Shahla Chapter 3
Shahla sat down to think about things, gently rocking back and forth. She found a place on the floor were her eyes were comfortable and left into her own mind. She couldn't understand why Malik would have such a reaction to her comment about Earth. Why was he afraid? She was sure there was some fear there. The battle managed to crawl it's way into her already crowded thoughts. Well there wasn't much she could do about that at the moment. It was going to take place no matter what she did. Better to at least find a little leverage.
Someone brushed rudely past her she glared after them. Next stop Earth.
She halted close to it but still far enough away so she wasn't in any danger. For a while she just watched it, it was beautiful. She had never thought so before really, but then again everything possessed beauty to some extent. Earth did have a special glow though maybe it was time.
A blue flash raced across the surface of the Earth. Hermes Shahla thought to herself probably delivering a message. Shahla and all the other creatures were quite familiar with all the
Gods and their habits or jobs. A lazy smile danced across her face. Happiness is where you chose to find it she mused to herself.
After a while Shahla thought she should leave, no was point in hanging around and besides there were things to do as always. She flapped her wings they had grown a little stiff with her just floating there. A noise like the last time only louder and more violent. She could actually feel it run through her body. Stiff or not she pushed her wings to take her far away from this imagined monster.
She directed towards the Body base, must keep up appearances she smiled bitterly. Since she couldn't find anyone she might wish to engage in conversation she checked out the training course. Flipping, running, pulling, pushing, swords craft, swimming, through all of it she pushed herself to the limit.
Everyone at the Mind base knew that the Body group had the same intentions as they. Shahla's blood was racing from her workout and spent a bit of time just roaming aimlessly around the premises. Well perhaps not totally aimless, Akash was no where to be found. Sighing Shahla accepted the fact that there was no where to run and no where to hide but that was the only fact she was going to accept if she could help it. It was time to take more drastic action.
Shahla moved silently across the floor, her hand on her sword. Anyone who tried to stop her would not live to see the "light of battle". Throwing caution to the wind she continued to creep down the hall her tail dragging her eyes darting. Luckily, whether for Shahla or an unfortunate creature is yet to be determined, she didn't run into anyone. Her heels clicked faintly as she walked into the room. There was nothing but a table in the center of it with some calculations printed upon it. Shahla shut the door and walked slowly over to the table following the old code that if it seemed to easy it probably was.
She scanned the papers quickly and was awed and horrified by what she found. On one was a picture of a large creature, it had gigantic wings like Shahla, a long body, golden eyes, a lengthy, spiky tail and a huge mouth full of pointed, white teeth. Shahla rubbed her tongue across her own fangs. So Malik was causing all those strange things to happen. It was not time to utter a sigh of relief yet but soon she could. Shahla left the papers were she had discovered them. Still feeling this was too easy made for the door.
Over in the corridor she let her hand slip around the handle of her sword, pressed against the wall. She was almost at the exit when she ran into Akash. It was at that moment that she became certain that one of the fates hated her.
"What are you doing here?" Akash asked her, not entirely innocently.
"Looking for you, but maybe that was silly since you're not supposed to be down here are you?"
"You must be guilty of something because you're answering my questions with a question."
"Am I?" she aloud a tiny smirk to worm it's way to her lips. Akash smiled a little too, "I didn't see a thing," he said rolling his eyes sky ward. Shahla nodded telling herself to remain the hunter, she wouldn't talk if he didn't. She padded him on the shoulder as she departed. Even if he didn't keep her secret it wouldn't matter soon anyway. Either way she would rest easier.
A couple of rounds of the clock had passed and next thing she was aware of she was flying into the vastness of space along side the Mind company. There was no ridiculous surrender or die speeches everyone was there for one purpose only. The battle commenced immediately Shahla got away without killing anyone at first. Look busy was the rule of the day. It was a blessing in a way. People from both sides recognized her as their own and didn't attack. Maybe she could pull this off after all.
At one point though she had to attack, so she didn't hesitate. Her sword was drawn and she moved in quickly. Faking a first attack then slashing with both her tail and sword. Of course she also had the element of surprise. The problem was that someone noticed she had killed one of her comrades and sounded the alarm. She was captured easily enough, she didn't put up too much of a struggle least they decide to kill her there and then. She had to see Malik first and requested as much. They full filled it without much convincing.
She was thrown to the ground in front of the Malik he looked surprised and confused. Shahla came to the quick conclusion that he was a fool.
"So you are really with the people of the Body?"
"Only Mondays, Thursdays, Sundays and the occasional Friday" she retorted.
"You know the penalty for betrayal"
"Yes the Dark Flower knows all" Malik stopped and looked down at her.
"The Dark Flower?"
"It's who I am"
"And what is that?"
"I already told you but you didn't want to listen" he chose not to answer that and instead lifted a sword.
"I'll make a point of it" Shahla said softly.
"Make a point of what?" he questioned a little aggravated.
"Of telling everyone in ear shot about your little plan for Earth" that stopped him.
"Of how you made that creature and were going to try to make a timeless ball so you could go to Earth. You could move around and be free forever. That's where all that activity I saw from Earth came from. It's amazing the Gods haven't come after you yet. You don't realize what you've done though do you?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about" they were now talking very quietly so no one else but they could hear what was being revealed. He was lying and Shahla knew it you just can't hide anything in your soul.
"I think we both know you know exactly what I'm referring to but if you let me go no one else will ever know." A rumble came from the distance but it was still powerful enough to shake the ground where they were planted.
Shahla looked up at the participants of the brawl they were not only canceling each other out. They were repealing each other and yet at the same time pulling toward each other. The creatures were getting torn. The conscious and sub-conscious were trying to come together but yet couldn't. The people of the Mind worked in their sub-conscious while the people of the Body only worked in the conscious part. Together they actually tried to blend together but couldn't because they couldn't find any level on which to connect. Except in sleep…
Another blast this time closer. Shahla couldn't understand why it was happening the creatures couldn't possibly be causing all of this. A near by planet began to move like Earth. Shahla sucked in a breath this could not be happening. Another planet began to spin ever so slightly but it was moving like Earth, it had the same glow. The glow of time, time was irrupting everywhere. It crackled all through space destroying anything that would not let it be. The creatures were timeless and got trapped in walls of there own making. There was still no time were they were but they couldn't move they were to be forever trapped in that one place. Emitting light all around some of the brightest Shahla had ever seen.
Shahla felt her own body begin to betray her. Shahla then got a brilliant or foolish idea, one that would decide her future forever. The creature, she thought of nothing but it then shot forward toward Earth. From the papers she had studied earlier she knew how to do it, it was worth a try.
Blacking out…
When Shahla awoke she didn't know where she was. It was dark but a faint, light, blue light fell across her. She crawled on all fours and managed to stand. Wait! All fours! She had done it! She was a dragon. The name had come from the records back at the base but it wasn't unflattering and she would go along with it. She still had most of her powers and she also seemed to have that timeless quality that she had always had. Magic still danced in her blood, she would later become feared by humans for they didn't understand what she was. That was the way it was though wasn't it?
Shahla raised her head to the stars, sad for what could have been. She would never be able to return to them, ever. There were many white dots across the sky and Shahla knew that now time existed everywhere up there. There were also a lot of little tiny dots that on clear nights that stand out quite clearly they are different for some reason. Shahla knew that what humans called the "Milky Way" were in fact many creatures trapped forever in their timeless orbs shining and lighting up the night. Shahla the Dark Flower knew.
The End