods were. She would also have to learn to get over her fear of hospital. She narrowed her eyes in determination. The fate of the world was much more important than what led her to be in the hospital in the first place, so if it meant going into one...then so be it. But that still didn't stop her heart from beating a little faster as she fought hard to keep the memory from resurfacing. She won't let it get in the way, this she promised.
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In Set's blackened fortress, Nak and Sebau knelt before their lord and sovereign, one hand over their chest. "Master," Nak began, "I assure you, we had her where we wanted her, we almost..."
"Cease your foolish blabbering!" Set shouted out, narrowing his eyes. 'Would you have been so confident if the other gods would have shone up then, hmmm? You know she is under their protection."
Nak and Sebau looked at each other for a moment, and then bowed their heads low.
"I thought so," said Set, leaning back in his throne. In the background, the sounds of souls being tortured was heard, and it was like sweet music to his ears.
Beside him, Apep hissed lowly and flicked out his tongue, reveling in the taste of fear emanating from the gods before Set. The wounds he received from his last battle were already healed, and he was more than ready to get back into battle and have his revenge on the mortal girl and Horus.
"Every time we have the upper hand and come closer to our goal, that girl always ruins it," Set continued, has hands balling into fists. "But soon, that will be no more. I have a plan..a plan to make sure that nuisance will no longer trouble us, and our plans set in motion. That poor girl has no idea what's in store for her, as those pathetic mortals of today would say...."
"Do you plan to have her murdered, My Liege?" Sebau said eagerly.
Set scowled at him with a grunt, and when Sebau lowered his head in humility, he continued. "No, nothing as simple as that. I have something a little more......traumatic in mind. Something that will ensure that the gods will never be able to find much less save her."
Set leaned forward and crooked his finger, beckoning them forward. Smiling sadistically, Set unfolded his plan to them, and when he was finished, they all threw back their heads and laughed, already feeling their victory in their hands.
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On a lonely hospital bed, a little boy struggled to breath, his face ashen and sweat plastered on his forehead. The doctors were at a loss as to what ailed him. Every once in a while he would show improvement, then become worse. It was almost as though he was reacting to something...something that affected him very badly, but as to what, they didn't know.
An IV needle was put painlessly in his hand to hydrate him, and monitors connected to him to check his vital signs at all times. Every few hours, some painkilling morphine was given to him to help with the pain in his stomach, but that was about the extent of the treatment.
But all of this was oblivious to the boy as he fought to take in each breath. In his sleep, he fought with all his might against the frighten images of a bad, dark-skinned man laughing at him, of him being locked inside something that was small and very, very dark....almost like one of those coffins he has seen some of the unfortunate children put in after they died from sickness or malnutrition. Why he was having these dreams suddenly, the child didn't know. He just wanted it to stop, and he wanted to go back home to his friends and caring teachers. And he wanted to get out of that small, dark space he was locked in. It scared him, scared him more anything had ever done before.
"Please," the little boy named Alim whispered out hoarsely as a tear slipped passed his eyelid, "Someone help me, get me out of here..." But the dreams didn't stop. They kept going on and on, torturing him.
A few moments later, a nurse entered the room. She went over to the monitors and wrote down his vital signs. She checked his IV and nodded. When she was done with the routine checks, she went to him and gently wiped his sweaty and cool forehead, then shook her head in pity. Another child lost in the chaos of child welfare in Egypt. He was not the first, and will definitely not be the last. She had seen so many before. At that thought, the nurse left, turning the lights out and leaving the boy once more in darkness.
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To Be Continued....
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