The Fall of Qasala: Part Eight

      "Not quite," Nabile replied slyly. "He is willing to use it for me. Unfortunately, my wishes are not quite the same as yours."

      Amira looked only slightly less happy. "Fine. But remember, you can't conquer the city without my help. One Kyrii's magic is not going to be enough against a hundred's."

      Nabile nodded. "Right now, let's concentrate on getting that city out of the way. We can move on to other matters after that."

     *

      At dawn, the Sakhmetians attacked, fording the moat with some difficulty.

      "You say that you would pay me well to get you back to the city?" As usual, Nabile was concerned only about the fees she would be paid.

      "Anything you want," Jazan replied absent-mindedly. He could still not believe his good fortune.

     "Then we should hurry back now, while Amira and Atro are busy."

     "What about Nightsteed?"

     "We can send out troops for him later from Qasala. We can't miss such a good opportunity to escape. Come on." Taking his paw in hers, Nabile sneaked out of the camp.

     "Tell about the Neopets in Qasala," Nabile said as they moved. "What are they like?"

      Jazan had warmed very much to this friendly pink Ixi. "Well," he said, subconsciously dropping his guard, "they're the only people I know, so I wouldn't be able to compare them to anyone else. Ra- the King, I mean, is pretty cool - he's a good king, very powerful in sword fighting and magic too."

      "Is he the most powerful being in your city?" Nabile felt that one of the most important pieces of information she could gain from Jazan was the real ones with power in the city. Cut off the head of the wadjet, she thought, and it can't do anything, as the old saying goes. That, she knew, not this pointless, endless fighting, would be what would give her the throne of Qasala.

      "In a way, yes," Jazan replied. "But there's one who's even more powerful magically than the King - Vinifae, a pink Kau. Magically, she's probably the most powerful in all Neopia."

      "Hmmm... " Nabile thought for a moment. If she could get the king to turn against this Vinifae, then she knew that the city would be greatly weakened.

      "She was the one who made the great pits and the moat around the city," Jazan explained with some distaste in his voice, "and those fire traps."

      "You sound," Nabile said carefully, "as if you don't like her."

      Jazan shrugged. "I don't, really. She's very loyal to R- the King. I asked her for help a couple of times, but she wouldn't listen."

      Ah, thought Nabile. So our little Kyrii does have some power in the city after all. How else would he be able to appeal to this great mage for help?

     *

      Razul looked down from his place on the walltops. He had got out of bed long before dawn, and was exhausted. Daysteed was there too, and they commanded the troops together.

      "Where's Vinifae?" Daysteed asked Razul. Razul shrugged.

      "Some of the guards told me she's in her chambers, resting."

      Daysteed nodded and turned back to the troops. Razul looked down at the sand again. Somewhere down there, he thought, were Jazan and Nightsteed. He looked at the mass of tents a long way away. Somewhere...

     *

      "Cover us with an illusion," Nabile whispered. "We don't want to be seen. Magic tires the user, right?" Nabile asked innocently. Jazan nodded. "So this Vinifae would be so very tired after all the magic she performed yesterday... "

      "She would be."

      "And that means that she'd probably be in the big palace resting. The other powerful ones, like Razul, would probably be commanding the troops, and could be anywhere. I think that as soon as we get into the city, we should head for the castle. It'd be safest."

      Jazan was not happy with the plan; Vinifae was not the first Neopet he wanted to see right now. But Nabile's words made sense to him, so he nodded.

      "What does she look like? Can you draw up an illusion for me? If we're looking for her, I need to know what she looks like."

      Jazan focused, bringing up a picture of Vinifae in his mind. Within moments a pink Kau was standing in front of them, on the sand.

      "Ah," Nabile said, smiling at her victory. Before she had asked she had glanced at the walltops, just to be sure, and sure enough, another Kyrii that looked very much like the King Jazan had described had been there, watching them. Her plan was working.

     *

      Razul blinked again. Vinifae was still there, standing in the sand. Then she disappeared. His mind was racing. Could it be possible - no, of course not. Vinifae was loyal to him, and always had been. She wouldn't be working for the enemy, would she?

     *

      As they entered the city with the help of Nabile's lock picks, Nabile turned to run up to the walltops.

      "Where are you going?" Jazan asked.

      "I think I saw your King standing up on the walltops. I'll go tell him that you're here. You head on to the palace - you need some rest."

      "Okay," Jazan replied. "Wait - take this, so that he knows who you are." He handed Nabile a ring that appeared to be made of dark silver strands twisted together. Nabile flashed him a smile of gratitude, then continued to run up the walltops to where Razul was.

      "Your Majesty! I come as a messenger from Jazan." She showed him the ring. "He has made it safely inside the city walls. He has also told me to tell you something: at the Sakhmetian camp, he saw Lady Vinifae conspiring with the Princess of Sakhmet, Amira."

      "Vinifae?" Razul was struck dumb. "How - what - that's impossible!"

      "My orders were merely to convey the information, my Lord. I assure you that my news is true - I myself was a prisoner of their plotting, and I helped him escape."

      Razul looked at the ring. He himself had given that ring to Jazan - it had been the finest, one of a kind. He sighed, his initial elation being pushed aside by the bitterness of betrayal. Besides, the messenger had to be speaking the truth - how else could he have seen Vinifae outside the city?

      "Very well. Tell Prince Jazan to send Vinifae to me."

     *

      "My Lord Prince!" I exclaimed. I was incredibly weary, but somehow I found the strength to embrace Jazan and greet him. "It is good to see you again. Where is Nightsteed?"

      "Nightsteed is fine, but he was... left behind."

      I was a little surprised, but did not question him further. "Go to your chambers, Jazan, and get some rest. You look as though you need it."

      He left my chambers without another word. That was when the Ixi rushed in.

      As soon as I set eyes upon her I did not like her. Something about her sneaky, shifty manner caught my attention immediately.

      "And you would be?"

      "Nabile, m'lady. I came with Jazan, and it was I who helped him escape." I opened my mouth to tell her off for entering my rooms without permission, but she kept talking. "The King requests your presence on the walltops, m'lady." And with that, she was gone.

      I sighed and left my chambers. I was tired, but if my King wanted me to be by his side, I would be there.

     *

      "Why did you do it?" he asked as soon as I came into his sight. "Why did you betray me, and our city? Why?"

      "What?" I was confused. "What are you talking about?"

      Razul look at me, hatred burning quietly but steadily in his eyes. "You know what I'm talking about, Vinifae. Get out of the city, now, or else I swear I will draw my sword and slay you where you stand!"

      I was completely and utterly confused, and had no idea what to do. "I-"

      "GO!" The command shook me. Forced to carry out his orders by my loyalty to him, I nodded and left. But I had one more thing to say to him.

      "Don't trust the pink Ixi."

      And then I was gone.

     *

      Razul stood staring after her. Could he have been wrong? But no. Jazan had trusted the pink Ixi, and he trusted Jazan. Vinifae, he realised, had been very well placed as a spy. She had been in charge of the city's defenses and was extremely powerful. She had found it easy to fill the Qasalans with over confidence, making it seem as if they were winning the battle.

      He watched the battle raging on below. And then...

      The great abyss that had been protecting the front gates closed, the moat vanished. With a shock, Razul realised that when he and Qasala had abandoned Vinifae, her magic that had been protecting Qasala had disappeared. He gasped - she must have let go of the enchantments, so that she could leave the city, for without the magic of the city her magic was not even a tenth as powerful as it was with it, and obviously it had been too much effort to hold in the enchantments. Besides, she had no need to continue doing so, now that her cover was blown. He cursed her again and again, but the Sakhmetians were already charging the front gate, entering the city...

     *

      I watched the city as it lost the battle. It was cool, calm and majestic as ever. Suddenly I couldn't stand it any longer. I couldn't stand by and let all those who I held dear in my mind be killed and taken as slaves. I couldn't watch my city be looted, plundered by those unworthy to even step inside its gates.

      I summoned up the last of my energy, much of which had been returned to me after my spells had collapsed, and talked to the city. I put all my will into it, ordering the city to obey me. It eventually relented, and I pushed as hard as I could.

      I watched as Amira and her entourage fled the scene, right after they realised what was happening. I watched, with some disappointment, as the pink Ixi fled the scene. At least she had had the compassion to pull Jazan out with her. Soon, though, I realised that she could use him. I sighed.

      Then I turned my attention back to Qasala. It was collapsing fast - Amira's panicked troops were attempting to flee, but it was too late - stone by stone the city came down. I watched it all, and did not look away until long after it ended.

      Thus ended the tale of a city that broke before it would bend.

     *

      So there you have it. This was my account of the Fall of Qasala. Believe what you want. If my message has gone through to just one reader, than my purpose in writing the true tale will have been fulfilled.

      Do I feel guilt over destroying my own city? No. I feel nothing now but sadness, and loss. But I feel that its own eventual fate was far better than what could have been. What would have been, if Amira and her troops had had what they wanted.

      My life's journey is over, its purpose fulfilled. There is nothing more on this world for me to do. And so I end this tale, hoping desperately that someone will read this.

      It is done.

The End

Author's Note: This was my first ever entry into the Neopian Times, and I really really hope that I got through. If you're reading this, well, then I have, I guess. I'll go through all the normal stuff now. All the characters here that did not appear in the plot are purely fictional. Questions/comments/constructive criticism are all accepted, as long as it's understandable and helpful.

Now for my thank yous. Thanks to Steph, who, although had no hand in the making/editing of this story, was kinda my inspiration, since you love the Lost Desert so much.

Thanks to Sara, who made me the lookup that was also another bit of inspiration to me.

Thanks to you, for reading this. I hope you enjoyed this story. :)